In his latest Padres mailbag, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune runs down a number of trade-related topics, beginning with taking stock of the team’s top chips. Lefty Brad Hand’s name has already surfaced as an early trade candidate, and also calls infielder Yangervis Solarte perhaps the likeliest position player to be dealt by San Diego. Lin also notes that after absorbing significant money in the trades of James Shields, Matt Kemp, Melvin Upton and others, the team isn’t interested in taking on a bad contract as a means of coercing a trade partner to surrender young talent. Unsurprisingly, Lin goes on to note that the Padres remain on the hunt for a longer-term option at shortstop. Allen Cordoba has hit surprisingly well for a 21-year-old making the jump directly from Rookie ball, but Lin suggests that the Friars don’t yet feel he’s ready to be an everyday MLB shortstop based on a small sample of work at the plate (and an even smaller sample at short).
More from the Senior Circuit…
- Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch spoke to Cardinals GM John Mozeliak about the team’s decision to option struggling outfielder Randal Grichuk to Class-A Adavanced Palm Beach as opposed to Triple-A Memphis. Mozeliak indicated that the drop to Class-A ball was about the specific people in Palm Beach with which Grichuk could work and also perhaps about trying something different with a player that has twice been optioned back to Triple-A in the past. “My feeling is, you’ve always heard me say the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and hoping for a different outcome,” said the GM. “This is no different, so I really felt like we had to do something different here, and it’s outside the box, but he’ll work with (offensive strategist) George Greer for a week or so and see how things go.” As Goold also notes on Twitter, with extended Spring Training still in progress in nearby Jupiter, Grichuk will also have the opportunity to rack up extra at-bats on the back fields.
- Despite the fact that right-hander Robert Gsellman will move to the bullpen in the near future when Steven Matz and Seth Lugo join the rotation, the Mets still view him as a starting pitcher in the long term, writes Danny Knobler for MLB.com. Manager Terry Collins expressed firm belief that Gsellman will be a “quality starter” in the Majors, but for the time being he’ll be relied upon to help in the ’pen. Gsellman will still get at least one more start this weekend, Knobler writes, and Collins pointed out that the righty could even return to the rotation in 2017 when Zack Wheeler’s innings count climbs to the point where the Mets need to cut back his innings.
- Braves GM John Coppolella chatted with FOX’s Ken Rosenthal about James Loney’s abbreviated tenure in his organization. Loney was signed almost immediately in the wake of Freddie Freeman’s wrist fracture, but he was granted his release four days later after the Braves landed Matt Adams from the Cardinals. Coppolella tells Rosenthal that the Braves were not yet engaged with the Cardinals in trade talks when Loney was signed and wasn’t sure the Adams deal would get done even after negotiations with St. Louis kicked off. The Atlanta GM added that Loney was offered the option to remain with Triple-A Gwinnett and showcase for the other 29 teams, but Loney and his reps elected to once again explore the open market.
I think after struggling outfielder you forgot to put Randal Grichuk. Not being a grammar nazi lol, just figured I’d throw a heads up.
Mets are not even considering going with a six-man for a few weeks? Wheeler has been much more crucial to the Mets than what was anticipated, it would be difficult to shut him down in September if they climb back into the race.
I guess Gsellman will help ease the overworked bullpen, but he has much more value pitching as a starter than a reliever.
As a Dodgers fan the FO use of the 10 day DL will soon become a model of how to limit and control innings of young, injured and rehabbing pitchers. Not sure why a team with as much starting pitching depth and reliance on those guys wouldn’t emulate a similar model. Whether the Mets are in or out of the race quality innings from starters and good health hold more value to the club. I think they’d love to rid themselves of Harvey by now. And am extra day would seemingly increase his velocity.
Problem is, you need a ton of depth to manipulate the 10-day DL the way the Dodgers are. They have like 7-8 starters they can use.
I wonder if MLB will crack down on these “phantom DL” stints sooner or later.
