Bill Center of the San Diego Union-Tribune held his weekly chat with fans today and shared some news about some possible moves the Padres could have cooking this offseason…
- Center thinks Anthony Rizzo will be traded "in the next week or two." He predicts Rizzo will be sent to the Rays, who will then flip Rizzo to the Cubs, where he is "still coveted" by (former Padres executives) Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod.
- The Padres will begin negotiations with Cameron Maybin about a multiyear contract once the team has dealt with its arbitration-eligible players. We heard earlier this week that the two sides would revisit contract talks in January. Center predicts a Maybin extension would be worth "at least" $15-18MM and be five or six years in length, which would buy out all three of Maybin's arbitration years and at least one of his free agent years.
- Center believes the Padres will add another pitcher through free agency, and says he's heard the names of Paul Maholm and Jon Garland connected to the club, though Center doesn't think Garland returning to San Diego is likely. Garland pitched for the Friars in 2010 and then opted out of a mutual option to enter the free agent market. Garland ended up signing a one-year deal with the Dodgers but made just nine starts for L.A. due to an oblique injury and season-ending shoulder surgery in July.
- The team "apparently can't put together a deal that would interest Chris Young" since "it would have to be incentive laden and the Padres aren't offering incentive contracts." Young, who pitched for San Diego from 2006-10, has been plagued by shoulder injuries that have limited him to just 22 starts over the last three seasons. Young posted a 1.88 ERA in four starts with the Mets last year before undergoing season-ending surgery to repair an anterior capsule tear in his throwing shoulder.
- "There is nothing close" between the Padres and White Sox about a possible Carlos Quentin trade. The Friars were known to be targeting Quentin last month.
- The Padres may choose to take cash from the Pirates to finalize last July's Ryan Ludwick trade, rather than a player to be named later.
- Center thinks the Padres "desperately" need to acquire a close-to-Major League-ready middle infield prospect.
Why in the world would the Rays trade for a young potential stud 1B just to flip him? So we can resign Kotchman? If we trade for Rizzo, we’re keeping him.
If they need Ludwig so bad why don’t they just sign him
Thank you.
Who would the Cubs flip to the Rays then? I don’t see either of the Padres or Rays wanting Garza…
Been there, done that. We have 8 pitchers and a gaping hole at 1B, Rays flipping a young potential stud to another team makes zero sense.
Why waste your time?
Rizzo for Hak ju lee, you heard it here first folks.
Rizzo for Hak Ju Lee? Just making sure.
Your sentence still makes more sense than us getting Rizzo and giving him away.
Well you fixed it so now I just look like a *censored* Sorry.
This dude didn’t even give a reason why we would give Rizzo away right after getting him….
Yeah, there was nothing more to it than Center wild hair speculation. If anything I could see the Padres flipping the return from Rizzo (Davis?) to another team if the Rays are unwilling to give up Lee for him.
This I can see. But if anyone thinks the Rays get their man just to give him away, I want some of what they’re having.
Auto-correct ftw
Lee is not enough for Rizzo. Davis and Lee for Rizzo. The Padres do not need to trade Rizzo just yet. Rizzo is the top rated first base prospect in all of baseball. Lee is not even in the top 5 shortstop prospects.
I’m not trying to start anything here, but other than Profar and Machado, who are the other 2 SS prospects rated higher then Lee? He is the 2nd best prospect in the Tampa Bay system which is always one of the better systems.
Man that Gonzalez trade looks worse every day.
At least the Padres got some “Trade Chip” for him. Instead of letting him walk to FA with nothing back.
They would have gotten two picks….Which will probably end up having more potential than Kelly and Rizzo.
Two picks in the 2012 draft, with eta’s no sooner than 2015. I’d much rather have Kelly/Rizzo/Fuentes than those two picks. As of now the Padres already have 5 of the first 58 picks in next years draft, and with the spending limits now in place, those picks would only be so valuable.
I doubt that. With Rizzo and Kelly, you know exactly what you are getting.
The Padres were totally painted into a corner of teams that would take the HUGE contract to keep Gonzalez…the 92 win season of 2010 is what killed the trade value and market for Gonzalez.
*90 win season. 92 wins would have put them in the playoffs.
/sobs silently to self
Yeah but the Adams deal is looking great and the jury is out on the Latos deal.
