spring training. Williamson himself said that he was "trying to find my rhythm and it's hard to do that at the big-league level." Williamson eventually appeared in 17 games; his ERA, 8.68 in the beginning of September, dropped to 5.65 by the end of the season. Showing its confidence in Williamson, Chicago exercised its option to bring him back for another season. Williamson made the 2006 team as a middle reliever, losing the closer's job to Ryan Dempster. Williamson had expressed a willingness to be traded if it meant taking over the closer's job for the new team. In early June, after making 23 appearances with an ERA over 4, Williamson went back on the disabled list with tendinitis. Williamson returned at the end of June and pitched in eight more games, but on July 22 Chicago traded him to the San Diego Padres for minor League pitchers Fabian Angulo and Joel Santo. San Diego Padres Williamson joined a San Diego team in first place in the National League West division, a prospect which cheered him: "Going from second-to-last to first place, that's always exciting." In an interview with the Galveston County Daily News, Williamson also expressed disappointment at the way Chicago manager Dusty Baker had used him and revealed that he had considered retiring altogether. Now with San Diego, Williamson said that he was "having a lot of fun here, and I'm back to being myself, laughing and joking." Just days after that interview was published, Williamson made his last appearance for San Diego: an MRI revealed a bone chip in his elbow. Williamson returned to the DL and sat out the rest of the season. San Diego released Williamson on October 12. Baltimore Orioles In late November 2006 the Baltimore Orioles signed Williamson to a one-year contract. After six appearances and an ERA of 1.60, Williamson went on the disabled list with tightness in his right triceps tendon. Williamson returned in June and appeared in ten more games, but lingering questions about his health and a desire on the part of Baltimore's management to promote younger players led to him being designated for assignment on July 4. In sixteen games Williamson was 1-0 with a 4.40 ERA. Williamson cleared waivers and was released. Around the minors The New York Yankees signed Williamson to a minor league contract on July 22. He was released on August 5 after going