So this can be kind of an open thread for whatever’s on anyone’s mind. I’ll throw out some ideas; take ‘em or leave ‘em, throw out some of your own. Whatever floats your bizoat.
- Brian Giles. Woo-hoo!
- What’s up with this crazy market for relievers?
- Leif Garrett.
- You’re in charge of the Padres; what do you do next?
- Leif Erikson.
- Back roads of California.
- Single malt scotch.
- Leif me alone.
Man, this entry stinks. Help me out here.
Not to sound arrogant (sp?), but I’m glad you see the OF the way I do… But you say, “…If management isn’t willing to commit to Johnson…”
Why wouldn’t they? They see the same (+ more) numbers that we see…
Between AAA & San Diego he batted .296 with 33 2B & 28 HR and a 62/101 BB/SO ratio. I am close with Kevin Goldstien of Baseball America, who ranked the Padres rookies for their Prospect Handbook, but he has not revealed to me their order. However, I do have information from other sources that indicates that Johnson will be one of the top 3 prospects when the book comes out.
The Padres ABSOLUTELY see Johnson as a viable long-term corner-OF solution.
I hear your concern about Nomar and I even see the validity therein, but I STILL think we’re looking at him for 1B (if not for 06, than for 07 and beyond).
Nomar has been pretty close to a league average hitter for years now. Why would we want to replace Klesko at first with a guy who hasn’t been able to hit better than him?
Padres 2005 stats:
Padres Adjusted Equivalent Runs Allowed Per Game: 4.51 (16th)
Padres Adjusted Equivalent Runs Scored: 682 (25th)
That takes into account opponent and park.
For a Garciaparra/Klesko Comparison:
http://images.beyondtheboxscore.com/images/admin/Garciaparra.jpg
Just remembe that only the EQA is park adjusted and that PetCo plays a little differently than Wrigley and Fenway.
I swear I typed “remember.”
Peter, my concern isn’t that they don’t see Johnson as a long term prospect, but that they will hesitate to commit a starting spot to him next year, or pull him from one if he struggles. I guess it goes back to the whole X Nady scenario. Perhaps it’s not a good comparison. Perhaps Johnson is more highly regarded. The way X was handled just makes me a little leary of Bochy’s abilities with younger players. Of course I guess I could look at the way he gave Burroughs and Greene their shots and be reassured.
Let’s play which of these is not like the others…
.319
.321
.287
.302
.280
&
.405
.952
.858
&
.270
.290
.286
.281
.262
Those number sets are: first, EQA’s for the 34 year old Klesko, second, the OPS by months (April, August, & Sept.) for the 32 year old Nomar, and third, the EQA’s by year for Nomar…
Keep in mind Nomar played 21 games for the first EQA and was injured last year as well…
Getting Nomar out of the colder northeast may aid his injury prevention.
Klesko’s EQA in 2004 (.302) seems like a random blip on the down-turn of a career.
Look, here’s my suggestion: sign Nomar for 2-3 years, with an ’06 infield of Klesko-Nomar-Greene-Castilla (and pray they hit it in the air – or on the gound to left side of the infield), then move Nomar to 1B and open 2B for Barfield in ’07 after Klesko’s gone.
***
Pat, your concern (how Bochy handles youngsters is COMPLETELY valid), but I GOT TO believe Johnson is a full-time starter here next year. Who knows, maybe I’m the one that’s wrong… Just everything I’ve heard says that Johnson is in their plans…
It’s possible that Nomar will be better in ’06 than Klesko, but either way we’re still paying Klesko. I really just don’t see Nomar as a particularly big upgrade and he seems as injury prone as Ryno if not moreso. I think that perhaps we could find a better place to spend the money (if not in the off-season, perhaps at the deadline) than on Nomar. Maybe he’s worth the risk. It depends on what he can be had for.
The lineup just doesn’t seem all that impressive either way. From Catcher to Right Field, I think we’re looking at: Replacement, Above Average, Average, Average, Average, Elite, Above Average, Average. Perhaps Olivo will surprise or one of our Average hitters will have an up year, but it’s just as likely that any one of them fails to play up to expectations.