Fernando Tatis Jr. made no two ways about it when discussing his future as a shortstop. “(A.J. Preller) signed a shortstop, and he’s gonna have a shortstop,” he said, per Dennis Lin of The Athletic (via Twitter). “That’s the plan so far, and I’m not planning on moving for a very long time from there.” Tatis moved to the outfield this season after being slowed by a repeated shoulder injury. The Padres are flush with infielders under team control for next season, including Jake Cronenworth and Ha-Seong Kim, both of whom are capable of manning short. Regardless, Tatis Jr. sounds dedicated to reclaiming his natural position.
Elsewhere in the National League…
- Willson Contreras gave an honest assessment of what he thinks the Cubs need heading into next season, while acknowledging that he thought he was going to be traded in this piece from The Athletic’s Sahadev Sharma. Despite being the “last man standing” in many respects, Contreras continue to say all the right things about wanting to stay and be a leader on the next generation of Cubs’ contender. They have some money to spend this offseason, but for the first time in awhile, many teams seem to, and there are only so many “foundational” pieces available in that market.
- The Mets biggest decision this winter will be finding the right man to lead their front office. After a number of missteps, the Mets will look to some high profile names to come in and right the ship. Of the most noteworthy, Oakland’s Billy Beane may be the most realistic target, per MLB Network’s Jon Heyman (via Twitter). In the Mets favor is the fact that the Athletics are often looking to save money, and at this point in his storied career, Beane comes at a significant cost. Still, Beane has been the driving force behind a successful couple of decades of A’s baseball, and it’s hard to imagine him walking.
“…it’s hard to imagine him (Beane) walking.”….yeah, right. It’s also hard to imagine Uncle Stevie running out of money anytime soon either.
These owners never cut into their profits. Uncle Stevie will spend a lot, but some Mets fans seem to think he’ll be blowing passed the luxury tax every year. I don’t see it.
VPH: The biggest misconception of Mets’ fans was believing that Cohen would come in and spend, spend, spend. What I said then, and stand by, is that he’s a businessman first. He is profit-driven. He will never be the guy who spends everything to win (ala George Steinbrenner).
By the time Steinbrenner was spending everything to win it never amounted to wins. Past the 96-01 era they’ve won once. So spend all you want it’s usually futile.
The biggest misconception is that spend, spend, spend equals win, win, win. It doesn’t.
He’s done nothing to prove you right so far. He even offered the creep in LA a small fortune to pitch here last year.
The team is his toy. There are only 25 roster spots, so he has to save his bread for elite players, but this man is absolutely going to spend anything it takes.
It’s already been leaked that Bean is interested. It’s just whether the A’s will allow the conversation and what player compensation they might as for
*26
Worked last year unfortunately …..
Cohen may very well push the payroll to as much as 280 million or more. As high as the payroll already is, I still don’t see that being a solution. It’ll just be a very expensive team hoping for a wild card.
Difference is Cohen doesn’t need the Mets to be profitable. He’d like them to be and they will, but he has his hedge fund that makes all his money. Other owners need to take as much profit as they can, in order to make a living. Cohen doesn’t need that.
That’s not at all different from most or in fact any other team owners. None of them are going bankrupt if their team fails to turn a profit (the team might, but that also applies to Cohen and is a matter for another conversation)… the issue is no businessman wants to run a business that becomes a black hole that swallows money. Not Cohen, not any of them.
I respectfully disagree with some of your points. Steve Cohen bought a tarnished asset in the New York Mets. In order to maximize the value of said asset, he will need to spend in order to dispel the notion of the Mets as a perennial also-ran. If he invests smartly, he should double the value of the Mets within 5 years. THAT would be a nice return on investment, especially if he either buys a controlling interest in SNY, or creates a new network once the current contract runs out.
In any case, I’m not worried about Mr. Cohen running out of money any time soon.
If Cohen spends on behind the scenes stuff such as an analytics department, sure (although I doubt he’s doubling the value by spending) but spending on payroll guarantees nothing; especially for an already expensive, mediocre team. He just needs to spend smart like a businessman, not like a fan.
A lot of fans think that the owners should reach into their own pockets to support the team. And a lot of times, no one actually goes to the games.
You see many fans that find it very easy to spend other peoples’ money.
@vonpurplehayes I don’t think blowing by it every year is going to happen, but not because he isn’t willing to do it. It just doesn’t make sense to do that unless you have a team worthy of it.
I don’t think guys like him waste money, but I do think they don’t let money keep them from what they want.
If the team was winning the division every year, I think he’d spend anything to keep it going. Obviously, this team isn’t ready for prime time.
