The Padres are next in our Offseason In Review series.
Major League Signings
- Jon Garland, SP: one year, $5.3MM. Includes $6.75MM mutual option for 2011 with a $300-600K buyout.
- Jerry Hairston Jr., IF/OF: one year, $2.125MM.
- Yorvit Torrealba, C: one year, $1.25MM. Includes $3.5MM mutual option for 2011 with a $500K buyout.
- Total spend: $8.675MM.
Notable Minor League Signings
Trades and Claims
- Claimed P Radhames Liz off waivers from Orioles
- Acquired OF Scott Hairston and OF Aaron Cunningham from Athletics for 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff and 2B Eric Sogard
Notable Losses
- Kevin Kouzmanoff, Eric Sogard, Brian Giles, Luis Rodriguez, Henry Blanco, Edgar Gonzalez, Eliezer Alfonzo, Chris Burke, Drew Macias, Josh Banks, Shawn Hill, Mike Ekstrom, Eulogio de la Cruz
Summary
Jed Hoyer's tenure as Padres GM kicked off quietly, with a November 25th waiver claim of pitcher Radhames Liz. Hoyer went on to spend $8.675MM for three free agents and make one big trade. Let's take a look.
Hoyer added free agents Garland, Jerry Hairston Jr., and Torrealba on reasonably-priced one-year deals. The affordable trio should have a small amount of trade value, in contrast to overpaid veterans like Jason Marquis, Ivan Rodriguez, and Kevin Millwood. We've seen varying approaches by rebuilding clubs this winter – the Nationals and Orioles spent about $30MM, the Padres, Blue Jays, and Pirates spent $8-10MM, and the Indians spent less than $3MM.
The Scott Hairston acquisition was a lateral move, as the Padres and A's were looking to fill different needs. Kouzmanoff has one more year of team control than Hairston, a possible point in Oakland's favor assuming these players aren't eventually non-tendered. It's difficult to predict the outcome of the Sogard-Cunningham portion of the deal.
Hoyer has the Adrian Gonzalez situation on the horizon, but in the short-term he's likely to see how the team performs for the season's first three months. The Padres project to have a terrible offense, possibly the worst in the NL. Their pitching may be better than you realize, with a slew of guys capable of ERAs in the low 4.00s and Mat Latos bringing #1 starter stuff. To contend in 2010, the Padres would need breakout years from Chase Headley and Kyle Blanks and quality bats added to the offense in midseason trades.
Kyle Blanks is the man!
blanks predictions .277 AVG 45 HR 100 RBI 10SB
Absolutley.
I love Kyle Blanks, the “#88 office building” in left field, but don’t expect this youngster to come close to 45 bombs, especially playing in Petco. Regardless of how far the guy can BASH.
Kyle Blanks .266 .369 .510 37 2B’s 5 3B’s 24 HR’s 10 SB’s
Latos 16Wins 2.76 ERA 200K 3.40 FIP
They are limiting his work load to 150 innings max, he wont reach those numbers.
16 wins for a kid who will have his innings limited and may get one start for a terrible team in August. Got it.
I would say more like 14 wins 3.78 ERA 175k
dumb.
2011
The Padres offense is very much affected by the Park they call home. You’ve got to appreciate that.
I like Jed Hoyer’s potential as a GM. Good background in Boston and from what I hear, a very smart and capable baseball man.
Paul DePodesta was “smart” too.
Im a red sox fan and i just want to know what you think is fair for a Gonzalez trade.
All names are fair game but no dumb offers like Lester,Pedroia and Ellsbury for A-Gone
Ellesbury, Buch, Kelley, & Bard
no way they trade Ells and Buch or Kelly and Bard
It would be Ells or Buch and Kelly or Bard plus 3 prospects
No. At this time the Padres are not going to move him till the deadline. Pure and simple Adrian is a Padre until/if they fall out of contention. The Padres can not afford the PR/revenue hit of a trade at this time, unless a deal heavily favors the Padres.
If the Padres decide to move him what they will target are prospects that fill voids in the system, especially top of the rotation pitching (think top 20 pitching prospect) and other middle of the field players (CF/SS/2B/C) or simply high upside 5 tool players. Its still to be determined if they are going to target near ready or a few years away type prospects yet, but as a rule some will have to be near ready to reduce the risk for the Padres. But they will be prospects, the Padres want to be able to have them cheaply for a couple of years to build. (In other words no Ellsbury, a Boras client approaching arb.)
Didn’t think he would of got traded any sooner anyway.
I also think its likely guy’s like Derrek Lee and Lance Berkman could be on the trade block if thier teams fall out of contention. Both would do fine replaceing Ortiz if he falters again, and would cost considerably less to obtain, even if either will have type A or B statis as free agents next year
Honestly I’m not crazy about a deal with the RSox now that Westmoreland had brain surgery. I would love Buchholz, Bard and Kelly, but that may be a little unrealistic. How about Buchholz, Kelly, Gibson and Pimentel? Not sure if thats enough for me.
According to this site, the Padres were asking for Clay Buchholz, Lars Anderson, Jed Lowrie, Ryan Westmoreland, and Justin Masterson on July 31st last season.
According to Buster Olney and this site, the Padres turned down a trade that involved Buchholz, Tazawa, Anderson and two more prospects.
They are certainly not going to be looking for any less in return for Gonzalez in 2010.
Vastly improved, from the Farm system all the way up to the MLB!
I guess that means no dumb offers from the sox side, too; like A-Gon for lars anderson, jason variteck, david ortiz and 3MM.
Yep, plauseable offers only like, Buchholz, Kelly, Reddick, Anderson and Pimentel
A 3-4 starter and thier #1,#2,#5 and #8 prospects and maybe a AAA reliever like dustin richardson
Throw in Mike Lowell and it’s a deal. Lol.
throw in a couple camo uni’s and u got it
I don’t understand you’re doing the Padres before teams that are actually going to compete this season.
The writer of this article that said the Padres offense sucks, HE sucks!
They use these CHONE predictions and others like that. I see the Pads around 77-86 wins. Kyle Blanks is primed for a breakout year, Chase Headley will make an improvement as well. Top to bottom, the Pads have one of the pitching staffs in the NL. Garland, Young, Correia, Richard and Latos are all solid with Leblanc and Gallagher as other starting options.
Garland? Clayton Richard? Really?
Me thinks optimism is good, but you misguided.
Clayton Richard and Jon Garland will be solid contributors…The pads have the best bullpen in the division as well. I still believe they will finish 4th, but they are going in the right direction.
I think what people will be most surprised with in 2010 is the Padres offense. Venable, Blanks and Headley are all going to add more to offense then the pundits think.
Totally agree.