Quote from fenn68 on October 7, 2023, 3:30 pm

Keeping in mind that Soto (L), Kim, and Carpenter (L) are FA after 2024 and Grisham (L) after 2025 … the LHH prospect group of Merrill, Pauley, Marsee, and Martorella will be well positioned to get a ML slot in 2025. Plus the DH/bench should be still in flux.

Have a good 2024 in AA/AAA and that will have a big impact on how the Padres deal with the FA to be (and outside acquisitions). Plus may make them better mid-season 2024 call-ups than the call-ups for 2023 (except Batten).

Quote from Randy Manese on October 8, 2023, 5:01 pm

Marsee continues to rake; only concern, and it is just a slight one, is that most of his hits and outs are to his pull side although his first hit was a double to LF.  He seems to pick up the ball very quickly out of the pitchers hand and has a very good eye, as evidenced by his challenging two strikes called against him and the umpire getting reversed on both.  He has 4 SBs already but that is more based on his excellent reads and jump vice superior straight-line speed.  This is a very heady ball-player and one any GM would want on their team, hence, many teams have been trying to steal him away from in the Padres in a trade.

Marsee, however, did not have a stellar night in the outfield.  He dove for one ball that apparently he should not have, booted around the ball on a single that was turned into extra bases and didn't show a superior OF arm in his throws back to the cut-off man.  I didn't see these things occur very much during the regular minor league season, so maybe it was just an off-night in the field and a different perspective away from his regular slot in CF.   What I saw during the year was that he was very good at tracking the ball but his arm is only average to just a tad above average.  Also, while he stole bases at a high percentage, his closing speed to the ball is good but not exceptional but he makes up for it somewhat by getting quick reads off the bat; for all the above reasons he probably is more of a LF than he is a CF or RF prospect.   He is comfortable in CF and could be at least average, however, his arm may be exposed in RF.

Quote from Randy Manese on October 9, 2023, 5:11 pm

Pauley and Martorella went a combined 0-7 with 3 K's; also all the other outs made, except for Pauley's fly to center, were ground balls to the right side which again highlights their pull side tendencies with both hitting into DPs.  Marsee did not play.

Nett (RHP) pitched well in 3 of 4 innings, but looks like he ran out of gas in the 4th inning after coming in relief in the 3rd and giving up a HR own the 7th.  In 2 games so far, he is 1-0, with 8 IP, 5 H 1R 1 ER 3BB and 9K's.  He has a 1.13 ERA and an 1.00 WHIP.  Not a bad start for the undrafted free agent and if he continues to show increased command, which had been he's weak part of his game, the 21 year old (22 in June) may be making a case to start 2024 in Hi A vice return to Lake Elsinore.

Quote from LynchMob on October 10, 2023, 12:00 pm

Quote from Jeremy Hill on October 7, 2023, 10:20 am

Seeing some of these guys come up as the 2024 season progresses will be a lot more exciting than the likes of Brandon Dixon and Alfonso Rivas.

Tell me more about how/why you said this about Brandon Dixon?

I didn't see him play ... but "on paper", he was exciting ... seemed like a "breakout" ...

If offered 10-to-1 on him having a 20HR season in MLB in the next 5 years, I'd place $10 ... he seems like the kind of hitter that just needs to be on the right team at the right time ...

Quote from Jeremy Hill on October 10, 2023, 3:15 pm

Quote from LynchMob on October 10, 2023, 12:00 pm

Quote from Jeremy Hill on October 7, 2023, 10:20 am

Seeing some of these guys come up as the 2024 season progresses will be a lot more exciting than the likes of Brandon Dixon and Alfonso Rivas.

Tell me more about how/why you said this about Brandon Dixon?

I didn't see him play ... but "on paper", he was exciting ... seemed like a "breakout" ...

If offered 10-to-1 on him having a 20HR season in MLB in the next 5 years, I'd place $10 ... he seems like the kind of hitter that just needs to be on the right team at the right time ...

