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Anyone of they get paid. Money talks. Those are two good and realistic options for Toronto.
Meanwhile, in Padres land, our local shit paper is reporting the Padres are actually trying to free up payroll and are to move James Shields, Derek Norris, Joaquin Benoit and possibly Kimbrel.
Excluding whatever Norris gets, the other three combine for nearly $40 million in payroll relief, assuming they wouldn't take any on I moving them. That's two quality free agents.
I'm all for Norris, Benoit and Kimbrel moving.
Before Preller, and even Josh Byrnes, the Padres made living on acquiring cheap relief pitching and turning them into quality bullpen pieces. I'm not keen on having relievers, and closers, making nearly as much as the team's best starter for a third of the production.
Benoit may be a hard sell, as part of the reason in acquiring Kimbrel was due to Benoit being unable to consistently go back to back days. And while $8 mil is not terrible for someone with his production record, he's nearing 40 and his peripheral numbers do not support him maintaining his typically low strand and run prevention rates.
Kimbrel is undoubtedly great. Going into to last year, using his career innings as the qualifier, he was, arguably, the best reliever of all time, including Rivera. That's great and all, but it's a useless piece at his price on a team that's likely going to be a 75-80 win team. He's still young, and would be the best relief arm on the market, free agent or otherwise. Question is do needs a closer bad enough to make up for what was given up for him in return.
Norris is a decent player. Some pop. Before last year, drew a decent amount of walks, not terrible defensively. However, Austin Hedges is defensively ready now and his glove is rated as good as any top defensive catcher in the game. He needs to play, and with catcher being a thin position always, I think Norris has solid trade value.
Shields is the guy I would not move. He's coming off a down year, so value is low. Hits homerun rate was abnormal, but he touched highs in strikeout rates, so there's reason to believe he'll bounce back and return to form. There's also the fact that he's owed $21 mil each of the next three years. Hard sell coming off a bad season.
The starter I would trade is Ross. Tons of strikeouts, tons of groundballs, still in his prime and making less than market value. I think Ross long term is not going to hold due to poor mechanics and terrible command. Last year, hitters were noticeably laying off his slider and it took mixing in more changeups to turn his year around. He was actually about a win better last year than the year before. Given the deep market of pitching, it may dampen his value, however, given he's still got team control for two more seasons, and won't cost a draft pick and free agent money, teams may be willing to trade value for his services of they feel the free agent market is beyond their grasp.
The Padres biggest concern right now is defense, which they were near league worst in across the board, and balancing out an awfully right hande lineup with few average or better options. They have a spectacular defensive catcher in hand already. Packaging Norris, Ross and Kimbrel in some, easy shape or form could help them net a quality shortstop and centerfielder.
I am going the all-star game being in town doesn't blind ownership once more and that they reset the direction of the franchise by building for the future now after giving it away last season.
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