Quote from Brian Connelly on November 18, 2020, 1:20 pm

Here are some more Minors FA signings joining Parker Markel in the "really good names" club 🙂

San Diego Padres signed free agent 3B Nick Tanielu to a minor league contract.
11/17/20	San Diego Padres signed free agent RHP Parker Markel to a minor league contract.
11/17/20	San Diego Padres signed free agent OF Jose Azocar to a minor league contract.
11/17/20	San Diego Padres signed free agent C Yohel Pozo to a minor league contract.
11/16/20	San Diego Padres signed free agent 2B Gosuke Katoh to a minor league contract.

Most or all look like ST invites....  Tanielu a good year in 2019 in PCL.  Looks like he & Katoh (LH) who played pretty evenly all 4 INF positions in 2019 were both ST invites AND at the Alt sites for their teams in 2020.  Azocar was a ST invite but no alt site.

Quote from MrPadre19 on November 18, 2020, 2:24 pm

For some reason I keep seeing trade scenarios for Blake Snell.

TB always seems to trade guys just as they are getting expensive.

So is this an option for SD and what would it look like?

What would it take?

Patiño/Marcano/Lawson/Hunt?

Or is that way too light?

 

Quote from fenn68 on November 18, 2020, 3:21 pm

Quote from MrPadre19 on November 18, 2020, 2:24 pm

For some reason I keep seeing trade scenarios for Blake Snell.

TB always seems to trade guys just as they are getting expensive.

So is this an option for SD and what would it look like?

What would it take?

Patiño/Marcano/Lawson/Hunt?

Or is that way too light?

 

Light ... Snell has 3 years control at $11-13-16MM which is a very team friendly deal for his talent (although seems to have become a pure 5 inning pitcher ... maybe that is a TB created limit).

Patino - Campusano - Wilcox - PTNL

or

Gore - Mejia - Wilcox - PTNL

Maybe the ask level to start but too steep for my taste for Snell. He had great 2018 but his 2017 (4+ ERA) and 2019 (4+ ERA) were not great. 2020 was to short to evaluate. See him as a big risk. Probably will try to score a Meadows/Glasnow for Archer type deal or otherwise bide their time.

Depends how desperate they are to clear money (payroll is only around $67MM) but if they drop the ask ... got to have other bidders (NYY, LAD, et al) with money and prospects.

Since they don’t tend to opt for the rebuild mode ... the lead couple of pieces need to have both upside in the near term. Do need a C now so Mejia fits (or Campusano for the upside). Will look for a SP (so the Gore - Patino - Morejon - Weathers chain works).

Not all that sure the Padres can’t get more value on that salary progression to build a full team than with Snell and the 50/50 chance he is a 4 ERA type ... while keeping the trade assets.

Basically not a Snell fan.

Quote from Brian Connelly on November 19, 2020, 7:50 am

I deleted - duplicate post

Quote from Brian Connelly on November 20, 2020, 8:26 am

I looked back at last year's Transactions page on Padres site.  A year ago today we DFA'd Nick Martini & selected Jorge Ona.

Ona was the only guy protected, but all the other "had to's" already "had been" b/c we had so many injuries in 2019.  There was a lot of discussion on this site about Padres not protecting anyone.  Earlier that month Padres had to DFA/outright a lot of guys just to create room for the guys coming back of the 60-day IL.

I guess the big question today is:  if you have to make a roster move/s to add more than 2 guys to 40-man, what move/s do you do FIRST?   Isn't non-tendering Perdomo 1st over a DFA move where you might lose a guy?  Perdomo's clearly MLB player, but low 7 figure arb salary in a 2021 that will be entirely on IL.  No one is going to pay that $ just for the 3rd year arb control 16 months off TJ Surgery (like we just did for Clevinger)... are they?  Or WOULD a team do a mini version of 2 yr deal we did for Clevinger & pay Perdomo maybe minimum this year, but add it back to 3rd year arb salary?  650 K / 1.65 M (500K buyout) vs  1.1 M / 1.2 M?   Seems like typical path for a RP type is to go off roster, have to earn way back, which he very well might.

But point is, wait to DFA/trade anyone off 40-man until after today; teams rosters fill up significantly giving greater chance of guys passing through Waivers.

 

Quote from fenn68 on November 20, 2020, 10:06 am

Preller may be working the trade angle moving a "marginal" out of options player (e.g. Williams, Altavilla) for a lower level prospect that does not have to be protected before he makes a DFA call.

Sure we (he) really doesn't know which of the the RP will make the 26 man roster but he does know they all will not without a ton of injuries ... so dangle the one they have the least faith in ... move him ... then protect the prospect they really see with a future. Heard a discussion that the difference between the RP vying for the end of the pen is not all that different than the non-roster options that will be in camp .. so not critical need to take them to the end of ST before the DFA/trade.