Rizzo and Blanks for Beckham/Lee, Davis/Niemann, and something else? solves the Rays’ 1B/DH problem and the Padres’ MIF problem – makes it easier for them to then flip Hudson and Bartlett + they get a SP whose asset value can be inflated by PETCO a la Volquez.
Toss me Gregerson with Blanks and Rizzo, we trade Beckham, the long term signed cheap Wade Davis who would own Petco and who knows, some average prospect I can’t even think of. Sound good? Or Beckham and Davis for Rizzo and Blanks would work better probably.
Yeah Wade Davis and his flyball tendancies would be better suited for Petco, BUT, the proposed trade would work much better if there was a need for Davis. Think there is a reason Davis is available this early in his new contract when he’s only owed 4.3m over the next two years, he’s not as good as the Rays were thinking he’d be. The 14% strikeout percentage over the last two years is well below average and a new park isn’t going to all of sudden turn him into an excellent starter. Maybe I’m selling him short, and if the Padres could flip to another team for something of better use, perhaps its feasible.
From the Padres POV, Lee for Rizzo would be the most appealing trade. If the Rays are in no way willing to make that trade due to future need at SS and are only interested in moving Beckham, they’d probably have to throw in an arm like Alex Cobb to make it happen and that’s only if the Padres like Beckham enough in the first place, which I have my doubts.
The Padres would be making a huge mistake to let Rizzo go for Beckham, heck a straight up trade for Lee is not enough. I like the Rizzo/Blanks for Davis/Lee trade. I think both Blanks and Rizzo would hit quite well in the American League.
No thanks.
Padres have multiple pitchers better and cheaper than Davis about ready to hit the ML. Why would they trade for Davis?
Beckham has been a total disappointment while Blanks, Rizzo and Gregerson are all major league ready or ML players. Why would they move them as a package?
Lee/Davis for Rizzo/Blanks, I’m pretty sure Byrnes would make that deal any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
Yeah, that Cubs/Rays rumor is kind of weird. Don’t see a real fit there, unless…
…and don’t shoot me, I’m just throwing this out there – but it seems like there are a lot of teams getting buzz with the Cubs that don’t exactly seem like fits for the players you’d think they’d be shopping. Garza isn’t going to be a fit with the Rays. And with all the rumours of the Cubs looking at exciting Jays prospects, it sort of makes you wonder, with the way the Jays operate, if Garza isn’t actually their target there…
What I’m getting at is, do you think there’s any chance the Cubs trade Starlin Castro for a giant bounty of prospects? Combine that with a Garza trade and they can really quickly rebuild their farm system – a task which seems a lot harder under the new CBA than it likely did when Theo/Hoyer took over.
No one on the current team is untouchable. However, I believe it would take a huge bounty of prospects, simply because Castro is young, cheap and has tons of potential
Yeah, no doubt it would take a giant package, not trying to undersell that at all. I clearly realize how valuable Castro is. I’m just starting to wonder if they would deal him if someone met the price, and the two teams I mentioned – Jays and Rays – would seem like very good candidates to meet that price and would have the need (assuming Jays move Castro to 2nd, as I know most think he ends up at 2nd or 3rd eventually anyways).
There is no way castro is available,period end of story….he is just 21 years old and already shows 25hr 25 steal potential…the idea of trading to build a young farm is to develop young stars for the future to build around….y trade a guy who already fits that format and is already proven he can do it….especially a ss/second baseman with power speed and can hit for average…that in itself is so rare in today’s game….in just theory the one scenario that might work is if a team was willing to take big z and soriano and there full contracts with some sort of prospect throwing in…then they might bite to free them of there finical responsibility….i’m sure there isn’t a team foolish enough to bite on that no matter how high in regards they hold castro.
I don’t believe in untouchables. Only a fool would make himself purposely deaf.
While I’m sure that, in theory, Castro is available, I have a hard time imagining a team willing/able to meet what I’m sure would be an astounding demand from the Cubs.
Truth be told, I think the Mat Latos deal provides a pretty similar outline for what a package for Castro would take.
They’re both players that were highly ranked prospects with two successful years under their belts. Latos’ results by WAR are a bit stronger, but he gets dinged for being a few years older, pitcher injury risk, and the Petco factor.
So maybe Castro is a bit more valuable, but I think overall that’s similar to the price the Cubs could reasonably ask for.
There’s no way the Cubs trade Castro. He’s a a young building block who will be in the prime of his career by the time Chicago is ready to contend. Even with the new CBA, and it’s huge effects on building from within…I’d let the prospects develop, make some big picture trades and build around Castro.
