Lindor rumors prove Padres are on a mission
Credit: USA Today Sports
Francisco Lindor in a San Diego Padres uniform?
It came through Twitterverse on Friday that the San Diego Padres may be speaking to the Cleveland Indians once again about a trade.
Not a big deal. The Indians have a few top-of-the-rotation type pitchers that could be of interest to the Padres. Shane Bieber and Mike Clevinger would be massive additions to the Padres staff. Even veterans Carlos Carrasco or Corey Kluber would be helpful for a young staff looking for a boost.
Pitching makes sense, but the latest rumor has the Padres asking Cleveland about Francisco Lindor.
Huh? With Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado on the roster, the addition of an All-Star shortstop seems challenging to comprehend.
Okay. These were just rumors. It is important not to believe all you see and hear from “sources” who aren’t considered mainstream media. Still, there is the belief that where there is smoke- there is likely fire, especially when it comes to Preller.
The Padres were not supposed to be able to sign Eric Hosmer or Manny Machado, and we all know how that ended. Nothing can be taken for granted when it comes to A.J. Preller and his quest to bring the City of San Diego it’s first major sports title. He is on a mission.
Prospects are being dealt for relevant Major League talent. The time appears to be now. This regime and its ownership will never publically say so- but the team is going for it. They are attempting to win now, and that is an exciting thing. Not since the first few months of the 2015 season, has then franchise positioned itself for relevancy.
Now getting back to Lindor. What the heck is Preller doing? Are these rumors true?
Lindor can’t pitch. He might have a million-dollar smile, but can the man stop a losing streak by throwing eight shutout innings for a ballclub? That appears to be the Padres’ significant need. The franchise needs (for lack of better words) an ace. Sure, MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patino are coming. Chris Paddack flashed ace-like tendencies last year. But all those men are young and inexperienced. If this team truly intends to win now, they will need to survive multiple playoff series. That is where that “horse” at the front of your rotation makes sense.
Francisco Lindor, in a Padres’ brown uniform or donning the white pinstripes, is very intriguing, but the bottom line is that he DOES NOT fit a need for this team. Not to even mention the cost of Lindor, who will probably make over $35 million in arbitration alone for the remaining two years left on his deal. Then he will want a $200 million contract at the very least. The Padres will not be able to retain him.
Sure, Lindor can play second base, but he is a terrific defender at shortstop. It seems excessive to acquire him only to play second base. Especially, when the Padres traded two prospects who spent time on the MLB pipeline top-30 list for the Padres (Buddy Reed and Austin Allen) for Jurickson Profar. The former Texas Rangers’ top prospect is likely to man the keystone for the Padres in 2020. Adding Lindor would essentially make Profar and expensive bench piece. The team already has Ian Kinsler and Greg Garcia on the 40-man as well.
There is this to consider. The Padres and their savvy general manager may only be driving up the price tag for Lindor, who has been rumored to the Dodgers several different times this winter. This strategy makes sense as Los Angeles can pay the price the Indians want for their shortstop. The Padres could be throwing the names of their top young players out there in an attempt to drive up the asking price. The Dodgers stand directly in the way of the playoff path the Padres wish to walk.
Franciso Lindor to the Padres is fun to think about, but unless he is coming with a stud pitcher- this makes little sense for the San Diego Padres.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
Zero chance you get a starter from the Indians, they traded Kluber and the rest will be needed for them. Padres will have to look elsewhere for pitching. Lindor if traded will go to the Dodgers, but…. they will have to overwhelm them with offer. They can keep Lindor for the year. I’m afraid you Padres fans are in a dream thinking you are getting him. But dream on.
Thank you Bob for your permission to “dream on.”
I think the padres should find a way to “retire” Myers. Retire him and offer him 1% of the team. Its more than he would get for playing, and the payroll picture is resolved. I would take offers for Hosmer, and put the savings into Pitching. Offer Bumgarner a 2yr deal with a base salary of 12MM/yr, and add incentives to get him to 16MM. Possibly try to get Gray from the Rockies, offer Hosmer, and a low A, and a 5th rd pick? This is a few possibilities.
