The Padres held a meeting earlier this week with star free agent Manny Machado, according to Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. It does not appear that an agreement is imminent, but it seems fair to say that there’s still serious interest from the San Diego organization.
While the Friars have long been connected to Machado, it has never been clear how serious the team was about pulling off a surprise blockbuster. As the club continues to look for ways to move from a rebuilding phase to contention, it has also held a recent sit-down with Bryce Harper, the other shockingly unclaimed prize of the free agent market.
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Padres GM A.J. Preller is said to have met with Machado and his wife. It is not known whether anyone else participated in the meeting. Neither is it clear what level of contract the Padres are willing to put on the table — or whether they have in fact issued a formal offer. Clearly, though, the fact that a meeting occurred at this stage of the proceedings indicates that the connection is a serious one.
see what happens hopefully he will be in a Padres uniform soon
I’d rather see them going after Harper, but I’m not surprised to see Preller more interested in Machado. They have similar baseball ethics.
This comment represents the downfall of American society.
No. There are ethics. Then there are baseball ethics. For example, ordinarily I wouldn’t steal from others. In baseball I’d try to steal any chance I got. In some circles, human sacrifice would be horrific to witness. In baseball sac bunts/flys are pedestrian and boring. Going to a bullpen too much (unless you work with animals) might seem like suspicious behavior. In baseball it’s just annoying.
Dude, why did that post 2x?
Issa –
Do I really have to spell it out for you? Or do you not care about cheating, dirty play, or not giving your best all the time?
Eh some people are too hung up on that nonsense opinion. Let’s see what he can do in a Padres uniform and formulate our own day-to-day opinion of him.
It’s not nonsense. It’s a fact. Integrity still matters to some people: people with integrity.
I’m going to use that.
Yes, let’s list all of the players who ever once hot dogged it or went out of their way to take someone out and chastise them all! Let’s banish them from the Hall of Fame! Going to be a very small list remaining! But let’s do it now because..because
..because Manny! He is the last straw!
Until the cast majority realize that social media is exactly the modern equivalent of the mob (pitchforks and torches, not “mafia”) this type of nonsense will continue.
Maybe I was wrong, sorry. Just refresh me on baseball ethics, please.
I’m guessing that, a) you didn’t watch the World Series, b) you have no idea of Preller’s two suspensions and one fine, c) you have no problem with steroid users or others who cheat, and the obvious d) you completely and utterly missed the comp, because you lack the ethics to care about the game.
The guy admitted he doesn’t hustle, and proceeds to prove it on baseball’s biggest stage, the World Series. Then, he tries to intentionally injure the first baseman – TWICE!
The fact that you’re OK with that tells me more about you than I care to know.
Eh, wake me in a month when the Padres sign Gio Gonzalez and call it an offseason.
I think Clay Buchholz is the guy they should be targeting. Best right-handed starting pitcher on the market would complement the assortment of lefty starters the Padres have accumulated. Plus his groundball tendencies should play well with what should be a solid defensive infield.
Preller didn’t break any rules. He was suspended because he exploited the existing rules and made MLB look bad. You’re comparing Belichick to Ndonkeykong Suh.
MLB doesn’t suspend GM’s for not breaking the rules. He was also suspended when he was with the Rangers, and he got the Padres fined again for violating international scouting rules.
Either you don’t know what you’re talking about, or you don’t care. Your (lack of) integrity is showing.
Padresfanaticfan –
Bucholz would be a nice pickup. But what “solid defensive infield” are you thinking of? As of now, we don’t have a 3B or a SS.
Posting an opinion based on innuendo is not acting with integrity.
Innuendo? Those are facts. They are there for all to see, except for the willingly blind and the studiously ignorand.
Definitely don’t know what I’m talking about. I’ll defer to your character analysis, as I never took Baseball Ethics in fan school.
By the way if you are going to get on Machado for not hustling you have to do the same with Harper.
You’re right. And when or if I see him do it – especially in the World Series – I will. I’ve also never heard Harper claim that hustling “isn’t my game.”
Just so you know, I get on Myers for it too. In fact, far too often in Myers case. I’ve seen Myers turn doubles into singles more times than I care to remember.
Having said that, if we somehow manage to get Machado, I’ll root for him and cheer for him. But I’ll criticize the heck out of him when he screws up.
Go for it. Get this done Padres
W O W….
This could be as big a coup as when Preller pried Kemp away from the Dodgers!
Rock star GM strikes again!!!
One of these things is not like the others…
Good one, Sam!
He traded Grandal for Kemp and it was a disastrous trade, do research.
Klein, are you too young to understand sarcasm?
Safe to say that he’s never met Mr Sarcasm.
At the time grandal was worthless and they had hedges
If Grandal was such a problem they could have non-tendered him. They didn’t have to trade him for a guy whose contract was completely underwater in Matt Kemp
If Grandal was “worthless,” they would have non-tendered him. He was far from worthless. But, didn’t he get busted for PED use? Hmmmmmm …
In 2012. Preller got there and immediately traded him away. All you do is bash the Padres. It’s obvious that you are not a fan. Why do you even try to claim you are?
I’m not a fan because I can be objective? Is it in the Fan Rule Book somewhere that “Thou Shalt Not Criticize?” The oprative word in “blind faith” is “blind.” If you are unable to call out your team and it’s management for what you consider “questionable” decisions, you are likely little more than a casual fan. And that’s OK. Just don’t pretend to be some self-appointed arbiter of what constitutes a “fan” just because you can’t back up your own opinions.
Sorry to shake up your world, but maybe there’s a reason our fan base has the reputation it does. Real fans don’t make excuses and tolerate losing year after year.
Re Kemp for Grandal, don’t forget that he gave away Zach Eflin, now starting for the Phillies, and Joe Weiland to get Kemp. Rock Star indeed!
Eflin has a career ERA above 5 in the Majors and has never been below 4 in a season. He is not a significant loss. But Padres would have been better off releasing him than trading him for Matt Kemp.
Last year was Eflin’s first full season at age 24. His ERA was 4.36. On average, it takes SPs 2 years to figure it out. Even Kershaw had an ERA over 4 in his rookie year, and was very hittable – and he became elite.
And who can forget Preller’s flimflam of the Red Sox. Medical records? You don’t need no stinkin’ medical records.
Seriously, how does this dude even have a job?
Were these the same Red Sox who traded the Padres an injured Anderson Espinoza for an uninjured Drew Pomeranz?
The Red Sox are suckers for actually thinking Pomeranz was EVER healthy!
