2K24: San Diego Padres

[GwynnInTheHall]

Anyone notice that, for some reason, today officially began the "im sick of this, lets all shit on him" phase for Juan Soto? Podcasts and tweets and stuff all over the place. All today.

It's been going on in San Diego since he got here--pretty much by those who've never heard of Baseball Savant nor care the educate themselves in analytics.

I'm all for taking on a discounted Soto if anyone's game.......

[Pauly]

Well it seemed to work instantly. Soto with the HR today!

[GwynnInTheHall]

Well it seemed to work instantly. Soto with the HR today!

and a single!!

In other news, Tatis returns to the line up tomorrow--First MLB game in a year and a half. Musgrove to start Saturday in AZ and Pomeranz should join the team sometime next week!

[Gregg]

I have trouble getting excited about a guy who struggles to strike out 15% of the hitters he faces.

Until he can put that way up (more likely an unless?) his upside is severely limited.

In an NL league where you need a stopgap I can see it, but I wouldn't personally want to spend 12% on him.

I understand. Pickings are slim in our 12 team NL only. The first month I think everyone is trying to find something potentially helpful. He is young with room to grow on the K's. He is on a good team.

I was a little aggressive as I think the second base bid was $8. I wanted to make sure I got him as I didn't feel like picking up an old middle reliever.

[madducks]

Josh Hader, after going 10 for 10 in saves during the month of April, is just 1 for 3 in May. He still has an 0.95 ERA. So, it's just been a lack of opportunity and some bad luck for Hader this month.

[rhd]

Ethan Salas was called up to Low-A ball earlier this week. He turned 17 y/o just today. I cant recall a 16-y/o ever playing in full season ball before. BTW, in 8 PA so far, he has an OPS of 1.875.

[Sour Masher]

Ethan Salas was called up to Low-A ball earlier this week. He turned 17 y/o just today. I cant recall a 16-y/o ever playing in full season ball before. BTW, in 8 PA so far, he has an OPS of 1.875.

Yeah, I can't either. The kid is the most polished player I have ever seen at his age. I think that polish and maturity might get confused with a guarantee of superstardom, which is unfair, but he seems as good a bet to make the majors and be at least a solid every day catcher as there has ever been at his age. He may end up getting to the majors faster than Francisco Alvarez, whose rise was also incredible.

[rhd]

Yeah, I can't either. The kid is the most polished player I have ever seen at his age. I think that polish and maturity might get confused with a guarantee of superstardom, which is unfair, but he seems as good a bet to make the majors and be at least a solid every day catcher as there has ever been at his age. He may end up getting to the majors faster than Francisco Alvarez, whose rise was also incredible.

BA did an article on this very topic today. They indicated that Salas is not the first to appear in full-season as a 16-y/o but is in very select company. Julio Urias did this in 2013.

Adrian Beltre may have done this. He made the opening day roster of the Low-A Savannah club in 1996, whose season started on April 4. Beltre didnt turn 17 until April 7 but the box scores are unavailable for the games prior to then so we dont know if he played or not.

Also, Edgar Renteria played most of the year at Low-A Kane County in 1993 at what was listed as him being 17-y/o. Later, his brother revealed that actually Renteria was a year younger, pretending to be a year older so he could sign sooner. His Baseball Reference page now lists his birthdate as being 8/7/76 so this would have made him 16-y/o for most of the 1993 season.

Also, it seems very possible at this point that Salas could be on BA's Top 100 prospect list next year as a 17-y/o. That would make him one of the youngest players ever to make this list. I think Miguel Sano is the youngest ever. He was Hali, Berry playing in the Pro Bowl on their 2010 list, when he was only 16-y/o. Interestingly, he still hadnt played a pro game at that point. I'm not sure they'll ever do that again.

[madducks]

Gary Sanchez is looking like waiver wire gold with 5 HR and 11 RBI in 10 games since the Padres claimed him off waivers.

[Sour Masher]

I traded for Blake Snell on June 4th and since then he has been absurdly good. After a typical rough start, Snell has turned into the ace he can be earlier in the year than he did last year. He has really turned his season around. In his last five starts, he has 56ks in 36 IP, a 0.50 era and a 0.8 whip. There hasn't been anyone better over that span.

[Pauly]

I traded for Blake Snell on June 4th and since then he has been absurdly good. After a typical rough start, Snell has turned into the ace he can be earlier in the year than he did last year. He has really turned his season around. In his last five starts, he has 56ks in 36 IP, a 0.50 era and a 0.8 whip. There hasn't been anyone better over that span.

man this could be the worst jinx of 2023. shhhhhh

[madducks]

The Padres release 43-year old Nelson Cruz..

[rhd]

Ha Seong Kim, who has a reputation as a glove-first IFer, is on a pace for a 20/30 season. He has 14 HR and 19 SB thru 102 Padres games, which projects to 22 HR and 30 SB. He has 3.6 fWAR. which projects to 5.7 for the year. He is slashing .273/.364/.446. The player that shifted him out of his most valuable position, Xander Bogaerts, has 2.5 fWAR, projecting to 4.0 over the season, and is slashing .264/.345/.429, which is not bad but not as good as Kim and Bogaerts is making $25.45 mil while Kim is making $7 mil. And Kim is 3 years younger.

[madducks]

Josh Hader and Blake Snell are reportedly on the trading block.

[GwynnInTheHall]

Josh Hader and Blake Snell are reportedly on the trading block.

That's not what the club is saying, in fact they've said the opposite as recently as yesterday. From everything I've heard, they're still looking to add and make a run at the WC.