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 Kansas City Monarchs

T-Bones Re-Sign Bass and Add First Baseman; Trade Rainwater

March 4, 2013 - American Association (AA)
Kansas City Monarchs News Release


KANSAS CITY, Kan. - The Kansas City T-Bones have announced they've re-signed outfielder Justin Bass, signed first baseman Matt Padgett and sent pitcher Josh Rainwater to Sioux City to complete an earlier trade.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Bass, 23 (04-06-89), was selected as the Most Improved Player for the T-Bones in 2012. After struggling early in the season offensively, while being used in various defensive positions, Bass found a home in the outfield and began to produce at the plate. In the last month of the season, Bass had 15 multi-hit games, including two four-hit contests. During that time his batting average climbed 28 points. Bass, who played in 97 of the club's 100 games in 2012, finished with a .301 batting average with 116 hits and 21 stolen bases.

"Bass is very valuable in our league because of his versatility," said T-Bones manager Kenny Hook. "He can hit in various spots in the lineup and he can play all three outfield spots. The other aspect of Bass that I put a high priority on is the high consistency of at-bats that he gives us. He works pitchers deep into counts and then he can run and steal bases, plus he's a great situational hitter."

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim selected Bass, son of long-time Major League player Kevin Bass, in the 21st round of the 2007 MLB Amateur Draft out of Clements High School in Sugar Land, Texas. Bass spent five seasons in the Angels organization, reaching high-A Inland Empire in 2011. In 53 games for Inland Empire, Bass had 52 hits and a .289 batting average.

Padgett, 35 (07-22-77), a 6-foot-2, 215-pound first baseman from Lexington, S.C., has played professionally for 15 seasons, reaching triple-A with the Florida Marlins (2004-05), the Chicago Cubs (2006) and Philadelphia (2007). He's spent the past five seasons in the independent Atlantic League, most recently with Southern Maryland.

"Going into the offseason I wanted to find a solid first baseman, and I think we have that with Padgett," Hook said. "Besides his ability at first, this is a guy who gives us a strong left-handed bat and obvious veteran presence on the field and in the clubhouse."

The Marlins drafted Padgett in the fifth round of the 1998 MLB Amateur Draft out of Clemson University. He is a career .269 hitter with 1,539 hits, including 357 doubles and 164 home runs, plus 878 RBIs. He's had nine seasons with at least 110 hits.

In addition to the two signings, the T-Bones sent Rainwater to Sioux City, completing the August 2012 trade for Kris Sanchez. Rainwater went 6-11 with a 4.78 ERA, 18 walks and 77 strikeouts last season for Kansas City.


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