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“Padres-Historic Day in Baseball?”

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The sun came up on a chilly-breezy day in San Diego on Tuesday, and then a bolt of lightning came out of the sky.

The Padres became relevant in their own community for the first time in a decade, and became relevant in all of baseball, with the signing of top free agent Manny Machado, the ex-Orioles and Dodgers star.

A record day, this (10Y) 300M contract. It includes a no trade clause early on in the deal, and an opt out clause after the fifth year.

Machado brings enormous credentials in a six year career, most of it in Baltimore, where he was the star on an Orioles franchise that has gone off the track under the ownership of Peter Angeles and his sons.

They called him and Bryce Harper, his free agent running mate, generational players. You hope so.

His credentials in his young career are special. A (.282-BA…175HRs). Last year, thru the dreary summer of a last place team in Baltimore, he still excelled (.297-BA…37HRs). And he got to experience the playoffs and the World Series after being traded to Los Angeles.

There are 4-All Star berths in six years. There are two Gold Glove trophies already.

He exceeds what Padres ownership did a year ago this week, the 144M-contract offer to Eric Hosmer of the Royals, and what they did two years ago, with the unheard of 83M-extension for Wil Myers, about to become an All Star that given year.

There are lots of questions out there, so I will try to answer them.

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WHY DID RON FOWLER-PETER SEIDLER SPEND THIS MONEY AT THIS TIME?

..The blueprint said 2020 was the year they hoped to be a playoff team. Fowler admits generational talent like this does not come along very often. They felt adding his bat, glove, personality, now makes the rest of the everday lineup better. And in the first five years of the deal, before the opt-out clause kicks in, they have positioned themselves to be a player in the National League pennant race, almost immediately.

WHAT KIND OF PLAYER IS MACHADO?

..He is a grinder, who has missed just 11-games over the last four years. The proof is in the pudding, thru all types of bad situations in Baltimore, he came to play-produce nightly. He was taken just 2-spots after Bryce Harper was drafted years ago, and has done nothing but produce.

WHAT KIND OF PERSONALITY IS HE?

..Baltimore teammates loved him. The Padres hope he can be a leader to the young Latin group of players who now dominate the Padres clubhouse. His comment ‘I am not Johnny Hustle’ may bother some, but not since the lone star season of Chase Headley, nor the great days of Ken Caminiti, have the Padres had this kind of production at that spot. Some will question he wound up in San Diego, only because they offered him this blockbuster package. Yes he might have gone to play on the moon if that team offered more, but his metrics say he deserved a big payday. And why wouldn’t you want to play-live in San Diego, climate, stadium, and highly regarded farm system.

WHAT KIND OF IMPACT DOES HE HAVE?

..In the middle of lineup, sandwiched by Eric Hosmer and Will Myers, with Hunter Renfroe, Franmil Reyes, around him in the batting order, that’s production. And maybe it makes the leadoff guy Manny Margot more productive. Maybe he helps Franchy Cordero become more consistent.

IS THERE AN IMPACT ON THE ROOKIES?

..Fernando Tatis, raw talent and all, can now develop without the pressure of being in the glare of the spotlight so much. Maybe the same for young 2nd baseman Luis Urias. and the young catcher Francisco Mejia. I’d hope Machado becomes the clubhouse leader that Will Myers never became.

HOW COULD THE PADRES AFFORD A 30M A YEAR PLAYER?

..Their payroll is made up of a majority of major league minimum salary players. The Padres payroll now gets to 110M, a shade above last year’s 95M figure. Of course they are still paying off on salaries of players no longer here, James Shields, Jed Gyorko, Phil Hughes etc. Virtually all their young pitchers will be making the major league minimum for the next couple of years, so there was room in the budget.

HOW DID THEY FINANCE THIS PACKAGE?

..Simple math. They took the 15M paid to Chase Headley last year, the 7.5M due Philip Hughes, the 6.5M that went to Freddy Galvis, Clayton Richards 3.5M and voila, there’s the 30M re-directed to Machado. If this were to be a trade, you’d deal all those guys for Machado?

WHAT ARE RISKS INVOLVED?

