Quote from fenn68 on August 23, 2020, 1:00 pm

Should consider the uncertainty of a DH in the NL next season ... most believe it is here to stay but dealing for a DH only and finding out no NL DH in 2021 ... bad if that player is on a multi year deal.

Quote from JasonE135 on August 23, 2020, 6:26 pm

I don't see Preller laying out big prospect capital or paying big money for a DH. He already hit his spending limit this off-season. I see Martinez as just a dream.

What I do see Preller targeting are positions of need, meaning catcher at this point. If we are truly in win-now mode maybe Preller could at least make an offer for Christian Vasquez. Boston will not be competitive for a few years and they need young pitching. I would try some combination of Baez, Cantillo, Lucchesi and maybe Quantrill as a hold back. I know they will try to ask for one of Patino, Morejon and Weathers. I don't know if I would let them touch any of those 3 for a 2 year rental. If so it would only be Weathers since he will not be useful for a couple years yet.

Vasquez could be an excellent bridge through 2022 to help get us to Campusano. He would shore-up our weakest position and give us a solid bat where we currently have a hole. I am fine with it at long as we don't overpay. We aren't desperate, they are.

I don't see us trading for a RP unless he is incredibly cheap. We have Quantrill who is currently one of our better RPs, Morejon and even Baez and Lucchesi for our BP if needed.

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 23, 2020, 7:50 pm

Preller's challenge in making the team better while have to face the limitations of available upgrades at a "fair" price ... so if really no RP out there that are more than a small upgrade but at an unreasonable price ... take the trade chips and check out better upgrades in other positions.

I agree with your statement here on general principle.  But my point is "available" and "fair price" are pretty fluid... if Preller raises what he's willing to pay, obviously more guys that are more than just "small upgrades" become available.

I guess my overriding point is that even Preller at his most wildly optimistic could not have foreseen HOW good Grisham, and especially Cronenworth (who REALLY benefitted from the delay to start the season) would be.  Even if we acquired Realmuto, JD Martinez, and "name your LF" in trades... wouldn't our Bullpen STILL concern you?  Could we really still hold up against the 4-8 best teams in MLB with their elite, seasoned SP's & deeper pens (see: LAD) in the playoffs?

I'm not saying Preller should deal Patino for Rosenthal.  The Red Sox/Phillies trade proves the price really isn't that high; partly  because of the lower # of games remaining & general uncertainty.

Quote from JasonE135 on August 23, 2020, 8:49 pm

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 23, 2020, 7:50 pm

Preller's challenge in making the team better while have to face the limitations of available upgrades at a "fair" price ... so if really no RP out there that are more than a small upgrade but at an unreasonable price ... take the trade chips and check out better upgrades in other positions.

I agree with your statement here on general principle.  But my point is "available" and "fair price" are pretty fluid... if Preller raises what he's willing to pay, obviously more guys that are more than just "small upgrades" become available.

I guess my overriding point is that even Preller at his most wildly optimistic could not have foreseen HOW good Grisham, and especially Cronenworth (who REALLY benefitted from the delay to start the season) would be.  Even if we acquired Realmuto, JD Martinez, and "name your LF" in trades... wouldn't our Bullpen STILL concern you?  Could we really still hold up against the 4-8 best teams in MLB with their elite, seasoned SP's & deeper pens (see: LAD) in the playoffs?

I'm not saying Preller should deal Patino for Rosenthal.  The Red Sox/Phillies trade proves the price really isn't that high; partly  because of the lower # of games remaining & general uncertainty.

Somehow I get the feeling that any team who will be trading with the Padres will not be looking for backup infielders. They will be asking for young and controllable pitching. They will be asking for guys like Patino, Quantrill, Morejon, Baez, Weathers, Cantillo, etc.. Maybe we should just have those guys pitching for us in our bullpen?

Quote from Randy Manese on August 23, 2020, 8:58 pm

Obtaining a catcher and having him get comfortable with a new pitching staff and vice versa is probably not as easy as it may sound.  At this point, I think we are going to stick with Hedges and Mejia and deal for that catcher in the off-season.  I like Martinez because he would lengthen the line-up but the question remains is there going to be a NL DH next year and what would we do after the season if we do get him if he doesn't opt out.  Also, probably going to cost more in prospects than we are willing to pay.  Despite what Philly was able to do, still have to identify who the arm that might make a difference in few games down the stretch.  If Pomeranz is coming back before the end of the month and we are seeing a real turnaround in the performances of Guerra, Patino, Hill and Pagan, then we could be okay with Strahm, Quantrill and Stammen (crossing my fingers with that last one) and leaving the truly bad games for Perdomo, Baez and Pierce Johnson.   Not comfortable with the health and lack of a good track record with many of our RPs, so hoping for an addition but think it will be very tough to get one that will matter.

