NL West Gets Even Tougher

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

Padres just acquired Craig Kimbrel


Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal
So, Kimbrel and B.J. to #Padres. Maybin, Quentin, Wisler, one other and 41st pick to #Braves.

 

[SFGRTB]

Wow.

Not a terrible move for the Braves, given the direction of their team. They got salary relief, a potential trade chip if Quentin does well, Maybin is still young and Wisler is their top pitching prospect.

Padres are going all in.

 

[Montalban]

Padres just acquired Craig Kimbrel


Ken Rosenthal @Ken_Rosenthal
So, Kimbrel and B.J. to #Padres. Maybin, Quentin, Wisler, one other and 41st pick to #Braves.

That should just about do it for the Padres. They are just embarrassing the Giants front office with these brilliant deals. Makin' it a little hot for 'em with the fans.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

That should just about do it for the Padres. They are just embarrassing the Giants front office with these brilliant deals. Makin' it a little hot for 'em with the fans.

Adding A LOT to their pay roll. Which SF couldn't do unless they wanted to be in the 220M-plus range, which isn't happening.

SF went after Lester and Sandoval, didn't get him. So they didn't overspend in FA, that's a good decision
SF doesn't have the farm system of a SD to get Kemp and then take on his salary, LAD also would not trade Kemp to SF.

This was always going to be a down year. It was and still is a smart decision to not waste prospects/long-term money.

 

[Montalban]

Adding A LOT to their pay roll. Which SF couldn't do unless they wanted to be in the 220M-plus range, which isn't happening.

SF went after Lester and Sandoval, didn't get him. So they didn't overspend in FA, that's a good decision
SF doesn't have the farm system of a SD to get Kemp and then take on his salary, LAD also would not trade Kemp to SF.

This was always going to be a down year. It was and still is a smart decision to not waste prospects/long-term money.

I disagree. There is no salary cap. A team cannot over-spend in free agency. The Giants are one of the richest teams in baseball. They were in dire need of a power-hitting outfielder, dire need of a great closer and in dire need of a quality starter. These players were all available as we've seen from the Padres getting Upton, Kimbrell and Shields. Yet the Giants could not add any quality players at all, just scrap heap guys.

I don't like throwing seasons away before it even starts but that is basically what the Giants are doing and it sounds like you condone it.

 

[SFGRTB]

I'm not sure the Padres got all that much better in this trade. It's not like their going from Armando Benitez to Kimbrel here, and the rest of the Pen is pretty dang good. Now, they are spending $83M for a slightly improved bullpen, and a negative WAR outfielder. Their payroll has climbed over $100M for the first time ever. They have big money tied to again vets and haven't locked up Justin Upton.

 

[calsnowskier]

I think this was a good trade for both teams, but I still am not sold on the Padres. Their infield is atrocious and their OF defense is worse then that. Their rotation has the potential to be VERY good, but there are still questions. Ross is coming off a huge year, but he does not have the track record to ink in a big year for him again. I like Cashner a lot, but he is an injury risk, he needs to be on the field to be a stud. Their bully is solid, and now they have one of, if not the best closer in the game.

 

[Mays-Fan]

I disagree. There is no salary cap. A team cannot over-spend in free agency. The Giants are one of the richest teams in baseball. They were in dire need of a power-hitting outfielder, dire need of a great closer and in dire need of a quality starter. These players were all available as we've seen from the Padres getting Upton, Kimbrell and Shields. Yet the Giants could not add any quality players at all, just scrap heap guys.

I don't like throwing seasons away before it even starts but that is basically what the Giants are doing and it sounds like you condone it.

If you were aware of this, I would hope your thinking would be different:

Luxury tax (sports) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As explained by Fangraphs: "Technically called the 'Competitive Balance Tax', the Luxury Tax is the punishment that large market teams get for spending too much money. While MLB does not have a set salary cap, the luxury tax charges teams with high payrolls a considerable amount of money, giving teams ample reason to want to keep their payrolls below that level."[3]

The threshold level for the luxury tax will be $189MM in 2014 (up from $178MM from 2011-2013) and will remain at $189MM through 2016. From 2012 through 2016, teams who exceed the threshold for the first time must pay 17.5% of the amount they are over, 30% for the second consecutive year over, 40% for the third consecutive year over, and 50% for four or more consecutive years over the cap.[4]

Only five teams have ever exceeded the luxury tax threshold, the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Detroit Tigers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the New York Yankees. Only the Red Sox and Yankees have exceeded it more than once. Boston has exceeded it six times. New York has exceeded it eleven times, every year since it has been in existence. In aggregate, the Yankees have paid out some $254 MM, 95% of the total fines assessed.

 

[Stokes1931]

If you were aware of this, I would hope your thinking would be different:

Luxury tax (sports) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

As explained by Fangraphs: "Technically called the 'Competitive Balance Tax', the Luxury Tax is the punishment that large market teams get for spending too much money. While MLB does not have a set salary cap, the luxury tax charges teams with high payrolls a considerable amount of money, giving teams ample reason to want to keep their payrolls below that level."[3]

The threshold level for the luxury tax will be $189MM in 2014 (up from $178MM from 2011-2013) and will remain at $189MM through 2016. From 2012 through 2016, teams who exceed the threshold for the first time must pay 17.5% of the amount they are over, 30% for the second consecutive year over, 40% for the third consecutive year over, and 50% for four or more consecutive years over the cap.[4]

Only five teams have ever exceeded the luxury tax threshold, the Boston Red Sox, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Detroit Tigers, the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the New York Yankees. Only the Red Sox and Yankees have exceeded it more than once. Boston has exceeded it six times. New York has exceeded it eleven times, every year since it has been in existence. In aggregate, the Yankees have paid out some $254 MM, 95% of the total fines assessed.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

I'm not sure the Padres got all that much better in this trade. It's not like their going from Armando Benitez to Kimbrel here, and the rest of the Pen is pretty dang good. Now, they are spending $83M for a slightly improved bullpen, and a negative WAR outfielder. Their payroll has climbed over $100M for the first time ever. They have big money tied to again vets and haven't locked up Justin Upton.

They certainly have arguably the best bullpen in baseball now, to go along with an excellent rotation. Defense will be an issue but their lineup, SP and bullpen are strong

 

[calsnowskier]

They certainly have arguably the best bullpen in baseball now, to go along with an excellent rotation. Defense will be an issue but their lineup, SP and bullpen are strong

I am not sold on the lineup, though.

Kemp is a walking hazard sign...

Myers has regressed to only be considered a prospect...

3B, SS and 2B are worse than black-holes in the lineup...

Norris and JU should be fine, Alonso should be adequate at 1B, and if Kemp stays healthy, they have a stud. That's only 4 spots in the lineup that look good. That's 4 slots that are either painful-bad or major question marks. And the pitching looks good, unless they have to record 4 outs per inning. No pitcher is good in that situation.