The Padres have agreed to a contract extension with outfielder Chris Denorfia that will keep him in San Diego through 2014, according to Corey Brock of MLB.com (via Twitter). The Pro Star Management client will earn $2MM in 2013 and $2.25 in '14, Brock tweets.
“We are excited to extend Chris to a two-year contract through 2014,” said General Manager Josh Byrnes. “He has proven to be a valuable and versatile player for us over the last three seasons, and his style of play is infectious.”
Denorfia's deal will cover his final year of arbitration eligibility as well as his first free agent season. The 32-year-old has a .279/.340/.419 slash line across three seasons with the Padres. Denorfia has experience at all three outfield positions but has primarily played the corners since 2011.
This season, Denorfia is earning $1.165MM after avoiding arbitration with the Padres in December. Byrnes reportedly received a good amount of trade interest in the outfielder prior to this year's deadline but opted to hold on to him.
“Yo boss, I just went deep off Kershaw last night. Pony up!”
I was just thinking the same thing.
2 mil for 2013 and 2.25 mil for 2014 is very nice for Deno’s services.
New ownerships doing good things out west. Smart baseball people.
With all the extensions going on, I believe that the Padres are trying to compete next year. They have a lot of young talent at just about every position, and their bullpen is solid. They just need depth at starting pitching, as well as a true ace. If the Padres could get a couple of starters on the market this offseason, they’re be a team to look out for in the West.
They actually have a couple of starters coming from within next year. Luebke should be ready by mid May, Cashner will hopefully be stretched out and Kelly should be ready for a spot out of Spring Training. Don’t get me wrong, if the Padres could talk an ace into signing up, then sure I’d take it, but now with the signing of Denorfia, I think getting a left handed hitting right fielder is the most important move they could make this off season. Michael Bourn anyone?
If they signed Michael Bourn, it wouldn’t be to play RF, that’s for sure. Maybin doesn’t hold a candle to Bourn in CF.
Frankly, I dont care what position he plays. Trade Maybin or make maybin a 4th OF if RF is out of the question for Bourn. Bourn would make the Pads offense one of the best in the NL
Maybin since July 15th: .311/.365/.407.
It’s in the Padres best interest to leave him be.
Not down on Maybin, but he has not exactly been as consistant as Bourn. If I thought Maybin could sustain a .365 OBP, I wouldnt dream of going after bourn. I would be thrilled with .350 from Maybin. This team needs a legit leadoff hitter if it wants to get serious about contending…. I will take a RF upgrade and a frontline starting pitcher as a consolation, though. Any thoughts on where the Padres should be looking in FA/trade in order to be serious players next year?
I agree about Maybin. .296/.353 in the 2nd half (45 games) and .295 in August. Looks like keeping that front foot down is working. He will be patrolling CF for years to come.
Maybin will be the CF next season. He is among the best fielding OF in baseball and will be back.
Forget Bourn.
Michael Bourn isn’t signing anywhere to play RF, plus he’s looking for something in the neighborhood of $100M on his next contract. Not happening in San Diego unless Bill Gates suddenly buys the team.
I’d still like to see them make a play for Shin Soo Choo. The Padres need someone in RF capable of driving in some runs. I especially like Choo because he can hit anywhere from 1-6 in the order, he’s patient, has a good power/speed combo, and is a plus defender. For the Padres’ purposes, he’d be a dynamic leadoff man (probably the best in the NL West) if they don’t find a SS capable of leading off. But he’d be ideal hitting second depending on who the SS is.
They’d need to trade for Choo, and maybe a package involving Gyroko makes some sense for both teams assuming the Padres extend Headley. It’s looking less and less likely Chisenhall is going to pan out, so the Indians may be looking for a young 3B.
Other enticing options could also include:
Nick Swisher
Melky Cabrera
Shane Victorino
BJ Upton
Angel Pagan
Cabrera is interesting because he could lead off, he hits from both sides of the plate, and he’s going to come cheap due to the suspension. He’s probably only going to get a one year deal, and he will probably outperform it to some degree. I also like Pagan and Victorino because they are switch hitters who could lead off.
