Quote from Henry Silvestre on July 12, 2022, 5:59 am

The Rodriquez ask was Before the 2022 lockout (last early offseason) ..Rodriguez is 10x better than Reynolds now...

Our best course of action might be to just bring up Ruiz send Grish to AAA and perhaps trade for Naquin (Reds)..   Then go get a BAT like Happ/ 1 1/2... Cooper 2 1/2.  Or 1 of the hot rentals Beni/Bell/Contreras/Mancini

Then again a  285 hitting CJ (19 games since coming back up) at SS . TATIS in RF.. Mazara in LHP . RUIZ in CF.. could be all we need... with Myers back... BUT +1 BAT cause More is More would be preferred

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2022, 7:22 am

We as fans tend to focus on what is going bad ... Preller has to balance those issues with the reality that the Padres currently have the 6th best (4th in the NL) record in MLB. I guess a lot of other teams have worse issues.

Add to that positioning ... they are sitting in the 2nd Wild Card slot with really only two teams outside the Wild Card slots presenting a concern ... and they are 5-6 games behind SD. Then once in the playoffs anything can happen from a team with 3-4 top SP.

So, SD is in a pretty good position to make the playoffs ... and trade chips are always limited and reinforcements are coming (Tatis, Myers, Profar plus RP). Can't fix all the issues in the real world ... which ones are the priority? IF you believe they will make the playoffs ... what fix is most valuable in the playoffs? Then consider if there is a real (and reliable) add to make the fix available and a "fair price".

I would not rule out a "stand pat" result.

 

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2022, 7:40 am

No idea how to analyze the trade targets on this issue but on the broadcast yesterday it was highlighted (as I recall) that the Padres are #1 in the NL (#2 in MLB) in scoring (runs/game) on the ROAD. However, #28 in MLB at HOME. That is a huge disparity in offensive production. That difference tends to make overall stats / production less valuable if the HOME issues are creating excess losses beyond the ROAD wins. Padres are 27-18 on the ROAD but only 23-20 at HOME. Making the playoffs is a issue of maybe a couple of games differential.

The obvious solution is to petition MLB to have the Padres play the rest of the season on the road ... probably not going to happen.

Teams now have a very strong computer simulation process that can map a hitter's AB and plot them adjusted for ballpark conditions to another park ... like PETCO. No idea how far the Padres go with this technology but it could alter who is a more appealing add suited for PETCO.

On the flip side, performance at PETCO could be a factor in moving players off the current roster ... half the season is there.

Quote from BoosterSD on July 12, 2022, 7:41 am

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2022, 7:22 am

We as fans tend to focus on what is going bad ... Preller has to balance those issues with the reality that the Padres currently have the 6th best (4th in the NL) record in MLB. I guess a lot of other teams have worse issues.

Add to that positioning ... they are sitting in the 2nd Wild Card slot with really only two teams outside the Wild Card slots presenting a concern ... and they are 5-6 games behind SD. Then once in the playoffs anything can happen from a team with 3-4 top SP.

So, SD is in a pretty good position to make the playoffs ... and trade chips are always limited and reinforcements are coming (Tatis, Myers, Profar plus RP). Can't fix all the issues in the real world ... which ones are the priority? IF you believe they will make the playoffs ... what fix is most valuable in the playoffs? Then consider if there is a real (and reliable) add to make the fix available and a "fair price".

I would not rule out a "stand pat" result.

 

While we like to complain on here, you are on the mark in your comments. With the return of some of our regulars coming within 30 days ±, and the payroll implications that we have, I could see the Padres mainly staying relatively quiet.

I would think the biggest level of concern being at this time, CF. Could live with Grisham's bat, if his defense was on par with his track record. Could live with his current glove, if his bat was playing better. Both the level of both at this current time, makes this a concern. Is he allowing his bat to affect his glove. Are both deteriorating?

So does Preller call up Ruiz? Does he make a move for a stronger CFer?

I think realistic options for an outside CF option would be Gallo, Happ, or Michael A Taylor from KC.

Gallo is probably at this time better defensively than Grisham, and you would have to hope the bat bounces back out of NYY. He is the most salary of the three. However, it is possible that NYY might just DFA him soon, and if so, he is a league minimum gamble at that time. Similar to Cano.

Happ's bat is better than Grisham's. Not sure of his defense. And he is just under $7M salary hit, would need an offsetting move to balance the salary. Maybe Lamet and another ML salary piece, plus a prospect or two just to make the trade offset salaries and then the actual prospects to CHC.

Taylor is probably the best glove option, bat is marginally better than Grisham career wise, but this season he is much better. A $4.5M salary attached, and would require the better prospect package to get, probably even over Happ.