I’ve thought the same thing. But ultimately MLB office wants shorter games and more well played games for audiences pleasure. This 10 day DL seems to be offering it the way Dodgers are using it. Where you used to have guys pitching on 3 days rest and bullpen arms throwing 4 days in a row, you now have a spot starter for the rotation immediately followed by a fresh bullpen arm
MLB is already in discussions with the MLBPA about requiring medical reports prior to approving DL stints. While that wouldn’t keep teams from manipulating the 10 day DL to minimize games missed for starting pitchers, it would require an actual injury that was treated by the medical staff.
The MLB already calls on medical reports and asks for them if they feel something amiss. The issue is through a 162 season no one is ever 100%. So saying they are “phantom DLs is usually inaccurate.
Yet most injuries are of the nature that players would play through under the old rules. The Dodgers essentially have to already have documentation perfectly to even consider pulling this off. So it really does nothing besides just the appearance of exact transparency. The stigma of visiting the training room is no longer as prevalent now. Not much can actually be changed, because you can’t really really prove how tight or tick tack an injury is beyond the fact that treatment is required. It also doesn’t behoove MLB to call wolf in the off chance that a seemingly minor injury turns out to be significant.Now if it’s absolutely egregious and the paperwork is fumbled, better believe swift action would be taken.
There is extensive documentation required to put a player on the DL.
Why not just have Wheeler in the bullpen when Lugo-Matz come back?
Becasue wheelers been great since he’s come back.
I’d say good- not great. His pitch counts are still too high.
And his innings limit is coming up v soon.
Given Wheeler’s pitches per inning, I think his innings limit may have to be revised downward…
The team considered it but Wheeler takes much longer than the average pitcher to get warmed up, according to Mets’ pitching coach Dan Warthen. There’s also a lot of dpubt within the organization on his ability to pitch on irregular rest, especially on consecutive days.
Padres should play cordoba at ss. See what you have in him. He can flat out hit. Its not like we are gonna win it all
Its weird they have played him in the OF far more than SS. They need help in both spots so its strange he hasnt been used more there. Maybe they think his glove wont play there
Maybe they move cordoba to ss when dickerson or jankowski come back.
The reasoning given by Andy Green as to why Cordoba gets mostly OF reps is that its hard enough for a 21yo with no experience above rookie ball to hit in the bigs, let alone hit and play arguably the most premium defensive position on the field.
I agree he needs more reps at SS, but I also understand the rationale for limiting his time there. You don’t want to lower his confidence by sending him out everyday to commit excessive amounts of errors. They have plenty of time to see what they have in him at SS because he can play there for the entire year in 2018 in AAA once he’s satisfied the rule V requirements..
He’s a dreadful shortstop and the Padres have acknowledged this. They believe it would hurt his development as a hitter to also try to teach him to play short at the major league level. They’ve been working with him before games but Green says he won’t put Córdoba in during games unless it’s necessary.
He was in rookie ball before this year? It’s pretty amazing that he is hitting so well in the majors. It looks like he only has 3 starts at SS, so would be hard for anyone to tell if he can handle the position. More likely that the Padres are giving Aybar and now d’Arnaud lots of starts there to see if they will be good trade chips come July.
He played in the Appy league last year about 5 levels from the big leagues so its impressive to say the least that he’s performing so well. Coming into the year I would have been happy if he hit above .200 and stuck on the roster, let alone contributed.
However, he did slash .362/.424/.495 last year and the year before that won the GCL MVP and batting title, so he’s always shown the ability to hit, albeit in the lower levels of the minors.
What he hasn’t shown in rookie league is the ability to field at SS. While fielding % is a weak stat, he committed 17 errors in both of his last seasons and wound up with .933 and .936 respectively as fielding %s. Scouts say the range, arm, and athleticism are there to play SS, but he’s just super raw. He was having his share of struggles at SS in rookie league, he’s way over his head playing there for the Pads.
Boston would be a perfect fit for Solarte with his ability to switch hit and play second/third and DH but I highly doubt Dombrowski deals with Preller anytime in the near future.
That’s good guess
No, it’s a horrible guess. I’m still waiting for you to tell me what significant trades Preller should have made last offseason but didn’t.
Preller lol
No answer? Didn’t think so. Preller can trade with whoever he wants.
