The Padres Are Out of Excuses Not to Sign Manny Machado
Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY
The top free agents in baseball still do not have a home and that includes Manny Machado. The Padres are out of reasons to not sign him.
Manny Machado still remains unsigned less than three weeks before pitchers and catchers report.
The infielder is widely considered one of the top two available free agents on the market this offseason, along with Bryce Harper, who also shockingly, remains team-less. There have been rumors that a “mystery team” is in on Machado and perhaps offering him more money than the White Sox had been reported to offer.
With recent articles coming out frustrating fans about the lack of spending and alleged “penny-pinching” by Padres ownership, this would come as a welcome surprise.
Frankly, the Padres are out of excuses not to sign Manny Machado.
If the rumors are true that Machado is mostly interested in who can pay him the most, there is no reason why the Padres cannot be a front-runner to sign the four-time All-Star and Platinum Glove recipient. We are talking about a generational talent here, available at the ripe age of 26 years old.
Not sure if it qualifies them for “Mystery Team” status, but the Padres have checked in w/ Machado, Moustakas, Marwin and yes, Harper. Their plan is to shoot for 2020, and no word yet they’ve made offers to any of the 4, but they could move up the timetable with one big buy.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 23, 2019
Let’s take a look at some “excuses” floating around about why the Padres would not sign Machado and debunk them.
“He’s too expensive.”
It’s now well documented that the Padres have money to spend. The cat is out of the bag. The Padres payroll is just south of $75 million, which is almost $30 million less than last season when the Padres were at about $104 million. The current league average for payroll is over $118 million. The Padres rank 25th in the league, over $40 million short of that number.
The Padres could easily sign Manny Machado and still be under the league’s average payroll. An offer of 10 years for $310 million ($31 million per year) would put the Padres at about $103 million for 2019, which is not only below the league’s average but below their own payroll from last season.
That contract idea leads me to the second excuse that has been spreading…
“10 years is too long of a commitment.”
Like I mentioned before, Machado is still only 26 years old. A 10-year contract would put him at 36 years old. Robinson Cano and Albert Pujols both received gaudy 10-year contracts that maybe have not paid off to its full value on the field. Cano signed that contract before his age 31 season. That’s five years older than Machado. And Pujols? He was 32.
Both of these men will be over 40 years old when those contracts expire. Machado will be barely into his mid-30’s. Not all 10-year contracts are created equal. One could argue that this situation is unprecedented, perhaps the only precedent being his free agent counterpart Bryce Harper.
Ignore previous 10-year contracts, this one will be different.
“He’s a jerk.”
I’m not here to say he has not done questionable things. I even tweeted my disgust with some of his playoff antics last season, but looking back, it was mostly due to the fact that he was playing for the Dodgers in the NLCS and I was bitter. There’s no denying he plays with a certain…edge. But you know what? The Padres have zero edge. No attitude. No fight. Machado wants to win. Give me a guy like that on my team.
Plus, his teammates seem to like him and vice versa.
Just a reminder about how a couple of old Machado teammates feel about him. pic.twitter.com/8vGrr20qag
— cook (@cook17) January 23, 2019
He has not been charged with domestic abuse. He has not been suspended for Performance Enhancing Drugs. He has not been arrested or dragged out of a club. Forgive me for thinking a few minor on-field antics are inconsequential to his talent and what he can do to a baseball at the plate.
“It doesn’t fit the timeline.”
A team’s “window” is usually predicated on when they think they will have good enough players to make a playoff push. Do you know who instantly makes a lineup look similar to a playoff lineup? Manny Machado. Signing Machado would create a new window. He’s the type of player that could shift timelines. Imagine the young (and Latin), talented prospects the Padres have that would look up to a player like Machado and perhaps play up to his level? 2019 would become the new 2020 if Machado is wearing Padre threads this next season. Even if it doesn’t, he would be signed long term, thus still being a huge part of the team when they expect to be good.
A player of Machado’s talent changes entire organizations. The Dodgers don’t win the NL Pennant without Machado. The Orioles are not remotely relevant over the past half-decade without Machado. Do you want to make a move that will dwarf the fanfare that Eric Hosmer brought? Sign Manny Machado.
“We don’t need him.”
Stop it. Yes “we” do. Over the past four seasons, Machado has averaged 36 home runs, a .284 average and a 128 wRC+. The Padres’ best hitter over that span has been Wil Myers, who has averaged .252 with 19 home runs and a 111 wRC+. Plus the Padres have a gaping hole at third base, where Machado plays his best defense (two Gold Gloves and the aforementioned Platinum Glove). The Padres haven’t had a Gold Glover at any position since 2012.
Of course, the Padres need Manny Machado. Fernando Tatis Jr. would love to play next to someone he draws comparisons to. If the Padres are serious about being respectable in 2019 and contending in 2020, Machado is the move to make.
Native of Escondido, CA. Lived in San Diego area for 20 years. Padres fan since childhood (mid-90s). I have been writing since 2014. I currently live near Seattle, WA and am married to a Seattle sports girl. I wore #19 on my high school baseball team for Tony Gwynn. I am a stats and sports history nerd. I attended BYU on the Idaho campus. I also love Star Wars.
I think it was great for Ron Fowler to publicize the Padres financial situation a couple of weeks ago. It made me realize we are on the right path (financially).
