Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union Tribune

As the Padres are just underway with their spring training routine, I thought I'd get the opinion of Union Tribune's Tom Krasovic on Jake Peavy, Tony Clark and others.


Padres Blog: There had been a lot of talk about the Padres possibly dealing catcher Michael Barrett. Were there ever any teeth to that rumor or is that still a possibility depending on the Padres need?

Tom Krasovic: There were teeth. Not large, sharp teeth, though. More like baby teeth. The Pirates had some interest but made it clear they weren't going to give up much. Same with the Devil Rays. I think it's all pretty much blown over. One thing to remember: The general state of catching in the majors and minors is awful, and in terms of catching, the Padres are a little better off down below than most clubs. So maybe they swing something down the road, but they do expect Barrett to hit more to his career norms this year, and they like the idea of Bard and Barrett sharing the load.


Padres Blog: We've seen what Jake Peavy can do on the mound, but are we just seeing the tip of the iceberg as far as what he's capable of?

Tom Krasovic: Yes, if you believe Woody Williams, who said Jake is just now figuring out some of the finer points of pitching. He's also heading into the typical prime years. It's also realistic to expect that Peavy will become more comfortable with the bigger games, now that he's done it a few times. But I don't think it's realistic for him to improve on his ERAs of 2004 and 2007. Too much luck involved there.


Padres Blog: In my opinion, the signing of Tony Clark is one of the most underrated moves this offseason, do you agree?

Tom Krasovic: It might end up being one of those late moves that looks great down the road. It's hard to find power for the bench, and Clark gives you power from both sides (as a right-handed hitter, though, he didn't inspire much confidence with Diamondbacks management last year). He also knows the division and the Diamondbacks. The Padres also got a little bit lucky. Everyone expected Clark to return to the Diamondbacks. The players and staff there love him, and Arizona really doesn't have a healthy backup to Conor Jackso. Early in the offseason, Arizona had offered him $3 million for two years; something broke down there (might revisit this in weeks ahead) and the Padres ended up getting him for $900k. The potential downside is that Tony won't get enough at-bats to keep his swing grooved.


Padres Blog: I know a lot of fans have heard the name Chase Headley this offseason, does he break camp as a Padre or do you think he needs seasoning in Portland?

Tom Krasovic: I think the Padres are more inclined to send him to Portland unless he knocks their socks off. Otherwise they are asking him to adapt simultaneously to major league pitching and a new position. No reason for them to rule it out. But I would put his chances at below 50 percent, though I do expect that he'll play for them in 2008.


Padres Blog: One guy that I'm interested in watching is Callix Crabbe, a player the Padres picked up in the Rule 5 draft. Does he have a legit shot at being a backup to Iguchi at 2nd base?

Tom Krasovic: Crabbe's chances improve if he shows he can play in the IF and the OF. In particular, SS and CF. The expectation is that he's a reliable second baseman. He would help his chances quite a bit if he shows he can do an adequate job at SS and CF. The utility and LF duels are intertwined, too. If Hairston shows he's ready, it will have a ripple effect in other competitions for jobs.