Quote from fenn68 on May 25, 2023, 11:23 am

Quote from Randy Manese on May 25, 2023, 10:19 am

By my unofficial tracking, currently have 70 players assigned to the DSL Brown roster and 6 players unofficially assigned to the DSL Gold roster. Several of these players may move up to the ACL to fill out that squad but Padres should have enough players to adequately staff both DSL teams although the quality of play may be diminished.  In the past couple of years, Padres have had strong DSL squads unlike previous years when they were lucky to get to .500.  Expect a bit of turnover in the minors as we approach mid-season and further movement after the July draft.

I guess a technical question … given the minor league player limit is it with the rules to draft a full slate of players … sign them in the allowed window BUT sign them to a 2024 contract and not add them to a 2023 roster … thus skirting the limit in 2023? Probably applies to the lower round pick … UDFA.

Have to consider once the draftees are signed … report … get back into playing shape after the layoff from the end of their college / HS seasons … not going to get much playing time anyway. So, maybe they sign for 2024 … show up in Peoria for orientation, evaluation, off season development instructions, etc.

Now not sure “saving” some of the fringe current players for the rest of 2023 is all that critical but why cut anyone before they have to?

Quote from Randy Manese on May 25, 2023, 5:19 pm

Don't think you can sign a drafted player to a future contract to avoid his counting toward the current season.  If this were the case, why have a signing deadline after the draft and what is the status of a player who was drafted but not signed for the current year - it would get plenty of howls from the players association.  In the past, we've signed international free agents after the DSL season has basically ended, so they get an extra year toward Rule 5 eligibility, but that loophole has basically been closed by moving the signing date to January vice July/August.

For 2023 the stateside limit is still 180 but goes down to 165 in 2024 - you still have other ways to squeeze more players under your control by extended spring training, the developmental list, 60 day IL and full-season IL.  If you maintain the 28 man limit for AAA and AA, you still have 109 bodies to staff Hi A, Low A and the ACL.  I believe the current numbers for single A are 30 active players with an "unlimited number" of players in the ACL.  The pool of available minor league free agents always greatly exceeds the available spots on minor league rosters; Padres have a number of fringe players (like recently cut Aviles and Bell) that wouldn't be missed by their departure to give an opportunity to someone else.

Quote from fenn68 on May 25, 2023, 8:35 pm

Thanks!

Quote from Randy Manese on May 26, 2023, 7:24 am

Although the game was not televised last night, the Rancho Cucamonga broadcaster is one of my favorites because he tells it like it is for both his team and the visiting team, so got a good report on how Snelling was faring.   What I like about Snelling is his ability to stay calm and slow the game down when he gets runners on base.  This allows him to focus better and work out of trouble; might have to do with his background as a football player and the ability to stay in the moment.  He doesn't have quite the stuff that Iriarte has, at least not yet, but this aspect of his game maybe equally important to pitching success.

From what I've seen of Iriarte and his body language, he gets into his head too much and is overly emotional when things don't go his way.  This is what happened in his last start, when it looked like he was trying to pitch a perfect game and got frustrated with the two early walks.  A seeing eye infield chopper was the first hit he gave up in the 3rd inning and you could tell he was deflated because he wasn't going to throw another no-hitter.   After a couple of bloops and stolen bases (second one the runner was clearly out), it came apart for him quickly.  This will be the biggest adjustment Iriarte has to make - to know how to work out of innings when an error is committed or he makes a bad pitch or not all of his pitches are working.  If he can do that, he will be very successful at higher levels, including hopefully, with the parent club.

Quote from MrPadre19 on May 29, 2023, 4:46 am

Is this the year Mears figures something out?

It seems he has(from stats only) stopped trying to hit HR’s and concentrating on not striking out.

His K rate in last season and in April was 50%….in May it’s 33%.

A guy his size doesn’t have to try to hit HR’s…they will come.

If he can get his K rate below 25% he could still be a valuable player.

 

Quote from fenn68 on May 29, 2023, 4:02 pm

What to do with Jay Groome?

Last season pitched 144 innings in AAA/AA to a decent 3.44 ERA and may though he could make the Padres ML roster. BUT

This season, 11 starts in AAA, 47.2 innings, and has totally imploded. His 8.87 ERA is the worst in the PCL for qualified pitchers ... add ugly WHIP (2.14) / BBA (.330) / 38 BB in those 47.2 innings and nothing to like.

Should they send him to extended ST to try to get straightened out? Do they ship him to the pen? Do the send him to AA (and a better pitcher's park? Do they just let him get pounded in EP to the detriment of the team and his psyche?

Quote from MrPadre19 on May 29, 2023, 5:13 pm

“What to do with Jay Groome?”

Easy…..GET HIM OUT OF EL PASO!”

 

Quote from Randy Manese on May 30, 2023, 12:40 am

Forgot he was already on 40 man.  If there is no injury and there is nothing mechanically wrong with Groome, a demotion to San Antonio for a few weeks may get him his confidence back.  He is absolutely getting pounded, just like Weathers was last year.  Options limited because of 40 man status.  Also note that Espinoza has again fallen on hard times - let's see if he can work his way back yet again!

Quote from Randy Manese on May 30, 2023, 10:56 am

Monday, 5 June, kicks of the Rookie leagues in Arizona and the Dominican Republic for Padres' lowest level farm teams.  Hopefully, Padres will announce the rosters of their 3 teams a day or so before games actually begin.  With the exception of about 10% of the 95+ prospects expected to be on these rosters, don't expect to see that many standouts way down here - it's developmental takes on a whole new meaning, especially in the Dominican.  Still, hoping to be surprised in a good way!  Looking for the Lesko debut and curious to see where they place Salas, could be anywhere from Lake Elsinore to the Dominican, although highly unlikely it will be the latter.