Forum
Forum Navigation
Spring Training 2021
#61 · March 8, 2021, 12:21 pm
Quote from 3fingersplit on March 8, 2021, 10:58 amPham is a head scratcher....I doubt he plays or is avail for more than 90 games this year. Everybody raves about what a "Pro" he is but if he is such a "Pro" then why did the Cardinals trade him away, the Cards almost never trade solid, young cornerstone type players, along with $500,000 for three young guys that may or may not stick ever with the Cards and then the Rays trade him away in what today looks like a Pham and Cronenworth for Edwards and a PTBN as Renfroe is gone ?
Something just seems kinda wonky
I hope he makes his last year in San Diego a good one because he is a really important piece....hopefully the guy that rakes and punishes the ball is the one we get and not the one that hit.212 last year......having a good year helps the Padres big time, hopefully making the playoffs and going deep into them, and it helps him heading into free agency....the potential for a BIG $$$ contract is always a great motivator
Pham has a very high “self worth” with a lot of opinions that he is very willing to just put out there (very active on social media I am told). That could be good or bad ... depends.
Gets rave reviews as model / team leader on the club ... no reason to doubt that view. Clearly his baseball production has been very good.
However, that same persona can really become annoying over time and often does not work with some players.
I do recall in STL ... (keep in mind his “self worth” view) he was very vocal about the STL organization manipulating his service time and that cost him money (he also is money focused). Could well be that the STL organization just did not want that off field stuff any more.
Not sure the TB view ... could be a similar opinion of Pham’s off field stuff ... not sure how their front office thinks ... then throw in running a low payroll roster and dumping Pham for Renfroe saves money.
From a players’ standpoint probably a split decision on his persona from square one BUT if the team is winning everyone loves him. If the team starts to falter, some of those players may not be as accommodating to Pham and presence.
So Pham may wear out his welcome over time ... not because he is a “bad guy” but just “an annoying guy” that just grates on folks and if a team can take him out of the mix ... may see that as a relief.
#62 · March 8, 2021, 1:26 pm
Have to also keep in mind that TB trades good players solely based on what they have to pay them.
Or should we worry as to why they traded Snell also?
I predict a big year for Pham....with the caveat that this could change if his eye issue persists or gets worse.
#63 · March 8, 2021, 10:23 pm
Hos hitting that HR a good sign to end his 0-fer ST. Now it's Pham's turn. I exhaled and felt much better about Pham after reading the "trying different high end contact lenses" (apparently goes through this usually in Winter ball, but couldn't this year) explanation for slow start. Some of what he's doing is just standing in & seeing lots of pitches to find the one that works best I guess/hope.
Have to think Preller/Pads knew all the details of Pham's stab wound, (at least his side) of what led to the incident, and that his recovery was on track... or they could have non-tendered him. No one is going to outwork him. If anything, he's a guy you have to rein in so he doesn't overdo it.
#64 · March 8, 2021, 10:48 pm
Quote from MrPadre19 on March 8, 2021, 1:26 pm
I predict a big year for Pham....with the caveat that this could change if his eye issue persists or gets worse.
I hope so but I am not holding my breath and Fenn was very nice in how he described Pham....the March 1st article in the SD Union pretty much made it sound like it's all about money and he is a grump and that wears on people....I don't care how "hard" you work....it's supposed to be fun and if I was making 8.9 million this year I would be having fun and enjoying the game and my team mates....This team will be better if he can swing it but.......team chemistry also comes into play....like I said there is something "wonky"
#65 · March 9, 2021, 12:18 am
Part of the problem, is anyone who says "I read in the UT..." is already off to a bad start. Acee is effectively Ron Fowlers lap dog, and even though Fowler isnt around as much Acee is trying to figure whose leg he needs to hump to get to break news. Not to mention spring training pieces are usually garbage about how a player has worked hard over the off season and coaches are noticing changes. Remember how two weeks ago everyone was talking about Jacob Nix cracking the rotation... have you seen him in one spring training game?
Pham was the best player in the deal, with Cro tossed in as more of an extra. The Rays got a top 100 hitter and apower hitting OF in the deal. That was the morale of the story. Pham is a red ass lets do this thing type of player that the team loves. He is very much in the same mold as a Phill Nevin. People love him, but the act can get tiring if hes not performing. If playoff Tommy Pham is the player we see in 2021, we will be just fine. But, considering the report that a few inches and Pham would have died or been paralyzed, makes me think that the injury was more serious than we thought and could impact his play in 2021. BUTTTT, its also March 8th and trying to factor anything right now makes zero sense.
#66 · March 9, 2021, 12:27 am
It was brought up on Twitter, that the Padres were angling to have their pitchers throw 5-6 by the time the season started, and might keep that way for most of the early season. It was also mentioned that Lamet could be kept at the alt training site until he could build up his innings.
Padres also start the season 7 games, day off, 17 games, day off. Thats 24 games in the first 25 days including 7 of the final 10 in that stretch against LA. If there was ever a time to go to a 6 man rotation, it would probably be during that first month.
The question that was brought up is that if Lamet is not ready it makes sense that Morejon slides into the 5 but who is starter #6? Stammen/bullpen day? Weathers? Gore? Baez? Other?? Baez might be my favorite for the role as I dont think they want to call up and then demote Gore or Weathers but should be interesting to see what happens.
#67 · March 9, 2021, 10:42 am
World Series Game 2 preview today at Camelback Ranch. Snell v. Lynn.
#68 · March 10, 2021, 1:03 pm
Watching Gore pitch you can see the talent. But you can see that he's just not ready yet. He needs to get a decent amount of innings in the minors. His control needs work that should come through repetition. He will most likely make his debut this year but hopefully mid to late season .
#69 · March 10, 2021, 1:34 pm
Quote from 84padres on March 10, 2021, 1:03 pmWatching Gore pitch you can see the talent. But you can see that he's just not ready yet. He needs to get a decent amount of innings in the minors. His control needs work that should come through repetition. He will most likely make his debut this year but hopefully mid to late season .
Just watched his 1st inning ... no hits, one BB, 3 K including Story and Blackman. FB sat at about 95 MPH.
Cleary the instructions to him and Caratini was to just work him out .... seven straight FB to start ... a slider then another run of FB. Think maybe only 2-3 breaking balls all inning ... those breaking balls did look good.
#70 · March 10, 2021, 1:55 pm
2nd inning looks as though they are now mixing in some more breaking balls.
Overall Gore’s command is not there ... 46 pitches in two innings going deep in counts ... but did get a lot of swings and misses when he hit his spots.
Needs command to improve or will not go deep in games.