Hosmer joins Padres, wears number of late teammate Ventura
PEORIA, Ariz. — For a few years now, the lowly San Diego Padres have preached about “the process” of their deep rebuild via the draft and signing international players after their win-now attempt with pricey veterans failed so spectacularly in 2015.
That process now includes 28-year-old first baseman Eric Hosmer and his potential $144 million contract, a testament to the strength of the Padres’ farm system and the willingness of ownership to spend money.
Owners Peter Seidler and Ron Fowler consider the signing a “significant moment” in Padres history.
“Speaking for Ron and myself, when you have to sign a check like that you better have a smile on your face, and we do,” Seidler said Tuesday after Hosmer was introduced at a news conference.
The draft and player development will remain core principles, “but to get a player and person like Eric Hosmer is a big piece of where we are and what we want to do,” Seidler said.
Hosmer has been asked to play a leadership role with the Padres after his experience in Kansas City, where he won a World Series with the Royals in 2015. He said he looks forward to that role, having seen the many young players the organization is developing in the major and minor leagues.
“It was fun to get the vision and see where San Diego is trying to lead this young group of guys,” Hosmer said. “For them to want to bring me in to be a part of this, to help guide these guys and to help bring this city a world championship ... I’m just happy to be a part of it.”
The Padres still have a long way to go. They haven’t been to the playoffs since 2006, have had seven straight losing seasons and finished fourth in the NL West last year, 33 games behind NL pennant-winning Los Angeles.
General manager A.J. Preller said the Padres considered Hosmer a priority from the start of free agency.
“It was a process of us trying to show him, ‘Hey, this is .what the vision is, this is how you fit in, this is what we’re all about,’ getting to know him more on a personal level, and doing the homework necessary from that standpoint. I think our two interests lined up. I think this is a place he wanted to be.
Preller and manager Andy Green said the Padres knew all along they’d have to add players via free agency or trades.
“From our standpoint he’s a piece that fits for us now and for the future,” Preller said. “He kind of complements what we build. We don’t have a ton of big-body, left-handed hitting, tough-out, plate discipline guys that have shown a propensity to get on base and defend the field and he can do that, so we’re excited.”
Green said Hosmer’s age is the reason he got the long contract, and that the team has always talked about “layering in special talents” from outside the organization who can help accelerate development of younger players and take pressure off them.