Padres cut eight players to trim roster

San Diego, CA- The San Diego Padres this morning cut eight players from the roster as they finalize their 25-man roster for Opening Day this Sunday against the Dodgers.

Relievers Tony Sipp, Blaine Boyer, Kevin Quackenbush and Rule 5 draft pick Patrick Schuster were cut this morning. Also infielders Ryan Jackson, Alberto Gonzalez and outfielders Alex Dickerson and recently acquired Alex Castellanos were cut as well.

Castellanos, Jackson, Dickerson and Quackenbush will head to Triple-A El Paso. Expect to see all four of these players again with the big league club at some point this season, as they will be the the first alternates called upon from the minors should there be injuries at their respective positions at the Major League Level.

Sipp has the option to opt out of his contract since he will not be on the Major League roster or could remain with the Padres and accept his assignment to Triple-A El Paso. Schuster since he was a Rule 5 Draft will go through waivers and if not picked up will be returned to his original team the Arizona Diamondbacks. With Schuster not making the roster, you have to wonder if the Padres could have received more for Anthony Bass this off-season, than a Rule-5 pick.

With the release of Sipp and Schuster, Alex Torres will be the Padres only left-handed reliever out of the bullpen. Robbie Erlin was expected to be the second, but with the injury to Josh Johnson, Erlin will now have to fill in as the Padres 5th starter in the rotation until Johnson returns.

With Erlin heading to the rotation, Padres pitching prospect sinker-ball right-hander Donn Roach will take over the role of long reliever along with Tim Stauffer.

The Padres also still have Nick Hundley, Rene Rivera and Yasmani Grandal on the roster and it looks like they may carry three catchers to begin the season.