Quote from fenn68 on August 15, 2020, 2:35 pm

Quote from Randy Manese on August 15, 2020, 2:08 pm

Campusano has a chance to be our best home grown catcher ever - as a hitter, a combination of the best qualities of Benito Santiago and Sandy Alomar, although Alomar did his damage ironically with Cleveland.  Unlike Santiago, who was one of the fastest catchers around, Campusano has no speed but he absolutely punishes the ball and has an exceptional walk to strikeout ratio; he was great in all the games I saw at Lake Elsinore last year.  Got a ways to go before he compares favorably to either defensively, however, but he can be average.  Probably see him start at AAA next year, if there is a 2021 minor league season, and how he performs early may determine how soon he is promoted.

Mejia was the #1 ranked catching prospect in the minors when we made the trade with Cleveland but many doubted that catcher would be his position.  Few, however, doubted that he wouldn't hit since he once had a 33 game hitting streak in the minors.  Sure, he was a chaser, but most felt he'd be around a .275 hitter with 15-20 HRs at some position - maybe OF or DH in the AL - hard to do at any level.  I think he's greatly improved defensively over what he was but has not looked good offensively.  Agree he needs to go down and get a refresh on his approach at the plate.  Keep that head in there longer or develop a better timing mechanism; whatever it takes.  I think that hitting skill exists but it's not shown up so far.

I see Mejia being bypassed as a catcher by both Torrens and Campusano over the next couple of seasons ... that is OK since his calling card was his hitting POTENTIAL. For you old school types there have been some pretty good hitters that had Mejia's "style" ... like Guerrero, Sanguillen, and Berra (yes they were better).

He really is a solid athlete with great bat/hand speed and if he did not fight the switch .... could be a good option in the OF and DH while focusing on hitting and not catching. Got to hit first. With Profar gone after this season, Pham / Garcia gone after 2021 (or sooner) and Myers gone after 2022 ... having an option with hitting POTENTIAL in the mix is good. As it stands, Grisham and ????? with other prospects with POTENTIAL for the remaining slots.

Quote from fenn68 on August 16, 2020, 7:28 am

The report that Morejon (L) is being activated today makes some sense in relationship to the Yates IL ... and highlights the domino effect injuries can cause.

Strahm now likely moves more into a late inning piece as Pomeranz moves in a closer role opening a “long man” role to pair with Quantrill in that 5th slot.

No word on who is getting de-activated ... probably a toss up between Bednar and Hill.

Quote from Randy Manese on August 16, 2020, 9:09 am

We'll know in a couple of hours but it might depend on what do they do with Patino.  If I have to accept they will stay with Stammen, then he, Johnson, Bednar, Guerra and Pagan are all one-inning max type relievers and all from the right side with Pagan reserved for the late innings.  On the left, we only have Hill, Strahm and Pomeranz and the latter are looked to higher leverage situations.  Therefore, we seem to need a lefty more in the middle innings for very short relief.  I see that role still for Hill, although he's not run with it effectively yet.  I look at Morejon/Patino as a piggyback to Quantrill and/or long relief if Quantrill starts to build up his stamina and location as a starter.  Bottom line is Bednar goes back down.   Got to believe other moves are coming.  We are too close to being a strong team to let us slip to or below .500 for too long.

Quote from fenn68 on August 16, 2020, 11:15 am

Kevin Acee

The Padres have recalled OF Josh Naylor and optioned RHP David Bednar. LHP Adrian Morejon has been added to taxi squad. (My bad. Wires crossed.)

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Probably another move after the game today (or very soon) to get Morejon added (not going to have him vegetate on the taxi squad) with a corresponding move of a position player down.

Maybe because of he AZ heat / artificial turf ... they wanted the extra position player while evaluating the health of Pham and Myers. If OK, then sort of a toss up whether Naylor goes back down or ......?

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 16, 2020, 11:38 am

Quote from fenn68 on August 16, 2020, 11:15 am

Kevin Acee

The Padres have recalled OF Josh Naylor and optioned RHP David Bednar. LHP Adrian Morejon has been added to taxi squad. (My bad. Wires crossed.)

