Sure, the Padres are struggling this year at the dish, but why not just add another pitcher? Heck, while you’re at it, why not one of the best ones in the game?
As it has been said – and written over and over – no one expected the Padres to be one of the top teams in the National League this season. All of the story lines during spring training through the first month of the season surrounded when and where the Padres would trade All-Stars Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell. The only problem is that the Padres have refused to let go of first place in the NL West.
While it’s true the Dodgers are fighting injuries and inconsistency, and the Rockies are without their star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, the Padres keep finding ways to win and prove that they are here to stay.
Now, with the trade deadline just a month away it is time to get serious about adding in the final pieces for a deep playoff run.
Padres owner Jeff Moorad told AOL Fanhouse that the club is willing to take on payroll should the right deal come about.
“There’s no doubt we’ll spend the money if there’s a piece that we think makes sense,” Moorad said. “I think we need to be convinced that there are pieces that make sense, both short term as well as whatever it would cost to bring them in from a prospect standpoint.”
You don’t have to look far to hear a fan screaming for a middle-of-the-order bat to help protect Gonzalez, but where are the truly viable options?
David Dejesus in Kansas City is having the best season of his career, but is towards the end of his prime and would be the highest paid Padres player next season.
Jose Bautista and Alex Gonzalez in Toronto are both having career years that appear more of a statistical anomaly than an All-Star campaign.
Cleveland outfielder Austin Kearns is an attractive option on the cheap, but with just an average bat and below average defense there is no guarantee that he would get everyday playing time in San Diego.
Other options – like Carlos Lee and Vernon Wells – are well out of the Padres price range, even if they are willing to take on salary.
So they why not a pitcher?
While it is true that sooner or later the pitching statistics will come back to a statistical mean, what Bud Black an Darren Balsley have done with a sophomore pitcher in Mat Latos – on pace to throw a career-high 194 innings – Kevin Correia’s up and down season and doubts about Chris Young’s health this year, another arm may be enough to put the Padres over the top.
General Manager Jed Hoyer has already said that the team would prefer to get a pitcher that will become a free agent after the season. In talking to Hoyer, this is because he believes that once a pitcher plays in Petco consistently they will be more willing to take a discount in order to revive their career numbers and compete in a division that is up for grabs – just as Jon Garland did this last offseason.
With that said, the most likely potential trade targets are dwindled down to Jake Westbrook, Kevin Millwood, Ted Lilly, Dontrelle Willis and Cliff Lee.
I’ll save both of our times by just avoiding those first four non-options.
Lee is no newcomer to the July 31 trade deadline. Last season he was shipped from Cleveland after winning the 2008 AL CY Young award to the Phillies where he proceeded to go 7-4 with a 3.39 ERA in 12 starts. Lee only got stronger during the postseason. In five starts he went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA and a complete game.
Sound good? Well, it’ll cost you.
In terms of Padres prospects, start a package with either a combination of Cedric Hunter and Corey Luebke, or Simon Castro and either James Darnell or Logan Forsythe and you just might get in the door to GM Jack Zduriencik’s office. (If you want to feel better about the Padres giving up a treasure chest of prospects for Lee, read this)
On the bright side, whatever team does acquire Lee will at least be guaranteed two high draft picks in a loaded 2011 draft if the team is unable to retain his services after this season.
In the last two years, aces that have been traded at the deadline have had profound effects on their new teams. As mentioned before, Lee solidified the Phillies rotation in 2009, but also in 2008 CC Sabathia single-handedly put the Brewers in the playoffs by going 11-2 for them with a 1.65 ERA after being acquired before the deadline.
So how about another arm in San Diego?
