“Padres-GM…Empties the tank”

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Somebody-refresh my memory.
Hit me in the head (the haters would volunteer that)
Help me remember.

The Padres did finish (12-36) on the season right?
Fired the manager-entire coaching staff?
Purged half of the GM’s inner circle of trusted advisors?

I thought so but it did not sound that way at the MLB-GMs meetings, that just wrapped up in Carlsbad.

GM-AJ Preller, laser-focused, sold a unique set of stories about this just concluded Padres crater job of a summer of baseball.  You go from 2-games out of first place to 22-games out of first,  that is ugly.

But there he was, standing outside the meeting rooms, in a ‘state of the Padres sales pitch’ as off season moved into high gear.

Fun to listen to.  Understand his philosophy.  May not agree with all of it. But here are the prime-choice quotes:
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..Not going to flip this roster..just add a piece or two.
..Off season return to health of pitching will help
..We need to learn what happened last 6-weeks of season
..Wanted a different voice in the clubhouse
..Need hitting coach who connects with players-deliver a message
..Want teaching..conversations..in game adjustments
..New pitching coach comes with great credentials
..Team chemistry is fine-these guys enjoy being in the clubhouse
..This group believes
..Young pitchers in the system need to take another step
..Biggest thing with pitching..get health..get some luck
..We lost alot of 2nd-3rd layer of pitching with injuries
..There is bitter taste in mouth what happened..team played hard
..Biggest currency in making trades is talent in system-we have that
..Our record is our record-not going to over-react
..I always think from top to bottom of roster
..Only need to tweak this roster

..The best version of the Padres is with Eric Hosmer at 1st base
..Hosmer brings alot to this clubhouse
..Yu Darvish is in San Diego..he is smart..working on hip-issue
..Blake Snell will be ready for spring
..Joe Musgrove is part of fabric in community-part of chemistry club
..Dinelson Lamet needs to get back to what he was
..Will decide in spring if he is starter-reliever
..MacKenzie Gore-got back to throwing velocity-must tighten command
..Chris Paddack-throwing program 1st week December
..Paddack capable of being a top 3-pitcher in rotation
..CJ Abrams-about 6-weeks out still rehab-shoulder-tibia
..Mike Clevinger..on schedule-good rehab-will pitching in spring
..Clevinger..final stop-pitch every 5-days
..Fernando Tatis..has all the information he needs to decide on surgery
..Tatis..talked all types baseball people about surgery
..Shoulder is strong..he is testing strong
..Tommy Pham..Looks self in mirror…Lineup and dollars will decide future

So there you have every angle to the Padres season, and what Preller thinks.

A supreme vote of confidence after hiring Bob Melvin and his experience..with the belief a healthy Tatis, the return to health of a number of pitchers, and a few tweaks to the 181M payroll roster he had, will make a difference.

An interesting December is just infront of us, and wondering if Kumbaya is being sung by fans and season ticket holders?  And asking are you still of the mind…. ‘In AJ we trust?’

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