At this point in the offseason, when the free agent market features impact players capable of improving any club, it’s easy to forget that some teams can’t rely on free agency — especially not in early November, when asking prices are high and bargains have yet to emerge. Padres general manager Josh Byrnes is considering free agents, but at this point he ranks free agency third in importance behind trades and developing internally.
“Is it going to happen through trade or free agency or patience? Probably a little bit of all, but probably not as much in free agency as some people think,” Byrnes told MLBTR at the GM Meetings in Indian Wells.
Six of the Padres’ starting pitchers — Cory Luebke, Andrew Cashner, Anthony Bass, Casey Kelly, Joe Wieland and Robbie Erlin — recently dealt with injuries, which makes it difficult to project the 2013 rotation (Wieland and Luebke are recovering from Tommy John surgery). The Padres could look to obtain some certainty by supplementing their rotation with free agents. If they do pursue players on the open market, they might choose to do so relatively late in the offseason. Often team-friendly deals emerge in January or even February.
“That’s certainly recent history,” Byrnes said. “When I was in Arizona we signed guys like [Adam] LaRoche or [Jon] Garland late in the offseason. The early offseason is usually the heavyweights financially but we have to stay active and know what’s out there and, as I said, be patient and disciplined.”
Byrnes said the Padres will remain flexible in case the unexpected occurs and it becomes advantageous to change plans. For now it doesn’t sound as though those plans are oriented around the free agent market.
I could easily see Joe Blanton ending up in a Padres’ uniform next year. Just a matter if the Padres are going to spend $4-5M/year to acquire a middle of the rotation starter or just be bottom-feeders.
I pass on Blanton…and I dont think Byrnes takes a chance on someone as hittable as Blanton. All that offense in Philly protected him. That wont be the case in San Diego, where he will have to learn how to hold 1 and 2 run leads. And I dont have a lotta faith in his ability to do that.
I have a feeling Byrnes has something up his sleeve (trade).
I would agree. There’s a sameness to this team that warrants some change if not drastic change, despite improvement with their offense. And Byrnes does a good job of saying things to keep him and his intentions off the radar. And then he strikes. The Mat Latos trade was a decent comparison right?
Spend like a AA Club, they perform like a AA Club! This is not Rocket Science! LOL
yeah, because you know oakland shovels out the money:))
The Oakland A’s gave out more total money to Cespedes last year than the Padres have ever awarded to a new free agent. Believe it or not, the most the Padres have ever spent on a free agent contract to a new player is the $11.5 million they gave to Orlando Hudson (including his buyout). Cespedes got $36 million last year.
The A’s actually had a slightly lower payroll last year – $52 million vs. $55 million.
The A’s actually spent more money last season than the Padres once you factor in midseason payments to Drew, as well as his 2013 buyout they were on the hook for. My point was that the Padres absolutely refuse to spend in free agency, while the A’s were more likely to do so (while getting by with more rookie contracts since they actually produce players).
trade grandal for hellickson
When Josh Byrnes was our Dbacks GM… he just Ruined the organization…. and he Let some simbolic Players go as Luis Gonzales or Randy Johnson(he was usefull)
Made to many bad trades
Randy Johnson after leaving the Diamondbacks: 96 IP, 4.88 ERA, retirement.
Gonzo was 39 when they let him walk. Come on…
Really it was only one REAL bad trade. Also, Byrnes brought Johnson back to Arizona after he had player in NY…not sure your complaint there.
New TV deal for the Padres = no significant free agent and no extension for the team’s best player. If that’s the case, we should just contract the franchise already.