EVT roundtable reaction: How will the time off affect the Padres?

How do you think this affects the Padres player development?

Aaron Plotsky:
“Very little if at all. While official games have all been canceled, individual training and improvements will still be happening, especially with so much technology at players’ disposal. Nothing compares to real games and real competition, but it’s still work.”

Chris Spiering:
“I think this can only affect the Padres’ player development in a positive way. With more time to train, this should benefit the young players.”

Jason Freund:
“Many minor leaguers will be unable to receive the same coaching that they may have gotten otherwise. This will hurt development.”

Dominic Stearn:
“I think this is a big deal. Without live reps, the pros will surely need some time to get back in full swing. As for prospects, this can really bring them down. They already aren’t getting paid, so now they are on their own without team workouts and meals. Some teams have already stepped in to help their prospects. The Padres should definitely do the same, especially since the Padres have used their farm system to market the team to fans.”

There will now be a break from the 2020 Spring Training and 2020 regular season. Teams will now have to evaluate Spring Training results differently, given the gap.

Should the 2020 Spring Training results, team and individual, be considered for making the opening day roster anymore?

Aaron Plotsky:
“Spring training stats are only relevant for prospects and fringe players, so I don’t think spring training results were much of consideration regardless, considering the Padres 26-man roster was all but set already.”

Diane Calkins:
“Spring training results should definitely be considered for the opening day roster. The players have been in Peoria for several weeks, and the Padres have played 29 games for an 18-11 record. Management and the coaching staff should have more than enough information from this sample size to make decisions.”

Chris Spiering:
“Some of the outfielders fighting for a spot did well in the short spring. Abraham Almonte looks like he has a chance at making the opening day roster. Other than that, I don’t expect to see many surprises.”

Jason Fruend:
“No, I don’t think the results should matter as much anymore. What matters the most is looking at how the players react to this two-week hiatus and how they rebound from it.”

Dominic Stearn:
“I’m a person that looks at Spring Training stats as if they do matter. As long as a pitcher is throwing to a batter, they have to be giving their best effort, and the results matter. With that being said, there will be too much time between Spring Training and the regular season for it to be a good judgment for your lineup, rotation, and bullpen. The Padres will need to find another way to decide between position battles, and it might just have to be a plug and play in the beginning of the regular season.”

Coaches and management can definitely still work with and contact players to make sure the team is consistent with them. How the San Diego Padres do that, though, will be crucial.

How should the Padres organization approach this time off from a preparation standpoint?

Aaron Plotsky:
“The main thing is making sure that all the pitchers have a set program that’s adjustable for how long suspension of play will be. It could be two weeks, which is no longer than a typical IL stint. However, it will most likely be ~6+ weeks until play resumes.”

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Diane Calkins:
“This may be another unknowable as the world, the United States all the way down to MLB are trying to deal with an unknown. Since the most important goal right now is a containment of COVID-19, gatherings of people should be discouraged. Containment basically overrides every other concern right now. The best the team can do is advise to players to try to stick to their basic workout routines as much as they can individually.”

Chris Spiering:
“The Padres should approach this situation with caution as everyone should. But in terms of preparation, the organization should try and have the team bond as much as possible to get the team chemistry where it needs to be. The team wants to win. We know that now is where they begin the journey.”

Jason Freund:
“They should prepare by keeping their players healthy, first and foremost. Keep everything as clean as possible in terms of the locker room and overall equipment. Informal practices will help keep the players in shape for the season.”

Dominic Stearn:
“It has come to the point where all the players need to leave camp and be by themselves. The coaches and management should keep tabs and communicate with every player throughout this period. As long as they know what each and every player is doing and how they’re feeling, they should be fine.”

This time also affects us at East Village Times. Our love for the team led us to this group to write about the team.

Lastly, what will you miss most about Padres baseball?

Aaron Plotsky:
“I really wanted to see Lamet, Paddack, Richards, Machado, Tatis, and the bullpen. It’s a fun group with more potential still on the table, especially Machado.”

Diane Calkins:
“Every year since I was a kid (and a rabid Dodger fan), I thought opening day should be a national holiday. As an adult, I always arrange my schedule to watch the first game. After so many frustrating years, I have been looking forward to this season more than any in the last ten years. In tough times (personal or collective), fans can always lose themselves in the game. Now we face a global pandemic with no ball at all.”

Chris Spiering:
“I will miss watching the young stars have fun playing the game. I always miss Padres baseball when it isn’t on.”

Jason Freund:
“I will miss seeing my favorite players take the field. Watching players like Tatis and Chris Paddack gives a San Diego sports fan like me hope for the future. I’ll miss the sounds of a ball hitting the glove and the crack of the bat. Also, the witty commentary of Don Orsillo and Mark Grant made Padres baseball must-watch, so not being able to listen to them on a daily basis will put just a little less joy in my life.”

Dominic Stearn:
“I always capped off my nights by watching Padres baseball. All 27 outs, no matter the score, I watched the entire game. If they lost, I went to sleep pissed off. If they won, I woke up happy. I guess I now will need a new nightly routine to start the spring.”

Dominic Stearn

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.”