..You hope there are no major injuries to Machado. You know, because of his age (26), he won’t wake up as an albatross around the neck of a club, like the 10Y-Angels-Albert Pujols deal for the 165M-anchor that Chris Davis drags with him in Baltimore. Risks, not many, unless there is some career threatening injury. Add in mistakes like the Angels-Josh Hamilton..the Red Sox-Carl Crawford…the Giants Pablo Sandoval-Barry Zico…and the Braves Melvin Upton, and you see a lot of bodies on the side of the road.

WHAT ROLE DOES AJ PRELLER PLAY IN ALL THIS?

..Before we enshrine him into the Baseball Hall of Fame…let’s be honest, when you overpay for talent, you can lure them to San Diego. There will be criticism 30M a year for a decade for Machado is excessive. Preller did the same, gambling three years ago, when he made all those trades to take on aging Matt Kemp, James Shields, Justin Upton, Melvin Upton and the troubled Hector Olivera. He could have been fired for all those mistakes and the fact the Padres have had to pay out 36M…35M…23M over the last three years to get clubs to take those players out of San Diego. He could have been fired for that too, but ownership did not. They let him develop a new blueprint, spending large amounts in the Friars Farm System.

WHAT ABOUT HIS FARM SYSTEM?

..Preller operated in similar fashion. He overpaid for a lot of players, and now we await their arrival to see if it was money well spent. Little has been made of the tax he had to pay to sign. P-Adrian Morejon, 11M package plus 11M in taxes-that’s a 22M investment. He wound up forking over 14-for OF-Jorge Ona. And the same for SS-Luis Almanzar- whose package totals 7M investment. He went way above slot getting Stanford P-Calvin Quantrill to a 7M contract. In a 3-year span Prellar signed 95-draft picks, college, high school, internationals, for just over 105M. An enormous outlay of cash. Strength in numbers, but a whole bunch of them better pan out.

WHAT ABOUT THE CRITICISM THE PADRES SHOULD HAVE SPENT MONEY ON PITCHING?

..The farm system is loaded with arms. Joey Lucchessi and Eric Later were the first two to arrive. Logan Allen, Chris Paddack, Quantrill will be in the next wave. It may well be the Padres believe this batting order can score lots of runs, and that will give the kid pitchers some cushion as they grow up on the job. The history of free agent pitching breaking down is too strong to consider giving pitchers 5-year contracts any longer.

THERE IS PADRES HISTORY FOR BEING BOLD?

..Of course, Kevin Towers made the mega deal that got the team Kevin Brown. Former GM-Randy Smith was the triggerman on the Fred McGriff deals. The Ken Caminiti-Steve Finley-Ozzie Smith deals were huge in history. Long ago, back in the day, you do remember Ray Kroc, Ballard Smith, Jack McKeon and the era of free agent signings like Gene Tenace, Rollie Fingers, Gaylord Perry more.

WHAT DOES THIS DO FOR THE PADRES BY OPENING DAY?

..It puts them in the wildcard hunt. The Giants have age and injury. The Rockies are retooling. The Diamondbacks are removing players and facing rebuilding. The division is now very different. Yes the Brewers, Cardinals and Cubs loom in the NL Central, and the NL East is a dogfight now with the Nationals, Mets and Phillies there. Of course Bryce Harper could be headed to one of those places before the week is out that might change things again.

WHAT DOES IT DO FOR THE COMMUNITY?

..Attendance has plunged to around 2M per year, in a big city that has had to look at a lot of bad baseball. I have maintained, you put a pennant contender here, you draw 3M a year to Petco Park. Not just
all the fans who come to see their out of town teams, Giants-Red Sox-Pirates-Cubs….but you will invigorate Padres fans to sample the new product. The ownership put its money on the table. Now we see if the players can produce on the field. If they do, I think the fans will fill up the seats. They’ve given us a reason to make Petco Park a destination spot again.

CLOSING COMMENT?

..Play ball!

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“Aztecs Basetball-Put Up or Shut Up”

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Now we get to see what a good college basketball team looks like, and it’s not San Diego State.

They’ve had good games, and bad games. They’ve seldom gotten hot. And now it has become crunch time.

San Diego State basketball has been streaky all year. Now Wednesday night, State faces nationally ranked Nevada-Reno at Viejas Arena.

