Ok lets get some Padre talk going on since everyone else is talking about their team
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
Ready for another division title with another quick exit in the playoffs?
As it stands right now, our pitching on paper is good enough to get the job done, but we're still lacking that true cleanup hitter. I've said this before, this team needs a guy like Greg Vaughn circa 1998, or a Caminiti circa 1996, someone who is capable of hitting the long ball more than 30 times in a season. While it's wishful thinking that Kouzmanoff could hit that many, he's still a rookie and will have his ups and downs. Adrian Gonzalez will only get around 25 and after that, who else other than Mike Cameron can clear 20? I know it isn't about the long ball, but you need someone in the lineup so pitchers can't just easily breeze through. Having a guy like that would make a difference between a quick exit in the playoffs and a good run in the playoffs.
I don't know, I'm not optimistic, but I'm curious to see if anyone does step up on offense this year. We haven't had anyone clear 25 home runs and 100 rbi's in a season since Phil Nevin did it in 2004. The last time we had two players do that in the same season was in 2001 with Phil Nevin and Ryan Klesko. Since then it's not hard to figure out why this offense has been lacking the "big hit" for some time now. There's no hitter capable of hitting 4th that would be available so now they're going to have to rely on Adrian stepping up, or Kouzmanoff stepping up.
Anyways, enough about my thoughts on the offense, here's how I think the team should look like:
LHP
2B Marcus Giles
LF Jose Cruz Jr.
RF Brian Giles
1B Adrian Gonzalez
CF Mike Cameron
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff
SS Khalil Greene
C Josh Bard
RHP
LF Terrmel Sledge
2B Marcus Giles
RF Brian Giles
1B Adrian Gonzalez
CF Mike Cameron
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff
SS Khalil Greene
C Josh Bard
*Although Marcus may end up being the leadoff hitter... don't know where Terrmel would fall in the lineup against RHP.
Bench:
C Rob Bowen/Pete LaForest
CIF/COF Russell Branyan
IF Geoff Blum
OF Jose Cruz Jr.
OF Paul McAnulty
Rotation:
SP Jake Peavy
SP Chris Young
SP Greg Maddux (Might end up starting the Home Opener)
SP Clay Hensley
SP David Wells
Bullpen:
CL Trevor Hoffman (Waiting for Save #500)
SU Cla Meredith
SU Scott Linebrink
MR Kevin Cameron
MR Royce Ring
MR Heath Bell
LR Mike Thompson
It'll be a long season, but whatever. I really hope Paul McAnulty (Kruk Look-alike) makes the squad. He's got a really good swing. Todd Walker is alright, but we already have Geoff Blum and Walker should be a starter elsewhere, not rotting on the bench. -
Re: San Diego Padres 2007
At this point, I'd just settle for a guy or 2 that can get a base hit consistently with runners on. How many times over the past 3 years have the Padres struggled because they simply can't get runners in from scoring positon. How many bases loaded 1 out, runners on the corners no outs, situations has this team come away from empty in that time?
Any word on what they are going to do with Walker?
I wonder how Josh Bard is going to respond to being the man for the first time.
Anyone get the feeling the Barfield trade may blow up in the Padres face? I like Kouzmanoff from what little I have seen from him, but I get the bad feeling we just let Robbie Alomar go for the 2nd timeComment
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
Too many times have the Padres failed to capitalize in bases loaded, no one out opportunities and such to the point where I'm beginning to expect every pitcher they face to get out of 2nd and 3rd situation with no out without giving up a run. They've been talking about "getting the big hit" and "hoping for that big hit" and not coming up with that "big hit", but when your lineup is full of inconsistent hitters (Greene, Cameron, Giles last season, etc.) it's not hard to figure out why there are so many missed opportunities.
As for Todd Walker, right now they're still holding onto him because outside of Russell Branyan and either Rob Bowen or Pete LaForest, no one else has been appointed jobs on the bench. I'm surprised there hasn't been dialogue about Todd Walker, but it's probably because that price tag of his is probably scaring away other teams.
I'm also curious to see how Josh Bard handles the starting catcher role. I"m not sure if him not doing well in Cleveland had to do with Victor Martinez being their main guy, but hopefully he can come close to duplicating that offensive success last season and handle this pitching staff well.
Lastly, I'm sure Barfield will turn out to be one hell of player. I think offensively he'll be more like Mark Loretta (2004-2005) with the potential to be a 20-20 player for several years. Hopefully Kouzmanoff can plug our ongoing blackhole at third base and maybe make this trade worthwhile.Comment
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
Wow, Wells has type II diabetes. A little surprsing to me, but I don't know everything so some people could say it's expected.
Fifth starter could be a carousal now because of that.
In other news, in search of a backup-sixth starter, the Padres claimed former Padre SP 24-Year Old Justin Germano off the Phillies.
Adrian Gonzalez has hit a couple of home runs over the 40-foot batter's eye in Peoria, which is in CF. CF is 410 feet away from home plate.
That is all.Comment
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
The Todd Walker situation is a very complicated thing. Padres believe that Todd Walker should not have been given the arbitration considering the Padres offered him 3.2 Million dollars and Walker accepted that only to go back on it when the Padres got Giles...so then the Padres took the 3.2 off the table and offered him 2 million..this is when he decided to go to arbitration and fight. He won 3.9 Million dollars....now the Padres don't want him on their roster but, can't rid of him unless they want to pay him i believe its a million dollars to get out of his contract and release him but, they fear that he may disrupt the chemistry of the team because he won arbitration. Some of the players IE. Chris Young believe that if they release him its because of a technicality.
