142 | Playing General Manager: 2022 San Diego Padres

00:00:02
Speaker 1: As the stage Lake Crackers, we will sue you to.
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Speaker 2: The Garner.
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Speaker 3: Welcome to one.
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Speaker 4: Another week, another team, another iPad day. You guys missed the iPad with the Dodgers. You and Raham did it. You guys didn't get the scribblings of Jack McMullin last week, but now we do the San Diego Padres and welcome to the Just Baseball Show.
00:00:53
Speaker 3: Today is Tuesday, January eighteenth. Jack McMullin, Peter Apple, you just started Succession Roy Family. Huh, it's pretty good so far. You know, I tried Peaky Blinders. I remember the first episode and I couldn't get into it because you know me, you gotta hook me in from the first episode. Or also I got baseball to watch, Like I gotta be yeah, I gotta be tuned up, Succession, tune me right up. I'm really like, I'm on the problem right now. I'm like, yeah, Well the problem is, uh, there's no baseball to watch right now, so you gotta find something to fill your time. Not if I can watch Seos's Uki highlights or do the you like pin your mouth shut manually exactly. Just I'm not talking. That's the hot talking. That's the hottest the stove has been and I'm all for it, but it's just still kind of boring.
00:01:42
Speaker 4: Damn man, So you're on You're on Succession. I haven't watched Succession yet. I kind of started two shows at the same time. I'm about two years behind on Love Is Blind, which is the one where they like communicate and get engaged without seeing each other. And I'm like, I'm watching it. It's like a fifty minute episode and like thirty five minutes into episode one, we already have an engagement. Like this is moving way too quickly for me right now.
00:02:06
Speaker 3: It was like six days. That sounds like a show I maybe could get into. You know, they get right to the point of the entire show and then it's over. I guess I don't know.
00:02:16
Speaker 4: I am less enthused to keep going with that than Euphoria, which I also just started. I'm all in like pushing all my chips into Euphoria right now.
00:02:26
Speaker 3: That's just the show that I'm probably not going to start because I don't know how it relates to my high school experiences. It doesn't. Itsel that fucked up.
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Speaker 4: It's so fucked up, dude, Like, I mean, oh my god, I got one episode in I was like, what am I watching right now? And then I watched episode two and I was like, I can't wait to watch episode three.
00:02:47
Speaker 3: It's ridiculous.
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Speaker 4: So I'm gonna catch up before episode three of season two comes out. I know episode two of season two just came out tonight, so I gotta finish season one off, which I'll hopefully do this week, and then I'll get into season two. But we're gonna talk about the San Diego Padres, who are on season one of being a legitimate contender, like we thought season one was last year, and then they crashed and burned, and now they have to look at themselves in the mirror because you've got some expiring contracts here, and you've got some guys that are getting older. You also have two of the best position players on planet Earth at the peak of their powers right now, and one of them is only going to keep on getting better in Fernando Tatist Junior. It's a really interesting situation that aj Preller has right now. And I think you and I disagree on how handcuffed he is.
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Speaker 3: No, I mean I think we do, but we also don't. Like I think maybe there are some specific moves that he could make, but I don't know if for that far off. But when you mentioned crash and burned, crash and burned is certainly right. On August eleventh, the Padre sat with a sixty seven and fifty record with a plus one h two run differential, just three and a half games behind the Dodgers. From there, they went twelve and thirty three, finishing with a seventy nine and eighty three record, eleven games back of the wild card spot. And they certainly have some positives. Fernando Tatis junior Manny Machado. I like their starting rotation, especially because they're getting back Mike Clevenger for twenty twenty two, which I'm very excited about. But Jack, I'd like to start with the number fourteen because the number fourteen and I tweeted this out on my Twitter at Peter Apple twenty three. By the way, good plug, thank you. Fourteen was a number that you know, I kind of came across, and I feel like fourteen kind of describes the Padre season. They were the fourteenth best team in baseball. They were fourteenth in WRC plus as a team at ninety seven. They were fourteenth in war. They were fourteenth in era, they were fourteenth in FIP, and they were fourteenth in total runs scored. So how do we get that? Yes they were, no way, Yes they were. Why don't you check it? Why don't you check it?
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Speaker 5: Holy shit? I mean that is so mediocre, That's what I'm saying. So now, how do we get them into the top ten? Because fourteen is the magic number of twenty twenty one for the San Diego Padres.
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Speaker 4: Yeah shit, And like I guess a lot of Padres fans would be saying health. But you look at the back end of the Padres. Yeah, they ran into some health problems here, and they didn't have some of their guys firing on all cylinders. And you could make the argument that Fernando Tatis Junior wasn't healthy for the entirety of the year, and he still put up a top five MVP finish, Like that's how good that guy is.
00:05:45
Speaker 3: Oh yeah.
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Speaker 4: Now, I think a lot of people on the outside, and I think some frustrated Padres fans would say a lot more went into the downfall than just health. I think like personalities came to a head. There was some trouble in Paradise at the end of the year, and you had some dugout arguments, you had some leaked stories. I mean, it's just like it was like this thing that was too perfect to fail, and then it fails, and you see all of the chips in the armor there as they go twelve and thirty three over that backstretch, they trade for Adam Fraser and it doesn't work out one bit, Like that was a disgusting deadline deal for them. They swapped Anderson Espinoza for Jake Marisnick, thinking they get a fourth outfielder, and Jake Marisnick can't do shit. Yeah, like there was nothing there. They picked up Jake Arietta. They just tried to grasp its straws and nothing worked.
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Speaker 3: Nothing worked. And when you said, you know, with the dugout arguments, Manny Machado's name comes up, and Manny Machado is a guy who's he threw his bat at Matt Chapman over at third base, or wasn't. No, it's Josh Donaldson over at third base. Donaldson, Manny Machado has had problems, but it almost felt like he turned the corner a little bit on that end, becoming that leader that the Padres really need. I think him calling out those teammates in the dugout was actually a good thing. It came at the right time during their season, although the wind total didn't reflect that. I actually liked what many Machado did because in the past you wouldn't expect Manny Machado to step up like that, and the Padres need him to.
00:07:23
Speaker 4: The maturation of Manny Machado has been very fun to watch because in Baltimore he was the supremely talented guy who came on and was on a pretty successful team. That was when Chris Davis was as good as he was going to get, and Nick mar Cakis, I think, was still there. Adam Jones was still there. That Orioles offense was really fun. And then Baltimore started to suck and Machado kind of adopted this Prima Donna type identity. And then he went to the Dodgers and he totally leaned into the Prima Donna thing. And then he signed a massive, massive deal and people said, Okay, this guy is combustible. He's got the chance to just blow up, and this is going to hurt. He hasn't blown up in San Diego and you're right. I think he's taking on some of that leadership onus that kind of was non existent. I don't want to like totally downplay what Eric Hosmer is, but Osmer doesn't back it up on the field anymore. There are some really serious problems here. And when I was going position by position on my handy dandy iPad here, I said, okay, like there are some positions where it's perfect, like borderline best in baseball in terms of depth and talent, and then you've got other positions that it's like, wow, you have eight guys here in all eight are C minus D plus options.
