Quote from fenn68 on August 24, 2021, 5:17 am

Looks as though the Padres may have been right in not calling up A.Martinez after his outstanding time in SA. They moved him to EP and:

8/17 ... 3 innings / 7 hits /  7 earned runs

8/23 ... 5 innings / 11 hits / 5 earned runs

creating an overall 8 innings and a 13.50 ERA!

I will be interested to hear the view as to why the extremely large difference in results between AA and AAA ... he clearly is getting hit.

Quote from WindsorUK on August 24, 2021, 7:16 am

So you're saying he improved from game 1 to game 2?

I'll take it 🙂

Quote from Randy Manese on August 24, 2021, 10:08 am

What I saw yesterday on MiLB was what was reported by the daily report.  Martinez' sinker wasn't sinking and he left too many pitches up in the middle of the plate.  Change-ups were generally good, but slider wasn't breaking much.  Falling off the mound to the left more than he was in San Antonio - maybe trying to get more velocity while sacrificing control?  As a result, he got hit hard even though he got ahead of the count with many of the batters faced.  His failure to show well in AAA may allow Padres to expose him to Rule 5 and keep him in system for 2022.

Quote from fenn68 on August 24, 2021, 11:18 am

Quote from Randy Manese on August 24, 2021, 10:08 am

What I saw yesterday on MiLB was what was reported by the daily report.  Martinez' sinker wasn't sinking and he left too many pitches up in the middle of the plate.  Change-ups were generally good, but slider wasn't breaking much.  Falling off the mound to the left more than he was in San Antonio - maybe trying to get more velocity while sacrificing control?  As a result, he got hit hard even though he got ahead of the count with many of the batters faced.  His failure to show well in AAA may allow Padres to expose him to Rule 5 and keep him in system for 2022.

His AAA performance is going to make the call on adding him to the 40 man this winter more difficult.

Start with there will be a lot of players trying to fill 40 man slots ... most with as good or better ML potential. So, a debate if Martinez in, then who is left out (and potentially exposed to Rule 5). Who might have more value for the 2022 season as the Padres hope to contend again.

First the Padres have to come to grips with their evaluation of Martinez as a ML prospect (not just AA or AAA stats that may not be indicative of his future success).

I would guess that given the desperate need for pitching in MLB, Martinez did enough in AA to warrant selection if exposed in Rule 5 ... and if selected by a really poor team such as BALT, probably kept for the season unless he really bombs in his audition with that club.

Quote from fenn68 on August 25, 2021, 5:39 pm

Time to start making a case for adding Esteury Ruiz to the 40 man this winter. First with Pham a FA and Marisnick likely to not have his option exercised … Padres will be a bit short of backfill with only Ona and O’Grady … and will need a good option in AAA for call-up.

Enter E. Ruiz .. still only 22. Big raw talent and was electric when the Padres traded for him while in Rookie Ball. Has struggled with the bat and his defense (INF) in the Padres organization.

Now in AA as an OF (working at all three slots) … still has the top line speed (27 SB and only 4 times caught) … but his bat has come alive. His 2021 OPS overall is just OK (.773) but if you take our his games at the Wolff (very hard place to hit) and focus on his AWAY stats … 286/362/500 (862 OPS). Add that in August he is rolling at 294/375/541 (916 OPS).

Was a very good prospect … still only 22 … maybe that prospect status has returned with his offense. Plus not seeing any better upside choice to hold that AAA call-up role. He very likely would be selected in Rule 5 based on his athletic skills.

Quote from Randy Manese on August 26, 2021, 10:30 am

You earlier asked about A Ruiz, E Ruiz and E Rosario and I chose A Ruiz as the most likely to be rostered.  Well, A Ruiz has not shown that he is yet ready for AA while E Ruiz has finally got his wRC+ over 100 and overall OPS in the acceptable range of 325+.  Watching him lately, he seems much more selective at the plate and he still has that great bat speed besides foot speed.  Wish he would lay off the breaking pitches outside the strike zone and the high fastballs but still has improved with hitting pitches in the zone.  If you are going to roster someone like Mateo, then you have to look at E Ruiz.

Side notes:  E Angeles (Lake Elsinore) and D Montesino in recent slumps but both should be solid for Top 30 status by the end of the year.   Angeles slump hurting the success of that team because he usually drives in a lot of runs besides getting on base, on the other hand  Montesino has had a lot of help recently.  That DSL team has a lot of speed and now more bats are supporting V Acosta and Montesino.  Team should be 23-7 by the end of the day and that is quite a feat in a very competitive DSL.  Probably will finish with the best record the team has ever had in the DSL so kudos to the staff down there.  I know a lot of these players will never even make it stateside, but I think their success is worthy of recognition.

Quote from WindsorUK on August 27, 2021, 12:39 pm

Which of our youngsters from Elsinore move to Ft. Wayne next year?

Mears? Angeles? I know they're young but their games are progressing- shouldn't they?

And does Allen Cordoba get a shot at being our multi tool IF back up next year? Gotta move Fernandito back to SS, with Cronenworth back to 2nd( Frazier needs to be traded). Obviously, should Hosmer get moved, Crone moves to 1st- who then plays 2nd? Is Kim the guy?

Quote from fenn68 on August 27, 2021, 1:26 pm

Quote from WindsorUK on August 27, 2021, 12:39 pm

Which of our youngsters from Elsinore move to Ft. Wayne next year?

Mears? Angeles? I know they're young but their games are progressing- shouldn't they?

And does Allen Cordoba get a shot at being our multi tool IF back up next year? Gotta move Fernandito back to SS, with Cronenworth back to 2nd( Frazier needs to be traded). Obviously, should Hosmer get moved, Crone moves to 1st- who then plays 2nd? Is Kim the guy?

Good chance none of the better prospects repeat LE ... most will make the one step jump to FW.

However since the Padres have a past of jumping "top" prospects from low A to AA ... would not be surprised to see Hassell and Angeles head to SA (not much of anything blocking them).

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Cordoba will be another hard call by the Padres .... add him to the 40 man or loose him (think he becomes a 6 year minor league FA if not Rule5). As with E.Ruiz .... not a lot of "back-up / call-up" options on the roster so a chance.

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Don't give up on Frazier as a useful piece for 2022 (he does have a history of hitting) ... maybe platooning with Kim. Returning Tatis to the INF creates a huge hole in the OF ... Grisham and Myers and ?????????. Same with dealing Hosmer (would not get any value in return even if they can trade him). Then consider the likelihood of adding the DH.

Quote from BoosterSD on August 27, 2021, 1:26 pm

Quote from WindsorUK on August 27, 2021, 12:39 pm

Which of our youngsters from Elsinore move to Ft. Wayne next year?

Mears? Angeles? I know they're young but their games are progressing- shouldn't they?

And does Allen Cordoba get a shot at being our multi tool IF back up next year? Gotta move Fernandito back to SS, with Cronenworth back to 2nd( Frazier needs to be traded). Obviously, should Hosmer get moved, Crone moves to 1st- who then plays 2nd? Is Kim the guy?

Kim is not the answer anywhere except for occasionally giving the SS a breather for a day or two. Bat is not there. If you can move Hosmer (back to KC?), then go get a real power hitting 1B, and leave the INF alone, Machado at 3B, Tatis at SS, and Crone at 2B.

Although, I do believe that Frazier is going to be fine next season, and I would go Tatis in LF, Grisham in CF, Myers in RF, Machado at 3B, Crone at SS, Frazier at 2B, and a real 1B.

Or you could add another Catcher and have Nola and new acquisition platoon at 1B.