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 23, 2020, 10:34 pm

Quote from JasonE135 on August 23, 2020, 8:49 pm

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 23, 2020, 7:50 pm

Preller's challenge in making the team better while have to face the limitations of available upgrades at a "fair" price ... so if really no RP out there that are more than a small upgrade but at an unreasonable price ... take the trade chips and check out better upgrades in other positions.

I agree with your statement here on general principle.  But my point is "available" and "fair price" are pretty fluid... if Preller raises what he's willing to pay, obviously more guys that are more than just "small upgrades" become available.

I guess my overriding point is that even Preller at his most wildly optimistic could not have foreseen HOW good Grisham, and especially Cronenworth (who REALLY benefitted from the delay to start the season) would be.  Even if we acquired Realmuto, JD Martinez, and "name your LF" in trades... wouldn't our Bullpen STILL concern you?  Could we really still hold up against the 4-8 best teams in MLB with their elite, seasoned SP's & deeper pens (see: LAD) in the playoffs?

I'm not saying Preller should deal Patino for Rosenthal.  The Red Sox/Phillies trade proves the price really isn't that high; partly  because of the lower # of games remaining & general uncertainty.

Somehow I get the feeling that any team who will be trading with the Padres will not be looking for backup infielders. They will be asking for young and controllable pitching. They will be asking for guys like Patino, Quantrill, Morejon, Baez, Weathers, Cantillo, etc.. Maybe we should just have those guys pitching for us in our bullpen?

Most of them are.  They're all very talented, but relatively new to MLB (or 1-2 years away), and that green-ness leads to inconsistent erratic reslults so far for all but Cal.  They ALL fit that profile.  If we could get a no doubter years proven dominant back end bullpen guy for.... Joey Cantillo... I'm listening.  Gore? Patino?  Hang up.

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 23, 2020, 10:55 pm

Not comfortable with the health and lack of a good track record with many of our RPs, so hoping for an addition but think it will be very tough to get one that will matter.

Again.... yes, it will be "tough" since we aren't the only team looking for bullpen help.  But no one should be able to beat our prospects in trade.   And again, it doesn't cost a top 100 prospect THIS season IMO for a Trevor Rosenthal.... there just aren't enough games left to justify that cost.

We're now 96% playoff probability.   The 6 seed in NL is .500 ,  the 7 & 8 seeds right now are 2 games under .500.  Stating the obvious, we could go 12-18 and wind up at .500...  we are EXTREMELY likely to make the playoffs.  But we are going to have trouble going deep in playoffs without a more reliable, consistent back end of the bullpen.  IMO, this season may just be too short to allow a Guerra, Jose Castillo, Quantrill, etc to develop into "that" guy THAT quickly.

I'm NOT talking our 5 Top 100 prospects... would you guys REALLY not part with... Gabe Arias? Joey Cantillo?  For an elite RP even if it's short control??   We have been WAITING for this opportunity for almost 15 years.  Time to go for it is now.  MLB is NOT going to lose out on the revenue of this groundbreaking playoff structure.  They will move heaven & earth to allow it to happen.

I'd rather see the traded for guy blow it in the playoffs, then have done nothing, lose in playoffs due to the pen, and then say "what if we'd traded for.... "    I get it takes 2 to tango.  We have the prospect quality & depth to peak someone's interest.  We can also afford to wait till the last minute, which helps a lot.  In Preller I trust!

Quote from fenn68 on August 24, 2020, 6:26 am

Sellers .... we need sellers of options clearly better than what the Padres have.

One week to go before the deadline and the only teams that I would think are out of contention (not sure what they think) because they are > 3 games out of a playoff spot are BOST, DET, KC, TEX, SEA, LAA, and PITT ... that is only 7 potential sellers making potentially 23 buyers.

Who on those rosters (besides Rosenthal) is available for trade, considered an upgrade for the Padres, and given the number of buyers at what price?

One worry is the ability to judge RP after only 10-15 innings of stats without live scouting. One bad outing can make a player seem ineffective yet maybe has been effective in 7 of 8 appearances. On the other hand, a good small sample size can be misleading ... so how much does a buyer factor in previous years ... thinking the player may return to past form with more exposure or experiencing greater pressure situations?

Not totally given up on the Padre RP returning to expected levels and actually encouraged by the work of Quantrill, Patino, Hill to supplement rebounds by Pagan and Stammen. Key may be Pomeranz returning as the closer.

Needing upgrade is clear ... finding a player that really is an upgrade not so clear.

 

 

Quote from MrPadre19 on August 24, 2020, 6:34 am

Obviously AJ is going to have to go off of past performance rather than just what they've done the first 30 games of this season.

I'd like to see them add at least one dependable RP so we can move Patino into the #5 spot...if they are wanting to stay in a 5 man rotation.

It shouldn't take much to get him stretched out as he should have been at USD already.

IMO he should try to go 4-5 innings in the 5th spot as opposed to using the entire bullpen on that day.

Than again...how cool would a Patino/Gore piggyback start be every fifth day?