Jedd Gyorko will likely be making his big league debut at the end of the season. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-US PRESSWIRE

1.  Trades!  Trades!  Trades!

While Josh Byrnes might want to create the illusion that his franchise is not a “seller” this trade season, it is simply not the case in my opinion.  San Diego’s three best players not only command some of the club’s highest salaries, but also are being coveted by contending teams that can always use the things which these players provide.

Chase Headley is a steady hitting, solid fielding Third Baseman whose offensive numbers should skyrocket in an actual ballpark.  Carlos Quentin gives a steady veteran bat with a good deal of power to any lineup in need of some extra pop, and Huston Street is a reliable Closer who has had himself an All-Star and bounce-back season.

I am not saying that dealing all if any of these players will be the correct decision, but what I do believe that there will be a large and willing market for their services’.  If the opportunities arise and some are entirely good to pass up, the Padres should at least consider take advantage of them.  It would not be a bad thing if San Diego can put themselves in a position to gouge some other organizations for one or more of these guys.  Plus, the possibility of this team acquiring a high level prospect or two to add to their already stout farm system would not hurt at all as this franchise stocks itself for the future.

2. New Ownership Group

For those of you which are unaware, the Padres still are searching for an owner/ownership group to purchase the team.  As of now though, it appears that a group led by the O’Malley family (the O’Malley family which once owned the Dodgers), is trying to get back into baseball and leading the charge to buy the Friars.  While nothing is set in stone yet and the team is still up for sale, the O’Malley group has the inside track to acquiring the team and has engaged in exclusive negotiations according to CBS.Sportsline’s Jon Heyman.

It will be interesting to see how fast as well as when a deal for the purchase of the club gets done, but the interesting parts will occur after the sale is complete.  I personally cannot wait to see the new ownership group do a number of things from: working with the Front Office and making roster decisions and trades, reducing/increasing payroll, moving the fences at Petco in, etc..  Until a group buys the franchise though, we will all have to wait and see what happens.  Nevertheless, we should all be on the lookout for news and updates on this topic.

3. Watching Talent Develop

This is by far the thing I will be watching for the most over the next few months.  At 34-53 and already riddled with injuries, the Padres have their collective fates pretty much sealed as far as postseason contention goes.  Nevertheless, the Friars have a great deal of young talent on their team and should have more called up by the end of the season.  With this in mind, we will all be getting an extended look at the future of the franchise as the season winds down.

We already know about Yonder Alonso and Yasmani Grandal, but there are others which should be making their big league debuts at the end of the season too.  As far as minor leaguers go, Jedd Gyorko the Third Base prospect is a name which comes to mind, Left Fielder/First Baseman Matt Clark should be receiving a September call-up, and  Centerfielder Daniel Robertson could also get a late season big league nod if the Padres decide to move some Outfielders or bench others.  In addition to the Rookies, other the younger guys already on the roster should see extended playing time, as Alexi Amarista and Logan Forsythe will probably see even reps in the middle infield as the season winds down.

Evaluating all the talent on the roster will be huge for this coaching staff until the regular season ends.  This team should be preparing for 2013 as we speak, and will likely be looking at how all the current and future pieces fit into place over the next few months.  While it will not be pretty to watch at times, these “growing pains” will give the Front Office and Bud Black and Co. exactly the type of looks at these players they need to know whether or not they fit into the franchise’s long term plans.

Final Thoughts

I know it has been tough to be a Padres fan this season, but hey, there are usually more “L’s” in the column than “W’s.”  Plus, in a rebuilding season riddled with injuries it has been a tad shocking to have seen this team win 34 games.  Nevertheless, although it seems like there is not so much to get excited about and watch for until the regular season ends, it is simply not the case.  Sure, the postseason may be out of reach, but there are still reasons to tune in and stay updated.

Statistics Courtesy of: Baseball Reference, ESPN, and MILB Stats

Amarista has played his way into an extended role with the Padres. Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-US PRESSWIRE

Alexi Amarista

Blocked at almost every position he could play, and thus stuck at Triple-A level with the Angels, Amarista was in need of some chances to shine at the big league level.  Luckily for him, San Diego was in desperate need of some Middle Infielders.  And over the last month or so, Amarista really made it difficult on the coaching staff to diminish his playing time because of his productivity at the plate, and his play in the field.

