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Padres acquire Huston Street from Rockies

December 7, 2011 in Myron Logan, San Diego Padres, trades with 4 Comments

The San Diego Padres have acquired closer Huston Street from the Colorado Rockies for a PTBNL and cash considerations.

It’s hard to truly evaluate this deal until the player heading to Colorado is identified. The cash, apparently, is $.5 million in 2012 and the $.5 million buyout in 2013 if the option is declined.

Anyway, I had read a lot about how the Padres were looking to acquire a proven closer, and I was thinking about drafting an article on why they shouldn’t. If you know how I feel about how the Padres should approach this offseason, you probably know why. The Padres are unlikely to be a true contender next year, so whether they have a “proven” closer or Luke Gregerson/Ernesto Frieri isn’t all that significant.

It wouldn’t be wise to invest too much, in dollars or prospects, on a relief pitcher. However, if we assume the Padres lost a relatively insignificant player, this deal isn’t all that bad. The Padres will owe Street $7 million in 2012, not a bad price for a solid closer. Further, they don’t have to commit any length or dollars to Street if things don’t work out.

Street’s a very good reliever who will benefit greatly – like any pitcher would – from switching to Petco Park from Coors. Seriously, that’s one end of the spectrum to the other. Street’s stats:

Street Innings ERA HR/9 BB/9 K/9
OAK (05-08) 269 2.88 .6 2.6 9.1
COL (09-11) 167.3 3.50 1.2 1.8 9.1

Street was better with Oakland (he also threw more innings/year), but he’s remained effective with the Rockies. In fact, his strikeout-to-walk ratio has actually improved with Colorado. He’s struggled more with the long ball, which has hurt his value, but that should be remedied by a move to Petco.

Street makes the Padres better in 2012, but even if they’re not competitive (very likely), they can use him as a trade chip at the deadline. Closers can attract a lot of attention from contenders with bullpen problems mid-season, and if Street can prove he’s still an asset in the back-end of the pen, he’ll have a number of suitors.

This isn’t a great deal, and it doesn’t really fit into a long-term plan to rebuild. But it also doesn’t sacrifice prospects (hopefully) or a big dollar commitment to improve in the short-term. And it’s hard to blame the Padres for at least attempting to improve the major league club for next season.

Padres trade Wade LeBlanc for John Baker

November 22, 2011 in Myron Logan, San Diego Padres, trades with 2 Comments

The San Diego Padres have traded LHP Wade LeBlanc to the Miami Marlins for catcher John Baker.

LeBlanc has posted a 4.54 ERA in 293.3 innings for the Padres, spread over the last four seasons. He’s basically been somewhere around replacement level in his time with the Padres.

Baker is a little more interesting. The catcher hasn’t played much since 2009 due to Tommy John surgery late in the 2010 season. A concern certainly has to be Baker’s ability to prevent base stealing, as he wasn’t particularly good at that (19%) before the surgery.

Still, his bat is very good. Offensively, he is right around league-average both by OPS+ (99) and wOBA (.333). He doesn’t have a lot of power and he strikes out enough, but when he puts the ball in play he does pretty good damage (.334 BABiP) and he possesses solid patience (11% walk rate).

For a catcher, that’s perfectly acceptable and he should be a solid backup for Nick Hundley. The Padres will have all three of Baker’s arbitration-eligible years until he becomes a free-agent in 2015.

Front office meanderings

November 3, 2011 in front office, Myron Logan, San Diego Padres with 4 Comments

So, we’ve been gone for a while. We’re back, at least for now. You know, we’ll see how things go.

Some things have happened. The Padres went 71-91, finishing last in the NL West. The pitching was okay, the offense was dreadful.

Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod are gone — to the Cubbies with Theo Epstein. Josh Byrnes has been promoted to GM. It would be silly to act nonchalantly to Hoyer’s departure. I was certainly a big fan during his relatively brief tenure as Pads GM.

He made a number of good moves, seemed to have a good grasp on the long-term health of the organization, and built a good infrastructure of baseball talent in the front office.

That said, for the most part, that infrastructure should remain intact. Josh Byrnes was already in the organization, and he comes from a similar school of thought as Hoyer (including some Red Sox roots). I wouldn’t expect many major changes in front office personnel or organizational philosophy.

Byrnes also has GM experience with the Arizona Diamondbacks (much of it good) and a good working relationship with Jeff Moorad. In short, he should provide a very capable replacement for Hoyer. It’s never good to lose smart baseball minds like Hoyer and McLeod, but fortunately the Padres have enough fire power stocked in the front office to soften the blow.  

The curious case of our AAA outfielders

May 20, 2011 in Ben Davey, prospects, San Diego Padres with 3 Comments

Whenever prognosticators “look to the future” of what a MLB teams lineup will look like in 1-2 years they look for the top prospects throughout the farm system and inter mix them with present MLB outfielders.  In the case of the Padres those top prospects are AA outfielders Jaff Decker and Blake Tekotte.  Both players have outstanding hitting and fielding abilities, despite reports by ill informed journalists who say the contrary.  However, standing in between Decker/Tekotte and the big leagues are AAA outfielders Aaron Cunningham, Cedric Hunter, and Luis Durango.  While none of these hitters are slouches themselves, with so much hype on Decker/Tekotte and the likes of Maybin, Venable, Dino, and Ludwick in SD, the question becomes will any of our AAA outfielders ever get a chance to prove they can succeed in San Diego?

