Quote from fenn68 on February 27, 2025, 12:42 am

way too early in ST to make any evaluations considering no top ML pitchers are pitching or if they are just not going at full season effort .. so hitting off a lot of fringe arms (also not at full speed) and, if the hitter was in winter ball, he has sharper tools at this point.

Having made that disclaimer, Ornelas has come out hitting in his quest for an 26 man roster slot. He does have a minor league option, so that works against him if he competition is close ... but the 40 man is full although a slot opens up with Musgrove to the 60 day IL and another likely with the DFA of Sullivan and another potentially with the return of Rule 5 Nunez. So room to add a non-roster player if they earn it.

I see one open slot ... with locks of Diaz, Heyward (L), Joe, Wade (L), Rosario (out of options) ... leaving one slot with maybe preference for a LHH option to pair with RHH Rosario  plus leaves open slots on the 40 man if the need to add a non-roster player during the season.

However, it will be the last 2-3 weeks of ST that starts to establish some separation among the players.

Quote from WindsorUK on March 1, 2025, 11:03 pm

Any thoughts on Tirso Ornelas? I've not really seen him play: does he look like a baseball player?( There was a back up OF here a few years ago that just moved SO poorly! Didn't look like a player at all, if you follow me?)

Not sure I'd want him in LF a great deal but he seems prototypical size for a 1B.

Why hasn't an organization with zero talent at 1B tried him there? Be nice to see more homegrown talent make an impact( also save on salary expenditures)

I guess if Tirso hits, he'll get his chance?

Quote from fenn68 on March 2, 2025, 12:33 am

It seems as Ornelas gets older (and bulked up a bit) his defensive options seem to be getting more limited. When signed tried in CF ... then was a RF for a few years (but arm not great) the last few seasons to LF. So would not hold my breath for a plus defensive option and it his bat that will carry him.

As for 1B, they did have him there for a few games last season in EP ... no idea how he looked defensively. Guess they want to maximize his exposure to LF given they also have no near term LF options in the system.

For this season Heyward (L) / Joe should control LF and if Arraez settles in at 1B (seemingly the plan) ... Ornelas' best chance for the roster is the LHH DH. His hitting style, contact ... low K ... seems to fit Rodriguez' preferred plan.

However, since he does have a minor league option ... could be at risk if one of the non-roster LHH options looks good enough in ST to take that DH berth or, I guess, if a RHH option is so impressive and provides a better defensive profile that player may bump in. Given the length of the season and he being on the roster ... expect him up at some point in the season.

Quote from Randy Manese on March 2, 2025, 7:17 am

Ornelas has accumulated almost 20 plate appearances in ST and currently has the highest OPS of any of the OF's; also he has not struck out.  While this is ST, you have to credit him with the hard work he has put in to become a much better overall hitter than he was just a year ago.  While it is true he doesn't look as agile as some of our other OF's, of the 3 that are possibly fighting for a bench spot (Wall, Ornelas, Gonzalez), he is likely last because his arm is not equal to that of Gonzalez.  Wall is the best defensive OF, but both Ornelas and Gonzalez have range limitations.

In my opinion, instead of rostering another player to the 40 man, if Ornelas continues to show this same prowess at the plate as we get deeper into March, I think he is the front runner for the last spot on the bench.  You already have one defensive OF'er from the platoon of Heyward and Joe and both Eguy and Wade can play the OF, if necessary, with probably decent enough results to not be embarrassing.  So, with the above caveat, I see Tirso breaking camp on the opening day roster, primarily as a DH as Fenn has indicated.

By the way, have been impressed by the depth/quality of the pitching in these ST games.  Sure there are blips here and there but overall you observe a lot of arms that could shuttle from EP to SD if/when the need arises, particularly in the bullpen.  The latter makes it much easier to consider the trading of higher priced relievers to get the 2025 payroll and CBT down yet hopefully maintain the effectiveness of the pen.  Again, this is still early ST so we'll know a little more in just a few weeks.

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 2, 2025, 3:45 pm

Is there much chance of Ornelas and Sheets making the team?

Or just one?

 

Quote from fenn68 on March 3, 2025, 9:25 am

Quote from MrPadre19 on March 2, 2025, 3:45 pm

Is there much chance of Ornelas and Sheets making the team?

Or just one?

 

Can't see both ... too similar as defensively limited LHH.

Sheets is a veteran but a very bad defensive player at both his primary positions .. 1B/RF. He is terrible vs LHP (career 26 wRC+ in 176 PA). His plus is vs RHP but that still is only a career 98 wRC+ (1258 PA).

Ornelas is not quite as bad a fielder (in LF for him) and has no track record in the ML but in the minors his plus is that he hit both RHP and LHP well ... so more well rounded ... if that translates to the ML.

I think that LHH DH role is Ornelas' to lose. If he does not make the 26 man ... Sheets may not have an easy road to making the roster since his calling card is hitting RHP and that is only a 98 wRC+ with negative defense. Possible the Padres go with another RHH option who can hit well vs RHP and provide some more defensive options (e.g. Gonzalez and others).

Long way to go.

Quote from ultratvfan on March 3, 2025, 7:24 pm

Here is a list of MLB players out of options: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/out-of-options-2025.html

The Padres only have two: IF/OF Eguy Rosario and C Brett Sullivan. Could one of these players end up being traded or released?

Quote from fenn68 on March 3, 2025, 9:40 pm

Quote from ultratvfan on March 3, 2025, 7:24 pm

Here is a list of MLB players out of options: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/02/out-of-options-2025.html

The Padres only have two: IF/OF Eguy Rosario and C Brett Sullivan. Could one of these players end up being traded or released?

I expect Sullivan to get released at the end of ST (little chance he makes the 26 man baring a string of injuries to Diaz and Campusano) and with Maldonado (non-roster) in camp. Might get re-signed to a minor league deal.

Rosario on the other hand has a very good shot at the 26 man ... baring another move by Preller. RHH (who hits LHP well) is of value for the DH role and can play 3B/2B/LF ... that versatility is of value and don't see anyone in camp clearly better with that INF value. Maybe Brosseau with ML experience but non-roster but not sure the Padres want to give up on Rosario yet for a fringe ML player.

Maybe a strategy to start the season would use the two roster players for the DH platoon (Rosario RHH / Ornelas LHH) and sit the non-roster options in AAA then if the roster players really fail ... make the move to add one of the non-roster options. That way don't throw away a roster slot (and associated money) for an option that has no guarantee of succeeding. I am not sold on Sheets, Gurriel, Brosseau, Gonzales, Perlaza, Brooks, et al being all that good at the ML level given their histories.

Quote from fenn68 on March 3, 2025, 10:17 pm

Maybe it is because of his name recognition but it seems the SD media consider Sheets a legit roster option ... clearly I don't (hope not).

Other than the "limitations" I listed above (have to have someone better) ... I have to consider that the CWS (worst team in baseball) non-tendered him this winter and 2025 would be his first arb year (league minimum in 2024) ... so money was not the driving factor. Obviously could not find a trade partner.

Preller can do a lot better (for the same price) by the end of ST ... if nothing else David Peralta is still out there as a LHH/LF-DH.