Scoring at Petco
Tue, Dec 12, 2006
by Geoff Young
The good folks at Hardball Times have been kind enough to invite me onboard, and my first article — Taking Advantage of Petco Park — has just been published. Have a look, then come back here and discuss. Or talk about other stuff — whatever works for you.
Update @ 7:29 a.m. PT: Okay, I swear it was up there when I posted this. I’m looking into what happened; meantime the U-T has an article this morning about the possibility of bringing Giles the Younger to San Diego.
Update @ 7:53 a.m. PT: The THT article is back online; sorry for the trouble, folks, and thanks to everyone for bringing this to my attention.
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December 12, 2006 at 7:14 am
“Asked if Cameron’s salary potential has risen since November, Towers said, “I’m not going to comment on that.””
Gee, I wonder why.
December 12, 2006 at 7:16 am
Linkee no workee?
I only get a blank page with a link to a previous article when I click the link.
December 12, 2006 at 7:38 am
It was working earlier…now it is not even on the Hardball Times site…Geoff, I think you were bumped.
December 12, 2006 at 7:45 am
What a coup if we could land NOG after a non-tender. It wasn’t that long ago that we were debating trading Liney for Giles the Younger. Paraphrasing a quote from SA, “Good management trumps big contracts.”
December 12, 2006 at 7:55 am
One quick problem with that scenario is that the Baltimore Orioles are very interested in Giles, agreeing to trade for him last week before the deal was nixed by Peter Angelos…If we were the only bidders, we could get a pretty sweet deal…with Baltimore in the mix, it might not be so sweet.
December 12, 2006 at 7:57 am
USA Today ranked the top 10 rookies who could have an impact in 2007…Here is #3…
3. Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B, Padres: San Diego took a big chance in trading second baseman Josh Barfield to Cleveland for Kouzmanoff, who projects as a power hitter but was stuck behind another Indians prospect, Andy Marte. More important for the Padres and their big ballpark is that Kouzmanoff averaged about 35 doubles every 500 at-bats in the minors and hit .332 overall. Plus, he’s never struck out more than 80 times in his four pro seasons.
December 12, 2006 at 7:57 am
Balt wont move roberts thats why the deal was nixed, im not sure they will go after giles unless its to plat 1B.
December 12, 2006 at 8:26 am
Good luck with the new venture on Hardball Times!
December 12, 2006 at 8:34 am
I think we can get NOG with a “fair” contract. Especially if he wants to be a Padre.
Speculation that Brad Wilkerson may be non-tendered by the Rangers. I’d love to see that guy in a Padre uni!!!
December 12, 2006 at 8:50 am
RE 4: Get Marcus.
RE 6: But it’s USA Today.
GY, Hardball Times is Big Time; congrats!
December 12, 2006 at 9:12 am
9.
Granted it would be highly unlikely but if we could pick up NOG and Brad Wilkerson to go along with Kouz, Mad Dog and the 43 new bullpen arms KT scrounged up I think it would be a pretty decent off-season considering how insane the market is and being that outside of Zito and Soriano there really were not very many top teir players out there anyways. I definitely think that it would be pretty good team and I think it would be an overall upgrade from last seasons team.
Giles
Wilkerson
Giles
Gonzalez
Cameron
Kouz
Bard
Greene
December 12, 2006 at 9:29 am
Riley, Pat: Thanks!
On an unrelated note, I’m doing some historical research for the book and I have a question for those of you who might have been watching the Padres regularly in the late-’70s/early-’80s: What in the heck happened to Gene Richards? That guy was a darned good ballplayer and he was done at age 30. Was there an injury or something? I’ll do some digging on my own, of course, but I’d love to hear from anyone who actually saw him play.
December 12, 2006 at 9:32 am
By the way, great article at Hardball Times.
December 12, 2006 at 9:54 am
re: 12 … Gene Richards … he was one of my favorite players, primarily because he was one of my best friends favorite players, and my friend watched him a lot.
http://www.baseball-reference......ge01.shtml
I remember him being a small man … quick, but not vince-coleman-fast … he choked up on the bat *a lot* … and he racked up OF assists because he didn’t have a good arm (21 in 1980) …
Looking at the data at b-r.com, he had a pretty classic 8 year career … building to an age 26 peak season (in which he got a few MVP votes) … and then 4 years of decline …
If Richard/Lance would ever get their “Top 100 Padres” re-ignited, I’d bet we’d get to Gene Richards eventually and that article would fill in some of these blanks
December 12, 2006 at 10:05 am
I pretty much remember him as Lynch described him. I don’t know what stopped him though other than not being an iron man type. He was smallish, which I think tends to shorten careers. I temporarily moved away from SD for a few years and lost track of the Pads for a while.
