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Luis Campusano
#51 · July 12, 2023, 11:27 am
Quote from sportwarrior on July 12, 2023, 10:52 amQuote from fenn68 on July 12, 2023, 7:14 amGoing to be some twists and turns in the catching position later in 2023 then in 2024.
Agree that Sanchez has looked better defensively than advertised (seems to work well with Snell) although is bat is not that impressive except for the occasional power. He will be a FA after the season. Padres seem to agree and he is virtually getting all the catching at this point. However, no way he (or about any catcher these days) will keep catching games at this pace.
On the other hand … Nola seems to have fallen totally out of favor and clearly can’t hit (can debate why) and although controlled for a few more years is already in his early 30s … not good for most catchers.
I guess the first debate is IF the Padres are making a run at the Wild Card … who shares time with Sanchez? Nola the experienced veteran who knows the staff but can’t hit or Campusano who has the potential to hit and boost the offense but with questions about his defense. I think 2023 will be the last season he can be optioned to the minors. IF in contention guessing they go with Sanchez / Nola until they are out or to the end of the season.
IF they are clearly out in 2023 … do they want Campusano up to give him more “steady” playing time at the ML level? Probably yes, so do you DFA Sanchez (FA to be) or Nola (controllable but ineffective)? Does one make the IL? No other catcher in the system except Sullivan and he is not the future even as a back-up. Also, can they re-sign Sanchez at a reasonable price?
Bottom line (assuming they don’t find a new catcher for 2024) they need to re-sign Sanchez (or a FA) and pair him with Campusano in a split catching role. Frankly can’t afford to DFA Campusano in 2024 (will loose him) while he has long control and low cost and still the potential to be better than any of the current alternatives. Nola looks to be the odd man out (age / performance).
Is there some procedural rule preventing us from optioning Nola? I believe he technically has two option years left.
Don’t think so … he does have 2 options remaining and as long as he has less than 5 years of ML service he can be optioned … think he now sits somewhere between 4-5 years of service and will be still short of 5 years even if he stays on the ML roster all season keeping 2024 still in play.
#52 · September 2, 2023, 5:06 am
Is Campusano making his case for the #1 catcher in 2024 with his performance so far in 2023?
Remember he is only 24 … league minimum cost and not a FA until 2029 … certainly the profile the Padres need to add to offset the big contracts.
Many were ready to move on from him over the past few years … big prospect that maybe was hindered in his development by injury and some mis-use by the Padres as the called him up (but rarely played him) in 20-21-22; Finally in 2023 his call-up is resulting in some playing time. Previously only 92 PA over three seasons … 2023 111 PA with encouraging results.
This season: 311/351/505 (856) … 136 wRC+ … a very low 12.6% K-rate. Don’t expect him to deliver that over the course of a whole season BUT after the production the Padres have recently had from the likes of Hedges, Mejia, Nola … and probably no great alternative for 2024 should think he has the pole position for starting catcher in 2024.
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After a surprisingly good 2023, Sanchez may have priced himself out of the Padres. Hearing suggestions that as a FA he will be in the $8-10MM range and get a multi-year deal. Padres need to spend on other needs and can (if they take the risk) with Campusano.
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#53 · September 2, 2023, 9:23 am
After Kim, Campusano's emergence might be the most exciting development this season. The bat looks to be legit and he seems to have made a lot of progress behind the plate. He went from having a few pitchers reportedly not want to throw to him last year to having some sing his praises this year. He could be a big part of the future.
I have mixed feelings about Sanchez. He's been good for us and has been much better behind the plate than I expected based on his reputation. Obviously Snell likes him which could end up factoring in. I just have never really liked hitters with his profile. With such a low BA and OBP if the power falls off even a little bit he could be right back to being the guy who had to settle for a minor league deal. If he wants to come back relatively cheaply I would take him. Otherwise there are always cheap glove first veterans available I might be more inclined to pair with Campusano.
