The Padres have released infielder Cory Spangenberg on the heels of this week’s DFA, as first reflected on the MLB.com transactions list. He’s now a free agent and is eligible to sign with any team.
The 27-year-old former first-round pick (No. 10 overall, 2011) debuted with the Friars back in 2014 and has spent parts of the past five seasons in the San Diego infield mix. However, after a mostly promising start to his career — .274/.330/.408, 107 OPS+ in 410 plate appearances from 2014-15 — Spangenberg’s bat has fallen off. He’s batted .251/.312/.384 (88 OPS+) through 868 big league PAs from 2016-18. The 2018 season, in particular, was tough on Spangenberg, as his OBP dipped below .300 and his strikeout rate soared to 32.8 percent.
Spangenberg has more than 1000 innings of MLB experience at both second base and third base, though he hasn’t graded out as a plus defender at either. Both Defensive Runs Saved and Ultimate Zone Rating peg him as roughly a scratch defender at second but a below-average third baseman.
The left-handed-hitting Spangenberg has been a solid bat against right-handed pitching throughout his career (.271/.331/.423), and paired with his respectable glovework at second base, he could at the very least function as a useful platoon piece in that role. Spangenberg won’t turn 28 until next March, though, so it’s certainly not out of the question that a change of scenery could help him tap into the potential he demonstrated earlier in his career. Any team that signs Spangenberg could control him through the 2020 season if he’s able to bounce back next year, as he’d remain arbitration-eligible next winter.
Rockies? He has to be better than Pat Valaika as a back up infielder.
Please release Janko next
If anything they need to release Asuaje or Pirela.
Why? Plus defender, speed, decent OBP… he’s a nice 4th/5th OF. Honestly would have rather cut Pirela or Asuaje than Spangenberg.
^^^^
Correct Tony.
trollforlife
He finally admits it
No way. Freddy is a solid 4th OF on ANY team. If anything he will have some trade value midseason.
I was at a game at AT&T earlier this year that SD would have lost if not for Janko’s defense.
Janko is an above average hitter, good speed, defense, and OBP.. Why would they ever release him?
He isn’t an above average hitter
That’s his flaw but can use his legs to leg out infield singles
Just like Getty’s
Below average hitter but has 4 tools
Jank? No
They need to release pirela
But, here is the thing, there are many teams that’s need a true center fielder and there are teams that would want him
Plus, he is the padres fourth outfielder.
Just a reminder the Padres drafted this guy. And Havier Baez was drafted one spot after him.
Giants should check in with the padres about the availability of Jankowski. They have a jam of OFers and will likely sell low. Giants could use an athletic LF with good defense to fill in for a year or two before Ramos is ready and to platoon with Gorkys and/or Slater.
Where will Harper play?
He’s playing second base after we non tender Panik, and will serve as the emergency closer just in case Melancon blows out his elbow or Strickland punches a wall.
Please get into something else like Barbie Dolls because your not good at sports
His what isn’t good at sports?
My not is good at sports is what he meant
Harper better be going to the Giants like you claim he will.
I heard ey is selling her Yankee memorabilia on eBay and buying all Giants stuff.
ey just applied for California citizenship.
Is she part of that caravan?
Why release him? At least try and outright him so that they can re-sign him to a minor league deal if no one else gives him a major league deal.
They can still do that, and he has enough service time to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency anyway.
I know all that. But doesn’t “releasing” a player as opposed to outrighting or non-tendering him mean you can’t re-sign him for like 6 months or something like that?
It does
They closed the book of spang
I can see bud blacks Rockies wanting him
No longer in the padres system
Seems like a good fit for the Tigers
That Padre fan last week wanted to center a Sonny Gray around Spangenburger! Wow I guess that’s not happening now.
That would have been a pretty odd suggestion considering the Padres have never had a player named Spangenburger. But it’s my understanding that the Yankees’ MO with Gray is to just get rid of him. So if no one offers anything better than the Padres, they will get him.
Isn’t he on spongebob?
Nah, that’s smitty werbenjagermanjensen
He was #1!
SpongeBob has a friend who is a jellyfish. Does ey know know about Smuckers secret life? Here’s the proof!
youtu.be/sXWtq9a9nd8
look out, here comes the spelling police… workin’ hard even during the thanksgiving holiday…
How about the Capital police?
Capitol
But you knew that.
You just want to be frisked.
ey in judgment
Slap the cuffs on
For my last meal..Concord grape & Scones
Scones?
Reminds me of the song Skin & Bones by the Kinks.
Good song from 1971
“Don’t eat no mashed potatoes,
Don’t eat no buttered scones
Stay away from carbohydrates
You’re gonna look like skin and bone.”
Could we have kippers for breakfast mummy dear, mummy dear
They gotta have em in Texas, cause everyone’s a millionaire
Supertramp-Breakfast in America, Great Album
Roger Hodgson!
Then like everything else you say you’re misinformed.. The Yankees want to move Gray for actual talented players not your trash. He can actually pitch just not well at Yankee stadium. Sort of like Tyson Ross except Ross pitched well in San Diego and worse everywhere else
Spangenburger was sarcastic but if you think Gray who has a very good arm, excellent road splits, former ace, and in his last year would get a player such as Spangenbeeg is guessing you too are a padre fan?
