First baseman Wil Myers has been a bright spot for the struggling Padres, earning his first All-Star nod at 25 years of age. Dennis Lin of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports that both he and the team are open to discussing a long-term deal.
Notably, no discussions have occurred as of yet, and both Myers and GM A.J. Preller say that there are no intentions to hold them during the present season. But it seems clear from their comments that both have genuine interest in exploring a long-term relationship.
Myers, who says he loves playing for the Padres. He also expressed positive sentiment toward Preller and manager Andy Green. “I do really, truly believe that A.J. Preller has a plan for the future,” said Myers, “and that’s a big deal when it comes to extension talks. … As far as being here long-term, I could see myself doing it. I could see trying to build something here.”
The former Rookie of the Year will qualify for arbitration for the first of three times in the coming winter, meaning he’ll start to get expensive. With three partial and uneven seasons under his belt coming into 2016, there was quite a bit of variability in his earning power. But Myers is carrying a .286/.351/.522 slash over 379 plate appearances, with a career-high 19 homers in the bank, ensuring that he’ll get a very nice raise.
That performance not only begins to set a price point for the sides to work from, but enhances San Diego’s desire to get a deal done while it has some leverage. “You always want to hear players that want to be in your franchise, that want to be in your city, and I think that’s exciting to hear,” Preller said. “He’s a big-time talent and, I think, is excited by this franchise, this place, and wants to be here. When we made the trade, that’s what we were looking for.”
Of course, as Preller notes, he’ll need to talk the matter through with club ownership before approaching Myers’s camp with any offers. But the success of Myers is a notable element in evaluating Preller’s own tenure with the team. After all, he gave up two significant pieces (Joe Ross and Trea Turner) to acquire him, and the results had been less than promising at the start of the 2016 campaign.
Having just dealt lefty Drew Pomeranz, San Diego is clearly not angling for near-term contention. But the organization has begun accumulating some near-MLB prospects, with a large haul of younger players behind them, and could conceivably begin building toward competitiveness before long. Myers is young enough that the Pads might commit to him in hopes that he’ll help boost performance and attendance in the near-term while remaining a core piece in the team’s next window of opportunity.
thebighurt619
7 years for 100 million. But the contract is 5 years for 70 million, 14 per year, then 2 team options for 15 with buyouts. However you wanna structure it but that seems fair for wil myers.
redking
5 years $70 mil or a little more. No way Myers gives the team 2 option years.
thebighurt619
Could be a team option, player option, mutual option type scenario. Also money on the options is up for debate.
JT19
He’s not accepting two team option years at a bargain rate (assuming his production stays up). I could see the 5 year offer being reasonable…with a salary in the $70-$80 million range (obviously not annually). From there, he’d probably want one team option worth around the same AAV and if the Padres asked for two, those option year salaries would have to be in the $18-$20 million range.
petersdylan36
As a Padres fan who understands the process and plan AJ has, I’m happy with everything he is doing. I think signing Myers to an extension would send a message to the fans that don’t understand the process that it’s there and we will keep our building blocks. It would be a great PR move.
I, who understands what he is doing, would be thrilled to see him signed long term.
Go Padres!
bustercherrie1
Andddddddddddd nobody cares whether or not you understand. Lol. Preller doesn’t even understand the process. Lol
thebighurt619
They understand his plan a lot more than you do, by a wide margin in their favor.
If you cant see preller is shooting for a 2019-2020 time frame, which even baseball fans with the slightest resemblance of baseball competency understand is his plan, then youre wasting your time commenting.
Step 1. Get rid of old regimes talent before they lose value. Which only joe ross has proven to be a good asset at the mlb level thus far.
Step 2. (A) Acquire young high upside talent. Between drafting quantril and many hs players its obvious what his plan has been. (B) Spend heavy in the IFA market. He signed 2 top 50 talents last year and went beserk this year.
3. Compete around 2019-2020.
sergelang
Where was this “plan” when he gutted the org of top talent and set the franchise back 5 years? It is hard for me to wrap around this guy still being in a position of power. He should be head of a scouting department, nothing more. He is good at scouting, bad at GMing.
petersdylan36
But out if all the guys he got rid of in winter of 2014-15, which of those guys are we begging for back?
