Team home run leader gets let go in favor of AAA team's home run leader.
Kyle Blanks has worn a Padres uniform every year from 2009 to 2013 and he will again in 2014. After slugging 9 home runs for AAA El Paso, the 6'6 power hitting first baseman/outfielder returns the Padres today. If Blanks had hit one more dinger for the Chihuahuas he would have reach double digits for a AAA club 3 times in his career. A feat he has only replicated once in the majors (2009). He has never completed a full season in AAA as every time he has reached or been sent down to that level the big league club has come calling midseason. The 27 year old should expect to start against left handing pitching, pinch hit and perhaps steal some other starts elsewhere.
With this call up Kyle Blanks will officially run out of option years at the end of the season. The team will no longer be able to freely shuffle him back and forth from the minors. The date was also quick approaching where the Padres could preserve another year of team control before free agency for Blanks. He has accumulated 4 years and 32 days of service time to this point. The season started 36 days ago. Perhaps he reached that date and will now be a free agent in 2017. If not, it seems a little odd that the team could not wait a little longer. But not too odd given how bad the offense has been.
The countermove is the designating for assignment of Xavier Nady. Perhaps the writing was on the wall for this move yesterday when Nady was benched against a left handed starting pitcher. If Bud Black was not willing to platoon the career lefty masher, then what use is he on the roster? Nady's 2014 numbers are not much to write home about, but he did provide 3 home runs, which leads the team in his second go-around with the club.