We had a great draft this year, and could potentially collect a huge bounty for Garza.
If Castro wasn’t so young, I’d listen to offers of him. But, combine his age, with being a middle infielder that will hit for average and power, and steal 20 bases. He’s going to be the face of the franchise.
If they want Rizzo they have to offer Castro so I don’t see how Jed and Co get Rizzo unless we trade him and he trades for him. The pads don’t want a deal built around Garza and Marmol, or Edwin Jackson, Marmol, and other prospects.
That’s nonsense.
The Padres are always looking to stockpile prospects.
Castro for Rizzo would never happen. Castro is a proven hitter, yet to even hit his prime. Rizzo has done nothing, yet…Which was why the Padres chose Alonso as their first baseman moving forward.
The Padres would need to settle for high upside prospects-
Which is all any team will offer for Rizzo at this stage in his career.
The Padres would have to offer more than Rizzo if they wanted Castro. The Padres now have the system to make the Cubs listen, but I don’t think I would pay the price. The Cubs would probably want Rizzo, Gyorko, and 1 of our top AA arms. The Padres may have to fill their SS with stopgaps like Bartlett until they can develop one of their own.
Rizzo was “fine” in Hoyer’s view when he asked for him as the principal chip in the Adrián González trade, so, he is not enough now that the Padres are offering Rizzo to Hoyer for a much less acomplished hitter AND fielder (Castro plainly sucks)? Sure you an add a couple of young players yet to reach AA who have not done a single thing at the levels they’ve played… heey Hoyer has to remember that it is fair now that he’s also dealing with his former team… LMAO!
I am not even sure what you just said or what your point of view is.
You were clearly conceived in a tool shed at a family reunion.
None of what you said made any sense, and you should feel terrible about it.
I would trade Rizzo, Gyroko and one of the top AA arms for Castro in a heart beat. The Padres already have Headley at 3b, Alonzo at 1b and probably the deepest farm system in pitching [Rangers possibly higher] in MLB. What the Padres do not have is an elite shortstop prospect anywhere close to the bigs.
Not a chance. Gyorko should be going nowhere but Petco. His hitting approach is perfect for Petco and Byrnes shouldn’t be trading away guys who should/could excel at Petco.
If I were Byrnes I would not make a deal with Hoyer unless I was blown away. Hoyer and McLeod have way to good a feel for the Padres system and probably have a few hidden gems they love too. BTW, the Padres can solve their SS issues by signing Erick Aybar next off season when he hits free agency. He is exactly what the doctor ordered for the Padres.
They would probably want even more than that.
Castro? Not even close!
You tell that at parties?
I see a great fit for the Redsoxs to get
Carlos Quentin
That’s a bold prediction about the Rays acquiring Rizzo then flipping him. Really don’t see that happening.
That’s a nightmare scenario for Cubs fans.
As talented as Rizzo is, he does have enough issues at the plate to question if he’s an absolute sure thing. He struggles mightily with a decent breakingball. And although he does feature an immaculate sweeping, left handed swing…He hasn’t yet shown the ability to hit big league pitching.
Personally, I think he’s an all star in the making. And the his pull power in Wrigley Field would be conducive to huge numbers.
However, after the last trade we made with the Rays…I’d be cautious.
We do NOT need to sell the farm this time.
Dan Vogelbach has the physique of Uncle Phil from the Fresh Prince, but he’s got raw, plus power.
If I’m TheoJed, I offer Vitters, Dolis, and a change of scenery candidate in Hayden Simpson.
why would Tampa or SD want or need Vitters?
I just don’t understand why the Padres are ‘rushing’ to trade Rizzo. You don’t have to trade him right now.
There’s a logjam at 1B. Guzman, Rizzo, Blanks and the new guy from the Latos trade. Not saying Rizzo needs to go, but they have to decide on something. Oh yeah, they even re-signed Jeremy Hermida.
He’s predicting. Not Stating that its definitely going to happen or whether or not that the padres even want to.