If they have to get to the DFA option now ... Perdomo seems to make the most sense since he will not pitch but cost ML money along with being "marginal" when healthy. Sort of the same back though as above ... are the coming non-roster options for the pen (in 2022) as good or better?

I guess there may be some strategic selection as to who may pass waivers now vs. in the winter vs. ST if the Padres want to keep the player but know they will have to have him clear waivers. Preller has to plan for signing a FA or trading for a rostered player will force an offsetting 40 roster move. So if they want to keep someone like Guerra but don't see him in the pen of a contender ... when do they make the DFA move? Probably not now (rosters are pretty open for a team to take the flyer) ... maybe not at the end of ST when rosters (probably on bad teams) have exposed some real glaring RP weakness or injury ... so mid-winter when rosters are filled or if vacancies, teams are still searching for FA, trades, and have their own non-roster candidates after ST.

Marcano and Lawson high probability for the two open slots .. Ornelas is on the bubble (high potential but disappointing production) ... don't really see any others considering the Padres need roster space of players that may be important now for a contender.

Quote from fenn68 on November 20, 2020, 10:21 am

I know very unlikely considering the Padres are a contender BUT would not totally rule out the chance the Padres select a player in Rule 5. They have about 3 weeks to score the unprotected rule 5 names and clear the needed roster spot.

IF (big IF) they see a target that may become the next Everth Cabrera or Allen Cordoba sitting in A ball .... and considering they have minimal depth or candidates for the bench ... might select and bring to ST (can always send them back after ST). SS type likely will not get mega use with Tatis / Cronenworth in the middle INF but if he can run and field would have some low cost spot use value ... plus potentially a future. Outside chance on a slick fielding CF who can run.

Don't think they would take a shot on a pitcher and considering they are selecting very late ... any big arm will clearly be taken.

Remote chance BUT if Preller ends up signing veteran players on non-roster minor league deals to potentially fill those roles ... and he knows some DFA will have to happen ... might find using a roster slot through ST on a Rule 5 and a good look-see tool.

Quote from Brian Connelly on November 20, 2020, 11:06 am

2)  Preller may be working the trade angle moving a "marginal" out of options player (e.g. Williams, Altavilla) for a lower level prospect that does not have to be protected before he makes a DFA call.

1.    If they have to get to the DFA option now ... Perdomo seems to make the most sense

Focusing specifically on what happens TODAY:  deadline to ADD players to roster to avoid possible loss in Rule 5

1.   Important to not use "DFA" & "Non Tender" interchangeably.  All players on roster who aren't FA have to be TENDERED a contract for 2021 by 12/3.  Pre-arb guys I believe (not 100% sure) are under last year's contract up until 12/3, whereas Arb eligible not?  If you Non Tender a player, he immediately becomes a free agent because your team did not offer him a MLB contract.  Non Tender is USUALLY reserved for Arb eligible guys where teams don't feel the player is worth the Arb Salary, but it can be used on minimum salary typically very fringe of roster guys too.   DFA Designate for Assignment is applied to guys who (my understanding) are under contract.  So an arb eligible guy would FIRST have to be tendered a contract before he's DFA.   Perdomo WON'T be "DFA", b/c that would mean Padres are on the hook for his Arb Salary if he's not claimed by another team.  So it's exceedingly likely he's non-tendered.  Wingenter on the other hand won't be Non Tendered; he's likely to be DFA:  Theoretically he could be traded or at least a waiver claim, but (in his case) most likely gets outrighted off the roster to our Minors system.  Same for Javier Guerra; would make no sense to Non Tender him & just "set him free" when we control his rights... if not traded, then DFA where we either get something back OR retain him in system.

2.    I don't understand the rationale of trading even the most marginal guy (worth trading at all) to create a roster spot today, BEFORE  N-T or DFA of guys who 100% will be by 12/3...  what would be the benefit to the Padres of doing that today vs later?

 

Quote from fenn68 on November 20, 2020, 12:25 pm

He is how I understand it:

All the players on the 40 man roster are still under their last contract and under control of the club (think the “new contract” kicks in on opening day).

The tender / non-tender is about the 2021 contract ... so the Dec 3rd date is about retaining control for 2021. Non-arbitration eligible players get no choice ... get tendered (all must be tendered to retain control) and have to live with that tender. Arb players can decline and go to arbitration ... and live with the result. Non-tender is an immediate FA by rule.

However, deleting players now is still a waiver scenario ... maybe pure release waivers or a DFA if the player qualifies. Actually a player who is tendered a contract can be put on waivers later to clear a roster slot but if before the season at a percentage of the 2021 contract.

So the way I interpret this ... a player could be DFA today or non-tendered on Dec 3 or DFA after Dec 3 .... the non-tender makes him an immediate FA but the DFA puts him on waivers and he could get claimed (for a few bucks) or clear and be retained in the minors. Of course some players can’t be DFA and go directly to release.