Padres president Mike Dee recently spoke to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal about the team’s future with new GM A.J. Preller. Here are the highlights:
- The Padres “never seriously considered” firing manager Bud Black despite the team’s struggles this season and the dismissal of GM Josh Byrnes, Dee says. He does note that it remains to be seen whether Preller will want Black to continue, but he expresses confidence in Black as a manager and he notes that Preller was open-minded during the interview process about keeping Black.
- Dee says he doesn’t have any directive in place that instructs Preller to make August trades. “That’s going to be up to him,” Dee says, noting that the Padres have both Ian Kennedy and Joaquin Benoit are under control for 2015. “It would have to be tremendous value,” says Dee.
- Preller does not view 2015 as a rebuilding year, Dee says. “A.J. is not looking at this like 2015 is a white-towel year while we restock the reservoir with talent,” says Dee. “He said very clearly yesterday (at his news conference) and he said to us privately, ’As long as you have the quality of pitching that we have, you have a chance to win every night.'”
Not waving the white flag? Dee’s really banking on Tyson Ross, Despaigne, and Hahn repeating their lofty numbers this year.
Preller is right and I’m glad he realizes what this team has. With an average offense this team is a contender for the postseason given its pitching. Ross has had back to back strong years so there isn’t a reason to really doubt him. I wouldn’t expect Hahn to keep up what he’s doing, but if he adds an effective third pitch he very well could, that curveball is one of the best in the majors. Despaigne is a number 5 starter and a very good one at that. You are looking at a rotation of Cashner, Ross, Kennedy, Hahn, Despaigne. With Erlin, Wisler, Weiland, Kelly, Roach etc. for depth and Tyson’s younger brother Joe Ross might be ready at some point next year as well (he was always said to be better than Tyson).
Nobody is expecting a repeat of the nearly record setting pathetic offensive numbers of the padres, so a bit of a downfall on pitching won´t be an issue.
He’s Mike Dee and he gets respect, your cash and your jewelery is what he expects
The padres are not getting better is the problem. Selling Ian Kennedy and Benoiut while there is a sellers market is how you get better. Somebody will over pay for those 2. Stock pile some prospects while you have a chance. The cubs will win a WS before the padres at this pace.
Getting a couple prospect bats for Kennedy & Benoit should be priority. Not going to be many FA bats wanting to come to SD.
First order of business should be to jettison the boat anchor that is Carlos Quinten.
If only someone would take Quentin off our hands…
Has anyone heard how his 2nd opinion on the other knee went? He may just retire if they tell him he needs surgery on the left after 3 on the right. We can only hope, right? Knock on wood.
Really, does he have relatives that are good hitters that are going to come in and score runs?