San Diego Padres: Wanting to Keep Quentin Shows Hope

The San Diego Padres are having a difficult season, but that does not mean that they are trying to sell power-hitting outfielder Carlos Quentin just yet.

While talking to Jayson Stark of ESPN, San Diego general manager Josh Byrnes said:

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"The truth is, he's exactly what we need," Byrnes said. "We need his home run production in the middle of the order. And I think his intensity is something we really need. So we're not looking to trade him in mid-June. We're definitely open to keeping him around beyond this year."

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The final sentence of that quote refers to the fact that Quentin is due to be a free agent at the end of the season and could be on the move.

While keeping Carlos Quentin around would be a great thing for the Padres given his powerful presence in the middle of their lineup, the more important take away from this statement is the simple fact that the Padres believe that they are ready to compete in the relatively near future.

They obviously realize that this year is not going to be that season, but if they want to keep Quentin around, it is an indication that they do not want to sell him for more prospects.

If they do not want to sell him for more prospects, perhaps the rebuilding is almost over.

They obviously still have quite a bit more work to do before they can contend, but there is at least a shimmer of hope in this message out of San Diego.

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