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“Padres-Decision Day Coming on Roster-Building a Winner-Ending the Losing.
1-Man’s Opinion on Sports
www.leehacksawhamilton.com

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Let the winning begin. Easier said than done with this Padres franchise.

Hope springs eternal. Not here, not yet.

Padres rebuild has not been as painful as the Houston Astros retooling. Not as long as the Cubs downtrodden ways. But this has been a long period of time.

The offseason is now officially underway. Free Agency has just opened, the 40-man roster limits will be set shortly. The GMs meetings are underway in Carlsbad. The Winter Baseball meetings come next month.

So what do the Padres do after a 3-season composite record of (205-281). some 76-games under .500?

They need to open spots on the roster for the young players they must protect. They need to find some quality veteran starting pitching. And they may have to move some salary as trade bait to improve the roster.

1-Man’s Opinion on who they are, what they should do, if I were king.

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Wil Myers…He has had one solid half season in San Diego, that all star year. The rest of the two and a half years has been filled with injuries, slumps, spurts, position changes and errors. As gifted as he is, he is a man without a position. The corner outfield spots are a challenge, 3rd base is even worse. I thought he played better at first base, but that’s not an option. Now after saying all the right things when he signed his big money contract we find he likes playing, does not seem to have a fire in his gut, isn’t a leader-but a follower. There’s something missing in his wiring. Trade him to the American League for a good pitcher.

Eric Hosmer…Alot of money for 23M per year average, for a solid player-but not as superstar. Good leader, gold glove, hits for some power, but really overpriced. Wasn’t much of a difference maker, and not sure why there was urgency to sign him now while you were going to lose. They need lots more around him.

Hunter Renfroe..Became a complete player last year, a near five tool guy and should be a cornerstone guy in right for the next group of years.

Manny Margot…Erratic second big league year, but does not mean he cannot bounce back. Still needs work on defense, and not sure if he is ideal leadoff guy, but way too early to give up on.

Franmil Reyes…The surprise of an otherwise dreary summer. Works hard in the outfield, where he used to be a plodder. Swings with power, cut down on strikeouts, but limited with glove. If he is your right fielder, then what becomes of Renfroe? I’d keep him unless you found an American League team that would DH him, and has a pitcher you could get in a trade.

Franchy Cordero…Mystery man coming off surgery. Tremendous wrist quickness, can run the bases and chases down balls. Not sure he could be everyday player with his bat, but worth keeping.

Jose Pirela…Professional bat, defense a challenge, a man really without a position. Better suited to go back to the AL and get another pitcher for him.

Travis Jankowski…Swiss Army knife player with attitude,edge, speed, lots of positions. Keep him.

Christian Villanueva…He can hit some, he does strike out, 3rd base can be a challenge, not much at other infield positions. A strong insurance policy player with some home run power. Go another year.

Corey Spangenberg…Plays everywhere, plays hard, limited in productivity, but everyone needs solid 25th man on the roster.

Freddy Galvis…Did not hit like I thought he would, but then again he’s not playing in the band box in Philadelphia. Tremendous glove, grinder of a player. Would like to see him stay, but will he ask for 10M next year? Don’t think the Padres give him that, but should find a way to keep him for a couple of years.

Luis Urias..2nd baseman of future, a bit overwhelmed on offense at end of the season.

Javy Guerra…Just a guy like so many of the other guys who have been on and off this roster. No one drafts guys hitting (.125).

Francisco Mejia…We saw flashes with the bat, sometimes too with glove. Looks awful slight in build to be an everyday catcher. Might be a man without a true position, but he stays there behind the plate.

Austin Hedges….Will grind all day-every day. You get the glove, the arm, the attitude, the intelligence. You might not always get offense, but in rotation with Mejia, why not?

AJ Ellis…Can you afford to keep 3-catchers on the roster. He might really have a career as a coach in waiting. Tough decision with him, for him with the other two sitting infront of him on the roster.

Carlos Asuaje…At one point I thought he belonged here, but really substandard 2018 season at bat sent him back to the minors multiple times. How many utility guys can you have on the roster?

Alex Dickerson…Guess we’ll really never know. He opts out rather than go back to the El Paso-AAA roster. Two years of surgery, two years of rehab. Maybe now too many players infront of him in the outfield. Would have thought he owed some loyalty to the Padres for the two years they tried to help him rehab.

Allen Cordoba…Lost year after his Rule 5-year. Likely lower minors guy to have to prove himself again. Unprotected.

Greg Garcia…Longtime Cardinals utility man, not a difference maker as everyday player, leave him out there, then see if he can outplay other utility guys in spring training.

