Quote from WindsorUK on January 1, 2021, 12:42 pm

Quote from MrPadre19 on January 1, 2021, 11:34 am

It’s been “days” since the Padres have made an addition.

‘What’s up with that?

😉

I know, right?

What the hell is Preller doing????

🙂

We need another OF......STAT!!!

Quote from Brian Connelly on January 1, 2021, 3:01 pm

Quote from fenn68 on January 1, 2021, 10:12 am

Quote from Ben Davey on January 1, 2021, 9:24 am

If he clears waivers the Padres can assign him to Triple-A or release him.  Usually the GM talks to the player/agent about what the player wants.  "Hey, we are having to remove you from the 40 man, but we still really like you,  Would you be willing to take a minor leagues spot with an invite or would you rather be released?"

Finding someone like Allen shouldnt be difficult.  There are a ton of light hitting defensive CF who can be had for league minimum (is Jankowski still on a MLB team?)

I am hoping for someone better than Allen at a low cost on the ML roster ... and maybe even on the AAA roster.

Timing was my question ... basically a delete of Allen before a viable replacement in hand when could have DFA off the excess of RP when some will have to be DFA anyway.

Possible they “knew” Allen would clear waivers and accept a AAA assignment but believed any of the RP options would get claimed and still wanted time to sort through them to keep the best (healthy) option? Or saw them as having some trade value?

 

I think the timing on Allen is strategic.  AAA OF is a gaping hole.  Need to know now vs later (end of ST) if Allen will be around in AAA.  Informs who we pursue as MLB bench options.  If Allen gets claimed (seems unlikely), think you guys are right that have to look for CF defender type > Profar.  But if he's there as insurance, could maybe lean back the other way to Profar/corner OF?

Allen is a San Diego guy & has to be really disappointed if not surprised.  BUT hard to envision a better MLB opportunity than SD for him.  As things stand he looks like a (re) select if Grisham or Myers went on IL (if Pham does, it'd likely be Ona).  If he gets back on roster he might stick at someone optionable's expense.   Not completely out of the question he just makes the team as the 5th OF out of ST, either.  40-man will open up by then with IL & trades by then I think.

Maybe agree to AAA assignment with a May/June opt out?

Quote from fenn68 on January 1, 2021, 3:57 pm

May end up as a “no factor” but familiarity often can be. Consider, DeShields ... a legit CF who is at best a bench player is a FA and should be available for < $2MM ... DeShields was good in his first three seasons in Texas (2015-17) before he tailed off and got dispatched to Cleveland. Was not Tingler a coach on those Texas teams? A plus or minus? Actually, Darvish was in Texas during that same era.

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same vein .... Almora has some good seasons in CHI then tailed off ... legit CF that should be available for < $2MM. In his case, his agent is Scott Boras and its seems like Preller and Boras have a good working relationship and Boras likes the Padres organization ... might he “steer” Alomar to SD?

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Walk the line about getting a decent bench piece in the OF and keeping the cost down so more money is available to deploy on the bullpen which should have a bigger impact during the season than the reserve OF.

Quote from Randy Manese on January 1, 2021, 10:17 pm

Baltimore Orioles have several OF's that are still making the league minimum and have some upside and more OF's on the way.  With their top prospect pitchers a couple of years away, they may be willing to take a couple of pitchers that are closer to contributing plus someone like Marcano or Ona, the latter could fill the DH role.  Baez and Guerra are couple of pitchers that come to mind; maybe they'd take Lucchesi.  Austin Hays and Anthony Santander are the guys I've been looking at, although Santander is more of a corner OF.

I understand the money consideration with regard to Pillar but Almora and DeShields are not going to make much of an impact coming off the bench except to patrol CF; little hard contact, not much power, low barrel rate.  As Ben Davey said, Jankowski played a good CF for the Padres for several years, is a FA and probably cost less to sign than either Almora or DeShields.

Quote from fenn68 on January 2, 2021, 7:19 am

MLB.com did their way too early ... but interesting .... 2021 power rankings of all 30 MLB teams. Does give a bit of a national view of the comparative talents of each club ... and good for the Padres who were listed 2nd behind the LAD.

