Ex-Rattler signs contract with Padres

Estes agrees to Minor League contract

A familiar name -- Shawn Estes -- has been added to the Padres' starting pitching mix.

Estes, who underwent reconstructive elbow surgery last June after making one start for the Padres, has agreed to a Minor League contract and an invitation to Spring Training.

Because of the complex nature of the surgery and the long recovery process, requiring at least a year, Estes is not expected to be ready to pitch in a game until June at the earliest.

Estes, a left-hander who turns 34 on Feb. 18, had a career-high 19 wins for San Francisco in 1997 and is confident he can return to his former form.

Estes pitched for the Appleton Foxes in 1993 and 1994. In '94, he was 0-2 with a 4.58 ERA in five games (four starts). In '95, he made two starts without a decision but an ERA of 0.90. In May of '95 he was traded to the Giants organization with Wilson Delgado for Salomon Torres. Estes made four starts for the Burlington Bees and moved on to San Jose, Shreveport, and eventually San Francisco in the 1995 season.