Could the Padres not contending this year be a blessing in disguise?

[HollywoodLeo]

now, before you all form up the lynch mob and start running at me with your pitch forks hear me out.

I'll start off by stating that i'd say "screw the silver lining/"blessing in disguise" in a heartbeat and I want them to get their acts in gear and make this a great season, but that said...

if the Padres are out of contention this year by the trade deadline this opens them up to make moves they wouldn't otherwise make.

They could trade Brian Giles and actually get something in return for him, thereby lessening the oncoming blow of making the initial trade seem that much worse.

They could hopefully trade Nevin to a contendor and get something in return for him/get a better fielder. (I'm of the understanding Nevin's NTC is now only a limited one, and his 5/10 status doesn't kick in till 2006)

I'd hate this one contending or not, but if Ramon is insistant on 10 Mil/year then they can trade him and get something in return for him as well.

They can then use the saved up money to bring Xavier Nady back for next year, move Klesko back to 1st, either bring up Guzman to man center or sign a better temporary fill in, sign a better left fielder, and another good pitcher.

Now, I don't expect big names to fill in all the positions mentioned above. Given the Padres' track record/budget, I would expect to see some bargain hunting, but i'm sure the freed up money would be good for something. (plus i'm not even taking into account what they get back via trade...which of course would suck up some of the would-be saved up money too.)

Either way, perhaps the Padres falling out of contention this year would allow KT to dismantle the team to some extent and rebuild it over the offseason with a team more fit for PetCo.

(I wouldn't be opposed to a managerial change either)

[Steak]

I think it's time for Nevin to move on. Giles hasn't really produce much for the Padres which is very shocking.

Fire sale may not be a bad idea, but it's way too early to say that. If the Padres have these problems in July, then we can worry.

Pads will be fine.

[HollywoodLeo]

i'm not throwing in the towel or insinuating the season is over at all. I'm incapable of carrying that kind've defeatist attitude just because the chips seem to be down.

I'm only looking at the situation in a "well if it does go that way" scenerio

[Kobe]

Basically thats what it comes down to.

If we are not in the contending picture come trade deadline, I'd like to see us have some sort of mini-fire sale.

Of course when it comes to mini-fire sale, the can't moves are obvious in Peavy/Greene/Nady.. those are the only three Padre right now on the roster I see as "untradable".

Unloading Nevin and Klesko's contract will be tough, plus the no trade clause.

I see getting rid of Nevin to be easier than getting rid of Ryno, because Ryno loves it here, vs. Nevin *****es about Petco every chance he gets.

And as much as I love what Ramon brings to the table, Id have to agree 10 mil a year is too steep of a price to pay for him.

But if we let him go who do we have in the minors ready to take on that role? Humberto Quintero was one of my favorites down in the farm, but he's gone.



In all honesty, If Nady continues to hit, I think we've found that bat to replace Phil... I think even if we are contending, we need to deal Phil ASAP, while he still has value.

[HollywoodLeo]

I think there's another Hernandez that might be ready in AAA right now. Michael Hernandez I believe. Anyways, if Ramon were to go, look for the return of Brad Ausmus or some other stop gap of the sort. We have a shit hot rookie in A ball named George Kotteras who should be ready to go in two or three years.

In regards to Nady, I too personally view him as "untradable"...but it wouldn't shock me too much to see him traded considering his agent.
Although I'd hope Towers would take the wise route, clear up the room, and suck up one Boras agent, cuz X is worth it (assuming he keeps up the pace)

[Kobe]

well, if KT is smart and realizes that at this point of their respective careers, X will bring more to the table than Phil.. then KT can free up about 7-8 mil there to resign Nady..

One can only hope.

I think X's is more suited to Petco than Nevin.. Nevin is more of a power to all fields kind of guy, back when we still played at the Q, Nevin drove a lot of balls to the other way.. at Petco they're just dying at the track or even earlier than that.

while X is your typical right handed pull guy..

[DirtyKash]

So, what exactly would be considered as "not contending"? Being 10 games back of first place at the trade deadline? 12? 15? 20+?

