If Carlos Quentin keeps hitting and the 17-35 Padres continue struggling, contending teams figure to call about the left fielder this summer. In a trade market that seemingly features little power, Quentin’s right-handed bat will have considerable value.
The 29-year-old recently returned to the Padres’ lineup after missing nearly two months to recover from arthroscopic knee surgery. So far, the results have been remarkable. He has seven hits, including three home runs, in 12 trips to the plate. It’s a small sample, of course, but in more than 2400 career plate appearances the two-time All-Star has a .254/.347/.496 batting line. In other words, Quentin offers an attractive combination of on-base skills and power as a hitter. On defense, he’s sure-handed and has decent range with a below-average throwing arm, according to The Fielding Bible Volume III.
Quentin will earn $7.03MM this season before hitting free agency. Similar players — think Josh Willingham, Jason Kubel and Luke Scott — are worth $6-8MM on the free agent market, which means a qualifying offer in the $12-3MM range seems highly unlikely. The Padres won’t be getting draft picks for Quentin, so a trade appears to be the only way for the team to obtain a long-term asset for the left fielder.
When GM Josh Byrnes acquired Quentin last December, he sent minor league left-hander Pedro Hernandez and right-hander Simon Castro, a former top-100 prospect, to the White Sox. The Padres may be able to acquire better prospects if Quentin’s knee holds up and his bat returns to form. As I mentioned before, there doesn’t seem to be much power on the trade market (Alfonso Soriano could probably be had, but he earns $18MM in 2013 and 2014, which makes things messy). And it could take a while for bats to become available because more teams than ever are within striking distance of a playoff berth.
Once Quentin plays enough to show he is healthy, Byrnes could make him available and wait for other teams to start making offers. The Indians, Orioles and Dodgers are among the teams that might have interest in adding a right-handed hitting outfielder with power in the next eight weeks. If Quentin is healthy the Padres may come out ahead this summer and trade him for better prospects than the ones they surrendered to acquire him.
Photo courtesy of US Presswire. I discussed Quentin and the Padres yesterday on XTRA Sports 1360 in San Diego.
Watching him hit 2 bombs and that double yesterday vs the Cubbies made one want to think he is hot again.. Then you remember this guy is almost as fragile as Nick “glassman” Johnson..
His bat would be nice at Fenway, but am even more certain would just be another DL list member.
Ha ha ha exactly
As a White Sox fan who saw him over the last three seasons, Carlos is brutal in the OF – hits a few HRs – gets hit alot – spends 60% time on DL. Red Sox will pass on that. Don’t know what Ben is smoking, his value at 7M is nothing.
Get’s hit a lot is a understatement. During the Cubs game on monday Len and Bob mentioned he has been hit 211 times in the past 8 season!
Whose bat doesnt look good at Fenway? You have the great taker away of fly balls and the short right field fence. I mean really.
Yeah, but can he stay healthy? He’s had over 500 PA only twice in his career.
between Kemp (who hopefully will not be on the DL), Ethier, Rivera, Abreu, Gwynn, Sands, and SVS, the Dodgers are all set in the OF.
upgrades at 1b and 3b are the biggest musts right now.
I’d have to agree. I’d have no problem adding a top-flight LF, but it’s not a huge need.
Man I hope the Padres don’t play any home games until the deadline so Quentin can keep this up. I’m sure a homestand at Petco will bring him back down to Earth.
I always liked Carlos on the Sox. I hope he ends up with a contender. He’ll make a fantastic fulltime DH someday, away from the playing field where he hurts himself so much.
Wouldn’t be surprised if the Indians took a shot at him. They desperately need right handed bats and HR power, even if he is a huge injury risk.
This article seems a bit premature. Hasn’t he had something like 12 AB’s since coming off the disabled list?
Can he stand at Second Base? The Tigers have already shown they will sacrifice some defense for hitting. Anything would be an improvement over the Ramon Santiago/Danny Worth platoon happening right now. That is anything not named Ryan Rayburn.
With new ownership on the horizon and possibly a larger yearly payroll available, Quentin should be a player the Padres build around. Why trade him for more “prospects”. We have enough “prospects” and we all know that prospects don’t translate into wins. Quentin and his bombs are more valuable to the Padres and it’s fanbase than prospects.
You do need to have a few major league caliber players on your roster while you are rebuilding too. The Padres ARE still required to show up for games even if they aren’t going anywhere.
The idea that they should get rid of every player that has value in the meantime is absurd to me. If they get a really great offer for Quentin, I say move him, otherwise I say no. They have about a handful of ML caliber players on the roster; he’s one of them.