If you give someone a hundred million dollars, they should be willing to play in the sandbox out in center. : ) Choo does make a ton of sense, but only if they can somehow get Headley to sign an extension. Swisher and Cabrera do not interest me at all, nor does Upton just because he bats right. I wouldn’t mind Victorino or Pagan as long as they don’t cost too much.
I’m not sure we can afford Swisher, but he would fit nicely in the middle of the order. I wouldn’t mind a 3-7 of Headley, Quentin, Swisher, Grandal, Alonso. Swisher is also a pretty good RF with a decent arm. I guess it depends on what you’re looking for – run producer or lead off man.
i trust our management to figure things out in the offseason.
In my opinion the Padres are in need of a leadoff hitter more than run producer. With Headley, Quentin, Grandal, and Alonso I think they have enough middle of the order guys, but they need the 1 and 2 spots in the order to get on ahead of them. If Maybin continues to hit like he has of late, he would definitely be welcome at the 1 or 2 spot. Do you think Choo could bat leadoff or would he be better suited to bat 2nd?
Choo can hit anywhere. He’s been a little miscast as a #3 hitter the last couple years because he doesn’t have big time power. He’s more of a doubles hitter who hits 20 HR per season. He also works a lot of deep counts and draws 70-80 walks per season, so his skill set is well suited for hitting either 1 or 2, depending on how the rest of the lineup pans out.
I personally think he’s the ideal 2 hitter, but his plate discipline and line drive swing would make him a very dangerous lead off man. He owns a .381 career OBP since becoming a regular in 2008, and that’s taking his .344 OPB from last season into account.
If they added a guy like Choo and let him lead off, my guess is Forsythe would probably hit second. You’d be looking at a batting order of Choo, Forsythe, Headley, Quentin, Grandal, Alonso, Maybin, Cabrera. Maybin has been hitting well of late, but he swings and misses too much to hit first or second. I’d also like to see him walk more.
Looks like Choo can become a free agent after next season, do you think it would take Gyorko to get him? He’s making almost $5m this year and will obviously make more through arbitration. Isn’t this great talking about the Padres adding final touches to a lineup, rather than talking about which prospects they can get back when they deal their stars?
Who knows what the Indians are looking for. They may still believe in Chisenhall, in which case Gyroko doesn’t make sense for them because they already have Kipnis at second. They desperately need young, controllable pitching after giving Alex White and Drew Pomeranz away for that giant turd Jimenez. They could potentially have interest in one of our young catchers (not named Grandal), assuming they are entertaining moving Santana to first base. The risk with Choo is he’s a Boras client, which means he will be a FA the first chance he gets; so you have to be careful not to give up too much for one year of Choo. If I were Byrnes, I would be calling the Indians about Choo and/or Asdrubal Cabrera. Cabrera isn’t as good as we thought he was a couple years ago, but he’s still a solid hitter and an upgrade over Everth.
I really don’t get the desire to end Venable’s tour in SD. He and Denorfia I would argue are the best fitting platoon partners the team has ever fielded.
RF for the Padres this year are hitting .272/.342/.455, the second most productive position to 3b (.279/.363/.468) . Keep in mind that RF was the team’s most productive position last year. Replacing Venable with another left-handed hitting right-fielder is the last thing I want to see them do.
Looking at how all RF’s have fared on the road this year, Venable’s 139 wRC+ is 5th best of the game, ahead of guys like Swisher (132), Choo (124). Not to mention ahead of all those pricey RF’s in the division: Pence (114), Ethier (103), Uption (82).
Not to mention he didn’t cost you a ton of money or talent like Gyorko.
The team needs to focus all their energy and resources on pitching. RF is fine. If they move in those fences, you can bet no one will be happier then Will Venable.
