The Padres are “determined to add a starter,” according to Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin of The Athletic. With a slew of young pitchers comprising the Friars’ current rotation—Joey Lucchesi, Eric Lauer, and Chris Paddack—and the addition of Manny Machado driving the team’s desire to win now, San Diego is a natural fit for a veteran starter to anchor an otherwise inexperienced pitching staff. Dallas Keuchel, of course, remains unsigned and fits the profile, though he and agent Scott Boras have remained firm on their asking price, which the Padres have thus far refused to meet. Rosenthal and Lin also mention Blue Jays right-hander Marcus Stroman as a potential trade target. Stroman, who endured a disappointing 2018 campaign, remains a strong candidate to be traded at some point this season, though it remains unclear just how quickly the Padres plan to move in their hunt for a starter. As Rosenthal and Lin note, trades this early in the season are uncommon, though Keuchel remains on the table for the Padres if they can reach a compromise on the price tag.
Here’s the latest from around baseball…
- Following the revelation that MLB teams award a belt to the team that best suppresses its players’ arbitration salaries, several players—including Jameson Taillon, Chris Archer, and Anthony Rizzo—offered their thoughts on the news, in pieces from Nubyjas Wilborn of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and Gordon Wittenmyer of the Chicago Sun-Times. Rizzo and others provide insight into the shaky relationship between the players and owners, also commenting on the possibility of a work stoppage when the current CBA expires.
- Mariners manager Scott Servais said that reliever Hunter Strickland, who suffered a grade 2 lat strain and was recently placed on the 10-day IL, will be out “at least a couple months,” per Greg Johns of MLB.com. In the meantime, then, it appears that Servais and the Mariners will adopt a committee approach to the closer situation, though the current bullpen options for Seattle are not particularly inspiring, with Cory Gearrin at the forefront of a thin group.
- Rockies fans may have had some concerns after right-handed pitcher Jon Gray left Sunday’s start against the Marlins in the seventh inning after meeting with the team’s trainer on the mound. However, Nick Groke of The Athletic tweets some good news for Colorado, as Gray was merely experiencing calf cramps and is expected to be ready for his next scheduled start.
im curious just how Keuchel’s throwing program will allow him to transition into the regular season. i think the Phillies should take another look.
Players have throwing programs over the offseason leading to ST and yes.. Boras had had his people that signed late by holding out at his supposed MLB quality training camp work there before. He supposedly also has several of his no longer playing former clients acting as coaches, but we have also seen some of these late sign guys start off awful, even after they have began the season in the minors, which all will for near certain.
These camps offer no competition to play against, or team mates to play with in games. he may have a college, HS, or semi pro kid to throw to every few days and a former MLB player.. Maybe even pitching coach acting as an adviser to him who may have differing opinions than what the team who eventually signs him want him to do.
This camp of Boras’s was always over rated. having it during strikes was 1 thing and a place for fitness equipment during the winter possibly another. What it’s being hyped as now as a plus is wrong on all accounts.
I would have to say it is seriously overrated. Stephen Drew and Kendrys Morales were both Boras clients that used his “camp” to prepare for the season when they held out. Both of them stunk up the field when they did eventually sign.
It might be different for a pitcher but I would think it would be a bit tougher for them to prepare. You can’t simulate the stress of being in a 3-2 count with runners in scoring position.
The camp itself did start off as a good idea, that 1 strike year, or maybe was a ST lockout (can’t remember which) and boras brought his players to it and had the foresight to put it together the winter prior in preparation.
The continual use of his in the media as a preparation point for unsigned players has to be a laughing point with FO people and only scores points with gullible fans and media types who are willing to soak up and print anything.
Speaking of Paddack, looked really good his first time through the lineup… second time through, pitch count is getting up there and he is having some struggles putting away hitters when he is ahead in the count. Really going to need to develop that third pitch…. Regardless, good looking start to his career, just going to need that third offering if he wants to stay in a rotation.
Tyson Ross and Jake Peavy back when they were pitching well for us relied on primarily two pitches.