Thing is, he shouldn’t be in trade rumors right now. I understand there is a log jam in 1B, but you can easily put Rizzo in AAA for at least one more year. He’s only 22/23. Then place Blanks (who can play LF), Guzman (who can play multiple positions), and Alonzo in the Majors.
i agree and the rays seem content with moving zobrist to first so y pay a mint to flip him to a team looking for prospects…mostly…a straight up trade to the cubs from padres makes more sense….padres do have a log jam at first but could use a young 3rd base prospect just about ready for the majors….vitters,byrd and a middle of the road pitching prospect makes sense fills a couple wholes for the padres and the cubs get there first baseman…not to mention the cubs just signed stewart to play third he will fill their void there for a couple years until a couple there other young third basemen are ready to be called up.
No. They have 1 million young almost ready third base prospects.
They arent. The media is. And Bill Center is a hack. One of worst baseball “writers” in America.
Rizzo is coming off as vastly underrated judging by these comments. I would have thought he’d bring back a top 5 prospect and a top 10 prospect from a team…guess I may be off. He’s still kind of really awesome and SD just got Alonso because he was available, not because Rizzo is bad.
Rizzo may be worth 2 of a teams top 10 ten prospects depending on how good that farm system is. I would not trade Rizzo to the Rays for Wade Davis as many people speculate. The Padres have several young pitchers who I think will be better than Davis and will be paid far less sitting at AA and soon to be AAA. The Rays make sense if MIF help is involved. I do like the Rizzo for Lee scenario.
They won’t move Lee, Beckham, maybe. I don’t see him getting a call up anytime soon with the Rays, especially with Elliot Johnson around. The top 10 prospects thing, eh, Rizzo is good, but not that good. Especially if you’re looking at Rays prospects. Davis and Niemann or Cobb or Beckham or Canzler and a pitcher.
Pads farm is far better than the rays! what exactly do you mean especially looking at Rays prospects?
You are completely overvaluing Rizzo. He absolutely should be regarded as a top prospect, maybe even a top 10 guy (debatable) but to say he’s worth two of a teams top 10 prospects is crazy. Now true, there’s a difference between the Rays #2 and #10 prospect vs the Marlins #2 or #10 but why in the world would the Cubs downgrade like that anyway?
Rizzo is the top rated first baseman prospect in MLB. He is rated ahead of Alonzo. The reason the Padres like Alonzo is because of how Alonzo’s swing fits better in Petco Park. IMO, Lee from Tampa is not enough for Rizzo.
Cubs were rumored to offer Garza and Marmol.
They did not offer Garza and Marmol for just Rizzo.
Cite any credible source…..no way you give up a closer and a #2/3 arm for a prospect……
Rizzo has never been THAT good, he wasn’t good enouth to promote him to AAA when in the bosox organization, BUT Hoyer had to hype Rizzo as the NEXT BEST thing, an Adrián in the making he said when Rizzo began hitting at AAA. But he is awful trying to hit offspeed pitches, and at AAA he is mostly facing fastballs.
Rizzo didn’t make it to AAA while in Bostons system because he was coming back from a bout with cancer and they didn’t want to rush him. The kid is 22 and would be a senior in college or just drafted if he gone the school route and is really only 21 in terms of baseball playing with the year he had to take off.
Strange rumor. What would the Cubs have that the Rays wanted bad enough to give away something that they really need (young, high-upside 1B)?
Would the Cubs trade Cashner for Rizzo?
yes but doubt the pads would or should
I think Rizzo for McNutt would benefit both teams. I don’t see the Rays flipping him if they do acquire Rizzo. Makes no sense since they need a 1b. This would be a big get for the cubs, hoyer and epstein. Add onto that any return they would receive from a Garza trade and this team can become competitive quick.
McNutt is the only pitching prospect in the system with any upside that’s close to ready. The Cubs have zero pitching in their system, above AA. Even if Samardzjia and Cashner both start, neither is a lock to succeed or stay healthy.
The Padres have 2 first basemen, and there’s no secret Rizzo is expendable.
Cubs need to exploit that, and offer up a package heavy with position players with upside.
In addition to Vitters, Dolis and Hayden Simpson….I MIGHT include one of Reggie Golden or Junior Lake.
But, Ben Wells and Trey McNutt should be off the table.
That’s a lot of guys to give up for one prospect. Epstein is trying to increase the depth at the minor league level. One for one sounds better to me.
Understood. I’d like to hope with Theo and Jed moving forward with a new scouting approach, some of these kids are going to be blocked. A quantity heavy offer of high upside guys, rather than Jackson/McNutt/Szczur.
Someone like Vitters still has raw talent, but could use a change of scenery.
I think that sounds terrible for the Padres. Why would they trade their best prospect from one of the best farm systems in baseball for a teams 4th best prospect in a not so great farm system?
