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Hacksaw’s Monday Bonus Podcast…1:30pm
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Hot Topics on Table..Stay for Fans Forum
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“PADRES…COMPLETE TEAM?”
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A most interesting first weekend of spring training camp for the Padres.
A silent off season of uncertainty-became clearer in a snap of the fingers.
The Padres filled out their roster overnight, getting home runs and some insurance policy pitching, without big expenditures or strip mining what is left of the farm system.
GM–AJ Preller-working with a limited budget despite losing 4-key veteran players, has had a strangely quiet off season, despite all types of roster needs.
Not any longer, and not of his doing.
Here comes Nick Castellanos, Griff Canning, German Marquez.
The trigger points for the weekend started in Philadelphia and spilled into Arizona. It became time for Preller to make moves with the nickels and dimes he had left in the bank account.
Castellanos, a career (.270) bat with 250-home runs, hitting in bandbox stadiums, was released by the Phillies, in part because of 3-seasons in a row of declining stats, an angry dugout blowup, and defensive deficiencies. He still has time left on the clock and it will take an attitude adjustment that he is moving into the sunset of his career, and will be asked to play some OF-1B-DH. But he comes at a minimum price of (780,000) with the Phillies paying him (19.2M) to leave.
A soid veteran, on a 1-year deal, with something to prove. An add on with some power, to a good lineup.
Meanwhile the scene shifted to Arizona where the Diamondbacks re-signed strong armed starter Zac Gallen, to a (1Y-22M) deal, similar to the qualifying offer they made in December. They let Gallen talk and take offers, but teams were not willing to give up draft pick compensation and international signing bonus money to get him on a multi year deal.
The Padres were in the collection of teams trying to do a creative deal, but. the budget would not allow a (22M) deal even with deferred monies. He was the last big name to come off the free agent board. When that happened, the Padres shifted into Plan B to go find arms.
The Padres added two starters, in recovery and additions to its wafer-thin starting rotation. Yes, both Griff Canning and German Marquez are coming off rehab off seasons, but both have track records, and come in with history, contacts, and at inexpensive costs, the new way of Padres doing business.
Canning had an achilles injury that derailed his NY Mets season last year. But before he went down, he had grown from the pitcher who struggled with the Angels. The (32-37) career mark is one thing. but the (7-4) record after he reinvented himself in New York. This sure feels like the Michael Wacha signing a couple of years ago. HIs free agent workout a week ago was convincing.
Marquez was a workhorse in Colorado, becoming the ace of a Rockies staff that provided little support. Decent years, no runs, pitching at altitude, bad team, was a bad combo. Then he got hurt, like the other young Rockies starters, Jon Gray, Kyle Freeland, Austin Gomber.
Last year was horrid from the outside looking in, (3-16) on a talent destitute franchise. But lost in that (6.78-ERA) season was the fact he had weathered a year and half of rehab from forearm surgery and started to come around mid season. He had 8-quality starts in 11-outings at mid season, till he went down with a second injury.
The Friars are banking he is healthy, and his (68-72) record in pitcher unfriendly Coors Field means pitching at sea level and healthy will make him a contributor.
And there are 2-intangibles at work here. Bud Black knows all things Marquez from the 9-years Black spent as Rockies manager. And there is the Ruben Niebla-effect, here’s your next project, work your magic.
So Preller has added some form of power with Castellanos and Miguel Andujar. And he got two innings eaters he believes are healthy as insurance policies to the rotation.
There are 39-Padres pitchers in camp at this hour who have pitched at the MLB level as starters, relievers, setup guys, insurance policy pitchers. Strength in numbers.
1-thing we know, Preller has yet to get us into a World Series. The other thing we know, Preller and his people know how to find pitching.
Part of me says, this is not the same franchise as last year, no Dylan Cease, Robert Suarez, Luis Arraez and Yu Darvish..But part of me also says, new opportunities mean you can find guys to plug in and make a difference. And the Preller Plan does have history to back it up.
Interesting weekend for sure. Better team on Monday morning, that it was on Friday morning
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