At last, Padres land Hosmer
In his career as a visitor, Eric Hosmer has hit .441 (15 for 34) at Petco Park, which he will call home in just over a month.
Photo courtesy of Justin Braun
An eight-year, $144 million contract brings the star first baseman to the San Diego Padres
Mere days after San Diego Padres players reported to Peoria, Arizona to open spring training, the Padres’ front office reported it had opened something else — its pockets. The Padres signed free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer to an eight-year, $144 million contract, making it the richest deal of the MLB offseason and the richest deal in the history of the Padres. The 28-year-old Hosmer, formerly of the Kansas City Royals, comes at a hefty cost for a reason: he’s a four-time Gold Glove award winner — in his prime — with championship pedigree.
Padres fans are elated. Hosmer was the prize of the offseason, and in a duel between historically familiar opponents the clergy and the crown, the Padres bested the Royals in a months-long battle to sign him.
University of San Diego senior Ben Friedl kept his eye on the process as it unfolded.
“I’ve been following it very closely,” Friedl said. “At the beginning of this offseason I had no idea that the Padres would even be in conversation with a free agent like Eric Hosmer. I believe that we’re still two years away from being competitive, so a signing like Hosmer is a bit surprising because it’s such a win-now signing.”
Friedl noted Hosmer’s patient approach at the plate and his durability as welcome additions to the Padres.
“He brings some consistency into the Padres lineup, which they’re currently missing because they have a lot of young players,” Friedl said. “Last year, his batting average was well over .300, and he’s played over 150 games each of the past six seasons, something you really need as a team to grow and develop and become competitive.”
Senior Daniel Gardner, the center fielder for USD’s baseball team, also said that Hosmer will provide an offensive boost to the lineup.
“Hosmer is a guy who brings a lot of energy and a lot of pop,” Gardner said. “I think he’s going to hit 20 or more bombs with around 100 RBIs if he stays healthy this year. Not to mention his ‘flow’ is off the charts. When it comes down to it, though, Hosmer simply knows how to win.”
The star first baseman has an air of winning about him traceable to his role in the Royals winning the 2015 World Series. Friedl said he hopes that this air will continue to swirl around Hosmer as he embeds himself in the Padres’ dugout.
“I don’t expect them to compete this year, but Eric Hosmer, a former world champion, can have a contagious influence that improves the level of play of everyone else on the team,” Friedl said. “His clubhouse presence, leadership, knowing what it takes to be a world champion — I think this is a fantastic signing.”
It will be some time before Hosmer shows whether he’s the all-important building block that the Padres and their fans expect him to be. This is mostly because baseball players are made not of cement, but instead of human goop — of bones, blood, ligaments, and neurons — which prevents a precise, accurate prediction about the long-term consequences of any free-agent signing. Padres fans can find solace in one fact, though, which became evident with Hosmer joining the team: the Padres’ front office wants to win, not just in a few years but now, and it is willing to spend big money to accomplish just that.
The Padres begin their regular season March 29 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Petco Park.