00:08:44
Speaker 3: Yeah. Yeah, it's weird. It's a team that is so star studded, and when you look at the roster on paper, you almost think to yourself, they don't really need to do anything. But but do they do they?
00:09:02
Speaker 4: Yeah, you can stand and be complacent, like you actually have to make zero moves and you'll still be favored to be a postseason team. Or you could make some moves and try and make yourself a World Series contender. But if you don't do any moves, you still have an outside shot of winning the World Series. Like it is such a layered conversation. But that's the AJ Preller Special. It's like, what's going on in your mind. You have the most top heavy team in baseball, and you're just gonna wheel and deal like you're gonna do shit that makes no sense to anybody, and you're probably gonna miss a lot, but you're gonna hit a couple of times.
00:09:34
Speaker 3: This team, with the addition of Mike Clevenger, might have a top five starting rotation right now, just on paper. If we think about it. You have you Darvish, you have Blake Snell, you have Joe Musgrove, you have Mike Clevenger, Chris Paddock and Ryan Weathers. If I just you're forgetting about You're forgetting about Danelson Lamett too well. I was almost thinking I wanted to have that conversation with you. Do you think that they're going going to kind of limit his workload maybe make him a reliever in twenty twenty two instead of putting in the rotation. I think Danelson Lamett should be in this rotation. I'm just they have all these guys and he's been the guy who just continually goes down due to troubles. I'm curious what your position is there.
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Speaker 4: Yeah, so Lamette's the five if he can stay on the field. But he can't stay on the field right now.
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Speaker 3: Lamette has the talent of like a two, like he's elected God. Yeah, but he's electric. But that's but he can't stay healthy. But regardless, regardless, you have seven. I mean, dude, Ryan Weathers is a stud. We both think Chris Paddock is going to have a bounce back season after an ERA and the fives, but a fit below four. This guy has good stuff. It's just about the fastball. Can he locate it enough? Can he miss bats with it? Because his off speed really is good. It's just that fastball that's so hittable. But you may not even need Chris Paddock. And you have those four horses at the front, and then you have that combination of Weather's a Lamett.
00:11:05
Speaker 4: Yeah, I mean, You've got Snell, Darvish, Muscro of Clevenger. That's your postseason rotation. But I'll fill in the five. I don't care who throws once a week aside from those four.
00:11:14
Speaker 3: Guys, because I've had my problems with you, Darvish. But if you put you Darvish as a four, or you put you Darvish anywhere you want in this rotation, because Clevenger is so good, because Muscrove is so good, and I think the world of Blake Snell. If you Darvish is your four, I immediately am like, well you darbish has got underrated.
00:11:30
Speaker 4: Now, yeah, this is ridiculous, Like just looking at it one through seven right now, Snell, Darvish, muscro of Clevenger, Paddock, Weathers is six, Lamet can be seven.
00:11:41
Speaker 3: Or you've got the wildcard of all wild cards. And Mackenzie Gore right now. Very true, And that's the conversation that is just impossible right now, because Mackenzie Gore was the unanimous number one pitching prospect going into this year. But we saw what happened in twenty twenty one, and you a specially saw what happened in twenty twenty one to Mackenzie Gore.
00:12:03
Speaker 4: Yeah, so I watched Gore throw live. I called a start of Mackenzie Gore. It was a rehab appearance, but it wasn't really a rehab appearance. He started the year in triple al passo, He all of a sudden doesn't throw for two months. He then resurfaces in the Arizona Complex League, the acl not to be confused with the ligament and the knee, and he makes I want to say, three starts there. He comes up to Hi a Fort Wayne, he makes a start at Great Lakes against the Dodgers affiliate, and then he goes up to Double A San Antonio.
00:12:43
Speaker 3: That's where he ended the year.
00:12:45
Speaker 4: How do you do so, Mackenzie Gore like he figured some stuff out. When we saw him.
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Speaker 3: Gore did not have the leg kick. He just had a knee lift. That was it.
00:12:54
Speaker 4: He he eliminated some of the complexities in his delivery and what I saw was ninety four to ninety five for the fastball. I saw one of the best sliders I've ever seen, one of the best change ups I've ever seen. And then the Mackenzie Wore curveball, which is good, not great. It was really great when he was the Gatorade National Player of the Year coming out of high school in North Carolina. And then I think some hitters caught onto it. But the curveball is beautiful. It's looping.
00:13:23
Speaker 3: It's a lot like Librettore, where you know, I think it might be.
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Speaker 4: It might be deceiving with how good it is, you know what I mean? Like it's not his best pitch the slider in the change up or better than the curveball. But the slider, change up fastball combination is like it creates a major league pitcher. It creates a major league one or two. He just couldn't locate at points. He reminds you of Clayton Kershaw until he doesn't right, and I reminds you of Clayton Kershaw until he can't throw a stripe.
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Speaker 3: I think that was the problem this year. So do you think it is strictly a command thing for him, or did you see throughout the season and his stuff kind of ticked down a little bit at all, or do you think it was strictly just couldn't throw where he wanted to. I think it was. I think it was baseball getting to him. Like I think it was.
00:14:13
Speaker 4: Because you look mechanically like everything kind of still made sense, Like he ditched some of the athleticism in his delivery, but I mean he's still If you watch his last outing of the twenty twenty one season in Double A San Antonio, I mean he looked like the most mechanically sound pitcher in minor league baseball, which is what he is. I don't know what throws him off here, Like it could be some minute detail of his delivery that throws him off. I don't It could also be that he was the number one pitching prospect in baseball and then he had a slight blip in the radar and that kind of threw him off. Course, it's like when a sports car runs into a rock, like you go flying for a little bit. I don't know, it's just like that finally tuned to pitcher.
00:15:01
Speaker 2: He is.
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Speaker 4: I'm telling you try and I try and craft answers to pretty much everybody, like that's what we do. I just have no answers for what happened to him.
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Speaker 3: I think that's the problem is. I don't know if really anyone does, because a remember at the trade deadline, Mackenzie Gore's name was coming up in a lot of discussions and it just seemed like teams didn't want to take the chance on Mackenzie Gore. So I'm throwing it back to you when you're moving forward with Mackenzie Gore, what do you think.
00:15:33
Speaker 4: I think he's got to be the five for the San Diego Padres. I think you got to get him starts at Petgo Park to be totally honest, and you have to see what you got now. Yeah, I don't think another year in minor league baseball is going to do it for him when I don't think he's gonna go figure shit out, now, Passo, what do you think he's got to figure it out?