We flipped both Pom and Kimbrel to the Sox and receive a better return than we paid for.
sdsuphilip
He did not “set it back 5 years”. This is just nonsense. First of all the plan was clearly forced on by ownership. Yes the kemp deal is awful but by all accounts that was discussed well before Preller was hired, hmmm I wonder why. Other than that he made 1 moderately bad trade in Maurer for Seth smith. The kimbrel trade has turned into a big win with what he was flipped for, and Melvin Upton’s return to prominence.
And Myers deal is a big win now too. He also held onto 2 highly ranked young talents flourishing in AAA (yes I know technically hedges isn’t a prospect). I don’t think preller is without flaws, but it seems like the kemp trade was pushed by ownership. Other than that the trades have been cumalative big win.
sergelang
How can you possibly say trading Joe Ross and Trea Turner for Wil Myers is a win?
Alexander Perry
Well Joe Ross seems to be a good pitcher and Trea Turner is still just a prospect until proven otherwise.
Wil Myers is currently the #1 1b in the MLB by fangraphs WAR. and #3 by BREF. He’s a young, core piece to build around for a team that sorely needs a foundation to rebuild on.
Maybe Joe Ross blossoms into an ace and Turner is the next Correa, but as of right now I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say this trade is a win/win for both teams.
BoldyMinnesota
Wil myers is a good player
One Fan
Agree. Good scout. Lousy GM with no plan. He is clueless
One Fan
Joe Ross and Trea Turner are each more valuable then Wil Myers. It was another lousy trade by Preller
mrpadre19
How in the world can you justify this statement?
Wow
Myers is the best 1b in the NL and the others haven’t proven any worth yet.
Except Ross has shown he can be a decent #3 and maybe more….someday.
But until he does….and until Turner becomes an all star…..Myers is better by far.
Stupid comment One Fan.
sdsuphilip
By Wil Myers being one of the best position players in baseball at the age of 25.
That deal was big wins for Washington/SD and a huge loss by TB
sdsuphilip
If you truly believe this, find a new sport to evaluate.
davidcoonce74
Where does trading for Matt Kemp fit into this plan? I’m coming around on some of Preller’s moves, but trading for Matt Kemp and not pulling the trigger on Justin Upton for Michael Fulmer last season give me pause.
sdsuphilip
You obviously aren’t paying attention then.
SixFlagsMagicPadres
Exactly. If you’ve been paying attention, at least a little bit, you can see what Preller is trying to do.
LumberJerk9Billion
Matt Kemp
thebighurt619
Yes matt kemp for yasmani grandal for zach eflin. I love how people dont look at what they gave up. By the time the padres are bringing up the youngesters kemps contract will be off the books.
A below average, average bat catcher who is an excellent pitch framer but sucks defensively in all other categories and a #4 #5 type legty in the rotation.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
You forgot (or simply ignored) the fact that Matt Kemp is making $18m more than Grandal. Delete your account if you think the Padres didn’t get completely fleeced in that trade.
Zach Eflin is a righty btw.
thebighurt619
LOL ill delete my account if you stop making multiple accounts just so “others” will agree with your poor logic.
Ive seen you moan and whine about the $18 million but you never actually answer what the padres could be spending that $18 million on to make the team better and increase wins. Mostly likely because you’re unable to actually propose a viable explanation of what they could sign for $18 to increase wins and choose to ignore the question outright everytime. A cowardly approach to a debate if Ive ever seen one ryan. Seriously who could the padres sign between now and 2020 free agency totaling $18mill to make the team better?
Hes certainly overpaid but grandal and eflin wouldnt provide more wins to the ball club than kemp. But please list how grandals war that is solely built on his pitch framing and eflin 4.9 xfip would offer more wins.
Also dont try to say kemps contract stops the padres from extending people. His contract is up at the end of the 2019 season which has no bearing on extensions for guys up after 2020 and beyond. The money will be well off the books by then.
thebighurt619
Also, its not 18 million every season. Grandal has 2 seasons of arb and the difference could be 9-18million depending on his arb number. Id guess he makes 5-6 next year and 6-9 his last trip. So budget accordingly.
mrpadre19
Grandal is only good for 80 games a season.
While Kemp is over paid and poor defensively he is still good for 30/100 every year.
