Comments on: Cheeseburger in Purgatory http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:39:32 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9 hourly 1 By: Tom Waits http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-328514 Tom Waits Mon, 15 Dec 2008 15:42:17 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-328514 #30@<a href="#comment-328404" rel="nofollow">Kevin</a>: Oh, I think you're exactly right in terms of general team competitiveness. The 09 squad with Peavy, Young, and a healthy portion of luck might get within shouting distance of .500. Don't know what their chances are, but not 0%. But any improvement is going to have to come through a lot of our own players progressing or by rolling the hard six with reclamation pitchers. #30@Kevin: Oh, I think you’re exactly right in terms of general team competitiveness. The 09 squad with Peavy, Young, and a healthy portion of luck might get within shouting distance of .500. Don’t know what their chances are, but not 0%. But any improvement is going to have to come through a lot of our own players progressing or by rolling the hard six with reclamation pitchers.

]]> By: Kevin http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-328404 Kevin Mon, 15 Dec 2008 03:02:53 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-328404 I guess what I'm trying to say is: "Rebuilding" has become a sports cliche that means nothing. It's sort of code for -- we're going to be bad for the next few years, but it's OK, because we're rebuilding. First, it's not OK. If a team loses 90+ for three years or more, they are not rebuilding. They are really bad. (I know this is not relevant to the current Padres.) Second, teams can reduce payroll and improve, and teams can improve while rebuilding. The Padres could improve in 2009 just through blind luck. It's a feat to lose 99 games. Granted, losing 90 would still be lousy. But it's also possible Kouzmanoff and Headley improve a notch or two, centerfield is a real strength with Gerut and Venable and Giles remains about where he is. Yes, catcher is a big question and the middle infield is a mess, but it would be hard to be worse in those spots in 2009. Maybe Towers puts together an excellent bullpen again. My guess is Peavy and Young will play more like they did in 2007 than they did in 2008. The starting pitching still stinks. I'm sort of rambling here, but I get the impression that some fans and commentors on various blogs think that the Padres will definitely lose 100 games next season. I'm sure they COULD. But not if their young, cheap, lesser known team plays better than last year's more expensive, known quantities. I guess what I’m trying to say is: “Rebuilding” has become a sports cliche that means nothing. It’s sort of code for — we’re going to be bad for the next few years, but it’s OK, because we’re rebuilding.

First, it’s not OK. If a team loses 90+ for three years or more, they are not rebuilding. They are really bad. (I know this is not relevant to the current Padres.)

Second, teams can reduce payroll and improve, and teams can improve while rebuilding.

The Padres could improve in 2009 just through blind luck. It’s a feat to lose 99 games. Granted, losing 90 would still be lousy.

But it’s also possible Kouzmanoff and Headley improve a notch or two, centerfield is a real strength with Gerut and Venable and Giles remains about where he is. Yes, catcher is a big question and the middle infield is a mess, but it would be hard to be worse in those spots in 2009.

Maybe Towers puts together an excellent bullpen again. My guess is Peavy and Young will play more like they did in 2007 than they did in 2008.

The starting pitching still stinks.

I’m sort of rambling here, but I get the impression that some fans and commentors on various blogs think that the Padres will definitely lose 100 games next season.

I’m sure they COULD. But not if their young, cheap, lesser known team plays better than last year’s more expensive, known quantities.

]]> By: Geoff Young http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-328374 Geoff Young Mon, 15 Dec 2008 01:15:19 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-328374 #27@<a href="#comment-328357" rel="nofollow">Kevin</a>: Those are good questions. One thing that might be worth studying is the payroll distribution of teams that have been competitive in recent years despite a relative lack of funds. My suspicion is that you'd find more balance -- possibly a lot more -- than what the Padres currently have, although I haven't tested the hypothesis. #27@Kevin: Those are good questions. One thing that might be worth studying is the payroll distribution of teams that have been competitive in recent years despite a relative lack of funds. My suspicion is that you’d find more balance — possibly a lot more — than what the Padres currently have, although I haven’t tested the hypothesis.