However, how many huge contracts can the Pads absorb ? And spending money doesn’t equate to victory. Shields, Myers, M. Upton, Hosmer, Kemp, Olvera, Hughes – the Pads paid big money to all of these guys and got very little in return. The Padres being in the conversation for Machado only helps his agent’s bargaining power. If they think it’s worth bidding, I wouldn’t offer any more than 5 years – and we may regret signing him for that long.
Better idea for 2019 – trade for Jed Gyorko. The Padres are still paying him and he’s a decent 3rd baseman until France or Potts is ready. Maybe the Cards can take Myers
first and obviously NEVER SIGN AN EX dogger there are probably reasons why they are ex doggers better to sign SOLARTE TO play third and roll with it til POTTS arrives
Where were all the comments when the club had lying, steroid using, known asshole Mark McGwire on the bench. Where was all this outrage then?
Where were all the concerns about team chemistry when the club traded for not 1, but 2 clubhouse cancers in Matt Kemp and Derek Norris?
How much of this racial? Let’s be honest, Pete Rose was one of the dirtiest players ever and yet he was revered by cranky old white guys. A white guy does it and he’s hard-nosed and gritty, a Latino player does it and he’s a dirty player.
We can’t expect perfection from anything, especially fellow humans.
What we could expect from Machado is for him to be one of the top 10 or 15 position players in the game for the next 6 years, and for him to continue to be very good for another 2-3 years and only be average or slightly above for the last 1-2 years. In other words for him to be worth a big contract.
Lastly, for a club that is paying Hosmer $21 mil a year, and soon will be paying Myers $22 mil a year, to balk at paying Machado $30 mil/year is pure insanity. He’s better than the two of them put together. We can’t let past mistakes keep us from doing the right thing now. It would be like saying “No, I will not buy a brand new Porsche now because I once bought a brand new Pinto and it turned out to be crap”
This is weird I usually never agree with tanned tommy but he nailed this one. Padre fans where jumping for joy when cancer Matt Kemp was signed but know we shouldn’t sign a top five 5 player in the league because he was running through a bag and step on somebody’s ankle? Get outta here, sign the guy so you can run all over the ankles of the dodgers! Lastly, that playoff game last year was an isolated issue and wasn’t like he had a history of that.
Nail on the head, Tanned Tom!
a few thoughts to your comment…Pete Rose was a headcase, but his nickname was “Charlie Hustle”for a reason. I appreciated the talent, but never his ethics. You can’t begin to compare Machado’s style of play nor comments to anything Pete Rose. Most old white guys like me never approved of the intentional dirt from Rose, or any other player. He was booed when he came to the Murph. Old white guys like me want him kept out of the hall! Jeff Kent was never revered for his style of play. Ever heard anyone outside of LA or Phily cheer Utley? Secondly, racist? Consider that the Padres have not had an African-American player since Melvin Upton. Old white guys like me were very upset at the trades that brought poisonous Kemp and Norris. Old white guys like me would not want any negative attitude in the Padre uniform. Old white guys like me have read your comments in the past and…your comments are exhausting.
I dunno, Ray Fosse and Bud Harrelson might give a different answer.
Racial how about financial , 30 million, 5 years.. sure. I’ll take the gamble , 10 years it’s a huge risk given his character. FYI I wasn’t reading the east village times during Kemp and Norris days or I would have posted
No, there is not enough racism out there, so we must manufacture racism wherever it is … not.
Because there are people who don’t care if they make false accusations, and because there are no consequences for false accusations, then there are people who get to make them without any repercussions.
No, there is not enough racism out there, so we must manufacture racism wherever it is … not.
Because there are people who don’t care if they make false accusations, and because there are no consequences for false accusations, then there are people who get to make them without any repercussions.
Really? More false accusations? At a certain point, not too long ago, certain people were condemning other people for making judgments (“You’re wrong to judge!” “It’s wrong to judge!”), despite the folly of such, apparently those standards shift … a lot, at least when it is convenient. Either way, however that applies, it also used to be wrong to falsely accuse others. Now, unfortunately, it is not only a badge of pride for make false accusations of others (especially if it is racism, bigotry, etc), but you get extra-credit for doubling-down on them, while making more false accusations against, and personally attacking those who point out any false accusations.
You, specifically, not only did this personally attacking and falsely accusing (back in August, I believe), but you would not even admit the glaring errors and pettiness (and worse) of what you said … and you know that to be 100% true. Evading that and attacking others does not make it go away, and just because James deletes the truth (while knowingly embracing these lies) does not help you, or anyone else. You cannot delete reality, and mocking and attacking others only adds to the disconnect from reality. Why not simply own the truth? If you care so much, why not simply admit the truth and make changes?
I don’t get it. He is a dirty player. He is lazy. He is a headcase. Other players do not like him, bad teammate. No question he is talented, but could be the biggest mistake ever for the Padres. Instead, roll the dice and wait for next year and write Arenado a blank check.
You make some great points, I agree it speeds up the timeline, but at a risk. His past stats are very alluring and their is a chance things turn out well, but character issues usually run deep and as his youth fades and he gets paid he could be come a cancer to our pro hustle culture.
I said in a previous comment in a prior article that there was no way the Padres had any remote chance to sign Machado. Indeed there is some questions about his character. However, he’s the exact player that any team builds a winning team around. At 26, maybe it’s not a character issue, but maturity issue? But if the Padres have any shot at signing him, this is the one player they should bust the vault open for…maybe rumors are just that. I’m not getting my hope up. But if they do sign him, they’re instantly a whole new club.