Quote from fenn68 on February 15, 2021, 11:54 am

Considering there are teams that still want a CF as a starter and only Bradley is out there (but looking for a very unrealistic 4-5 year deal) ... Pillar is sitting in the cat bird's seat and the "bargain alternative". So, he should get that starting role and good money from someone (Houston, Boston, ????).

Although, wonder why no one has sign him as yet ... a number of teams need OF help ... players are coming off the board ... ST is coming this week. Is he waiting out the Bradley decision and/or also asking an unrealistic price? Side note, I recall some commentary from the beginning of the FA period that Pillar's CF defense has deteriorated and now is more suited for a corner ... no idea if valid ... but might explain why apparently no teams are beating down the  door for him.

Quote from Brian Connelly on February 15, 2021, 11:58 am

Quote from MrPadre19 on February 15, 2021, 10:12 am

What about the "taxi" squads for road trips?

Can these be players without options or do they have to be on minor league rosters in order to travel?

Could guys like Guerra/Altavilla be stashed on this squad or do waivers still need to be passed?

I'm guessing they can't be so its gonna be interesting how the Pen plays out.

Let's hope injuries aren't a concern first of all but it sure seems like AJ has been proactive just in case.

 

 

Good question.   My understanding is:  moving up/down from taxi squad does NOT use an option.  So could have an out of options guy on the taxi squad.... but he would have to clear waivers off the 40-man in the first place.  So can't "directly" move Guerra or Altavilla or Mateo from active roster to taxi squad.

But if they did clear waivers that one time, it would be a unique situation where an out of options guy could bounce up & down to/from MLB/Taxi squad; which in a "normal" season couldn't happen:  would go through waivers each time off MLB roster.

Quote from fenn68 on February 15, 2021, 12:30 pm

The taxi squad rules need some clarification.

1. Sounds as though if someone goes on the COVID IL that opens temporarily a 40 man slot, so

2. IF a non-roster player is on the taxi squad, that person could be put on the active roster temporarily and when the COVID player returns ... the replacement returns to his non-roster status without waivers or using an option. Thinking someone like Fernandez as the taxi squad catcher being a temp fill but a prospect that the Padres would not want to put on waivers and potentially get claimed to reopen the 40 man roster slot for the return of the COVID player.

3. I guess a 40 man roster type could be on the taxi squad but that would mean he was already optioned for 2021 ... so no issue going up / down. The current out of option guys would have to clear waivers at the end of ST ... setting of the 26 man roster ... and be retained as minor league non-roster types to be in play for the taxi squad. For the Guerra, et al types can’t skirt the waiver route to start the season.

What is a bit unclear, is IF a player is out with COVID ... will a team prefer to call up a 40 man roster type directly (if assumed a long time) ... not much different than an injury call-up rather than a “secondary” player kept on the taxi squad. Same line of though, if a non-roster taxi squad player is activated ... can the team send that player back to the taxi squad and call up a 40 man roster guy the next day or does the taxi squad guy have to wait for the COVID guy to return?

Quote from fenn68 on February 15, 2021, 1:30 pm

A follow-up on Pillar's defense per Fangraphs ... 2020 - 2015:

DRS: -4 (54 games in 2020); -6; -4; 14; 22; 16 (2015)

UZR/150: -11.2 (2020); -1.6; 6; 17; 8

Apparently what I was hearing is based on stats and over the past 3 years his defense has really fallen apart. At 32, sometimes the legs just go. Offense is overall still about average. Note that he did play full time for years with 54/60 games in 2020 and 161/162 in 2019. So, not a small sample size issue.

 

Quote from MrPadre19 on February 15, 2021, 1:38 pm

There will be some 5th outfielder types and 3rd Catcher types available at the end of Spring Training.

If Mateo proves he belongs then great....if not he could be replaced by a guy who doesn't quite make another deep team......A team deep in the OF as we are deep in the IF.

Same with Catchers.

