Vincente Padilla has re-signed with the Dodgers on a 1-year/$4 million deal after playing half the season with them last year.  Padilla was cut by the Rangers due to his poor attitude and always hitting players and creating a beef that the Rangers didn’t want to deal with.  Padilla had some success in just 8 games for the Dodgers last year, which included 7 starts.  He had a 3.28 ERA and was 4-0.  Padilla will start the year in the rotation, likely as the 4th starter.

Joe Blanton avoided an arbitration hearing and signed a multi-year extension.  Blanton and the Phillies have come to terms on a 3-year/$24 million deal.  Blanton started 31 games for the Phillies last year but after getting Lee and signing Pedro last year there was always talks of sending him to the bullpen.  It never happened, but for a guy to make $8 million per and potentially wind up a long inning reliever…?  I think the Phillies made a slight mistake here resigning him for 3 years.  I guess they figured they gave up half their farm system to get Halladay and Lee that they need to sign as many guys under the age of 30 as possible.  Blanton made $5.7 million last year and asked for $10 million in arbitration!  Unreal.  Obviously he knew the Phillies would counter, and they did with $7.5 and followed that up with this semi-long term agreement.

Rick Ankiel has signed with the Royals, good for him.  My thinking is Ankiel feels that if he signs with a team like the Royals it is almost exceptable for him to bat .240 and not get cut.  Last year in just 59 less at bats than ’08, Ankiel hit 14 less homeruns and drove in 33 less runners.  He really dropped off in OBP too at just .285.  As far as defense goes, he is a fearless OF which great defensive skills and this signing should slide Podsednik over to LF now.  The deal is worth $3.25 million guaranteed with a mutual $6 million option for year two.  I know Chris is happy he isn’t a Met, although that would have been fun to watch him tear up the Cardinals.

Grade for the Royals: C; they upgrade their OF defense with two center fielders now, but Ankiel has no discipline at the plate and you just don’t know what you are going to get from him.  A 20 HR year, or a 10 HR year?  Who knows.