Orioles seek to trade Ponson

The Baltimore Orioles seemed on the verge of trading struggling starter Sidney Ponson — for the second time in three seasons.

Though he started last night in Tampa Bay and was the losing pitcher in the Devil Rays’ 3-2 victory, Ponson was prepared to be dealt by the Orioles to San Diego for first baseman Phil Nevin.

There was one holdup, though. San Diego general manager Kevin Towers said the Padres had yet to seek Nevin’s approval to make the deal, which would involve Nevin waiving his limited no-trade clause. Baltimore is one of eight clubs to which Nevin can block a trade.

“The Padres have not even asked our approval yet,” agent Barry Axelrod told the Associated Press. “If they were to ask for our approval, for Phil to even consider it I’m sure there would have to be some discussion. He and or I would want to talk with the Orioles and find out what his role would be there.”

Nevin started in the Padres’ afternoon game at Philadelphia yesterday, going 1-for-3.

“Obviously it’s not going to happen without our approval,” Axelrod said. “So obviously, it’s not close to being done.”

Nevin, a California native, has spent the last seven years of his career on the West Coast, including the last six seasons with the Padres. In December 2002, he refused to waive his no-trade clause and killed a deal that would have sent him to Cincinnati for Ken Griffey Jr.

“It kind of goes back to what happened in the Cincinnati deal,” Axelrod said. “Kevin had a deal made, then called and asked if Phil would accept it. I said, ’No way.’ Phil’s criteria has always been that he would like to play for a West Coast team. He wants to play for San Diego. He doesn’t want to leave here. He’s got a new home being built here.

“But if they’ve arrived at the conclusion that the profile of the team needs to change in some way, then we’ll re-examine the circumstances when we’re asked.”

That could include asking for more money.

“I suppose we could try to exact something out of them, but it hasn’t gotten to that point,” Axelrod said.

Nevin is making $9 million this season and is due $10 million next season. The 34-year-old is having one of his worst seasons since joining the Padres in 1999, batting .263 with nine homers and 47 RBI. He has also hit the injured list twice this season.

Before last night’s game, Baltimore manager Lee Mazzilli called reports about possible deals involving Ponson strictly “rumors.”

“Unfortunately that’s part of baseball. … Sidney is pitching tonight for the Baltimore Orioles, and that’s where we’re at,” Mazzilli said.

Ponson did not speak with reporters after the game.

Ponson has been maddeningly inconsistent and unreliable for the Orioles, as he has been for most of his star-crossed career.

He has pitched poorly this season, compiling a 7-9 record with a 5.91 ERA while allowing more hits than any other American League pitcher. The season started ominously for the 28-year-old pitcher, who spent part of the winter in an Aruban jail after fighting with a judge on the beach before getting arrested in February for driving under the influence in Florida.

The Orioles traded Ponson in July 2003, before he became a free agent at the end of the year, to the San Francisco Giants for pitchers Kurt Ainsworth, Damian Moss and Ryan Hannaman. After compiling a winning record for the first time in his career — he went a combined 17-12 for the two teams — Ponson went back to Baltimore after the season, signing a three-year, $22.5 million contract.

Since then, Ponson has gone 18-24 with an ERA more than 5.00.

Meanwhile, the slumping Padres made another move yesterday, acquiring third baseman Joe Randa from the Reds for minor league right-handers Justin Germano and Travis Chick. San Diego, which went into yesterday’s game with a five-game losing streak, demoted its former top prospect, third baseman Sean Burroughs, to Class AAA.

Burroughs, the son of 1974 American League MVP Jeff Burroughs, has shown a remarkable lack of power, hitting just 11 homers since making his big league debut in 2002. Randa is hitting .289 with 13 homers and 48 RBI.