That is a (24-1) basketball team that comes to town. The Wolfpack started (13-0), lost at New Mexico, and now have reeled off 11-more straight wins.

Nevada has stormed thru the Mountain West Conference…with 10-wins of 10-points or more in the league….and victories by 33-39-40 point margins against the weak teams in the league.

Jordan Caroline and Caleb Martin are averaging 37-points a game between them. The team has hit 218-3’s, and isa averaging 81-points a game this year.

They have non conference wins over Utah-Arizona State-USC and Loyola.

For the Aztecs, there can be no letdowns, that would lead to a blowout.

The Wolfpack start 5-seniors, and their top 6-players are all transfers, a real challenge for a somewhat young SDSU front line.

They are loaded with veteran talent.

Coach Brian Dutcher’s comments.

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…Nevada is capable of being a Final 4-team this year.
…We have to set a defensive game plan to slow them down
…They are a downhill team with all their players
…Free flowing-aggressive style with a talented coach

…We beat them pretty good last year-they have circled us on the calendar.
…Not just taking away a player or two…it’s a battle every possession.
…They can hurt you from every position..game to game
…All capable of scoring…they go with hot hands..could be Caroline-Martin
…They are not governed by set plays

…They play hard for 40-minutes every night…great effort
…They are never out of games they play hard…they don’t let

…The physical nature-egressive-would have been challenge to play us early
…Our young players have games under their belt…now we feel good
…Playing them late in schedule helps our young players
…Home court helps us a lot…the crowd will get into it

…Need to get stops…being efficient on offensive
…Loss to New Mexico…Lobos hit 14-3’s…zoned them and got hot in Pit

…Nevada loaded with transfers…entire starting lineup 5th year seniors.
…They have recruited quality players via transfers
…Only team ranked in country with 5-transfers this year
…They run set plays vs zones..very good with spacing…they don’t get rattled

…Nathan Mensah has some back issues-limited in practice

…Known Eric Musselman along time
…Eric is super intense-sometimes over the top-he is not his father
…We had (34-3) team that was pretty good…these guys are the equal to that
…We get to tourney it becomes matches….he wants favorable seeding
…Nevada does not want to drop from 3rd or 4th seed going to final weeks season
…Wolfpack have been good…they’ve turned it up a notch since early in th year

…Jordan Caroline is huge presence -plays bigger than frame
…Caroline a huge physical presence-fierce rebounders both ends of floor.
…Wolfpack have hit 218-3’s this year…not fraud to launch it.

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“NFL-Colin Kaepernick-Winners-vs-Losers”

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He took a knee….the NFL has been brought to its knees again.

The Colin Kaepernick story that will not go away. Now the weekend settlement, out of court, to pay money to the ex-49ers quarterback to drop his lawsuit against the NFL, for allegedly black-balling him after his 2016-display of kneeling during the National Anthem to protest social injustice in the killings of black men by police officers.

Typical NFL, an out of court settlement, with a confidentiality clause, as if the story will go away. No admittance of wrongdoing either. This Kaepernick settlement comes weeks before the actual trial was to begin.

Weeks before Emails, texts, correspondence, depositions would have been dragged into court.

You’ve heard that before haven’t you? The NFL Concussion settlement, just before that case was to go to trial, the NFL woke up one morning and wrote a check for 865M-to fund research, and to pay players who died of CTE to the brain. The NFL did this rather than go to court in what would have been an angry display of evidence, ‘what they knew……when they knew it…..what did they or didn’t they do about it’.

No one is saying, yet, what the payoff to the ex-49ers QB might be. He opted out of his 12.6 M contract with San Francisco to test free agency. , after leading the Niners to the Super Bowl one year and the NFL title game another year.

It might well be he got a huge check, maybe even equal to what he might have made in the NFL had he played the last two years, possible earning potential of 10M a year. Bet too, the NFL picked up his legal fees to end this public dialogue. Maybe he does not go to court, and instead gets 25M total in the settlement.

He has not played a game in 2017 or 2018, as desperate NFL teams signed guys off the street like Josh Johnson, Sam Bradford, Derrick Anderson, Austin Davis, Nathan Peterman and Matt McGloin to fill roster spots. Everyone got a call, but not Kaepernick.