Luis Torrens…With catcher logjam ahead of him, liked his glove, has to show he can hit, and will likely if no one takes him in the minor league draft. Tough decision on protecting him on 40-man roster.

Clayton Richard…Bellweather of a bad staff. As hearty a leader as he is, his ERA was over 5.00, he had a stretch where they won 1-of 11-starts this year, and 1-of-18 last year. What’s there to protect? DFA him, make a deal to bring him as a non roster player in the spring and you can always add him back on. Unprotected.

Dinelson Lamet…It will take patience for him to come completely back from elbow surgery, but he seems to have all the ingredients to be really good. Mature beyond his youthful years, with vibrant stuff.

Luis Perdomo…Becomes a make or break year for him. Good first season, plateaued second season and then erratic third year. One more chance.

Joey Luchessi…Superb rookie season with great maturity and potential for growth. Most impressive thing, a lot more good innings and outings, than bad innings and beatings. Says a lot about his intangibles.

Eric Lauer…Ditto in the makeup of Luchessi and will grow better with more starts. Kid left-handers what you build around.

Matt Strahm…Wildcard in the bunch. Liked him as a setup reliever. They may like him more as a starter, after protecting-limiting him this past season post-knee surgery. Upside. Cannot believe Royals gave up on him for three guys they traded for, and cut loose.

Robbie Erlin…Took 18-months to get him back from surgery, but was crafty-grittiy-determined. Maybe more long reliever than back of rotation guy. You need arms like that somewhere on your staff. Protect him.

Jacob Nix…Pushed to major leagues because of mess with rotation, obviously not ready, but has stuff. Maybe part of El Paso rotation to start next year. Of course you protect him.

Brett Kennedy…Seems like a Class 5-A player, good enough for Pacific Coast League, not good enough for major leagues, yet. Maybe take a risk and send him off the 40-man list.

Bryan Mitchell….Do you believe what you see, these end of season decent starts compared to the mess they had for the first two thirds of the season. If you leave him unprotected, maybe somebody else takes him and helps him figure it out. I wouldn’t protect him and keep a prospect rather than a suspect.

Kirby Yates…He is your closer-like. I like his fierce competitor makeup. Maybe not equal of the traded Brad Hand, but good enough.

Craig Stammen…You need arms who want the ball everyday. A real find off the stockpile. Ideal workhorse setup man.

Phil Maton…Parts of two seasons shows he can pitch here, but not sure if he is a difference maker in the bullpen. Keep him on the 40.

Jose Castillo…I like the size, the stuff, the demeanor. Wasn’t as consistent at the end, but showed me enough to want him as a setup guy-long guy.

Robert Stock…Pitched better than I thought he would, with velocity and ball movement and seemed fearless, so deserves longer look

Brad Wieck..Cup of coffee at the end of year, pitched well. Intrigued by the size, all arms, legs, and here’s the ball on top of you. Worth protecting going forward.

Troy Wingenter…In big picture, did more good things than bad, and has room to grow.

Rowan Wick…overmatched, needs time back in El Paso. Off the 40-for now.

Kaz Makita…1-trick pony, either headed back to El Paso or to Japan. Experiment failed.

Colin Rea…So much expected, then so many health issues. Is he back? Can you take a risk? Will someone else take that risk? How do you evaluate among the other pitchers you have to consider. Leave him out there.

Colton Brewer….Here and there pitched okay, but nothing dominant. Do you see enough upside to protect him?

Miguel Diaz…Has pitched well at most levels, and has upside, so you have to protect him.

Walker Lockett…Has shown much coming up thru the system, has not show enough with Padres, but kid pitchers develop on different timetables. I’d keep him protected.

Carter Capps…Opted out of contract. Never regained what he used to be. Thought he owed Padres for carrying him for 2-full seasons of rehab in minors.

Summary….I have 30-I’d protect, so that opens slots for lots of minor leaguers. I’d want some of the unprotected back, but not at the cost of losing some of my prospects. Richard-Ellis-see me in February. I’d keep Galvis, trade Myers-Pirela.

There should be enough slots to protect the Rule 5-guys eligible for the draft. That means keeping the young arms Chris Paddack, Anderson Espinosa, Pedro Avila and Trevor Megill, plus Ty France and Austin Allen.

A year from today, the next wave of kids they have to protect will be up for discussion, Fernando Tatis, Hudson Potts, Cal Quantrill, Logan Allen and Michael Baez.

It’s a nice problem to have, this talent level. It might not be easy, but it sure beats losing, which the Padres have done a lot of in the last 10-years.

If I were king, that’s what I’d do at Petco Park.

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