Quentin is from SD and wants to be a padre. He seems like he’s willing to sign an extension of some sort so it will probably take a great offer to pry him.
This article is pointless. Brynes already said that if Quentin can stay healthy (big if) and produces, that they’ll extend him. I speak for myself but im sure theres more then just me who believes in this. But were tired of seeing big bats come and go for “prospects” we already have the #1 farm system in baseball. Time to keep things interesting and make these kids earn their spots.
He figures to be affordable, Byrnes likes him, and we need another one just like him to make our OF offense less of a joke. I’d definitely extend him, even though he’s good for 120 games max.
Let’s keep Quentin and figure out a way to trade for Willingham!
1. Headley 3B
2. Gyorko 2B
3. Willingham RF
4. Quentin LF
5. Alonso 1B
6. Grandal C
7. Maybin CF
8. Amarista/Cabrera SS
That’s not a bad lineup. Might actually score some some runs.
I’m a big Chase Headley fan (he’d fit nicely at 3B for the Phillies) but on what planet would he ever bat leadoff?
I don’t know bro. It looks like if we keep Quentin, we’re probably going to trade Chase and Street. With Forsythe playing up to expectations (so far) I don’t see them keeping Gyorko at second. Jedd’s a Third base prospect and he’ll be the one replacing Headley if they decide to trade him. But it is a big ‘IF’, you never know with Padres management. Last year everybody thought that Heath was going to go at the deadline, but the last person that we’d expect to go (Adams) was gone along with Ludwick. Honestly, I hope that both of these guys stay, the one that I think wouldn’t bother me as much would be Street. He does have a sub-1.00 ERA right now, he could have enough trade value to get some “Average” prospects from a teem that needs Bullpen help, Street could possibly fill the gap of a setup guy. Chase could go, but what do we do if he goes? Bring Jedd up and put him there for the remainder of the season without any experience, or just go with the three utility players playing every position besides first? You never know, but I hope to god we keep Carlos, the only one player that has proven himself to expectations.
I think Venable could be a great target though. He’s having a good year, and is hitting the ball very well away from Petco. He is a little sketchy on consistency and I don’t know if he’ll be on the DL from the injury he had a couple days ago. But, he could be gone too.
Here’s my lineup after the deadline:
RHP.
1. Cabrera SS
2. Kotsay RF
3. Alonso 1B
4. Quentin LF
5. Headley 3B
6. Forsythe 2B
7. Maybin CF
8. Hundley C
LHP.
1. Maybin CF
2. Cabrera SS
3. Alonso 1B
4. Quentin LF
5. Headley 3B
6. Forsythe 2B
7. Guzman/Denorfia RF
8. Hundley C
Who is going to write the check to extend him a contract? Their ownership right now is practically a ghost ship I doubt Byrnes has the authority to extend Quentin a contract right now.
The team should be sold in the next couple months, O’malley, Tull and Cohen, the three finalists all have enough money to sign him if they don’t try to flip him by then. Don’t they get like 30 mil a year or some big amount like that in revenue sharing? The team payroll is only 55 mil they have to have some money….
Wouldn’t mind seeing Lego Man in the short right field of PNC. Easier on him defensively and he could give Pedro the protection he really needs in the order. Plus the power we lack would be a welcome change to say the least.
Charlie Morton and another pitching prospect for Quentin? I think that would be a fair deal.
Suuuuuurrrreee bigpat, they would love a guy with an almost 5 ERA, a 1.5 WHIP for a player who averages 25 HR’s a year……great idea…….send that one in your fantasy league also
Yeah the bucs would have to give up more than Charlie
” If Quentin is healthy the Padres may come out ahead this summer and trade him for better prospects than the ones they surrendered to acquire him.”
Uh, I don’t think the Padres are “coming out ahead”. They just paid him a pro-rated $2+ Million to sit on the DL for 50 games.
Could see the Pirates going after him but I would rather spend/trade for a potential 1B with some power. I would like to see the Bucs go after Anthony Rizzo. We may have to give up someone like Marte and a few other prospects, maybe a SP in our current rotation but overall would be worth it to gain a longterm 1B with power and average.
Wouldnt Be suprised if the Orioles go after him.
Bundy for Quentin =)
Quentin needs to stay. I thought this move was a little unnecessary in the off-season, but with Blanks down and Guzman struggling, the Padres could really use a power-bat in LF.
Braves could use him, time for Heyward to break out or plan B at least for now