You could condemn the QB for kneeling infront of the flag, I did, coming from a military family. But then when you see what Kaepernick did, with personal contributions over 1M of his own money, while unemployed, to school lunch programs in both Oakland and San Francisco, maybe you look at things differently.

The contributions he made to help parolees fix their lives after prison. The donation of money to build a hospital in Ghana. In terms of caring about others, he walked the walk, talked the talk.

Yes, the NFL started foundations in each city, supposedly funding money to deliver messages from NFL players to the inner cities about improving life and programs to help the disadvantaged.

Sometimes it smacks of the ideology, throw money at it, and it will go way. Used to work the way in the NFL, until players went public over health benefits and brain damage and suicides, and said the NFL’s new business practice was “Delay-Deny-Hope You Die”

In retrospect, the quarterback was not protesting the flag, just the inequality that still seems to exist in 2019, bringing back hurtful memories how Americans treated minorities as if this was 1959 or 1939 or 1899. It was happening as America waved the flag.

Some will say Kaepernick is a sellout, taking a payday now, for what he decried 24-months ago. But his sacrifices have been huge for his public stance of what ails society.

The Flag has been sacred in our nation. See the country reaction to 9/11….the flags everywhere…the chants USA-USA. Read up on the patriotic response right after Pearl Harbor in World War II. That’s why the hatred response was so strong initially.

But then teammates, white and black, joined the cause. Players, then coaches, then owner Jerry Jones. It was a show of solidarity, and maybe a message to the NFL, to do something, because we see something wrong.

Kaepernick didn’t raise a fist, give a finger, burn a flag. He made a statement and up till now has paid for it by missing out two years at the peak of his career talent wise.

If this had gone to court, and if he won, the damages financially could have been huge, maybe 40-to-50M considering time lost on the field, money lost in contracts, while he was being blackballed.

The hypocrisy of NFL leadership exists still this morning. Tell me Kareem Hunt, Reuben Foster, Greg Hardy, Josh Gordon, Adrian Peterson deserved to be in the NFL for what they did, and compare Kaepernick’s actions to the above mentioned and tell me who was treated unfairly?

We each have an opinion, and that’s America. So was Kaepernick’s right to free speech.

I’ll let you decide if Kaepernick was a polarizing figure…or a cultural symbol?

You tell me, who is stained more, the quarterback for what he did, or the NFL for trying to sacrifice his career?

Is Kap a Super Bowl quarterback…or maybe a more important social activist?

And as they write a check to the ex-49er, think about the NFL history in these matters. You believe they woke up one morning with ‘conscience’ and decided to pay out all that money in the CTE concussion settlement?

You think they suddenly decided this quarterback was right in all he stood for, as he kneeled?

No, there probably was a paper trail, a smoking gun, in both the CTE lawsuit and in this Anthem issue, that leads to where we are today.

We see, if at age 32, he gets a contract offer now this off season?. Does his unique pass-run option style still fit? Does losing 2-years take the edge of his game?

In taking a knee, he stood up for social injustice, and he brought the NFL to its knees again, on the way it’s done its business, treats people, and what it is all about.

By taking a knee, he stood up for the battle against racism, and that may be more important than any TD pass or games that Colin Kaepernick ever won. The NFL comes away looking like a loser again.

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“This-That-Some of the Other”

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Lots of team…lots to talk about

PADRES…Give them credit, they are trying, traying hard in the free-agent market, these meetings, and likely offers to both Bryce Harper and Manny Machado. Maybe a 7-to-10 year contract does not make sense, but a short term deal would be a difference maker to the lineup, help weather whatever storms ahead with a young pitching staff, and give ownership a boost in credibility. But I get the sense the Padres are being used as a pawn in all this, and that Harper might wind up going back to Washington, and Machado wants to wait with hope the Yankees show up with a bid. Guess you never find out if you don’t roll the dice, take a shot in the dark. They did land Eric Hosmer, didn’t they?

