SAN DIEGO (AP) -The Matt Bush era with the San Diego Padres is all but over before the local product ever made it to the big leagues.
Bush, the No. 1 pick in the 2004 amateur draft who had elbow problems and a notable off-field altercation, was designated for assignment Thursday to make room for Cliff Floyd, who spent last season with AL champion Tampa Bay. The affable but oft-injured Floyd agreed to a $750,000, one-year deal with the Padres to pinch-hit and be the designated hitter in road interleague games.
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“We knew this was a possibility,” Towers said. “Sometimes you have to make tough decisions. Matt ended up being kind of the 40th guy. We just felt he was the right guy to designate rather than 39 other guys that we felt like we valued more on our roster.”
Towers said other clubs have expressed interest in Bush during the last year, although he missed all of 2008 while rehabbing following reconstructive elbow surgery. Towers said there’s an outside chance that if Bush is released, he could be re-signed to a minor league deal.
“I think there will be a market out there for him in the way of a trade. If not, if he gets released, we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” Towers said.
The Padres took Bush with the top pick in 2004 in large part because he came cheaper than others in that draft, notably Stephen Drew, Jered Weaver and Justin Verlander. Then a shortstop at Mission Bay High, Bush agreed to a $3.15 million signing bonus.
conduct, trespassing and underage possession or consumption of alcohol.
Bush was involved in a bar fight last summer, also in Peoria.
His career never really got going. He had elbow surgery in August 2007, not long after being converted from shortstop to pitcher.
“We tried it with him as an infielder and that certainly didn’t work out,” Towers said. “Got him on the mound, something that he was kind of a two-way guy in high school, and he pitched less than 10 innings for us in the Midwest League before he ran into elbow problems and had Tommy John surgery.”
Towers said Bush has been pitching a little this offseason but that his velocity wasn’t all the way back.
Meanwhile, Floyd said he was “pretty stoked” about joining the Padres.
“I love National League-style baseball; I’ve been doing it my whole career,” he said. “I got the chance to play in the American League last year and it was a great opportunity, a great situation, but games are way too long, and getting back to National League style of play is a good fit for me.”
Floyd goes from playing in the World Series with Tampa Bay to a team that lost 99 games and finished last in the NL West. Tampa Bay declined a $3 million option on Floyd, instead opting for a $250,000 buyout.
s at designated hitter. The 36-year-old slugger was on the postseason roster until a right shoulder injury sidelined him for the final two games of the World Series loss to Philadelphia.
Floyd said he’s healthy after rest and rehab.
“I feel good,” he said.
Towers expects Floyd to mostly pinch-hit late in games, much as Tony Clark did last year, and DH in interleague games.
“Great guy,” Towers said. “He brings some leadership qualities into our clubhouse, which I think is greatly needed.”
Floyd has also played with the Montreal Expos, Florida Marlins, Boston Red Sox, New York Mets and Chicago Cubs.
He was with Florida when it won the World Series in 1997, and has played in the postseason the past three years.
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