He's about to turn 32 and has never had any major league success. He has combined for exactly 100 PAs with the Padres the last 2 years. In them he's hit .204 while striking out 36 times. He's only drawn 1 walk. I had some hope for him when he came back from Japan last year and started destroying minor league pitching. It now seems like that had much more to do with the offensive environment of the PCL than his actual ability. He looks completely overmatched at the major league level. He came back down to earth in the minor leagues this year too. No one claimed him when he was DFAd to make room on the 40 for Barlow. He's just a AAAA player at this point. He might want to consider going back overseas.

Quote from Randy Manese on October 10, 2023, 10:27 pm

Marsee is really opening up eyes in the AFL, going 4-5 (2 singles to LF and single and double to RF) plus a walk and getting hit by a pitch; his only out was a fly ball to LF.  Peoria has a monster line-up so maybe what he's doing doesn't seem so spectacular but this kind of early performance in the AFL looks like we might have a legit prospect for the top of the order in the near future - certainly a better offensive threat than Grisham even though he probably won't hit as many HRs.

Pauley did better spraying the ball to all fields today but only got one hit, a HR to RF.  He also drew a walk and did not strike out but committed an error at 3b (throwing) that likely affected Pena's pitching effort.  Pena did give up 1 run in the 6th after that error but pitched a clean 7th.  Paplham came in with a 1-2-3 inning and looked the part of a high leverage arm today.  Martorella did not play.

Quote from BoosterSD on October 11, 2023, 7:02 am

Quote from Randy Manese on October 10, 2023, 10:27 pm

Marsee is really opening up eyes in the AFL, going 4-5 (2 singles to LF and single and double to RF) plus a walk and getting hit by a pitch; his only out was a fly ball to LF.  Peoria has a monster line-up so maybe what he's doing doesn't seem so spectacular but this kind of early performance in the AFL looks like we might have a legit prospect for the top of the order in the near future - certainly a better offensive threat than Grisham even though he probably won't hit as many HRs.

I have seen a few things in the last few days regarding Marsee, and his ability in the OF. Now, you have seen him and I have not, but from what I have read I am afraid there will be a fairly large difference in ability defensively in CF between Grisham and Marsee. With some saying in the ML he will need to be a LFer, based on his arm strength.

Your thoughts on his defensive ability in CF?

Quote from Randy Manese on October 11, 2023, 10:17 am

I'll stick with what I said a couple of days ago on Marsee's ability as an outfielder.  As a CF, tracks balls well because has good instincts and usually gets a very good jump on where the ball is going to be; on this, he's as good as Grisham.  On the other hand, does not have as good a closing speed and balls that are potentially hits and are more on the line in front of him or those he has to go back on to make the play, Grisham is better and may be one of the best.  Most of Marsee's errors this year were on throws - he's typically accurate but does not have as strong or as accurate an arm as Grisham, although I don't think Grisham's arm ranks among the best.

I'd rate Marsee average to a tad above average in CF, below average (because of his arm) in RF and better than most guys we've trotted out to LF in a Padres uniform in the last few years defensively - Soto, Profar, Pham, etc. - which would be a tad above average to very solid but not spectacular.  I think the more he plays LF, the better his instincts/jumps will be and his arm will be okay for that position.

Quote from BoosterSD on October 11, 2023, 11:42 am

Quote from Randy Manese on October 11, 2023, 10:17 am

I'd rate Marsee average to a tad above average in CF, below average (because of his arm) in RF and better than most guys we've trotted out to LF in a Padres uniform in the last few years defensively - Soto, Profar, Pham, etc. - which would be a tad above average to very solid but not spectacular.  I think the more he plays LF, the better his instincts/jumps will be and his arm will be okay for that position.

I guess that my personal bias against a player like Marsee and/or Profar being in LF, is that is typically (in my old baseball mindset) a fielding spot for a power hitter. If Marsee can be the prototypical leadoff hitter, a .300/.400 guy with some stolen bases, and we are getting the power from another spot, I can adjust my mindset.

However, I hope he can stick in CF.