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Speaker 3: What do you think he's got. I think he's got major league starter.
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Speaker 4: I don't know if he's ace, but I think on his best day, you're looking at him like, yeah, that was the best pitching prospect in baseball.
00:15:59
Speaker 3: That's front line star right there. I think that's what he has.
00:16:02
Speaker 4: I think we're gonna see three innings from Mackenzie Gore on a big league mound in the first month or two of the season for the Padres, and you're gonna say, oh my god, this fastball slider, change up with the curveballs a fourth pitch.
00:16:15
Speaker 3: This is stupid. The world is his oyster.
00:16:18
Speaker 4: And then I think you might see an inning where he throws thirty pitches and ten final strike zone.
00:16:23
Speaker 3: I agree with you, I just think there's no shot that they actually do it. Look at this rotation. Do you see the rotation that we just talked about. There are seven names in there. Who who's mckens Gore gonna get starts instead of bring? Is better than Paddock? Okay? Is he?
00:16:38
Speaker 4: He's better than I think so. I think if Gore performs to the standard we are setting for him, and we have previously set for him, that's the thing. The standard has changed. Yeah we expected Gore. Yeah, we expected Gore to come up six innings, one run, that was it.
00:16:55
Speaker 3: And that's it's like.
00:16:57
Speaker 4: We expected, like cyah freaking good. I don't know, but you know, even this version of mackenzie Gore, if he's on, I'm taking him before a Ryan Weathers that's on. I'm taking him before a Chris Paddock, that's on.
00:17:13
Speaker 3: But there's smile.
00:17:15
Speaker 4: Still You're still the five though, if because I'm not taking a rookie McKenzie Gore, even if he's on over Snell, Darvish, muskro over Klebbing, but.
00:17:24
Speaker 3: You're you're taking him over Weathers at mackenzie Gore's best. But we just haven't seen mackenzie Gore's best. We're already seeing a Ryan Weathers, who at times looks unhittable. I don't see the merit for pushing mcgaenzie Gore right ahead of Ryan Weathers. And if we're expecting a bounce back from Chris Paddock, I just think that he has to start in the minors and he's got to prove his way to make this rotation. That's where I'm at with mackenzie Gore.
00:17:52
Speaker 4: God, he can't be a long reliever, like, no, put him in a big league bullpens just chilling together, like hey, it ould be like yo, what but the thing is good? But the thing is like Weathers and Paddock I think could thrive in multi inning relief roles for the padre.
00:18:09
Speaker 3: Maybe you get Paddock just throwing as hard as he can for a couple innings and use him in that way. But then I feel like you're just kinda Weather's you gotta put in the rotation. The dude's a dog.
00:18:20
Speaker 4: He's a dog, yeah, God, but he also wasn't a dog at certain points last year. Yeah, something to look at. Contractually. This is the last year of control for Musgrove and Clevenger. It's interesting, so they both hit the open market before the twenty twenty three season. So I think that's why you have to get Gore up this year. See what you got otherwise you gotta dump somebody. Like if if San Diego is not performing to the standard that they set for themselves in twenty twenty two, you might have to think about shipping Joe Musgrove off at the deadline, wow, to get something in return for him. Think about it like, this is your window here, because all of a sudden Snell kind of sucked last year for a little bit. He bounced back beautifully. Darvish had outings where he sucked. Your most consistent pitcher was Joe Musgrove.
00:19:13
Speaker 3: That's why what are you going to trade musk Grove at the deadline? If you're not in contention for the NL West? That will I think there's gonna be such a hard pill to swallow for padres Fence. Are you like that's what you're gonna do? If we're just sad? That is such a tough move. But a j Peler is a guy who makes tough moves. But that just seems that's I ah, that's that's tough, Jack. So it's really tough.
00:19:41
Speaker 4: But I need you to also consider that there is almost no farm here. Like it's the top three or four guys and that's it. We talk about aj Preller is the guy that makes tough moves. He obliterated this system, like vaporized it.
00:19:56
Speaker 3: Yeah, because you got to. You got a top four of see Abrams, who we both do really like. You have Louise Campusano, who is a very very talented catching prospect who's who's had a cup of coffee in the bigs, but it hasn't shown his true potential yet. But we both like him and arm you know, the prospect gery he really likes him too, So we're we're on Louise Campusano. Robert Hassel. I don't know much about Robert Hassel. I like his I do I like him. He he seems like a major leaguer. He seems like he's going to be a talented outfielder. And then you have McKenzie Gore. So you have a lot of question marks in there. Why do you like Robert Hassel or don't like Robert Well? I saw him for twenty games. Ye, he's really really good. Okay. The hit tool is amazing.
00:20:44
Speaker 4: He runs like a wide receiver and he hit three homers in a game in a high A like this guy.
00:20:51
Speaker 3: The defense is amazing. The jump he gets on balls is crazy.
00:20:55
Speaker 4: And when you ask him, like, what do you need to improve on, it's defense because the bat is just so good already, and there are some outings, like I think there are gonna be some high velocity guys that run it to his letters and he cuts and misses early in his career. But I also saw him go up and meet a neck high fastball and pump it four twenty to dead center, like he's got you, supreme. He's got a lot of juice in a tiny frame that's gonna fill out, and his bat to ball.
00:21:23
Speaker 3: Is really, really strong. This swing is beautiful. Yeah.
00:21:28
Speaker 4: So after those four, after Gore, Campusano, Abrams, Hassle, there's a massive drop off, massive prollers.
00:21:37
Speaker 3: Sent them all away, sent them all away.
00:21:40
Speaker 4: Guys like Joey Cantillo and Blake Hunts, Xavier Edwards, I mean Anderson, everybody that's an interesting guy, but.
00:21:52
Speaker 3: Could be like could be legit, Yeah, could be legit. I mean he's ninety eight, he was ninety eight, like eight. Yeah.
00:22:03
Speaker 4: I do want to talk about the bullpen for a sec because this is the part of the San Diego Padres that drives me insane, because they have nine guys where it's like that's a name, but then you realize that they're like four or five r guys.
00:22:17
Speaker 3: Yeah. I mean I actually praised A. J. Preller's work for this bullpen because they signed a couple of guys just to one year, you know, not that much money, not over ten million, just a lot of one year, seven million guys. And I actually like that way of building a bullpen. And I think, yeah, I mean, you like Emelio Pagan, you like Drew Pomeranz, you like Tim Hell, Craig Stammon. I mean they got Lamette as well. Why you're putting words in my mouth right now? What who out of that who out of those names do you not really like? Because Sammon? Yeah, okay, Greig's Damon.
00:22:54
Speaker 4: So here's what we're looking at right now. We've got Pegan, who I like but don't love, and he's your clone. Are right now with Milans and Gone Luis Garcia. They just signed a two year seven I like that deal.
