State of the Padres
General Manager AJ Preller met with the media in a season ending press briefing in the dugout at Petco Park, hours after his team completed another non-playoff season, finishing (77-85). The topics came from every direction.
Off season timeline: Organizational meetings started at 1pm on Monday, evaluating the 40-man roster and will continue this week with reports on the minor league system. October will be to evaluate the Padres players, heading to the GM-meetings in November and the Winter Meetings in December.
Buddy Black status…He has a year plus an option to go on his contract, and he and the coaching staff will return. Preller called the second half of the season (36-30) a positive, and he will “go forward” with the leaders in the dugout, saying he is on the same page with his manager. “We are partners and there is mutual respect”. The GM said his manager “had a feel for the game and a feel how to handle players”. He called his manager intelligent and that players like to play for him. “I had positive impressions of everything the final six weeks of the season.”
The Roster: Getting OF-Carlos Quentin healthy was the top priority, and he will be monitored on a month-to-month basis, saying Quentin “is doing everything possible everyday with his ailing knees”. There will be no attempt to reduce the 8M-contract due Quentin for the coming season to give the team some budget space. “My priority is his health-not his contract.” Pitcher Josh Johnson’s 4M-option will not be picked up, coming off his third elbow operation, but Preller says he hopes to work out a deal to bring him to camp on a different contract.
Surprises: The pitching staff for sure, and the growth the second half of the season of Alexi Amirista and the positive season of catcher Rene Rivera.
Needs: He would not say getting power bats in the middle of the lineup was the big priority, ”there are lots of different ways to find premium bats” to help the team.
Free Agency: “We will address on a case-by-case basis, our ability to go to Cuba to big on free agents”, this after I asked him if the Padres had the resources to big on Cuban free agent slugger Yasmani Tomas, whom Preller scouted last week.
Young Kids: He felt the callups and auditions the second half of the season were very positive, in that they saw the kind of player Spangenberg, Liriano, Solarte could be, saying “we found 3-or-4 pieces” we can put into the roster.
Trouble spot: “We need to see if he fits, and we have to evaluate his off the field situations, and will deal with his issues in the next month.” He finished with “I want player who will do it right, on the field, and off.”
Trades: “Teams know we have pitching depth and we are getting calls already to gauge our interest in moving arms for bats-we will look at anything, including trading pitching”
The Record: “We need more talent. Bad starts come because you don’t have enough players. It’s not about playing poorly under pressure, then playing better when there is nothing to play for. We need more players.”
Organization: “I do not expect to hire any other front office execs from the Texas Rangers”. He brought on board longtime scout Don Welke, then added Don Post from the Houston Astros organization.
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Lee,
‘Ol Friend. I would like to get your opinion.
Padres using Quentin as “poison pill”.
Proposed Trade. Andrew Cashner and Carlos Quentin to the Angels for CJ Crone. Angels will need pitching. I do not think they will go far in the Playoffs. Angels have the money. I question Cashner’s durability. Angels have a surplus of 1st basemen and outfielders. I beleive Crone has a bright future and would be a great addition to the Padres lineup.
Take Care,
Bob-Yorba Linda
GO ROYALS