Keeping Up with the Padres

Trevor Hoffman is 38.

What does that mean to Dodger fans? Aside from the fact that he won’t be closing them out in the ninth inning (yesterday’s game notwithstanding), it means that the Padres’ need to win a championship is even more urgent than the Dodgers’. Who knows how much longer Hoffman will be around to finish up for their starters.

For the Padres, the future is now. And that means if there’s a pitcher on the mid-season trade market, they have even more reason than Los Angeles to snap him up. The Padres rotation isn’t as troubled as the Dodgers’, but they have three starters with ERAs over 4. A guy like Barry Zito could put them over the top. Even if they don’t sign him beyond the 2005 season, he could deliver a championship.

The Dodgers have two choices. They can make off with the best mercenary trade bait before the competition does, and sign him to a long-term deal. Or they can hope that the Padres don’t have enough money to sign a multi-year contract and wait until the off-season.

I’m in favor of the former. You just might win something this year, and you’ll lock up a great arm for the future.