Top 100 San Diego Padres: #89 Scott Sanders

SCOTT GERALD SANDERS | SP/RP | 1993-1996, 1998 | CAREER
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After being drafted 32nd overall by the Padres in the 1990 amateur draft, Sanders would spend the next four years compiling a 4.83 RA and a 2.00 K/BB ratio from Low A to Triple A. That performance coupled no doubt with his being a first round pick was good enough to get nine starts at the Major League level in 1993. He was barely a third of a win above replacement across the 52.3 innings he pitched, but teams have seen worse performances from "established" starters (*cough*Tim Redding*cough*).

Scott performed well enough in '93 to get another chance in '94 and in just over twice as many innings, he was good for about nine times as much production. Scott would also see his first action out of the 'pen in a handful of high leverage situations and he performed well enough to put up a WXRL of .446 in only three appearances. Before one such appearance, Sanders was arrested for soliciting undercover policewomen posing as prostitutes. The Padres won that game with Scott picking up his first career save.

The following season, Sanders drew ever closer to a league average RA and was only half a win short of his previous career high despite pitching in six fewer games. Then in 1996, Sanders finally showed a flash of what would have made him a first round pick when he posted a RA 28% lower than the league average and was better than four and a half wins above replacement. Despite this breakout or because of it, Sanders was dealt in the off season for Sterling Hitchcock.

Sanders' days as a Padre weren't over though because in May of '98, the Padres dealt Rod Lindsey to the Tigers to bolster the bullpen. Unfortunately, Scott would post the worst numbers of his Padre career and he was cut in early September.