“Padres Pitching-You Have to Be Kidding Me?”

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Love the Winter Baseball Meetings. I had a great time covering them two years ago here in San Diego.

The chance to take part in all these big press conferences, when the free agent signings and big trades are announced.

And fun to sit in on the roundtable discussions with each of the managers to hear them talk about their teams, and to talk baseball philosophy.

And then there was Andy Green’s sitdown in the manager’s sessions yesterday just outside Washington, DC.

He did an admirable job in a horrible situation, the dealing away of players, the injuries to his pitching staff, and the rag-tag rotation he had to send out there. He probably learned alot as a first year manager.

And as the Padres conclude the winter meetings, having done nothing yet, to fix a young roster and a woeful starting rotation, you have to feel bad for Green.

Oh he’s the good solider, but what he said last night at the winter meetings made your head spin.

Luis Perdomo, the young Rule 5-draft pick, got progressively better as the year went on. He did finish with a (9-10) record, but a very high (5.71-ERA). And he is positioned right now to be their number one starter. The kid showed great heart, solid stuff, and battled, but I cannot get away from the fact he allowed 233-baserunners in 146-innings.

From then on, Green has to select a rotation out of rejects.

Christian Friederich, or so the manager says, will be his number two starter. What?

Friederich was (5-12) with a (4.80-ERA). His career record is (10-28). And by the way, he won only one of his final 16-starts from mid June on.

And the 2nd year manager then proceeded to trot out names like Paul Clemens, a journeyman’s journeyman, and Jarred Cosart, found wanting by 3-other teams, who is still in San Diego’s plans.

Clemens was (4-5) with a 4.27-ERA, prone to walks and home runs.

Cosart was (0-6) with a 6.00-ERA and is coming off surgery.

Cesar Vargas, a young off season acquisition, had a good outing or two, but was (0-3) with a typical San Diego 5.03-ERA.

Think about this. That 5-man rotation went (17-33) and registered a bloated (5.10) earned run average.

Oh still out there are Tyson Ross, coming off the compressed nerve surgery in the shoulder, who might be back in May or June, if they re-sign him.

Clayton Richard resurrected his mechanics, and gave them a (3-2) record with a 2.01-end of season ERA, but we’re talking about an aging pitcher with shoulder issues.

And of course, Edwin Jackson, who was unemployed half the season, before San Diego called. Yes he flirted with a no-hitter, and a good start or two, but he was typical Edwin Jackson, you know, walks, bombs and a (5.75) ERA.

I guess there’s always hope that a kid will arrive out of the farm system. And they do like youngster Danelson Lamet, who went (12-10) at three different levels. And Walker Lockett was (10-9) with a 2.96-ERA pitching through AA-AAA. One is 22, the other 24, and who knows if they are ready.

You can be excited about the international signings, and I know ownership is. They have to, they let GM-AJ Preller write checks totaling 89M in salaries and bonuses to sign 66-draft picks and international players. But realize these guys are 3-to-5 years away. Just because you are from Cuba does not mean you are the next star on the horizon. Ask the Dodgers about their failure rate with kids coming off the island.

And there is an opening day to be played at Petco Park, and a 2017-18 season before some of these young arms arrive.

Yes there is still a January and February to try and acquire pitching, but not many quality arms are left, and Preller does not have many prospects to use as bargaining chips to make deals.

I don’t know how the Padres avoid losing 100-game with this group on the mound. You may like Hunter Renfroe and some of the other everyday players, but they can’t score 6-runs a game, especially if this is your pitching staff. Will the Padres threaten the all time worst record ever in baseball, the back in the day (40-120). For Marv Throneberry’s sake, I hope not.

Maybe, the Padres should try this marketing plan, ‘Buy a season ticket, get to make a start in the rotation”

You have to be kidding me about this rotation?

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