The Padres have several top pitching prospects. That trade sounds horrible.
McNutt was the the 48th best prospect in baseball just a year ago. Seems like a pretty reasonable trade to me. It doesn’t matter how many good arms they have in the minors, you always need more.
The Padres do not need more arms right now. I follow the Padre system very closely, we have an entire starting rotation and bullpen within 3 years of making the Major League roster. Moreover, the current Padre Major League rotation are all under 30 years old. What the Padres really need is an elite shortstop prospect or an elite outfield prospect. The Padres do not need to trade Rizzo until they can get either of the two above. And please, keep Jackson, he would not even break into the Padre top 5 prospects. The Padres may have ten players in Baseball America’s 2012 top 100 prospects.
I generally agree with your assessment that the Padres need high end talent at corner outfield and SS. I would only trade for other positions if elite talent was offered. If the Padres were offered Shelby Miller for something the Cards wanted, I would not turn around and demand a SS from the Cards. I could see an entire pitching staff ready in 1-2 years and an additional wave of pitchers a 1-2 years after that. I expect Stauffer and Richard to be traded by this time next year. Although, you could argue for a short term extension for Stauffer if stays healthy this year.
“not so great” is a very kind way to describe the Cubs’ system.
Only regarding the AA and AAA clubs. The Cubs just had a fantastic draft. Their farm system will vastly improve in 2012.
There are lots toolsy kids who project to be solid everyday players. (Jackson/Szczur/Candelario)
And a few potential stars in the making in this years draft in Vogelbach/Baez/Maples.
Not to mention, an absolute surplus in high impact bullpen arms. The Cubs system isn’t top 10, but it is extremely under-rated.
if by “under-rated” you mean rated-under all the other teams, then yes i’d agree with that assessment.
Aww, you sure tried.
dude, you’re trying to sell the cubs farm system on having “an absolute surplus in high impact BULLPEN arms” has to be the funniest thing i’ve read all week. please, please tell me whose farm system you can rank the cubs ahead of w/o a doubt.
Brewers, dodgers, white sox, and Indians definetely.
exactly..if you can only name 4 minor league systems that are definitely worse than the cubs, there is absolutely no way they can be under-rated, rather they are rated about right.
There’s something funny about a homegrown, lights out bullpen?
We must have a different sense of humor. That is a huge asset for any organization.
The Padres have far more solid bullpen pieces on their AA club alone. The cubs system is in serious need of restocking.
Also Alonzo and Kelly might just be ranked ahead of Rizzo. That doesn’t diminish his abilities, just pointing it out.
Kelly isn’t new. He’s already been ranked behind Rizzo. I don’t think Alonso ranks higher either. The only reason he’s higher on the depth chart is because he’s more major league ready.
Phils should trade Freddy Galvis to the Padres. Get something decent in return now that they have Tyler Greene and Mitchell Walding in the minors on their way and J-Roll signed for four years. Anyone agree? What do you think?
Middle infield prospect … was Everth Cabrera THAT bad that he couldn’t hold the spot? I mean we are talking the Padres. I realize he couldn’t hit his way out of a paper bag, but once again, Padres. Let’s be realistic that Padres, A’s, Astros, etc. serve as feeders for the rest of the league. The fanbases, as they are, are fed constant streams of BS optimism involving new stadiums, new GM’s, whatever. The amount of media attention that Bill Center gives the Padres is about 50% more than what they deserve.
Pretty sure it is Bill Centers job to give the Padres media attention since he writes for the local paper. The Padres are setting themselves up to dominate the NL west for several years.
Sign Chase Headley to a long term contract and pair Rizzo/Gyroko together and get an elite outfield prospect and an elite shortstop prospect. It may have to be a 3 team trade to get both of those pieces, but it is fair. Rizzo is rated the top first base prospect in baseball, while Gyroko is the number 7 or 8 best third base prospect in MLB.
I think age is the only thing keeping Gyorko from being considered an elite prospect.
I wouldn’t trade Rizzo for less than Hak Ju Lee from Tampa or Mike Olt or Martin Perez from the Rangers. Just because he’s surplus that doesn’t mean you have to sell low. Try to make him a left fielder in AAA and let him continue to mash the PCL into a bloody pulp. If he can handle the OF his trade value would sky rocket. Worst case; San Diego would be looking at an Alonso, Grandal, Rizzo, Gyorko core heading into 2013. Now that’s something you can look forward too.