Erlin may be good but we replaced him with Pomeranz….another All Star.Oh…..but Preller gets no credit for that one either?
sdsuphilip
I’m a Padres fan and that trade is an absolute disaster, Yasmani Grandal alone is much more valuable than Kemp if they were paid the same. That being said given the talk by Jeff Sanders that Kemp was discussed when Byrnes was still on board makes me think that was pushed hard by ownership. I think Fowler has the most to do with the push for contention last year (and Dee’s meddling). The fact that Fowler is supposedly going to be a owner here for a very short time before Seidler steps up and takes over makes it even more convincing.
I do think it’s fair to say Preller misevaluated with the Maurer/Smith deal as I’m sure the ownership hadn’t nothing to do with wanting Maurer.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
Pretty much anyone they could spend that $18m per year on would make the team better. Kemp has a negative WAR. That means they could bring up their best AAA outfielder and the Padres would win more games than they will with Kemp in the outfield.
This is my only account.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
But… but… but… 100 RBI’S!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
davidcoonce74
The bigger misstep – not as big as the Kemp fiasco – was that the Padres were offered Michael Fulmer straight up for Justin Upton at the 2015 trade deadline and Preller turned that down. That’s a real bummer.
I think Preller is turning it around, though – he got great value out of Pomeranz and Kimbrel, and after the Padres ended the terrible experiment of Wil Myers – centerfielder he’s obviously played very well and also stayed healthy, which is the more important issue with myers.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
The Kemp trade was worse but yeah, even a year ago I would have rather had Michael Fulmer than an extra draft pick somewhere in the mid 20’s.
Hoosier Hysteria
If you are happy with everything preller is doing you must be a stinking Dodgers fan. $75M to shields…stupid! He leaves groome on board who was rated in top 3 by everyone and then takes a SS that was not in baseball America’s top 100 @ 24! Just like aj smith, he thinks he is smarter than everyone else in the game. I think we have another jacka$$ GM in SD. Chargers are leaving and it stinks to be a sports fan in America’s finest city!!!
thebighurt619
You seem to ignore a lot of facts here as you dont seem to realize (a) they had a deal with groome for $5million but the sox took him; (b) they took hudson potts cause they saved about 2 million for other rounds. Maybe you dont know but if you save money on a draft pick it can be used for other draft picks; money they saved on pott they put towards lawson and thompson. Had they signed groome and reportedly committed the $5 million they wouldnt of had a chance at lawson and thompson. Lawson and thompson > groome. For a draft getting two high upside guys is better than an elite prospect. What if groome busts? Its not a guarantee hes the next ace for 10 years.
Since you seem uneducated on the subject
baseballamerica.com/draft/may-5-2016-top-100-draft…
Instead of groome they were able to grab 5 top 100 prospects cause they got quantril #35, buddy reed #20, lauer #25, thompson #100, and lawson #59. Had they drafted groome and that $5million it would of cost them the other 4 top 100 prospects cause of money. 5 top 100 > 2 top 100.
Hoosier Hysteria
U must be on aj’s staff to defend with that garbage. U don’t understand playing the odds so stay away from vegas rookie. We take a Tommy john patient instead of groome. Groome good enough for Sox but not aj. Luccino’s record slightly better. What if groome becomes next verlander, who we passed on? AJ makes bad decisions. Firing Buddy, Murphy instead of Roberts was a bad joke. Defend the Shields signing for your great talent evaluator. We need “best” not most. Who is our next HOF player?
thebighurt619
LOL what if quantril is the ace for the next ten years? What if lawson and thompson have a better career than groome. What if this what if that…..what if groome decides to quit baseball and go play hockey? My god youre not very bright. You act as if scouting reports guarantee success in the mlb…..news flash they dont. Actually looking at numbers picks 1-5 from 04-13 had 45% or so of players reach the mlb level and contribute. 11-20 had about 42%. And thats 1st round picks. In other words plenty of guys didnt live up to scouting reports.
A) you act like tjs is somehow the career ender that it once was and theres no pitchers in baseball who have come back from it……guess what there have been. Had quantril been healthy he was a top 3 top 5 talent. Only thing tjs did was not put as much work on him that other college arms had.
2) groome lasted until 12 cause other teams knew he had a $5 mill deal with the padres later on. Unless a team was going to beat that they didn’t wanna risk it. Sox took a risk. Read for comprehension from now on, okay?
