2:15pm: The Padres have engaged in at least some discussions with the Cubs regarding young infielder Javier Baez, Jon Heyman of CBSSports.com reports. Chicago is said to be pursuing pitching, and we heard last week that they had exchanged ideas with San Diego.
Meanwhile, the Friars seem increasingly likely to hold onto Craig Kimbrel, reports Heyman. The team lost a significant suitor when the Nationals got Jonathan Papelbon, and San Diego has been unable to convince the Yankees to give up shortstop prospect Jorge Mateo in a deal.
11:40am: The Padres continue to explore a wide array of options on this year’s trade market, though they’ve yet to make a move. Multiple reports suggest that the team is still weighing its ultimate approach, perhaps considering major moves while also preparing for a more modest sell-off.
Jayson Stark of ESPN.com hears that rival teams expect San Diego to be “super active” and pursue a “huge deal” of some kind (via ESPN.com’s trade deadline page), with the team said to be considering deals on controllable rotation pieces such as James Shields, Andrew Cashner, and even Tyson Ross.
[RELATED: Rangers Discussing Ross, Cashner With Padres]
The inclusion of those names on the market could even reduce the Phillies’ leverage with regard to Cole Hamels negotiations, executives with other clubs tell Stark. The Phillies, of course, are said to be asking teams with interest to get their bids in on the lefty today.
Meanwhile, Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that Padres GM A.J. Preller could “take a more measured approach” in selling than he did in compiling assets over the winter. San Diego wants “substantive” value in its deals, per the report.
Efforts to move Shields have not resulted in promising offers of yet, says Lin, and he could become an August trade piece. And while San Diego is indeed discussing both Cashner and Ross, it seems hesitant to part with them. There is some belief within the organization that larger-scale moves could wait for the winter.
The club does still appear likely to move its short-term assets, per the Union-Tribune. There is still at least some possibility, though, that it will hold onto Justin Upton and make him a qualifying offer, with talks not yet having produced a substantial enough return, though it seems rather likely that something with come together on the slugger. Other pieces fairly likely to be dealt include Ian Kennedy, Joaquin Benoit, and Will Venable.
Figure CJ Edwards, Billy McKinney, Eloy Jimenez, and Starlin Castro would be enough for Ross and Kimbrel. That’s two top-50 prospects plus an 18-year old who was the top Int’l FA prospect two years ago. Castro is really just in there to match some of the $15 million in salary commitments coming back to the Cubs.
I still feel like it would be very fitting to see the Cubs try their hardest to pry some of that cost-controlled pitching from them and most likely trade Starlin Castro. He just seems to fit their whole routine of going after big name players and their hole at short stop. Cubs can throw in a decent prospect or two and maybe get Gyorko back as well. It sure would be funny to see them come full circle and get Cashner and that would be humiliating for the Pads.
Rizzo was a good trade. I’m
sure Cashner would be fine with it. My brother works for the TN Smokies the Cubs AA team when Cashner was there. Said Cashner was pretty upset when he found out he was traded. I think he wanted to be part of the Cubs possible future WS. I’d think any player that’s a part of that team will instantly become a legend.
If Dombrowski is serious about competing, then he should consider selling the entire farm for some rotation-bullpen combo.
Who does Detroit even have left to sell??
Padres roster building strategy is like a dog chasing its tail. Most of the time you get nothing, but even when you catch it…it hurts you more than helps you.
Mike Dee was on the radio this morning on xx1090 giving a different picture. Dee’s opinion was more in line with Lin than Stark.
Dee, Fowler and Preller have been consistent in saying they are in no hurry to trade guys and will only do it if it helps the team win now. All those thinking that the Padres will dump players and take a loss are going to be disappointed. Dont think they are going to take your team’s garbage just to move a contract. Its not happening.
You mean like Melvin Upton?
Remember that the Padres dumped players and $35 million in salary in that deal too. AND they got the best closer in the game, hands down.
Oh… so the Padres can dump players to lower their incoming salary obligations, but when it’s suggests that other teams do the same to match salary in trades with the Padres — well, in that case it’s just ‘garbage.’
for all those games he’s closing right? seems like they could use that cf,2b and back end starter back…
No one is suggesting they take back garbage. The problem is that you can’t decipher the difference between garbage and salary off-setters. So let me break it down for you –
Craig Kimbrel will make $11 mil next year. Tyson Ross will probably get a bump close to $8 mil next year. No team is going to take back that kind of money w/o having some kind of off-set. Why do you think the Braves so willingly took back presumed garbage like Maybin and Quentin in the Kimbrel deal? It’s because they knew that no one was just going to take on all that salary.
In the end, the Padres took back a combined $8.5 million additional salary commitment for this season w/ the Kimbrel trade. Teams gunning for Kimbrel/Ross aren’t going to want to go much past that – hence why so many trades connecting those two with the Cubs have Castro included. It’s not because people think Castro has some hidden value. It’s because it would lower the Cubs additional salary commitments for 2016 to $8.5 million instead of $18 million. Other teams are going to expect similar players be included into the deal for the same reason.
yep… another ignorant down vote from PadsFan that comes without any rebuttal. Face it – you can’t have it both ways. You can’t expect to get to get top of the line prospects w/o off-setting any of the future salary commitments. Cry, complain, down vote – I don’t care. This is standard in MLB trades.
