Here’s the latest from sunny San Diego…
- The Padres have interest in super-utilityman Marwin Gonzalez, The Athletic’s Dennis Lin reports (subscription required). Gonzalez’s versatility would make him an important figure on a roster with so many moving parts, with Lin suggesting that Gonzalez could initially play shortstop until top prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. is ready for the majors (likely early 2020 but potentially by late in the 2019 season). Once Tatis has been promoted, Gonzalez could be used all around the diamond. This multi-position ability, of course, will make Gonzalez a popular target around the league; earlier reports suggested that the free agent has drawn some interest from almost every team in baseball.
- Pitching is a big priority for the Padres this winter, though Lin has updates on two notable arms that didn’t quite fit into the team’s plans. The Friars were unwilling to offer more than three years to Nathan Eovaldi, who landed a four-year deal to re-sign with the Red Sox. Meanwhile, San Diego “has not placed a high priority” on pursuing Japanese southpaw Yusei Kikuchi. The Padres, like other west coast teams, had been mentioned as a logical suitor for Kikuchi given their closer proximity to Japan.
- While the Padres have had a long-standing interest in Marlins catcher J.T. Realmuto, their chances of trading for the All-Star could be limited. As outlined by both Lin and Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune, Realmuto is something of an imperfect fit for a Padres team that may not be planning to contend for another year, as Realmuto is only under contract through the 2020 season. As Acee notes, while the team may be open to Realmuto as essentially a rental (with catching prospect Luis Campusano perhaps ready to take over by 2021), that would limit what the Padres are willing to offer the Marlins, who have been unwilling to accept anything less than a sky-high return for Realmuto’s services. One scenario that doesn’t seem to be an option is the idea of San Diego acquiring Realmuto only to flip him elsewhere in another trade — Lin writes that the Padres value Realmuto as “a rare impact player” on their own roster.
- The Padres have reportedly been unwilling to discuss trading top prospects MacKenzie Gore or Luis Urias, though MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell feels Tatis is the only absolutely untouchable prospect. Gore, Urias, or any of the other blue chip talents in San Diego’s deep farm system could all be moved “for the right price,” and Cassavell feels the team would make such a move for a frontline MLB star (such as, for instance, Noah Syndergaard).
I know they always say “Think outside the box.” But with Preller, there is no box.
Preller doesn’t think. He just does. Basically the Trader Jerry of the NL West.
So he just STUMBLED into having presently the best farm system in baseball? Is that what you two really think?
Preller’s background is scouting; he has scouted well, obviously, and assembled a very good scouting staff. Even if Tatis turns out to just be average, that’s a hell of a get for James Shields, for example. Preller is just now starting to build out the analytics department for the Padres, which is where they’ve been lacking, so they could become Oakland or Houston rather soon. It’s a much brighter future now in SD than it was a few years ago, even with the awful Hosmer contract.
I disagree about it being an awful contract, Look at his last 3 years of WAR totals and look at Harper’s…
He is a clubhouse guy, everyone on his team dislikes Harper.
They will put up similar WAR totals over the next 4 years.
Will Harper win a gold glove in the future? Absolutely not.
Hosmer? Yes maybe even 2 or 3.
Its all hype and popularity and not facts. He only has to put 2.5 WAR a year to “earn” his contract “according to fangraphs”
Hosmer has averaged 1.4 WAR/year over the past 3 years…
That’s wrong, sorry dont know where your facts or math come from (your bum)
2 years ago he had a 4+ WAR season????
0.2 in 2016, 4.1 in 2017, -0.1 in 2018. Add that up = 4.2. Divide by 3 = 1.4.
But don’t let the facts get in the way of anything :}
Haha negative WAR????
baseball-reference.com/players/h/hosmeer01.shtml
says he posted 1.4 WAR last year???
It must feel nice to post false things and pretend they are true??