You do realize the “flim flam” was the use of ibuprofen for imflammation, right? You know, Advil? That is what is in the MLB report.
Pomeranz was healthy enough to make all his starts in 2016 and 2017 and was one of the best starters for the Red Sox in 2017. No missed starts in the season and a half after the trade should indicate to any intelligent person that he was healthy.
And you understand that Mike Dee set up the Padres separate medical recording system in early 2014 that Preller took the fall for in late 2016, right? Preller was hired at the end of the 2014 season. You also realize that Mike Dee was fired as soon as Preller returned from that suspension and that Preller was promoted and given full control over baseball operations (including all of Dee’s former duties in baseball operations) at that time, right?
Why do some uninformed people continue to repeat that tired refrain? How can you look in a mirror knowing you are that uninformed about what you are posting about?
Why don’t you do your own research and stop trying to blame Dee for Preller’s cheating?
Was Dee with the Rangers? Was Dee there when Preller got the team fined for illegal workouts and international travel expense payments? No.
You have no integrity.
I can’t see either Harper or Machado I’m a padres uni. Just can’t
As a Padres fan, it pains me to agree with you. I have no faith in Preller’s ability to do anything other than scout latin teenagers.
I’d like to see him prove me wrong.
Definitely his goal in life.
You are not a Padres fan. Your posts prove that over and over.
I am an HONEST and objective fan. Not just a myopic blowhard bleacher bum.
People like you who swallow the kool-aid year after year without demanding any effort to build a winning team are part of the reason the Padres have little incentive to build a perennial winner.
He proved us wrong
Watch Friars sign Machado to 12/300 deal with 15 opt outs.
*Steps on Friars foot on the way out of the meeting*
“my bad bro”
That’s what I was thinking
hahaha
Lmao
Flapjack….the Pads should put some of the opt outs in at the All Star Break, you know, just in case the season is going sideways…
Good, sign them both so we don’t have to hear about them all the time
Hello, so how much would it take to have you a San Diego Padre? I’m sorry I thought you said 30 million per year lolz… oh you did say that? Wow… awkward
It’s San Diego, maybe they thought it was pesos…
I think I would rather have harper
Why?
I’d rather have Harper, I think. Depends on the marketing research I think. If Machado would be better long-term as a marketing tool, he gets the nod.
I juts want Harper to be in the AL West so I don’t need to see him much in Atlanta anymore 🙂
You overpay a guy like this because of the production he will offer at relative to what you already have at his position. Not because of “marketing” or whatever.
At this level the marketing implications have to be considered. On field wins bring some fans, but so do stars.
It’s the laid back atmosphere for a laid back guy Mack83. Granted, it’s been nearly 40 since was stationed there for a short time and bit over 10y since visited, but really doubt much has changed about san Diego.
Not exactly. I don’t know what the Friar tv/cable deal is… but the amount you receive in tv money directly correlates with the “names” you have on the field in contact negotiations with tv networks.
It’s like… like… you show a movie on tv… Goodfellas…. but it no longer stars Robert DeNiro. His scenes have been replaced by a no-name actor. No one will watch it – so you can’t sell commercials at a premium – so you don’t make any money – and you begin to recruit executives for your front office that majored in marketing. See?
tell that to arte moreno!
Its based on ratings. Stars help, but Cabrera alone on the Tigers wont pull viewers. There have to be Wins going with him. Winning is more important than stars.
padresfan, I can tell you know nothing about business. Harper is prob the #1 marketable player in MLB, maybe #2 to only Trout. It’s def in play.
Cabrera isn’t a star anymore. Sorry.
before pujols fox sports offered 2 bil/25 years. by signing him, he got extra billion. and he is a very popular player among angels fans.second most popular jerseys after trout’s.
But people literally did watch the tigers for years, just because of Cabrera.
Whay you “already have” is irrelevant when it comes to acquiring players of Harper’s caliber.
Besides, that hasn’t stopped Preller in the past, even when it was incredibly stupid.
Matt Kemp was a “marketable” player when both my team and your team traded for him. How’d that go?
Even if you don’t think Renfroe/Reyes are good enough to not even check in on Harper, at the very least they lower the dollar figure at which signing Harper would be worth it.
He may be “marketable”, but it’s hype based on promise that he hasn’t lived up to except for one season – assuming he even stays on the field.
Wow…right. Like when Papelbon grabbed him by the throat for his hustle. That sould be PPV.
Matt Kemp is no Bryce Harper. Piss poor comparison at best.
Not at all a bad comparison. You are saying the Padres should sign Harper because of “marketability” which was the entire reason they traded for Kemp.
The Padres have no 3B. Their 3B from last season are gone. The alternative FA to Machado is Moustakas. What would the improvement be?
The Padres have Renfroe in RF in 2019. What would the improvement be to have Harper there. What could the Padres get by trading Renfroe? Are those two things together worth signing Harper over Machado
@padresfanaticfan Padres attendance went from 2,195,373 in 2014 to 2,459,752 in 2015. That part of the equation went very well. The problem was that Kemp was a curmudgeon and not very good with the fans, media and the big wigs that drive the sponsorship dollars. He also played very poorly.
Neither of those players are in the vicinity of as good as Harper. What they would be is good trade chips to fill one of the Padres other holes once they sign Harper.
In a season and a half, Kemp hit about .265, hit 46 HRs, and drove in 169 runs. He also hit the first cycle in Padres history.
I don’t get the Kemp hate.
If you can get a player of Harper’s quality for the long term, it doesn’t matter who you’ve got in the outfield, because at least one or two are immediately expendable. Do we still have a gaping hole at 3B and SS? Of course! But if the opportunity is now, you have to go for it. And it doesn’t matter if it’s Harper OR Machado. Or even Moustakis for that matter. The only difference is long term vs short term, and you need to plan for both.
Overpaid, bad attitude, horrible defense negates any value he might have brought with the bat
Half the players in MLB are overpaid. The only place I’ve heard about his “bad” attitude is fanposts, so I’m on the fence. As for “bad defense,” we have a lot of players who can’t play defense, but they get a pass?
I’ll take that production all day long. Especially given the current state of the team.
It’s been documented. Several Padres players said that Kemp had his good days and his bad days and on his bad days he brought the whole clubhouse down with him.
Not as bad as Kemp’s defense.
I’m gonna need a source on “half the players in MLB are overpaid.” Most of them as far as I can tell are still pre-arb or in their arb years. Hard to be overpaid at that point and if you are you get non-tendered.
Obviousy, “overpaid” is subjective.
For defensive comps, I give you Pirela, Cordero, and Reyes.
