Quote from fenn68 on March 6, 2024, 8:14 am

Quote from BoosterSD on March 6, 2024, 7:17 am

Quote from fenn68 on March 6, 2024, 7:11 am

A lot to “interpret” from this low end signing of Rosario by a non-contender.

I truly think this is a BIG miss from Preller. A max of $4M, that is 1/3rd of what many on here thought he would get. Even if he was predominately the DH and a smaller mix of LF based on SP match ups, I think his bat would have really helped SD this season.

Along with Rosario, I will also be watching what Carlos Santana does this season as they were two bats I think SD really could have used this season.

IF Preller and the FO have given up on the season, so have I then. This season will be a punt waiting on the kids to grow up!

Rosario made sense to me as a Padres signing at the right price but now questioning my own position … and Rosario’s value.

30 ML teams and Rosario could not get a ML contract and will only make the $4MM IF he makes the incentives. That is pretty close to 30 teams placing no value on Rosario … don’t know what they see (or don’t see) but not a good endorsement of Rosario.

I guess … beyond the evaluation of Rosario … if teams are more focused on signing the likes of Belt, Taylor, Duvall, and Pham (all with stronger projections than Rosario) but at a higher cost … might not want to commit even $4MM to Rosario and target their money on signing one of those four for what could be only one open roster slot. Rosario on the other hand maybe did not want to wait until all that is resolved … reading the tea leaves … signing with the best he could get now.

Quote from BoosterSD on March 6, 2024, 8:31 am

Quote from fenn68 on March 6, 2024, 8:14 am

I guess … beyond the evaluation of Rosario … if teams are more focused on signing the likes of Belt, Taylor, Duvall, and Pham (all with stronger projections than Rosario) but at a higher cost … might not want to commit even $4MM to Rosario and target their money on signing one of those four for what could be only one open roster slot. Rosario on the other hand maybe did not want to wait until all that is resolved … reading the tea leaves … signing with the best he could get now.

I guess time will tell, I just dont see him dropping off the production of last season that much not to take a MiL contract, $4M gamble on a LH bat that hit .255 BA, .450 SLG, 100 OPS+ with 21 HRs and 74 RBIs.

Quote from sportwarrior on March 6, 2024, 10:47 am

Quote from BoosterSD on March 6, 2024, 8:31 am

Quote from fenn68 on March 6, 2024, 8:14 am

I guess … beyond the evaluation of Rosario … if teams are more focused on signing the likes of Belt, Taylor, Duvall, and Pham (all with stronger projections than Rosario) but at a higher cost … might not want to commit even $4MM to Rosario and target their money on signing one of those four for what could be only one open roster slot. Rosario on the other hand maybe did not want to wait until all that is resolved … reading the tea leaves … signing with the best he could get now.

I guess time will tell, I just dont see him dropping off the production of last season that much not to take a MiL contract, $4M gamble on a LH bat that hit .255 BA, .450 SLG, 100 OPS+ with 21 HRs and 74 RBIs.

I don't think the value in a guy like Rosario is limited simply to his numbers (or any other vet that's league average or better, for that matter). If our kids aren't ready, his presence would obviate the need to promote those kids prematurely. Plus, if the Rosario types don't work out, we can always promote the kids later in the year after they've had more seasoning. Instead, without additional help, we'll be left with no choice but to play Marsee and/or Merrill and risk stunting their development.

At most, I can see Merrill breaking camp with the big league club (although I'd very much rather he not do that). Marsee, as I see it, runs a high risk of being overmatched at the big league level. I think he needs to spend significant time in the minors working on his approach and striking a better balance between contact and power.

Quote from BoosterSD on March 6, 2024, 10:52 am

I guess the big question is the readiness of both Merrill and/or Marsee. I guess we are trusting Preller, Shildt, and the others to not only have the current year budget and team performance set up for success. But also trusting they do not hamper the development of the kids by cheaping out on $4M this season.

They should know better than us, but Im with you Sport, I would prefer to start the season with the likes of Mitchell, Mercado, Locastro than hamper the kids.