#54 · September 2, 2023, 10:39 am
If anyone had said we'd get 20 HR and 50 RBI from the catcher spot this year, we'd have been deliriously giddy!
Don't see any reason why Sanchez can't do it again next year in the same platoon situation with Campusano ( who yes, was written off by 99% of Padre execs/fans prior to this season).
Re-sign Sanchez.
#55 · September 2, 2023, 12:25 pm
Quote from WindsorUK on September 2, 2023, 10:39 amIf anyone had said we'd get 20 HR and 50 RBI from the catcher spot this year, we'd have been deliriously giddy!
Don't see any reason why Sanchez can't do it again next year in the same platoon situation with Campusano ( who yes, was written off by 99% of Padre execs/fans prior to this season).
Re-sign Sanchez.
At what price for a part-time catcher? Just spending to bring back Wacha, Snell, and Sanchez (by my estimate) would push the CBT payroll up over $300MM (plus additional cash penalty) while still losing Lugo and Hader … and not filling any other holes. Basically a lesser team for more money.
Have to make some gambles on passing on some signings in order to restructure and create a better TEAM. Campusano has shown enough to take that gamble at catcher and pass on Sanchez.
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#56 · September 2, 2023, 1:28 pm
Quote from WindsorUK on September 2, 2023, 10:39 amIf anyone had said we'd get 20 HR and 50 RBI from the catcher spot this year, we'd have been deliriously giddy!
Don't see any reason why Sanchez can't do it again next year in the same platoon situation with Campusano ( who yes, was written off by 99% of Padre execs/fans prior to this season).
Re-sign Sanchez.
Sure we all would have been thrilled to get that out of Nola. That doesn't mean anything in regards to Sanchez. With Sanchez that has been about the floor he needs to hit to be a productive player. The lack of contact and on base skills makes him a very volatile player.
Sanchez has 18 HRs and 44 RBIs in 247 PAs. You could probably double that to get a rough idea of the pace he's on over a full season of ABs as a C/DH. 2017 and 2019 were the only years he's put up that level of production. He's got 2 more HRs in 224 fewer PAs then he had last year. When he's slugging the way he has been this year he's a valuable player. When his slugging is down like it was in 4 of the last 5 seasons before this one he is much less so. There's a reason he had to take a minor league deal and was let go by 2 other teams before we picked him up. There was minimal risk on the deal he was on this season and it worked out great for us. It would be much riskier to give him a bigger deal given his history.
#57 · September 3, 2023, 8:46 am
I guess we'll just have to see how his market shapes up. Agreed, I certainly wouldn't go anywhere $8-10 million but half that? I definitely think there's value there.
We can't expect Nola( or whomever) to provide that kind of offense from the C position. Or DH position for that matter. How much did we spend on Cruz and Carpenter? A guy who can catch 60-80 games a year plus be your RH DH for the other 80+ definitely has value.
But yeah, I've been a Campusano fan since day 1 and am looking forward to him being our starting catcher until Salas is ready to battle him for that spot.
#58 · September 3, 2023, 9:18 am
Looking at what Profar - Clevinger - Manaea got paid after last year with the Padres (not all that impressive production) and project that on the potential pay for a productive catcher in 2023 ... and the general need for ML catchers ... hard to imagine Sanchez will not get priced out of the Padres market given their there needs.
Leaning towards a 2024 with Campusano catching 110-120 games and the rest, for now, covered by Sullivan. Padres will likely sign (or trade for) some lower profile insurance / minor league FA (the Sanchez of 2024?). Nola is probably more a long shot at this point.
#59 · September 29, 2023, 12:39 pm
Get well soon, Campy!
#60 · October 11, 2023, 7:07 am
Only two catchers in 2023 had a Z-Contact rate above 90% and a hard-hit rate above 40%.
Gabriel Moreno #DBacks
Luis Campusano #Padres
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