Big-spending Padres owner Seider dies at 63
SAN DIEGO — Padres owner Peter Seidler, who spent hundreds of millions of dollars trying to bring a long-elusive World Series championship to San Diego, died on Tuesday, the team announced. He was 63.
A cause of death wasn't disclosed. Seidler, a third-generation member of the O’Malley family that used to own the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, was a two-time cancer survivor. The team announced in mid-September that Seidler had an unspecified medical procedure in August and wouldn't be back at the ballpark the rest of the year.
The Padres planned to open Petco Park on Tuesday afternoon for fans who wished to gather to pay respects.
Seidler was part of a group that purchased the Padres in 2012, and he bought out Ron Fowler’s majority stake in November 2020. Seidler also bought Rawlings Sporting Goods Company Inc. in conjunction with MLB in 2018.
It was with Seidler’s blessing that the Padres boosted their payroll to about $258 million on opening day, third-highest in the majors, after making a stirring run to the NL Championship Series the previous fall. The Padres underwhelmed most of the season despite having a star-studded lineup and missed the playoffs.
Ohtani, others turn down qualifying offer
Shohei Ohtani was among seven players who turned down $20,325,000 qualifying offers from their former teams Tuesday and remained on the free agent market to pursue more lucrative contracts.
In addition to Ohtani saying no to the Los Angeles Angels, others who declined to accept were outfielder Cody Bellinger (Chicago Cubs), pitchers Josh Hader and Blake Snell (San Diego), Aaron Nola (Philadelphia), Sonny Gray (Minnesota) and third baseman Matt Chapman (Toronto).
By making a qualifying offer a team would receive an additional selection in next July’s amateur draft if a player signs elsewhere before then. A team signing the player could lose one or two draft picks.
Qualifying offers began after the 2012 season, and only 10 of 131 offers have been accepted.
Brewers close in on deal with Murphy
Milwaukee is working to finalize a deal with Pat Murphy that would promote the team’s longtime bench coach to replace Craig Counsell as manager.
Murphy, 64, had served as Counsell’s bench coach since 2016 before the manager’s departure to the NL Central rival Chicago Cubs last week.
The Syracuse, N.Y., native previously spent six seasons with the San Diego Padres organization, including a 96game stint as the team’s interim manager in 2015 after the firing of Bud Black.
Brewers get approval for stadium repairs
The Wisconsin state Senate narrowly approved a plan Tuesday to spend nearly half a billion dollars to help the Milwaukee Brewers repair their stadium over the next three decades, brushing aside arguments that the team has more than enough money and doesn't deserve such a sizable government subsidy.
The chamber approved the legislation on a 19-14 vote, sending it to the Assembly. Assembly passage would put the bill in front of Gov. Tony Evers, who can sign it into law or veto it. Evers spokesperson said Monday that the governor supports the plan.