Where are your links??? Please ,please post it.
these are facts, not just stuff you typed…
Baseball writers (people a lot smarter than you) gave him MVP votes in 2017. But they just give those to anyone.
fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=3516&posit…
Im quoting baseball ref your quoting fangraphs.
Baseball ref is better.
1. My what is quoting fangraphs?
2. According to who is baseball ref better?
According to baseball writers, saber- metrics guys, (the people who actually enjoy “watching” baseball and know what they’re watching) etc.
Fangraphs is full of a bunch of hacks who get jobs as low-paid interns, doing grunt work…half of their articles in the past were literally 13-14 sentences. Look up a book called “how to lie with stats” that is basically what fangraphs writer’s do to get paid a very minimal salary.
Baseball ref is more widely used. Do they constantly beg for “donations”? Would they have to if their site was actually getting hits? Would be surprised if its still around in 5 years…
If you can’t understand the concept of negative WAR, then maybe you need to educate yourself. And everyone around baseball is still laughing about the Hosmer signing, a classic bonehead move.
@juicemane well that’s all your opinion bruh
Just remember you said that…we will see who the bonehead is…(with skin cancer too)
I understand negative WAR, but i watched almost every game and i know he is way better than replacement level.
Fangraphs formula is crap. Plain and simple.
Man, seriously with this? Like, 10 fangraphs writers have bed. Hired in the last two years to work for MLB teams; Houston had five former FG writers in their front office when the won the WS. Hosmer isn’t good; citing WAR and then also citing hold gloves is some cognitive dissonance I can’t even begin to parse.
Sorry for all the typos btw. Late night posting via phone is a bad idea
Yea but one has the best farm system and one has the worst…so polar opposites but ok!
If Preller wants to trade the whole damn farm system for a title, I say do it. But if it backfires he will most certainly be run out of town.
The main issue is he’s getting linked to guys who a) don’t fill needs for the Padres and b) are close to free agency. I just know that if he does trade for someone like that people on here will be all like “It’s ok, they can extend him!” cuz that worked out SO WELL with Freddy Galvis and Justin Upton.
Ownership recently extended his contract through 2022.
Pitchforks don’t think in concepts of time.
Now there’s an interesting viewpoint. Funny, too.
Kikuchi‘s good but being 5’11-6’ and injury prone scares me. Still better than Happ who went undefeated in the reg season and hapless in his lone playoff start for the Yankees.
Padres need to chill for 1 more season before they start trading away. Most prospects are still around 18-19 and not rule 5 eligible til about 2021. Signing Marwin Gonzalez and trading for Gray should be realistic maybe buy low on Stroman if available.
I agree. Sign Marwin, trade for Gray, and maybe sign Gio Gonzalez.
I don’t understand why teams don’t just trade prospects. Seems like the Padres and braves should just trade Mejia for Riley and both teams needs would be met.
That is a good question. In terms of your specific suggestion, Mejia is a better prospect and as a result of playing a harder to fill position, Mejia is a more valuable prospect than Riley.
It all boils down to money and controllable minimum contracts for smaller market teams.
Good idea, but Mejia should be Riley and another prospect like Allard.
prospect trades are really rare, for a lot of reasons, mostly to do with cost anymore.
The Padres are stacked in the top 10. For most teams the Padres #5 would be their #1 prospect. That is how good their farm system is.
Gore, Tatis, and Urias are not going anywhere. Neither is Morejon or Paddack (and possibly Baez). Gore is the best LHP prospect in baseball. Tatis is the best SS prospect in baseball. Urias is the best 2B prospect in baseball. No team would consider moving that level of prospect unless it was for a player that has proven they will definitely make a 5+ WAR impact for pitchers and a 6+ WAR impact for position players. Other than possibly Kluber(5.9 WAR), there are no players being mentioned as available in trade this offseason that are that level of player. The others are simply not good enough to warrant any of those top 3.