00:23:05
Speaker 3: I really do.
00:23:07
Speaker 4: Austin Adams, they hit by pitch King. This guy hit a billion people last year.
00:23:11
Speaker 3: Sometimes sometimes he hit some guys. And what happened.
00:23:14
Speaker 4: Pomerants Drew Pomerantz is shelved to start the season, but he'll be back, Yeah, Craig stam And I don't like Tim Hill threw one hundred and seventy games in a one hundred and sixty two game season, Nebil Chris Matt, I don't really like that much. JAVIGERA, I don't really like that much. That's like eight guys, and then you've got Rehys kinnear too and Reggie Lawson who could like throw some innings. But none of those guys get me off. All right, you're not wrong, but I don't think it's that big of an issue. I think they have a good amount of depth, and then I think you could just throw a couple one year deals at the slew of free agent relievers that are still available. Yeah, okay, so I'm gonna run through like again on the iPad. I've got like ten relievers check us out on that, and I want to just yeah, true, I'm gonna just throw like ten relievers names out of you and you give me a simple yes or no?
00:24:09
Speaker 3: Are they an improvement to the bullpen? Cool? Fair to Para, Yes, Chafin, Yes, rich Rod, no fair. You've turned on rich Rod, turned on rich Rot. Oh yeah, god, I was Braves turned on rich Rod. I wasn't loving what I was seeing with Pittsburgh, but you just didn't see that with the Braves. And this is a guy who doesn't have a ton of prior success either. So I'm like, all right, maybe that was just a flash in the pan and I was a little bit wrong on him. So no, I would say, rich Rod is not an improvement to this bullpen, or really any bullpen that's a contender. Brad Hand No, no, no, no. Joe Kelly, Yes, that's crazy that I just said that that Joe Kelly is still an improvement in a bullpen. Bradhead is not, but I believe it. Joe Kelly, I know he does more than that, but he does throw a hundred. Alex Colome is he an improvement? Yes, Steve Ceshek Yeah, sort of. Jazz Row, Yes, Archie Bradley, he kind of sucks sometimes.
00:25:23
Speaker 2: Yeah, does Speaking of guys, Archie Bradley, Like, the thing that is etched into my brain is the triple that Archie Bradley.
00:25:34
Speaker 1: Yeah.
00:25:35
Speaker 3: I mean.
00:25:36
Speaker 4: The thing that I'm thinking about is, you know, why doesn't San Diego go and fill their reliever hole while also filling their glaring corner outfield hole with Michael Lorenzen. But Lorenzen already signed with Anaheim. That would have been hilarious if they went and got Lorenzen for both. I do want to move on to the to the hitters in just a moment. But like, are there any guys here that I'm missing right now? Like any relievers that you would sign that I didn't mention or trades for pitching?
00:26:06
Speaker 3: Are you kidding me? Brad Boksburger could change a franchise? True, yeah, you're right. No, but we already we already gave him to the to the Cardinals, which is an absolute perfect fit. So I'm just gonna say not, Brad Boksburger. I love the idea of Chaffin or to Para. I'd say both. I'd say both on one years. There you go, bang. I mean those two, those two are good relievers that add depth to this bullpen that you know you you make Ryan Tipara, You're you're closer and Ryan to Para is a good reliever. Is to Para closer? Though? No, but then you see closing out the NLCS. No, but you know what I do see I do see them playing the matchups because they have a lot of guys and it seems like the closer role is just becoming less and less important because you'd rather just say, all right, who's our best reliever for these next three batters? You know? That's that's what the Pats might have to do, kind of like blatooning like the Giants do or something that they got to play them because they don't have an absolute lockdown reliever. That's why losing Milanson kind of sucks.
00:27:05
Speaker 4: I just had a Jimmy neutron brain blast. I was thinking, you know what, what about Kennelly Jansen to shut it down?
00:27:12
Speaker 3: You know, that would be such a Petres move.
00:27:14
Speaker 4: Though, that would be hilarious if they just brought him from La to San Diego.
00:27:19
Speaker 3: Kenley probably would be a joke. That wouldn't be a joke. It depends on the money. Because if you're like, all right, we'll give Kenlly Jansen a three four year deal, I'm like, all right, what are we actually doing here? But if you can get him on the low, I don't hate it. Kelly Janson's cutter was actually moving last year ninety five. Are you gonna get Kenley on the low? Though? No, probably not that's the thing. Like he's gonna say, Yanson deal right with the with the Divebacks again, just for a humor, didn't Malanson just sign like two years nineteen yeah with the Dimebacks and he's gonna get traded in season, probably right, because you've got another year of control of Mark Milance.
00:27:55
Speaker 4: Yet the Padres their payroll. They currently have one hundred and eighty four million dollars committed out of two fourteen. Two fourteen is the luxury tax threshold, so they have thirty million dollars a wiggle.
00:28:08
Speaker 3: Room four if they use it. Yeah, if they use it remains to be seen. Well, I have some trades to throw at you, and then I have some free agency signings on the offensive side that we could talk about. But should we talk about pitching a little bit more?
00:28:22
Speaker 2: Ah?
00:28:22
Speaker 4: I think we're good with pitching. Let's move on to what they have now hitting wise, because I've got.
00:28:27
Speaker 3: Some free agents here too. Perfect. Let's go. Let's go catcher.
00:28:30
Speaker 4: Infield outfield, because I think that's least movement required to most movement required. Okay, Catcher Austin Nola is going to come back from a thumb thing. Ye, good starter, like a platoon guy.
00:28:44
Speaker 3: I think, yeah, I think solid, just like a solid probably like the You know how, I kind of think about Nola a little bit. If you're worse than Nola, you're a below average catcher. If you're better than Nola, you're an above average catcher. Kind of similar to shortstop. That's where I put Dansby Swanson in. If you're worse than Dansby, you're a blow average shorts up. If you're above you kind of like w RC plus, except I have an actual player to put there.
00:29:13
Speaker 4: Yeah, no, and that and that doesn't mean like he's a zero war guy. He's like a one to five war guy. You know, it's pretty good.
00:29:22
Speaker 3: He's decent.
00:29:23
Speaker 4: He's a fine right you're not You're not looking at the catcher position and saying like we gotta.
00:29:28
Speaker 3: Improve, not at all, especially with Louise. Can't be sound right behind him. I actually think the and Victor Carrottini and yeah, say it, say it. They got l Faro for no freaking reason at all? Why why? Yeah, well they might they might play him and left. You know, he's he's versatile. What a joke. And that's why I have two trades later that involved catchers. That, you know, because now that they have Horral Farow. But besides even jog Al Farow, Victor Caratini is is a viable backup catcher. And they I have Nola. I think they pretty square at catcher. I think so too.