I think the problem is, Venable is incredibly streaky, generally doesn’t hit in the first half of the season, and can’t hit LHP. For what ever reason, he doesn’t hit until it’s too late. If he could hit in April and May the way he doesn July-October, he’d be fantastic.
so they’re keeping all the guys to maintain the chemistry..man oh man please drop Hundley and extend Baker as well as Headley.
I never really saw why the Padres were so into Hundley for as long as they had. Was it the occasional power he flashed? Was it his defense?
he’s good at throwing runners out..and he was hot last year at hitting, but now he’s just terrible.
With the amount of expectations they put onto Hundley, I’m surprised he only has just half a season’s work each year since being called up. But now that Grandal is up, Hundley’s time with the Padres could be up in the air. Hundley could serve as the back-up catcher, but the question is whether or not the Padres want to pay 3 mil. for a backup catcher or whether they trade him and have the more affordable option in Baker backing up. Though with Grandal not having much playing time in the big leagues as well as the uncertainty that lies with young players, San Diego may want Hundley just in case.
He’s had less than a full season of AB’s each season since being called up because he gets beat up behind the plate. I believe he’s dealt with knee, back and wrist injuries just as a result of the everyday pounding a catcher takes. He makes for a great back-up and mentor for Grandal for 2013, and could potentially become a solid trade chip if he stays healthy and produces in his role. At 28, he’s essentially beginning his prime as a catcher (most catchers peak in their late 20’s).
28 years old. GREAT game caller. Very good defense. Hit .288 in 2011. His combination of game calling, defense and .255/.734 hitting going into 2012 was head and shoulders better than the options. He is signed for 2 more years and even at his career averages is a better option than Baker. The 32 year old Baker probably wont be back with Padres on a MLB contract.
Oh, okay. I’ve seen his stats the last 4-5 years and I guess I must have ignored last year’s totals. He in essence must have been similar to what Suzuki has been the last couple years before he got traded to the Nats. The catcher’s spot isn’t much of an offensive position for many teams, but if you can have someone who does a good job behind the plate and works well with the pitchers, then that’s all you can really ask for for someone who constantly takes a beating day after day. Getting offensive production out of the catcher’s spot is just icing on the cake.
Totally disagree about Baker versus Hundley. Hundley is not an everyday catcher because he doesn’t hit consistently, but he works his butt off, calls a great game, and does have some power. He’s a good example for Grandal, and would have a great deal of value as his backup. They could play him a couple times a week, and he has a little pop coming off the bench. Baker is a journeyman, Hundley has assumed a leadership role on the team and is a good guy to have around to influence some of the youngsters based on his work ethic.
Plus, they extended Hundley’s contract in the spring, so he isn’t going anywhere barring a trade. They aren’t going to release him and pay him to play for someone else.
Its only 6 more million after this year…the new ownership can eat that. Now they only need to make a couple more investments and we’re good to go next year…..
We know the new owners aren’t going to be throwing cash around, so I wouldn’t be so nonchalant about them eating $6M for any player. They need to use their resources wisely, and every available cent needs to be used on guys who are on the roster. I’ve heard they could have upwards of $30M to spend on the 2013 payroll, so hopefully they won’t be essentially burning 1/5 of that total by releasing Hundley. They could however, trade him. I could see a team like the Rays having interest considering they lack options at the position. Not to mention, Hundley might be capable of putting up some good numbers in their park/lineup.
wow, so you’re a fan of Venable and Hundley? thats rare…Most Padres fans want their heads….I have nothing good to say about Hundley other than he’s okay with being mediocre, because thats what he is….
In fairness to Hundley, he got off to a bad start and probably starting tinkering with his swing to get going and that’s never a good thing. He seems to have a very good repote with the pitchers, and at the very least, if Byrnes can’t get something back for him he would make a great backup for Grandal.
I wouldn’t say I am a fan of either (I’ve actually been very critical of both in their roles as starters), I am just saying both have value if used properly. The problem is, neither has been used properly to date. I don’t want to see either guy anywhere near the starting lineup on a regular basis, but both guys could help make for a very deep bench and make some important contributions if given 200-300 AB’s. Both also work extremely hard, which is something that can’t be overstated in terms of its importance to a team as young as ours will be next season.
