Padres’ Contract Offer Rejected by Deshaies

The Padres, preparing for the possible loss of left-handed starter Bruce Hurst, delved into the free agent market Friday by offering veteran pitcher Jim Deshaies a one-year contract.

It was the first time this winter General Manager Joe McIlvaine offered a major league contract to a free agent.

The trouble is that these are the penny-pinching Padres. The offer was for $200,000, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.

It immediately was rejected.

“I realize Joe’s hands are tied,” Deshaies said, “but I’m not going to accept that kind of offer. I don’t have anything better right now, but I think there will be a better contract.”

However, there’s a sense of urgency on the Padres’ behalf to culminate negotiations by Monday. Clubs must offer arbitration to their free agents by midnight Monday or lose the right to sign them until May 1.

“My sense is that with the situation in San Diego,” Deshaies said, “I can’t expect them to offer arbitration. If you offer $200,000 and know I can make about $1.5 million in arbitration, why would they do it?”

Still, the Padres realize the importance of signing Deshaies, 4-7 with a 3.28 ERA. Hurst is expected to be traded before opening day--if he is recovered from rotator-cuff surgery--which would leave the Padres without a left-hander in their rotation.

“I’d really like to keep him,” McIlvaine said. “We need to have a left-hander in the rotation and he’s a guy who could help us. But there’s not much we can do because we don’t have the money to spend.”

Said Deshaies: “Hopefully, something will happen soon. Who knows, maybe I’ll just show up at the winter meetings myself, set up a little booth and show everyone a highlight film.”