December 12, 2006 at 10:10 am
San Jose Mercury Times is reporting that David Wells is very interested in returning to MLB next year and that the Giants are his top choice because of his close relationship with Manager Bruce Bochy.
December 12, 2006 at 10:11 am
The Arizona Repulblic is reporting that they are likely to make an offer to David Wells.
December 12, 2006 at 10:11 am
Geoff-
That’s an outstanding article on HBT. Grounded and detailed yet would also be accessible and readable by the average fan. If this book thing doesn’t work out, let me know if you need a job as an analyst!
NOG would be a good pickup, but not sure what that does to Walker. Would rather have NOG than TW, but we’re committed to Walker for $3MM and I don’t know if he can play any other spots than 2B and 1B. He could be a supersub, pinch hitter…in this market maybe those guys net $3MM, I don’t know. Also not sure if he is one of those guys who can sit multiple games in a row and still have his swing right.
Wilkerson would be a good addition for LF. Why the non-tender from the Rangers? I have to admit, since he went to the AL he stopped existing as far as I know.
December 12, 2006 at 11:01 am
18 - I’m guessing between the lingering shoulder injury and his poor 2006, he may not be in the Rangers plans. That is, IF they non-tender him.
I like the idea of NOG as well as Walker. I wonder if we get NOG if they’ll consider him for 3B, with Kouzy Kouz in LF?
I don’t like that idea, but it’s a thought.
As far as Wells goes, his agent (Clifton?) said SD was his destination of choice, with SF being the other option. Arizona has nothing to lose by talking to him - it probably just ups his price when he signs with one of their competitors. Pretty sure I read something with Bochy talking about Wells, but Boch didn’t sound so optimistic about Wells coming to SF.
December 12, 2006 at 11:55 am
Does anyone know what time the deadline is at for non-tenders? Is it midnight EST or sometime this afternoon?
December 12, 2006 at 12:27 pm
I think it is 9:00PM EST
December 12, 2006 at 12:27 pm
Good article at HT, Geoff. Congratulations.
I wonder if the runs scored at Petco also were influenced by the type of pitchers that pitched there. I think we are pretty sure that the reduction in doubles was due to better OF defense last season.
I wonder if the increase in HR can be traced with how many floors went up beyond the OF wall behind the Park at the Park.
Anybody heard anything about Mark Mulder yet?
December 12, 2006 at 12:37 pm
Today’s NY Post says the Pads are interested in him, to quote “St. Louis and San Diego have strong interest in him”
December 12, 2006 at 12:39 pm
Let the Giants have him. A breakdown that’s waiting to - no, going to happen.
December 12, 2006 at 12:43 pm
All time classic line regarding Bonds: “Is it any wonder that Bonds hates the media when the media goes around inventing rumors, like the one you’re reading here first, that the Giants will sign Bonds for $18 million, with the Diamondbacks, Padres and Dodgers kicking in $6 million each?”
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/.....MR5F81.DTL
December 12, 2006 at 12:46 pm
Of the potential non-tender dudes, I’d be most interested in Giles, Wilkerson and Jason Lane.
December 12, 2006 at 1:38 pm
Just had time to read the HT article, GY. Thanks. Nice read.
December 12, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Gagne to the Rangers is good news not only because finalists LAD and SF didnt sign him, but either did Boston. Possibly a swap of a SD reliever for Boston OF’r after Thursday’s Matsuzaka deadline?
December 12, 2006 at 2:25 pm
A little fuel for a dimly lit fire. Chris Jenkins in the U-T reports this: “Incidentally, and shamefully, the Dodgers are billing themselves as “defending NL West co-champions” on their letterhead.”
Of all the nerve. You would think that MLB wouldn’t allow that.
December 12, 2006 at 2:46 pm
Woohoo, no more Jennings in NL West.
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6265388
December 12, 2006 at 2:48 pm
#29: Whatever makes them happy and proud. It’s not true and they know it.
December 12, 2006 at 2:49 pm
Re: I love that jennings (the padre Killer is gone) but the astros overpaid
December 12, 2006 at 2:56 pm
30-i don’t know that it’s good for the Padres to have Hirsh in division…he put up great numbers in the PCL last year (2.10 ERA!).
With Giles officially non-tendered, I’ve got to think that we’re the favorites to sign him. I’d bet on a highly incentivized deal that lets him rotate between 2B, LF, and 3B with Walker also playing 1B and 2B. I’d love to have him, it gives the Padres a quality bat off the bench no matter who starts. Let he and Walker battle for the starting role in spring training. I’m hoping his desire to play for a year with his brother will overshadow the extra money that the Mets could offer…
December 12, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Re: 33 I have a feeling that if the padres get NOG then he will play 3B and they will move Kouzmanoff to LF.