What it boils down to is both guys can have a greater impact on the roster if they are needed for extended playing time, which is something Baker and Kotsay are even less suited for than Hundley and Venable are.
Amen brother.
Hundley is FAR from mediocre. He had ONE bad part of a season in 2012 after injuring his leg in spring ball. He may be the best game caller in baseball (certainly top 3-4), he plays very good defense and his career averages put him among the top 20 catchers in baseball from 2008 to today. 6.1 WAR over that period. A really good choice as a backup catcher for a young Grandal. Get 60 games or so next season, mentor Grandal, provide a little pop off bench.
It’s nice to see the Padres making the effort to keep key role players around. That said, I’m not sure I would have extended Kotsay. I’d rather have Venable around as a 4th/5th OFer in combination with Deno than I would Kotsay given the age difference and Venable’s speed and defensive prowess. But that would depend upon what Venable is awarded in arbitration. At least Deno and Venable can both play CF if needed, Kotsay is strictly a corner OFer at this point.
Anyway, the Padres bench is shaping up nicely with several guys who can play multiple positions (Amarista, Cabrera, Guzman, Deno). Hopefully they can find a way to bring in more productive everyday solutions at SS and RF, since I am assuming they will go into the spring with Forsythe as their 2B.
they have Kotsay for pinch hit appearances and clubhouse presence only….he only plays the outfield for spot starts to give starters rest..he has only completed a whole game once this season…..he’s not a true outfielder for us, he just helps out there. We got him for only two reasons and those two reasons he does well in.
I know Kotsay’s role. My point was, with Deno, Kotsay, Amarista, Guzman and even Cabrera all capable of playing the OF for the Padres, it’s unlikely the team will retain Venable as a 4th/5th OFer next season. There are only so many bench spots available on the major league roster, so keeping a guy Kotsay’s age for the occasional PH appearance and his “clubhouse presence” doesn’t make a lot of sense. I’d rather have Venable coming off the bench and available to play CF in a pinch. Venable’s speed and defensive range are of great value to the Padres considering where they play their home games.
I agree. I am going to miss Venable,, because it sure seems the writing is on the wall. When he is hot, he is just what the Padres need in a right fielder, but he just isn’t hot enough throughout the year. Knowing the Padres luck, he’ll sign on with someone else and turn into the player the Padres have been waiting for him to become.
Personally, unless Byrnes can get a huge upgrade in right, I would be okay with them bringing back both Venable and Denorfia. The Padres have shown that they can win with the two of them platooning in right, so start the year with them and if the two of them aren’t producing and your in the hunt, deal some of your farm system for an upgrade.
I really, really hope Deno isn’t the upgrade we’ve been looking for in RF. He’s great as a 4th OFer and occasional starter, but he shouldn’t be an everyday player.
I hear you. He is one of the better 4th outfielders in th league, but I too hope Byrnes doesn’t expect him to be the starter. With Quentin and Maybin being locks for left and center, I think they really need a left handed hitting right fielder. The Padres are going to have one heck of a bench next season, lets just hope the starters produce.
they’re going for Kuroda as a starter and Bourn next year….thats the rumor anyway.
I’m all about signing Bourn, as long as they don’t have to empty out Ft. Knox, but I’m not sold on Kuroda. I personally would prefer a return of Peavy.
Peavy and Bourn make a lot of sense. With guys like Bass, Kelly, Erlin, and now Werner the Padres will have the depth to take the injury risk. The Padres could get Peavy at 1 year $8m with a $12m vesting option for innings pitched… some risk but a high reward and could still sign Bourn at $20m per and be around $80m. Not sure I would be comfortable with $20m on one player but he seems like the perfect puzzle piece to this improving offense.
If it costs the Padres $20m to get Bourn, I hope they don’t get him. He would just end up being an albatross contract like the ones the Dodgers just took on.
Peavy is NOT going to sign for $8 million. Think 4/$60. He is only 31 years old and he has had a very good season.
