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“PADRES DEADLINE DEALS”

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AJ Preller is like Frank ‘Trader’ Lane.

He might be the modern day version of former Padres GM ‘Trader’ Jack McKeon.

Modern day fans likely don’t know who Frank Lane was.  A General Manager who built and wrecked the Cleveland Indians and the Chicago White Sox.  A man who inherited a great Indians team, then tore it down.  A man who laid the foundation that became the 1959 Go-Go White Sox of World Series fame, and tore them down too.

I mention Frank Lane, because even Preller did not know who he was, though AJ sure carries alot of the traits ‘The Trader’ had.  An addiction to deals, a compulsion to make trades for today regardless of the cost in the future.

History shows Lane dealt a 40-home run hitter, Rocky Colavito for a 40-doubles hitting batting champ Harvey Kuenn.  He moved popular pitching stars Early Wynn and Herb Score.  Lane even traded his unhappy Manager Joe Gordon for Tigers manager Jimmy Dykes.

Fast forward to this week, to update your score sheet on Preller’s Padres.

In a span of 48-hours, he dealt for All Star closer Tanner Scott of Miami, Tampa Bay’s outstanding setup reliever Jason Adam, long reliever Brian Hoenig and ex Texas-Pirates starter Marco Perez.

Instant help for a tired bullpen and a wafer thin-starting rotation.

The price, the shredding of the farm system, again.  In his latest deals, he moved 3-prospects to get Adam, and then shipped 4-elite farmhands in the Miami transactions for the Scott-Hoenig package.

A big price to pay considering Scott has ‘wild streaks’ and is a 2-month rental, heading to free agency in the fall.

Add in the bold trades early in the season for Dylan Cease and Luis Arraez  and the tab shows Preller has dealt away 14-of-the top 16-players in the once highly rated farm system.

This comes after the deal 3-years back costing the club 5-prospects in the two year rental of Juan Soto from Washington.

Hard to tell what Dylan Lesko, Rob Snelling, Adam Mazur or Graham Pauley might have turned into at the major league level.  We do know Preller spent upwards of 12M in signing bonuses over a three year span, and virtually all those drafted or international free agents are gone.

But if you look at rosters in Washington and other places, there are alot of ex Padres prospects playing well.

When the Dodgers lined up against the Padres on Tuesday night in the continuing chase for first place, the only home grown players Preller had on the field were Luis Campusano, Jackson Merrill and Adrian Morejon.

Oddly, just last week, in their series in Baltimore, the first place Orioles had 7-home grown draft picks on the field, yes the first place Birds against the Friars..

The Padres are still in this dog fight pennant race even with Fernando Tatis still out and without front line starters Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove.

There was excitement at Petco Park among the fans, optimismi from Padres employees, that these deals put them back in the fight for 1st place.

Of course the guys in the other dugout did the same thing at the deadline, getting Detroit Tigers ace Jack Flaherty, setup reliever Michael Kopech, all purpose Cardinal Tom Edman, utilityman Amed Rosario and Gold Glove outfielder Kevin Kiemayer.

The Dodgers somehow are still in first place, and are doing it with 17-pitchers on the DL and the serious injuries to star Mookie Betts and home run hitter Max Muncy.

The difference between the Dodgers, who have won 8-NL West titles in a row and the Padres, is that the Dodgers did all these last minute deals giving up just 1-top- prospect Miguel Vargas, the rest of the players being in Class A or rookie league.  Their top 4-young pitches, top shortstop, two catchers and their centerfielder are still in the Dodgers chain.  All the Padres bluechips are playing somewhere else now.

If these deals can get the Padres to the World Series, then the city and its fans will be happy.  If the Padres fall short again, in Preller’s 10th year of doing baseball business his way, then he might be charged with ‘Arson’ for burning the farm system down again and failing to deliver.

On paper we know they can score runs and now they have a 6-man deep wipeout collection of relievers. Do they have enough starters over the last 2-months of the season?  Better win in the next two years, because there does not look to be much of a future with what has become an older roster with no farm system behind it.

At least Trader Jack McKeon, known for cigars and late night trades, got a Padres team to the World Series.

Preller and Frank Lane might have more in common than anyone knows.  See me-October 1st.

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