Morejon cost the Padres $22 million in July 2016, $11 million signing bonus and an $11 million fine. He saw increased velocity last season and touched 98. Until they see what he does at the higher levels there is no chance the Padres move him for less than a superstar.
Paddack is quickly becoming an untouchable for the Padres. Coming off TJ surgery, he put up a 2.10 ERA with 12.0 SO/9 and an incredible 15.0 SO/BB in 17 starts across A+ and AA in 2018. He is probably not going to see time in the majors until 2020, but a late season call up in 2019 is not out of the question.
That leaves one of the Padres top 7 that is likely available in trade. That would be Mejia. No one in the industry believes he will be a catcher for long. For now, he is the best catching prospect in baseball and that makes him extremely valuable in trade. Much more valuable than Austin Hedges, the Padres incumbent starter and perhaps the best defensive catcher in the game.
So if the Padres are going to make a big trade for one of those secondary talents like Syndergaard (4.0 WAR in 2018), if the team they are trading with wants MLB ready talent, the prospect that will be headlining the deal will undoubtedly be Mejia.
So with that in mind, what teams match up?
These are the words of a fan that clearly over values prospects. Do the Padres have a stacked farm system, hell yeah they do. Are all of these prospects going to pan out and become good MLB players, hell no. The time to trade some of these prospects is now, especially if they have any hope of contending in the near future. Even though Gore & Mejia are ranked higher than Paddack, Allen & Baez, Padres fans should prefer that they keep the latter three. For one, Gore & Mejia might fetch them more in any potential trade. Also, SP’s are at a premium right now and hard to find. With Paddack & Allen nearly MLB ready and Baez not far behind, Gore clearly becomes expendable, especially if the Padres could get a Noah Syndergaard and add him to what could become an all world rotation.
Syndergaard
Lamet
Paddack
Allen
Baez
Don’t get me wrong, there are other names that could be added to this list but imagine if this were the Padres opening day rotation in 2020. People would be calling this rotation one of the best in baseball.
Garrett Richards in there somewhere.
after not getting a segura or syndergaard deal done, everything else preller is rumored to be in on sounds uninspiring. especially JTR. don’t even bother with that. just pack it in and run with what is available now and see what can be done by the trade deadline.
Don’t sleep on the possibility of completing a Syndergaard trade yet. If the Padres are willing to deal Gore & Hedges, a deal could get done.
Reports have said the Padres are not willing to move Gore.
As a Padres fan, I would not oppose that deal, simply because TINSTAAPP but, man, Hedges has way more value than you think just by looking at the offense. It would be tough to just let him go, even for a young, somewhat cost-controlled TOR type.
If the Mets could get Austin Hedges, Manuel Margot & Gore for Syndergaard, the Mets should jump at the opportunity. The Mets could then flip Gore, along with Nimmo, for Corey Kluber. I think the Indians would accept that trade in a heartbeat. Now, with Kluber essentially taking Syndergaard’s spot, the Mets would need to plug the hole they would have created in RF after dealing Nimmo. A name that hasn’t been connected much to the Mets this off season but would be a logical fit is Andrew McCutchen. The Mets could get him on a 1 or 2 year deal. I think these scenarios make sense for all clubs involved and is completely realistic.
Gore is prospect, and no sure thing. Hedges is a glove only catcher, something like 97 OPS+ last year. Margot is just one season away from being a failed prospect. If the Mets will take that package for Syndergaard, it’s the Padres who should jump at it.
I agree. I think the trade is fair on both sides. The Mets still need a CF and catcher. Using Syndergaard to fill their holes is logical and economical. Also, the inclusion of Gore, a MLB Top 20 prospect, is truly the key to either flip him for an SP like Kluber or to just help boost a recently depleted farm system. With the money potentially saved in this deal, the Mets could then splurge on other holes to fill without spending stupid money.
Do they need a corner OF? They can have Myers, cheap.
A 97 OPS+ for a catcher who is the best defensive catcher in baseball is actually a pretty valuable player.
