The San Diego Padres suffered a considerable loss on Tuesday with Peter Seidler’s passing.
Seidler had been part of the Padres ownership group since 2012, and had been the majority owner since 2020.
Ever since he took over as the main decision-maker, he tried to make sure his team was always in play for the best talent, whether it was via trade, free agency, or even the international market (he signed catcher Ethan Salas for a record $5.6 million bonus last year).
MLB insider Jon Morosi shared a story via Twitter that shows Seidler’s ambition and drive to win.
“Peter Seidler invited me to chat at his Petco Park office during the ‘22 winter meetings. He had fallen short in his effort to sign Aaron Judge. He was relaxed, optimistic. Said the Padres would keep working. A few hours later, he signed Bogaerts. That was Peter. RIP,” Morosi tweeted.
Peter Seidler invited me to chat at his Petco Park office during the ‘22 winter meetings. He had fallen short in his effort to sign Aaron Judge. He was relaxed, optimistic. Said the Padres would keep working. A few hours later, he signed Bogaerts. That was Peter. RIP. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) November 15, 2023
Aaron Judge ended up signing with the New York Yankees for $360 million, but reports indicate that the Padres offered even more money.
He was close to San Diego, and he was also close to the San Francisco Giants.
The Yanks had to sweat to get him to accept their offer because at one point, he seemed ticketed for the West Coast.
After Judge’s rejection, the Padres pivoted to Xander Bogaerts, who signed for $280 million.
Seidler was determined to add some star talent to the Padres last offseason, and even though he was financially restrained entering the current recess, he wasn’t going to tear things apart.
Fans criticize owners too much, and it’s often warranted, because of their refusal to spend on their rosters.
That was certainly not the case with Seidler.
The post MLB Insider Highlights Peter Seidler’s Drive To Win appeared first on The Cold Wire.