I don’t “not” believe you about the attitude question, but I need something more than a fan post or a blog, so I’ll keep looking. I did read he had a bad work ethic, but nothing as bad as Myer’s well-documented attitude issues, or even Perdomo’s.
There are plenty of players you could sign who would contribute as much as Kemp for less than $22m. Especially with the defense considered.
At least with Cordero and Reyes you could argue that they are young and could improve on defense. Kemp will only get worse. Your guess is probably as good as mine as to why Pirela still has a 40-man roster spot.
There are actually reports from former teammates that Kemp had a bad attitude. Not just fan posts and blogs.
Although I think the pads need a 3b/ss more than a outfielder I believe that Harper is a harder worker and bigger name. But don’t get me wrong, I would love for them to grab either one.
Even though people rightfully seem to hold Machados not very well thought out comments on hustling against him…does not mean he is not a hard worker. WAR is not the be-all-end-all, but he averages a little better in comparison to Harper…does he not?
It would seem conceivable that his overall stats wouldn’t even be close to Harper if he truly had no work ethic is all I’m saying.
You can argubly shame Machado for his comments…but up to this point of his career…not so much on his overall performance.
Machado is a better fit for the Padres.
Is he a better fit over 10 years, or this year?
Both
You guys have Tatis jr and Machado wants to play ss I highly doubt he will want to give up his spot to a rookie
How much of that was wanting to play SS vs thinking he’d have a better shot in FA if he showed he was capable of playing either position?
I think the jealous police are coming out. The thought of a Tatis-Machado-Urias infield is causing some cognitive dissonance.
Hmmm….14 winning seasons in 50 years….2 pennants…..0 rings…..I can’t imagine many people being jealous of this.
You will be. It is called precognition. You just caught a future memory and let it register. These memories of jealousy will only get stronger.
Good luck with that, Tipsy.
I appreciate that Willie. It’s nice to have people care for me.
Please let this happen… PLEASE…
If Padres get both then Preller is a god. I mean, pairing those 26 year olds with THAT farm? There’s at least one WS in there.
No pitching
Don’t they have a lot of money coming off the books next year?
Plenty of pitchers to trade for if we wanted. Maybe you’ve seen the farm? We also have 6 players in top 100 that are pitchers. Gore, Paddack Patino, Morning, Baez, Espinoza, Allen, Quantrill…optimistic a couplw will work out.
Not to mention Lamet, Lucchessi, Strahm, Diaz.
so. Get rid your farm for a pitcher or two, sign 1/2 billion in 2 contracts (one left fielder and one 3b) makes sense?
TINSTAAPP.
Exactly. I wonder how many people know what it means?
Gore was literally ranked #15 on MLB.com’s top 100 list. Please know your stuff before spouting off.
S4, this guy was ranked #11 at one point:
baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=dra…
This guy was ranked#4:
baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=bro…
This guy was a 9th Round pick and does not seem to have been ranked as a prospect:
baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=deg…
How did they turn out?
You guys who rely on prospect rankings – especially for pitchers – as though they are some kind of gospel as to how they’ll turn out are pretty amusing.
Stike Four, Kyle Drabek was ranked #11.
Dom Brown was ranked #4.
Jacob DeGrom had TJ surgery and IIRC was not ranked.
How did they turn out?
You guys who rely on prospect rankings – especially for pitchers – as though they are some kind of gospel as to how they’ll turn out are pretty amusing.
Drabek pitched 7 years in the majors. Brown was not a pitcher. Next.
My point is that prospect rankings don’t mean much in the long run. What’s your point?
Not yet but it’s coming
They have a few up now adjust to the majors and lucchesi dealt this year. They have a stellar bullpen and four of the top lefty’s in the farm system. You cannot forget all them righties either.
“No pitching.” Hmmmm……how can we rectify this situation? Oh, we can trade a third of the 8 billion prospects for some first-rate pitching.
Every time a team talks to one of these guys somebody has to immediately say they should sign both. Even at 250 mil a piece doubt there is a team in baseball that would do that.
Yeah, imploring a team to sign two of the top 20 players in MLB is bad. Right.
We cannot afford both this is not NY or LA, however one or the other would be showing San Diego that were no longer just in the league to watch other teams beat up on us
Machado would do well for a few years at Petco than they can dump for prospects to an AL team
If an AL team wanted to pay Machado all that money they’d do it now. They wouldn’t give up prospects to do it later.
Not necessary: the NL will have DH by then 🙂
NO
Yep, it’s coming.
Yawn…
my god somebody anybody please sign these guys
If Preller met with Machado after they met with his agent a few weeks back and exchanged numbers, he brought a formal offer. The Padres need to make a big splash this offseason and get one of these two.
I have a feeling both Machado and Harper are waiting for offers that simply aren’t coming.
Teams have set limits on years and dollars for everybody and don’t want to overextend themselves. At some point, they’ll have to realize that what is on the table is on the table and make a choice.
Just my hunch from doing real estate and loans for a decade.
arte made tons off pujols.!
But if you studied baseball offseasons instead of real estate and loans, you would have seen the Padres sign a never-elite Eric Hosmer to an 8/144 deal on Feb 19, 2018 and know that sometimes these things take time.
As a “complementary player” with a ring and a very decent body of work, Hosmer is worth his deal. He sure as Hell wasn’t going to get cheaper. Players get more expensive, year after year, after year. Hence the standoff we see now playing out between the owners and the free agents.
Preller isn’t a prophet, but it wouldn’t surprise me in the least, if he knew this standoff would happen, thereby making the two big fish, just a little more “affordable”. But to make the lineup look like something relatively interesting, you have to acquire a Myers and a Hosmer, before you even think about approaching a Harper or Machado. No, Hosmer isn’t elite…and even Hosmer knows that. But he does have Gold Gloves…he does know how to swing it. And if you go get an infielder like Machado, you better have a first baseman who can pick it, for him and Tatis, no?
I think a lot of how the Padres are putting together this team, may strike people, as odd. But when you consider how low-rent they’ve been for so long, it’s easy to understand why their GM has to go about structuring the team in non-conventional ways.
I study both, and you are right. A fool and his money are easily parted and last year Preller played the fool..
I just think perhaps Harper bought into the $400 million storyline when he turned down $300 million and that, more than likely, nobody is currently offering 3, much less 4.
I see how Boras is doing it, this is all scheduled. Meetings, offers, final meetings, final offers, decision time is a set date. An offer will not be accepted prior to the set date. I believe its decision time prior to 3/1.