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Probably another move after the game today (or very soon) to get Morejon added (not going to have him vegetate on the taxi squad) with a corresponding move of a position player down.

Maybe because of he AZ heat / artificial turf ... they wanted the extra position player while evaluating the health of Pham and Myers. If OK, then sort of a toss up whether Naylor goes back down or ......?

Think we can survive with (gasp!) "only" a 9-man bullpen today.   But not 2 healthy "true" OF....

So Naylor up, Bednar (used up yesterday) down makes sense.  Wonder if Naylor & Morejon carpooled together?!  Pretty likely; guessing they told them to get in the car & start driving when 2nd OF (Myers) went out of the game!  Naylor should stick till Myers is full go.  Now that Mateo is active, if they feel comfortable enough with him in the OF, Naylor COULD even supplant Olivares. Worth pointing out that Almonte (18th) & France (23rd) could not yet be "voluntarily" recalled; only if someone to IL.

The only RP's on active roster that can be optioned down are:  Patino, Perdomo, & Tim Hill.  Look for Morejon to "roll up" tomorrow or the next day after one of them throws a lot of pitches.  I will say there is a real 2021 issue to having guys like Patino & Morejon being used as Taxi & RP's vs simply staying at the alternate site & making as many regular "starts"/IP as possible to better prepare for a 162 game MLB season next year.... with no Minor league season to help guys build up to it.

So my preference would be Patino down; not b/c anything "against" him... just don't want he AND Morejon in a 10 man pen together as last length guys out of pen, with 1-2 IP every 3rd day.  I'd rather have Perdomo throwing garbage pen innings in a loss.

Quote from Randy Manese on August 16, 2020, 12:23 pm

I think Naylor stays and Perdomo goes down in the short run.  He has been used in many roles and has been unsuccessful in all of them save one good inning followed by a very bad inning.  Agree other moves coming and can understand your logic to send Patino down but, he like Guerra, has very good stuff they themselves need to know whether it works or not or what adjustments to make.  Unfortunately, probably not getting that at alternate training site, so we just hope Patino show steady growth rather than implodes. We already have Stammen and others to throw garbage.  You are exactly right - they are going to be used for 1-2 innings as longer relief men - until they deserve more exposure or Quantrill fails early and often.  If you can get them to be an effective bridge to Strahm/Pagan and then Pomeranz, that's what we're looking forward to the rest of the year.  All the other guys - Johnson, Guerra, Hill, Stammen - are essentially plug-ins where/when needed but are just one-inning types.  How Quantrill, Patino and Morejon do will determine whether guys like Baez/Eickhoff/Bednar/Reyes or even Gore, come up.   All three of these guys (Quantrill, Patino, Morejon) have options as does Hill.  If Patino does go down, might see Eickhoff or Baez as the long relief RH option.  Don't think Perdomo, when sent down, or Lucchesi are coming back any time soon.

 

Quote from Brian Connelly on August 17, 2020, 11:03 am

Well, Naylor already back.  With only the disaster IP by Pagan, I'd recall France today.  Let Morejon wait until Perdomo or Patino pitches multiple innings before switching them out.

Quote from fenn68 on August 17, 2020, 1:12 pm

As I suggested on the other post ... Naylor replaced Bednar who replace Yates giving an "extra" position player. So, probably Morejon replaces Pham to bring the pitcher / position balance back to "normal"?

Sounds as though the plan to delay Lamet and Paddack's starts one day ... making a need for another SP ... could be Morejon or Patino (probably needing both for that date).

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Note Mejia has a "minor injury" to his thumb .. not good for a catcher ... maybe IL ... maybe Torrens up and gets his chance to show he should hold one of the catching spots.

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Still think we some other moves coming soon.

Quote from fenn68 on August 17, 2020, 2:01 pm

Pham and Mejia to the IL.

Called up Torrens and France.

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with supposedly tomorrow looking for a starter either Patino (or Patino and a bullpen day) get the start or the add Morejon (reported to be on the traveling squad) tomorrow unless they make a trade.