Quote from MrPadre19 on December 20, 2019, 3:18 pm

Quote from fenn68 on December 20, 2019, 2:57 pm

Ian Kinsler To Retire

By Jeff Todd | December 20, 2019 at 4:32pm CDT

In a surprising development, Padres second baseman Ian Kinsler has decided to retire, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’ll move into the San Diego front office in an as-yet-unknown capacity.

Precisely what will happen to the $4.25MM he’s owed under the contract he inked last winter remains to be seen — and will be subject to negotiations between the team and its now-former player.

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I guess some negotiation is in play ... but he was guaranteed the $4.25MM so doubt he would give that up totally by just retiring ... maybe a commitment to a front office job for multiple years to stretch out that $4.25MM.

Opens a roster spot even if it does not save money.

Not surprising to me....called this when Profar was acquired.

 

Quote from fenn68 on December 20, 2019, 3:33 pm

Quote from MrPadre19 on December 20, 2019, 3:18 pm

Quote from fenn68 on December 20, 2019, 2:57 pm

Ian Kinsler To Retire

By Jeff Todd | December 20, 2019 at 4:32pm CDT

In a surprising development, Padres second baseman Ian Kinsler has decided to retire, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’ll move into the San Diego front office in an as-yet-unknown capacity.

Precisely what will happen to the $4.25MM he’s owed under the contract he inked last winter remains to be seen — and will be subject to negotiations between the team and its now-former player.

========

I guess some negotiation is in play ... but he was guaranteed the $4.25MM so doubt he would give that up totally by just retiring ... maybe a commitment to a front office job for multiple years to stretch out that $4.25MM.

Opens a roster spot even if it does not save money.

Not surprising to me....called this when Profar was acquired.

 

Good news for one of France and Cronenworth ... better shot to make the roster as INF reserve with Garcia and Profar starting at 2B.

Timing is just interesting ... maybe a family thing just before Christmas. On the other hand, maybe opens a slot for either Lindor or Merrifield acquired using a long string of non-roster prospects as a Padre present for the fans. Both?

Quote from Brian Connelly on December 20, 2019, 3:43 pm

Quote from MrPadre19 on December 20, 2019, 3:18 pm

Quote from fenn68 on December 20, 2019, 2:57 pm

Ian Kinsler To Retire

By Jeff Todd | December 20, 2019 at 4:32pm CDT

In a surprising development, Padres second baseman Ian Kinsler has decided to retire, according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic (via Twitter). He’ll move into the San Diego front office in an as-yet-unknown capacity.

Precisely what will happen to the $4.25MM he’s owed under the contract he inked last winter remains to be seen — and will be subject to negotiations between the team and its now-former player.

========

I guess some negotiation is in play ... but he was guaranteed the $4.25MM so doubt he would give that up totally by just retiring ... maybe a commitment to a front office job for multiple years to stretch out that $4.25MM.

Opens a roster spot even if it does not save money.

Not surprising to me....called this when Profar was acquired.

 

Well, he was guaranteed the amount as a PLAYER for the Padres.   If it was a career ending injury suffered as a player, he'd be entitled to it like Corey Luebke was.  But he's choosing voluntarily to retire.  I think Pads are definitely going to get some of it back.  Or at least creatively manage it by stretching it out, pushing it forward a year, something to free up $ this season.

I'm guessing writing was on the wall here.  Obviously he was respected if they want to keep him in the F.O. but he had absolutely no place on the roster even if healthy.   I'm sure he knew/Pads told him what the outcome was going to be:  they were going to have to trade him with a prospect to save the $, then that team might have just dumped him.  Actually, that may have been the Pads calculus:  Better to stretch out even the full $ amount owed and NOT give up a prospect (AND open a roster spot now; don't be surprised to see a RP claimed on waivers) than the alternative.

Didn't want things to end like this for Kinsler, and NOTHING makes me more mad at Andy Green than letting Kinsler grow cobwebs on the bench (deservedly) at 1,999 hits, not finding a start here or there to get him that last hit, then freaking having him throw 30 pitches or whatever stone cold in  meaningless game/season, getting hurt from overdoing it & losing the opportunity forever.  Obviously AG wasn't trying to get him hurt, but doubt that endeared AG to Kinsler or any of the vets.

