San Diego Padres: Breaking Down the 3 Latest Offseason Rumors

Chase Headley is the key to the Padres success in 2013.
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The MLB rumor mill is working at full capacity as the offseason draws to a close.

Teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels and Toronto Blue Jays have been on offseason spending sprees, while teams like the San Diego Padres have flown under the radar.

However, impact players are still left out there, and the Padres are sure to make a move in an attempt to bolster their young roster.

The following breaks down the rumors surrounding the Padres' potential late-offseason moves.

Giancarlo Stanton Won't Be a Padre

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At 6'5", Giancarlo Stanton is a tough player to ignore. However, as talks begin to cool down it seems less and less likely that the San Diego Padres will be going after a big-name player like Stanton.

The 23-year-old slugger spent most of last season jogging around the diamond, watching his long balls soar over the fences at Marlins Park. He has the kind of power that any team would love to have in the middle of the batting order. 

The Miami Marlins roster has already been depleted from high-profile trades. It is likely that they are dangling the idea of trading Stanton in order to determine his value on the block.

As the offseason drags on, it seems more and more likely that Stanton will be keeping his talents in South Beach...for now.

Marcum and Saunders Will Not Be Signed

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Corey Brock of MLB.com reported via Twitter that the Padres have not been pursuing RHP Shaun Marcum and LHP Joe Saunders, despite their rotational needs. 

Both Marcum and Saunders would be solid additions to the Padres rotation. However, they are about to exit their prime.

San Diego is a young team that can't afford to pay a hefty sum for aging pitchers. 

Marcum's 3.70 ERA was his highest in four seasons. The 31-year-old also missed two months last season due to a bum elbow. 

Saunders, also 31, posted a mediocre 4.07 ERA during his stints with the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Baltimore Orioles.

The risk of signing these pitchers is not worth the reward when considering the Padres' fiscal situation and need for young talent.

A Trade for Porcello Is Still a Possibility

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Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal hinted that the Padres are still considering a trade for Rick Porcello.

The Padres have actively been pursuing Porcello, who would fit the mold for a Padres' offseason trade. 

He is 6'5" and throws the ball upward of 95 mph—a deadly combination in the confines of PETCO Park or any field for that matter. He posted a 4.59 ERA last year, which is high but nothing PETCO can't solve.

He has been to a World Series, something the Padres haven't smelled since 1998. And the best part about Porcello is he's only 23 years old.

He may not make a tremendous impact immediately, but he could become a key part of the Padres young rotation with the likes of Clayton Richard, Eric Stults and Andrew Cashner.