We will know the last week of February.
imgflip.com/i/2tqdgr
I would happily welcome Machado to the Padres despite the double standard of those who say he is a punk and a dirty player. Bring him on and let’s get this party started!!!
Has it come to reporting phone calls and pleasant visits?
I recall something similar on the Hosmer pre-signing last year.
Machado’s the Padres kind of guy.
He’s a warm weather kind of guy being from FL.
Sign Harper too, a Las Vegas guy, and then they are an instant contender.
The media will love them.
SD is guaranteed to get a lot of national TV time if they make those moves.
Do they have the balls to do it?
I say go for it SD.
The Padres have to honor secret deal with owners. Padres are designate landing spot for one big bad contract each year until CBA negotiations. Then when they don’t win, but have “stars”, owners have top secret Padre file that prove to player and lawyer and media that one big contract in offseason does not correlate with wins.
Need whole team for wins.
Here go the padres again. Are they in it? Are they not? Will they sign both guys then try to trade them away next year in another failed rebuild attempt? Who knows what they are really thinking. The only franchise more confusing is the Marlins
Just means out GM is working harder than everyone else’s..Leaving no stone unturned. U mad bro?
Literally doesn’t mean that at all. It means he’s dumb, has no plan, and is paid to do a job he doesn’t know how to do.
Running in circles with no clear destination doesn’t count
Manny Machado appears to be a very bad hustler. And he is an excessively bad runner to first base (he keeps inadvertently stepping on feet). I would also feel concern over his influence on the younger laborers. Harper is more likely a better fit between the two gentlemen. I would definitely attend a few baseball matches if Harper performs at Petco.
Ho-hum. Let me know when he actually signs somewhere.
I think Machado with the Padres may result in batting numbers that aren’t anything special.
“Neither is it clear” is ironically, a very unclear way to start a sentence, not to mention questionably correct, in terms of grammar. Try “it also isn’t clear what level of contract the Padres are willing to put on the table—or whether they have in fact issued a formal offer.”
“Clearly, though, the fact that a meeting occurred at this stage of the proceedings indicates that the connection is a serious one.”
“Clearly” is such an overused word, and at this point you’re just adding way too much, and even though the team met him and his wife, you’re still speculating to an extent. You ought to say “this meeting likely indicates the Padres-Machado connection is serious.” Much more direct, instead of beating around the bush with verbosity.
Still applying for that editor job? Maybe you should start your own blog.
Neither is it clear if you have too much time on your hands or if you are just an editor-in-waiting.
I think his agent is using the Padres to try to land a bigger offer from the Yankees. It seems like that is where he wants to go.
Replace Yankees with White Sox and I think you’re onto something.
If by White Sox you mean Yankees, then yes
The White Sox have offered the most money longterm to Manny. Until the Yankees offer more, which they have no interest in doing, talk is cheap.
You know this, how?
I like Machado for the Padres quite a bit. After that signing of 7 years three opt outs, Dodgers only have to pay a bit more for Harper to do six years.
Harper and Machado wait until mid March to get a record setting contract. They won’t get it.
Wow, amazing!!! This is groundbreaking news!!
This is what GMs do when they know their team is going to stink but still need to sell season ticket packages.
Yeah. That’s what they do. Meet with a player privately … to sell tickets.
Good Lord.
What they “do” is make sure the media knows every time they make a phone call to report their “interest.” The message they want to send their fans is, “We’re trying to win,” even if they’re lying. Simple elementary PR.
GREAT POINT!
Essentially, nobody ponied up as much as the Machado camp thought he would get…. so they thought to themselves: “hmmm what team has WAY overpaid for a free agent lately?”
Enter Padres…
Least Machado fills a need
No argument there. 3B is an absolute need for the Padres. Although, in all honesty, I like France for 3B…. Even more than Hudson Potts. Having seen both play, there is something about France game that I just like. Hard to explain and I’m well aware the numbers don’t exactly support that, although france’s numbers are far from terrible. There are certain players who dominate minor league stat lines, but you can project and see things they might struggle with in the majors (Lauer, Kyle blanks, and I believe Tatis Jr will struggle more than people think…. especially with strikeouts). But there are some players that pass an “eye test” with no real explanation, and just seem like they might perform better at the next level. It’s not impossible. It’s not unheard of. The major leagues are filled with former top prospects. It’s filled with former minor league players who performed well…. and there are the top prospects sprinkled in throughout the league. I think France has that chance to overperform in the majors.
But I agree, Machado certainly fills a need. I’m just not interested in watching the Padres bid against themselves again like they did for Hosmer
Yup. Jabari Blash dominated in AAA, too. How’d that translate to Major League performance?
I don’t remember Jabari Blash being rated the #2 prospect in baseball.
Never even close to top 100.
Poor analogy guy.
Would you like a list of some that were? Get real.
It’s not “bidding against themselves if they just take whatever the highest offer he has verifiably received is then up the AAV by $1m.
Your not going to get the honest answer from boras he has the mind set of a used car salesman, he’ll say anything to get the highest for his guy.
imgflip.com/i/2tqdgr
It’s a perfect fit, really. Unless it’s Tampa, fans get tired of the “living for the future” mantra, which we know is just marketing BS. The Padres farm is about to bubble up; never a better time to add a star caliber player.
The real reason these chronically rebuilding teams never amount to anything is because they don’t make moves like this; others (Astros, Cubs) did, and they succeeded.
Time to go for the gusto, AJ!!!!!!And I’m no big fan of Manny, but he makes them significantly better. So does Harper, but Manny’s a better positional fit.
bobtillman. Most prospects are busts and some big free agents are busts.
Well, context. When you say most prospects are busts … well, if you include all minor leaguers, yes. But if you count the Top 100 or so on any given year, that’s simply not true..
It is true, in spite of tring to cherry pick the data. Look no further than the percentage of 1st Round draft picks who become major league players. You can also look at the players who don’t even make those lists until they have a breakout season in their 4th or 5th year in the minors.
Those lists are entertaining. They are also meaningless and arbitrary.
But I guess when people like prospects more than they like actual Major League Baseball, it’s to be expected.
How is Preller still employed?
Via contract. Runs through 2023. He works, they pay him.
He points to his best farm system in MLB that he made in 3 years all on his own.
He traded a very-bad James Shields for Fernando Tatis Jr. For that, he’s gunna get all the leeway he needs.
He’s the one who signed the very bad James Shields to that very bad contract in the first place.