I still can’t believe Wheeler is pitching for you guys after I waited years for him to get to this point. Fluck our old agent GM is all I can say. haha
If you owned your own business, doing whatever, would you want to cut into your own profits?
“A number of missteps?” That might end up being the understatement of the decade… and we’re less than a year into the decade. I can’t see any owner ever making this many absolutely terrible front office decisions/acquisitions for the rest of MLB history. That’s even assuming MLB stays around as long as the human race is alive. It’s difficult to understand how one owner has damaged the image of a franchise with the hires he’s made less than a year into his ownership. There’s one question: After all this, will Cohen fork out a ton of money to watch deGrom become terrible as a Met? Or after foolishly blowing such a big load on a light hitter like Lindor, will Cohen penny pinch and let deGrom leave just to watch him be spectacular for another team? Those are literally the only 2 possible outcomes. Tough position to be in for Mets fans.
Not fair to criticize Lindor sign to Cohen imo…most of the league would have been happy to sign him for long contract and it is a guy who should be a leader of whatever team he went to for the next decade. I acknowledge he should be in his prime and had a dreadful season but have real tough time seeing that continue the next few years. Far as Beane… I hope anyway he feels some unfinished business in Queens, that could be the difference between Boston and this… I hope!
It would be hard for Beane to turn down a Andrew Friedman like opportunity. Take your analytic advantage and add in the ability to spend like the big boys. It’s the reason that the Dodgers have, objectively, the best run franchise in sports. Would be a massive shift in power in the NL East if it happens.
Thing is, Beane has already been turning down offers like that for decades. Lord knows Boston has tried very hard to no avail.
Did Steve walk-out of the last 15 mins of MONEYBALL?
The difference is his age (maybe his last chance) and the Mets are where he started and it’s a chance to go full circle. He was even just in the ESPN 30 for 30 on the 86 Mets.
@tidybowlman. He’s only 59. He’s got at least another decade in him if he loves what he’s doing.
Was Moneyball (the movie) truly accurate?
I really feel like Beane would’ve left Oakland by now if thats the thinking. I think Beane likes the challenge of trying to win championships not having unlimited resources at his disposal to buy any player you want.
He also owns a small portion of the team which he would have to give up. Not sure how realistic it is. @vonpurplehays I agree he isn’t blowing past the luxury tax. Not with that team. Need a major haul of scouting and stop signing 16 year old shortstop in international signings.
Seems like an interesting opportunity for Beane to redefine his Mets legacy from a failed 1 pick to building a championship team. Not to mention a well deserved payday and the opportunity to go hth in market with his buddy Cashman.
Seems like the kind of storylines they make movies about.
Billy Beane rumors are starting to fly, but has BB said anything about it? Writers have nothing to right about at this time. Better to write when both the Mets and Billy Beane are talking. Just filler for the article, click here for no information.
Tatis should move to the OF.
Grisham Tatis jr and possibly Abrams in CF would be a pretty good defensive lineup out there.
Machado at 3rd. Cronenworth at ss, possibly sign wilmer flores to play 2nd in the off season, Myers could be a multiple position platoon player against lefties- 1B, RF, LF Abrams and Grisham bat left handed.
He’s more valuable as a SS though, no? His numbers would mean more and by having him at short & you can trade some infield depth for a prime outfield bat. That upgrades two positions.
If Kim ever hits like he did in KBO I think he would be a better option over Tatis for short. Tatis had good numbers for the short time he was in RF this year so maybe he could move there in the future.
He’s not even a good defensive shortstop. Average at best. It’s kinda like a Jeter situation where a guys bat and other intangibles, add in a signature plays and there’s the mantra that he’s like elite at the position. Not saying he is jeter but it’s not like he was a world beater at short, he’s not Simmons or Iglesias.
He’s a great ball player, but if he can provide good defense in the outfield, which he kinda did in his small sample out there. Then it makes sense to keep him out there, instead of hampering their infield defense at one of the key positions in the infield. He was actually average defensively in RF this year, but it was way to small a sample imo.
He’s probably more valuable with his bat at short, and that’s why he’s playing short, because of his bat, but if his defense continues to trend downwards it’s only natural to try and move him around.
I’ve always thought they should work him in the keystone, use Cronenworth at SS, Kim off the bench, Frazier used ala Ben Zobrist and is getting starter reps at multiple positions.
Cronenworth also isn’t the best zone rated short either, but he is better than tatis and commits less errors.
Whatever the numbers say, Tatis is quite inexperienced in the OF and it shows. The other week he botched a flyball then threw to the wrong base and gave up runs on the play and extended the inning.
Yes, sign Flores…the Padres need at least one more 2B. Four is not enough.