Is it just me or does anyone else assume he’ll be signed by the Dodgers and make an all star team.
He was picked just before Springer – nice job SD!
And he was picked before Jose Fernandez and Nimmo as well as right before Springer. Nice job San Diego Padres!
Thank you Jed Hoyer. Spangenberg, Karsten Whitson, Donovan Tate
f ck those first round draft picks from 08-12 really burnt us good
I’d still take Spangenberg over Fernandez.
Who wouldn’t? Isnt Jose dead?
Just sayin!
And would be spending the rest of his life in prison if he survived.
Wow! Thank you San Diego.
Picked before Mike Trout as well. FML
Definition of cherrypick: Criticize a team for one draft pick that didn’t work out.
How about doing a little research? You’ll find out this happens to every team, year in and year out. Somebody pointed out that Trout was passed on by the first 23 teams picking. Thanks 23 teams.
Simpleminded thinking.
Yankees
They don’t need any more ballboys
But wait we were supposed to include him in the Thor deal…said many pundits on this comment board
I kept saying nobody wants him or like 6 other guys that were in our starting lineup
But a few Padre fans on here headline trades with him though? Lol
All good fun
Orioles ought to take a flier.
This has Mets written all over it. Next reclamation project.
But I thought they were going to have Bryant play third base? Can Spangenberg pitch?
Well, according Cubs fans, Syndergaard is not worth Kris Byrant. Spangenberg can at least fill a super utility role ala Marwin Gonzalez. But don’t get me wrong, I would prefer Marwin Gonzalez.
Jed Hoyer now with the Cubs picked Spangy back in 2011. He showed flashes before that 2016 quad injury downrailed his career. Good luck in your next stop Spongebob.
No room on the roster with 2 top prospect infielders in the mix this year. Pirela and Asuaje need to exit stage left as well. Early on, Spangenberg had a little Chase Utley in him – quick twitch…just couldn’t ever stay healthy or put it together with any consistency. A couple of years ago he had a hot streak for about 2 weeks during which his OPS was only matched in MLB by Giancarlo over that time period – and this is while Stanton was on fire…However, Spangy promptly remembered that he was Cory Spangenberg and went back to being Cory Spangenberg. Wishing him well – played hard and showed flashes, but was not a difference maker in the least.
But I thought the Pads were going to trade him for Gray?!?!
What a draft 2011 was. Didn’t know the Padres directly caused the Astros to win the World Series by drafting Spangenberg right before Springer!
Interesting to see the Mariners, Orioles and Royals all MAJORLY whiffed…lots of interesting choices: Brewers and Mets directly passing on Jose Fernandez, Brewers and Dodgers directly passing on Sonny Gray, everyone passing on JBJ, Story, Fulmer and Snell.
Also interesting to note how top-heavy that 2011 draft was. Round 1 was awesome but round 2-on have been very poor results so far.
Check out the full list
baseball-reference.com/draft/?year_ID=2011&dr…::10
It was a good thing the Rays drafted Snell, because, with 6 of the top 60 picks, that’s all they got……most never got to AA, one’s got a good chance to be on death row……
27% of the first round picks from 2015, who need to be protected from Rule 5 this year, weren’t. And ALL ranked, at one time or the other, as one of their teams’ top 10 prospects……some were top 5……
Such are prospects……
In 2011, Tampa Rays had 10 of the top 60 picks. They chose Blake Snell with their 7th pick… 52nd overall. The others haven’t done much at all.
I would like the Angels to pick this guy up. He can be a platoon player at 2nd or 3rd for very cheap.
I wonder if this guy could turn into a Keith Lockhart type for the Braves. A LH pinch hitter playin 2B/3B once in awhile.
Would be a good fit for the Royals as a backup.
I wish I could remember the genius who claimed Spangenberg was going to net Sonny Gray from the Yankees a couple of weeks ago. Lolol Wrong!!!
He could be a good cheap pickup for the O’s
he must be due a big raise..
.754 ops isn’t quite solid in a platoon capacity to my mind.
Spangy can play. Not 3rd…he is 2nd base. Did not get fair shake in the AJ regime. Hope he goes to good team. Buddy or Bochy know him.
All this discussion you would think this was someone really amazing.
Last two years vs. LHP …
2018: .141/.167/.250
2017: 197/.233/.254
Total: 186 at-bats, 7 walks, 78 strikeouts
Nowadays, bench jobs are hard to come by. Teams have 8 position starters and 5 starting pitchers.. That’s 13 spots out of 25 already taken. Every team needs back up catcher, so we’re up to 14.spots taken. Teams like 8 relief pitchers in this the-more-the-merrier bullpen era.
That only leaves three bench spots for a guy like Spangy. His versatility will help him along with his ability to hit RHP. Spangy will find a job as someone’s 24th or 25th guy.
The Orioles would be a good fit for him, and the O’s could even use him in LF on occasion since they haven’t valued defense in that spot for about four decades! In Baltimore, Spangy could actually get 400 at bats.
Japan or bust