Quote from BoosterSD on July 12, 2022, 7:46 am

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2022, 7:40 am

No idea how to analyze the trade targets on this issue but on the broadcast yesterday it was highlighted (as I recall) that the Padres are #1 in the NL (#2 in MLB) in scoring (runs/game) on the ROAD. However, #28 in MLB at HOME. That is a huge disparity in offensive production. That difference tends to make overall stats / production less valuable if the HOME issues are creating excess losses beyond the ROAD wins. Padres are 27-18 on the ROAD but only 23-20 at HOME. Making the playoffs is a issue of maybe a couple of games differential.

Yes, this is a strange trend. There has to be some oddball reason for the better success on the road.

Is it the humidor over correcting in SD?

Is it off the field issues? Busy mind occupied with family stuff when at home, and on the road, better focus?

This is why they brought in Melvin, this is the issues that he really needs to figure out, and soon.

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2022, 8:09 am

The HOME issue at a this point is just guesswork. PETCO has always been a difficult place to hit and the humidor effect probably does not help.

Reality is this also helps the pitching ... so the challenge is to ensure the the offense is at least a little better while keeping the pitching successful in PETCO. Only need to win by one run ... and that may not require much upgrades.

Just my gut feeling ... but "light" HR hitters (ie warning track power types in the current environment) and fly ball types suffer ... that always annoying marine layer may now create a more difficult environment. If that is the case, maybe avoiding fly ball types and looking for more line drive types (embrace the double) who should work both AWAY and at HOME.

Sort of makes me concerned about the long term value of Voit and Alfaro.

Quote from Henry Silvestre on July 12, 2022, 8:15 am

Based on some of the Castillo rumors (and AJP love for the kid) how about this 3 way Trade (I am assuming Snell has 2 more starts like his last 2 and thus his value is high again)...

To San Diego

Luis Castillo (Reds) + Tyler Naquin (Reds/CF.crushes RHP) + Luiz Meza (TOR # 20 C Spec)

To Toronto

Snell (SDP)

To Cincinnati

Grishman (SDP) + Campusano (SDP) + Mears (SDP) + (Reds choice of ) Wethers/or Ricky Tiedemann # 3 (#61 )(TOR)

3 (4 if they prefer Wethers) 40 cleared ... 2 added .. Net 2 open

Add Ruiz to the 40 and bring him up.. like CJ can incorporate him in the lineup (LF/CF) slowly and play (platoon) the avgs with Naquin/Mazara vs RHP.. Ruiz/Myers vs LHP.. Profar gets a more suitable role in LF (not everyday burn ..but maybe 50/60% of his current everyday taxing workload)..DH can be a place of rest vs LHP (whom Voit is terrible against)

Why Castillo for Snell replacement...simple $$ math..Castillo makes 1/2 of Snell.. and that $$$ Savings can Bring in a Big Rental Bat ..Bell/Mancini/Garrett Cooper/Contreras ..all of whom upgrade VOIT/Hosmer/or Nola BIG time...

 

Quote from fenn68 on July 12, 2022, 8:31 am

Agree that Grisham is turning into problem for a contender with poor offense and eroding defense ... just not seeing a clean move to make.

In house, only two options in my mind ... neither a slam dunk winner. First, gamble on Ruiz to perform NOW at the ML level BUT we have seen Abrams struggle initially in his call-up ... Campusano being over matched early in the season ... Rooker just not look good. Ruiz may be the future ... but maybe not now. Second, and this is beginning to feel more plausible, Tatis in CF allowing the platoon of Kim/Abrams at SS ... that platoon is getting more productive (offensively / defensively) as the season progresses. Might not see Tatis full time CF but maybe get some DH time allowing Grisham to have some CF time and bench Voit who has his own limitations.

Given the coming crowd of position players ... Profar in LF ... Mazara in RF ... Myers LF/RF/DH/1B ... Tatis (somewhere) ... not sure focusing on adding a CF ... especially without big offense ... fits. Don't see Taylor adding enough offense ... Gallo just is bad and probably worse at PETCO ... Happ's bat would help but not defensively a CF (at least not better than Tatis).

Maybe with some creative line-ups ... Tatis and Grisham give the Padres enough coverage with Ruiz as an "as needed" back-fill.

If they don't stand pat .. probably would try to upgrade offense by moving on from Voit with a player that has some defensive versatility beyond just the offensive upgrade.

Quote from Henry Silvestre on July 12, 2022, 8:43 am

Wonder if KC would take Hosmer + $22 mil of his roughly $49 mil owed paid by SDP + Rosario # 5 spec + #19 Efrain Contreras ... for Barlow (RP).. opening 1B for a better option Garrett Cooper(Miami)/Josh Bell(Nats)....

Hos can be the right leader to help KC back..as it starts bringing up its specs...Hos at $8mil per (with pads covering the rest seems about right)

Barlow gives us some Closer insurance BP high leverage experienced arm to ease the burden