NL West

[calsnowskier]

The Padres just added Wil Myers.

This is a risky trade because he is "injury prone", but he has a high ceiling.

Adding him and Kemp this off-season is pretty big. Adding a 3 AND 4 hitter to any line up will turn it upside down. The prob for them now is that they have no catcher and their offense past those two is still pretty anemic.

Further, while Cashner is a potential stud, he has injury issues and that is a death sentence for a SP. Their SPs tend to put up GREAT numbers, they don't have the one guy you can hang your hat on as an Ace.

Are they now the #2 team in the division? Are the doggies the clear #1? Where do the Giants sit with their silence so far?

I have no idea how to handicap this division right now.

 

[SFGRTB]

New GM is playing MLB the Show out there, video games. I do like the moves for them, it makes them more exciting. Don't think it makes them championship contenders, but they could be competitive. Most importantly for them, it seems like moves that could put butts in the seats. Their offense is still pretty bad, and as you said they don't have a catcher. They did get Ryan Hannigan in that trade, but he's on the downside. Rene Rivera killed the Giants, so I'm glad to see him gone. Great buy low for Wil Myers.

It also makes some of their current outfielders available, like Seth Smith or Will Venable.

 

[Arizona_Sting]

Everyone but the Rockies has improved this offseason IMO.

Doyers got deeper.

Padres added a couple high-potential bats with the solid pitching they already posses.

Dbacks get Goldy, Trumbo, Corbin, Pollock and Owings all back from injury this year and added Hellickson, De La Rosa and other young arms to go with Yasmany Tomas.

Rockies have been snoozing. It will be interesting to see what SF does to counter to close out the offseason.

 

[SFGRTB]

Everyone but the Rockies has improved this offseason IMO.

Doyers got deeper.

Padres added a couple high-potential bats with the solid pitching they already posses.

Dbacks get Goldy, Trumbo, Corbin, Pollock and Owings all back from injury this year and added Hellickson, De La Rosa and other young arms to go with Yasmany Tomas.

Rockies have been snoozing. It will be interesting to see what SF does to counter to close out the offseason.

Giants haven't improved at all to this point. They've regressed. But there will be more moves.

I like what the other 3 teams have done. D-Backs are on the rise, need to deepen that Pen and float around until Corbin returns. Could be real dangerous by 2016. SD imporved, but how much? Offense is still bad, how far can their pitching carry them? LA made some nice moves. I don't know how much better they are though, Joc could be the key. Is Colorado even a team anymore? Move them to the AL and bring the Mariners over.

 

[SF11704]

Ah ... the NL West. For 2015 this is where my fears actually reside. the community on this board has always said that once you make the playoffs it becomes a crap shoot. I agree 100%. I also believe that it isn't always the most 'talented' team that wins the WS. For me it's the team that has some luck, some talent and a few players that 'rise to extraordinary' levels in the playoffs. This was us in 2014. MadBum was EPIC. Panda and Pence were extraordinary in my opinion. We also tended to capitalize on mistakes by our opponents. But, looking back at 2014 we were very close to not making the playoffs at all. We had a torrid start and a horrible June and July. Sort of evened everything out. Just not sure how strong this team (as constructed) would be over a 162 games. I don't believe that we take the division from the doggies. They won it last year and have gotten 'deeper' as previously noted. We have lost a key element and have yet to replace it. That leaves the wildcard positions again. Sort of scares me looking at all of the upgrades that are being made by teams around us and by some other WC contenders. I don't want to make trades for the sake of trading but still has me hoping that Sabes has something up his sleeve. I personally have no objections if the want to step back from 2015 and restructure the team. 3 WS in 5 years gives them the right to do just that. I would just like them to sort of say that to us fans. Level setting the fan base in never a bad thing.

But ... I'm not sure if that is a real option for a defending WS title holder. Difficult position to be in.

 

[calsnowskier]

Ah ... the NL West. For 2015 this is where my fears actually reside. the community on this board has always said that once you make the playoffs it becomes a crap shoot. I agree 100%. I also believe that it isn't always the most 'talented' team that wins the WS. For me it's the team that has some luck, some talent and a few players that 'rise to extraordinary' levels in the playoffs. This was us in 2014. MadBum was EPIC. Panda and Pence were extraordinary in my opinion. We also tended to capitalize on mistakes by our opponents. But, looking back at 2014 we were very close to not making the playoffs at all. We had a torrid start and a horrible June and July. Sort of evened everything out. Just not sure how strong this team (as constructed) would be over a 162 games. I don't believe that we take the division from the doggies. They won it last year and have gotten 'deeper' as previously noted. We have lost a key element and have yet to replace it. That leaves the wildcard positions again. Sort of scares me looking at all of the upgrades that are being made by teams around us and by some other WC contenders. I don't want to make trades for the sake of trading but still has me hoping that Sabes has something up his sleeve. I personally have no objections if the want to step back from 2015 and restructure the team. 3 WS in 5 years gives them the right to do just that. I would just like them to sort of say that to us fans. Level setting the fan base in never a bad thing.