00:30:04
Speaker 4: So you also, you're four deep at catcher right now with Nola Campisano's the catcher of the future. And then you got Alfaro and Kartini. Both Alfaro and Keratini. Even though Alfaro has like an one hundred and ten percent strikeout rate, he could be a DH with the DH coming to the NL, like, four deep at catcher is not the worst thing in the world.
00:30:22
Speaker 3: You forget about Alfaro's speed.
00:30:24
Speaker 4: Yeah, I forgot about Alfaro's speed. I actually forgot about Alfaro's talent for a minute. But thank you for reminding me.
00:30:31
Speaker 3: I hope this podcast he's just like these No, I don't dickheads.
00:30:35
Speaker 4: I don't think he does, and if he does, I'll absolutely wear it.
00:30:39
Speaker 3: Or we didn't forget about your speed. You're like seventy fifth at sprint speed. I guess. I mean that's good. It's good for you. Man.
00:30:47
Speaker 4: All right, let's talk about the infield, because you have this massive blackhead that's just right on your right cheek at first base with Eric Hosmer. Yeah, twenty one million dollars owed to him in twenty twenty two, and then I think he's got player options for the next three years at thirteen million dollars each.
00:31:03
Speaker 3: That's a terrible contract. Eric Cosmer is more than a blackout on your face. He's like a cyst on your ass. I mean, he just he's a thorn in the side of the San Diego Padres. The dude just grounds out every single time. And you know the debate of Fernando Tatis and the errors and stuff. I mean, you turn onto Padres game, there's a lot of throws that Eric Cosmer could have dug out of that dirt that Fernando Tatis Junior throw over there. I'm not gonna blame it all on him, but it's certainly not all on Tatis. He's not the same defender that he was. The power is virtually gone. He's not an on base threat. He's he's a good locker room guy, and I think that's why the Padres are keeping him in there. He seems to be kind of, you know, a bit of glue within that locker room. But I think there are plenty of free agent first basemen that if you could find figure out a way to trade Osmer out of there, you can replace it with a clubhouse guy. I had just a much better overall player than Eric Cosmer. Yeah, and you're gonna lose some leadership here. I mean, Eric Cosmer has won a World Series. He was one of the key members of the Royals when they won the World Series. There was a reason he got a deal north of one hundred million dollars when he did. No, I mean it's still at the time, just still questionable. Like I don't know, it's at the time, I still thought it was an overpay. You thought it was a good deal when that happened, I don't know.
00:32:15
Speaker 4: I thought that was what I thought, that was what he was gonna command. I thought, oh, like the team that bites the bullet on. This is like getting a raw deal here. It's usually like their Angel bull or something. But it was the pos yeah, right, Like it's usually the Hamilton or pool Holes type thing where it's like.
00:32:32
Speaker 3: You know what, Like, I guess that's what you gotta pay him. But I wouldn't have done it right.
00:32:37
Speaker 4: It's the Hobby bayas thing this year, Like, I guess he should have made that, but I wasn't gonna do it. Yes, that was the Hosmer dilemma. In infield, aside from first base, is like the best three quarters of an infield in baseball. With Croninworth at second, Tatisa's Short Machado at third, Yeah, I mean you got you got a top five second base it's been no doubt, and a guy who can move across the infield.
00:33:04
Speaker 3: He can even play first base. He played plenty of first base last year. You got the best shorts up in baseball and arguably top three, no debate about it, top five third basement as well. Money right, So like this year, I don't think we're shocked. If we're sitting here when the All Star starters are announced and it's cronin Worth its second, Tatisa short Machadow at there, wouldn't be surprised at all. I mean, this is one of the best infields in baseball. If we subtract a thorn at first, yes, correct.
00:33:34
Speaker 4: And then you got has Sung Kim is the middle infielder, the third middle infielder can't hit.
00:33:41
Speaker 3: I picked him as a dark Horse Rookie of the Year candidate, and he did. I was like, you know what if I had Has Young Kim's at bats like I could be you know, I feel like I could do at least half as well as he did. That's a complete joke, because I would not. Ah, if you gave me six hundred play appearances, could I get one hit? I bet I'd look into one. Yes, I bet I could get one or maybe two. Probably I set the over under at one and a half.
00:34:07
Speaker 4: Listen when I run into Jake Arieta pitching for Oakland later this year, I'm hitting a double.
00:34:13
Speaker 3: He does look like a Bedsleig pitcher a little bit, but a little bit. But going back to the serious conversation about Has Young Kim, are you just going to keep giving him at bats? What's your other option? Go get somebody Tony Kemp, You're right, yeah, no, Kim, Yeah, I mean you just gotta roll with him. You know, he's a he's a fourth in fielder, you know, and yeah, you gotta sign somebody to help him out on the bench because you also have you also have profar who plays a lot of outfield. But I mean, I would just try and give Profar as many at bats as possible over has Kim. But Profar is not good anymore. I know this. I'm trying here. What do you want for me? It's not I know you're terrible. I know you're trying.
00:35:07
Speaker 4: Here's the thing like, here's where San Diego has not tried recently, and they have to try once this lockout ends the outfield right now, you got Trent Grisham in center, and then they got to figure this shit out because as of right now, if you were put to, if you were putting together an opening day lineup for the San Diego Padres, it would probably feature Direkson Profar in left field and Will Myers in right field.
00:35:28
Speaker 3: Will Myers is making like twenty million doing freaking nothing, and Profar isn't doing anything anymore. You know who the Padre should go get? Jed Lowry? You laugh, I hear you, Jed Lowery, hear you? Do you know how many bets Jed Lowry one? When going with the A's This dude is clutch as scheven. Yeah, he's thirty eight, but he's still a good player. I'd throw a little contract at Jed Lowry.
00:35:55
Speaker 4: Interesting. Who else are you looking at? In the infield because they wouldn't hurt from signing like a middle infield or a third baseman. You might throw Adrianza out there again.
00:36:10
Speaker 3: You might. You might laugh. I mean you should laugh, but shouldn't. Ronald Terreus is a guy who's a free agent curly and he adds a lot of versatility in the infield. He's a spark plug, he's fun. He's just a better version of HASIONG. Kim. I would consider Ronald Terreus and I would consider Jed Lowry as guys who could play all over the infield and provide a little bit of a burst.
00:36:31
Speaker 4: I don't hate it whatsoever. My eyes immediately went to the corner outfield spots. Oh well, yeah, if right, if you're gonna try and fill it my free agency, I'll start small and get bigger.
00:36:45
Speaker 3: Yes, okay, fair, because I was gonna say, I think in the infield you can sign some depth. In the outfield is where you go big. And I have two names of the starters. Yeah exactly, so go ahead.
00:36:56
Speaker 4: So the two small guys that I want to throw out there that can be fourth out fielders, slash one of them can maybe fill in in the infield every now and again. Tim la Castro just got non non tendered by Boston. That's some serious speed. I know he's got some problems, but like I would take a flyer on Tim la Castro. I guess Auburn, New York native Tim le Castro, Yeah, fastest guy in baseball.
