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Towers & Gayton in early 2004: Can we pick the best player available?

Moores: Yep.

Towers and Gayton, first few days of June: We’re going to choose between Drew and Weaver.

Moores: How much will they cost?

Towers and Gayton: At least 5 million and a major league contract.

Moores: Screw that noise. Find someone cheaper.

How can you blame Gayton for not scouting other #1 options when he was told he wouldn’t have to move off his picks?

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Anyway, today it reported that Miami may shop M. Cabrera at the trading deadline…

Count me in!!!

I’m a huge Carillo fan, but I’d ship him and half our farm to the Marlins for Miguel. PLUS, with all the $$$ coming off the books next year, we can EASILY afford him.

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Moores didn’t draft Bush, nor did he instruct his people to… (I’m not Moores biggest fan, but let’s not throw blame where it isn’t due). Gayton told Moores he wanted to draft Drew. Moores asked how much it would cost (Boras was going to ask for $10m for Drew or Weaver if the Padres took ‘em). When told this, Moores said, “No.” Another agent told the Padres not to draft his client (probably Niemann’s agent). The Padres had only scouted those 3 players.

The failure was Gayton’s in not scouting enough viable options…

Then Bush called the Padres and said, “I want to be #1.” And without a clear other option, the Padres made him #1.

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Don’t forget the .358 OBP & .418 SLG of last year or the projected .370 OBP .434 SLG for this season. Like him or not, Klesko is the team’s best position player after Giles.

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I’m really not going to worry about Kottaras’ transfer right now. 392 OBP behind the plate is just fine, and the rest of his defensive skills are okay.

C+ seems like a fair grade for Ramos. Not much stuff, blase numbers against low A. Small sample, though.

Bush must be letting his fingernails grow so he can hang onto these lists. If we could only make John Moores watch every single spring game where Bush butchers a ground ball, would he learn his lesson?

Any word on where Blanks will start the year?

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I’d put Barfield ahead of Kottaras for the same reason I’d put Hensley ahead of Johnson, i.e., better opportunity.

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1. Cesar Carrillo, RHP, Grade A-
2. George Kottaras, C, B+
3. Josh Barfield, 2B, B
4. Chase Headley, 3B, B
5. Clay Hensley, RHP, B
6. Ben Johnson, OF, B-
7. Nick Hundley, C, B-
8. Paul McAnulty, 1B-OF, C+
9. Cesar Ramos, LHP, C+
10. Ernesto Frieri, RHP, C+
11. Geoff Vandel, LHP, C+
12. Josh Geer, RHP, C+
13. Neil Jamison, RHP, C+
14. John Madden, RHP, C+
15. Freddy Guzman, OF, C
16. Kenny Baugh, RHP, C
17. Jared Wells, RHP, C
18. Leonel Rosales, RHP, C
19. Matt Bush, SS, C
20. Kyle Blanks, 1B, C

Pretty fair I’d say… I don’t think you can say Hensley is a better prospect than Johnson, but I don’t have a problem with Headly at #4. I would say I’d flip-flop the grades (and rankings) on Kottaras & Barfield. Barfield shows solid power (especially for a 2B) where Kottaras is still quite thin and does have questions about his ability to transfer the ball from glove to hand… If he doesn’t have the glove to play C, it’s uncertain where else he could play.

Also, I think Wells grade (and ranking - top 10 easy) is too low…

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Manager Buck Martinez said Clemens will start Sunday’s exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants in Scottsdale. San Diego’s Jake Peavy will start against Mexico.

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