Hosmer has a no trade clause. And I’m pretty sure that the Rockies would want more than a bag of balls (such as Hosmer and a pick) for Gray.
Bumgarner already has an offer a $70m, so $32m contract ain’t gonna get it done.
Hosmer has a no trade clause for at least one more year.
“ It is important not to believe all you see and hear from “sources” who aren’t considered mainstream media”. Main stream media is garbage. So is this rumor.
If mainstream media is garbage…….. how did you get so well informed to confirm this rumor isn’t true?
Sure, it would be nice to have an infield of Machado at 3b, Lindor at SS and Tatis at 2B. <— Sorry, until Tatis cuts down on the errors, Lindor is the superior defensive SS.
Can't think of a better offensive / defensive infield in recent memory (yes, including Hosmer in the group).
But…….Lets think about the cost of a Lindor trade.
Exhibit A) Profar just cost not one, but two top 30 prospects from the #1 farm system in the league. <—- For a 1 year, $5.8M rental coming off a sub par season.
If that is the benchmark…..I'm thinking Lindor (an all world SS who has 2 years left under team control) is gonna be mighty expensive to pry away from the Indians.
For example, the Dodgers would probably need to include the following: Lux and May…just to get the ball rolling on trade talks. <—More than one outlet has suggested this in a Lindor trade for the Dodgers
Mull that cost over for a moment. And….the Indians would be justified in asking for it. Who is better at SS, offense and defense combined, than Lindor in the last 5 years? The guy AVERAGES 5.7 WAR a season!
Now……..That's the equivalent of the Padres trading Gore AND Campusano and likely 2 more prospects such as Abrams and Morejon / Trammell just to get equivalent value.
Personally……the cost is way over the top too much!
Now…..if the Indians kicked in a young cost controlled #1 starter (Bieber), and a young SS/2B prospect like Tyler Freeman then you've got something to consider.
Otherwise……NO!
Great ide as on tatis in center
It’s not a new idea, it is also reality. He has spent a great deal of team on the DL each of the past 3 years. That does not bode well for the future. This emphasizes the need to have someone like Urias who can defensively play SS, as well as Machado.
Not Lindor. Get Whitfield to take second. Then trade Profar for pitching! We need starting pitchers!!!
Lindor + Clevenger not only opens the Padre playoff Window, it opens the Padres World Series Window ————NOW!
1. Tatis
2. Pham
3. Lindor
4. Machado
5. Hosmer
6. Myers/Cordero
7. Ghrisham/Margot (Margot rakes against Lefties)
8. Mejia/Hedges
1. Clevenger
2. Paddack
3. Lamet
4. Gore
5. Richards
Bullpen
Shortens it a 6 inning game
1. Yates
2. Pomeranz
3. Munoz
4. Strahm
5. Castillo
6. Baez
7. Davies
The Bench is as good as the Padres have had in a long time and this bullpen is as good and deep as any Padre bullpen ever. To get Lindor and Clevenger I would trade any prospects not named Gore or Campusano.
Thanks for the article. If you think about, given all his crazy moves in the past, what trade or signing would really surprise us at this point? If he signed Hosmer when there was no need, when he was redundant, when he was a little above average but everything screamed an immanent decline, when AJ just extended his first baseman Myers to an overpriced deal, when 1B is the easiest position to fill, when this displace several other players, when no one else was bidding on Hosmer, when there was no need to go past 1, or 2, or 3, or 4, or 5, or 6, or SEVEN years…he did so anyway.
So why not trade for Lindor, and for Seager, and for Story, and for Correa…..(if they could). If so, I would probably have the same reaction after just about every Preller move (e.g. giving up value for 1 year of a player who was going to get but in an hour; giving up the future for past-their-prime-has-beens; etc). It would just be a matter of how many PTBNL’s would be involved, and how much unneccesary value Preller would throw away.
Here is an interesting thought. Lindor at SS and Tatis moving to CF less wear and tear on his body and just imagine the area he would cover. If Lindor leaves via FA in 2 yrs. Tatis moves back to SS. What do you think?
He’d be dynamic in CF. Long Strides getting to balls in the gap.