Quote from fenn68 on July 11, 2020, 4:47 pm

Dozier officially released ...

Quote from Randy Manese on July 11, 2020, 10:58 pm

Don't see a whole lot of dependable arms in Padres' upper minors to bring in to supplement current roster, if that's the direction they are going.

Nix?  C Johnson?  Yacabonis?  Hu?  Frankoff? All are RH and are more question marks than possible contributors.  Looks like they might have to trade if they want another LH reliever in their 60 since neither Keel, Radke or McGrath are realistic options.

In my opinion, should have sufficient number of RH relief candidates in current group with Bednar, Reyes and Bolanos as the next arms up.

I think we're talking about deep back-ups unless someone of significance on a team that's going nowhere is being dangled.  Hope we don't overpay for the acquisition.

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2020, 7:33 am

30 teams have the same problem so making a trade is unlikely unless they get a pitcher out of options (not going to fit the Padres roster and probably not that good a pitcher) or vastly over priced pitcher (not an objective to take on more payroll).

Given the potential impact of injuries and COVID-19 isolations ... bodies may be more the objective than any kind of projected ML effectiveness. My guess is that whoever they add their call-up would only happen once all the 40 man roster options are exhausted ... and by then Padres are probably in real deep crisis.

Another reason for "bodies" is keeping the "taxi squad" sharp. With the "taxi squad" being isolated from the active roster and the potential for a number of the "taxi squad" pitchers being part of the traveling "taxi squad" and injuries .... who is left to pitch to the position players? Not going to use the remaining few like Wilcox, Cantillo, Weathers everyday. Want to keep the hitters sharp .... need live pitching daily. If you want some development for the kids (Abrams, Head, Hassell, etc.) ... giving them competitive ABs is important.

Yacabonis was doing well in the spring (and has some ML successes) ... but after that the ST "veterans" are not compelling. Maybe it makes sense to add some of the AAA next tier prospects just to allow inter squad games and give those pitchers some development. Wilson? Fox? Valdez? etc. Probably need to add a LHP just to have the taxi squad hitters see more LHP ... so McGrath (with a little ML experience) might be a fit but would not rule out Leasher or even Williams. Hard to know what the Padres think of any of these next tier prospects and what they saw in their progress in ST ... so could go a lot of ways.

Would expect ... with seven open slots .... some of the adds being position players. Maybe more veterans here .... Lagares? Almonte? Vosler? Mejia-Breen? or the like. I would not be surprised to see another catcher added ... if three catchers are taken on road trips (active / traveling 3) leaves only Rivas and Campusano back to handle the taxi squad ... if an injury to one makes taxi squad workouts a problem.

So maybe the objective is not adding ML support but creating a 60 man that allows for "releasing" others for the active roster while keeping an effective functioning taxi squad.

Quote from Brian Connelly on July 12, 2020, 9:12 am

Think there's 2 stages of adding to 60-man pool after the inital group.  2nd stage will be to "backfill" the non-MLB group to focus on development & functionality.  This will probably happen right after the 30-man O.D. roster is finalized.  I look for a C (maybe Blake Hunt, but could be a AAA Minors FA guy) and Jorge Ona here.  Maybe a strategic "burner" or 2 to occupy the last spots & help practice squad function, but OK if "lose" them due to unforseen 60-man pool moves.

But THIS stage of additions is different:  These will be depth guys that are less likely to get to MLB than the 42 or so on 60-man competing for spots, but more likely to play in MLB at some point in 2020 than the young "development only" guys.  They need to have sufficient ramp up time to be somewhat ready as "deep depth" by O.D.  Guessing:

• SP:  0-1   The only real possibilities are Jake Nix or Lake Bachar.
• RP:  1-2   The best name by far is Miguel Diaz.  Now 12 months removed from major knee surgery.  Wasn't ready in March, but now?  Next best I'd say Yacabonis or Steven Wilson.  "Need" to make a move for a LHRP is way overblown; we now have 2 of 8 instead of 3 of 8 LHRP's in a "normal" 8 man MLB pen.  Castillo COULD return at some point in 2nd 1/2.  Also still have Morejon, Gore, & even Lucchesi that could possibly get used out of pen.  If need becomes glaring early in season, look to trade/add then, not now.
• INF:  1      Mateo pushing Dozier & Valera out of system, but not practicing, opens a spot.  Possibles are: I. Castillo, Mejias-Brean,& Vosler.  I lean toward Vosler.  He & "M-B" would be behind Ty France as backup 1B/3B, but Vosler was red hot in ST I and is LH.
• OF:  0 - 1   Pham's return & Olivares' emergence decrease the need here.  Suspect Lagares follows Dozier either released or opt out.  Trammell is locked as "#7" OF, Ona (on 40) likely #8 when ready, but COULD still add Almonte (or Gettys).  The ONE dark horse I could see is Allen Cordoba.  Statistically performed like a top 30 prospect last year.  Ability to play all over INF/OF seems like he would be a valuable reserve squad guy for functionality, but he spent a year in MLB, so a viable option if need came up.   Also would help him make up for lost time after the serious car accident a few yrs ago.

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2020, 10:12 am

Rumor is that they will not fill to 60 slots.

Whomever they add now may be more about keeping the taxi squad functional for inter-squad games during the season as other players are called-up to replace the injured (or taxi squad players are injured). Leads me toward a catcher and RP.

Really no need for a marginal SP with Paddack, Lamet, Davies, Richards, Lucchesi backed-up by Quantrill, Baez, Bolanos, Morejon and, if needed Strahm, Perdomo, Johnson all on the 40 man. Plus that does not consider the non-roster of Eichoff, Gore, or Patino.