He can trade yea like Jedd Gyorko for Jon Jay any 10 year old can make that deal
1. Yes and he can make real trades (not salary dumps) like trading Brad Hand for prospects. It has been written.
Of course dombrowski will deal with preller
Espinoza needs TJS
Rea needs TJS
we have 2 TJ recipients
Life is not fair
I hope so because I could see Boston having interest in all of Solarte, Hand, Buchter and Maurer.
I know Preller really wanted Groome in last year’s draft but he didn’t want to take him with the 8th overall selection, he wanted him at 24 where the Padres eventually took Potts because Groome was already swooped up.
Maybe he can conjure up something to circle back and get him a year later. I’d obviously want to Padres to inquire on Devers as well but that would have to take 2 of the 4 names mentioned above and I doubt SD wants to trade their assets in groups. Better off selling them individually so you can cherry pick prospects from multiple organizations that fit what we are trying to do out here with this rebuild.
There isn’t one name in the four you mentioned that could headline the trade it would take to pry Devers away from the Red Sox right now, regardless of whether Peeler and Dombrowski are on good terms.
I think Hand Solarte gets Devers and a lower rated guy like Trey Ball.
Solarte Buchter or Maurer would bring back Groome and Trey Ball
I’m a Padres fan and I don’t even think that’s realistic.
No way Solarte Buchter/ Maurer get Groome let alone Groome and Trey Ball.
Hand, Solarte, and Cahill might get them to trade Groome as part of a package. But doubt Boston trades Groome for anything less. Devers, Groome, Ball, and Chavis for Solarte, Hand, and Cahill would be a good net for the Padres. They net two top 50 prospects while the red sox fill a need in the pen, rotation, and lineup.
Redsox might get away with not trading Devers, but the padres most likely can maximize their assets trade value by trading to different teams. Hand, Cahill, and Solarte would bring back more prospects dealt to other teams than to Boston.
Agreed. It’s absurd to think Solarte and Buchter would bring back Groome. If Preller pulled that off, the Boston fans would riot.
That kind of trade is not going to happen. Too lopsided
If Hand , Solarte and Cahill could get the Padres Groome, I am sure Preller would have already pulled the trigger. Of course with Cahill on the DL, that throws a wrench into that deal. I do not see any way the Padres could get both Groome and Devers unless it involved Myers and as a Padre fan, I would like him to stick around for a while.
Yangervis Solarte for Devers? That’s about as unlikely a trade as…I dunno… Mike Trout for mike Montgomery.
Never said Solarte alone gets Devers. I said Hand and Solarte get Devers plus a lower level guy like Trey Ball.
Why would Preller trade his 3 best assets just for groome and lower rated guys? Preller wouldn’t pull the trigger trading solarte hand and cahill in a package where groome is the primary piece. No doubt Preller is looking at easily Yankees Jorge Mateo and another prospect for Hand.
Hand to the Yankees Cardinals or Astros, Solarte to the Red Sox or Rockies, and Cahill to the Cubs or Indians if healthy nets far more assets then all 3 going to the Red Sox for Groome.
Wow, you’re funny
If Wil Smith alone who is the closest comp to Brad Hand from last year’s deadline was able to net Bickford who was the games 50th rated prospect and Andrew Susac then why can’t Brad Hand get Groome who is the 37th rated prospect this year. 13 slots behind Bickford and Boston wouldn’t have to throw in another piece like SF had to do by including Susac.
Why didn’t everyone riot for that trade like they would supposedly do if Hand for Groome happened. It’s literally the exact same trade
I could see Hand more likely going to a team like Washington or Houston instead of Boston.
Dombrowski absolutely will deal with Preller if one of our players fills a need and that’s where the value is. He tried to trade Preller for relief pitching in August (that was after the Pomeranz deal) and he knows MLB is keeping tabs on Preller so if anything trading with Preller is safer than trading with anyone else now.
Ok Peter Gammons
Yes. It’s much easier to post an irrelevant, snarky reply than actually try to come up with a legitimate argument isn’t it?
Here I was thinking Mo wouldn’t do it, and yet he did. Hope the move ends up working
Mo needs to send a few others with Grichuk to learn Baseball Fundamentals 101.