If, and its a huge if, he really wants to be a Padre and take a SD discount maybe he would take something like $12 million with a $16-$17 million option.
Bourn will not be a Padre. You can stop dreaming now. Not going to happen.
Maybe a trade for Cuddyer. Maybe Logan Morrison. Maybe Andrus.
But NOT Bourn at $20 million per season. In fact NO ONE at $20 million per season or even $15 million per season.
Ugh – I hope they don’t trade for Morrison. For all the hype he got, he’s not much of a hitter. Cuddyer would be a perfect fit.
I agree, Bourn is a pipe dream. Not going to happen for a whole bunch of reasons.
Just throwing ideas out there. Cuddyer is a 30+ yr old RF with power and he is expendable for a rebuilding team in Colorado. Going to take a couple of really good prospects to get him.
I was agreeing with you about Cuddyer. It was the Morrison suggestion I wasn’t crazy about. It may not take as much of a prospect package as you think the get Cuddyer – the Rockies may not require much of a return if the acquiring team is willing to take on his entire salary. The Rockies would, however, ask for a ton if the Padres wanted them to eat a good portion of the remaining salary.
Headley, Frieman, Venable, and Kelly or Erlin for Stanton from the Marlins. Slot Gyroko in at 3b and sign a veteran starting pitcher and the Padres are all set for 2013!
I’d be shocked if they got Bourn. He doesn’t have the arm for RF (not even remotely). Plus, word is he wants $100M+. No way they pony up that kind of cash. I like Kuroda, though he isn’t an ace.
I have been mentioning Bourn for awhile now, mostly because he makes a lot of sense. Concerned about his potential asking price though… he will be asking in the ballpark of 7/$130. Thats a lot of money and years even if payroll goes above $80m. Would be a buyer at 5/$80 but I doubt that gets it done.
Bourn is 30 and his speed/stolen base totals are already dropping. The Padres would be incredibly foolish to pay someone whose game is entirely predicated upon speed that kind of money over a 5-7 year period. He’d probably no longer be worth a contract like that by year 3 or 4.
I think the Padres new ownership group needs to make a splash in the offseason to prove they have some cash to spend on real players. I suspect they will try to trade for a young SS, and may attempt to find a RF via FA.
Given how Cabrera has played on defense of late, I’d be OK with them sticking with him at SS as long as they find a major upgrade in RF. If they are unable to find that RF upgrade, they better package some of their prospects for a young SS. There is no excuse for going into 2013 with Cabrera and Deno as everyday players.
I don’t mind Cabrera at short, he is good defensively and when he gets on puts a ton of pressure on the opposing team. Of course if they could get Andrus from Texas, I think I would be okay with Cabrera finding the bench.
Rightfield is the way to go free agent wise and the best bet would be Michael Bourn. He would give the Padres a true leadoff hitter and even if they do move in the fences in right, it will still be big enough to warrent a second centerfield type.
The team seems to really like Forsythe at second and with Headley hopefully signing an extension, it makes you wonder what the Padres have in mind for Gyorko.
Signing Headley to an extension just got a whole lot more expensive. I see the Padres retaining him while under control and dealing him when a Latos type package gets offered. He might sign a 2 year deal for something like $15m, but he will be better served to find free agency in 2 years.
Headley has said numerous times that he wants to stay in San Diego and now that he has shown himself that he can be successful at Petco, a long term extension isn’t out of the question.
Its not out of the question and I hope they do extend him. I was on the extend Headley bandwagon before his power surge. I only trade him for a ransom. Unfortunately, internal replacement pressure and increased value are going to make it harder for the Padres to extend him. Sure, at 5/$50m I would love to extend him, but why would he sign that when he could get $16m in the next two years in salary arb and then 5/$80 in FA? Would you extend him 6/$80m with Gyorko at a cost of 6/$20m? Consider the opportunity cost. I hope he stays for something reasonable.