Again, the Mets trading Thor and trading for Kluber makes no sense. That is a lateral move and they’d have to give up more for Kluber than they’d get for Thor because of Thor’s injuries.
It may seem like a lateral move but in essence, it helps the Mets not only plug two holes but also get an upgrade in Kluber. I believe this would give Brodie Van Wagenen massive financial flexibility to fill the rest of the holes. If trading Syndergaard meant that the Mets could place Margot at CF, Hedges at C, Kluber in the rotation and possibly signing a player like McCutchen to play RF, it would be the beat lateral move in baseball history. Just saying.
They wouldn’t be plugging two holes! They would have to give up MORE to get Kluber than they got for Syndergaard!
This is why getting Mackenzie Gore from the Padres is crucial. A package of Gore & Nimmo for potentially one season of Kluber is a no brainer.
Padres aren’t trading Gore. He’ll be Noah Syndergaard in three years anyway. Fits their timeline better.
I’m basing that on the article attached to MLB Trade Rumors.
Okay, let’s say the Mets got their hands on Mackenzie Gore. Are you telling me that a package of Gore, Nimmo, David Peterson and Mark Vientos wouldn’t get a deal done??? It absolutely would. The Indians want two things in a Kluber trade. A young, controllable OF(Nimmo) & a Top Prospect(Gore). If the Indians wanted more, the Mets could throw in the 2 additional prospects to sweeten the deal.
I think they’d rather just keep Thor and trade Nimmo, Peterson and Vientos to fill the needs that they would be filling by trading him in your scenario.
You’re probably right and I would have no problem with that. I’m just excited & eager to see what Brodie Van Wagenen has up his sleeves. As Mets fan, I haven’t been this intrigued and excited by a GM since Omar Minaya.
That trade would be awful for the Mets. You are undervaluing Nimmo big time. They wouldn’t trade Nimmo and an elite prospect like Gore for Kluber, after just trading Syndergaard. How terrible! Now they would have a major hole in the OF because Magot is awful.
You’re either not understanding and/or overvaluing Nimmo in a way that I’ve never seen before. How could I possibly be under rating Nimmo who has “one” good season under his belt??? Even if Nimmo had hit 60 HR’s with a .350 average in 2018, I still wouldn’t be under valuing him because the man has no track record. Anyone and I mean ANYONE could have one good season. Just look at Brady Anderson. With that said, did Margot have a bad season in 2018, yes but is he still young, talented & possess the potential to develop into a good major league player…….the answer to that is yes as well. Austin Hedges would be LEAPS AND BOUNDS better than d’Arnaud & Plawecki behind the dish. And finally, Mackenzie Gore. He may be an elite prospect but he’s nowhere near major league ready and Brodie Van Wagenen clearly wants to win now, not in 3 or 4 years. If the Mets could get Kluber, who with his 2 Club Options is technically club controlled for 3 seasons as is Syndergaard, the Mets would be in better shape with Kluber rather than Thor. Kluber is the superior SP between the two. And God forbid we trade Brandon Nimmo, I must of not seen his Mike Trout like performances. Give me a break. There are plenty of OF’s available both on the FA market & trade market to replace him. Let’s say the Mets traded both Syndergaard & Nimmo and were able to end up with Kluber, Hedges, Margot & Andrew McCutchen, you’re telling me the Mets wouldn’t be a better team??? Short answer is, they absolutely would be.
1. McNeil
2. Margot
3. Cano
4. McCutchen
5. Conforto
6. Alonso
7. Rosario
8. Hedges
I’m sorry but from top to bottom, not only is this lineup much more balanced than last years lineup but the Mets defense would be dramatically improved.
@Danny B.
You’re weakening the team with your proposal subtracting very high OBP with very low OBP (Nimmo vs. Margot) and then batting a career .300 OBP second. Mets already have Lagares under contract who has exact same career OBP and a gold glove.
