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Not a fan of the Latos to the Reds trade and here's why;
First and foremost, I do not understand the reasoning behind trading the best player on the team when he's only 24, controllable until 2016, and is more than affordable. I thought the Padres approach was to keep these guys.
Secondly, Grandal is obviously the key piece and only positive gain in this trade. The Padres do have Jason Hagerty developing but he's nowhere near as good ans Grandal is now, and Austin Hedges won't be catching in the big leagues for atleast 4 years or more.
I do not get acquiring Yonder Alonso at all. The Padres already have Anthony Rizzo, who is younger, and by all accounts and scouting analyses, better and deeper in potential than Alonso. I just don't understand this. Other than Alonso having a good 80 plus at bats at the major league level, while Rizzo struggled mightily, there's not much to go off of to try and argue Alonso is the better option. At least I haven't seen it.
Boxberger is a nice looking reliever, but so long as PETCO plays the way it does, the Padres will churn out relievers with ease. Heath Bell and Mike Adams were nobodies before coming to San Diego, only to become hot commodities on the trade and free agent market. The Padres do not need more pitching, especially relief pitching when they can make anyone look good to great in that park and the division.
Volquez has been an otherwise flop on the losing end of the Josh Hamilton trade barring his 2008 year. Add to that he's 4 years older than Latos, and hasn't been as good in more time, and I again don't get the acquisition. He also has control issues and I doubt that's a result of where pitches.
Overall, I feel like all the Padres did was fill a big hole by creating another one. While they upgraded long term at catcher with Grandal, who instantly cracks their top prospect list, the downgraded their rotation both in the short and long term. While the Padres have tons of pitching depth on the current roster and with prospects, they are lacking a true, top-of-the-rotation type of arm in the system and Latos no doubt was that. His numbers indicate that he could likely be the number 1 over Cueto in Cincy, as he was not overly aided by PETCO park like others. The Padres also create an even deeper logjam on the major league roster at 1st base, with 3 first baseman, 2 of which need playing time at the major league level, with Jesus Guzman, Kyle Blanks and Anthony Rizzo having no clue as to how all three will be in the lineup. Alonso now adds to that confusion, and heir apparent Adrian Gonzalez successor Anthony Rizzo is now likely to be traded elsewhere.
I am HEAVILY against trading Rizzo away, and don't see the point of sending him back to AAA. I am blindly wishing/hoping GM Josh Byrnes has some deal waiting where Alonso is used to acquire a corner outfielder and another electric, ace type pitching prospect, but, in all likelyhood, Rizzo is on his way out and Alonso is the guy going forward.
Not a happy Padres camper right now.
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