Well if cronenworth is at ss and tatis jr is in the OF that leaves frazier, profar, kim at 2B. Frazier gets the starts against righties. They could use a better RH bat than Profar to mix in to the 1B, 2B, OF.
Doesn’t Flores have a club option that’s pretty cheap. I can’t fathom the Giants not bringing him back if so, he’s been a really valuable utility player
Faith, how many teams even have 3 guys who play mostly 2B? But you want another?
How many teams have guys that play multiple positions and can match up against lefties and righties? Most teams in the league do these days. Some better than others.
Profar has played at 1B, 2B, RF. LF, CF this season Kim has logged time at 2B, 3B, SS.
Flores has logged time at 1B, 2B, 3B this season.
Padres could use a better super utility RH bat than Profar.
Ideally they could use a RH platoon partner for Hosmer, possibly Myers as a 1B, RF, LF platoon partner, especially for Abrams, and an upgrade RH bat that could play 1B, 2B, SS, RF, LF. If they carry kim hes a RH SS compliment. But could use another RH bat to replace Profar
Preller made some stupid moves at the trade deadline, the worst one was Jay Marisnick, then he went out and got Adam Frazier. Why?
He basically has a $28M seventh infielder in Kim who looked incredible on the field and was catching up with the bat. That move took the bat out of his hands and took him off the field. Stupid with a capital “S.”
I truly believe that Preller has an addictive personality or possibly is suffering from a mental condition. Like a shopaholic or a hoarder, he gets stuff that he doesn’t need and doesn’t get what he should have. The Padres needed pitching. It would have been better to stay put if he didn’t get the pitching because he would have had his core defense and offense untouched and unrattled.
Maybe Manny and Fernando will regret being on a team that won’t get to the playoffs with the way things are being done and will continue to be done until there is a genuine front office changing of the guard. Everybody.
On top of all of what’s happened, they go out and get a guy who has done nothing with the Texas Rangers minor league system and brought him in to finish off an already-decimated farm system for the Padres.
Put Preller’s moves on a spreadsheet and it will be plain to see, he’s done much more harm than good. Signing James Shields is still worse in the long run even if it brought in Fernando Tatis Jr, we had Trea Turner already in the system…
Technically, Turner had been traded in December ‘14 while Shields was signed in early 15. Turner wasn’t shipped off until later due to a special rule for trading draft picks from current year. He actually played in Padres minor league system for a season even though he was a Washington asset. Not saying I disagree or agree with the rest of post just providing a clarification.
I mean, you’re talking about maximum 2 months? Shouldn’t a reasonable front office have a plan for Jan/Feb when they make a trade in December?
Mc re read my last sentence. Not answering your questions because I didn’t offer any opinions on the post. Just clarified a factual oversight in what was stated. I leave the rest to you experts.
the Mets blew it when they passed over Kim Ng..she has a great resume and has made every team she’s been with better. look what she did with the White Sox,Yankees,and Dodgers. the Marlins are lucky to have her,they’ll be a contender in a year or two.
I agree but always wondered why she is with her 4th team. Seems like a lot of moving around in short time
Short time? Her front-office career began with the White Sox in 1990. If anything, it’s embarrassing that it took her 30 years to become the general manager of a team. A brilliant baseball mind who unfortunately had to deal with an old boy’s network that rushes the Jared Porters of the world up the ladder. I agree with cleonswoboda. In a couple of years, Ng’s Marlins will be a team everyone dreads to play.
when she moves it always up.
It’s going to be interesting seeing how she shapes the Marlins around all that young pitching. I can see the Marte-Luzardo trade winding up being a masterstroke.
Yea they definitely should have hired Ng when they had the chance.
‘Listen guys, if I don’t play shortstop, how am I supposed to commit over 20 errors & have my shoulder(that I won’t get surgery on to correct) pop out on me every other month?!!?’-El Niño
Mookie Betts, who has two World Series rings, regularly takes grounders at 2B and has played the position for the Dodgers when necessary without complaining. Manny Machado, who wanted to be a shortstop during free agency, has settled in as the Padres 3B for the good of the team. Tatis needs to lose the selfish streak and play wherever the manager tells him to play.
I’m sure in his financial dealings Cohen avoids bad investments and doesn’t let sentimentality get in his way. Let’s see which fan favorites are sent packing this off season for living on potential for too long. This will tell us more about Mr Cohen’s spending than anything else
We need to be real at C, 2B, 3B, LF, CF, RF, closer, rest of ‘pen, better vet SPs, a real manager… waiting for ‘23—C Alvarez, 3B Baty, SS Mauricio (2B?), RHP Allan (currently out on TJ surgery).