With no roster guarantee, Aybar guides competition

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Erick Aybar has a job to win.
The veteran shortstop is locked in a race for a starting job with Luis Sardiñas. And given the constricts of the Padres' roster, the loser of that battle could be on the outside looking in when the 25-man squad is unveiled next week.
To his credit, however, Aybar hasn't backed down from his role as a veteran presence on a young Padres offense. He's spent plenty of time working with Sardinas and Rule 5 Draft pick Allen Córdoba -- the very two players who could push him out of a roster spot.
"It's really not about thinking about competition," Aybar, who drove in a run in Wednesday's 6-2 loss, said through an interpreter. "I'm just going to do what I've done my whole career. We're a team here. I'm going to help guys, talk to guys and be the person I've always been and not really think about the fact that I'm competing for a spot. That has to be out of my head."
Aybar plans to let his on-field performance do the talking. Thus far, he's been the most impressive shortstop candidate, hitting .293. Defensively, Aybar was one of the game's better shortstops for half a decade. But he's seen a steep decline over the past four years.
During the offseason, Aybar had sports hernia surgery and says it's helped with his quick movements.
"Any time you're not able to go 100 percent, it's going to affect you," Aybar said. "For me last year, I didn't feel great going side to side or breaking really sharply, whether it was coming in or moving laterally. Now, I don't have any effects of that. I feel like I can do all those things."

At 33, Aybar will never be confused for the Padres' shortstop of the future. It's fair to ask how exactly he fits in the organization's youth movement. Last season, the Padres also experimented with a stopgap veteran in Alexei Ramirez. That didn't go well.
Before the Padres signed Aybar, manager Andy Green spoke with several people in the Angels' organization, who raved about Aybar's leadership qualities.
"Coaches loved him, players loved him, it's easy to see why," Green said. "His mind works really well on a baseball field. He's invested in other people, and he plays with some joy out there. There's a lot to like."

Said Jered Weaver, Aybar's teammate in Anaheim and now with the Padres: "He's going to help out the young kids. He's very smart out there. He's one of those guys that is one step ahead of the play before it happens. He's a great veteran presence and one of the best teammates I've ever had."
Aybar's Padres fate will soon be determined. He could very well miss out on an Opening Day roster spot, while a pair of youthful higher-upside options take his place.
The thing is, when Aybar signed with the Padres, it was in part because he wanted to be around that youth.
"It's such a young team," Aybar said. "You have a lot of youth both on the position-player side and the pitching side. You've got young guys that are ready to give it 100 percent. That was pretty exciting. ... I think I can help in a lot of different areas, just being able to be with the guys, working together, being around them and giving advice."