So, that said Padres are in a tough spot him with.
Justin Germano is not going to be the backup-sixth starter nor will he be on the opening day roster..he was a pick up to go back down where he belong in Portland.
I believe Josh Barfield will be good just not great....are the padres better off without him yes...Marcus Giles is and can be better then what Barfield can offer even if he is younger then Marcus.
Josh Bard: Witness one of the best trades for the padres in years..watch out for him.
As for Kouz...I believe we finally have something at 3rd base...The Average and Power for that stop...I can't wait for himThe DuCross Brothers: Sports Internet Talk Show
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
No room for Germano, but should a pitcher go down, he'd be the first one called up from Portland before Tim Stauffer or Jared Wells.
The bullpen looks to be Trevor, Cla Meredith, Linebrink, Brocail (guaranteed money is helping him), Bell, Thompson (Long Reliever), and either Kevin Cameron, Scott Cassidy, Scott Strickland, or Andrew Brown.Comment
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The DuCross Brothers: Sports Internet Talk Show
If you like debating sports with your friends, or talk sports at a local bar whatever...this is all that wrapped into one. This is Urban Sports Talk
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
- As an Indians & Padres fan, I hope both of them end up having equally good seasons. Even if Barfield doesn't reach the level of what Giles may do this season, he'll still be an improvement for the Tribe at 2B.
- I dunno what it is with players improving when they leave Cleveland, but I really hope Bard is another one of those guys that flourishes. I think that if he plays to his potential that we saw flashes of here, he will be a very solid catcher for the Padres.
- I miss Kouz already, but I'm glad I still get to root for him. I think even though he didn't have the best average in the games he played for the Tribe last year, he will still be a beast.
And as I think about it, the Indians and Padres really are connected when it comes to the players you guys get. Bard, Kouzmanoff, Branyan, Brian Giles, and in the past Dave Roberts and some other players. I guess it just makes me like the Padres that much moreComment
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
Well, that answers the question with Todd Walker. Here comes the Union to step with the grievance stuff.
Anyways, that leaves us with a bench of:
C Rob Bowen or Pete LaForest or Luke Carlin (I think LaForest is the favorite, not sure).
IF Geoff Blum
CIF/COF Russell Branyan
OF Jose Cruz Jr.
Hopefully Paul McAnulty gets the fifth spot, but the Padres will probably stick whoever hits right handed because the switch-hitters should stick to batting from the left side.Comment
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
Maybe it's just me, but I am not a big fan of this roster.
Seems we're way too left handed especially for a team, that plays in a park that makes life rough on left handed hitters. I also don't feel the bench is as deep as it's been in the past.
While on paper I love the pitching staff, it sure seems we're awfully old, with not a lot of depth as far as arms go.
And, am I the only one worried about the state of the farm system. The Padres, a team that historically hasn't developed a lot of talent in house, especially every day players, are even thinner on prospects than normal.Comment
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
That's the problem, the reason why Fuson, Alderson, and DePodesta were brought in was because Moores was fed up with Towers f'ing up the drafts. 2003 and 2004 has really hindered the Padres because it messed up the pipeline, leaving the upper levels pretty much talentless outside of RP Leo Rosales and Luis Cruz. No depth there as most of the talent in the farm system have come in the past two drafts in LHSP Wade LeBlanc, RHSP Cesar Carrillo (AAA, he would've had a call up in September had he not been shut down), RHRP John Madden, RHRP Neil Jamison, OF Will Venable (AA), OF Cedric Hunter, OF Luis Durango, 3B Chase Headley, 3B David Freese, and C Nick Hundley. I might be leaving a few out because with the exception of Carrillo, most of them are at least a year or two away from hitting AA/AAA.Comment
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Re: San Diego Padres 2007
Hey the Padres haven't been that bad at developing players, they've been bad at transistioning them from the minors to the majors (i.e. Nady).
I bet had Nady been traded in 2003 instead of Bay, Nady would've turned out quite a player by now because he'd be forced to play everyday with the Pirates. I still hate how prospects were managed the past couple of years (fortunately for Greene, Rey Ordonez decided to chicken-out midway through ST 2004.)
Anyways, here's my shot at the final roster:
Lineup:
2B Marcus Giles R
RF Brian Giles L
1B Adrian Gonzalez L
C Josh Bard S
CF Mike Cameron R
LF Terrmel Sledge L
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff R
SS Khalil Greene R (I don't care how good of a Spring he's having, he has 0 walks to 10 K's).
Bench:
C Rob Bowen S
IF Geoff Blum S
CIF/COF Russell Branyan L
OF Jose Cruz Jr. S
OF Paul McAnulty L
Rotation:
Jake Peavy
Chris Young
Clay Hensley
Greg Maddux (Will switch with Hensley after Home Opener)
David Wells
Bullpen:
Trevor Hoffman
Cla Meredith
Scott Linebrink
Heath Bell
Doug Brocail
Kevin Cameron
Mike Thompson
*I would prefer to keep Andrew Brown over Doug Brocail since Brown has better stuff.
Lineup could be better as well as backup catcher. I just show hope Bard doesn't fizzle hitting clean up.Comment
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