The Padres are reluctant to deal from apparent pitching depth, even though it may be the easiest way to acquire the bats they clearly need. Padres GM Jed Hoyer admitted to Nick Canepa of the San Diego Union-Tribune that the club needs offense, but explained that he's uneasy trading pitchers.
“Pitching depth can evaporate faster than anyone can imagine," Hoyer said. "I’m not ruling anything out, but you have to be careful when you start trading your quote-unquote ‘pitching depth.’"
When Hoyer was in the Boston front office last year, the Red Sox appeared to have more arms than they needed. But Brad Penny and John Smoltz disappointed and the club's depth disappeared. Sometimes a team truly has enough pitching to trade from depth (the 2010 Braves come to mind) but most clubs don't find themselves in that position.
“Everybody wants pitching depth," Hoyer said. "I’d rather have pitching depth than bring in one more bat that may not help us in the long run. I’m not saying I won’t do it, but it’s risky."
No winning team has scored fewer runs than the Padres this year, but they have the best run prevention in all of baseball. The team's starters have a 3.26 ERA, and the bullpen (2.66 ERA) may be more impressive. Mike Adams, Heath Bell, Luke Gregerson, Edward Mujica, Joe Thatcher and Ryan Webb have been a dominant group. Relievers like that could help Hoyer find a bat if the Padres decide they can sacrifice some pitching depth.
I agree with the general principle, but especially when you’re talking about moving bullpen arms, trading for a bat probably makes sense. An unbreakable bullpen is of limited value when there aren’t many leads to protect.
GMs are being so tight fisted with pitching (especially unproven prospects) these days that it’s almost becoming comical. I understand that pitching wins, but when a team like the Padres has a legit chance to go for it, they should take it, rather than standing pat and inevitably fading down the stretch.
The A’s had Sheets, Duchscherer, Anderson, Braden, Gonzalez, Cahill, and Mazzaro as viable starters coming into the season. They’ve lost two of those guys to long term injury, and Braden’s been off and on with injuries.
7 guys became 4 pretty fast. I think that’s what the Padres don’t want.
Jed Hoyer’s quotes just sound like pre-trade positioning talk. “We have needs but we’re not desperate, and pitching is more valuable than offense so if you want one of my pitchers, impress me”.
Great to see how a winning record can quell trade rumors. Adrian Gonzalez rumblings have all but evaporated this season.
I understand they are reluctant to trade pitchers. I would be too. But if I’m the Padres and a bat I could use became available, I’d shed that reluctance. Even the best pitchers need a few runs to work with if they’re going to win.
I have to say, though, the current Padres have impressed with the way they manage to score just enough to win, their fine defense, and fine pitching. Maybe they have that magical kind of season where it all holds up until the end.
we need one more bat. We have to make a run at Dejesus or Choo using some of our minor league pitching depth to get one of them. I think a package revolving around Luebke would be fair, but Castro is untouchable.
I would hate to see the Padre’s trade for a power bat. I’d like to see them trade for a quick, line drive doubles hitter. Hopefully they stick to their plan.
I couldn’t agree more. The Padres need a leadoff hitter to set the table. I really wish they could have pryed away Rajai Davis from Oakland in the Kouz deal. He would have really fit in with this ball club. But if getting Scott into the fold helped Jerry sign I guess it was worth it, he has really come up huge for the Padrfes with the injuries to Cabrera.
The deciding factor may be that the Padres have 4-5 tremendous bullpen arms down on the Farm.If they can trade a couple of those,or Heath Bell in a deal for a bat…they need to do it.Gregerson and Adams are too valuable where they are.They could put Ryan Webb in as Closer and barely miss a beat…..and call up Scribner,Demark,Italiano,Frieri,,or Poreda.
Webb has only pitched 47 innings of major league ball and his .219 BABIP is probably not sustainable, I’m not saying he would be a bad closer, just that the Padres would almost definitely miss a beat, maybe two.
Webb is only one option.
Have you seen the numbers in the minors for Italiano,Scribner,Demark,etc..
The Padres never know,with their limited payroll,when they will compete.They need to make every effort when they do.Their ONLY area of strength is pitching,considering the will probably lose Correia and Garland,not to mention Young next year,IMO we need to use our bullpen depth to acquire the much needed bat.
Heath Bell has the highest value in a trade,and also the highest salary,so makes the most sense.
No I haven’t checked out the numbers on their minor league team, I was just pointing out that if the Padres were to deal Bell, then Webb probably wouldn’t be the best option to slot in the closers role.
Your right, it would be Adams or Gregerson.
Translation – We will not take on any payroll… So we will hide behind the bullpen.
This article doesn’t even mention Stauffer who was lights out before he went on the DL. I believe he is due back shortly, I saw him on the bench during last nights game, so they are already getting more of there depth back. If he shows he can pitch like he did early in the season Hoyer would be crazy not to deal for a bat. If they were to trade Bell, I would hope that they would move Gregerson into the closer role, he has been great this season.
I think we had a bit of a sample of what melonis_rex said in that we were starting to lose some of that depth to injuries (and in this case family deaths as well) a little while back. I would like to dish away CY but I don’t know who would take him. He gets hurt a lot. He’s like Brian Giles last year. If we can get anything for Mujica that would be my choice. 3.00 ERA, not bad, but given up 8 HR and a BSV. I wouldn’t be all that torn up if we traded Bell, he has more value. Bell always makes those close games nervous…real nervous. Like mentioned, bring up Gregerson as the closer and have Webb work the 7th. GAW instead of GAB 🙂