You’re replacing 26 y.o Syndergaard with 3 years of mid-30’s Kluber at 17-18 mil per., age 33, 34, 35.
Mets could sign a free agent catcher who provides solid defense and hits. No need to trade Syndergaard for defensive specialist and really have not much to show for such a trade.
Basically your Syndergaard trade leaves the Mets little to show for it.
Brady Anderson was juicer using him as comparison is reach
Maybe……or is it???
Really? Brady Anderson juiced? What’s the proof?
Sounds good and all but don’t see Cutch as the answer for the Mets – past his prime etc. More sense to send Rosario + prospects direct to Mia if they could ever pull off a Machado. Manny likes NY and Brodie clearly sees value in 10yr deals – and sarcasm aside, Manny would finish a 10yr at the same age they’re picking up fresh with Cano
Out of the padres top 5 prospects Mejia and Urias might me the only ones worth trading. Keep Tatis,Gore, and Paddack. Mejia looks better than i thought at catcher aside from a few passed balls and wild swinger he looks like a good one. Urias has a great eye at the plate,gets on base and gets hits. Ranked at # 26 and #27 on top 100 both are prime trade bait. Only reason id consider Moving Urias for a top pitcher is because theres always 2b options in FA.
Urias is in the “keep” category. If they trade him who plays 2B?
Theres always 2b options in Free agency. Marwin Gonzalez,Mike Moustakas
If that’s the game you wanna play it makes more sense to sign Dallas Keuchel and keep Urias. Neither one of the guys you mentioned is as good as Urias and Mike Moustakas isn’t even a 2nd baseman.
I like Urias but if including him in a deal for Corey Kluber is what it takes then you do it.
No, you don’t trade your Major League ready top 50 prospect at a position of dire need in the middle of a rebuild
Aren’t you the same guy whos suggested more than once in order for the Padres to move Wil Myers they would have to attach Gore or Tatis lol. Kluber was worth 5.8War last season he wont come cheap.
How does that have anything to do with this thread?
Padres have other prospects (and high upside young players that don’t technically qualify as prospects) they could use to get a Kluber deal done. Logan Allen (their #8 prospect) would be #1 in several other farm systems.
So your willing to include the #2 or #13 prospect in the game just to get rid of Myers and his contract? Klubers is a CY young pitcher to say Urias is off limits is kinda crazy. Logan Allen wont headline a deal for Kluber hes more of a secondary piece.
I didn’t say I was willing to do it. I said that’s what it would likely take.
Mejia, Morejon or Baez could headline a Kluber trade.
That exactly what you DONT do.
In order to move Myers attaching top prospect or 20-30 mil is only way
Why would Padres want soon to be 33 year old pitcher coming off 96 loss season. Get real.
Preller taking a lot of heat. Everyone reacting as though he is going to trade all his top prospects for players that just aren’t worth it.
Its as though some fans think; this guy led his team to presently have the best farm system in baseball. But really the guy is an idiot who drunkenly stumbled onto all these prospects and hit the accept button.
I think Padres fans and the rest of baseball fans should give the guy a little credit and maybe even start at the point that he ISN’T a moron and just might be able to navigate this ship into contention.
As a Padre fan I do give Preller credit.
He has built the best farm system in the game after being made fun of by the whole league for what happen in 15’ Rockstar GM- was not memorable but he did take those lemons and turned them into lemonade.
How?
Shields signing- complete disaster. Rebounded by trading him for Fernando Tatis Jr.
Derek Norris- Preller grabbed him in the spree in which he was eventually dealt to Washington for Pedro Avila Padres #27 overall prospect. Norris- not in the league currently.
Buchter, Cahill, Maurer (all who are gone) to Kansas City for Estuery Ruiz #12 overall prospect and Matt Strahm who pitched to a 2.08 era out of the Padre pen in 18’.
