Off-Season Outlook by Salary

[SFW]

Contracts
Jedd Gyorko, 2B: $35M through 2019
Cameron Maybin, OF: $16M through 2016
Seth Smith, OF: $13M through 2016
Joaquin Benoit, RP: $9.5M through 2015
Carlos Quentin, OF: $8M through 2015
Cory Luebke, SP: $7M through 2015
Will Venable, OF: $4.25M through 2015
Clint Barmes, SS: $1.3M through 2015
Brandon Morrow SP: $2.5M through 2015
Matt Kemp OF: $75M through 2019
Justin Upton (OF): $14.5M through 2015

Arbitration Eligible Players (Projected Amounts)
Ian Kennedy (5.124): $10.3M, free agent in 2016
Andrew Cashner (4.126): $4.3M, free agent in 2017
Tyson Ross (3.126): $5.7M, free agent in 2018
Yonder Alonso (3.116): $1.6M, free agent in 2018
Dale Thayer (3.071): $1.3M, free agent in 2018
Alexi Amarista (3.053): $1.5M, free agent in 2018

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

Jedd Gyorko, 2B: $35MM through 2019
Cameron Maybin, OF: $16MM through 2016
Seth Smith, OF: $13MM through 2016
Joaquin Benoit, RP: $9.5MM through 2015
Carlos Quentin, OF: $8MM through 2015
Cory Luebke, SP: $7MM through 2015
Will Venable, OF: $4.25MM through 2015

So in other words, on the hook for $92.75M and only $16.5 seems worth it, although Benoit at $9.5 might be a luxury we can't afford and Luebke at $7Mis coming off two TJ's and you don't know what you're really getting (if anything). I see the cause for your optimism.

[SFW]

So in other words, on the hook for $92.75M and only $16.5 seems worth it, although Benoit at $9.5 might be a luxury we can't afford and Luebke at $7Mis coming off two TJ's and you don't know what you're really getting (if anything). I see the cause for your optimism.

ok.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

ok.

Man, you're really down on my opinions about the Padres for some reason.

[SFW]

Man, you're really down on my opinions about the Padres for some reason.

Not down on your opinions. Just feel different about the potential direction of the team than you do. Nothing personnel, I am just more optimistic/hopeful than you.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

Not down on your opinions. Just feel different about the potential direction of the team than you do. Nothing personnel, I am just more optimistic/hopeful than you.

What makes you optimistic?

[SFW]

What makes you optimistic?

I am optimistic in general when it comes to my sports teams. As far as the Padres go I am willing to be patient and give the new ownership group a chance before I condemn them or just say they are the same as all previous Padres owners before them. They have already done two things that I like, 1) increased payroll/spending and 2) showed that they are not willing to settle for mediocrity by firing the GM so soon and changing several members of the developmental and scouting staff.

What it comes down to for me is we are in the very beginning stages of the new owners and front office staff and I am just willing to give them a chance.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

I am optimistic in general when it comes to my sports teams. As far as the Padres go I am willing to be patient and give the new ownership group a chance before I condemn them or just say they are the same as all previous Padres owners before them. They have already done two things that I like, 1) increased payroll/spending and 2) showed that they are not willing to settle for mediocrity by firing the GM so soon and changing several members of the developmental and scouting staff.

What it comes down to for me is we are in the very beginning stages of the new owners and front office staff and I am just willing to give them a chance.

We've already discussed their investments from a salary standpoint, and I think we can agree that they aren't very impressive. Based upon your responses to my posts, it would seem our roles are reversed. Shouldn't I be the one that wants them to spend just to spend? Your assertion was that I wanted such a break with the past that I just wanted them to increase payroll. But I don't. I want them to accountably raise payroll. It's not enough to spend. It's getting something for the outlay. The cast of characters in that first group has a grand total of two guys who actually have upside: Gyorko and Luebke. Both have had injury problems. Both have shown flashes of promise, but not enough to really hang your hat on. Gyorko's production hasn't been consistent enough to know if that's a good deal. Luebke probably was the real deal, but after two TJs he's a huge question mark tending toward less likely. So that's not too impressive.

As for the management team, I like the hiring of Preller. But Mike Dee is still in place. That's not good. It's slightly disconcerting that the dottering Fowler and not the O'Malley contingent is the face of the franchise. I suppose I am optimistic that Preller has been hired and what he's going to do. But if a new GM is the primary reason for optimism, I would submit that's not that great.

