Padres Editorial: Next Three Weeks are Crucial For the Padres
With the recent play of the team it is quite evident that Padres fans need to prepare themselves for a few changes. The San Diego Padres are probably done making any major roster moves for the next three weeks. I have been speculating the addition of a shortstop, but it appears the team will stand pat rather than deal prospects for unproven talent. That is really all that is available via trade. The team does not have a realistic shot at Troy Tulowitzki or Elvis Andrus. Their enormous contracts would surely not be appealing to the Padres at this point. All though with general manager A.J Preller, nothing is impossible.
The team however must get above .500 and within reach of the Los Angeles Dodgers for general manager to think about putting further chips into the pot. At this point the team has sacrificed a lot of young talent in order to gain a respectable lineup. That change was needed and the team has been revitalized. Losing Trea Turner, Joe Ross, Matt Wisler, Mallex Smith and others was a huge price to pay, but the stale offense needed major upgrades. Now if the Padres fail to get within reach of their immediate goal, whom will the Padres consider dealing?
The obvious name is Justin Upton. He is a free agent at the end of the season, and has surely priced himself out of San Diego. Some reports have Upton seeking up to $250 million dollars for a long-term contract. That in my estimation is way out of the price rage for the Padres. They would love to retain the slugger, but are likely to offer him far less than what he could get on the open market. If Upton is not dealt, the Padres will get a very high draft pick in the 2016 draft, but a single draft pick is not what the Padres are looking for. Not in my opinion.
The likelihood of Upton being dealt depends on the next few weeks. I cannot stress this enough. The team must come together, and do it very soon or their will be more changes ahead for the team. Besides Upton, Ian Kennedy would also most likely be dealt. Kennedy too is a free agent at the end of the year. His agent Scott Boras is going to seek top dollar for Kennedy and the Padres seem like an unlikely landing spot for him beyond 2015. His value is currently down, but Kennedy has a decent track record of success.
Those two alone would bring in very decent prospects for the Padres. Not a very nice thought to stomach, but Padres fans must be prepared for this scenario. The team is built to win now, and has failed to take a step in the right direction, That could happen at any time, and Padres fans have been anticipating it. Anything can happen in the game of baseball and hopefully new manager Pat Murphy can motivate the team.
Right around the All-Star break, the season will be evaluated by general manager A.J. Preller. The team must remain in reasonably good position for him to be a buyer at the trade deadline. If this team continues to fail and produce poorly then changes will be made. Preller has surely thought about every angle. The next weeks in America’s Finest City will be exciting regardless of what the Padres do on the field.
Hopefully Justin Upton has a long career as a San Diego Padres outfielder, but the future is definitely cloudy. There could be any number of given scenarios, depending on how the team plays. This current road trip will dictate a lot to where the team is headed. Padres fans will be rooting extra hard for the team to get back into the race and perform like they are capable of.
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.