He wouldn’t have done all of this to turn around and start trading these prospects for veterans again. Preller will let this thing grow organically but will trade what he has to in order to get what he needs. Trading for Galvis wasn’t ideal last year because we lost a very good arm for a guy who was on a 1 – year deal, but it showed that if there is a need Preller will fill it however he has to.
Matt Strahm was 1 good trade
What was Shields for Tatis Jr. Was that a bad trade for Preller?
Rodney for Paddack
Cashner for Naylor
Norris for Avila
Hand for Mejia
Solarte for Olivares
All of the returning players are top 30 prospects exchanged for players who are struggling to hold down roster spots or who are currently free agents.
Give Preller credit, he has flipped just about everybody possible for quality.
It isn’t one good trade. He has a handful of good deals.
Didn’t know Brad Hand was struggling to hold down a roster spot.
In any event, I don’t know why people bother responding to trollforlife anymore.
Hand was acquired as a waiver claim. Essentially they acquired a two-time All Star for nothing.
Exactly Bleacherbum, the guy gets no credit for what he’s done over the past few years. Every GM makes mistakes, and Preller has certainly made some mistakes. The problem is people only look at those things and continue to bash the guy and the team as a whole.
I’ve personally been enjoying this rebuild and I want to think they won’t start completely messing with the process now when they’re getting close to contention.
Credit for being 100 games under .500 as GM and being suspended yea let’s give him cookie. Going on 5 years and just prospect talk
So what should the Padres be doing in your opinion? Fire Preller?
Actually, yes.
1) The medical records scandal was a total sleazebag move, and the 2nd time he’d been suspended. In a well run organization there would have been accountability.
2) After 4 years as GM there is not one player on the 25 man roster who is a solid, above average major leaguer.
3) All the big money moves have been disasters: Kemp, acquiring Kimbrel and Upton, Shields, Myers extension, Hosmer contract. This track record does not suggest a GM who can judge ML talent.
Do you know the details of the medical records incident? If you did, you wouldn’t be calling it a scandal.
The first suspension was because he talked to a player at a non-approved field in the Dominican.
Meantime we’ve seen major sanctions against St. Louis, Boston and Atlanta, and a growing grand jury investigation of several teams shady dealings on the International front.
sports.yahoo.com/sources-federal-grand-jury-invest…
The moves you mention in #3 were directed by ownership. I can’t honestly say why Hosmer was signed; he’s not good. Maybe that was ownership too? Or pressure by the MLBPA to ensure a salary “floor”?
There are players on the 25-man roster who are solid, above average MLB players: There were five Padres that put up 2+ WAR last season, which is basically what you describe as “solid or above average.” Franmil Reyes also put up about 2 WAR in half a season.
Have someone else take over and make trades Preller can’t get anything done put him in charge of prospects
As a Mets fan I would accept will Myers if it meant I was getting Mejja,Urias and 1 of Gore,Paddack or Allen back for Syndergaard. Than trade Nimmo,Urias and Peterson to Cleveland for Kluber and Zimmer.
Sign Pollack,Miller and Robertson. Play Myers in Rf and if Alonso can’t handle ML pitching than Myers can go to 1b and Pollack goes to Rf,Zimmer to Cf with Conforto in Lf..
That would be a pretty severe overpay for Syndergaard
Mets aren’t trading Thor then trading for Kluber!!!!!!!!!!!!
Padres just need to be patient. Paddack looks to be an ace in the making.
I’d deal prospects to get Hosmers contract off the books though so you can make a push to a sign arrenado next off season.
Morejon, Reed, Arias, Allen to move Hosmer.
I’d like to think the Padres have a plan for this off-season and any smart GM would inquire about any player they are interested in just to see where things go.. I would guess Tatis JR is the only untouchable prospect, but if he makes Gore, Urias seem untouchable perhaps another team will try to overpay…..
Preller isn’t going to mortgage the future to win now. The top six prospects in the Padres farm system are not going anywhere. Syndergaard is staying with the Mets, so the Padres need to look elsewhere for rotation pieces.