It all depends on if Gyorko has shown he can hit at the Big League level. I hate to say it, but if they can’t get Headley signed to an extension this off season, then I think they may have to deal him when his stock will be at, more than likely, its all-time highest. The way he has played down the stretch, you would think the haul Byrnes got for Latos would look like chump change compared to what he should be able to get for Headley and that too was a great trade for the Padres. This may be the most important off season in Padres history, the new owners can show they mean business or they can just follow suit of the old regimes.
Let me get this straight. You’re saying that the Padres should sign the BEST defensive CFer in baseball (Bourn), and then play him in right field? What kind of sense does that make?
If they signed Bourn (A big IF), they would be a fool to play Maybin in CF over Michael Bourn.
I think they get something done with Headley and use Gyorko to upgrade somewhere on the major league roster. They clearly don’t think he can play 2B judging from the decision to move him back to 3B. They have been discussing trying Forsythe at SS, as well.
It’s too bad Gyorko can’t handle second. A bat like his at second would be nuts. He could have been the second coming of Jeff Kent. And I would prefer Cabrera at SS to Forsythe, Cabrera can make all the plays on defense, but I wouldn’t be too sure if Forsythe can.
Second coming of Jeff Kent, huh? I certainly hope so, but those are some lofty expectations. Gyorko’s best power numbers came in the CA League and in PCL, both of which are known for inflating offensive numbers. My guess is he hits for a high average, wears out the gaps with a ton of doubles, and hits 12-15 HR playing half his games in PetCo. Think Mark Loretta, but at third base – and that’s not a terrible thing. Maybe they revisit him at second in the spring.
I agree with you about Forsythe vs Cabrera at short, I don’t think Forsythe can play short everyday. I have just read they want to see how he handles the position. Frankly, I’m not convinced Forsythe, Cabrera or Amarista will hit enough to be everyday guys on a good club. I think all three are better suited to being used as super utility guys, but that would require the Padres identifying better everyday options.
Bourne will be very expensive- Boras is his agent
What young shortstop is available that is a gauranteed upgrade to Cabrera? Profar would require Gyorko, Kelly, and maybe more. I like Machado but am not convinced he would be a definate upgrade in 2013. I think the Padres are gonna be shopping for RF and starting pitching.
They aren’t getting Machado without moving Headley+. Not saying Macahdo is worth Headley, just saying the Orioles will want the moon for him.
Either Andrus or Profar will be available in the offseason. Both would obviously expensive. You don’t generally see prospects-for-prospects swaps in baseball. If either were moved it would more than likely be for a proven upgrade at SP, 1B or C. If they moved either for prospects it would probably be Andrus, and even that doesn’t make sense considering they have one of the better farm systems in the game.
With this signing they are at about $60 million. We have not seen what it will take to sign Headley, but I am including $6 million for him in that $60 million. New ownership will probably take payroll to $70-75 million. So $10-15 million to spend.
Here is a splash trade for the new ownership group: Trade for Stanton on the Marlins. We have tons of good young prospects and I would include Headley in this trade since we have Gyroko waiting in the wings to play third base. Imagine Stanton hitting 4th behind Gyroko in our lineup and Quentin hitting 5th?
Interesting. Might be a tough sell, though. The farm system finally produces a home grown player capable of being the face of the franchise, and they immediately trade him? Plus, we don’t know how Gyorko will hit at this level, so expecting him to step right in and replace Headley as the #3 hitter is asking a lot, especially if they really believe they can contend next season.
Gyroko might not fit into the 3 slot as you suggest, but getting Stanton to play right field and Gyroko at 3b would be a better use of the Padre player strengths. I think there is a better chance Gyroko will hit and not. Short of getting a bat like Stanton for Headley, I would not trade him.
The Padres may not have to move Headley to get Stanton – assuming the Marlins would even discuss moving him. The Marlins are about to enter a prolonger rebuilding process which will likely be sparked by them trading a number of their more marketable pieces. They have been looking for an answer at 3B since Mike Lowell left. Perhaps a package including Gyorko and some pitching could get it done? I kind of doubt the Marlins would move Stanton when they can build around him, but it’s worth making the call.