Of course of the above names, the name that most people recognize is Aaron (Richie) Cunningham.  Cunningham hit .288/.331/.417 while playing excellent D in San Diego.  Mark Grant and Dick Enberg were recently talking about a diving catch that Cunningham made last year in LF, as one of the best defensive plays last year.  At only 25 (just turned 25 in April), Cunningham is entering his prime and ready to do damage in San Diego.  The problem with Cunningham, however, is that he doesn’t do anything special offensively outside of hit for a pretty high average.  He doesn’t hit for much power(8 last year, 12 the year before), doesn’t steal a lot of bases (0 this year, 3 last year, 11 in 09’), and his BB/K ratio leaves something to be desired.  Cunningham has hit for a bit more power this year, and has improved his BB% to 13.5% (up from 8.0% last year), and lowered his K% 17.4% (23.8% last year).  While Cunningham will never hit for power to make him a legit corner OF, considering Venable is hitting .236, and Ludwick is hitting .208, a player with excellent defense who can hit close to .300 in the majors might deserve at least the same playing time he got last year in San Diego.

Cedric Hunter was at one time the #1 prospect in the Padres system.  The idea was excellent CF, great approach at the plate, and would develop power.  However, the power has never really developed, and when a singles hitter struggles he drops down the rankings fast.  After leading all of minor league baseball in hits as a 20 year old in Lake Elsinore just 3 years ago Hunter is now trying to prove he is worth another shot at the majors.  Watching Hunter in the OF reminded me a lot of watching Andrew Jones just float to the ball.  However, unlike Jones, Hunter’s offense leaves a lot to be desired.  While he has speed he has never translated it into SB.  The 17 SB he stole in 52 G as an 18 year old in Arizona (AZL MVP) remains the most in his career despite spending the last 5 years in full season ball.  Hunter does have 6 SB so far this year in 30 G.  Hunter has never had much power but is also 23 in AAA.  While some think he still has a chance to develop power, those people are getting few and far between.  The greatest thing about Hunter is that he does not strike out.  Hunter struck out just 8.1% last year, and is at 7.9% this year.  Unfortunately, he also doesn’t walk much.  The value in Hunter really depends on him being able to hit over .300, with his great K numbers, and enough power/SB to keep pitchers on their toes.  Either way, at least now, he doesn’t profile or deserve much in the majors.  Another year or two of improving numbers in AAA, and he might (again only 23), but by that time his MLB callup will probably be with another organization.

No one has more speed on the basepaths than Luis Durango.  Even better is that Durango is an excellent bunter and keeps the ball on the ground and an astounding rate.  Durango has stolen 40+ bases each of the last 2 years including 7 of 8 in San Diego.  However, it became a joke last year when Luis Durango would get his first extra base hit.  He had 7 xbh in over 400 AB last year, and hasn’t hit a HR since May of 2008 in Fort Wayne.  Speaking of power it was also reported that Durango had an OF arm that made Juan Pierre throw like Willie Mays.  Durango has been working on building muscle each of the last 2 off seasons and reports are that he is stronger and able to at least keep runners honest in the OF and fielders not playing him like an 8 year old girl in over the line.  Durango really needed a strong 2011 to show that he belongs at least as a 4th OF in the majors.  So far it hasn’t happened L In 35 G Durango is hitting a career low of .257/.342/.305 with his worst SB ratio (4 in 8 attempts) in his career.  Despite his best efforts Durango will never evolve into an MLB starter, however he does have tremendous value in his speed.  With Durango’s speed, his ability to get down a bunt, and steal a base, he would be an ideal 4th/5th OF on an AL team.  Think Boston with Doc Roberts.  However, San Diego is not an AL team and has plenty of 4th/5th OF types already with the above 2, Denorfria, and Eric Patterson.  If Durango is going to make the majors and stick there he will need to increase his SB% which has always been one of his crutches.  Even more unfortunate is that Durango is already being challenged for playing time with Hunter, Clark, and Cunningham in the OF and will find it even harder when Baxter comes back.  Combine that with the likelihood of seeing at least 1 OF from AA being called up at the ASB and Durango’s time is dwindling.

All 3 players have the “potential” to be a solid contributor at the MLB level.  However, all 3 also have the drawbacks that make them overshadowed by the players in SD and those in AA.  With all 3 players on the 40 man roster,  they might be crossing their fingers for an injury to get a chance one last time in San Diego to prove that they belong.  Of course of the 3 which one will be chosen?  Hunter made the opening day roster with Patterson hurt, but that was partially attributed to Bud Black saying they wanted to let Cunningham start everyday in RF.  Cunningham has put up the best numbers in AAA but none have been spectacular.  Will any of them get the call before someone is DFA to make room for a AA  OF or Anthony Rizzo?

Don’t you know how I hate losing to the Pirates?

May 6, 2011 in Myron Logan, San Diego Padres with 1 Comment

I didn’t catch much of the Pirates’ series, thankfully.

The San Diego Padres had a nice 6-5 win on Tuesday night, propelled by unlikely home runs from Mat Latos and Eric Patterson. unfortunately, that win was bookended by two ugly losses, making the series just another part of the early season disappointment.

The Padres have won just two series so far this season: the opener at home against St. Louis and the recent series at LA. Coming of that series win against the Dodgers, the schedule set up nicely for a little run by the Padres – six home games against the Pirates and Diamondbacks. You know, a stretch where you take advantage of a soft schedule and roll off five of six.

Now the Padres will have to take two of three against Arizona just to break even on the short home stand. They start an eight game road trip in Milwaukee on Monday, followed by stops in Colorado and Arizona.

There is plenty of time to get it going, but each lost opportunity makes it that much tougher. Soon enough, we’ll be talking about what will become of Anthony Rizzo and the propensity at which Padres fans should boo. In other words, there’s also plenty of time to continue to stink.

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