Good point James, and you could probably flip Headley for another elite outfielder. I just dont think Rizzo for Lee is fair value though. That would be one solid “inexpensive” core. In addition, the rotation and bullpen is also full of pretty good “inexpensive” pieces. The Padres could afford to go out and sign some decent bench pieces.
I actually asked Bill Center about Rizzo playing LF. I think he looks athletic enough to play left, if Blanks can play out there. Center didn’t agree, but I like the thought. Byrnes needs to get back a SS or 5 tool centerfielder, who the Padres can move to RF if they move Rizzo IMO.
I thought Rizzo was the second coming. What happened? Boston fans jumped down my throat when I said he would be no better then David Murphy. First the great Casey and now Rizzo. Can’t wait for Middlebrooks to get traded
Blanks and Rizzo can’t hit curve balls. That’s kind of a problem isn’t it?
Only if they want to be succesful!
ok maybe they not deaf to the idea but the amount of prospects plus it would take might be the highest ever for one player…the cubs love this kid and he is the face on there franchise right now
I’m thinking that TB isn’t involved in this at all. I say it is Rizzo to the Cubs for Junior Lake.
Padres can’t afford to take on risks anymore; Junior Lake seems to be under a lot of fire for uncertainty with true value.
As a Cubs fan, I pull the trigger on that.
Junior Lake has a ton of upside. He’s a shortstop that hits for power, steals bases, and has an absolute cannon of an arm.
Even if he fails as a position player, enough teams have contacted the Cubs in trade proposals with hopes of turning the guy into a pitcher.
Padres fans could reference his absolute inability to work the count and take a walk. His AFL numbers had been great, but that’s a very hitter friendly league.
I wouldn’t want to give him up, but he’s not in the TheoJed mold, and I’d be willing to pay that price.
If Junior Lake is all Byrnes gets in return for Rizzo, then even Moorad would have to fire him. Baseball America has Lake at #8 in the Cubs system, which is quite weak no matter how you would like to spin it, and Rizzo is #1 in the Padres which may be the deepest in all of baseball. Of course you would make that deal as a Cub fan. As a Padre fan I’ll take Moore and Lee from the Rays for Rizzo, Blanks and Stauffer as well. I guess we can all dream.
If the Hanley Ramirez experiment in Miami does not work, how about Headley, Bartlett and Rizzo to Marlins with Marlins throwing in cash or prospects?
What happens to Hanley then? And do the Cubs end up with Gaby or LoMo as a result?
Hanley stays in SD and remains at SS. Trade could be expanded and move Gaby to Cubs and SD gets Garza in return. Though this seems like a lot of payroll for SD to take on.
three way trade-Blue Jays get Garza, Cubs get jays prospects + rizzo from pads, Pads get someone like Gose from the jays. Or i’m sure there’s someone the Padres want from the jays as they were finalist for Latos.
I guess it would all come down to who AA would be willing to deal. They would need more than just Gose for Rizzo, which is what it would come down to in your scenerio. I really think a 3-way deal is the only way the Padres get good return for Rizzo.
Video of Rizzo shows he has a really, really long swing. If that doesn’t change, he’s headed for a huge number of strikeouts as demonstrated in his short debut with SD last year. Be careful what you wish for.
That’s why I wanted PeterBourjos so
Padres were never “known to be targeting” Quentin. They were RUMORED to be looking at him, but in reality never even spoke with White Sox.
Center is right on the money with Maybin’s potential contract. Think Jose Tabata’s new contract as a model. 6 years and $15-20 million with option years.
Randy Smith and others in Padres organization have publicly talked about Rizzo possibly landing in the OF if Alonso wins the 1B job. Do not make the mistake of handing Alonso the job prior to spring training. A cup of coffee in Great American bandbox does not make you a successful hitter in the ML let alone Petco.
Rizzo is younger, a better fielder at 1B and a better hitting prospect at this point. Don’t count out the chance that Alonso is the one traded.
I would agree with Center on the Padres still looking for an inning eating starting pitcher, but I would guess its not coming through free agency and if it does definitely not Maholm or Garland.
Unless the Padres can move Bartlett or Hudson, they will not be going after a middle infielder, regardless of need at this point. Many pundits like Center and fans have written off Cabrera as a ML player. Be assured that Padres brass and other teams FO & scouts have not.