MLB Trade Rumors: Why the Padres Should Hold onto Chase Headley

With the trade deadline approaching rather quickly, the San Diego Padres have been pinned to be sellers. However, the tide may be changing in San Diego. The Padres recently signed Carlos Quentin to a three-year deal that will keep a big bat in the lineup for a team who desperately needs power.

Another Friar who many believe will be on the move is Chase Headley. According to Jim Bowden of ESPN.com, there are six teams in the hunt to land the third baseman. The Oakland A’s, who have been playing tremendous baseball in July, have jumped into the discussion regarding Headley as well.

Even though the Padres are currently 41-58 and are all but officially ruled out of the playoffs, they should hold on to the pieces that they currently have. The Padres are capable of putting together a competitive roster with their current talent. Trading Headley would be a step backward for the Padres, who are winners of six of their last 10 games.

Headley is currently leading the Padres in every batting statistic category possible. For an offense that has been disappointing, he is one of the few bright spots on the season. Headley is currently hitting .265 with 11 home runs and 50 RBI. Headley’s defense is not anything spectacular, and he may not be the best defender that is available on the market, but his whole package has drawn much attention.

The Padres are headed in the right direction. They have young stars all over the diamond, making them just a couple of moves and a bit of experience away from being a force in the National League.

Yasmani Grandal has shown that he is the real deal in the first 20 games of his major league career. Despite his struggles this season, Cameron Maybin is another young star that the Padres are extremely excited about. Yonder Alonso also has not disappointed in his first season with the Padres.

All of these players are the real reason that the Padres should not move Headley. The Padres already have one of the best farm systems in baseball. They do not need to make more moves that will further load up their farm system; they need to start working on putting together a successful team at the major league level.  The young players combined with veterans like Quentin and Headley are a very nice mixture for the Friars.

The Padres know that holding onto Headley is what is best for the organization and that is why they have put out an extremely high asking price for him. Headley fits perfectly into the Padres lineup and is capable of being a cornerstone at third base for years to come.

The Padres have begun to offer contracts to some of the team’s stars and Headley should be next.  After getting the Quentin deal done, the Padres are working out an extension for closer Huston Street, according to Scott Miller of CBS. 

It is nice to see the Padres starting to make moves to keep players in San Diego. It is extremely tough for a fanbase to constantly have their team ripped of their best players every year. With the O’Malley group taking control of the team soon, the Padres should buck the trend of being sellers at the trade deadline.

The Padres still need to add another bat and possibly another arm to join the rotation, but the team's second-half success shows that this club is headed in the right direction. The next move that the Padres need to make is holding onto Headley. He is the future at third base and he can help the Padres immensely as they hope to keep their second-half play up.

Chase Headley will remain a popular name as the trade deadline closes in, but the Padres should hold on to Headley as they continue to build for a bright future.