Are the Padres searching for another Rule 5 gem?
By Bill Center, UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 12:01 a.m. INDIANAPOLIS — Today’s last act of the Winter Meetings is the anniversary of the Padres’ biggest coup of 2008. It was during last December’s Rule 5 draft of unprotected minor leaguers that the Padres claimed a 22-year-old infielder playing for Colorado’s low Single-A team in Asheville, S.C. Everth Cabrera started the Padres’ final 97 games of 2009 at shortstop, hitting .255 with a .342 on-base percentage and 25 steals — the most by a Padre since 2006. Might lightning strike again today? Possibly, but unlikely. For one thing, the Padres will be drafting ninth this morning rather than having last year’s No. 3 pick. And breakthrough Rule 5 players are few and far between. Still, the Padres yesterday cleared an opening on their 40-man roster by releasing Eulogio De La Cruz (2-6 with nine saves and a 3.12 ERA in 48 games at Triple-A Portland last year following three relief appearances as a Padre). A Rule 5