^^^ THANK YOU!!! People seem to forget that part haha he signed shields. He took on kemp’s contract (now Hector Olivera), he signed Hosmer, he signed Myers extension, he traded away turner, joe Ross, Zach efflin…
But the farm system is ranked high!!!
But Shields (bad contract and all) we know for sure was the reason Tatis Jr was acquired…one direct causation from another, no?
…and…Yes…you were right about Galvis. Why did you change your name?
Yes thank you for Trea Turner.
Does he happen to have a younger brother?
I’ve said this before but if Preller liked Tatis so much he should have just outbid the White Sox for him in the first place. It wouldn’t have cost much. The fact that he was able to get him for Shields because the White Sox didn’t know what they had doesn’t justify the signing.
The vast majority of the prospects he traded were nothing though
The issue with pretty much all the Prellerpalooza trades except Myers was in who they got back. Not who they gave up. The Dodgers should have had to pay a lot (like A LOT) more of Kemp’s contract than they did to move him for an org filler. Let alone Grandal and Eflin. Then Justin Upton moved on after one year while the Padres missed the playoffs so even if we aren’t crazy about Max Fried and Mallex Smith we can’t say that that trade helped the Padres. Freddy Galvis wasn’t a Prellerpalooza trade but basically same story as Justin Upton.
Those prospects weren’t “nothing” at the time. That’s just the reality of prospects – you can NOT predict how they’ll turn out in the big leagues. Nobody can. Nor can you use hindsight to prove a point.
If the White Sox were willing to give up Tatis in a salary dump trade, Preller could have figured out a way to get him in Shields’ absence. White Sox wanted a pitcher. Padres had other pitchers, including ones that weren’t owed $44m beyond the 2016 season.
True. But Preller has a thing for giving up proven big leage talent for prospects. Even if it’s just one prospect.
All of his trades so far that involved trading “proven big league talent” for prospects (or even just a prospect) have been big wins except Brad Hand (that trade is tbd).
Maybe not, but Dombrowski has a pretty good record of keeping the good ones and trading the bad ones since he’s got to Boston.
That’s exactly right. Everybody on here is a great GM 3 years after. Rah rah rah
You’re calling Espinoza (for example) a win? That’s a little premature. Trading an all-star closer AND a middle reliever for a catching prospect is tbd? Yes, but still open for debate.
So what other “prospects” have been big wins? Which “prospect” has proven himself in the big leagues?
Padres had to trade Pomeranz. You could make a fair argument that they should have traded him for something else, but they had to trade him. FWIW only the Padres still have the player they got in that trade. Pomeranz is in San Francisco now and the Red Sox would have still won the World Series without that trade.
Paddack, Naylor and Ruiz, for example, may not have proven themselves in the Majors yet but considering Cashner, Rodney and Cahill all moved on after the season they won’t have to do much to make those trades wins for the Padres.
It would be good for the league if the pads signed both Harper and Machado. Lol give the doyers some competition in the weak west.
“Shockingly unclaimed prize?” They both have had offers for quite some time. Their agents were just waiting as long as possible on any late bidders like the Cubs or Cardinals because the offers were not what they were hoping for. Any late bids are almost zero chance now though, so if Machado. likes good weather and getting on the ground level of a future contender then San Diego is the place. If he would rather go for the glitz of playing New York he would have to take less money. Philly would be the biggest sacrifice but the most money.
The Padres don’t really have a choice, but to sign one or the other, with their tv viewership, steadily going down the toilet. When a team like them, have been so mediocre (if that) for so long, they usually end up having to overpay to get the better players. Colorado did it with Neagle and Hampton, back in the day….the Nats probably did it with Werth. I could on and on.
But I do think SD and Preller are headed in the right direction. But moving that way won’t come cheap. If they want to stop being the whipping post and the butt of baseball factoids they’re going to have to ante up.
My final analysis is, they outbid Philly and the White Sox and they wind up paying 270-280 million for 9 yrs, for Machado. Do I think he’s worth it?…of course not. He might be if he had Harper’s career OBP. But just the same, add him to a lineup with Hosmer, Tatis, Urias and Cordero/Reyes..and you might have something, while they do whatever they need to do to get Myers’s money off the books.
Harper, in my opinion, would be far more ideal for the Padres, with his leftie-ness. That lineup with MM, would be way too right handed. But I just get the feeling, after going from Harper to Machado and back again, makes the Padres look even more desperate…and Boras isn’t going to encourage his client to come behind Machado to take the money Machado left on the table just because he didn’t want to play in SD, unless the money is just STUPID.
You’re delusional if you think the padres are going to outbid the White Sox or Phillies.
The difference is San Diego as a City compared to Chicago or Philly, sorry San Diego hands down
Padres are definitely going to have to offer him the most money. They’ll have to start making the postseason at least semi-frequently before premium free agents will want to to come there enough to do so if there are better contracts available.
Yeah, because all the free agents flock to the padres for the weather. You guys really have no clue what motivates players. They want to get paid, then they want to get on a plane to Hawaii, the Caribbean or Bali when the season’s over in November. None of them spend their offseasons in san diego.
Well, since you’re so stuck on money being the ONLY factor that matters in free agency, why hasn’t Harper or Machado, taken the “stupid money” that Philly claims to have?..or the “alleged” 250 million that Reinsdorf offered?…oh, my bad…it wasn’t 250..it was 175 million. (snicker)
You’re trying to sound like you know what you’re talking about, but my eyes glaze over in boredom reading your anti-Padre BS. You’re entitled to being a Chicago fan…that’s cool. But I don’t hear any rumors that indicate either Harper or Machado, headed to the South side of Chicago, besides some lame pics of black and white gloves (seriously?).
But I DID read a press release, last night, that CLEARLY stated a second meeting between Manny and the Padres. Umm, I’m sorry….but to the best of my knowledge, there hasnt been “a second meeting” between the White Sox and Manny. And you can forget Harper going to Chicago, too.
Bookmark this reply.
How much did they really offer? If there is any truth to the White Sox offering 7/$175 I wouldn’t even bat an eye if the Padres top that.
“Bryce Harper, the other shockingly unclaimed prize of the free agent market.”
Jeff, no dis intended, but the guy is asking for 400+MM dollars.
Why are you “shocked” ?
Because it is shocking for a billionaire owner to not spend an extra 0.01% of his wealth on a thing that makes him more money in a year than the highest paid players make in their entire careers.
Why is the focus always on the players, its the owners making 10x more money than superstars do every year who pull out these “maximum salaries” out of thin air, knowing full well the profits will exponentially be higher than anything they spend on player salaries. Players do not get nearly enough of the profits. There’s too much profit, but owners are the ones who make the profit off 100% the players back, and like 75% of fans support owners over players. It’s terrible.
amen!