]]> By: Tom Waits http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-328368 Tom Waits Mon, 15 Dec 2008 00:48:47 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-328368 #27@<a href="#comment-328357" rel="nofollow">Kevin</a>: If you don't have a strong farm system and the lowered payroll prevents you from filling holes through free agency, then that's exactly what rebuilding means. We don't have a strong farm system, particularly in starting pitching, which unfortunately happens to be our biggest weakness. The only way the 2009 team competes is insane, absolutely insane, luck. As in, the guys we get for Peavy (assuming he's traded) all contribute, Mark Prior's healthy on opening day and throws 200 innings, and Young is healthy all year, and the crud at the back of the rotation sacrifices a chicken before every start and keeps their collective ERA under 4.5. #27@Kevin: If you don’t have a strong farm system and the lowered payroll prevents you from filling holes through free agency, then that’s exactly what rebuilding means. We don’t have a strong farm system, particularly in starting pitching, which unfortunately happens to be our biggest weakness.

The only way the 2009 team competes is insane, absolutely insane, luck. As in, the guys we get for Peavy (assuming he’s traded) all contribute, Mark Prior’s healthy on opening day and throws 200 innings, and Young is healthy all year, and the crud at the back of the rotation sacrifices a chicken before every start and keeps their collective ERA under 4.5.

]]> By: Kevin http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-328357 Kevin Sun, 14 Dec 2008 23:43:15 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-328357 Why does rebuilding have to mean fielding a bad team? Why does cutting payroll have to mean not being competitive? Why does rebuilding have to mean fielding a bad team?

Why does cutting payroll have to mean not being competitive?

]]> By: Geoff Young http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-327626 Geoff Young Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:50:03 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-327626 #25@<a href="#comment-327625" rel="nofollow">Geoff B</a>: It isn't only 2009 that concerns me. The longer Peavy stays in San Diego, the less flexibility the Padres have. Period. That will continue to be a problem as long as a) Peavy remains on the roster and b) the ownership situation remains unresolved. At some point the Padres need to be competitive. At least, I hope they do. #25@Geoff B: It isn’t only 2009 that concerns me. The longer Peavy stays in San Diego, the less flexibility the Padres have. Period. That will continue to be a problem as long as a) Peavy remains on the roster and b) the ownership situation remains unresolved.

At some point the Padres need to be competitive. At least, I hope they do.

]]> By: Geoff B http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-327625 Geoff B Sat, 13 Dec 2008 23:28:57 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-327625 The Padres already decided to not be competitive in 2009 when they decided to cut their payroll in half. So, saying that it will be difficult to be competitive without cutting Peavy's salary is kind of a moot point. At least with Peavy, they have a chance to be competitive in games every 5th day (at least until the 6th or 7th inning). The Padres already decided to not be competitive in 2009 when they decided to cut their payroll in half. So, saying that it will be difficult to be competitive without cutting Peavy’s salary is kind of a moot point. At least with Peavy, they have a chance to be competitive in games every 5th day (at least until the 6th or 7th inning).

]]> By: Didi http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-327594 Didi Sat, 13 Dec 2008 21:09:25 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-327594 I'm guessing that Mark Worrell is replacing Hensley. http://www.futureredbirds.net/2008/11/25/mr-unconvential/ I’m guessing that Mark Worrell is replacing Hensley.

http://www.futureredbirds.net/2008/11/25/mr-unconvential/

]]> By: Geoff Young http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-327573 Geoff Young Sat, 13 Dec 2008 19:03:11 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-327573 #21@<a href="#comment-327560" rel="nofollow">william</a>: Return on Peavy + $11 million off the books should make it easier to fill some holes, of which there are many. #21@william: Return on Peavy + $11 million off the books should make it easier to fill some holes, of which there are many.

]]> By: Didi http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2008/12/cheeseburger-in-purgatory.html/comment-page-1#comment-327565 Didi Sat, 13 Dec 2008 18:33:33 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/?p=3104#comment-327565 20: The same old problems the Padres always have, starting pitching, and up the middle. It's weird that despite being successful at Petco (until last year), there is always a flaw even while having a couple of good pitchers shoring up the top of the rotation. One would have thought that getting decent back end starters wouldn't be so hard. The Loretta and Greene years didn't happen together for long and somehow the opposite side would just suck. I hope Hensley gets better and will have a somewhat decent career as a reliever. 20: The same old problems the Padres always have, starting pitching, and up the middle. It’s weird that despite being successful at Petco (until last year), there is always a flaw even while having a couple of good pitchers shoring up the top of the rotation. One would have thought that getting decent back end starters wouldn’t be so hard.

The Loretta and Greene years didn’t happen together for long and somehow the opposite side would just suck.

I hope Hensley gets better and will have a somewhat decent career as a reliever.

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