Padres Editorial: What the San Diego Padres NEED to Do

3. Build around Drew Pomeranz

Before this season, Drew Pomeranz was pretty much a nobody. Previously pitching with the Rockies and the Athletics, Pomeranz never went more than 100 innings. He had a pretty decent 2014 with Oakland, but other than that, he’s struggled immensely. It looks as though the 27 year old lefty has finally found his comfort zone. With Tyson Ross being out since opening day, Pomeranz has been the ace of the Friars pitching staff. He’s 7-7 with a 2.76 ERA, 102 K’s, and 87 IP in 15 starts. For a pitching staff that ranks towards the bottom in all of baseball, Pomeranz has been the only bright spot. Questions have arised whether the Padres should or should not trade him before the deadline, simply because his production may not last. I think that’s incorrect. Pomeranz looks like he finally has control of his curveball, and being able to mix it with his decent fastball has allowed him to keep hitters off-balance. Keep Pomeranz, and build around him. He has the potential to continue to be solid, and with him just starting his prime, this kid could be something special. The Padres are in desperate need of boosting their pitching rotation. Trading Kemp for a decent starting pitcher should be their number 1 priority, and signing one this offseason should be another goal. Getting Tyson Ross for 2017 back should help the staff a little bit, but it seems to be clearing up that Drew Pomeranz is the new sheriff in town. Keeping him will help the team for now, and building a rotation around him gives the team a solid centerpiece to feed off of.

4. Trade Jon Jay

The Padres traded away 2B Jedd Gyorko this offseason to the Cardinals for CF Jon Jay. Jay has proved to be a productive leadoff hitter for the team, batting .296 and having an OBP of .345. The only problem with Jay is this: his contract expires after this season. With the Padres having a ton of outfield prospects, the organization is reluctant to re-sign the 31 year old. So, take the easy route. Trade Jay to whoever needs a veteran leader to make a playoff run and acquire some pitching prospects. No playoff contender will give up a starting pitcher for the Padres leadoff man, but for a team willing to make a run, prospects are obtainable. Jay has playoff experience, making the playoffs every year in St. Louis and winning a World Series in 2011. The Nationals, for example, could be a good fit for Jay, as their center fielders have struggled all year. With Travis Jankowski playing well in Center Field, and Manuel Margot being a pure Center Fielder, the Padres can afford to trade Jay for some pitching. Doesn’t matter where he goes, but because of his age and contract, Jay should be gone before the July trade deadline.

5. Keep Melvin Upton Jr. while he is producing

Ask any Padres fan who the most valuable player on the team is and you’ll probably get an array of different responses. Some will say Matt Kemp due to his power, others will tell you Wil Myers because he has just been an all around freak of nature. Well, if you ask us that question, we’ll tell you it’s Melvin Upton Jr. Despite his contract being absolutely horrible, Upton Jr. has started to become productive. Assuming he plays in at 150 games at least, Upton Jr. is on pace to hit 22 home runs, drive in 72 runs, get 142 hits, and swipe somewhere around 34 bases. If you were unaware, these numbers are very similar to those he put up with the Rays at the beginning of his career. Why is Upton Jr. the MVP you may ask? The guy does it all. He not only hits for contact, but has some pop in his bat (11 home runs, 8 doubles). He is dangerous on the base paths, as Upton Jr. has stolen 30+ bags 5 times in his career, and already has 17 this season. His speed allows him to be a defensive prowess in left field, and his laser for an arm gives the Padres the defensive outfielder they need. So, with all the Padres prospects, why not trade Upton Jr. while his value is up? Not the best idea. Although the team has highly touted prospects, it may not be a good idea to rely the future on a bunch of rookies. With Kemp and Jay already gone in this hypothetical situation, the Friars should keep Upton Jr. as long as he is producing. He’s a good hitter for the most part, and it is uncertain what the Padres will get out of their young players. Keep Upton Jr. for the remainder of this season, and if his production starts to fall off, trade him in the offseason to a team that needs an outfielder. But for now, while he’s swinging the bat well and playing hard, let Upton Jr. keep doing what he does best.

6. Upgrade the Bullpen

Throughout their years, the Padres have struggled in many aspects of the game of baseball. However, the Padres bullpen, in recent memory, has been one of the team’s few bright spots. Since 2005, the Padres have finished in the top ten when it comes to bullpen rankings eight times, including a number one finish in 2010 and a number two finish in 2014. The Padres were the home of one of the greatest closers ever, Trevor Hoffman, and also included two superstar closers in Heath Bell and Craig Kimbrel. Their bullpen has always been one of the best in the business, except for this year. So far, the Padres bullpen holds a 12-9 record with a 4.25 ERA, ranking #23 according to ESPN. The Friars do not have a single reliable reliever or set up man, and when their starters don’t go past 5 or 6 innings, that’s a problem. Only one man has been productive out of the pen, and that’s their closer Fernando Rodney. The 39-year-old is having the best season of his career. He’s pitched in 28 games, and has an ERA of 0.31 as he’s only given up 2 runs this year. Don’t forget he hasn’t blown a save yet this year as he is 17 for 17. Rodney has been great and all but Padres fans often forget he is 39 years old. This may be the “Arrows” last season, and if he retires the team has no reliable person to step up and own the role. Every successful team needs a shutdown bullpen, especially when the starting rotation is not that great. Trading and or signing free agent relievers is crucial for the Padres because without one, struggles will continue to happen.

Diego Solares

Diego works at Prep Baseball Report as an Area Scout in Illinois and Missouri. He graduated this spring with a Bachelor Degree in Communications and played four years of college baseball, logging nearly 50 innings of work in a relief role. Diego hopes to work in an MLB front office one day and has been a Padres fan since he was six years old.