Castro is garbage. .230, bad attitude, bad defense. Its a bad contract that somehow people think the Padres should give up a top 15 pitcher in the game for him. Its not happening. Get over it.
The Padres can easily afford Ross, Cashner and Kimbrel. Even if they don’t move anyone other than allowing the free agents to walk they are still under $100 million and Fowler and Dee have both said that they are willing to keep the payroll the same or raise it.
The Braves GM thought and still says publicly that the soonest they will contend is 2017. Why have an expensive closer when you are not planning on contending? That is why they moved him. They thought, and rightly so, that Wisler would turn into a nice back of the rotation starter that is under team control for 6 years and Maybin would bounce back and be tradable.
Get this straight. No one is going to get Ross and Kimbrel in the same trade. Preller and Dee have made that crystal clear in SD area interviews this week. They have also both said that Ross and Cashner are not being shopped, but that it would be unwise to not listen to offers if, and this is the BIG IF, they can make the major league team better today.
Even the Chicago area media have already said the Padres said no to Castro. Its done. Its not happening. Enough.
You almost lost when you pretended to know Castro again… Then you lost me completely when you again acted like Ross is a top-15 pitcher in baseball. He’s not. We’ve had this discussion. There are at least 30 pitchers I can think of off the top of my head that are better than Ross. Heck, 16% of MLB players made the All-Star team. You’d think they could’ve made room for a top-15 pitcher… right.
As for this Kimbrel non-sense, the Padres asked for an average SS prospect from the Yankees… and were turned down! Not only are the Padres asking for average prospects, but they’re finding that they can’t them.
So go on and tell me how the 30th and 38th ranked prospects are garbage. Tell me how an 18-year old power hitter is garbage. And then tell me why the Padres are failing in their attempt to obtain average prospect returns for Kimbrel if he’s so untouchable.
so castro is a bad contract, but im sure you think gyorko adds value to a trade?
What gets overlooked is yes the Padres want to shed salary, but not to have a lower payroll, but to have more money to invest into newer players.
Well, what is the Padres strategy exactly?
I mean last year Cashner was allegedly untouchable and now….
If the Padres are going to give up like this, then they should give up on their GM
Well, Cashner’s ‘untouchable’ label came from a different GM. So there’s that…
Personally I would love to see him get that snow cone machine in the clubhouse…
If I had to guess, a couple things. He has value. Cashner and his agent have shown no interest in discussing an extension. Pitchers are easier to come by than SS or 3b. Paraphrasing for Mike Dee this morning, it is more of due diligence to shop Cashner to see what others are offering instead of a need to move him.
i’ll give it to preller he at least tried to make moves to put a competitive team out there. Sure beats the crap team they put out there the past 5 years.
Also i wouldnt be surprised on how quick they build the farm system if they do make trades this deadline plus with prellers international background i bet he’ll be getting some good prospects with most of the major clubs blowing their load this past signing period.
Yankees should trade Mateo and not worry about it. they can buy the next SS.
With Baez showing some good results with the adjustments he’s made I’d hold onto him. The Cubs are lacking offense and as of right now the best team they can field IMO is Russell at SS and Baez at 2B. If Castro can figure it out insert him back in at 2B and move Baez to 3B and Bryant to LF. But as of now the Cubs sorely need some offense. If it’s Ross you are going after I’d be more inclined to trade Baez, but at this point I’d call him up and see what he can do, even if that means selling low on Castro to acquire a mid rotation arm and moving Russell to SS as a result.
If the Rockies truly are shopping Gonzalez… I certainly hope they are speaking to the Cubs. If Baez could ever develop as a hitter he’d mash as a.2B in Denver
Where do you play DJ, Reyes and Arenado in that scenario? Colorado wants pitching from the looks of it.
I’m envisioning Reyes being dealt and sliding DJ over until Story is ready. Arenado stays at 3B…he’s most excellent there. It’s just an idea to increase Baez’s already prodigious power potential. Has Baez been run out in the OF? I could be wrong, but I think it’s been tried
He will be back up by the end of the season. Kid needs to learn to take pitches and learn some patience. If they put him in front of say Rizzo or Bryant he may get some pitches.
Baez for Ross
Not interested in Baez
Looking at the other young SS available, Baez is interesting in that he has shown decent power through out his minor league career and even in his short stint in MLB in 2014. I know nothing of his defensive skills, but I think that he may be the best the Padres can do for a SS in 2016. Cabrera for Tampa Bay is a free agent, outside of that, not sure what else is available for the Padres.
Then you are just not thinking right. Baez as the headliner of a group of 2-3 other top prospects would make trading Ross worth it. The Padres asked for Baez, Alcantara and 2 others for Shields. Ross is worth more than Shields, so add CJ Edwards and another B prospect and maybe that deal gets done.
the padres asked for prince harry’s first born as well but were turned down…
Ross for Baez + ?
I keep reading how Kimbrel is the best closer in the game from Padres fans…..excuse me, I don’t think so….closing for a losing team doesn’t exactly add up to the elite comments I’ve been reading.
And, what about that “Rock Star GM” that cleared out the farm and spent money like a drunken sailor.
Have fun Padres fans!!!
Kimbrel with the Braves was likely the best closer in the game…..and Atlanta completely capitalized on that.
Have to wonder if a team would even pick up Shields contract in August as a waiver claim.