00:37:26
Speaker 3: Trey Turner spouts guy in baseball, but Tim Lacastro is probably too. Yeah. I mean I or Buxton when he gets on a freaking heater. Yeah, I mean I don't hate it. I guess for some death. Yeah. So like, because that's kind of be mean, they have like the way better version of Tim la Castro's sitting in the minor leagues as his name is C. J. Abrams. I mean, it's just embarrassing to even compare them because C. J. Abrams is probably gonna be a multiple time All Star. But I'm saying that if you just need the speed, because he doesn't really do anything besides that beisides get hit by pitches. He set a record for hit by pitches, so you know, on base machine, but that's I'm just like, you got speed. I mean, you got speed.
00:38:11
Speaker 4: I don't know, And I think they like blew the rest of Major League Baseball out of the water in the stolen based department. Yeah, and they also let Jorge Matteo walk, who's one of the.
00:38:20
Speaker 3: Fastest guys in baseball.
00:38:21
Speaker 4: True, that would be a guy that might fill in like around the infield and in the corner outfield spots. Like I think they're kind of kicking themselves that they don't have Matteo right now, but he's not gonna win you a World Series. Billy McKinny another like very small name that I would think about, but like, I don't really want that.
00:38:38
Speaker 3: Let's get bigger now.
00:38:40
Speaker 4: Eddie Rosario, I think, is a guy that can be the left field or for the San Diego Padres.
00:38:44
Speaker 3: Don't hate that, don't hate that. I just knowing the Padres just this. This has no statistical basis behind it. It's just like my feeling of how baseball sometimes works. Don't you kind of feel if the San Diego Padres sign Eddie Rosario to a multi year deal, Eddie Rosario will go ahead and suck. Yes, So that's as it has no actual reasoning behind it. It's just me watching baseball for so long and just seeing sometimes how these contracts end up. That's where I'm at there. No, it's fair.
00:39:18
Speaker 4: But like if you saw that the Padres signed Eddie Rosario to two years twelve million dollars, Oh.
00:39:23
Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, but I don't think they're kinda that's not the contract that Eddie Rossario's gonna get. I was thinking, like, really, two years twelve that's so cheat. Do you think he's gonna get Andrew Heeney just got eight and a half million, Yeah, so what's Rosario gonna get? Two years twenty? I was thinking two years? Like yeah, like two years twenty maybe two years twenty two, something like that. Okay, so two years.
00:39:49
Speaker 4: For twenty You still think Rosario is just gonna like drastically underperform that contract.
00:39:54
Speaker 3: Only with the Padres. Yeah right, that's Cleveland, Like, oh shit, it's like he's gonna be great or something, or if he went to yeah, if he went to another I just that the old veterans who are just coming off a really good twenty twenty one, like some sort of campaign, whether it be the playoffs of the regular season, then going to the Padres for a big multi year deal feels like a disaster waiting to happen.
00:40:18
Speaker 4: Yeah, I hear you all right, another name, go big Michael Conforto.
00:40:24
Speaker 3: Love that. I mean, I love that signing. I think Michael Conforto is gonna have a huge year and I think going, you know, from New York to California, big reset. I like that. I actually like Michael Conforto for your White Sox a little bit more, but I do I like Michael Conforta to the Padres. I just really like Michael Conforto in twenty twenty two. I think the swing plays. I think he's gonna have a big bounce back year. I mean, this is a guy who was one of the best college hitters in recent memory. I mean, he was phenomenal in college and in the major leagues he's he's been great too, but just a bad twenty twenty one. But then again, that whole Mets team on offense all had down years. I don't think that's some sort of coincidence. I think some of those players leaving will be good, and Michael Conforto is at the top of that list. Yeah, throw me your stuff. So, I mean, I think the Padres are in a situation where they should make a leap at seas Azuki. I think Seyasazuki could be the player to put them over the top if he is that electric guy that I think that we're expecting that he will be. Seasa Zuki is a guy coming over. I don't think that he's going to command a ton of money. And you said with the payroll, I think Nick Castianos might be a little bit out of their price range when we're talking where their payroll sits, and seas Azuki feels like that perfect that perfect player that makes sense with the money and could be that X factor that puts them over the top.
00:42:05
Speaker 4: Okay, so we said that they have thirty million dollars a wiggle room right now. Their total payroll in twenty twenty two at the moment is twenty eighty four. The luxury tax threshold is two fourteen, so that gives you thirty million bucks. I don't think Castianos is making thirty annually. I think he's making twenty annually.
00:42:23
Speaker 3: I agree. This is why I think Saasa Zuki if you, I think, and this is kind of reports like if we're looking at a four year, maybe forty eight million dollar deal, So you give him twelve, you give lowry. You know, a couple of million, you give Ronald Terreus a couple of million, you give a couple of these closers, not closers, but like Ryan Tapara Andrew Chaffin, those relievers, you know, seven to ten million, Then that all works out and you could actually do all of those. And I have a couple of trades that if they're to send away Eric Cosmer, not pay him some of that money anymore. You have some room to work with. And SaaS Azuki, although at least from watching it and looking at his stats, he doesn't seem like an incredible defender. He seems like a better defender than Nick Costianos. And I think you could use some defense out there in that outfield, You could use some defense.
00:43:15
Speaker 4: Castianos would be a liability. I like Suzuki, I do, and it keeps him on the West coast.
00:43:21
Speaker 3: We know that.
00:43:22
Speaker 4: You know, when the guys come over from Nipont professional Baseball, they actually prefer to stay on the West coast. Kind of the outlier was Masahiro Tanaka when he came over, he went to New York, but that is another coastal place. Like you, Darvish is the only guy that's been to the Middle Darbish and ko hey Arihara. So usually you see, like Otani wanted to be on the West coast, he was down to Anaheim and Seattle. I want to say where his final two obviously Ehierro when he came over, it was Seattle. I think San Diego would be a good fit for Suzuki.
00:43:53
Speaker 3: I do like the fit in the corner outfield. I do.
00:43:56
Speaker 4: And I think that you could play the addition game instead of give and take, because with Castianos, if you sign him for twenty annually, that pumps you up against the luxury taxi. You gotta be okay with not making any moves in the bullpen. Yeah, And with Suzuki, you're right, like you can build up and I don't.
00:44:12
Speaker 3: I could see Sea Suzuki having a very good offensive season because Nick Castianos, you know, he really was great in twenty twenty one. But he played a great American Paul Park, which is really easy to hit at. And now he goes to Peco, which is not you know, and now he's facing tougher pitching competition in the NLS.
00:44:33
Speaker 4: You know, but you do agree that Seya Suzuki is an exponentially higher risk reward outcome than Castillanos.
