GM Jed Hoyer told MLB.com's Corey Brock that the Padres may still add a reliever, a backup catcher and a left-handed hitter (Twitter links). Hoyer said last night that his team has a payroll in the mid-$40MM range and some money to work with.
The Padres have traded away Adam Russell, Cesar Ramos, Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica, so the team's bullpen – a major strength in 2010 – is not as deep as it was a year ago. Early in the offseason, Hoyer told MLBTR that he would likely do his "damage" later on in the winter and it appears that the time has come to add a bullpen piece.
The Padres lost backstop Yorvit Torrealba to the Rangers and will rely on Nick Hundley to catch regularly. Former Mariners Rob Johnson and Guillermo Quiroz are possibilities to back Hundley up, or the team could add another catcher.
Bengie Molina and Gregg Zaun are the most recognizable free agents remaining, but teams like the Angels and Yankees have considerable depth behind the plate and are potential trading partners (though that's entirely speculative).
Feels like the PADs lost alot in the pitching dept but im sure theyll contend with more batting, possibly Add Napoli .
Not only that but the guy who called most their games too. It’s going to be interesting to see what they can do this year
Someone like James Darnell+ for Napoli?
They can always sign some relievers on the cheap to fill out the low-leverage end of the bullpen like Dustin Nippert and Lance Cormier
Ryan Doumit! Do it!
Ryan Doumit is such a poor defensive catcher though.
They should get their relief help the same way they have gotten it in the past-pick up someone who just misses a team out of spring training, coat him with Ballsley’s magic pitching dust and set him loose in Petco. They should take advantage of their coaching staff’s ability to get value out of pitchers that others can’t.
So here begins my rant. As a Pads fan, I get a little upset that Ballsley and Black never get credit (the park! it’s all the park! Ballsley and Black no! park yes!) for squeezing every ounce out of pitchers that other see as useless. Don’t forget Mike Adams built his career here after several organizations and injuries and failure, Bell established himself here after the Mets couldn’t take his big personality, Gregerson was an afterthought-except NOT to the Pads, should I go on?
I would be disappointed if they brought in one of those high priced free agent relievers. It is the last thing they need to worry about. I would make an exception if the pitcher were Carlos Villanueva. I think he’s with the Jays now and can probably had for not too much. He’s a pitcher I think needs guys like Ballsley and Black to finally bust out.
I agree. I think someone like Todd Coffey would be a very nice fit, and they can probably get him for under a mil.
Yes, I could see Todd Coffey working out well for the Padres.
I couldn’t agree more. Balsley gets no credit whatsoever. He has to be 1 of the top 3 pitching coaches in the league, but unless you’re a Padre fan you have no idea who he is. I also agree with you about Bell, Adams and Gregerson, the only problem is that Towers was the one to find all of these under the radar bullpen arms. I hope, as a Padre fan, that Hoyer has as much success/luck as his predecesor. If he doesn’t, trading away 4 useful bullpen arms this off season may come back to bite him in the a$$. I really hope the bring in another lefty to take some pressure off of Thatcher. Tankersley maybe?
I wonder, and worry about that. I know Tower acquired those guys, but don’t they have a lot of the same scouts still working for the Pads? I try to follow them from the mid west and I don’t always get a chance to check on them as often as I like. Black and Ballsley are still there, and I assume they have at least some input, and if some of the same scouts are around, I’d think they’d still be finding those under the radar guys.
Padres should add Todd Coffey for 1yr 1.2MM
Todd Coffey is the biggest goof in baseball.. running full speed to the mound i am shocked he hasn’t had about 5 heart attacks from eating all of Prince Fielders Steaks and running all the time
beat me by 15 seconds, forgot i had to log in
Would love to see the Angels move Napoli for an OF or 3B. Or both. Plus some prospects. At least one player would have to be major league ready though.
OR
Send Mathis for a prospect.
Send Ludwick to Angels for Napoli and a prospect. Padres put Cunningham in LF and Napoli backs up catcher and plays 1B against LHP plus power bat off bench.
Chad Qualls could be a good fit. What a perfect place for Qualls to regain his value in a non closer role. If he does well, the Padres would have insurance and could be more inclined to deal Bell at the deadline. Bell, could easily go regardless.
Padres need a lefty reliever – Joe Beimel would fit the bill if he is cheap enough.
Padres need a lefty reliever – Joe Beimel would fit the bill if he is cheap enough.
I’d rather keep our young talent but if anything, Darnell and Hunter for Conger?
I highly doubt the Padres are looking to move Darnell. I see him as taking over for Headley in 2012.
Thats why i said i’d rather keep the young guys, but i agree, i do see Darnell taking over 3rd if headley doesn’t show more upside with his bat.
Conger is not a good defensive C from what a hear. Probably a position change is in his future.
I’d rather keep our young talent but if anything, Darnell and Hunter for Conger?
they want a catcher they can have Soto for a lower A class affiliate player who will never make it past where he’s at now.. Soto isn’t worth more then that its a fair trade and the Cubs would win the trade by a landslide. Throw in Marmol as well .. Kerry Wood needs to be the Cubs closer
Last week someone this site mentioned that Cervelli should be expendable since the Yankees acquired Martin. If the Yankees don’t want to much, I think he would be a good pickup to push Hundley. Taylor Tankersley or Randy Flores would be guys I would hope they would look at to add to the bullpen.
Tankersley is off the board. Randy Flores would be a low cost option, except the Padres usually like harder throwers for the bullpen.
I like the Cervelli idea, but I bet the Yankees keep him. I don’t think they are going to let Posada catch all that much.
The Angels should sign Thome and trade Napoli to Pads for either Everth Cabrera or Luis Durango.. sweet deal for all!
The Angels should sign Thome and trade Napoli to Pads for either Everth Cabrera or Luis Durango.. sweet deal for all!
What do you think it would cost the padres to get Montero from the Yankees? Castro and another good prospect like Darnell or Luebke? Maybe more?
Slim chance but if anything, maybe Heath Bell at the deadline? They supposedly wanted Soria and were willing to give up Montero and Nunez, but we would have to add someone else to the deal because Bell isn’t cost controlled nor as young.
The Yanks won’t let Montero go easily.. just like the Pads won’t let Mat Latos go easily, who happens to be the only player that would interest the Yanks in such a deal. I don’t see it happening.
More. The Yankees were looking to acquire Big-time star talent with Montero – Lee, Soria, Greinke types. You’d have to gut the system to get him from them, or be willing to give up Latos for Montero and a couple of other top Yankee guys. There’s no way they’d have interest in Darnell, they already have a good 3B prospect who’s blocked by someone at the bigs. Much more likely is Cervelli for Luebke or something like that. I could definitely see the Yanks wanting to move Romine too, he can’t even go up to AAA now that Montero is stuck there after the Martin acquisition.
Yeah that makes sense but, what do you think about Bell and Castro for Montero?
I don’t see that happening right now. I’d have to agree with SD’s notion of a deadline thing with Bell. The Yankees would be much more likely to just leave Chamberlain setup man and see how it pans out than ship Montero off now. There’s always the possibility that Martin regresses even further than last year. The Yanks aren’t moving Montero before the season unless it’s for a #1 or #2 starter.
if they are looking for strickly a backup wouldnt max ramirez have mad sense before the cubs picked him up? The cubs could trade him for a ptbnl( which would prob be a scrub or cash) or what about koyie hill for cash?
The ESPN report? I didn’t know he was a good catcher.