He's no longer the longest-tenured Padre. He's now the shortest-tenured Twin.
With his contract up at the end of the 2014 season, it was uncertain whether Tim Stauffer's time with the Padres would continue once again or if it would come to an end. I, along with many others, hoped that Preller would find a way to keep Stauffer on the team, but the more time went on the less likely it seemed that our wishes would be granted. And sure enough, our dreams were crushed today as the Twins announced they have signed the former longest-tenured Padres to a one-year contract worth $2.2 million, putting their roster at a full 40 players.
Stauffer had spent his entire career up to this point playing in the Padres organization. Since being drafted in 2003, he bounced back and forth between the minors and big league club in between DL stints, and valiantly pitched pretty much wherever the team needed him; whether it be in long relief, in the rotation, or as a spot starter. Though he had his ups and downs, he became a mostly reliable member of the Padres pitching staff over the years, not to mention a fan favorite and a well-loved teammate.
Hopefully Stauffer finds success in Minnesota. And hopefully he finds his way back to the Padres some day.