[padrefanforever]

After stuffing him in the minors for as long as we have, I just hope that X is interested in being a Padre. It would not surprise me at all for him to let whatever he's got now just run it's course and have Boras take him somewhere else.......unless KT offers him something he can't refuse, which would be a first in team history.....lol.....

FYI all..........falling out of contention in this division this year especially, is just unexeptable....... this team should be one boatlaod better than they are playing now. It's not the bats being quiet that bothers me in all honesty.......it's how fundamentally unsound our team is as a whole, and our lack of pitching (other than Peavy). We look awful in the field and even if we hit the ball would still be losing right now. Our team defense is crap and playing like a loser. Until that's resolved the lack of hitting is a nonfactor....IMO..........My worst nightmare is coming to life if the form of Woody Williams being our "#2" guy........he would be a welcome addition to our staff as a #4, but we still need a shutdown #2, and I've been screaming that for two years now. KT needs to recognize this and go get that guy to double up with Peavy and give us a one two punch that would get us over that hump when our bats are quiet.

But when Pitching and Defense is failing.......bats are almost meaningless.......I'm just worried that everyone is looking at the wrong thing!

[riverdunesrat]

I don't ever want to think of the Pads as NOT contending. Even in their crappiest years, it was not an option. We gotta have hope, what else do we have?

Rebuild? Huh? Isn't that what we have already been doing for the last X amount of years? I do agree Leo that we need guys who can play in Petco. The shock value of the new yard should have worn off by now.

I gotta agree with padfan, the defense is just not there. IMO, it is the crux of the problem. It is sloppy, non-fundamental, lackluster, filled with basic mental errors,_______, _______, (fill in more adjectives). Without the defensive cohesiveness, offense is irrelevant. They are not playing as a team right now and no one is leading them.

I have been trying to reserve judgment being that it is so early in the season, but it is obvious that SOMETHING is going on.

I hate to say what I am going to say right now, but I have seen it before throughout Pads history. I saw an exaggerated version of it last season with the AZ team......It's this freaking hubbub that is going on behind the scenes with Bochy and his contract, or lack thereof.

When there is discourse with management, it filters down through the ranks. In this case the players, and it is affecting their play. Ever since I first heard it announced in the Media that Bochy wasn't getting his contract extended, and all the subsequent Media saturation/hype, I was becoming afraid for the Pads. I was pissed that it came to the forefront right at the beginning of the season when we all held so much hope for them. It came just in time to cause conflict and discourse for the world to see. With what I have heard about it through the Media, there has got to be tension in the club, even if it is not intentional on anyone's part.

Now, with the way they are playing......yikes.....does anyone else have a better explanation? I could be wrong, and I SO hope I am wrong.

Damn you Moores, Towers, and Bochy !!! How can you do this to your fans? Get your collective shiite together and get down to playing some baseball and leave the business where it belongs.

[Steak]

Speaking of management, I read at MLB.com that Padres hired Sandy Alderson as their new CEO. Hopefully, he can give them direction that Lucchino gave that franchise in his time there.

[padrefanforever]

I agree with Riverdunes completely.........there is depth to this disfunction that we're not completely privy too. It feels to me like the upper management is almost setting Bochy up to be the fallguy should be fail to make the post season. When if a one year extension could be worked out, everyone could get back to business, and the stress and tension looming overhead would be lifted.

I sure hope that Alderson can give the Padres front office the kick in the nads they desperately need......AND GET ME A SHUTDOWN #2 ARM TO GO WITH PEAVY TOO

[Saber]

Wait, the Ramon you guys are saying wants 10 million a year is Ramon Hernandez? Are you sure you don't mean 10 million over 3 years? Even compared to having no one behind home plate at all, he's not worth 10 million in one year.

[padrefanforever]

He's one of the premier backstops in MLB.......unfortunately he's going to get 10 mil / year.........here or somewhere

[padrefanforever]

What would be great is if all Padres, that still have Boras pulling thier strings, took a lesson from Peavy and fired him simultaneously.

[HollywoodLeo]

Wait, the Ramon you guys are saying wants 10 million a year is Ramon Hernandez? Are you sure you don't mean 10 million over 3 years? Even compared to having no one behind home plate at all, he's not worth 10 million in one year.

nope, he's asking for 4 years/40 million. You're right, as much as I want to keep him, he's not worth that