Paddack started losing his command, and got fastball heavy. Saying he needs a third pitch to put away hitters is inaccurate, look at his minor league stats. His first few innings he dominated because of his impeccable command, not because hitters haven’t seen him before.
He needs a 3rd pitch. Fact
Are you angry over a 2 hit performance or what? Wait were you that guy I saw stressing out at the beach the other day? He was saying,”Overhead and not crowded, but the water is too cold!” Really guy you make Yankee Fans look like winners, oh wait, they are.
A third pitch can only benefit the guy. Makes it harder for a major league hitters.
Nobody said he needs a third pitch to put away hitters. You don’t even technically need a second pitch to put away hitter. But if you’re in a rotation and going through a lineup multiple times, to suggest having something other than a fastball/changeup wouldn’t help him…. is foolish. There’s a reason Paddack, management, scouts, etc have all continued to say he needs to continue to develop his breaking ball. Fastball/changeup (unless you’re pumping 100+ mph) will likely lead you to a bullpen role.
And I’m not sure what you mean Paddack got fastball heavy?? That’s the point I’m making. When you only have fastball/changeup…. yeah, you’re going to be fastball heavy. Also, not sure what you were watching…. his command was fine the entire game.
He threw seven curves today, four for strikes. Sandoval’s double was off the curve … and a pretty good one.
You still bore me you still bore all of us
Another Baseball Addict who clearly doesn’t work in baseball raining on a parade. Do you have a friend who is a scout or what? Whatever he is, he is probably pretending to respect you. Dude gives up 2 hits and your like: needs more. Needs more for what? To be unbelievably perfect? Know-it-alls like you need to realize it is a show, a fun game played to win. It’s not a quest to be perfect. 10 to 1 you don’t like Phil Rizzuto in the HOF over some dude with better stats. Too funny. Lighten up a bit and maybe you’ll get it.
Was Paddack that good or is SF that bad they looked old and slow..
Lmao! “The belt” conjures “reactions” now?
A scandal of TMZ Proportions.
Yes. It can easily be used as evidence of collusion. The belt literally goes to the team that paid the least amount of money in arbitration, or who won the most arb cases, or however you want to look at it. It’s supposed to bring a little levity to a stressful process but with everything going on with free agency, minor league salaries, delaying debuts to avoid super 2, low pre arb and arb salaries, it’s a terrible look for owners/teams.
Mariners might not need a closer if their offense doesn’t settle down.
I thought coming into the season the Mariners actually dont have a bad lineup. Its a respectable team
Why not sign Kimbrel, they traded Santana for an extra third so essentially it would be Santana for Kimbrel. And even the Mariners fall apart, they can trade him for more prospects.
I guess I didnt read the last article well enough…so team owners award each other a champ belt to the teams who beat players in arbitration cases? Is that right?!?!
Yup. It’s a silly fake plastic trophy of sorts for the team that depresses salaries the most effectively.
It probably seems silly, and would be, if baseball didn’t have a very real problem with how it’s profits are currently divided up.
Exactly was I was saying. it’s not the fact that they give out the belt that’s the issue, but the fact player salaries have gone down the past 2 years while the league profits are increasing every year
I know the players want more money but if they think a work stoppage is the answer, the whole game loses. Baseball is hanging by a thread now. The reaso it generates so much money from TV is all us old geezers are supporting it. The younger folks are paying more and more attention to football and basketball and even soccer. MLB players go on strike, I’m pretty much done with it and probably a lot of other older people hanging on to it. On that note, I just love the clueless talking heads for baseball who constantly spew nonsense that youths don’t play baseball now because it’s too expensive. Rubbish. I grew up poor with poor friends and we ALWAYS found a way to create or get a stick and a ball just like millions of Latin America kids do now. American kids don’t play baseball because it’s not cool like the other sports and they associate it with old people and money grubbing owners and players. A strike is the LAST thing in the world they need.
Same thing was said 20 years ago, as those kids aged they followed baseball more, basketball and football less, in my experience. Football has a murky future, the least secure of any the big sports.
