Padres D-Day

Sunday’s deadline came and went. Kevin Towers had said Sunday the deal would either happen or it wouldn’t. He didn’t count on a Mark Kotsay physical on Monday. With Kotsay in Hawaii, Towers had no weight in setting his deadline. Now the San Diego Padres are ready to give the A’s the extra day they need. They want this trade, make no mistake about it, and will do what is necessary to make it happen, deadlines or not.

The deal is Ramon Hernandez and Terrence Long for Mark Kotsay. Some have recently said the A’s have cold feet. More likely they are making sure they are getting the best investment. They don’t want the Kotsay of 2003 and are doing their due diligence to make sure they are getting the Kotsay of previous seasons.

After countless doctors have looked at MRI’s of Kotsay that the Padres sent up to Oakland Wednesday, The A’s are seeking a Kotsay physical to seal the deal.

So what happens Monday?

This is it. As much as Towers wants this deal to happen, despite his “Fate” moniker, he is being handcuffed by it. He has other deals he is pursuing. Waiting to see what happens in this deal, as its success will spurn on other deals, is putting Towers behind the eight ball on what other teams are doing and pursuing.

He has proposed having an All-Star catcher in place to lure free agents. How will his position be compromised if he does not deliver?

Grade C free agents may be the only players who will be in line for San Diego if he does not improve the catching dramatically and other free agents he will have to grossly overpay for.

So wait the silent Towers will – as he has declined comment. Monday will come and Monday will go. The Padres hope they have a new catcher, but don’t expect any more threats. The Friars need this, perhaps more than the A’s.

Denis Savage can be reached at [e-mail]