Padres, Astacio at odds

Pedro Astacio said no to the Padres' offer of arbitration yesterday, which could lead to the return of another former pitcher.
General Manager Kevin Towers said the Padres have had preliminary negotiations with free-agent Brett Tomko. The right-hander, who lives in San Diego, was 8-15 with a 4.48 earned-run average with the Giants last season. Tomko, 32, could fill a spot created by Astacio signing elsewhere or an opening created by a potential trade of Adam Eaton. Tomko was 10-10 with a 4.49 ERA in 32 starts with the Padres in 2002.
The Padres can still sign Astacio as a free agent through Jan. 8.
"We're not close, but there's still a chance," Towers said of negotiations with Astacio.
Astacio was 4-2 with a 3.17 ERA in 12 games (10 starts) with the Padres last season. He signed with San Diego after being released by Texas.
Today is the last day major league clubs can offer contracts to unsigned players, leaving the Padres with four more decisions. Failure to offer a player a contract makes the player a free agent.
Among the players not yet offered contracts are catchers Miguel Olivo, David Ross and Pete Laforest and pitcher Dewon Brazelton.
"We'll probably offer contracts to two of the four," Towers said yesterday.
Olivo and Ross were acquired late last July as the Padres desperately searched for a replacement for starter Ramon Hernandez, who underwent wrist surgery.
Acquired from Seattle in a trade for backup catcher Miguel Ojeda last July, Olivo, 27, became the Padres' regular in Hernandez's absence and finished the season hitting .304 with four homers and 16 RBI in 115 at-bats. Ross appeared in 11 games. The Padres recently acquired Laforest from Tampa Bay.
Brazelton was also acquired from the Devil Rays in a trade that sent former first-round draft pick Sean Burroughs to Tampa Bay. The Devil Rays Opening Day pitcher last season, Brazelton finished with a 1-8 record and a 7.61 ERA in 20 appearances.