S4, You must work for an agent, because you keep making unsubstantiated claims.
Please provide empirical evidence that signing Harper to a $400MM deal wouldan owner “more money in a year than the highest paid players make in their entire careers.”
C’mon, go for it. If you can’t back it up it’s just internet blather.
It’s sad how many people don’t understand the finances of baseball isn’t it?
Hopefully he goes to a non relevant team like the padres so we can all forget about him
All Bryce and Manny make Homer something, something…
Harper if you want a franchise face, Machado if you want long terms wins above replacement. No guarantee on either. Some team like the Yankees would do better signing Machado, it would be like when they got A-Rod. Small Market teams or teams that haven’t won in a long while should sign Harper to stir fan interest. Machado puts up numbers, Harper is an icon.
Harper an Icon? A bit early to say that. Machado will work past his bad reputation and continue to have better numbers than Harper but yet will not be seen as an Icon. This is America
Harper is an icon in his own mind. To anyone who knows baseball he is a cocky, reckless former catcher who has had ONE elite season and choked in his walk year. Also, he has a history of knee issues and is on the DL pretty much every year.
Yeah, guy who is BARELY a top 20 player is an icon? Try again!
LOL at Harper being an icon.
Harper at this point is a hype icon thanks to the tv commentators and some writers who had him as Mantle or better when he broke in at age 19 and were commissioning his HOF plaque before the season was over. He’s still young enough to be able to put together a HOF career. Anyone who signs him for 10 years, or even 8, is taking the gamble that he will do just that,
The problem is he will probably want one (if not multiple) opt outs so that if he does start putting up HOF-worthy performance the team that signs him isn’t even getting that upside.
I’m still waiting for a player to sign a deal that gives the team an opt out.
I guess club options (like the one the White Sox declined on James Shields a few months ago) could be considered team opt-outs. But team opt-outs in the middle of large, long-term contracts will never happen.
padresfanaticfan, this is an excellent point.
If he does get a 10 year deal (don’t underestimate Boras), it will likely be with those type of opt outs, and if he repeats hi 2015 season a couple of times he’s gone anyway.
Sure, that team will have gotten value, but it’s hard to plan for the long term if there is uncertainty that a guy will be there.
Well, if he signs with the Friars, then he won’t have to worry about embarrassing himself in the post season ever again.
That was actually pretty funny…. and I’m a Padres fan
Who’s your team ?
Looks like the Pirates…if you go by his thumbnail pic. I mean, seriously?…a Pirates fan, dissing SD. Is this the freaking twilight zone?
Come on Manny, I thought you were going for the money. . . Sign in SD. Or was it not always about the Money. . . $$$
He stopped there to pick up his box of chocolates, nothing more.
Life is like a box of chocolates.
You never know whose foot you’re going to step on.
People like Harper? Didn’t realize that. It sounds like most people here believe Machado is better. I agree. It sounds like they need to decide if winning games is more important than selling jerseys.
I don’t know why, but I think Machado will be in a Padres uniform soon. The move just makes sense to me.
Hey Jeff- Why is it shocking that Harper and Machado haven’t signed yet? They both have seemingly made it clear they won’t budge much from their ridiculous asking prices that they aren’t worth. It’s really not shocking at all. If my best employee requested a raise and the request wasn’t realistic I would have no problem seeing them leave. I’ve been in that position before. It’s called business and they (much like the players last year) are either not being very smart or are being terribly misguided by their agent’s and/or players union.
Spring training has started and two of the game’s biggest stars aren’t signed. That’s all I’m referring to. You don’t know their actual asking prices and neither do I. Even if you’re right, and they are “ridiculous asking prices,” it’s still rather shocking to me that both are unsigned at this point.
Beyond that, I’m not sure why you seem to believe these players are not capable of understanding the business side of things. I’m sure those players and their rather rich and powerful agents are approaching it from just that perspective and are simply looking to maximize their piece of a very large pie in an open-market bidding situation. It’s really not analogous to an employee requesting a raise at all, honestly.
The owners proved last year they will be patient and bottom-line oriented, and these players are now doing the same.
I know that Machado has not accepted a reported (by you) 175 + million dollar deal and I know that Harper turned down a reported (by you) 300+ million dollar deal. What else is to know about their asking prices? Should I be reading a different rumors website that has better info?
Manny Machado and Bryce Harper will get what they deserve but not what they’re asking for. Owners own the ball clubs not players.
Both Manny and Bryce are gonna be all about the money when your talking the difference in multi Millions a player is gonna go to the highest bidder no matter what the chances of winning are the contracts are guaranteed so if you wanna play for a winner later you can always get traded
Going to the Padres I guess is the same as disappearing off the face of the earth. Guess Manny doesn’t want to win EVER!
San Diego is a pretty great city though. Beautiful weather year round.
That being said, only the money matters here. The team that pays will have Machado.
The Padres also met with officials at a Costco in Poway about new set of tires. Nothing is in the works as of this posting
Too funny signing a giant contract with a low budget losing team that will be stuck with that contract for years.
I hear some envy from other teams on this board, get ready if this happens there be other things happening for a SP
Ya and we’ll be thrilled when the Padres in 2020 are in the playoffs, and you’ll be eating humble pie
that was a waste of Machado’s time..
Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up! Do it Pads!
Machado and Harper will sign month-to-month contracts.
I think Pujols changed the appeal of the long term huge money contract. I don’t blame the owners at all.
Do it Padres. Quit messing around.
Preller isn’t doing anything but grabbing headlines. Nobody but Hosmer is stupid enough to go there. The guy has like 18 outfielders and still hasn’t traded any of them. Beautiful Park and city but the team ran by Preller is a dumpster fire. He is such a media hog he needs to be named Magic.
OK, so I have heard the range of opinions above.
So how does SD ever become a winner?
They have been a mediocre team for years.
Surely that should have afforded them some top draft picks!
Surely those top draft pick would make the team a winner at some point, right?
But yet that hasn’t happened. Why not?
Let’s also not forget that when winning entertaining teams go on the road the road revenues go up for the team they visit vs. that team’s average attendance. People like to see the World Champs and entertaining players.
So winning/entertaining teams make more money by being competitive not only for themselves but also for the teams they visit.
Here’s an example of what I’m talking about:
The Miami Marlins and Boston Red Sox played a spring training game in 2014 in Jupiter. The Marlins anticipated a big crowd as they would be hosting the World Champions and were rewarded with a sell out crowd. Unfortunately for the paying customers the Red Sox decided to send a lineup full of minor leaguers to the game with not a single starter from last season making the trip.
