Padres Radio Host Says Ownership Lawsuit is 'Hanging Over' San Diego
![Oct 9, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres hold a Ron Burgundy sign in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images Oct 9, 2024; San Diego, California, USA; San Diego Padres hold a Ron Burgundy sign in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game four of the NLDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: David Frerker-Imagn Images](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_1518,h_853,x_0,y_0/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_padres/01jjjjqqqx278ksbd96d.jpg)
The San Diego Padres have a potential factor actively driving away free agents.
The ongoing ownership lawsuit seems to have impacted the Padres not spending in free agency, as well as players not being attracted to sign or re-sign with the team.
Late owner Peter Seidler's widow, Sheel Seidler, sued two of her brothers-in-law accusing them of breaches of fiduciary duty and fraud.
The legal complaint was released in the midst of the drama regarding Roki Sasaki making his way to MLB.
To @Padres fans, I want you to hear directly from me. Peter and I had a mission to bring championship baseball to San Diego. That remains my commitment to you. Read my full statement below. pic.twitter.com/YW605jZ0P8
— Sheel Seidler (@sheel_padres) January 6, 2025
Although San Diego was one of the final three teams on Sasaki's list, he ultimately chose the Los Angeles Dodgers for a smaller offer. In the 23-year-old's introductory press conference, he stressed the importance of stability, specifically in the front office.
"I think the No. 1 thing that stood out was the stability of the front office," Sasaki said through interpreter Will Ireton. "I had the opportunity to speak with a lot of teams, and they had a lot of appealing features. But overall, when I looked at the general consensus, I thought that the Dodgers were at the top."
Roki Sasaki said the No. 1 thing that stood out to him about the Dodgers was the "stability of the front office."
— Noah Camras (@noahcamras) January 22, 2025
Shohei Ohtani has a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave if Andrew Friedman isn't there.
Clearly, Sasaki noticed the impressive front office, too. pic.twitter.com/XA1SQ03d80
Padres fan favorite outfielder Jurickson Profar was a free agent this offseason, but didn't re-sign with the team despite interest in remaining in San DIego.
Upon his arrival to the Atlanta Braves, Profar brought up the issues with the lawsuit and dynamics around it.
“Obviously the Padres have some issue with the ownership and all that,” Profar said in a video call with the Atlanta media, via Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune. “It was difficult to go back (to San Diego), but [Braves general manager] Alex [Anthopoulous] showed a lot, a lot of interest in me and I loved that. He gave me a lot of confidence to come to a team and to perform."
Another free agent lost.
Marr Skraby of 97.3 The Fan, radio home of the Padres, insisted that it might be time to hit the panic button if this continues.
"When Roki Sasaki says earlier this week that the number one reason he chose the Dodgers was because of a stable front office... and then Profar says he realized he was not gonna be a Padre anymore once the ownership thing with the lawsuit happened," Skraby said, "I think it's time for me to realize that this is actually an issue.
"It's not even an issue of who's doing what, it's just something that is hanging over the organization and it's going to take a little bit to resolve."
Skraby went on to say that he can't quite say yet that San Diego is in trouble, but if this pattern continues, it will be just that.
"I can't say the Padres are in trouble because they still have their core, but if they can't get their free agents to sign and they're really only able to add to the team through trade, that's an issue."
The Padres are yet to make a major league signing this offseason. Their lone major league addition has been acquiring right-handed reliever Ron Marinaccio from the Chicago White Sox.
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