When the Padres traded Chase Headley to the Yankees for Yangervis Solarte they acknowledged that their long held goal of making Headley the face of the franchise was not working out. Since that trade 4 seasons ago, Solarte has been a breath of fresh air for the Padres. He is an outspoken spark plug in and out of the clubhouse, something that could never be said for Headley, and has outperformed the former Padre offensively as well.
This season brings a new challenge for Solarte, playing primarily second base while Ryan Schimpf and Cory Spangenberg have shared third since Spangenberg’s call up from the minors.