Quote from ultratvfan on April 16, 2025, 4:38 pm

The Padres trade C Brett Sullivan to Pittaburgh for OF Bryce Johnson. Does this deal make any sense to anyone?

Quote from fenn68 on April 16, 2025, 4:51 pm

Quote from ultratvfan on April 16, 2025, 4:38 pm

The Padres trade C Brett Sullivan to Pittaburgh for OF Bryce Johnson. Does this deal make any sense to anyone?

Yeh, Johnson is a legit CF defensively and can run ... don't have that at EP for a call-up if they have an emergency need in SD.

Sullivan is behind Diaz - Maldonado - Campusano in the catching queue in 2025.

Neither are ML quality and around 30ish ... maybe more a benefit to EP. Sullivan was running 3rd C in EP anyway.

 

Quote from fenn68 on April 16, 2025, 5:01 pm

Who would have though at the beginning of ST that the Padres would have the best record in baseball (15-4) on April 18 with the SP:

IL: Musgrove; Darvish; Waldron

#1 Pivetta ... 3-1, 1.57 ERA

#2 Vasquez ... 1-1, 1.74 ERA

#3 King ... 3-0, 2.42 ERA

#4 Hart ... 2-0, 5.40 ERA

#5 Cease ... 1-1, 6.64 ERA

Gives Darvish and the Padres the luxury of taking their time with the rehab ... he should be stronger for the second half of the season with the "rest" at his age. Plus with Kolek looking strong in EP, a second safety net. Also, allows Waldron to take his time in rehab.

Quote from Alex Tamayo on April 16, 2025, 6:35 pm

Amazing how, even though, still, very early in the season, the 4 best records in MLB are from the NL West, the D'backs tied with the Mets for 4th.

Quote from fenn68 on April 17, 2025, 10:26 am

Must be tough being Logan Gillaspie ... get the ML call pitches in one game (Apr 6) and not used since. A victim of all the SP going deep into the games but no blow-outs combined with the other seven RP being lights out.

Not having a chance to show he should stay in the ML ... so easy to conclude he is the first out when Hoeing or Reynolds are ready. Of course if he rarely gets used ... are the Padres better off letting Hoeing and Reynolds toil in the minors to keep sharp (if needed due to injury) and just Gillaspie wither on the vine used only in blowouts? Given the Padres winning formula probably would not use Gillaspie just to use him.

Interesting dilemma

I guess another option with Gillaspie holding the 8th RP slot for mop up use ... Hoeing / Reynolds returning into the mix ... is trading a RP (always in demand) to bolster the offense / bench?

Quote from fenn68 on April 17, 2025, 10:50 am

Between now and May 1 Merrill, Cronenworth, and Lockridge all should come off the IL. Could / should be some discussion on the offsetting moves. The active players need to make their case to stay ... not sure many are as yet.

Padres have added Gonzales, Wade, and Joe but not sure they will be the ones out by May 1.

1. Wade (L) has the ML experience ... has the speed for PR ... can play INF and OF ... might he stay at the expense of Lockridge (R) since Lockridge  has not shown any offense.
2. Gonzales has shown little and that is still better than Gurriel. At least Gonzales can play some OF. Might it be time to move on from the Gurriel experiment (think strained right oblique and IL for season).

Sheets and Iglesias have earned their slots. Heyward struggled but not enough to change out ... considering no replacement a lock to be better.

So could we see Joe, Lockridge optioned and Gurriel release or IL?

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Side: Padres are getting the defense out of Diaz / Maldonado and that is what Shildt wants in a C ... so I think they are safe no matter how they hit. That should leave Campusano in EP (despite his bat) to work on catching as the back-up for injury. However, at some point mid-season if he RHH DH/1B is not producing for the Padres ... might he get the call just to boost the offense as a DH/1B?

Quote from Randy Manese on April 17, 2025, 2:37 pm

Campy is just crushing it in the minors even if they are in high altitude Albuquerque today with him hitting two more HRs.  It is only a matter of when not if and that depends on the recovery of the injured and, in part, the schedule.  I agree that the Padres are in no hurry to give catching innings to Campy (although he's done a decent job in EP), but if they can groom him as the emergency back-up catcher, learning from Diaz and Maldonado, getting back to the majors will help him immensely besides working with the pitchers he actually would or could be catching.  As older catchers, they are just one foul tip away from a 10 day stint on the IL, so I'd want to get this set us as soon as possible just in case.

I agree with your choice of Joe and Lockridge being sent down and Gurriel being released.  In lieu of keeping Gonzalez, however, I would bring up Campy.  I know this leaves us a little short of true OF's, however, hopefully we won't need more than one injury/illness replacement for any one game.  Heyward-Merrill-Tatis look to be the OF for the early part of the year to me.  After Croney and Merrill come back, I don't see another possible wave of changes (i.e. dumping Heyward) until possibly the last homestand in May at the earliest, particularly if Campy shows well as the shortside DH when they face LHPs.

PS - Ornelas and Perlaza also pushing the envelope while Joe and Lockridge can also be recalled overnight.  I think we're going to have some good options for our bench.

Quote from fenn68 on April 17, 2025, 4:43 pm

Yeh, think Campy up is not IF but WHEN. If we just look at his ML record as a hitter ... he will be a major upgrade over the current production of the RHH options platooning with Hayward and Sheets.

Padres just need an "average" hitter vs LHP for a major improvement since both Hayward and Sheets are flat out terrible vs LHP.

One issue (and maybe on the hunt for another option as a RHH OF) is the need for a platoon with Hayward considering Lockridge, Gonzales, and Joe seem to fall short (not a solution for 75% of the starts). Not seeing the answer in EP unless Perlaza (#) proves better (Note I liked him in ST coming over from Korea).

Expect a lot of moving pieces in the coming months then special eye on the trade deadline ... a "rental" improvement would not cost much in pay or prospects. This team looks to be positioned as a playoff team with the current roster ... but needs better support down the line-up to succeed in the playoffs.

Quote from MrPadre19 on April 18, 2025, 7:45 am

Let Oscar Gonzalez have LF against LH for a few weeks.....we'll see if he can keep it.