Trade for Irabu Is Discussed

General Manager Bill Bavasi and San Diego Padre General Manager Kevin Towers met Tuesday and discussed a potential trade involving Japanese pitcher Hideki Irabu.

Major league baseball’s Executive Council last week upheld a recommendation that the Padres retain Irabu’s rights indefinitely, but the star right-hander of the Chiba Lotte Marines said he would not play in San Diego.

Any deal for Irabu would have to be approved by Chiba Lotte, and the team trading for Irabu would have to deal with Irabu’s agent, Don Nomura.

There have been reports in New York that the Yankees have offered Irabu a deal in the $12-million to $20-million range, and the Padres are believed to be offering about $5 million for two years. The Mariners and Orioles are also reportedly interested.

“We’ve been contacted by several other clubs about Irabu,” Towers said during the Padres’ 16-5 exhibition victory over the Angels in Peoria. “But our priority is to sign him.”

If they can’t sign him, the Padres would like to get something for him, and the Angels have what the Padres apparently want: an elite left-handed pitching prospect and a left-handed reliever who could help immediately.

Among the top pitchers in the Angel farm system are left-handers Matt Perisho and Jarrod Washburn, and the Angels have two quality left-handed relievers in Chuck McElroy and Mike Holtz.

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The bus that was supposed to take the Angels to Peoria for their exhibition game against the Padres got stuck in soft tar in the Tempe Diablo Stadium parking lot and another bus had to be summoned. The Angels arrived in Peoria 15 minutes late and were unable to take infield practice.

And once in Peoria, things got worse for the Angels. They gave up 17 hits, committed two errors and got hammered by the Padres, who were led by Rickey Henderson’s three hits, including a homer, and four RBIs. The Angels are 0-5 in Cactus League play, have given up 84 hits and been outscored, 59-25.

“It’s not a major issue now, but in the last two weeks of spring we’ve got to win some games, so we can go into the season with some confidence,” Manager Terry Collins said.

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Third baseman Dave Hollins has an infected big toe after fouling a ball off his left foot Monday and will be out for another day or two, and third baseman George Arias couldn’t play Tuesday because of an eye inflammation. . . . X-rays on Jim Edmonds’ injured left foot were inconclusive, and he is expected to return for today’s game against Oakland. . . . Chuck Finley, who has been bothered by shoulder tendinitis, threw in the bullpen.