 

Quote from fenn68 on February 15, 2021, 1:47 pm

Quote from Ben Davey on February 15, 2021, 8:53 am

Probably?  Haha, not counting injuries I dont see very many spots up for grabs.

Rotation is pretty much set with Lamet, Yu, Snell, Musgrove, Paddack (though I hope Gore or Morejon can outpitch Paddack in ST).

8 man starting offense (assuming Cro starts) with Kim (9), Profar (10), O'Grady (11), Caratini (12), Mateo (13).  Could make the argument that either Campusano or Ona make the team over Mateo or that they go with 12 position players.  Note: O'Grady is a lock unless the Padres get another CF as Profar/Mateo/Ona are NOT CF.

Only ? are in the pen, but even then I agree that there has to be a trade or the outright release of Stammen.  Williams MIGHT slip through waivers.  Altavilla and Guerra would get claimed in a second.

Not sure O'Grady is a "lock" since he can be optioned and as a LHH (same as Grisham) may not getting playing time ... then if needed can be recalled and in the line-up within 24 hours if a longer term Grisham issue. He would at least be getting ABs in AAA and maybe more effective if inserted in the line-up. Then also, O'Grady does have to show he can play at the ML level ... he may be the next Nick Martini as an older minor league player on the fringe.

No love for the future of Mateo either but at least he can fill in more spots in a pinch .. along with being out of options.

As with Campusano and Ona ... give them the development time in AAA ... and have them on speed dial for a call-up to start if an injury happens. No fan of them on the bench and only PH/part time starts ... especially on a contender. Saw nothing of their ability to hit ML pitching (yet) in the brief ML appearances in 2020.

Still could see the add of a useful bench CF option (RHH) during ST using the excess RP in a trade.

 

Quote from fenn68 on February 15, 2021, 1:56 pm

Quote from MrPadre19 on February 15, 2021, 1:38 pm

There will be some 5th outfielder types and 3rd Catcher types available at the end of Spring Training.

If Mateo proves he belongs then great....if not he could be replaced by a guy who doesn't quite make another deep team......A team deep in the OF as we are deep in the IF.

Same with Catchers.

 

Not sure of the need for another catcher (not on the 40 man) with Nola / Caratini on the 26 and Campusano on the 40. Not that uncomfortable with Rivas as the 4th catcher in the queue ... probably as good as any catcher who can't make a ML roster in a league starved for catchers. However, if the Padres want Campusano in AA ... might sweep the waiver wire / FA pool for a non-roster catcher to go with Rivas in AAA.

Quote from BoosterSD on February 15, 2021, 2:17 pm

If you follow the logic that it would be better to keep the top pitching prospects out of the launching pad that is El Paso, was wondering if it would be better for Campusano to be in AA with the top pitching prospects like, Gore, Weathers, Morejon, and Baez? It wont be as good for his bat; however, the idea of our top catching prospect getting to know our top pitching prospects has to have some merit you would think.

Quote from fenn68 on February 15, 2021, 2:25 pm

Quote from BoosterSD on February 15, 2021, 2:17 pm

If you follow the logic that it would be better to keep the top pitching prospects out of the launching pad that is El Paso, was wondering if it would be better for Campusano to be in AA with the top pitching prospects like, Gore, Weathers, Morejon, and Baez? It wont be as good for his bat; however, the idea of our top catching prospect getting to know our top pitching prospects has to have some merit you would think.

That makes a lot of sense to me. Plus as much as we are projecting Campusano's future ... he last performed in A+ for a full season (and the alternate site) ... so maybe a stint in AA is actually the best place for his bat too.

The only 2021 hitch ... for both Campusano and the prospect pitchers ... is current thinking that AAA starts around April 4-5 and AA is lagged a full month. Are they (and the Padres) better served with them spending April in more AZ ST work or taking their early lumps in El Paso? I would guess that if they want a "slow ramp up" of inning for the pitchers .. a controlled ST may be better (plus gives some time for the other SP options to get weeded out in AAA).

Might want to maximize Campusano's AB so April in AAA might benefit him more and in May he could go to AA or maybe the prospects show up in AAA?