Adrian Gonzalez continues to make it clear that he’s not stayin’ in San Diego

If the recent comments of his agent and his general manager weren’t enough, today Adrian Gonzalez himself put to rest the notion that he’d be giving anyone a hometown discount to stay with the Padres. Here he is on a radio show today:

“In essence, if I take what you call a San Diego discount then I’m affecting their market. I’m affecting what they are going to make. It’s a lot like real estate. That’s the reason why. The way the game of baseball is set up, we have to protect each other. We have to do what’s best for each other.”

Really, the only hope there has ever been that the Padres could keep Gonzalez was that he’d want to stay near his home. These comments make it clear that Gonzalez isn’t going to undercut current and future free agents in order to do that. Union solidarity is something you may or may not agree with, but it’s obviously important to Gonzalez.

As it is now, the only ones who are going to be undercut are the Brewers, who are going to find it most difficult to trade Prince Fielder when Gonzalez is cheaper and better trade bait at the same position.