Quote from fenn68 on August 7, 2020, 5:37 am

Lucchesi clearly has not improved over his time in the ML and the Padres don't view him as a RP option given his lack of command. Quantrill is viewed as better suited to relieve and can start (probably still viewed as a having greater upside). Patino also is viewed as a SP who can be effective in relief but his call-up and his top of the rotation projection is reason to think he get a starting role. Might be seeing a Patino / Quantrill pairing for that 5th slot for now since neither has racked up extended outing this season ... still build some length for there outings.

Naylor being optioned is not shocking but was surprised he went before Almonte and Olivares since still see him as better hitting option (PH/DH). However, his defensive limitations ... and the apparent desire for Tingler to build around "versatility" in his players .... was downfall.

When Hosmer returns ... setting up for a 2B platoon of Profar (R/L) / Cronenworth (L) and a DH platoon France (R) / Garcia (L) or as keep running regulars through the DH role .... those players get a defensive role and a regular get to DH and that would allow one of Almonte (L/R) / Olivares (R) play any of the three OF slots. Guessing the other gets optioned.

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Given the expanded rosters and seeming more frequent injuries across the league .... both Lucchesi and Naylor still provide ML experience as "back-up" for the Padres and a reason to keep them around for 2020. Of course the same logic probably means there are some teams out there that would deal for either (not give much mind you but would want them). Just seeing the players being added to ML rosters there are a lot of obscure players just trying to fill a spot.

Quote from fenn68 on August 7, 2020, 5:42 am

Did hear a comment that Patino was the call-up because of his work at the alternative site and although Gore is viewed as the long-term better pitcher ... he was bypassed because of some command issues at the alternative site.

Plus Patino was viewed as a RP option but they view Gore as a SP only.

An underlying insight may be that the work at the alternative site may be more competitive that we expect ... not just working out and getting coached.

Quote from fenn68 on August 7, 2020, 5:47 am

Still no confirmation on Mateo to the 45 day .... maybe a false (or premature) report. Not an issue until they want another non-roster add and even then Castillo may go first.

Quote from Jeremy Hill on August 7, 2020, 9:48 am

Cronenworth has had pretty even splits throughout his minor league career. He's actually been a little bit better against lefties. In his breakout year last year he put up a 1.010 OPS against them in the minors. Profar was great against lefties last year and solid all around in 2018. For his career he hasn't hit much from either side though. I think Cronenworth should be the everyday starter at 2b once Hos gets back. If he can't handle lefties go to a platoon, but give him a chance against them first.

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 7, 2020, 11:32 am

Quote from fenn68 on August 7, 2020, 5:42 am

Did hear a comment that Patino was the call-up because of his work at the alternative site and although Gore is viewed as the long-term better pitcher ... he was bypassed because of some command issues at the alternative site.

Plus Patino was viewed as a RP option but they view Gore as a SP only.

An underlying insight may be that the work at the alternative site may be more competitive that we expect ... not just working out and getting coached.

Some silver linings definitely to the alternate site.  Biggest for them is no travel.  But another one is all the SP's are facing the same guys day in, day out.  Granted those guys are a mix of AAA guys & young prospects who might be in low-A; but it IS the same guys.  So do get a "real" measuring stick of who is performing best of the young SP's presumably facing them making their "starts in rotation".

WAY too much is being made of "when will Gore be up".  He's slightly older than Patino, BUT Gore does not HAVE to be added to 40-man roster this year like Patino did.  It's conceiveable he doesn't get added all year; has to earn it.  More importantly, Patino's pitch mix with FB & Slider his 2 best just profiles to pen in a way Gore does not.

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 7, 2020, 12:06 pm

Didn't see Lucchesi down coming.  Not entirely "fair" to be on THAT short a leash (thought he deserved 1 more start), but does make sense in this short weird season.  There are also some subtleties at work....

Lucchessi in my mind IS a MLB Pitcher.  Funky delivery, LH, will give you a 4.00+ to 4.50 ERA, about a 1.25 -1.30 WHIP, avg 1 K / IP, and he stays healthy.   But maybe because he reached MLB so quickly, he has never developed an effective 3rd pitch, hasn't improved his marginal command, and is NOT efficient; too many pitches clearly Balls out of his hand, and will never really give you more than 5 IP with inefficiency and well documented troubles getting through a lineup the 3rd time.  He was a College Senior sign and "is what he is" at this point.

It belies common sense to say that a guy who is much better through a lineup the 1st & 2nd time "can't" be a RP?!  He obviously doesn't have 98 MPH FB, but neither do lots of guys.  I really think Lucchesi's funky delivery would help his stuff play up if being seen by hitters AFTER another P... I think he could be a very effective long man in addition to an obvious depth 6th SP.

Luis Perdomo made 60 starts on much worse Pads teams before "failing" as a SP.  Lucchesi is right there at 58 starts.  Better than Perdomo, but no upside.  Need to see what they've got in Quantrill as a SP before handing the opportunity to Patino.  Patino can grow much more as a brand new MLB player out of the pen just focusing on his FB/slider.

If Pads had optioned Perdomo down, he still would receive his full arbitration salary (prorated).  It also would have used up his last remaining option.  By having Joey go down, Pads save a little $ this season.  BUT more importantly, his MLB service time will end up < 3.000 years which will prevent him from hitting arbitration.  Hugely important.  Lucchesi's ability to stay healthy 3 years in a row (assumption) would have pushed his 1st year Arb salary WAY up even with just "OK" stats.  By having him remain on a minimum salary, Pads can retain him into 2021 when SP depth will likely be much more important vs having to potentially non-tender him due to a huge arb salary increase in 2021 when $ will be very tight.

Quote from fenn68 on August 7, 2020, 1:09 pm

Good point on the control aspects of Perdomo and Lucchesi and may have been considered since neither has really done much to guarantee a ML slot.

It will be interesting to see if, for 2021, the Padres start to work on developing Lucchesi as a RP. The one comment about him in relief is that he has never worked out of the pen. No idea if his required time to get ready to pitch in a game is a issue ... need to get up and ready quickly in relief. Plus given his command issues, might be concerned with bringing him in with men on base.

Padres may want to develop the relief pitching skill at the alternative site / next ST rather than experiment in a playoff hunt. He is only 27 and controllable plus being a LHP is a plus .... so there may be a future but Lucchesi needs to show he can make the change out of the pressure of the ML pennant race.

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 7, 2020, 1:17 pm

I could see Joey as a guy that really needs longer to warm up to come in.  So maybe ideally inserting him to begin an inning with no one on base, not mid-inning to put out a fire.  Theoretically could be an opener, but I'm speculating that his weird delivery might have extra benefit in-game after hitters have faced the RH SP 2-3x.  Maybe he gains a tick or 2 on FB...

Joey DEFINITELY has value to Pads this year, but maybe even more next year... at 600K salary, not 2.5 - 3.0 MM 1st year Arb $.  They should not "give him away" for a fringe prospect; if a piece to really improve this year's team... different story.  But "needs" now look like:  C & clear improvement DH.   Limited options out there.

Quote from MrPadre19 on August 7, 2020, 1:53 pm

I would like to see the Lucchesi/Quantrill piggyback the other way around a few times.

Let Quantrill start and the opposing lineup loaded with LH bats and "then" bring in Lucchesi to pitch the 5th-7th innings.

Doesn't look like that will now happen though.

I like the idea that maybe he was sent to the Alt site to transition to the Pen.

Different mindset....different preparation and as proven by many in history(like our own Pomeranz) you can pitch completely differently for 1-2 innings.