Padres Editorial: Brewer’s Banter- The complicated Padres starting rotation
The Complicated Padres Starting Rotation
On Thursday, the San Diego Padres starting rotation got even more complicated with the trade of Odrisamer Despaigne and the announcement that free agent signee Carlos Villanueva would be given a chance to earn a spot in the starting rotation during Spring Training. It’s pretty obvious that Despaigne wasn’t going to be in the mix for a starting rotation spot, but even so, the Padres now have at least five or six players competing for the final two spots in the starting rotation for next year. At this point, it is really anyone’s to win with no clear cut leaders. The starting rotation, and who will end up being a part of it, will likely be one of the biggest storylines of Spring Training for the Padres.
Will the Remaining Free Agents Ever Sign?
It’s already a week into February, Spring Training is a mere weeks away, and some big name free agents have still yet to sign this offseason. Yovani Gallardo, Dexter Fowler, Ian Desmond, Tyler Clippard, and a few others are all still looking for jobs, despite their past seasons of success. It is clear the qualifying offer has negatively impacted the value of Gallardo, Fowler and Desmond, but it was still expected that all three would sign by now. Obviously all of these guys will sign at some point, they are simply too good not to, but overall this process has certainly dragged on longer than it has in years past for quite a few players.
Say Goodbye to Odrisamer Despaigne
On Thursday, Padre fans had to say goodbye to Odrisamer Despaigne for the final team, as the former Padres starter/reliever was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for a low level minor leaguer named Jean Cosme. Despaigne had clearly fallen out of favor with both Padre fans and the Padre front office after a poor 2015 season. Even so, it will be sad to see Despaigne pitching for another team other than the Padres in 2015.
Can the Diamondbacks Make the Postseason?
With so much action this offseason, the recent talk has been about which teams have done the most to improve and thus which teams have put themselves in playoff position. While the Padres clearly are not in a playoff position for the 2016 season, the revamped Arizona Diamondbacks. With the signings/acquisitions of Zack Greinke, Shelby Miller, Jean Segura, among some others, the D’backs have proved this offseason that they are the real deal in the National League West. Even with so much movement, and some improvement, the D’backs still may play second fiddle to the juggernaut that is both the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants atop the NL West. At the end of the day, the Diamondbacks went all in, but still could be left out in the dark.
Is the Padres Roster Now Complete?
With the trade of Odrisamer Despaigne, and the official signing of Fernando Rodney, questions have been asked about what is next for the San Diego Padres. At this point in the offseason, it seems like the Padres roster is looking pretty much complete. Nearly every position has been filled, and every big trade has been made. Obviously some moves can still happen, but it appears that big moves, such as trading Andrew Cashner, Tyson Ross, or anyone else, appear more and more unlikely. The trade deadline should be busy for the Padres, but it appears the team may be done wheeling and dealing until then.
Are any trades on the horizon?
While no Padre trades seem to be on the horizon, there still could be moves outside of San Diego. Rumors have surrounded Andre Ethier, Jonathan Lucroy, and several other players, and even though it is late into the offseason, one or more of these players could still be traded. This offseason has been a busy one on the trade market, and with most of the biggest free agents signed, and a weak free agent class coming up next offseason, there still could be quite a market for quite a few players still available via trade. This offseason could still have a lot left in the tank before pitchers and catchers report this month.
Editorial and Prospect Writer for East Village Times. Twenty-five years young, Patrick has lived in San Diego for his entire life and has been a Padres fan nearly as long. Patrick lives for baseball and is always looking to learn new things about the game he loves through advanced stats.