How a GM destroyed the Padres in a matter of a few months

[Boltx]

http://grantland.com/features/aj-preller-mlb-san-diego-padres-national-league-west/

[Lightningwill_420]

http://grantland.com/features/aj-pre...l-league-west/

Love that the owners spent money. Dislike that the general manager blew that money on the wrong players. Can we still hire Kim Ng? Maybe she wouldn't make us good, but she would at least make us original and historic.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

I think that article is a little bit premature and something of an overreaction. Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy and Cashner aren't losing games because of the defense. They are losing games because they aren't pitching very well. If PETCO was disguising their real value/quality before Preller's moves, why is it no longer doing so? Just because Preller sold off the farm??? Grantland's supposed to be about logic and data. Neither brought to bear in this analysis. This is just the shifting pendulum narrative. Rockstar turned home wrecker. Frankly, wouldn't at all be surprised to see the young starters turn it around in the second half (they're due. And Cashner and Ross have shown well recently). And if they do, you may well see some better outcomes.

Craig Kimbrel hasn't pitched well. Shields has vacillated between dominant and hittable. Upton has played very well for the most part. The offense looked pretty good until Myers got hurt. Middlebrooks was always something of a Hail Mary. Jedd Gyorko was bad before the deals and still is. Amarista, Solarte, Alonso, etc were all jokers before the deals.

I didn't like the Kemp trade because we were giving up Grandal and I thought it was too early to let such a talented player go. He rebounded from PED and injury and showed that high OPS both times. Dude can flat-out rake. So I agree with the article on that. And I agree on the Kimbrel trade.

But give me a break on Cameron Maybin. Why are we so focused on his great play in a SSS? He's always done that. And then he gets injured. That's why we moved him. Good for ATL that they are getting mileage out of him. I didn't like giving up Ross, Fried and Wisler. Still don't. But to try to make an omlette sometimes you have to break some eggs.

IMO, you hang on to Myers and Upton. Try to see what you can get for Kimbrel and Shields at the deadline.

Oh and PS- how do you 'destroy' something that was already broken this badly for this long? Next.

[6025]

Oh and PS- how do you 'destroy' something that was already broken this badly for this long? Next.

My take as well. Whatever they were supposedly brewing was not yielding anything.

[ArtistFormerlyKnownAsBKR]

My take as well. Whatever they were supposedly brewing was not yielding anything.

Sorry but we've seen the "Prospects in the Pipeline" movie too many times. I've run through a litany of prospects on here before that were even more highly touted than this crowd and they yielded nothing. Or if they were any good, they were moved in salary dumps. Changing the dynamic and culture were important. Now if they just shrivel up and go back to what they were doing, different story. But if they continue to be aggressive (which doesn't necessarily mean just spending big cash on the ML level), then I think success will eventually come.

[6025]

Sorry but we've seen the "Prospects in the Pipeline" movie too many times. I've run through a litany of prospects on here before that were even more highly touted than this crowd and they yielded nothing. Or if they were any good, they were moved in salary dumps. Changing the dynamic and culture were important. Now if they just shrivel up and go back to what they were doing, different story. But if they continue to be aggressive (which doesn't necessarily mean just spending big cash on the ML level), then I think success will eventually come.

Agreed. I was getting way too tired of vanilla myself, Preller did what needed to be done. It would be nice if it turned around in the course of a year, but the fact they're being aggressive in trying to win sooner rather than later appeals to me. Give him some time.

[richpjr]

This article overlooks what Preller's marching orders were. If he were hired to build through the farm system long term vs hired to add players to the roster for this season, those are two vastly different approaches. And given the owners public comments about winning this year, it's easy to deduce what his orders were.

[Lightningwill_420]

This article overlooks what Preller's marching orders were. If he were hired to build through the farm system long term vs hired to add players to the roster for this season, those are two vastly different approaches. And given the owners public comments about winning this year, it's easy to deduce what his orders were.

Seems Preller picked the wrong players to win this year.

[richpjr]

Seems Preller picked the wrong players to win this year.

Hard to argue, judging by the results. And now Middlebrooks has been sent to the minors.

[Lightningwill_420]

Hard to argue, judging by the results. And now Middlebrooks has been sent to the minors.

Yea, I think we're just going by results. If the owner gives you the money to work with and you don't make the team at least a contender, then you didn't get it done.

It's not like I knew back at the time that all these moves would suck. I knew nothing about these players, but I wasn't the one who won the GM job.

[richpjr]

Yea, I think we're just going by results. If the owner gives you the money to work with and you don't make the team at least a contender, then you didn't get it done.

It's not like I knew back at the time that all these moves would suck. I knew nothing about these players, but I wasn't the one who won the GM job.

Clearly the moves haven't panned out, but I was pretty fired up about most of them at the time (the one big exception was getting stuck stuck with the bad Upton's contract). I think the pitching regressed - and I'm really not sure why as we had most of the same pitchers and started with the same coaching staff. While this season may be about over (might as well trade Upton if we can get a shortstop) the team may gel next year. Obviously we have to fix the defense and adding a left handed bat with some power would balance things out.

[Lightningwill_420]

I've found the guy we need to sign.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6C-LlD7rwPs&feature=youtu.be