EVT roundtable reaction: How will the time off affect the Padres?
Credit: EVT Sports
The San Diego Padres’ 2020 season is on hold. How will this affect the team moving forward? The writers at EVT discuss.
The delay of the baseball season shook the baseball world last week.
Every baseball team will be affected by the delay of the baseball season. Positively or negatively, we will have to wait to find out. Nobody knows how long the delay will be or how different the 2020 season will be when it comes to scheduling and games played. It’s also very possible that we will not know for many months.
The San Diego Padres are like every team right now, wondering what to do and how this time off will affect their 2020 season. Here’s how some of the members of the East Village Times team think the Padres will be affected.
In the likelihood that there aren’t 162 games played in 2020, win totals will be thrown off from betting predictions. The consensus for the San Diego Padres was a slightly above .500 club. Does this change now?
In terms of team performance in your eyes(wins), do you think the Padres will win more games or lose more games due to the cancelation of Spring Training and the delay of the MLB season?
Aaron Plotsky:
“That’s a difficult question because every team is dealing with this. I suppose their win total will most likely be the same since it’s an equally difficult adjustment across the board.”
Diane Calkins:
“Unlike injuries to key players or other individual team setbacks, this affects all teams. Much depends upon the way each team handles the time off. This being a unique situation, there’s no guidebook. If the Padres can manage to keep players on some kind of plan that mimics the usual preparation, the team can come close to achieving the level of play predicted by various media outlets at the beginning of Spring Training of around 83 wins, which would be a vast improvement. The most positive aspect of an extremely difficult situation is that all teams face the same challenges.”
Chris Spiering:
“I think the Padres will win more games due to the season being suspended. This team is hungry for wins, and I believe the clubhouse will get it right.”
Jason Freund:
“I think the Padres will actually win more games due to the cancellation of Spring Training. Tommy Pham will get time to recover from any lingering effects of the elbow injury he suffered while Fernando Tatis Jr. will completely recover from the bout of flu he had to deal with. The difference won’t be major, maybe just a game or two, but it will be a net positive for San Diego.”
Dominic Stearn:
“It’s hard to tell because there’s a lot of uncertainty surrounding the Padres for 2020. An all-new coaching staff and several new pieces can make it tough for the team to get through this. I had them before the Spring Training slightly above .500. I now see them right at .500 in a slight decrease of winning.”
The time off will test the will and grit of every player. They all hate the offseason and want to get back out on the field as soon possible, so this time off after getting back in action is surely not ideal. However, all players deal with time off differently. How will it affect players individually?
What Padres player, prospect, or pro, do you think the time off hurts the most?
Aaron Plotsky:
“Dinelson Lamet. Coming off of such a dominant spring and with so much hype, it’ll be interesting to see how the non-vet handles his workload and on-ramping.”
Diane Calkins:
“I think pitchers, who are even more creatures of habit than position players, would be most adversely affected. Of the position players, Wil Myers could be hurt the most. He’d been on a roll, displaying renewed energy and confidence, while playing well on both sides of the ball. He had gone from the guy the team couldn’t wait to unload to the probable starting right fielder.”
Chris Spiering:
“I think this time off hurts Wil Myers the most. He has been on fire this spring and now is told to take a long break. I could be very wrong, but I assume he will slow down because he will be stressed about playing up his spring performance.”
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Matt Evans:
“Garrett Richards. From a throwing program standpoint for a guy coming off of Tommy John surgery, this may be the worst-case scenario. While Richards has looked very good in his spring training innings and bullpen sessions, getting his arm into regular-season mode most likely was a very calculated schedule put together by Richards, team doctors, and Padres leadership. A break in baseball activity, especially getting to face live batters in game situations, could be the utmost non-ideal situation. For the Padres to be in contention in 2020 as their own leadership, and some media outlets as well predict, Garrett Richards will need to be an effective part of that rotation. Hopefully, they have some contingencies in place for this time off.”
Jason Freund:
“I think the time off will hurt Eric Hosmer the most. Hosmer was getting consistent time with coaches, especially Bobby Dickerson, to improve his fielding. If either he or Dickerson return home and don’t stay at the training facility, I think Hosmer will begin to fall back on his old ways once the season begins because he didn’t undergo the same drills as he did in Spring Training.”
Dominic Stearn:
“Wil Myers. He found his groove in Spring Training after what seemed like a really good offseason for him. He will now need to restart. This also gives more time for more Wil Myers trade rumors.”
What Padres player, prospect, or pro, do you think benefits from the time off the most?
Aaron Plotsky:
“Garrett Richards. Coming off of four years of elbow injuries and – most recently – TJ, the extra time can be utilized for extra build up. Depending on if the season becomes shortened, it could actually help him not get shut down, if that were an option on the table.”
Diane Calkins:
“Tommy Pham, who has been out with the dreaded side soreness, will have time to recover fully. The Padres value his leadership abilities, but it would have been difficult for an injured player to fulfill that role. This also benefits players like Fernando Tatis Jr., who missed time because of a more benign flu bug than Coronavirus.”
Matt Evans:
“From a big club standpoint, this is probably the best news for Tommy Pham. With the chronicled elbow injury, causing him to be eased in during spring training, this baseball hiatus may be the best thing for him. Anyone who follows Pham on social media can see he is a work out warrior, so being in playing shape by the time things get ramped should not be an issue. The time off should benefit his elbow, as long as the injury is not more serious than is being reported, which I’m sure all Padres fans hope is the case.”
Chris Spiering:
“I think Tommy Pham benefits this the most. He now will have more to recover from shoulder surgery, while also teaching this team leadership. He will play a big role this season.”
Jason Freund:
“Tommy Pham, without a doubt. We saw Pham in the lineup, but normally as the designated hitter. As this is not the American League, Pham will have to play in the field, and that means throwing the baseball. With his elbow, the way it is, Pham’s status was up in the air, but now he will have more time to rest his arm and hopefully start a throwing program to get back on track for the season.”
Dominic Stearn:
“Brian Dozier. He signed late and got off to a bit of a late start in Spring Training. This time off will give him an opportunity to get back in the swing of things.”
Minor league players might get hit the hardest during the time off. With limited pay and resources, the San Diego Padres, along with other teams, are figuring out how to keep player development despite not being at Spring Training.
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Dominic is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism. He also is the producer and co-host of the “Padres EVT Podcast.”