Quote from fenn68 on March 1, 2023, 9:27 am

Didn’t the Angels move Trout to the #2 hole? Seems to have been a trend over the past few seasons in pushing your best hitter up for #3-4 … must be the analytics.

Quote from Henry Silvestre on March 1, 2023, 9:49 am

Odor in high leverage situations

wRC+ of 181

Quote from 3fingersplit on March 1, 2023, 11:58 am

The Padres have a nice problem to have…there are guys that could certainly start or at the very least be long guys or bullpen games if it came to that…Crismatt is very versatile and can be used as a starter if needed for a bullpen game or long relief, Terehan looks good, Groome looks good , Weathers and Morejon could fit and the guy I’m pulling for is Honeywell…it sure beats the hell out of having to do another Jake Arrieta type of nonsense

Quote from fenn68 on March 3, 2023, 3:16 am

MLBTR has a piece based on reporting from Dennis Lin and Jon Heyman about the Padres exploring extension talks with Soto and Hader THIS SPRING.

Key word is EXPLORING which gives no sense of probability or length the Padres would go to get an extension. On the other hand, Padres do know what to expect as the general level that those two would require … and that is a lot. So, Preller / Siedler must have a plan based on a bigger payroll going forward.

We all have covered the Soto issue with Boras as his agent and having turned down $440MM/15 years from WASH last year. Maybe a 15 year / $480MM deal ($32MM AAV) with some incentives gets it done? Although they may be shooting for that $500MM deal … so go 16 years with a 31.5 AAV (drop some incentives) and that would take him to around age 40 as a Padre (and that does not seem bother the Padres). Hopefully a deal in that zone coupled with what Soto/Boras have seen as the commitment of the Padres to build a major power would allow them to forgo exploring FA after 2024.

Hader is a bit more of a head scratcher … he is still young (29) and likely will try to top Diaz’ $100MM/5 years ($20MM AAV) … but over the past few seasons has has some ups and downs plus RP are notorious for getting injured (or just losing it) suddenly. On his game he is the best …but can he stay (regain) that form for the next 5 years? Add that quality closers come out of nowhere every year and the have Suarez in the fold. I would probably pass on Hader at his expected contract level.

Since I still doubt unlimited cash from Preller/Siedler … maybe they are exploring either one or the other while estimating the Ohtani factor after the season. Also, keep in mind that the club/player options on Wacha, Martinez, and Lugo … if they are good as SP will either substantially jump their salary or allow the to leave via FA join Snell as a FA. Maybe money on a SP has to be reserved for the offseason.

One note with the speculation on Soto and Hader … none on Snell suggesting their camp in not interested or the Padres are not interested.

Quote from BoosterSD on March 3, 2023, 6:47 am

Quote from fenn68 on March 3, 2023, 3:16 am

One note with the speculation on Soto and Hader … none on Snell suggesting their camp in not interested or the Padres are not interested.

I think the big difference between looking at extensions for Hader and Soto; versus Snell, is that both Hader and Soto post everyday. I dont recall seeing any large amounts of IL time for either Hader or Soto. Conversely, how often has Snell had something that sent him to the IL? At least two times (and for substantial time) while in SD, that I recall easily.

So the fact that you can count on Hader and Soto, and not so much for Snell, is probably driving the reason not pursuing Snell. While I do think I have seen where Seidler really likes Snell, I would imagine that they see what he does this season, and then maybe match other offers he gets this winter, depending on the amount he is offered from other teams.

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 3, 2023, 7:39 am

Put me down for not wanting to spend $15+ mil per for a reliever....."any" reliever.

Suarez,Castillo,Pomeranz (on a short deal if he stays healthy),and any other number of options at a lot less $ make much more sense IMO.

 

Quote from Henry Silvestre on March 3, 2023, 7:53 am

Yu needs a buddy to be honest

https://twitter.com/BenAndWoods/status/1631680850264981504?t=MBi07wUEl8JHGQ9aZ1ipVg&s=19

These 2 could talk baseball 24/7 and still want more...

Look at how happy they look together

Quote from Henry Silvestre on March 3, 2023, 7:56 am

On a roster note.. Dahl is looking more and more like the RF starter 1st 20 games with every game that passes this spring..

Quote from Jeremy Hill on March 3, 2023, 9:15 am

AJ chased Hader long enough that it's not really surprising that he would want to extend him.

Diaz's deal seems like such an outlier that if he wants to be in that vicinity I would let him walk. Suarez is the only other reliever with a 5 year free agent deal. Hendricks is the only one close to the 20.4m AAV and he's only at 18m. The 102m total value is 48m more than the second highest. I think Cohen is the only one that gives out that deal.

Hader at 14.1m has the 6th highest AAV among relievers. Maybe there's an opportunity to sign him to a Darvish like deal that gives him extra years at a lower number. He's 3 years younger than Suarez. Maybe they offer him something like 6/72m. It could be a tough call. There's a reason teams generally don't make such big commitments to relievers.