Padres Offer Teufel Arbitration

Free-agent infielder Tim Teufel, mystified by the Padres’ lax efforts to sign him, was offered salary arbitration Saturday that guaranteed the Padres’ negotiating rights for at least another month.

Teufel was the only Padre free agent offered arbitration before the Saturday night deadline, which allows them negotiating rights until at least Jan. 8.

“I didn’t even know they did that until I heard it on the radio,” said Tony Attanasio, Teufel’s agent. “I talked to Joe (McIlvaine, Padre general manager), and he asked me what I wanted. I told them, and he said he’d get back to me the next day.

“That was 3 1/2 weeks ago. They haven’t offered a thing. They haven’t even returned my call.”

The Padres are willing to offer a two-year contract for about $1.5 million, according to a source in the organization, but Teufel is seeking a three-year deal.

The Padres did not bother offering arbitration to their other three free agents: pitchers Dennis Rasmussen and Atlee Hammaker and third baseman Jack Howell. The Padres, who never negotiated with any of the three, are ineligible to sign them until May 1.

Howell is set to sign a two-year deal with the Yakult Swallows for about $2.5 million, and McIlvaine said the club had no interest in re-signing Rasmussen or Hammaker.

“I pretty much figured we were going a different direction,” said Rasmussen, who has been with the Padres since June 1988. “I expected it. I had a good time there, but now it’s over.”

Teufel, whom the Padres want to be their top utility player, says he’ll continue to be patient. The New York Yankees and Cincinnati Reds also have expressed interest.

“Right now, I’m kind of lost,” Teufel said. “I don’t know what they’re doing. But it’s business, and Joe has everything under control, I guess.

“I’ll just wait and see what happens. I’m sure everybody’s waiting for the big free agents to sign first.”

Teufel has until Dec. 19 to accept or reject the Padres’ arbitration proposal, but probably would reject the offer because of his desire for a multi-year contract. The Padres then would have until Jan. 8 to sign Teufel, or lose his rights until May 1.

Meanwhile, the Padres’ attempts to acquire bullpen stopper Randy Myers have been put on hold for at least a day. The Reds began preliminary negotiations with the Boston Red Sox about a deal that would send Myers to Boston for outfielder Mike Greenwell.

Although the Reds previously had rejected overtures to trade for Greenwell, they changed their mind because of the Padres’ hesitation to include outfielder Thomas Howard with Bip Roberts in a trade for Myers.

The Red Sox, according to sources, are willing to trade Greenwell to Cincinnati for Myers and rookie starting pitcher Mo Sanford. The Reds, however, are reluctant to part with Sanford.

In other news, another third-base candidate emerged Saturday when the Oakland Athletics did not offer salary arbitration to Brook Jacoby. The Padres are searching for a third baseman, and might consider Jacoby an option if they’re unable to acquire one in a trade.