I sorted their list by NL Division and that really suggest a Wild Card slot is a high probability given it is based on wins and the NL West opponents are among the weakest in the NL. Consider (with MLB rank in parenthesis):

West: LAD (1); SD (2); SF (20); AZ (26); COLO (27)

Central: STL (12); CUBS (15); CINN (16); MILW (18); PITT (30)

East: ATL (4); NYM (8); PHIL (14); MIA (17); WASH (22)

NL Central seems a balanced mix of mediocre teams that will send teams towards .500 and yield no competition for a Wild Card. NL East is a bit stronger at #3-5 costing the #2 team some wins and balancing out those last three in wins.

Padres may have the LAD at the top but the bottom three are among the worst ... and should be the source of a pretty good win total plus to the extent the Padres field NL Central opponents the potential source of booking more wins.

Padres are in good shape for the home team in the Wild Card (based on wins) and winning the NL West may just boil down to head to head with the LAD in a close race.

Of course, have to play the games and win.

Quote from Brian Connelly on January 2, 2021, 10:57 am

It takes a while to "digest" Preller's moves when they're bunched together.  But after doing so, I feel like I can distill all of Preller's trades down into this summary:

The MLB Padres "arrived" a year earlier than expected, AND the young SP's simultaneously "lost" a season of development.  This effectively 2 year "swing" is the reason for all 3 big SP Trades.

A year ago, most of us were hoping Pads would (finally ) break .500, and "play meaningful games" as Wildcard longshot in Sept.  The young SP's would have been building their arms, IP, & arsenals in the Minors.  Yes, maybe Morejon or Baez would have had significant MLB time, but don't think Patino would have, Joey wouldn't have gotten as quick a "hook" out of rotation, etc.

Now entering 2021 our position players are "there", with one of the strongest lineups in MLB, a nice blend of vets & youth.  But our young SP's are not; no fault of theirs.  The depth of our system coupled with where the young SP are at in terms of being able to navigate a full season, let alone excel in MLB, forced the addition of vet SP's one way or another.

With the large FA class of "#3 SP's" in the 8-14 MM AAV range (MLBTR projection); I thought it made sense to add that way, but Snell is better than a #3 (or a #3 on a really good staff) for the same AAV; less in 2021.  If going to give up significant assets for one of: Snell, Carrasco, or Gray in trade; Snell was definitely the right/best choice.

I didn't think the Darvish trade was a real possibility, or at best that it would take one of Myers/Pham, creating a hole elsewhere.  The trade cost was so spectacularly low for the Padres, it would have been crazy NOT to do the trade.  The Padres have exchanged:  Richards & Davies in 2020 with 1 & 2 years control then, for Darvish & Snell in 2021 with 3 years control each.  Snell in 2021 costs only 2 MM > Richards in '20.  If Davies ends up getting 10 MM in arb, Padres end up "net" paying Darvish only 10 MM in 2021, since would have paid 10 MM to Davies anyway....  Added Snell & "upgraded" from Davies to Darvish for a 2021 cost of only 12 MM...  about what it would have taken to sign one FA SP likely not as good as either of these 2!

 

Quote from jcp2400 on January 2, 2021, 12:19 pm

The Padres also have the AL West this year, which appear to be the weakest division with a depleted and Verlanderless Astros, ever mediocre Angels, and rebuilding A’s and M’s.

Quote from MrPadre19 on January 2, 2021, 12:43 pm

If we had Cronenworth at 1b and Kim at 2b we would have a Shortstop at all four infield positions!

😳

Quote from BoosterSD on January 2, 2021, 3:03 pm

Quote from fenn68 on January 1, 2021, 3:57 pm

May end up as a “no factor” but familiarity often can be. Consider, DeShields ... a legit CF who is at best a bench player is a FA and should be available for < $2MM ... DeShields was good in his first three seasons in Texas (2015-17) before he tailed off and got dispatched to Cleveland. Was not Tingler a coach on those Texas teams? A plus or minus? Actually, Darvish was in Texas during that same era.

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same vein .... Almora has some good seasons in CHI then tailed off ... legit CF that should be available for < $2MM. In his case, his agent is Scott Boras and its seems like Preller and Boras have a good working relationship and Boras likes the Padres organization ... might he “steer” Alomar to SD?

=====

Walk the line about getting a decent bench piece in the OF and keeping the cost down so more money is available to deploy on the bullpen which should have a bigger impact during the season than the reserve OF.

Another option could be Danny Santana. Switch hitter, can play INF and OF, and has some speed. Hit tool is decent, a career .260 BA and .300 OBP.