00:44:41
Speaker 3: I agree, I do agree, but for the money, I think it's worth it, and I think the Padres are at this point now where they got to go bigger, go home, and I don't think that you go extra big on Nick Castianos. I think your version of going bigger, go home is getting Seo Suzuki, getting a couple of bullpen guys, getting some dem bench bats, and making one of the two trades that I have recommended for them start with trade number one. Trade number one is getting Eric Osmer the hell out of there. I think the Red Sox could possibly be a team that would be willing to take on Eric Cosmer at thirteen million dollars. Maybe not all of it. There's obvious have to be some work around when it comes to the money. But these are the players I have involved in a deal for Eric Osmer over to the Red Sox. The Red Sox member no, Christian Vasquez is still a decent catcher, but he's getting up there in age a little bit. You can get your catcher of the future, Luise Campisano, package him and so you'd get Eric Osmer and Louise cam'pusano. But the Padres would then get Jeter Downs. Now, is that a little bit of a l for the Padres considering you're giving up? In my opinion, I think Louise camp Pisano is a better overall prospect than Jeter Downs. Yes, but Jeter Downs actually makes a ton of sense on this Padres roster. He's gonna be MLB ready. I think in twenty twenty one, would you agree, yes, twenty twenty two, twenty excuse me, twenty twenty two. Jeeter Downs is the guy who can play a little shortsiae. We can play a little second base. I bet you can move him around a third base if need, and I bet he can play corner outfield spot. He seems like he has a little bit of versatility. I like the bat. He makes sense within this Padres team. You're giving up on Luis Campus not really giving up. You're cashing in kind of You're getting rid of Eric Cosmer. But the Padres do have this overflow of catchers at the moment. It does kind of make sense for me to get Eric Cosmer out of there. So then you lose a lot of that money, and then you go in and bring in Anthony Rizzo, which is just the better version of Eric Cosmer and would still give you that locker room presence that you need. So you put Anthony Rizzo at first, you trade away because Rizzo's not gonna be crazy expensive. I don't think he's going to be that much more than what you'd be paying Eric Cosma right now on an annual basis.
00:47:00
Speaker 4: That's that's the first trade to have, and he's already a massive upgrade to Rizzo over Osmer. Yeah, we were talking about this before we started recording. Uh, you you threw me these two trades.
00:47:13
Speaker 3: In you know what. What my main takeaway was is that the Padres have to take the loss in the trade.
00:47:20
Speaker 4: They have to lose the trade in order to get Hosmer's salary off the payroll. So this we are really just playing, like how big are you losing the trade?
00:47:30
Speaker 3: Right? Yeah? Like how badly are you screwing up?
00:47:34
Speaker 4: And I think in the Padres dilemma with their window actually being a lot tighter than I think people are acknowledging. With Musgrove and Clevenger coming off the books after this year and then I think Darvis shortly thereafter, I don't really see a world where Campusano is a better option than the platoon of Nola and Carrottini. Really yeah, maybe two years down the road, yes, yeah, But like rookie Luise Campasano, I don't think he's that much of an upgrade over Nola and Carrotini agreed, I don't.
00:48:08
Speaker 3: I think he's somewhat expendable.
00:48:12
Speaker 4: Yes, as opposed to the other three guys, Gore Hassel Abrams. I think Campisano is actually the most expendable just because of what you have at the catching position right now. Now are they kicking themselves because they've let good catching prospects walk recently?
00:48:26
Speaker 3: Oh yeah, two to Tampa.
00:48:28
Speaker 4: Francisco Mahia went to Tampa, and then Blake Hunt also went to Tampa.
00:48:32
Speaker 3: But in there like that pissed. No one could really solve Francisco Mahia except the Tampa Bay Rays, right right, So there's that thing.
00:48:40
Speaker 4: Also, like Mahia is is the unsung like gem of the Tampa Bay Rays right now, Like I feel like we're gonna be talking about Mahea in twenty twenty two, twenty twenty three, is like wow, Like they fleeced them for this guys, So yeah, I I like it.
00:48:57
Speaker 3: Here's the next one. All right, This one's This one's a tougher to swallow if you're a Padres fan, But hear me out. C J. Abrams, the Padres best prospect, and Eric Hosmer are heading to Atlanta, and the Padres get back Drew Waters, the braves current second best outfield prospect after Christian Pache. You could make the argument that maybe you'd rather have Drew Waters than Christian Pache. That's a very hot take if you're a Braves fan listening to this. But you know, I'm not the biggest Christian Pache fan. I don't really know how his hitting is going to translate, but I do like Drew Waters. And if we're talking about the Padres needing outfielders, Drew Waters is a guy who is MLB ready now, and you could probably put in a corner of outfield opening day, and I think he'd be a pretty solid player. You know, you're giving up on CJ. Abrams and the Braves would be doing this only in the scenario that they don't sign Freddy Freeman. You know they would need a first baseman. You get the I say lottery ticket as if it's a bad thing. I'm calling c J. Abrams a lottery ticket. He's going I think he's going to be phenomenal. And I'm saying, you get the idea of, wow, this could be the starting shortstop moving forward if you're ready to move on from Dansby Swanson and then you know, you pay our cosma a little bit. Okay, it is so So here's why I'm not doing that.
00:50:22
Speaker 4: If I'm AJ Preller, and we know in the AJ regime, like nobody's untouchable, like you can do whatever the hell he wants because he's AJ Preller, He's the j R.
00:50:32
Speaker 3: Smith of baseball.
00:50:35
Speaker 4: I look at these prospects and Mackenzie Gore right now, Mackenzie Gore at the beginning of the twenty twenty season, Like if you looked at him and said, what's your ceiling, it's multiple cy youngs now. I look at it like, what's Mackenzie Gore's ceiling? All Star starter?
00:50:52
Speaker 3: I look at Robert Hassel, what's Hassl's ceiling? All Star centerfielder?
00:50:57
Speaker 4: And then I look at CJ. Abrams and I say, okay, what's your ceiling? Trey Turner multiple MVPs. Yeah, I can't move that guy. Yeah, Like I that would be a dagger to the heart if I moved that guy and he ended up being Tatis.
00:51:13
Speaker 3: Do you think if he ended up being do you think Drew Waters could be an ulcer fringe fringe?
00:51:18
Speaker 4: Like, I think you're getting a high floor, good prospect outfielder from Atlanta in that deal, and you're shedding the contract that you need to shed. I just couldn't sleep at night knowing that I gave up a guy that can win multiple MVPs.
00:51:32
Speaker 3: You're wrong, Just something to throw out there, you know. I like the first trade better. I also think it just makes sense for the Red Sox. I mean, the Red Sox do need it for Diceon the the other one, I was just kind of thinking, you know, I'm just just still thinking about the fact that if the Braves don't resign Friday Freeman, I mean, what are they doing? But then what I do? I guess they could be interested in this possible trade. I agree you probably need more than Drew Waters. I guess that just goes to show what I think about Eric Halls.