It’s honestly hard for me to believe a league making record profits which are still growing annually is ‘hanging by a thread’.
And I’m sorry to say this, but the hard truth is the ‘old geezers’ will be dead soon, and if MLB doesn’t cater to the younger generation now, it’ll be all but impossible to replace them after they’re gone.
If baseball wants to attract the youth of America on a professional level, it has to stop paying absolute garbage at the entry level. If you can make 10 times as much as a rookie in football or basketball, why on Earth would the best athletes choose baseball?
Baseball has a lot of really outdated practices when it comes to player compensation, and the owners benefit the most from them, so the players will have to force change. And a strike is the most powerful means they have for it.
And quite frankly the fans should be siding with the players here. if this problem isn’t resolved, we as the viewing public will only see a gradual decline in the actual quality of what we’re being asked to pay more and more to actually see.
It’s not rubbish at all especially with the system that’s now in place. Comparing your stick ball games to today is somewhat not seeing the whole picture. The reality of the situation is that doesn’t really happen as in your heyday. Recruiting and scouting is mainly done through camp/elite tournament circuits now (your PG, PBR, UA circuit, etc….). Something that completely changes the game. It also somewhat makes the high school baseball season meaningless in that sense. You’ll see scouts/recruiters cross checking a name they’ve seen before, but they aren’t there in the big presence like they used to be, because generally it’s not a great measure. They’ll be in attendance to see a game on the highest camp circuits though, because of the actual level of competition. Even in Latin America it’s the same system just a different payee, the exception being handlers footing the needs instead of parents. If you work the circuits, you’ll realize how insanely expensive it truly is. Baseball is also hindered by the scholarship rules.
Parents have a lot involved in this whole conversation. They aren’t saying go outside and play like they used too. There’s also a basic understanding that if my child has athletic abilities, and I want/need them to go to college, I’ll steer them towards the head count sports where I don’t need to shell out insane amounts of money to seek that exposure. The source of that exposure, in a similar system, is generally paid out for by shoe sponsorships (basketball) or (football) is a school summer system provided by the school in a sport that is sponsored strictly by the ncaa with a budget that far exceeds baseball.
If you want to say kids aren’t playing baseball, because it’s not popular well it’s your choice. That completely turns a blind eye as to the actual reasons why. The money grab absolutely killed little league/legion ball, Sorry to report no one is playing stick ball and they haven’t for a bit. The way the game has evolved and how it’s consumed is a concept people seem to ignore. What’s going to kill the game, which in no way is hurting, is the current system. A strike may lose some older fans, but the game needs to evolve while appealing to a new audience. I’m all for owners not giving out 7-10 contracts to 30+s, yet on the same token you better pay them younger and earlier. While also not seeing owners more focused on pocketing every buck they can when they possess 10-12 years of control over players for peanuts. You want baseball to succeed in “popularity” you make it less stuffy, let players be allowed to be themselves, and you put an exciting product on the field that’s closer to a even share for both parties. Heck crazy idea with the amount of profit being hauled in by the league maybe invest in Latin America countries baseball infrastructure and college baseball.
You nailed it Blue.
I would be pissed if they spent the money on an aging starter with mediocre numbers like Keuchel. Not to mention losing a draft pick. Let the kids play, there is no urgency to compete this year, we have time. Dinelson Lamet will be ready by mid season, as well as possibly Logan Allen and Paul Quantrill. Padres are heavy on pitching depth in the minors, use it. How are they going to pursue extensions for their young guys in the future with money wrapped in someone like Keuchel. We already are set to pay big money to Machado, Hosmer, Myers.
Lamet would be a nice mid-season addition. If I remember correctly, there is a chance that Richards may be able to pitch late in the season, which would also be a great addition for a possible playoff run.
It seems as though Stroman wants out of Toronto bad and he had some of his greatest success pitching at Petco in the WBC a couple of years ago. With his numbers being down last year, it will be interesting to see how long Shapiro/Atkins will wait before entertaining offers on Stroman.
