Most of these can probably be argued, but this is my perspective on where we stand. This post will kind of outline our future and identify surpluses we might think about when paring down the roster or, later, at the trade deadline comes along.  I'll try my best to focus on players who should be available to the big league team in 2010:

Let's get the easy one over with:

FIRST BASE:

1. Adrian Gonzalez

2. Kyle Blanks

The thing that stands out here is not a quantity-based depth, but a quality-based depth - if Adrian is traded this year, we have a decent replacement in Blanks (decent in terms of: I would not view him as a lineup liability).

Continue reading this post »

I think the Padres were interested in Willy Mo Pena a couple years ago (?)... and he was recently released from the logjam-outfield that the Nats have.  I just read about Pena being released here...

He has some upside and he could be a good addition if he works out (can anyone say Gerut-of-2009?). I guess the problem would be finding a place for him to play... can he be our fourth outfielder for a couple months?

According to John Sickels, at minorleagueball.com, this kid by the name of Wynn Pelzer is a sleeper prospect... I'm guessing this is not the type of sleeper that could have a big impact in 2009, but more of a guy that could appear near the top of the padres top-prospect list in the future...

Anyways, here's what Sickels has to say:

Wynn Pelzer, RHP, San Diego Padres
    A ninth round pick out of the University of South Carolina in 2007, Pelzer went 9-6, 3.19 with a 100/32 K/BB in 118 innings for Fort Wayne in the Midwest League in '08, credible though not terrific performance. But it is better than what he did in college, where he struggled with his command, and scouts point to a 91-94 MPH fastball as a sign of potential. His breaking ball is also quite good, but his changeup and splitter need work, and his command within the strike zone is still wobbly. I saw him pitch in college and was impressed with his arm strength, and I still think he's got significant development potential.

To read about the rest of the sleepers in the nl west, jump

Sure, Peavy will be on the mound tonight for the USA against Puerto Rico (sounds like a pretty interesting matchup)... but according to the World Baseball Classic website, I will not be able to watch - because it's on ESPN Deportes. Is this some scheme to try to get me to buy that MLB internet tv or what?

I don't even know if I can listen to this game on the radio? Does anyone know what the deal is? Any suggestion/discussion would be helpful - if tv/radio are unavailable, i hope someone is posting updates on gaslampball (i can always depend on glb)

Yahoo Sports 2b Position Primer

If you're looking around for the 2b prospect ranks, look waaay down at the bottom.

It was interesting to find Matt Antonelli still on some fantasy baseball "experts" short list of top 2b prospects... He ranked 4th on Funston and Pianowski's top 5 lists.

Also of note, Padres utility man, Travis Denker comes in at number 5 on Brad Evans list. Denker is having a pretty solid spring training.

Here's what John Sickels, Minor League Ball, had to say about Will Inman, apparently based on a first hand experience (to put his "Grade B-" in perspective, that makes Inman the Padres second best pitching prospect, based on the top 20 list provided earlier this year... if you're bored, follow the top 20 link to check out Kellen Kulbacki's draft grade and explanation):

Will Inman, RHP, San Diego Padres

Bats: R    Throws: R     HT: 6-1     WT: 210   DOB: February 6, 1987

Scouting report after watching Will Inman pitch in April for San Antonio:

Fastball was better than I had been led to expect: his first 12 fastballs were, in order, 88-89-88-90-89-88-87-91-92-90-89-87. The fastball also had more movement than anticipated, it was not the straight pitch that I have read about in Baseball America. He mixed in a slider at 79-81 MPH, and a slow curveball at 73-74. He also threw one pitch at 81 MPH which had bizarre screwball-like action; perhaps that was his changeup. I was impressed with his secondary stuff, the only real mistake he made was hanging a slow curveball that Dan Carte hit for a home run. I liked Inman and am comfortable with the Grade B he got on the book. I see him as a Jeff Suppan-type inning eater.  

Inman’s season in the Texas League resulted in very good K/IP and H/IP ratios, reflecting the quality of his stuff. His walk rate was too high, and scouts report that he had trouble with his fastball command as the season progressed, though he battled through it. His delivery is funky but deceptive. I’ve liked Inman a lot in the past and still think he is underrated by scouts, but the slippage in his control, as well as an excessive fly ball tendency that could result in too many homers, lower his rating to Grade B- Many scouts would say that is still too high. Perhaps I’m just stubborn about this one, but I still like the K/IP and H/IP.

