The Padres are "under review" by MLB regarding the "exchange of medical information in two recent trades," according to sources cited by Dennis Lin of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Since trading P Drew Pomeranz to the Red Sox last month and P Colin Rea to the Marlins last week, the Padres have "drawn questions" as to whether they "properly shared medical records in the deals." It is "unclear if the Padres will face penalties." Last Monday, the seven-player deal that sent Rea to the Marlins "was reworked, with Rea being traded back to San Diego for pitching prospect Luis Castillo." Then on Friday, the Padres "announced Rea will undergo Tommy John surgery." Sources said that the Pomeranz trade "will stand." Although the Red Sox have "raised concerns about the exchange of medical information in that deal" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/6). ESPN.com's Buster Olney cited sources as saying that Padres Exec Chair Ron Fowler is "aware of the MLB review." In the fourth inning of Rea's first start with the Marlins, he "had to come out of the game because of an elbow problem." Sources said that Rea "informed the Marlins' staff that his discomfort dated to his time with the Padres and he had been previously treated." Two days later, with the Marlins "angry about Rea's injury, he was returned to San Diego in a swap for Castillo" (ESPN.com, 8/5).
STRAIGHT SHOOTER? In San Diego, Nick Canepa notes he has "known Fowler for many years and never once thought of him as a bombastic personality." But in recent weeks, Fowler has called his team embarrassing, "ripped" P James Shields for "seemingly not giving a damn, and taken on [CF] Matt Kemp ... for admitting he didn’t give his all while here, and then proclaiming it will be nice to play in a great baseball city." Fowler "then came out" against a facet of the Chargers’ stadium/convention center plan. Asked if he wanted to take anything back, Fowler said, "No. Is it difficult to say, 'I sucked tonight,' that 'I'm embarrassed'?" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 8/8).