I'm not an old curmudgeon. I'm not an anti-fan. Nothing would make me happier than seeing this team get its act together. But I'll admit that I'm jaded and that I'm totally in 'show me' mode. I've heard this song and dance about building the system for years. If it was the third time, I'd probably buy into it. But this is like the eighth time. I remember being excited about Ted Simmons being hired. And I was stoked about Kevin Nicholson, Sean Burroughs, Mark Phillips, Broderick Perkins, Mike Ivie, Billy Almond and Shawn Abner. I think the franchise has broken trust for so long that they owe us something akin to what Larry Lucchino perceived we were owed back in 1994. Asking people to wait for stuff that may never materialize after having been through several rounds of it not materializing over a decade (2 winning seasons since '98?) by a franchise that has been recycling the same line since I was a kid is a little much. Nevermind that being competitive to acquire top major league talent was the party line behind public funding of Petco.

OK, 'early' in this new ownership and not much to show for it other than Preller, a major PR disaster and a pumped up payroll that hasn't added much in the way of wins. I wish I were more optimistic about that.

[SFW]

We just seem to be too far apart in our opinions, thoughts on the team's philosophy, management and everything else that I am just going to leave it at that and not try to convince you that my opinions are right or vice versa. As you said, the only way that you will change how you feel is with wins on the field. So I will leave it at that. Hopefully we see a much improved product on the field, that is one thing Padres related we definitely agree on.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

We just seem to be too far apart in our opinions, thoughts on the team's philosophy, management and everything else that I am just going to leave it at that and not try to convince you that my opinions are right or vice versa. As you said, the only way that you will change how you feel is with wins on the field. So I will leave it at that. Hopefully we see a much improved product on the field, that is one thing Padres related we definitely agree on.

I'm not looking to be persuaded. And I don't think you were. But I don't think a discussion has to get ugly, certainly not between us.

[RobH]

I'm not super optimistic about this next year, but I'm not pessimistic either. The pitching staff we have is at the top of the league, and unless we have a Bolts-like series of injuries to them, I expect them to be as good next year. I can't see a whole lineup of hitters being collectively as bad as this team was this year. We definitely need some bats, and if we can just add two good bats to the lineup, I see us being at 85 wins or better for the next year. The year after, if Preller is as good at finding talent as they say, and the ownership honors their commitment to a higher salary limit, then I'll be quite optimistic. I'm very interested in seeing what Preller does this year, and I'm very happy to see that they are bringing in new blood in the minor league system to try and get more out of our draft choices. We'll see how it goes, but with a lot of those contracts above dropping off the books after next year, I think we'll be looking up.

As BKR says, it's hard to get excited because we've been fed this line before, but it's a new group, not the same as the old group. Got to give them a chance. I would love to see Mike Dee go, though.

[SFW]

I'm not looking to be persuaded. And I don't think you were. But I don't think a discussion has to get ugly, certainly not between us.

I agree. If I came across as rude I didn't mean to. I would rather just wait until the off-season gets underway and debate or discuss the player moves that the Padres make. Or even discuss what moves we think should be made.

The pitching staff we have is at the top of the league, and unless we have a Bolts-like series of injuries to them, I expect them to be as good next year. I can't see a whole lineup of hitters being collectively as bad as this team was this year. We definitely need some bats, and if we can just add two good bats to the lineup, I see us being at 85 wins or better for the next year. The year after, if Preller is as good at finding talent as they say, and the ownership honors their commitment to a higher salary limit, then I'll be quite optimistic. I'm very interested in seeing what Preller does this year, and I'm very happy to see that they are bringing in new blood in the minor league system to try and get more out of our draft choices. We'll see how it goes, but with a lot of those contracts above dropping off the books after next year, I think we'll be looking up.

As BKR says, it's hard to get excited because we've been fed this line before, but it's a new group, not the same as the old group. Got to give them a chance. I would love to see Mike Dee go, though.

I agree with you on the pitching staff. I also believe that Preller will have to trade away one of either Ross, Cashner or Kennedy for a hitter. The first two will probably get a better return due to contract situations. I love all three and wish they could return but looking over the FA's available this off-season it looks like the pickings are very slim. We might have to trade from a strength in order to get some bats on the team.

The bolded part is all I have been trying to say here.