So you've read about the projected 25-man roster and discussed it... now let's see where you think these guys will be batting... the primary discussions have been about who will be playing shortstop, whether kouz will be ready and who's going to play second base. here's mine:

1. Everth Cabrera, SS
2. David Eckstein, 2B
3. Brian Giles, RF
4. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
5. Chase Headley, 3B
6. Jody Gerut, CF
7. Nick Hundley, C
8. Scott Hairston, LF

I like seeing Padres minor league info, especially the guys that don't get a lot of press. John Sickels posted some excerpts from his new book and here are two Padres he wanted to share with us:

Erik Davis, RHP, San Diego Padres

Bats: R    Throws: R     HT: 6-4     WT: 200   DOB: October 8, 1986

  San Diego drafted Erik Davis in the 13th round last year, out of Stanford. He pitched excellently in his pro debut, showing sharp command of his 89-92 MPH sinking fastball, solid curveball and very good changeup. He never quite lived up to expectations in college, but scouts like his emotional fortitude: he was hit in the face by a line drive in the 2006 Cape Cod League, almost losing an eye and requiring reconstructive surgery. Davis will have to prove himself at higher levels, but he’s earned the opportunity, and I think he is a sleeper. Grade C.

Sawyer Carroll, OF, San Diego Padres
Bats: L    Throws: R     HT: 6-4     WT: 210   DOB: May 9, 1986

The Padres drafted Carroll in the supplemental third round last year, from the University of Kentucky. He was very successful in college, and he continued to hit well in the Northwest League after signing (OPS +33 percent). However, his strikeout rate at Eugene was rather high, and a late trial in the Midwest League resulted in poor numbers. People who like Carroll say he is a polished hitter with good strike zone judgment and at least decent power, who is fundamentally sound and makes the most out of average tools. People who don’t like Carroll say he’s an aluminum bat hitter who will struggle against better pitching, and that Midwest League pitchers exposed his lack of genuinely good bat speed. The jury is still out on this, given the sample size, but he’s shown the ability to make adjustments before. Grade C for now.

compliments of John Sickels over at http://www.minorleagueball.com/

So for my own knowledge, I went back, found the Haren-to-Arizona and Sabathia-to-Milwaukee trades and looked up the corresponding prospect return Oakland and Cleveland received (grades are based on various top-20 lists I found on sbnation.com, regardless of how correct they may be - I used only sbnation.com lists to determine the grades for all of the following trades, so I'm assuming they're somewhat equivalent) ...

First, the Oakland/Arizona Trade.  I understand Haren was cheaper, and came along with a fringe prospect in Connor Robertson, but this may be the closest thing to equivalent in return... (a B+ SP, ML SP, C+ SP, B+ 1B, B+ and B- OF) and that's a lot of grade-B players going back to Oakland.

Oakland sends SP Dan Haren and SP Connor Robertson(C) to Arizona in return for SPs Brett Anderson(B+), Dana Eveland(4 or 5 in rotation), and Greg Smith(C+), infielder Chris Carter(B+), and outfielders Aaron Cunningham(B-) and Carlos Gonzalez(B+).

Second, the Cleveland/Milwaukee trade.  This trade is different in that it happened in the middle of a season and involved only sending two months worth (and it was a damn good 2 months) of CC Sabathia.  The players sent to Cleveland include a B+ OF/DH, a couple of Pitchers at C and C+ and a player to be named later B-).

Cleveland sends SP CC Sabathia to Milwaukee in return for OF/DH Matt LaPorta(B+), P Zach Jackson(C), P Rob Bryson(C+) and a player to be named later (I did a quick search and the best name I could find was 3B Taylor Green (B-))

Thirdly, I don't expect the Padres to get a Haren-load of gold but I also expect more than Cleveland got for CC Sabathia.   Looking at the similar Braves (based on the new top 20 for 2009) and Cubs top prospect lists, I find (and can only hope for) the following (this could go a hundred different directions, but whatever...) :

San Diego sends SP Jake Peavy to Atlanta in exchange for SS Yunel Escobar (B+?), SP Tommy Hanson (B+) and OF Gorkys Hernandez (B-)

or San Diego sends SP Jake Peavy to Atlanta in exchange for SS Yunel Escobar (B+?), OF Jordan Schafer (B+) and Morton/Reyes (4 or 5 in rotation) and SP Jeff Locke (B-)

It is not crazy to expect that in return, right? Seems like the Braves won't give in. Anyways, as for the Cubs (and I don't like this idea as much as the Braves deal and I also know less about who it would take from the cubs - probably why everyone's calling the Braves the frontrunners)...

San Diego sends SP Jake Peavy to Chicago(NL) in return for 3B Josh Vitters (B+), SP Sean Marshall (4 or 5 in rotation), P Donald Veal (B-) and OF Felix Pie (B-?)

I wasted a lot of time on this, so I hope you enjoy it... and please leave comments/corrections/critiques - because I have no idea what I'm doing. Basically nothing makes sense with the trade offers the Braves are throwing out.  I understand not wanting to part with Hanson or any other top prospect, but you have to deal talent to get talent.  If I were KT, I would take Peavy for 2009 unless I get one of those two offers from the Braves.