In terms of his offensive production, Amarista has really stepped up his game and been one of the bigger reasons why San Diego has improved their run production numbers as of late.  On the season (110 At-Bats), Amarista has hit .273, logged 30 Hits, 6 Doubles, 2 Triples, 4 Home Runs, and knocked in 18.  Even more impressive than Amarista’s ability to hit consistently and show some pop (.527 Slugging Pecentage) has been the speedster’s ability to get on base and score runs.  Through 41 games, Alexi has posted a .403 On-Base Percentage, scored 15 Runs, and given the Padres a legitimate threat at the #2 spot in the batting order.  Also helping Amarista is the fact that he can hit in any one of the #6-#8 spots as well, and can provide a valuable Left-Handed bat off the bench to pinch-hit or lay down an ever important sacrifice bunt if the moment arises.

In addition to Amarista’s continued consistency at the plate, he also has been a pleasant surprise all over the diamond with his slick glove as well.  So far, Alexi has played five positions for the Padres, and has shown that he can be an every day player at one of the Middle Infield spots, or out in Left Field for some spot starts to boot.  Amarista seems to have found a home at Second Base though, as he has played in 28 games there and posted a perfect 1.000 Fielding Percentage in said spot.

During a season which the Padres will be experimenting to see which players play best where, and which ones are and are not part of the franchise’s long-term plans, Amarista has shown that he has quite a bit going for him and can help the team in multiple ways.  But while Amarista has proven himself so far during his short stint at the major league level, the other player the Padres got in exchange for Frieri has had himself an incredible year in the minor leagues and might project to be an even bigger piece to San Diego’s future puzzle.

Donn Roach

Roach, who will be 23 after the season ends, has torn through Single-A California League during the first half of this season with both Los Angeles of Anaheim’s and San Diego’s affiliates (Inland Empire and Lake Elsinore).   Through 88.1 Innings pitched at the High-A level, Roach posted a 10-1 record over 14 games and 13 starts, a 1.94 ERA, and 73 Strikeouts.  Even more impressive was the fact that Roach gave up only 2 Home Runs, and a measly 14 Walks during his stints both clubs.

For his efforts, Roach was named a California League All-Star this season and earned a call-up to Double-A San Antonio almost three weeks ago.  Since he arrived with the Missions, Roach has started 2 games (pitched in 3) and done quite well in both starts.  Combined, Roach has pitched 11.0 Innings, has given up only one unearned Run in both of his starts (and three appearances total), and finally went 5.0 Innings of no-hit ball during his first career start at the Double-A level.

In this YouTube clip from a start with Inland Empire (courtesy of Steve Fiorindo of bullpenbanter.com) this season, we can see Roach’s effective Sinker, and the terrific movement he gets on the rest of his pitches.  If Roach can continue to throw his pitches with consistency and solid overall movement, he could very well become an effective weapon for the Padres, especially in the cavernous Petco Park.  Roach will likely finish the season in San Antonio as the team will try to get him as much experience as possible and groom him for an eventual promotion to Tucson, which could happen as early as next season at the rate he has progressed so far in 2012.

Final Thoughts

As nicely as Amarista and Roach have performed since the trade, I would still give the current edge in this trade to the Angels because of how effective and essentially unhittable Frieri has been since the trade at the major league level and helped Los Angeles of Anaheim in the present.  Nevertheless, it has been at least comforting to see the Padres had put themselves in a situation where they acquired a couple of talented players at positions which they were in dire need of adding to their roster heading into this season and beyond.

So while the Angels might be the present “winners,” the Padres might gain the upper hand in a few years time.  Amarista has all but assured himself of a roster spot for the rest of this season, likely will make the 25-man roster in 2013, and should figure into San Diego’s long-term plans with his unique skill-set and overall ability as well.  And although Roach has yet to pitch at the Triple-A level, his progression through the minor leagues, the movement he gets on his pitches, plus his age and the window for him to develop are all working in his favor.  If all goes well, we could see Roach with the Padres at some point during the 2014 season.  And the addition of an effective Roach to an already young and emerging rotation by then could really make the Padres a formidable top to bottom unit by the middle of the decade.

We will likely have to wait a few years to see how this trade ultimately pans out for both clubs.  Thus, it is definitely too soon to rush to any conclusions.  Nevertheless, I am at least happy in the present because it appears that even though the Padres traded a talented reliever in the form of Frieri, they might have found two important pieces to help them in future seasons.

What say you Padres fans?  Will Amarista and/or Roach end up helping the ballclub in the future?  Or did the Padres get swindled again?

Statistics Courtesy of: Baseball Reference, ESPN, and MILB Stats

Our friends at Southside Showdown were one of the many covering the rumors.  The trade would be complicated and would likely require three teams to pull it off.  The Padres really don’t have any position players of interest to the White Sox, and while the White Sox may be interested in some bullpen help, I’m not sure how inclined Josh Byrnes would be to shop any more of the Padres one bright spot.  It could happen though.

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