I'm glad a guy with his experience & stature in the game is sticking around with the Pads; it seems like this is a classy win-win solution for all parties.

Quote from fenn68 on December 20, 2019, 4:44 pm

Just putting things into perspective ... using RosterResouce for their current view of team payrolls:

Padres at $150MM (does not have to be perfect for the relative positioning point).

Only 11 teams have a HIGHER payroll: LAD; COLO; STL; CHC; NYM; PHIL; and WASH in the NL (7) ....... NYY, BOST, LAA, and HOU in the AL (4).

Maybe more interesting is that 11 teams have payrolls UNDER $100MM. AL has 9: BALT; TOR; TB; KC; DET; CWS; CLEV; SEA; and OAK. NL has only 2: PITT and MIA.

AL with 4 over $150MM and 9 below $100MM is the most imbalanced.

NL (and an issue for the Padres) has only 2 below $100M teams but a robust group of 7 greater than $150MM.

TB and OAK shows a team can contend without the big payroll but that clearly is not the norm.

Quote from Commie on December 20, 2019, 5:28 pm

Quote from onlypads on December 20, 2019, 10:53 am

Tatis's arm and speed are wasted at 2B. Whit at 2B, Machado at 3B, Lindor at SS, and Hosmer/Myers at 1B. Tatis in CF, Grisham in RF, and Pham in LF.

I just dont think I could ask that of Tatis, too natural at SS.

 

All reports I've seen are skeptical of Grisham in CF due to arm.  Maybe you have more insight from a credible source indicating he can start in RF?  Point me in the right direction.

Quote from fenn68 on December 20, 2019, 6:25 pm

Quote from Commie on December 20, 2019, 5:28 pm

Quote from onlypads on December 20, 2019, 10:53 am

Tatis's arm and speed are wasted at 2B. Whit at 2B, Machado at 3B, Lindor at SS, and Hosmer/Myers at 1B. Tatis in CF, Grisham in RF, and Pham in LF.

I just dont think I could ask that of Tatis, too natural at SS.

 

All reports I've seen are skeptical of Grisham in CF due to arm.  Maybe you have more insight from a credible source indicating he can start in RF?  Point me in the right direction.

From a Brewers site when he was called-up last August:

Grisham is not a defensive expert. He’s also not a defensive liability. But he’s certainly limited to center and left, preferably left.

The speed is his biggest asset in the field. He reads the ball ok off the bat, but his speed helps him catch up to balls that sail away on him or he misreads initially. Unfortunately, those skills don’t make up for his arm, which is below average.

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I should add his offense in his limited time AWAY for Miller Park was not good (worse than Margot). So not ready to RELY on him as a 2020 upgrade ... and the future may be LF (post - Pham).

Quote from TatisJr on December 20, 2019, 6:37 pm

The little bit I’ve seen of Grisham and TT, I’d say Grisham has the stronger throwing arm of the two. I have TT penciled in as the future LF once Pham departs. I could be wrong though, just my initial eye test of the two.

Quote from fenn68 on December 20, 2019, 7:31 pm

Quote from TatisJr on December 20, 2019, 6:37 pm

The little bit I’ve seen of Grisham and TT, I’d say Grisham has the stronger throwing arm of the two. I have TT penciled in as the future LF once Pham departs. I could be wrong though, just my initial eye test of the two.

Both are probably better suited for LF ... might come down to who has the better reads, routes defensively in CF and just live with the arm. Of course first they have so show they can actually hit at the ML level to have the debate. Jury is still out on both.

Neither seems a RF candidate. In the near term, Cordero may be the better RF option to Myers.

Quote from Commie on December 20, 2019, 8:02 pm

Quote from fenn68 on December 20, 2019, 7:31 pm

Quote from TatisJr on December 20, 2019, 6:37 pm

The little bit I’ve seen of Grisham and TT, I’d say Grisham has the stronger throwing arm of the two. I have TT penciled in as the future LF once Pham departs. I could be wrong though, just my initial eye test of the two.

Both are probably better suited for LF ... might come down to who has the better reads, routes defensively in CF and just live with the arm. Of course first they have so show they can actually hit at the ML level to have the debate. Jury is still out on both.

Neither seems a RF candidate. In the near term, Cordero may be the better RF option to Myers.

Don't forget all the time Naylor spent out there. I saw what you saw but the bat is real.