The Padres are expected have a busy offseason as the team tries to figure out the proper mixture for a contender. Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune breaks down the Padres position-by-position as they look ahead to 2020, and the common refrain from many inside the organization is that perhaps only seven players (Manny Machado, Fernando Tatis Jr., Chris Paddack, Eric Hosmer, Garrett Richards, Andres Munoz, and Kirby Yates) look like sure bets to be with the organization next season. Everyone else, even from seeming building blocks like Dinelson Lamet or Hunter Renfroe, could potentially be traded for more proven talents.
“They have roster problems. They have to move people,” one rival executive tells Acee, which gets to the heart of the challenge facing the Padres. The team still doesn’t totally know what they have in some players who have been inconsistent at the Major League level, yet a wave of prospects coming up and the organization increasingly impatient for a winning season, some tough choices may have to be made about who stays and who becomes a trade chip.
Some items from around the NL West…
- Nick Ahmed enjoys playing for the Diamondbacks, but when it comes to the possibility of a contract extension, the shortstop tells Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic that “I want to sign a fair deal. I’ve played long enough to realize that. I want to be able to take advantage of what I’ve got to this point in my career.” A September slump has dropped Ahmed’s slash line to .255/.318/.442 over 621 PA this season, though his 93 wRC+ still represents the best offensive production of his six-year career, and his glovework has continued to be excellent. Ahmed has one year of arbitration remaining before he hits free agency in the 2020-21 offseason, and he’ll be 31 on Opening Day 2021. It makes for something of a tricky extension case, as Piecoro notes, since there aren’t many shortstop comps that would serve as a model for a potential multi-year contract. There also hasn’t been any word from the D’Backs if they’d be interested in extending Ahmed, though Piecoro observes that GM Mike Hazen “does not speculate on such topics.”
- There hasn’t yet been word about Andrew Friedman’s status with the Dodgers, as the president of baseball operations will reach the end of his contract when the Dodgers’ season ends. The involved parties didn’t provide any details about negotiations, though there seems to be general optimism that a deal will be reached, Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times writes. Friedman said he wants to return, while team president Stan Kasten said he is “pretty confident” Friedman will be back, and “expect him to be here for a long time.” Manager Dave Roberts also feels Friedman will remain in L.A., saying “everything I hear is [a new contract] is imminent, that it will get done.”
- Raimel Tapia projects as an everyday left fielder for the Rockies in 2020, Nick Groke of the Athletic (subscription required) writes, which should help a player who seemed to get better with more regular playing time this season. As a highly-regarded prospect coming out of Colorado’s farm system, Tapia received only 239 MLB plate appearances from 2016-18 before getting more of an extended look this season. While Tapia has only a .276/.310/.418 slash line (74 wRC+) over 442 PA, he has also battled injuries and didn’t get many consistent starts until late July, Groke noted. Sticking with Tapia as the mostly everyday left fielder would reduce Ian Desmond to a backup role, though the highly-paid veteran hasn’t done enough to merit more at-bats over three disappointing years in Colorado. There’s also the possibility, however, that the Rockies could trade Tapia in the offseason to address other roster needs.
- Tim Wallach is leaving his job as the Marlins’ bench coach to be closer to his family in California, though one rival executive tells Ken Rosenthal (in his latest FOX Sports video) that Wallach could be a possible candidate for the Padres’ managerial opening. It wouldn’t be the first time that Wallach has been linked to San Diego, as he interviewed for the last managerial vacancy before the club went with Andy Green. Wallach has over 12 years of MLB coaching experience and has also managed at the Triple-A level in the Dodgers’ organization, though he hasn’t been a big league skipper. In the wake of Green’s firing, Rosenthal wonders if the Padres could prefer someone with Major League managing experience rather hire than another first-timer.
Rockies have hilliard too. They have been playing him pretty much everyday this month and my guess is the same will happen next year. So even if tapia goes, he will get replaced by hilliard. Though I would rather have both
Love that the Rockies are jammed with great prospects in the outfield beside Charlie Blackmon and David Dahl. Would love to see some of that talent turned into help for the pitching staff somehow. Seems Desmond plays better with rest, so don’t mind having him available for duty all over the diamond. Looking for someone to take over first, like McMahon at second, need help at catcher despite Wolters having a decent year. Best left side in baseball on the infield, of course. Watch out next year!
You just signed Murphy at first.
Yeah, I’d keep Murph at first and look for a rebound year from him. Address the pitching!!
Best left side in baseball that’s arguable. The Nationals are not to shabby over there.
Tatis and Machado #1
@Gwynning
By no statistical measure were Manny and Tatis Jr even close to Arenado and Story. In fact, based on WAR, for example, the Padres duo is behind a ton of teams, NYY and BOS come to mind.
Machado was not great this year by any measure. Fangraphs has him as the 17th best 3B this year which puts him in the rarified air of Brian Anderson, Mike Moustakas and Hunter Dozier
Nick Ahmed is a dreamer.
Keep chasing that dream
Nick…..
Hes a gg at ss with an avg bat now. The Dbacks have some guys in the farm but 2 to 3 years away. Considering his age I think a 3 year deal would be good for both.
If Wallach doesn’t get a manager’s job, hope the Dodgers sign to a,coaching position! Go Dodgers, Go Blue!
If Geren gets a managing job it wouldn’t be a bad move
Who is making those tough decisions for Padres none other than the genius AJ Preller feel good knowing he’s the one
his genius left a couple of years ago
Rockstar GM can’t finish higher than 4th place
You mean the genius GM who cannot even bring you a winning season? That one?
I think this was sarcasm…
It was, right?
What the Padres need is a legitimate, talented general manager. They’re doomed with Preller……………but that falls on ownership.
I agree. The problem is the Padres Ownership.
AJ Preller needs to, and has needed to, be gone for years but the Padre ownership is awful. Just awful. Preller and Padres ownership is a recipe for disaster.
How is it totally forgotten that this guy was suspended by MLB (twice). So not only is he a terrible GM but a cheat too. Funny how that never gets mentioned anymore.
5.5 seasons at the helm. 2 managers fired. 3 franchise record contracts. 0 results.
How is it forgotten that any future success the Padres have will be because of Preller whether he is the GM or not? Even if the Padres got rid of Preller and brought in a Dombrowski, the only reason that he could acquire more established players through trades is because the Padres farm system has been stocked so deeply.
I am not at all saying that Preller is the best GM out there, but he and his crew are only in their 4th year of the rebuild, How fast was he supposed to turn things around? If the team doesn’t make strides next year, then yes pull out the pitchforks, but he needs to be allotted some time to see this thing through.
He’s good at evaluating young talent, not good at evaluating,or valuing experienced players (contracts given to Myers, Hosmer, Richards) or making trades. He’d be a great chief scout, but he’s a lousy GM.
He also got caught cheating in a way that is directly linked to acquiring the young talent that you are praising him for stockpiling. He’s a cheat, and whether it was his choice or an ownership mandate, tied to 3 high value contracts over the past few years which don’t look good right now (and only the Machado deal shows any signs that it may improve)
Which of that “young talent” did he supposedly cheat to acquire? If you are talking about Anderson Espinoza, how many pitches has he thrown since 2016?
I can see Wallach going to SD or SF. I feel he fits both clubs.