Paul Quantrill retired in 2006.
Agreed. Keuchel kind of sucks. He was on a good team with a great offense. Also, he’s an Astro. How greedy and disloyal is the guy to leave one of the best teams for more money? That’s not what our National Pastime is about. Kudos to Aaron Hicks, Jose Servino, Mike Trout, Jacob DeGrom, and of corse Tony Gwynn for doing their part for our country by simply staying with the team they are known for being on. If every agent was like Boras this place would literally be less stable. What’s up with Boras anyway? It’s like he’s mad at his Father for being too poor for him when he was growing up. I don’t like his or Keuchel’s attitude. Sometimes I wonder when the next big holdout gets into a car accident or something and winds up in a wheelchair. Sooner or later it’s bound to happen.
What in the holy hell are you even talking about here? Tony Gwynn staying with the Padres was good for the country? Baseball would be “less stable” with more agents? This is the weirdest thing I’ve ever read here.
More agents like Boras. He is all about obtaining as much money as possible. That is not good for our country. Gone are thr days of the franchise cornerstone: Musial, Kaline, Kiner, Koufax. Now fans say goodbye to their greedy heros who are advised by even more greedy agents: Rose, Winfield, Kevin Brown, LeBron James – the list goes on. Geta new team is like getting a new Mom for the kids, a new family. Have some continuity people.
And yes, Tony Gwynn staying with the Padres was good for the country and inarguably good for San Diego. As for “Holy Hell” either you are Devil Worshipper or you don’t know much more about Christianity than you get presents every December. You’re probably from a broken home. Makes sense considering you don’t understand my concept here. By the way $50 says I cam kick your ass at Home Derby.
Musial, Kaline, Koufac, Kiner. None were able to pick where they wanted to work. They had to take whatever contract they were given. In no other industry is that a thing, and it’s a terrible restraint on the free market. Not sure how that is “good for the country.”
The rest of your response makes me realize this is some class-A trolling, or it’s April Fool’s Day, and if it’s the latter, good job.
Damn, son, that is some first-class stupidity, which is bad for our country.
Agents work for players. Players make the decisions. If Keuchel hasn’t signed, it is because he has rejected earlier offers—and I think it’s safe to assume there have been multiple offers for either fewer years or lower AAV than he feels he’s worth—but that is his decision. The agent does the talking for him publicly, but the player is pulling the strings.
First class stupidy? $50 says I can beat you at Home Run Derby. You probably got me at Fantasy Baseball though dude. Congrats
Why is it only the players who are greedy in your world? The owners make a fantastic amount of money because of these players, so it’s not like they can’t afford to pay them to stay. Seems to me letting them walk because it hurts the profit margins is a distinct lack of loyalty from the owners.
True loyalty is a two way street, after all. Blind loyalty is just stupid.
They can trade Myers, Paddac and Gore to the Rays for Roe and Kolarak.
R u on drugs? Gore is going to be an ace.
People and their trade proposals. Padres458, remember Padre fans have proposed a few lousy ones as well.
Bumgarner to Padres?
Bumgarner looks washed up. Velocity is way down. Plus he’s expensive. I suppose the Giants rode him a little too hard at a young age, but FFF and he’s a very wealthy man, but he’s probably close to done.
Bumgarner is on a one year 12 MM deal. That’s not really expensive. I wouldn’t trade for a rental if I were in SD’s shoes but that price isn’t a deterrent.
I forgot he signed a below-market extension. Still, Bumgarner doesn’t look so good these days.
TIL that 2 runs in 7 innings is “washed up”
Velocity way down. Peripherals aren’t looking good. Even a pitcher in decline can have a good game.
1.00 WHIP on the season so far
This post is a disaster. For one, you can’t use a hyphen when you mean to use an em dash, unless you’re trying to make some bizarre amalgamation of “Paddack-and” or “Rizzo-offered” like a hyphenated last name. Another one has to go between “win now” and “San Diego” because a comma won’t work there.