C) do you even know what preller specializes in? Ffs if youre going to mock his talent abilities at least know what his specialty in.
D) OH NO SHIELDS? KEMP? The horror! Meanwhile he gained more for kimbrel than he gave up, revitalized melvin uptons value, traded alonso for pomeranz for a top 20 prospect, netted norris for nothing, gained bethancourt for nothing, got rid of gyorkos contract and would of gained decent pieces had jay not been hit, took a risk on rodney and got a well regarded prospect in paddack, got an all star in wil myers ( 2 guys on pace for 30/30 in myers and upton).
But please continue to mock his talent ability skills while jay, bethancourt, margot/allen/asjuae/guerrera, myers, upton jr, norris, espinoza outweight kemp and shields while proving to everyone how little you actually know. Sad really, you actually believe you’re above me in your baseball knowledge. While youre swimming in the kiddy pool acting like a hot shot everyone else is swimming in the ocean. Come join us when you prove yourself capable instead of ignoring everything cause it doesn’t fit what you think. Pretty sad approach you have.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
You’re one to talk about ignoring everything cause it doesn’t fit what you think while you delusionally defend the Kemp trade hahaha.
sdsuphilip
I’m happy with everything Preller is doing now. I believe a lot of last year was probably pushed on by Fowler/Dee. While I myself would have taken Groome, I trust Preller as a scout, and 11 teams did pass on Groome. Padres still got 3 very high ceiling arms, especially Mason Thompson could be a steal based on what some people say if he can recover from TJ and stay healthy.
JFactor
Too bad he didn’t become an All Star with the Rays
SixFlagsMagicPadres
This would be a good move for the team, especially if Myers can keep up this production into next season and beyond. It’s also smart to hold off talks until this season ends.
What would we be looking at as a possible contract for him? 5-7 years, 70-100 million? Maybe a player option and/or opt-out clause?
sunset117
This seems impulsive from Preller as this is Myers best season. Why not sign Pomeranz to an extension with 18-20 AAV since he’s having a breakout year. Wait until Myers has a good second half,’and some solid numbers in 2017 then discuss an extension. It may cost you more but it’s safer in case he fans out like plenty of other young stars…
sdsuphilip
IDK how arbitration works well, but as it is Myers FA value is 20-25 million a year at the least with what he is doing this year, age, and upside. What he is doing isn’t exactly totally surprising (like Pomeranz, and he’s younger). The longer you wait the more he costs if he keeps up his play, extending him in the offseason seems to currently be the plan
One Fan
Did bighurt really say that step one of Prellers “plan” (if he ever had one) was to get rid of all the talent from the old regime for the reason that it was from the old regime? That is step one of a plan because … Why ….????
thebighurt619
Because the old regimes pick had done nothing at the mlb level to prove they drafted adequately.
Go look at their past drafts. You wont find a single super star at the mlb level the last 5 years or so. Youll find guys that are good, ok but you wont find a home grown mlb superstar from the padres farm system at the mlb level.
08 draft, logan forscythe thats it.
09 nate freiman who was an 8th rounder
10 gyorko and medica
11 hedges spangenberg ross andriese stites peterson rea smith wisler quackenbush- ross probably closest to superstar and thats being generous.
12 jankowski and maybe smith if he learns to hit enough
13 renfoe only making noise
14 turner only making noise
Top prospecr is great but lets see if they turn into super stars at the mlb level.
Aside from ross and turner nobody preller gave up has proven they are worth much.
davidcoonce74
I don’t think i understand – earlier you were defending Preller’s 2016 draft because he acquired 5 “top-100” prospects, and now you say that prospects don’t matter?
If we’re using the “superstar” definition as what a prospect should turn into, well, that very rarely happens. there are very few superstars in baseball. Most teams consider it a victory if they can turn a drafted player into a major league regular.
Preller is definitely turning things around, although I don’t know how much he has to do with upton’s resurgence – he had to take on Melvin to get Kimbrel and shed Quentin’s bad contract. Melvin wasn’t ever considered a key part of that trade. I’m glad he’s played well for San Diego and hope he gets moved in the next month for something decent.
But AJs return for Kimbrel and Pomeranz has been great. His July 2nd signings look good, although of course we won’t really know until 2020 or later. Quantrill was an overdraft but, as you say, they saved money they could spread around for other prospects, and Quantrill is pitching well so far.