December 12, 2006 at 3:18 pm
http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/6265852 confirms the non-tender to NOG.
December 12, 2006 at 3:47 pm
In other news, Bill Werdnl is concerned that racism could lead to, say, Drew Brees getting the MVP award over Tomlinson.
December 12, 2006 at 3:56 pm
#36
It’s more likely that the people who don’t vote for LT have been getting “killed” by him in their fantasy league and would not vote for him out of spite.
December 12, 2006 at 6:30 pm
SAN DIEGO (AP) – The San Diego Padres agreed to a $650,000, one-year contract with outfielder Jose Cruz, Jr. on Tuesday.
Cruz played in 86 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2006, playing all three outfield positions. He hit .233 with five home runs and 17 RBIs before he was designated for assignment on Aug. 1.
Also Tuesday, the Padres didn’t offer a contract to outfielder Jon Knott, making him a free agent.
December 12, 2006 at 6:39 pm
Hopefully Knott gets a chance somewhere else. He can crush deep, but that’s about it.
December 12, 2006 at 6:50 pm
Good job by the front office in reading the Giles situation right, if they do want to acquire him.
December 12, 2006 at 7:55 pm
40-yup…that’s why they get the big bucks.
If Jason Lane or Brad Wilkerson is non-tendered, I hope that the Padres are all over them. Lane would be a great right-handed compliment to Sledge and at the very least a quality bat off of the bench. Wilkerson has a career .800 OPS even though he is coming off of two consecutive down years.
December 12, 2006 at 8:33 pm
Why do you all say NOG for Marcus Giles?
December 12, 2006 at 8:46 pm
Non-orange Giles, as opposed to his tan-addled brother.
December 12, 2006 at 9:10 pm
“NOG” is one of this board’s all-time classics…
December 12, 2006 at 9:12 pm
Terry Ryan topped BA’s rating of GM’s (votes from other GMs and other front office execs).
“Also receiving significant support were Pat Gillick himself and Billy Beane (Athletics). The Cardinals’ Walt Jocketty said of Gillick, “Look at the teams he’s put together with four organizations–always quality, always deep and successful.” Other GMs to receive multiple mentions were Jocketty, Kevin Towers (Padres), Brian Sabean (Giants) and John Schuerholz (Braves).”
December 12, 2006 at 9:16 pm
…and KT was the highest rated for dealing both w/ agents and w/ players (two seperate catagories).
December 12, 2006 at 9:35 pm
Just snooping around I found the following non-tenders:
Mariners — Piniero
Tigers — Alexis Gomez
Angels — Bulger
Rockies — Tsao
Cardinals — Ankiel and Sosa
Yankees — Aaron Guiel
Dodgers — Jayson Werth, Toby Hall
Atlanta — Marcus Giles, Reitsma
These are the ones I could get confirmation for, although MLBTradeRumors.com has others listed, but seem to be speculating on some. Wasn’t Werth signed to the Dodgers by Paul DePo?
December 13, 2006 at 12:32 am
Lane and Werth are both interesting.
December 13, 2006 at 5:52 am
Piniero is too. Not sure what his deal has been the last two years, but I’d take him if he was cheap.
Reitsma could be intriguing.
December 13, 2006 at 7:19 am
Joel throws grownd balls like nobody’s business…Wonder how that would work with an infield defense that has question marks.
December 13, 2006 at 7:48 am
I read on the padres board that the pads did not tender Cust has anyone else heard anything about this?
December 13, 2006 at 7:53 am
Cust is on the 40 man roster, so I imagine they have him locked up somehow
December 13, 2006 at 7:54 am
Knott however was non-tendered.
December 13, 2006 at 8:15 am
what is the problem with bringing in the fences at petco?
any new model needs to be tinkered with to take out the kinks…a stadium is no different!
scoring runs is what the game is all about!
December 13, 2006 at 8:23 am
We could call him Egg NOG during the holiday season.
December 13, 2006 at 8:48 am
Let’s go FO. Look at that non-tendered list. Get NOG and Jason Lane.
Sweet.
December 13, 2006 at 8:54 am
56,
Totally agree! Egg “NOG” and Candycane “Lane” would look great in Padre Uni’s.
December 13, 2006 at 9:32 am
Jackfast, that would be a bad idea…so many reasons.
IMO, the #1 reason is easy…how many teams can consistantly win in offensive parks? In the last few years, I can think of one (BoSox) that have won the world series and that took them 86 years.