“In the meantime, then, it appears that Servais and the Mariners will adopt a committee approach to the closer situation, though…” if you’re going to lead off with “in the meantime” (a good choice), adding “then” is wholly redundant.
“Dallas Keuchel, of course, remains unsigned and fits the profile…” how about just “unsigned Dallas Keuchel”? Much less clunky and wordy.
“Stroman, who endured a disappointing 2018 campaign, remains a strong candidate to be traded at some point this season, though it remains unclear just how quickly the Padres plan to move in their hunt for a starter” can be much more succinct, and less repetitive:
“Stroman endured a disappointing 2018 campaign but remains a strong trade candidate, though it’s unclear just how quickly the Padres plan to move in their hunt for a starter” would be a start. Could probably even be more succinct.
It would behoove MLBTR to hire an experienced editor. I’m sure there are lots of editors, driven out of the newspaper biz because that market has been reduced due to sites like MLBTR, who would like to get back to work.
Why don’t you go find a site that pleases your editorial mind? The rest of us are quite happy with the way MLBTR is. ESPN has a ton of editors. I am sure you will be happier there.
The grammar on this site is really strange. These dudes get comma happy.
lost a job at a newspaper stand?
sounds like it bwhahaha
wtf are you talking about?!…1st off you said “biz”, an informal abbreviation for business aka slang which is true writers no-no which everyone knows duhhh!!! 2nd you said “clunky” which can only be used when referring to tangible objects in reference to taking up space or intruding shape; not intangible obejcts or wording where as being clunky cannot take up physical space or unwanted shapes….geez come on’ you rookie!!!
If you don’t like the grammer you’re going to freak out watching the players scratch their balls and spit during the National Anthem.
I’m curious. Even if some of your comments about the grammar have some validity, this isn’t Literary Review. It has a specific purpose, which is to get baseball-eager fans posts in as timely a fashion as possible. That’s a lot of ground to cover, and by and large, they do it well. It might make you feel better to raise these issues, but perhaps you should contact those responsible for content directly?
Dude. Lighten up.
On his deathbed, he can look back with pride at a life well spent correcting people who couldn’t care less about proper hyphen usage.
Wait until you see his Rotten Tomatoes and Yelp reviews.
Keuchel, advised by Boras, has every right to hold out for his deal as long as he wants to. It could cost him money, or make him some. The real risk for him is if he has to take a short term deal and his lack of game readiness costs him performance while he ramps up. That’s the problem with pitching. It take a while to work off bad outings, not just from a numbers standpoint, but from a manager confidence one. We will see.
Trying to shame or guilt the owners into spending more will not work, you have to beat them at the bargaining table.
If the players have confidence that Tony Clark will do a WHOLE LOT BETTER next time…so be it, but…
The Padres are “determined” to pick up a veteran starter? They just sent out four pitchers under 25, and every one pitched a minimum five innings, despite a 72 pitch limit for their first time out. They gave up a total of two runs in those four starts,
21-1/3 IP, 12 Hits, 2 Runs, 4 BB, 20 K and the biggest salary is Lucchesi at $565,100. Why would they want a declining veteran demanding 20 times that much plus multiple years, when the Padres have these four, plus 27 year old Matt Strahm pitching tomorrow, and have prospects Logan Allen and Cal Quantrill who just missed making the team waiting in the wings? Plus Nix and Kennedy are on the IL, but not forever.
Why sign a guy who wants multiple years when the Padres will have Dinelson Lamet and Garrett Richards back from TJS next year, plus the above pitchers all still under control, plus the next crop of prospects in Baez, Morejon, Avila, and Espinoza trying out next Spring, with Gore, Patino, and Weathers the year after that?
That’s three rotations plus three spares by 2021, not including low-A guys you never heard of making a splash, and the number 6 pick in the June draft. where will the Padres find the innings for all these guys?
They’re going to need at least 10 pitchers to start games to get through the season.