The Marlins were upset about the inferior product the Red Sox delivered after their customers expected to see some of the postseason heroes.
Red Sox owner John Henry sent out the following tweet:
John W. Henry
@John_W_Henry
They should apologize for their regular season lineup.
4,046
4:47 PM – Mar 8, 2014
He knows it is also about revenue and not just cutting costs to bring a teams profit up and capitalized value. Plus Boston’s in a type #2 market (see below)
According to a major financial source, MLB teams fall into four distinct groups.
The Yankees sit in their own group because they generate almost 20% more revenue than any other baseball team.
The second group–Dodgers ($3 billion), Cubs ($2.9 billion), Giants ($2.85 billion), Red Sox ($2.8 billion)—are teams in big cities with very strong brands that transcend their markets.
The third group, with 11 teams—starting with the Mets ($2.1 billion) and ending with the Blue Jays ($1.35 billion)—includes teams missing at least one key attribute (new ballpark, on-field performance, market size, management) possessed by teams in the second group. But these teams have a shot at creating bigger brands and joining the second group if they can fill their holes.
The fourth group includes everyone else, beginning with the Padres ($1.27 billion) and ending with the Tampa Bay Rays ($900 million). These teams typically are hampered by at least two of the following: small or indifferent market, old ballpark, bad management.
A team can reverse their perception of failure. Case in point the Houston Astros.
You have to hire good scouts and good managers, draft well, develop well and then make a run at a title with that young inexpensive talent, as the Astros have done over the last few years. Now their stands are full.
It was disappointing to see the Marlins unload all of the talent they did in 2018. But one can understand they have to start over and develop a crop that will bloom simultaneously.
Perhaps the answer is a salary cap in baseball as there is in the NFL?
Before we criticize a team for “buying” the Championship I think any people that feel that way should press the MLB Players Union, the Players and MLB Agents such as Scott Boras to agree to a Salary Cap as the NFL has done (GOOD LUCK) and then they can complain. LOL
And then there is revenue sharing in the MLB.
Under its current iteration, MLB’s revenue sharing program looks something like this:
– Every team in the majors pays in 31% of their net local revenue, and then that money is divided up and equally distributed to every team. Since large-market teams will have much greater local revenues than small market teams, this already puts small market teams in the black.
– On top of this, a large chunk of MLB’s central fund (which are acquired through things like national broadcasts) is set aside to be allocated to teams based on their revenues.
– Starting in 2016, the fifteen teams in the largest markets in baseball were disqualified from receiving revenue sharing. This feature is being phased in over the coming years. The disqualified clubs will receive a refund for the amount that they would have received in revenue sharing, although teams that have exceeded the Luxury Tax threshold in recent years will not receive a full refund. (MLB.com)
So here’s the problem.
Teams are run like a business and there is an obvious profit motive.
Some owners prefer to develop revenues and the teams capitalized values and others prefer to milk cash cows. Some take risk and some don’t take risk. Some draft, develop and coach well and others don’t. The current modus operandi or habit is for level 4 teams to become a farm system for the 1st and 2nd tier teams. When a player gets too expensive they trade them away for draft picks and future prospects that get paid much less., to the detriment of the fans Thus a sort of eternal AAA or AA team takes the field and the fans are always left with the saying “”wait til next year”.
If anybody has any suggestions on a way to get out of this system please, let’s hear it!
I fell asleep halfway through.
That’s exactly why the Padres and others are in the situation they’re in.
Because the fans fall asleep when they should be awake complaining.
As I said before, if anybody has any suggestions on a way to get out of this system please, let’s hear it!
Otherwise I never want to ever hear again about why teams like the Red Sox and Yankees spend their way to a playoff berth.
Don’t spend 50,000 words complaining. You’ll live longer.
Who else scrolled past that looong as comment??
Were not suppose to write an essay shorten these stories or thoughts,
Hopefully he is willing to play third. Tatis will be the SS.
10 year deal. Month-to-Month Opt-Out clause.
How about something really different?
How about eliminating the draft and allow every player to be a free agent right from the get go?
It would be up to the players to develop themselves just as you or I would have to do to get a good job and keep it.
Then allow every team to bid on another teams players whenever they want just like you would if you went to another job.
Just give a 2 week notice and you’re gone to the highest bidder.
The same thing for the coaches, scouts and managers.
That would keep everybody on their toes.
There would be less need for long term contracts and less need to stay with non performing players or managers.
And don’t blame the union!
We have unions in private industry and somehow they manage to function in a capitalist economic system for the rest of our economy.
Is this the Green New Deal?
Imagine Machado to the Padres and Harper to the Giants in a division with Arenado’s Rockies and the Dodgers. Man would that make for exciting baseball.
Yes, that would be fantastic.
I was thinking Harper would likely to go to the Giants as well.
Posey and Harper together makes sense.
National TV would love to carry many of those games on either Saturday afternoon or Sunday night.
Too bad Goldschmidt left AZ.
Then the division would have been studded with stars.
Looks like StL will be on TV alot too.
Harper is not going to the Gnats he dissed their offer last week. they offered a short term deal and he walked away
Padres are garbage with or without Machado/Harper
No one is asking you to watch or even provide your comments, I’m sure you don’t have a team you like, if you do you’re probably a hater of that team as well.
Butthurt Padre fan confirmed.
Sounds like you might want to shift your allegiance elsewhere.
When negative people degrade, with nothing constructive to say or add to the discussion on how to improve, just let it go in one ear and out the other. I feel for you SD fans. I have been a Red Sox fan since 1963. I suffered through 41 seasons of losses before they finally won it all in 2004. So hang in there SD fans. Your day will come. What’s heartening to me is that you guys still believe and you still care. I can so relate to that. That’s why The Padres will eventually win it all. What you really need is an owner that has a passion to turn this around, take some chances, hire some good people, put some skin in the game. We’ll see. The owner took a big step getting Hosmer. Perhaps he will sign Machado or Harper as well. But the key, in addition to spending, is player scouting, drafting and development and for that you need to put your bucks into hiring the best scouts, coaches and managers that money can buy. Then you want to acquire the players that are team players with a passion to win. The kind that hate to lose. The kind that are always looking for small details to improve their game and help others. Harper and or Machado may not be the key for you. You need a great GM and front office that can evaluate young talent and develop that. Hosmer has been on a winner. He is a team leader. Put the money into your pitching. Maybe a great bullpen like what Tampa does may work for you? You can stay in games with a great pen. Work on the fundamentals like defense, base-running and situational baseball and make sure your players stay in top shape with good trainers.