CHARGERS…They always talk about the ‘window closing’ on good teams, it might be closing quicker on the Chargers. They’ve just released veteran DE-Corey Liuget, in a salary cap move. Top young WR-Tyrell Williams can leave as a free agent this spring. Veteran CB-Casey Hayward is coming off a sub-standard season. TE-Antonio Gates seems headed to retirement. Not many veterans left in what is becoming a younger and younger roster around QB-Philip Rivers. It’s weird, two winning seasons since the move to LA, and you don’t feel they have accomplished anything since leaving San Diego?

SAN DIEGO FLEET…A nice start to the season, even with the opening day loss in San Antonio. Chargers fans obviously are interested, gauged by the 5.8-TV rating in San Diego last Saturday. They are going with backup QB-Philip Nelson this weekend against Atlanta. It hasn’t been easy for the front office, the late start, virtually no marketing, limited facilities for the coaches, and the rain, the rain, the rain, trying to put together quality practices having to use 3-different fields. Still lots of work to be done.

AZTECS….Yes you can go home, at least return to where you did well. Brady Hoke comes back to Montezuma Mesa after helping turn the program around years ago. Hoke went to Michigan, and rebuilt the Wolverines, but then saw it all fall apart, getting fired. He went to Oregon, lasted one year as defensive coordinator. Went to Tennessee as a defensive line coach, but was swept out in a coaching change. Then on to the NFL Carolina Panthers, where he went one year and done as Ron Rivera cleaned his staff out. He will work for Rocky Long in what has become a special friendship. I am surprised Hoke did not go back to a head job in the Mid American Conference, where he did so well at Ball State, the stepping stone to the Aztecs job.

SAN DIEGO STATE….The basketball program is playing better marching thru the second half of the Mountain West season, but there’s a problem within. Star forward Jalen McDaniels, likely the Player of the Year in the Mountain West Conference, is not being allowed to talk tot he San Diego media, the aftermath of the voyeur lawsuits filed by two high school girls, whom he secretly videotaped having sex with friends, and then sent it viral to friends. Is he going to boycott the media if he wins player of the year? If he goes to the NBA, what do you think dealing with the media will be like? JD Wicker, Mike May and coach Brian Dutcher need to re-think this, for it stains their credibility.

USD…A nice season at the Jenny Craig Pavilion for coach Sam Scholl’s team…but maybe it comes to a crashing conclusion this week. BYU is here then Gonzaga and its (24-2) record rolls in. And of course the Toreros are probably not looking forward to the end of the era of Isaiah Pinier, Isaiah Wright and Ollin Carter. They all graduate after this season is complete.

GULLS…The nationwide hockey media, including those in Canada, believe Dallas Eakins will be he next head coach of the Ducks, after the firing of coach Randy Carlyle last Sunday. The Ducks, fighting to stay out of last place, are calling up virtually all the top young draft picks that have been in San Diego. Why not take Eakins, who has 300-career wins in the AHL, now, and let him put his system in and let him evaluate the Ducks roster the last 25-ghames of the schedule, to see what fits, doesn’t fit the way he does things?

SOCKERS….Here comes Landon Donovan, his brilliant career forever written in the history books of the US Wold Cup soccer team. He threw his support behind the Soccer City package, and seemed on a track to possibly a key front office job, till voters rejected the stadium proposal. I guess the only thing I don’t understand, if his desire is to still play. If the talent level is still there, why play in the MASL, the indoor league, when the MLS is still growing? And why not try to convince Greg Berhalter to let him return to the US World Cup program, either as a player or a coach as they transition to a much younger roster? Part of me hopes this Sockers signing isn’t a cheap publicity stunt for a semi pro league. Part of me wishes Donovan was doing more in his post playing career.

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“Baseball’s Back–Spring Training Takes”

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A cold rain fell across Southern California as pitchers and catcher reported to Cactus League camps in Arizona, home of the Padres-Dodgers-Angels. There was sunshine everywhere in spring training, regardless of the rosters, or last year’s records.

A look see at the storylines that will permeate Peoria and Padresville.

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PADRES…..Are you excited, frustrated, looking forward to the next six weeks in the Catcus League. The Padres have done virtually nothing to improve on a 96-loss season from a year ago, but their game plan remains in place.