OF is also not of need with Pham, Grisham, Myers ... then Olivares, Naylor, Cordero ... then the ability to use Mateo, Profar, and even France or Mejia in the OF ... all on the 40 man.

INF, maybe, with only France and Cronenworth probably on the taxi squad as 40 man roster players then probably they don't want to dip into Abrams, Arias, Marcano, or Miller if they don't have to. So, maybe a Vosler or Mejia-Breem who may be more versatile than Vosler ... if they get to either one the Padres have a big problem.

With the risk of injury / COVID think a 6th catcher is critical just to keep the taxi squad active. Could go a couple of ways ... Hunt if they think there is no chance of getting to him or Campusano ... or maybe someone like Cantu / Washington / Seagle who are non-prospect veteran minor league players out of college programs who may be good for the young pitchers. At this stage a veteran with some good "team skills" in support of the taxi squad may have value.

2 - 3 RP? Wide open field depending on what the Padres saw in ST. Again, maybe more to keep the taxi squad sharp as the better options are dispatched to the active roster / traveling squad or injuries / COVID deplete bodies for short spells.

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I should be interesting to see how teams handle the "taxi squads" with a limited number of players but with the need to keep the high probability call-ups game sharp (e.g. France, Cordero, Torrens ... plus any of the 40 man roster pitchers). Just taking batting practice / throwing bullpens will not keep them in game shape if needed as a call-up ... especially if that occurs in September when a call-up may be critical for playoff contention.

Would think part of the roster structure is setting up the ability to play on-going inter-squad games ... or at least some modified structure of a competitive hitting / pitching / fielding scenario.

 

Quote from Brian Connelly on July 12, 2020, 11:02 am

Limiting each team to so few guys per "practice field" fundamentally makes this challenging.... you can play real intrasquad games all day long at normal Extended Spring Training even after all the full season teams go out.  But how do you play a real even 5 inning "game" with less than 30 guys?  End up doing some sandlot/Little League "ghost runners" or something...

The fundamental way baseball chose to operate this year for logical safety purposes makes it impossible to play actual games for guys not in MLB.  Think the primary focus will be on maintaining functional "length" of the reserve SP's:  make 4-5 IP 'starts' on a regular rotation strategically set up to always have a guy available if needed for callup on 1 day notice.  Same with RP's:  Regular work with at least 1-2 (40-man) guys  always rested for immediate callup.  All position players should get regular AB's & fielding work.   Where "work" will be different is for the no way MLB trio of SP:  Weathers, Cantillo, Wilcox.  Back-burnered to pitch development; working on specific "things", less worried about staying stretched out or logging "x" # of pitches or total IP in 2 mos?

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2020, 12:13 pm

Are teams locked in with those 60 players all season? (per Feinsand MLB.com)

No. Teams will be able to make all the standard transactions throughout the course of the year, so in order to add a player to the Player Pool, another player must be removed.

Players on a 40-man roster can be removed via trade, waiver claims, return of Rule 5 Draft selection, release, outright assignment, designation for assignment, placement on the 45-day injured list, placement on the COVID-19 related injured list, or placement on the suspended list (by the club), voluntarily retired, restricted, disqualified or ineligible lists.

Non-40-man-roster players may be removed by trade, release, placement on the COVID-19 related injured list, or placement on the suspended list (by the club), military, voluntarily retired, restricted, disqualified or ineligible lists. Any injured non-40-man-roster players will continue to count against the team’s Player Pool unless they are removed through one of the aforementioned transactions.

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just for reference and not really an issue NOW and probably will never be but always something to consider if a team is a contender in September. Basically just can't delete a player without exposing them to other teams even if a non-roster player (think Hassell, Abrams, et. al). I guess makes the case for leaving an open 60 slot to accommodate a trade / waiver claim / purchase of another team's 60 player for use during the season.

Probably too small of an issue to be concerned about ... but it is the details that trap at times.

Quote from Randy Manese on July 12, 2020, 12:58 pm

With Munoz already placed on the 60 day injured list, I have 54 players (equally split between pitchers and position players) technically in the 60-person "pool" currently, although Ona is not in summer camp making it really 53.  If Wingenter, Castillo and Espinoza go on the 45 day injured list, then we are down to 50 with 24 being pitchers.

With no injury list available (except COVID) for non-40 man roster players, it would seem there will be a highly active claim, evaluate and release process going on with fringe or over-valued MLB RP floating from team to team.  Getting your pitchers the time they need to develop but not overworking them to synch into possible call-ups to the active roster will be very challenging.  I'm for giving Nix another chance and maybe even Yacabonis, but I predict a revolving door for the open slots on the taxi squad.  Should make a decision on Ona - I'd bring him up to summer camp vice releasing him from 40 man; let the man show what he has.

 

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2020, 1:28 pm

Think both Espinosa and Munoz are on the 45 day IL .... so not an issue with the 40 man roster or the 60 player pool. I guess they have time to make the calls on Castillo and Wingenter ... both could be 45 day IL candidates opening up both 40 man and 60 pool slots. Since it appears that the "final"  60 pool for ML eligibility is opening day may want to make those moves soon ... assuming the have someone they may consider ML insurance in house (e.g. Yacabonis).

By NOT putting Ona in the initial 60 pool ... don't think he is an issue for the pool rules. Still on the 40 man so that could be an issue but not likely. I don't think that being on the 40 man automatically requires that player to be in the 60 pool .. basically he was optioned from the 40 man but does not have to be optioned from the 60 player and go through waivers. Maybe .... but the rules still confuse me.