“The owner took a big step getting Hosmer.”
Hosmer sucks, that deal is TERRIBLE
Hosmer has a seven year deal. He was bad the first year. He has six remaining. Perhaps he returns to the form of 2017 when he was a 4.1 WAR player.
Hosmer has an eight year deal. He has seven remaining. He can opt out after 2022 but if the GM’s view his contract the way people on this site do the odds of him actually opting out are approaching zero.
I’ll take Hoz’s defense any day of the week, and it’s important to have with young infielders like Urias and Tatis Jr; not to mention if Manny ends up at the hot corner. And if he does, I think we could see Hoz start to live up to the contract offensively hitting in front of Manny.
Reason that Machado and Harper havent signed a contract is that MLB teams are not going to give long term deals to them. No 8-10 year deals. Maybe 5 years for Harper and Machado, 30 million a year for Harper, 25-30 million for Machado.
Yes, this year there was only one 6 year deal and just a couple of 4 year deals.
2 and 3 year deals are the norm.
PLease please please San Diego Padres DO NOT SIGN Manny Machado He is a Locker Room Cancer….Look what he did in L.A. during the playoffs…He is lazy and doesn’t run out balls hit etc. etc. Go After Bryce Harper instead or better yet sign Mike Moustakas for 3rd base and use other money for other players and all…
You NEED STRONG Upstanding players to help develop the young guys coming up through the FARM…Lets GO PADRES…Keepin’ The Faith
I didn’t you played with him before! What position you play bro?
In other news, Anderson Espinoza threw his second ST bullpen session today. Afterward, Austin Allen (who caught him) said …
“Dang, son!” Allen exclaimed.
With General Manager A.J. Preller, pitching coach Darren Balsley and several others watching, the Padres’ former No. 1 prospect threw about 30 pitches off a mound.
It was Anderson’s next important step in his comeback from the July 2017 Tommy John procedure that kept him out last season. He also threw a bullpen session Wednesday.
“Lots of life to it,” Allen said Friday. “… Effortless, too.”
Espinoza, who turns 21 in three weeks, has not pitched in a game since 2016.
This…I like to hear! Thanks for sharing. He’s a true wild card on the team/prospect herd that could make a significant impact in the next couple years if he works out. Almost the forgotten guy right now
Moustakas makes sense for SD and he will be reunited with Hosmer.
A heck of a lot cheaper than Machado.
LOL
ALOT worse than Machado too, you get what you pay for…Moose would be a fairly lateral move for the Padres, and his coziness with Hoz plays absolutely no part in whether they should sign him or how he would perform…No Manny? Rock with France and sign some pitching. Marwin or Moose do nothing for advancing the Padres time table, they would just be an expensive and unnecessary stop gap on a team that wouldn’t sniff contention
TIL that Ty France to Mike Moustakas is a lateral move
Learn something every day!…might not be a lateral move in regards to player production, but it would be for the organization. What does Moose do to help the Pads hasten their time table for contention; help the team win the next two years?…10MIL/Year for Moose vs few hundred thousand for France and using the money elsewhere, to me is a pretty lateral move. and I would rather find some pitching than sign a half way decent stop gab 3B
Haha. I don’t really like the idea of signing Moose because 1. Lifetime .307 OBP isn’t that appealing to me and 2. I think the Hosmer connection is overplayed. Ty France will not be playing 3rd base for the next contending Padres team tho. I say go after Manny.
Moustakas got $5.5M in 2018.
Machado is looking for 13/$390M (Per Projections).
Machado’s lifetime OBP is .335.
Are you saying that an extra .028 lifetime OBP is worth an additional $384.5M?
How about if you pick up Moustakas.
And pick up Kimbrel with the money you save not picking up Machado?
Tampa has proven that a great bullpen keeps you in games
Maybe they can even pickup Keuchel too?
Padres don’t need to overpay for relievers. After trading Kimbrel they turned around and paid Fernando Rodney $3m to be better than Kimbrel and then claimed Brad Hand to be better than Rodney after they traded him.
Machado’s SLG is also .056 higher and he is better defensively.
He’s not getting $390m. I’d be surprised if he even breaks $300m at this point.
Consider this.
The SDP will have a very low budget/payroll relative to the NYY
PADRES PAYROLL
Year 25-man Opening Day 40-man Year End (rank)
2018 $ 94,037,733 $130,216,502 (22)
2017 $ 69,624,400 $ 98,837,480 (28)
YANKEES PAYROLL
Year 25-man Opening Day 40-man Year End (rank)
2018 $166,111,632 $192,980,833 ( 6)
2017 $196,389,700 $224,224,707 ( 2)
So roughly about half 1/2 the payroll of the NYY
Now compare that to the Tampa Bay Rays
RAYS PAYROLLS
Year 25-man Opening Day 40-man Year End (rank)
2018 $ 76,388,930 $ 95,568,294 (29)
2017 $ 70,064,700 $100,355,005 (27)
SDP 2018 Record 66W 97L TBR 2018 Record 90W 72L
SDP 2017 Record 71W 91L TBR 2017 Record 76W 86L
The Rays added 14 more wins in 2018 than 2017 because of the way they constructed their pitching staff. They essentially used a series of pitchers to pitch 2 or 3 innings and an occasional 5 or 6 innings. They paid these pitchers peanuts as they brought up cheap inexpensive talent for a shot at the majors and had them pitch their hearts out to make a name for themselves.
This may be the way of the future and not just with pitching. Teams are using hitters that can play multiple positions and platoon them as well as utilize a shift metric. Thus a bigger bang for your buck.
This is the blueprint for how the SDP can compete. Once they compete they may be able to pull of what Houston did and go all the way and then their revenues can potentially go up.
It’s tough for the SDP to compete with LAD, SFG and CR. But the Rays do it against the NYY and Boston every season.
So take a look at how the Rays do it and you will see a formula for the low budget teams competing.
Also look at the Oakland A’s
ATHLETICS PAYROLL
Year 25-man Opening Day 40-man Year End (rank)
2018 $ 65,985,833 $ 96,478,025 (28)
2017 $ 81,738,333 $ 90,044,120 (29)
The A’s had 97W 65L in 2018.
So in order to compete they need to look at the Rays and the A’s formulas.
My point is the Padres have never had to overpay to get quality results out of their relievers and never will as long as they have Darren Balsley in the organization.