Not trading J. Upton for Michael Fulmer last year was a huge mistake. Trading for Matt Kemp was a huge mistake. You seem fixated on the fact that Grandal isn’t that good or that Zach Eflin is a #4 starter – it doesn’t matter. Matt Kemp is a player you actively avoid trading for. He’s expensive. He clogs up an outfield slot a prospect could be playing. He can’t move to first because then where do you play Myers and what team can absorb a first baseman with negative WAR? Eflin and Grandal, so far this season, have produced about 1.3 WAR. Kemp has produced negative 0.2 WAR.
The Shields signing was a disaster from day one, but Tatis is looking pretty good so far although he’s five years away or more from being a contributor. Honestly, I think that deal is almost as egregious as Kemp’s.
But sure, Preller gave up a bunch of 1-2 win players – MSmith, Peterson, Maybin, Seth Smith, Turner is probably going to be a star and Joe ross was a solid #2 starter but got hurt. Wisler is a 2-win pitcher probably in his prime.. Those kinds of guys are fungible assets, I agree. But the return wasn’t very good until this season. Maybe he’s learning, or maybe he’s just getting to do things his way now.
He’s still a little stuck with Norris blocking Hedges, Upton blocking Renfroe (although renfroe needs to work on things still), a still-useless middle infield and a disastrous starting rotation, but at least, as a Padres fan, I can see a future. It won’t be until probably 2020 but it’s there.
sunset117
I don’t trust prellers plan. First it was to contend when he took on contracts from kemp and shields, now it’s to rebuild and compete in 2019/2020? I guess that’s about right for the time it will take the talent to develop if He gets lucky but so far even the moves I thought were good don’t look so great. I’m not a believer yet
sdsuphilip
Sounds like it is more ownership you don’t trust. “If he gets lucky” please, development takes a lot more than luck. Padres are starting to build a good deep farm system.
sunset117
Personally I like Myers and think he’s a solid player but idk why he would sign to stay with the Padres. There’s security in case of injury which I understand much more than the average person and would 100% take a pay cut to ensure I get money in case of injury. But why play for a last place team? Take ur Arb years and test the market and go somewhere where he can contend
Also, the seems very impulsive from AJ. This is Myers best seasoncertainly doesn’t mean he’s going to continue this pace. Just watch the Padres sign him to a 20 million annual value and he regresses to what it was. I would wait until Myers has a few more seasons of success, or at least until he reproduces the season in the second half and maybe the first half next season
sdsuphilip
If myers has a few more seasons of success he is going to cost 30 million a season.
And Myers seems to enjoy San Diego and the “face of the franchise” label they have given him. Padres could be good by time his current contract is up.
SixFlagsMagicPadres
Yeah you’re definitely right about waiting it out a little more to see if he can sustain the level he is playing at right now. The Padres have been burned in the past by extending guys too early and then having them fall back down to earth and not be worth the big fat contract.
Hoosier Hysteria
What is the hurry? Gyorko was upped too soon. Luebke too soon. Guaranteed contracts are killing baseball. Wait on Wil. I have a friend who spends all of spring training in Peoria and spends time with players: “he is the single dumbest player I have ever talked to!” I bet on smart. U heard it here first.
davidcoonce74
“guaranteed contracts are killing baseball”? What fantasy world do you live in? Baseball is making more money than it ever has. Revenues are the highest they have ever been. This is using a hundred dollar bill to light a cigar kind of money.
SFgiantsUK
Whatever the Plan THEN was and whatever the Plan NOW may be. Myers has 20 HR and 15 SB in the first have. It reflects his 30/30 or if he becomes really good 40/40 capability. He is lights out in Petco; who can do that there?!
SD would be stupid not to tie him down for minimum 6/7 years.
AndThisGameBelongsToMySanDiegoPadres
What if he doesn’t WANT to let SD do that?
andrew sikes
5 yr /70-80mm is NOT happening. We all understand the small sample size, but right now his agent would be asking 7 -160mm and bargaining from there. If both sides were really willing to negotiate right now, this is in the nighborhood of 6 yr 110mm deal. Plus he’ll aak for an opt-out after yr 2.
Both sides will probably let the season play out