Padres' Nevin rejects trade to Orioles
Deal would have sent slugger to Baltimore for Ponson
 | Phil Nevin is hitting .263 with nine home runs, 11 doubles and 47 RBIs in 71 games this season. |
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BALTIMORE - San Diego Padres first baseman Phil Nevin on Monday rejected a trade that would have sent him to the Baltimore Orioles for pitcher Sidney Ponson.
The proposed deal was contingent upon Nevin’s approval. He has the right to block a trade to eight teams, including the Orioles.
“Phil has elected to stay with the Padres and will be treated as a full member of the team,” Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. “However, with the team competing for the National League West title, playing time is going to be determined by both his performance and the performances of other players that will ultimately give us the best chance to win.”
Nevin, 34, is batting .263 with nine home runs, 11 doubles and 47 RBIs in 71 games. Nevin did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.
“He just decided that obviously, family factors, personal factors, took precedent over baseball factors,” said his agent, Barry Axelrod. “He wants to remain a part of San Diego and the ballclub. He’s always wanted to be in San Diego. They gave him the right to keep that right, and that’s what he decided to do.”
Towers’ comment regarding Nevin’s playing time means Nevin could be benched by manager Bruce Bochy, who might start using Xavier Nady at first base.
“That was duly taken under consideration. He understands that’s a possibility, something that Boch may decide to do,” Axelrod said. “Obviously he’s willing to accept that and take his chances with that.”
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Besides Nady, left-hander Mark Sweeney can also play first, which could cut into Nevin’s time.
“Well, hey, Phil knows that,” Bochy said. “He knows his playing time will be affected, with Xavier and Sweeney. And at this point, I’m going to go with matchups, hot bat, whatever it takes to win. I’ll put out the team I think gives our team the best shot to win that game.”
Nevin also nixed a trade to Cincinnati for Ken Griffey Jr. in December 2002.
“It’s pretty clear this is where he wants to be,” Towers said.
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“No way is Phil Nevin the reason we’re where we’ve been at the last six weeks,” Towers said. “We’re struggling to score runs. We need to turn this thing around before somebody catches us quick. It’s not as much about pushing him out the door, but we can cover first base with Sweeney and Nady, and we were trying to get a pitcher.”
Ponson is 7-9 with a 5.91 ERA. The non-waiver trade deadline is Sunday afternoon, so Ponson still may be dealt by the Orioles. He has not won a game for Baltimore since June 18.
Orioles executive vice president Jim Beattie declined comment on Nevin’s decision, saying he would not talk about a proposed trade that did not go through.
Nevin would have provided the Orioles with a much-needed right-handed power hitter, one who would have given 40-year-old first baseman Rafael Palmeiro an occasional day off. Nevin and Palmeiro probably would have alternated between first base and designated hitter.
“It’s always good to add a player like that because he’s a great offensive player,” Palmeiro said before Nevin’s announcement, “but you win ultimately with pitching. If anything, we need to help our pitching staff.”
For that reason, Palmeiro would have missed Ponson as a teammate.
“I know people have different opinions about Sidney, but the one thing I have to give him is Sidney comes to pitch. He’s a workhorse, he’ll give you innings and give it all he’s got,” Palmeiro said. “I’m open to whatever they want to do. If they want to put (Nevin) at first, I’ll DH. But I don’t want to lose Sidney.”
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