Quote from Brian Connelly on June 28, 2020, 11:00 pm

Quote from fenn68 on June 28, 2020, 7:56 pm

Kevin Acee

@sdutKevinAcee

· 33m

You can pretty much count on Cole Wilcox being added to the pool when he signs. Also, veterans like Brian Dozier and Juan Lagares could be added after a week or so. Padres went with top prospects and players they felt were closest to making the big-league team when spring ended.

Surprised by the # of no way MLB top prospect inclusions more than the exclusions.  Can't believe Hassell on list, but it makes sense when you look at the consensus top prospects:  Only one non-injured top 20 prospect (Hudson Potts #18) is not in the 60-man pool.  Same for Wilcox.  The Pads are in fantastic position to be "buyers" in trades.

Think they are still working out details of how Minors FA contracts & other things like vesting options based on playing time will work given the shortened season.  But do think many teams may just base their decision about Minors FA on what they saw up till 3/12 and the new economic realities of the shortened season.

There's no reason to fill the 60-man all the way.  That creates inflexibility, and the last 5-10 guys have 0% chance at MLB.  Need open spots for flexibility, control of players, etc.  I'm sure a few more will get added soon.

 

Quote from fenn68 on June 29, 2020, 4:41 am

Quote from Brian Connelly on June 28, 2020, 10:44 pm

Quote from fenn68 on June 28, 2020, 6:04 pm

Remember if a player is on the 40 man ... he has a guaranteed contract in 2020 ... so he will get the full prorated amount ... so no financial benefit in dropping Profar and the like.   Is that true even for guys with Arb salaries like Profar?  I thought they could be released before Opening Day at some portion (1/6?) of their salary.   Only making 37% of salary, so only 1/6 of that does seem unfair.

Now the non-roster vets ... not sure what they are signed for if they are added to the ML roster (but likely much more than their non-roster pay for the taxi squad).  Assume Pads would have to live up to the previously agreed upon contract with each guy (2.2 MM to Dozier, 1.4 MM to Lagares); pro-rated like every other MLB player.

From a team standpoint ... not sure the “wiggle room” in payroll vs. the desire to put a contending team on the field. Dozier, Almonte, and Lagares are all in that grey area but probably fair non-roster insurance given the alternatives to the alternatives.  Not sure, but I KNOW spending ex. 1 MM is a MUCH bigger deal now than it was on March 1st

Dozier might surprise and get added to the active roster ... if the Padres want a quick start ... a quality veteran who was know for “hustle” and a decent glove at 2B might be a better bench option than France or Cronenworth in the INF. Remember Profar can play SS/3B/1B/OF. How do they factor in the best options for a “fast start” and not get trapped in a failed test of an unproven player?  Issue I have with Dozier is he wasn't good vs RHP last year which is the same issue Profar had.

 

What I understand is that “technically” the season started on the scheduled  opening day back in March so all the contracts were locked in for 2020.

Not suggesting Dozier will take over 2B from Profar ... but may be better on the bench than Valera or France and could be a good pairing with Garcia. Side: Valera just isn’t that good (been bouncing from team to team) and is out of minor league options ... probably would clear waivers ... off the 40 man ... get assigned to the taxi squad.

Quote from hoffy51 on June 29, 2020, 4:50 am

Glad to see that they included some of their top minor league players.

I see only six players that are just on the list for development purposes: Joey Cantillo, Ryan Weathers, CJ Abrams, Tucupita Marcano, Hudson Head, and Robert Hassell III.

I see eight players that probably won't make the opening day line-up, but are close enough to being ready and could be called up to play if needed: MacKinzie Gore, Luis Patino, Adrian Morejon, Luis Campusano, Own Miller, Gabriel Arias, Taylor Trammell, and Edward Olivares.

Quote from fenn68 on June 29, 2020, 5:11 am

Looks as though the “taxi squad” is well set to play simulated games with a full set of fielders and a rotation of pitchers (just may guess to start):

C : Torrens (probably on the traveling squad), Campusano, Rivas

1B: France

2B: Cronenworth; Marcano

SS: Arias; Abrams

3B: Miller

OF: Olivares; Trammell; Head; Hassell

SP: Morejon; Bolanos; Eickhoff; Gore; Patino; Castillo; Weathers

RP: Reyes; Wingenter; (then maybe plus 4 as ML rosters drop to 26)

That a good development mix for the hitters having to face consistently quality pitching prospects ... in many cases more advanced.

Quote from hoffy51 on June 29, 2020, 7:20 am

It will be interesting to see the coaching staff the Padres put together for the USD group. I bet Cantillo, Weathers, Abrams, Marcano, Head and Hassell will get a lot of individual instruction. The only player I hope the Padres can add to this "developmental" group is Anderson Espinoza. I don't know where he is in his rehab. But if he doesn't pitch in some sort of organized manner this year, it will be three years (I think) since he did so.