Garrett Richards, the ex Angels won’t pitch till late August. Greg Garcia is a journeyman infielder at best. Ian Kinsler is a solid multi-position 14-year veteran who has hit (248HRs) and is a (.271) lifetime hitter.

Any of them really fix the shortcomings of this roster today? Didn’t think so.

But remember, there are still free agents out there to be signed, though I think its absurd to think Bryce Harper or Manny Machado is coming in to change the personality of the team, not at 30M a year over the next 7-to-10 years.

Remember this franchise added Eric Hosmer at 1st base last spring just as camp opened. And before that, they traded for Craig Kimbrel out of Atlanta, on the eve of the opening of season.

So its is reasonable to think, a short term rental of Mike Moustakas for 3rd base makes sense. That’s a (.251-147 HR) career guy, who if he joins Kinsler on board, would add more veteran power to a lineup. All the better for the likes of Wil Myers-Hunter Renfroe-Franmill Reyes. Think of it being a much better lineup.

But as pitchers went thru their first bullpen sessions, there are so many questions about legitimate starters for this team. Just like there are so many questions, about which of the cadre of young arms is ready to take the next step up, like the kid left-handers,Joey Lucchessi and Eric Lauer did at the end of the season.

The southpaws will be starters 1-2 the opening week of the season.

Then the realistic questions with a long list of other arms. Determine for me, show them (Andy Green-AJ Preller), if you are ready to pitch at this level.

Is Bryan Mitchell a washout, or is the (2.19-ERA) he delivered in September the maturation and polish they had gone searching for most of last season? Prospect or suspect?

Is Logan Allen ready to step up from AAA-where he pitched well down the stretch, after being rock-solid in years prior, moving thru the farm chain?

It has been a long 2-and-a half years for Calvin Quantrill, the high paid first round pick. He has not dominated at any level, but has gotten better the second half of each season he’s pitched. Don’t know if his stuff is major league ready?

Luis Perdomo has been a riddle, who has regressed since his debut as a Rule 5-arm a couple of years ago. Nagging injuries may be part of it. The ability to take instruction could he part of it. Or the failure to develop additional stuff could be the real reason he’s never gotten back to where he was just 3-summers back.

Chris Paddack may have the most upside of any body, and he has dominated for 18-months since coming back from elbow surgery right after they got him. But jumping from AA-ball to Petco Park will take more than a leap of faith. This will be fun to watch.

Matt Strahm did so well as a left-handed setup guy in the bullpen, but he is a former starter in Kansas City, and still might warrant a sot at the rotation. I’d keep him in the bullpen as a situational guy.

Robbie Erlin has been in and out of the rotation and bullpen the last couple of years. An insurance policy more than anything else, and everybody has to have a 5th starter. Only time will tell where his value lies, and lots of that depends on what the other young arms do or don’t do.

Jacob Nix was so young, and aside from one good outing, got lit up (7.00-ERA) so there is a learning curve there, but he is young with potential..

Brett Kennedy might have been (10-0) at El Paso, but his (6.75-ERA) struggles were constant once he got to San Diego. On the outside looking in.

Michael Baez shows flashes of dominance, and chunks of youth….to be determined starter or reliever?

That’s 10-young arms in the running for the final 3-spots in the starting rotation.

And further back, down road, in the system, other high picks, Adrian Morejon, Ryan Weathers, McKenzie Gore. But those are names to contemplate for another Cactus League spring.

Part of me feels like screaming, they don’t have enough proven pitchers. Part of me feels like screaming, they got lots of good kids, somebody will surface to grab these spots, yay.

A couple of years ago, in Port St. Lucie, Florida, the Mets faced a similar series of questions, trying to rally the franchise. But then Noah Syndegaard, Jacob deGrom, Steve Matz, Zach Wheeler almost all arrived simultaneously. All of sudden, very good rotation.

Six weeks from now, we’ll find out if AJ Preller should have traded an outfield bat and prospects for some type of starting pitching like Mike Leake or Corey Kluber, or should have spent some free agent money for a Dallas Keuchel, Nathan Eovaldi type of starter.

Baseball’s back and hope springs eternal in spring, everywhere, even in Padresville, where you think the decade of losing is about to end, if the kid pitchers deliver us answers to questions.

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