Quote from sportwarrior on March 6, 2024, 11:10 am

Quote from BoosterSD on March 6, 2024, 10:52 am

I guess the big question is the readiness of both Merrill and/or Marsee. I guess we are trusting Preller, Shildt, and the others to not only have the current year budget and team performance set up for success. But also trusting they do not hamper the development of the kids by cheaping out on $4M this season.

They should know better than us, but Im with you Sport, I would prefer to start the season with the likes of Mitchell, Mercado, Locastro than hamper the kids.

I've appreciated Shildt's tact when talking about the kids. He's been very clear that he doesn't have any interest promoting the big names unless they're ready for full time roles. That said, we also Preller has a predilection for very fast promotion. I think Morejon is maybe the quintessential cautionary tale in our system when it comes to Preller's trigger. He was brought up dizzyingly fast, and he's still suffering for it. Baez is another guy that I think flamed out in part because of aggressive promotions.

My real fear here is that management is looking at the kids through rose colored glasses this spring because they want the kids to be ready and less because they are ready. No one is dominating or forcing their way onto the big league roster. Instead, we're kinda lookin at performances and thinking "maybe that's good enough." That's not leaving me with a great gut feeling.

Quote from sportwarrior on March 6, 2024, 11:27 am

Let me wheel that back a bit and say that Pauley has been doing a good job. He might be giving management something to thing about at DH/IF.

He just doesn't solve the OF problem, which is where I was focusing with that last post.

Quote from fenn68 on March 6, 2024, 11:50 am

Quote from sportwarrior on March 6, 2024, 11:27 am

Let me wheel that back a bit and say that Pauley has been doing a good job. He might be giving management something to thing about at DH/IF.

He just doesn't solve the OF problem, which is where I was focusing with that last post.

Pauley will also be an interesting call. Agree he has had a good spring after a whirlwind 2023 where his was the only 20 HR / 20 SB player in the system making it to AA. Hitting is his asset but is it 2024 ready?

Has the advantage of being a LHH with some power ... spring has him exclusively working 1B/3B in the field. Now not going to unseat Cronenworth or Machado but can serve as that corner INF sub to cover injury / rest or in Cronenwoth's case shift to 2B as the INF shuffles if injuries to Kim or Bogaerts. He has to be in the running to supplant Rosario from the bench and could get his initial playing time at 3B (while Machado DH) then move to DH.

Is he ready? Are there any good alternatives for DH? LHH with power on a roster with only Cronenworth a LHH plus the unknowns for Merrill and Marsee has to be tempting... all that has to go into the call by Shildt.

Wonder if the Brad Miller signing (minor league contract)... veteran corner INF, LHH ... might allow the Padres to get similar initial output in 2024 and allow Pauley to get more minor league work for a mid-season call-up?

Quote from sportwarrior on March 6, 2024, 1:03 pm

I've not been terribly impressed with Randy Vasquez. He strikes me as a randomly generated C+ video game pitcher.

Quote from fenn68 on March 7, 2024, 3:02 am

Not a lot of comment on the minor league signing of Brad Miller as a LHH bench / DH option. However, Padres signed him on Tuesday and he got an AB on Wednesday … suggesting that the Padres may be seeing him more of a factor for the 26 man that we are considering (probably supplants Rosario who as a prospect should be developing in the minors).

Now Miller is not going to be major impact …. But considering the alternatives might rise to the top providing needed LH bat with some power. At 34 well past his best days … and they were not all that good. His 2022-23 seasons in TEX were below average (and some injuries) but if shooting for a bounce back … Miller produced above average OPS in each of 2020 and 2021 but not a good hitter for average and a poor fielder.

Besides sending Rosario down … might also facilitate optioning Pauley for more seasoning in AA. He might just be in competition for that slot with Wade also a LHH but with less ML track record.

Have not heard any report on Miller’s contract … what he might get if he makes the 26 man and what (if any) opt out dates if he does not.

I think Miller has a real good shot at making the 26 man … if not by Korea then by the stateside opener. Veteran LHH DH with some power as a placeholder for Pauley makes sense on the roster.