Padres Get Randa, May Trade Nevin

The San Diego Padres acquired third baseman Joe Randa from the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday and demoted struggling third baseman Sean Burroughs to the minors.

They also continued to discuss a trade that would send first baseman Phil Nevin to Baltimore for pitcher Sidney Ponson, but had yet to ask the slugger to waive his limited no-trade clause.

“I haven’t talked to anybody about [that trade],” said Nevin, who had one hit in three at-bats with a walk in the Padres’ 2-0 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. “Decisions will be made on what’s best for us.”

The Orioles are one of eight teams to which Nevin can block a trade.

“I’ve got a home in California. I’ve earned the right to be in this spot,” he said.

“The Padres have not even asked our approval yet,” agent Barry Axelrod said. “If they were to ask for our approval, for Phil to even consider it I’m sure there would have to be some discussion. He and/or I would want to talk with the Orioles and find out what his role would be there.”

General Manager Kevin Towers said the Padres had yet to seek Nevin’s approval.

The Padres have wanted to trade Nevin for some time, because of his big salary. But they’ve come up against the no-trade provisions they included in a $34-million contract extension they gave him in November 2001

In December 2002, Nevin refused to waive his no-trade clause and killed a deal that would have sent him to Cincinnati for Ken Griffey Jr.

“It kind of goes back to what happened in the Cincinnati deal,” Axelrod said. “Kevin had a deal made, then called and asked if Phil would accept it. I said, ‘No way.’

“Phil’s criteria has always been that he would like to play for a West Coast team. He wants to play for San Diego. He doesn’t want to leave here.

“But if they’ve arrived at the conclusion that the profile of the team needs to change in some way, then we’ll re-examine the circumstances when we’re asked.”

That could include asking for more money.

Nevin is making $9 million this season and is due $10 million next season.

The Padres are known to have shopped Burroughs but ended up optioning him to triple-A Portland so he can try to regain his batting stroke. He was batting only .255 with one homer and 15 RBIs.

Randa, 35, is batting .289 with 13 homers and 48 RBIs. The Padres got him for minor league right-handers Justin Germano and Travis Chick.

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The Reds recalled Edwin Encarnacion from triple-A Louisville and gave him the everyday job at third base. The 22-year-old Encarnacion played in 10 games with the Reds earlier this season and batted .222. He batted .314 with 15 homers and 54 RBIs in 78 games with Louisville

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Texas Ranger center fielder Laynce Nix said that he will have season-ending surgery on his right shoulder next week. After consulting earlier in the week with team physician Keith Meister and Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles, Nix opted to have a muscle tear in the shoulder repaired now so he will be ready for spring training.