Padres about to blow things up?

[Crazysilver03]

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/news/2008/may/19/cardinals-crush-last-place-padres/

General Manager Kevin Towers was seeing red afterward -- and not just all that Cardinals red romping inside Petco Park. Towers strongly hinted that losing is becoming too comfortable for this team and that a major housecleaning could be in order if the team continues apace.

"It's the way you play the game," said Towers, visibly angry. "It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the intensity and how you carry yourself.

"We've got some hungry players down below looking for an opportunity. There's not one player in the system who is going to turn it around. If we make changes, it will be wholesale."

He also said, "We've been bad, no question about it. There's been no signs to tell us or our fans we're going to turn this around. I'm not going to watch this for another four months.

I gained a whole new respect for Towers after this. Peavy getting injured has got to be the straw that broke the camels back.

[Migrant Redbird]

What's Kevin Towers doing? Channeling Hank/Hal Steinbrenner?

Last season, the Pads finished a game behind Arizona in the division and lost a 1 game playoff for the wild card to the eventual NL champion. Every year, there are a number of baseball players who get injured or have subpar seasons for other reasons; this year, it just happens that there are a lot of those players on the Pads, Yankees, and Tigers. I'm not sure that posturing and threatening players and manager is going to do much to turn the team around.

[allstar1579]

They are just too far out. They are too many games behind ARZ who doesn't show any signs of slowing down. They will sell off some of their older parts and players that won't be around next year, but it won't be a full tear-down.

I would expect Maddux, Kouzmanoff, and depending on return maybe Greene to be gone. They will clear out space for guys like Antonelli, Headley, and focus on filling holes to be back in it next year.

[Tank]

http://www3.signonsandiego.com/news/2008/may/19/cardinals-crush-last-place-padres/

I gained a whole new respect for Towers after this. Peavy getting injured has got to be the straw that broke the camels back.

I agree. If it wasn't for MacPhail, I'd love to have Towers as our GM.

[Tank]

I would expect Maddux, Kouzmanoff, and depending on return maybe Greene to be gone. They will clear out space for guys like Antonelli, Headley, and focus on filling holes to be back in it next year.

I'd be willing to buy Kouzmanoff depending on the price.

[ChaosLex]

I hope we go after Greene...

[allstar1579]

I'm with you guys, I'd be in on both Kouzmanoff and Greene, but I just don't think we have enough to get it done without completely stunting our rebuilding.

We'd have to jettison Mora, and come up with something to send them. I see them looking for OF, and SP, not to mention a SS.

[erb8472]

After getting to watch the Padres quite frequently I'm not sure I'd want the O's to trade for either Kouz or Greene. If we could get them cheap then sure, but that's not going to happen. I wouldn't give up much of value for either of these guys. Both of them are pretty inconsistent.

[MikeAD]

I hope we go after Greene...

Agree X 100!

[Migrant Redbird]

They are just too far out. They are too many games behind ARZ who doesn't show any signs of slowing down. They will sell off some of their older parts and players that won't be around next year, but it won't be a full tear-down.

They were a playoff team last season. They're off to a bad start this year, but they're capable of rebounding. It's questionable whether "blowing things up" is the appropriate thing to do, for a team that could bounce back and be in contention next season without any changes -- just better years from the players they currently have.

I would expect Maddux, Kouzmanoff, and depending on return maybe Greene to be gone. They will clear out space for guys like Antonelli, Headley, and focus on filling holes to be back in it next year.

Kouzmanoff is only 26 and Greene is only 28; both of them could be future stars and it's foolishness to dispose of them because they're currently struggling. I'm not familiar with Antonelli or Headley, but there's no assurance that either of them will be major leaguers, whereas Kouzmanoff and Greene have both experiences some degree of success at the major league level. Some players, like Pujols and Markakis, are stars from the beginning. Others, like Eric Bedard, Todd Wellemeyer, Jamie Moyer, and Melvin Mora require a degree of patience before they develop into all star caliber players. Teams that lack patience and discard their prospects end up with regrets later (e.g., Schilling).

[CrimsonTribe]

They were a playoff team last season. They're off to a bad start this year, but they're capable of rebounding. It's questionable whether "blowing things up" is the appropriate thing to do, for a team that could bounce back and be in contention next season without any changes -- just better years from the players they currently have.

Kouzmanoff is only 26 and Greene is only 28; both of them could be future stars and it's foolishness to dispose of them because they're currently struggling. I'm not familiar with Antonelli or Headley, but there's no assurance that either of them will be major leaguers, whereas Kouzmanoff and Greene have both experiences some degree of success at the major league level. Some players, like Pujols and Markakis, are stars from the beginning. Others, like Eric Bedard, Todd Wellemeyer, Jamie Moyer, and Melvin Mora require a degree of patience before they develop into all star caliber players. Teams that lack patience and discard their prospects end up with regrets later (e.g., Schilling).

I don't know about Kouz, but hasn't Greene already intimated that he is not going to stay in SD once he becomes a FA? I'm pretty sure he wants to be on the east coast. As for Antonelli, he's not having a very good year at AAA, but he's blocked by Iguchi who is not going to be a future piece.

[Mackus]

Greene would be a great addition. He's got a career OPS in SD of .659 but .820 career away from that park.

Here are his home/road splits (OPS+) for his career:

2004 - 75 / 123

2005 - 89 / 112

2006 - 69 / 130

2007 - 77 / 122

2008 - 124 / 80

Not sure what's different this year, but its still very early. But it appears pretty clear that he rakes away from Petco Park or whatever its called now. I think he'd be a great addition and fill a huge need for us.

I'd start an offer with any pitching spec other than Tillman, Arrieta, or Spoone. Not sure who/what else they'd be interested in.

[wickedwitch]

They're gunning for Strasburg.

[ChaosLex]

Greene would be a great addition. He's got a career OPS in SD of .659 but .820 career away from that park.

Here are his home/road splits (OPS+) for his career:

2004 - 75 / 123

2005 - 89 / 112

2006 - 69 / 130

2007 - 77 / 122

2008 - 124 / 80

Not sure what's different this year, but its still very early. But it appears pretty clear that he rakes away from Petco Park or whatever its called now. I think he'd be a great addition and fill a huge need for us.

I'd start an offer with any pitching spec other than Tillman, Arrieta, or Spoone. Not sure who/what else they'd be interested in.

Agreed. I might even include Spoone in any deal. Would something like Liz/Penn and Reimold work?

[Mackus]

Agreed. I might even include Spoone in any deal. Would something like Liz/Penn and Reimold work?

I wouldn't deal Spoone for Greene.

Liz/Penn and Reimold seems fair to me, although I think it might be more than it would take. Not sure though. I'd probably make that trade if that was the price.