Quote from JasonE135 on December 22, 2022, 1:23 pm

https://www.mlb.com/news/best-mlb-lineups-in-2023-predictions

As you can see, one of the writers at MLB.com has the Padres lineup ranked #2 in baseball. Every starter is average or better, with 4 stars! We don't have many offensive replacements in our minors, but we do have Merrill, Zavala and Ruiz. Our offense does not need help. Our pitching does. We have zero true quality replacement pitchers available to the MLB team for the next 3 years! I don't know if anyone else noticed it this off-season, but pitching is expensive. We recently signed Musgrove for $20 million per year for 5 years. Next year he would have cost us a $150-$200 million contract, and we will need to sign at least 3 starters! Our pitching is going to fall off a cliff after this year. I think Lesko, Snelling and Mazur should all be off limits.

Quote from Henry Silvestre on December 22, 2022, 1:26 pm

Current roster 13 position players

Pre 4/20.                        POST 4/20

1. MANNY.    R                Tatis

2. SOTO.       L                   Manny

3. XANDER.    R                Soto

4. Crone zone.   L             XANDER

5. CARPENTER.   L           Crone zone

6. Nola.      R                       CARPENTER

7. KIM.    R                           NOLA

8. GRISHAM.   L                  KIM

9. AZOCAR.   R                     GRISHAM

10. Campusano.  R              Azocar

*11. Dixon.    R                       Campusano

*12. Rosario.  R                     *   Dixon

*13. Dahl.        L                   *   Rosario

 

Not sure how everyone feels BUT 11-13 before and/or after 4/20 could use at least one upgrade if not 2...

 

Quote from fenn68 on December 22, 2022, 2:03 pm

If everyone is healthy and plays 162 games ... the offense is elite. The offense is still very strong if any any one is out for a game or two. So no need to over pay for any additional piece.

Just a wild guess everyone will not play 162 and someone will be hurt for an extended time ... that is how baseball works. So that next add needs to be versatile and ML quality (basically no no harm when he starts).

If an INF is out ... Padres can shift the current INF along with Carpenter to keep the INF strong but will need a DH. If an OF is out they are down to Azocar ... then zip. If Nola is out ... Campusano or Severino or Sullivan (not ideal for a contender).

So, OF is my #1 priority (no longer care if LH or RH) ... just get someone I would be fine with in the line-up for weeks at a time be it OF or DH. I would upgrade catcher if I really though a quality catcher is on the market at a price that does not create another hole somewhere. Need to avoid those one demential DH/1B types that clog up the roster and can't handle the OF.

Since every option cost money (and roster slots)... adding multiple veterans to the bench while still considering another SP out of the current FA crop is not likely. Go "bigger" for that next bat for the OF and go low end for defensive oriented options for the remaining slots (usually cheap and more a no harm player if forced to play) ... the rest of the offense will carry him.

Quote from MrPadre19 on December 22, 2022, 4:42 pm

And if a SP is out we’re down to…….a AAA starter that couldn’t beat out whoever is our #5 on opening day.

Even if we lose one of the “big four” our offense is still as good or better than last year.

If we lose one of the “big three” SP’s we can’t say the same thing.

I’d feel a WHOLE lot better with another starter ahead of Martinez….like one from the Marlins.

 

Quote from BoosterSD on December 22, 2022, 4:58 pm

Fenn if you are looking for a OF/DH, and Mr P. you want a MIA SP, could we not get both at the same time?

SD gets Lopez, Soler, and Berti. MIA gets Lesko, Rosario, and Zavala.

SD gets a very good controllable LHSP, and two players capable of playing OF, one with speed and one with some power.

MIA gets rid of Solers contract, a rising cost INF/OFer, and a rising cost SP, for a INF that can start this season, and two high level prospects.

Quote from Henry Silvestre on December 22, 2022, 6:16 pm

Quote from BoosterSD on December 22, 2022, 4:58 pm

Fenn if you are looking for a OF/DH, and Mr P. you want a MIA SP, could we not get both at the same time?

SD gets Lopez, Soler, and Berti. MIA gets Lesko, Rosario, and Zavala.

SD gets a very good controllable LHSP, and two players capable of playing OF, one with speed and one with some power.

MIA gets rid of Solers contract, a rising cost INF/OFer, and a rising cost SP, for a INF that can start this season, and two high level prospects.

Not sure that's enough for Lopez.. but sign me up...

Lopez probably the cheapest of the 4 available in Miami.. as well.. shorter control and increasing $$

He would slot right ahead of Martinez at #4..

Quote from BoosterSD on December 22, 2022, 6:52 pm

I'm still thinking a trade of Kim to MIN would be best for SD. One where SD ends up with Arraez and Kepler.

And then make the MIA trade work, where SD gets Lopez, Soler, and Berti.

Position players would then be: Soto, Grisham, Tatis, Machado, Bogaerts, Crone, Arraez, Nola, Carpenter, Soler, Berti, Campusano, and Azocar.

Pitchers would be Darvish, Snell, Musgrove, Lopez, Martinez, Lugo as SPs, and the BP of Hader, Suarez, Garcia, Pomeranz, Hill, Wilson, Lopez. Plus would still have Teheran waiting in AAA for back up and Morejon is there as well, being stretched out.

Quote from Henry Silvestre on December 22, 2022, 8:18 pm

Quote from BoosterSD on December 22, 2022, 6:52 pm

I'm still thinking a trade of Kim to MIN would be best for SD. One where SD ends up with Arraez and Kepler.

And then make the MIA trade work, where SD gets Lopez, Soler, and Berti.

Position players would then be: Soto, Grisham, Tatis, Machado, Bogaerts, Crone, Arraez, Nola, Carpenter, Soler, Berti, Campusano, and Azocar.

Pitchers would be Darvish, Snell, Musgrove, Lopez, Martinez, Lugo as SPs, and the BP of Hader, Suarez, Garcia, Pomeranz, Hill, Wilson, Lopez. Plus would still have Teheran waiting in AAA for back up and Morejon is there as well, being stretched out.

I would sign up for this roster on opening day 💯

Quote from fenn68 on December 23, 2022, 3:39 am

Quote from BoosterSD on December 22, 2022, 4:58 pm

Fenn if you are looking for a OF/DH, and Mr P. you want a MIA SP, could we not get both at the same time?

SD gets Lopez, Soler, and Berti. MIA gets Lesko, Rosario, and Zavala.

SD gets a very good controllable LHSP, and two players capable of playing OF, one with speed and one with some power.

MIA gets rid of Solers contract, a rising cost INF/OFer, and a rising cost SP, for a INF that can start this season, and two high level prospects.

Think both sides say no.

Doubt the Padres would want Soler (and his $15MM contract) to be a part-time player (mainly DH) who missed the second half of 2022 with a bad back while hitting .209. Lopez and Berti would be another $7.5MM to the Padres.

Doubt MIA would want to trade the lead-off hitter (Berti), #6 hitter (Soler), and #2 SP (Lopez) and only get three prospects … two really distant prospects. They want near term offense.

If the Padres had an extra $22.5MM to spend … save the prospects and sign Kluber and Profar (or similar).