That would be awesome if we could get Stanton without having to trade Headley. I read a few months back that the Marlins would be open to trading Stanton and considering the strength of the Padre farm system it seems like a good match. I think the most underrated prospect in the Padre system is the first baseman for San Antonio – Frieman. Perhaps Gyroko, Frieman, Kelly or Erlin and one other pitcher for Stanton? Imagine the Padre lineup if you added Stanton to the mix!
Venable cannot hit LHP. Not an everyday solution in RF. With Deno signed he is a 5th OF.
Both Deno and Venable are platoon players for the most part. They are both better suited to being 4th and 5th OFers. Deno has a .238/.299./.352 line against RHP, so he’s not an everyday answer either.
I agree Venable is not an everyday player, but lets face it, there are a lot more right handed pitchers than left, and he can hit them. The platoon of Venable and Denorfia, like I said, would be fine with me. They seem to be able to win with this lineup and unless they can get a sure fire head and shoulders better replacement, I would prefer them to stay status quo.
Kotsay has Matt Stairs’ role from 2010..its actually more important than people think.
Braves apparently love Venable. I’d like to see that happen, seems like a world of talent.
Problem with Venable is he’s not so young anymore. In theory there is a lot of room for improvement, but chances are he is what he is at this point – a very good defensive outfielder relegated to a reserve/platoon role based on the fact that he can’t hit LHP.
Cabrera will likely be the starting SS in 2013 unless a trade is made for a player like Andrus. Forsythe will be at 2B unless Gyorko makes a bid in spring training.
Bench (5) – Amarista is a super sub. Deno 4th OF. Hundley is backup catcher. Kotsay is PH.
Venable will be looking at $3 million in his 2nd year of arbitration. Padres best option is to package him with a prospect of two and get a real every game corner OF. He is obviously not the every day answer.
I think it is possible that Forsythe moves to SS [or at least competes for that position in ST] and that Gyroko will be the second baseman in 2013. Gyroko will be playing somewhere on the Padres in 2013 and at this point I do not think the Padres will trade Headley. I would also like to see the Padres get an above average right fielder and use Deno as the 4th OF off the bench. Venable has a chance to carve out a decent MLB career playing in a more hitter friendly park.
Forsythe has well below average range for 2B, that is a terrible idea.
Apparently we already have all the winning pieces in house? I am hoping this is for the
4th 5th OF spot and not the starting RF 2013 spot. Denos good but I would have liked to see some new guys come in next year to mix it up alittle. Wouldn’t have minded Deno/Venable/Kotsay to all not be on the team next year but at this rate are they betting on this current lineup to contend next season?
Just think what might have been this year if Luebke hadn’t gotten hurt and if Byrnes had jettisoned Hudson and Bartlett earlier. The biys are building some great chemistry this season and unless they can obtain a huge upgrade in right, I hope they bring back Venable and Denorfia to platoon.
uhhh the way they’ve played lately they would have been first and second in the division with the Giants if the season has started out well…..they can win with this current club and thats why most of the guys are coming back.
Good signing, Deno is consistant. He should provide about $8 to $10m in surplus value over the next 2 years.
One of the least know good ballplayers around, glad to hear this.
Good signing. Probably means end of Venable in San Diego.
Now sign a FA SP and trade for an everyday corner OF in offseason and Padres can compete in the NL West in 2013.
Good signing by Byrnes. He has done a good job of signing some key bench players and building a deep bullpen. As far as RF goes I have seen enough Venable and it is time to move on. Here is another name that would fit, but would not come cheap. Nick Markakis. He is a guy who can hit anywhere in the lineup and the Pads have the resources in the minors to acquire a him.
I like how the Padres operate. They manned up when Bartlett and Hudson weren’t cutting it, and re-signed CLUBHOUSE people and decent players in Kotsay and Denorfia to team friendly contracts. My Red Sox should take note. Ps if it takes Rubby De La Rosa to get Farrell away from Boston, I’d pass.