I 100% agree. I would just add that some of those pitchers can be trade bait along with any 1st base, 3rd base, catcher or ShortStop prospects. This must be how Yankee fans feel. With at least 4/8 of the lineup covered, prospects become tradebait for proven players. Finally, a real team, only to discover there are only like 4 or 5 other real teams. Looking at the Giants lineup this series, they have like 7-8 holes. Yhey have no outfielders who could make our team, they are stuck with an over the hill 15-20 homer 3rd baseman for 3 more years, Belt is so old he plays 1st, and Posey needs to play there too because he is getting too old. This is going to be fun.
I don’t think I have seen a fan base so sure their prospects are going to pan out than Padres fans.
Red Sox circa 4-5 years ago?
Cubs fans circa 2014…
And pretty much every other rebuilding team once they get past the obvious tanking phase….
If you count thw top 30 international prospects as a 1st round, the Padres have 20-25 first rounders throughout the organization, including Hosmer and Machado. I’m confident.
Good choice to add a veteran starter, although if dallas keuchel is still asking for a huge contract, I’d rather stick with the Padres rookle lineup than give in.. And yes while the Padres young rotation deserves some credit thus far, don’t get too jumpy. For one, pitch limitations on young pitchers, tougher lineups up ahead, and overall inexperience/difficult transition to majors despite potential. I will say and I didnt think about this before, new pitchers and hitters just entering baseball have one advantage where they haven’t been seen before aka pitches or how to pitch to, and therefore might have an easier time hitting/pitching. So they have one good year, but next year slightly or greatly decline because pitchers and hitters have more time in the offseason and overall to see the tendencies/strengths/weaknesses of the hitter/pitcher. When you have more time to analazye a particular player and essentially better understand your competition, you have a better chance against them. Unfortuantely, we see this in baseball with huge jumps for a contract based on one year only to decline the next. Adding a couple veteran starters could help relieve that tension,especially if the next few years these rookies pitches struggle and I say if, not a guarantee they will, just “minimize risk.”
TINSTAAPP. Pitchers get hurt. I love the Padres’ system, and am encouraged by the results so far, but I would guess half their pitching prospects never pan out. That sounds pessimistic, but it’s a pretty accurate number when it comes to pitching prospects. Even a league-average starter like Keuchel would at least soak up some innings, although the Padres could probably sign James Shields for a lot less to do the same thing.
If the Padres are actually serious about contending this year – and it seems like they are – they probably still don’t want to ride their starters too hard. During the Giants three WS years, they rode their young starters super hard, and you’re seeing the result of that now.. Bumgarner looks terrible, and he’s only 30, but this is what happens when you throw 1400 innings before you turn 26. Lincecum was done at 27. I know, flags fly forever and all that, and the Giants had no obligation to protect their young pitchers when they were trying to win World Series’ and the Padres aren’t obligated to protect their young pitchers arms either, biut teams are trying to at least pretend these days that they are protecting valuable assets.
The most hyped pitching prospect I remember in my life is Kerry Wood. Very famously, on the day after Wood was drafted, his high school team started him in both games of a doubleheader. Both games. He threw like 190 pitches that day. We know what happened to Wood; he carved out an okay career as a reliever after the insane overuse in high school and by Dusty Baker. We know what happened to Prior, of course, but he had terrible mechanics and was destined to break, although throwing like 230 innings in his age-22 season couldn’t have helped. We’re smarter about these things now, especially with the rapidly increasing velocity and spin rates pitchers are engaged in now, but pitchers still break at alarming rates. Throwing a baseball 95 miles an hour is just an unnatural act.
Keuchel is much better than a league average starter. The amount of starters who can go out and throw 200 frames a year of mid 3 ERA ball is dwindling every day. He’s not a 100MM arm but he’s a lot more than that.
Depends on the what the time frame is over which you judge Keuchel. The last 3 years his ERA+ has been 105. Last season it was 108. He’s been an above average pitcher for his career, but I would bet millions on the fact that he can go out a pitch 200 innings anymore of mid 3 ERA.
One series good padres or bad giants team.