Quote from 3fingersplit on May 10, 2024, 11:20 am

I’ll never forget Sean Burroughs when he played in little league…I think his team was Long Beach and he had already hit two home runs in this game and the next time he came up with the bases loaded the opposing manager intentionally walked him and gave up the one run but didn’t want to give up four…In all my years in baseball I had never seen that before and have never seen it since.

RIP Sean

Quote from WindsorUK on May 10, 2024, 12:09 pm

Wow...terribly sad news. RIP Sean and prayers to his family and friends.

Still can't believe the Pads moved not 1 but 2 All Stars( Nevin from 3B, Klesko from 1B) to accommodate Sean at 3B.

Sad his career didn't work out. I'm with Jeremy- should have just let the kid do what he did.

Padres sadly still haven't learned not to force square pegs into round holes.

Quote from sportwarrior on May 10, 2024, 12:12 pm

Leave it to Bob Nightengale to find something to be wrong about. Sean was 43, not 44.

Just awful news. And I cannot imagine how hard that must have been for his son to witness. I hope they give him a moment tonight at the game.

Quote from Alex Tamayo on May 10, 2024, 12:36 pm

Quote from MrPadre19 on May 10, 2024, 10:37 am

Just heard Sean Burroughs collapsed and died while coaching his Sons little league game...he was just 44 years old.

 

About two weeks algo I was talking to my son about Sean and how he got the walk off single at the Petco Park inaugural game 20 years ago, the fact that he was just 43, 44 tells you that if things went his way he would have just about 5 or 6 years since he would've  retired.

Quote from sportwarrior on May 10, 2024, 1:06 pm

Quote from Alex Tamayo on May 10, 2024, 12:36 pm

Quote from MrPadre19 on May 10, 2024, 10:37 am

Just heard Sean Burroughs collapsed and died while coaching his Sons little league game...he was just 44 years old.

 

About two weeks algo I was talking to my son about Sean and how he got the walk off single at the Petco Park inaugural game 20 years ago, the fact that he was just 43, 44 tells you that if things went his way he would have just about 5 or 6 years since he would've  retired.

Well, to be fair, I think if he'd been playing he would have lived longer. You've gotta think such an early death has at least in part something to do with how much trash he put into his body when he was at rock bottom between his time with the Rays and the Dbacks. By all accounts, he was going on daily benders on just about any and every substance imaginable for years.

Quote from fenn68 on May 11, 2024, 3:52 am

Well the Padres are at the 1/4 pole in the season … one game over .500 and one of seven NL teams over .500 … postion well for that Wild Card slot. So, looked at the NL team stats to see the Padres compare for strengths and weaknesses.

Offensively they sit #3 (BA), #6 (OBP), #5 (SLG) in the NL and with six teams making the playoffs … well positioned. Have to be optimistic that with the add of Arraez in the lead-off slot and the expect improvement in at least of a few of Bogaerts, Kim, Machado, and Tatis will more than offset any decline in Profar and Cronenworth.

SP they sit #7 (ERA), #7 (WHIP), #5 (BAA) … competitive but room for improvement. From a playoff perspective … the top 3 of Cease, King, and Darvish so far would be fine since don’t really need a #5 or maybe even a #4 in the playoffs …. Just need to get there. Have to wait and see on Musgrove but if he returns to anywhere near his recent past that will improve the SP overall. Waldron / Vasquez are a concern and pretty sure the Padres don’t want a repeat of 2023 when the backfill pitchers of Hill, Weathers, Avila, and Waldron were a disaster with the team losing almost all of their starts (and there were a lot). If that group could have even generated a .333 win in thier starts Padres would have been in the playoffs. Expect Preller to be on the hunt of a quality SP (maybe mid to bottom of rotation) as the season moves on.

RP they sit at #7 (ERA), #5 (WHIP), #5 (BAA) … again competitive with room for improvement. Clearly Suarez is the star as the closer but still a lot of evaluation to come on the others. The others are not “bad” but none are taking hold of that set-up role for Suarez. My disappointment is with Matsui whose command is not there and has not been effective recently. Combine that with the 2024 Cosgrove troubles and LHRP may be another target for Preller. Peralta is OK but in and out while Morejon seems a new effective version but still inconsistent enough not to be an end of game arm.

Overall, Padres are in good shape to continue in the Wild Card hunt. Have to give Preller some credit on his moves (if you want to win in 2024-25) … we may lament the loss of the future with the departing prospects but Cease, King, and Arraez are looking as the pieces that will take the Padres to the playoffs. Also his confidence in Suarez and Cronenworth seems to be correct after a dismal 2023 for them. Then maybe just lucky on Profar … but that is OK.

Quote from fenn68 on May 11, 2024, 4:15 am

Should say that it has been a long time since I have seen the Padres roll out a starting line-up (all hitters #1-9 plus bench) who deserve to be there … putting aside the slumps from proven ML hitters. Not only a long line-up who can hit … Solano, Wade, and Azocar on the bench make for very strong versatile fill-ins … no black holes.

Perfect no but compared to other teams … well built.

 

 

 

Quote from Randy Manese on May 11, 2024, 7:33 am

Coming into the 2024 season, the Padres had, by area:  (1) catching - a rookie who spent more time on the injured list than playing, and who showed promise offensively but was a question mark defensively/handling pitchers; and no obvious #2, assuming Campusano was #1

(2) infield - a 3rd baseman who couldn't throw and a 1st  baseman who ranked near or at the bottom of all offensive categories for 1st basemen; only middle infield appeared solid but a 2b returning from injury and SS with a "career year" and then the position switch in ST

(3) outfield - one OF, with no apparent successors in sight

(4) SP - loss of 3, including a Cy Young award winner, plus a valuable swing man in Martinez, plus remaining 2 SP coming off injuries/age issues and only a couple of swingmen as SP possibilities

(5) bullpen - a closer coming back from injury and only 1 RP Cosgrove, who spent most of the year with the team but also was coming back from injury; pretty much a blank slate

Huge question marks, some related to health others to apparent deteriorating skills or a combination of both - looks like we'd be battling Colorado to keep out of the basement of the NL West, particularly since Preller was under orders to drop under the 1st level of the CBT ($237M) after having the 3rd highest CBT in 2023 ($291M).

Yes, I'd say Preller has made the team competitive and currently is still about $10M under the 1st level of the CBT.  Post 2024 is going to be another challenge, but you have to take one season at a time with Preller and the Padres.  I think the fans like the product on the field despite having to trade a lot of prospects (some who may become stars over time and several years from now but most will never be regulars in the MLB); it's the cost of being relevant.

 

Quote from fenn68 on May 12, 2024, 1:25 pm

I guess … for just a mental cushion … have to invoke “if the season ended today” (before the games) … the Padres would have the #3 playoff slot. Given all the struggles by the “stars” that frustrates … somehow the Padres are still better than 9 other NL teams.

As a source of both worry and optimism … took a look the offense production (wRC+) for the four “stars” I been seeing as underperforming … 2021-3 (3 years) vs 2024:

134 vs 124 (-7.5%) … Tatis

131 vs 92 (-29.2) … Machado

127 vs 55 (60.0%) … Bogaerts

102 vs 98 (-3.9%) … Kim

Kim and Tatis are underperforming but not by as much a I thought (maybe my expectations were too high).

On the other hand, the underperformance of Machado and Bogaerts is dramatic. This is where I struggle … optimistic they both with return to closer to their histories and pessimistic both have started their declines in their early 30s.

The Padres are now a playoff team … if these “stars” get it together … Padres will be in a good position for the season.