Quote from fenn68 on June 29, 2020, 9:30 am

Quote from hoffy51 on June 29, 2020, 7:20 am

It will be interesting to see the coaching staff the Padres put together for the USD group. I bet Cantillo, Weathers, Abrams, Marcano, Head and Hassell will get a lot of individual instruction. The only player I hope the Padres can add to this "developmental" group is Anderson Espinoza. I don't know where he is in his rehab. But if he doesn't pitch in some sort of organized manner this year, it will be three years (I think) since he did so.

That begs some other structural questions:

1. can players NOT on the "60" list work out with the taxi squad .... odds are no given the desire to keep the squad small for health reasons and the care in setting the participation rules
2. If no, problem for Espinosa is he is on the 60 day IL ... Padres would have to activate him first causing an existing 40 man player to be put on waivers (a move that may be needed later).
3. I guess there is an underlying unknown ... are the Padres plan on holding .. at some point later in the year ... a prospects camp where some of the prospect not on the taxi squad can workout. Maybe by September, AZ is "safe" and modified Fall Instructs. Wouldn't want the other prospects contaminating the "taxi squad". Maybe the "taxi squad" resides at USD/SDSU and the Instructs go to LE. Instructs could be in late Oct/Nov/Dec.

 

Quote from Brian Connelly on June 29, 2020, 9:52 am

Quote from fenn68 on June 29, 2020, 4:41 am

Quote from Brian Connelly on June 28, 2020, 10:44 pm

Quote from fenn68 on June 28, 2020, 6:04 pm

Remember if a player is on the 40 man ... he has a guaranteed contract in 2020 ... so he will get the full prorated amount ... so no financial benefit in dropping Profar and the like.   Is that true even for guys with Arb salaries like Profar?  I thought they could be released before Opening Day at some portion (1/6?) of their salary.   Only making 37% of salary, so only 1/6 of that does seem unfair.

Now the non-roster vets ... not sure what they are signed for if they are added to the ML roster (but likely much more than their non-roster pay for the taxi squad).  Assume Pads would have to live up to the previously agreed upon contract with each guy (2.2 MM to Dozier, 1.4 MM to Lagares); pro-rated like every other MLB player.

From a team standpoint ... not sure the “wiggle room” in payroll vs. the desire to put a contending team on the field. Dozier, Almonte, and Lagares are all in that grey area but probably fair non-roster insurance given the alternatives to the alternatives.  Not sure, but I KNOW spending ex. 1 MM is a MUCH bigger deal now than it was on March 1st

Dozier might surprise and get added to the active roster ... if the Padres want a quick start ... a quality veteran who was know for “hustle” and a decent glove at 2B might be a better bench option than France or Cronenworth in the INF. Remember Profar can play SS/3B/1B/OF. How do they factor in the best options for a “fast start” and not get trapped in a failed test of an unproven player?  Issue I have with Dozier is he wasn't good vs RHP last year which is the same issue Profar had.

 

What I understand is that “technically” the season started on the scheduled  opening day back in March so all the contracts were locked in for 2020.

Not suggesting Dozier will take over 2B from Profar ... but may be better on the bench than Valera or France and could be a good pairing with Garcia. Side: Valera just isn’t that good (been bouncing from team to team) and is out of minor league options ... probably would clear waivers ... off the 40 man ... get assigned to the taxi squad.

Beating the Valera "dead horse":  It's true he's out of options.  Normal year, 26-man roster, I think that was the plan; DFA him at last roster moves, hope he goes unclaimed (likely), then he's in Minors as depth.

This season is TOTALLY different.  It's almost reversed.  With 120 additional guys active O.D. (30 vs 26), he would be more likely to get claimed AT THAT TIME.   However, as rosters shrink to 28 and then 26, he would be much less likely to get claimed if/when DFA'd, since all teams would be moving guys OFF their active rosters, and he would have to be on active roster.... no one claims him, keep him in your 60-man pool.

He has to prove his worth in the first place to make even a 30-man roster temporarily, and is headed off the 40-man at some point, just saying the way Pads can best control him as depth has changed this year (in Valera's favor relative to March).

Quote from Brian Connelly on June 29, 2020, 9:55 am

Quote from hoffy51 on June 29, 2020, 7:20 am

It will be interesting to see the coaching staff the Padres put together for the USD group. I bet Cantillo, Weathers, Abrams, Marcano, Head and Hassell will get a lot of individual instruction. The only player I hope the Padres can add to this "developmental" group is Anderson Espinoza. I don't know where he is in his rehab. But if he doesn't pitch in some sort of organized manner this year, it will be three years (I think) since he did so.

Theoretically Pads could add Espinoza to 60-man pool later this year if he is healthy.  But he would have to come off the 60-day IL, which would cost a 40-man roster spot.  Extremely likely they just keep him on 60-day IL all year.  Think he can still rehab in Arizona.

Quote from MrPadre19 on June 29, 2020, 9:57 am

Another consideration...I believe only players on the 60 man roster can be traded.

So seems like teams would at least add up to 60 players even if the intent is only to have the option of trading a player

at/before the deadline.

I don't see the advantage of leaving the 60 man short esp. considering this.