00:52:01
Speaker 4: Yeah, no, I he is just he's like damaged goods right now. He's an anvil if you want to make a trade like he is impossible to shed unless you drastically lose a trade. And I think that aj Preler is content losing Campusano for a third middle infielder. I think Jeter Downs is immediately getting more plate appearances than Hasan Kim immediately. But I just I don't know, Like I just couldn't sleep at night knowing that I let CJ. Abrams walk away in a salary dump trade.
00:52:33
Speaker 3: I think it's fair. So we're not gonna do that one. No, we're not gonna do that one. But this is we're not gonna do it. But this is the team. Now, we had discussion, We had discussion, this is the team quality. So should we recap what we just did. Yeah, let's recap what we just did. So in the starting rotation, we're not really touching it not, but you're giving mackenziegre ample opportunities like for example, April or March thirty first, or April first is opening day, like April fifth, the fifth spot comes up in the rotation. Is that Mackenzie Gore's turn? No, I think three rotations through. I think third time you go through the rotation, I think first time it should be Paddock if healthy. The second time it should be Weathers, and I think third time it should be Mackenzie Gore. We're just start having tryouts mid season. Yeah, just see which one sticks. It's just spring.
00:53:24
Speaker 4: Trainings for but we're not gonna get fucking spring training. Can you imagine it? Old Tomato, you all get one start. Whoever is the best start is the fifth start? Yes, it's the Hunger Games. That's how I would manage sick.
00:53:37
Speaker 3: All right, the bullpen, Let's just give Ryan to Paraw. You know eight million?
00:53:42
Speaker 4: Why not?
00:53:43
Speaker 3: Yeah? Perfect? All right, are you getting any but any other of these relievers? Maybe let's say chas Row chas Row. All right, we're adding Chasrow and we're ding Ryan to Para to this bullpen. That's a pretty solid bullpen. I think after that, it's fine, pretty good.
00:53:58
Speaker 4: It's not like near best in baseball, but it's not terrible. It's better than fourteen the magic number. Yeah, it's like it's nine.
00:54:05
Speaker 3: It's nine. We're putting them in the top ten. And then the offense, I think that they should sign seas Azuki. You put him in the outfield, you trade Luise Campusano and Eric Cosmer, you get Jeter Downs, and then you sign Anthony Rizzo, or you don't sign Anthony Rizzo at all. You start Jeter Downs in second base, and you put Jake Cronenworth at first base, and your infield is Crone Downs, Tatis, Machado, Nola. Then you have Sea, Trent Grisham, Will Myers. I was just thinking, you're probably gonna eat one of that. You're just gonna eat Will Myers is just gonna be a San Diego Patra this year. And that's okay. It wasn't terrible. Yeah, he's not a hole like Eric cosmer Is. He's he's fine, he's good. He's a good seven hitter, six hitter. Correct, Eh, he's an average six hitter. He's a he's a he's an average Yeah.
00:55:00
Speaker 4: Yeah, yeah. I was gonna see where you were gonna go with that. I was just gonna refute.
00:55:06
Speaker 3: Yeah. I like it.
00:55:07
Speaker 4: I think if you don't get Suzuki, I think go make a run at Canforto.
00:55:10
Speaker 3: I agree. I think that this is a good team. I do. Will if they come out with a ninety four and a half win projection like last year, will I still bet the under? Yeah? Probably yes, But could I see ninety one wins ninety two wins from the roster that we just developed in a wild card berth and I mean could The question is are they going to be better than the Giants this year?
00:55:32
Speaker 4: I think on paper yes, Once we talk again in September, the answer is no, because that's what the Giants do.
00:55:42
Speaker 3: Shit.
00:55:42
Speaker 4: Now, I ask you this question, if they make zero changes, if there is no notable transaction made by the San Diego Padres, are they a playoff team this year?
00:55:52
Speaker 3: I think they're one. With Clevenger back, I think they're one of the hardest rosters to evaluate because on paper, I mean, you'd be stupid to say no. But they have so many question marks, like what are you gonna get from your Darvish this year? What are you gonna get from Blake Snell this year? What are you gonna get from Mike Clevenger this year? What are you gonna get from a lot of guys? I hope Nola stays healthy all year. There's there's a lot of what ifs. But if the what ifs become what we think could happen, this team could win the World Series. I think there are three guys that aren't question marks. We know what we're gonna get from them this year, and they're on the infield. Tatis, Machado, Croninworth. That's it. I'm excited for the Podrin moving forward. I am yeah, me too.
00:56:38
Speaker 4: They to be honest, like their future is now, Like enjoy it while it happens right now. Enjoy the fanfare right now, Padres fans, because like your farm is non existent.
00:56:49
Speaker 3: We also a j preler did that to you. We have a very special announcement as well. Yeah rip it. Nestor Cortes will be interviewed the Just Baseball Show and that will be coming out on Wednesday's show. We're very excited to bring you the conversation with possibly the greatest picture of our generation, Nester Cortez, at least one of the most exciting the mustache. I cannot wait to talk to Nester. Yeah, that's that's uh.
00:57:19
Speaker 4: That was Aram's guy being the South Florida thing, and then he just so happens to pitch.
00:57:24
Speaker 3: For your squad.
00:57:25
Speaker 4: Uh So, I think you guys are both gonna geek out Arham for different reasons. And then you obviously because he has turned into uh, I mean, like he's hero.
00:57:36
Speaker 3: I guess what's his thing? Besides being the cult hero, he's actually going to be in the rotation and he's going to be solid in the rotation. He proved that he reminds me a lot of Johnny Quato. That's a very similar vibe. I know, he's similar in the sense of the leg kick and the you know, mixing up, you know, mixing up the way he throws the baseball. But no stuff alone too. He just gets out and he's exciting to watch every fifth day. He is. He's really funny.
00:58:07
Speaker 4: He's like if Johnny Quato met Bartolo Cologne in a way.
00:58:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, that's the kind of a both good pictures.
00:58:15
Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm really excited to listen to you and Aram Uh talk to Nestor Cortes.
00:58:19
Speaker 3: That's gonna be awesome. Uh.
00:58:21
Speaker 4: And we are going to rehash a little bit later this week with Javier Rey as the resident meme expert at Just Baseball because he is also the host of Locked on Padres. So we're gonna talk about what what he's seeing in the inside circles. We're gonna run Jeter downs by him. We're gonna run uh, should we run Drew waters by?
00:58:38
Speaker 3: I don't know, but I like Drew waters I, like, you know, that was kind of out of left field a little bit more be thinking about funny No, but we're we're also gonna run Suzuki and Canfordo by him too, and and we'll talk about that. But Nestor the star of the show tomorrow. Pete, thank you, everybody. Fatal Fact