But ... I'm not sure if that is a real option for a defending WS title holder. Difficult position to be in.

No way would they acknowledge that they are "restructuring" for '15. That would destroy attendance.

 

[Mays-Fan]

No way would they acknowledge that they are "restructuring" for '15. That would destroy attendance.

Agreed.

Plus, IMHO, even if we don't get a major signing in the off-season, we will still be a contender and able to make moves in July.

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

The only thing that Myers and Kemp MIGHT do for us is get us into the wild card mix. We are very, very thin offensively and our farm system is a joke. Kemp and Myers could very well spend a lot of time on the DL this coming year. But who knows.....hope springs eternal out here in San Diego.

 

[Stokes1931]

The only thing that Myers and Kemp MIGHT do for us is get us into the wild card mix. We are very, very thin offensively and our farm system is a joke. Kemp and Myers could very well spend a lot of time on the DL this coming year. But who knows.....hope springs eternal out here in San Diego.

You have good, young talent. And your manager is very, very good. When Bochy retires, I'd be glad for the Giants to scoop up Bud Black. It's a tradition (of one so far) to get former Padre managers.

 

[LucklessPadresFan]

We may have good young talent, but it has yet to lift us out of mediocrity. Bud Black does the most with the least, but until we get serious about building our farm system, we will remain in the middle of the pack.

 

[tzill]

We may have good young talent, but it has yet to lift us out of mediocrity. Bud Black does the most with the least, but until we get serious about building our farm system, we will remain in the middle of the pack.

The Pads were never going to be serious playoff contenders until they actually SPENT like a playoff contender. They seem to get that now. I think you have a reason to be hopeful.

 

[calsnowskier]

The Kemp deal appears to be staggering. He reportedly failed his physical with the Pads...

 

[calsnowskier]

The Kemp deal appears to be staggering. He reportedly failed his physical with the Pads...

If this trade falls through, the Rollins trade get nixed as well, since some of the players the doggies got in that trade were shipped to Philly.

Wow. This could be a disaster.

 

[Stokes1931]

The Kemp deal appears to be staggering. He reportedly failed his physical with the Pads...

Why don't the Dodgers just buy the Padres and make them their AAAA farm team?

This news hurts the Padres, if true, and certainly hurts the Dodgers. I am conflicted about this.

 

[Sandisfan]

If this trade falls through, the Rollins trade get nixed as well, since some of the players the doggies got in that trade were shipped to Philly.

Wow. This could be a disaster.

What I read was that it was an arthritic condition... that may well mean that he would be okay with treatment for a number of years before it would slow him down...The Pads could use the condition to force the Doggies to take a much bigger bite of his salary going forward.

 

[Montalban]

You have good, young talent. And your manager is very, very good. When Bochy retires, I'd be glad for the Giants to scoop up Bud Black. It's a tradition (of one so far) to get former Padre managers.

So do the Giants if they all pan out. Susac, Belt, Panic, Crawford, Posey, Duffy and, don't laugh, but I still have hopes for Juan Perez.

 

[calsnowskier]

So do the Giants if they all pan out. Susac, Belt, Panic, Crawford, Posey, Duffy and, don't laugh, but I still have hopes for Juan Perez.

I like these players, but Susac and Duffy are currently backups. Considering them part of the core is either a sign of the lack of core or over-stating their importance.

That said, they DO speak to our young depth. While the Giants are a little top-lite (no LF, no 3B, questionable CF) they have the supporting cast to hopefully overcome some of that (Blanco, Duffy, Susac, Arias, EA). IMHO, JCP is a 5th OF, pure and simple.

 

[OutlawImmortal]

What I read was that it was an arthritic condition... that may well mean that he would be okay with treatment for a number of years before it would slow him down...The Pads could use the condition to force the Doggies to take a much bigger bite of his salary going forward.

I think this is the main reason for the hold up, he should still be able to play.

The Rollins trade will happen whether or not Kemp is traded, Philly and LA have spoken about different players taking Eflin's spot.

 

[GiantsPackersChamps2011]

Padres just acquired Derek Norris

 

[SFGRTB]

Padres just acquired Derek Norris

And there is their catcher. Norris and Hannigan will be a very solid tandem.