Mad Padres Day Off 06/28

WELCOME BACK TO MAD PADRES. It’s been long enough, right? We’re back and I have something new to talk about given WE’RE FINALLY HALFWAY through the season!

BREAKING NEWS

WHAT? WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE PLAYOFF CONTENDERS?

Calm down, Togerson. We don’t need to HAUL OFF and go OUT OF OUR WAY to get a Jacob deGrom because we’re riding the wave into the wild card! Let’s trade all of our valuable assets to get JT Realmuto! LET’S GET A RENTAL ON MANNY MACHADO BECAUSE WE’RE SO GOOD RIGHT NOW!

BOO

In the immortal words of one extremely large center, anyone contemplating that sort of move is Shaqtin A Fool.

KILL BILL

So we were 5 games out? WE WERE STILL LAST IN THE DIVISION. And guess what? THE DIVISION NORMALIZED. The top 3 teams are all playing over .500 ball, and guess what? THE PADRES ARE 2-8 OVER THEIR LAST 10 GAMES.

FLUSH

Enough of the false hope already! BE REALISTIC. This team was not going to make a splash this season! This team is about development. DEVELOPMENT. So far we’ve seen that! We’ve also seen some setbacks! Let’s get to my next segment:

PADRES PLAYER POWER RANKINGS

FF WIN

Let’s get into some rankings for each of our positional Padres players, shall we? We’ve got half a seasons worth of stuff to look at, so who’s been doing well for the team? WHO’S FILLED THE TOILET? We’ll break down the market by position, starting pitching and relief and so on.

LET’S DO THIS

SIDE NOTE: Some of this is based on hard numbers, some is subjective. COME ON, YOU REALLY EXPECT ME TO JUST GO OFF THE STATS?

GOOD ONE!

Starting Pitching

1. Tyson Ross
2. Matt Strahm (or Wholestaff, Johnny)
3. Clayton Richard
4. Joey Lucchesi
5. Eric Lauer
6. Jordan Lyles

So Boss Ross tops the starting pitching power rankings, and do you really disagree? REALLY? He’s been by and far the best starter the Padres trot out there that pitches more than 2 or 3 innnings, Given that metric Strahm easily slots in as my 2nd pick despite the fact that he doesn’t pitch more than a couple per outing. He’s looked really good in those appearances though! Clayton Richard has done better of late but is EXACTLY who we thought he would be. I like me some Joey Fuego even though he’s taken his lumps, and Lauer is showing some turnaround EVEN THOUGH HE STARTED ROUGH. Lyles had a pretty half decent start, one TREMENDOUS game, struggled AND THEN HIS ARM FELL OFF. Seems to happen more often than not, right?

45. Bryan Mitchell

ON THE DISABLED LIST WITH A TWEAKED ATTITUDE AND IMPINGEMENT TO MY SANITY

BRUH

Catcher

What metric do you really want me to use here? If it’s playing time, it’s Raffy Lopez. If it’s batting average, it’s AJ Ellis, SHOCKINGLY. If it’s the long-term catcher that supposed to be playing, it’s Austin Hedges, BUT HE BARELY CAME BACK. Throw the names in a hat, whoever you pick is top of the power rankings.

Ok, fine, I’ll do it.

1. Austin Allen
2. Raffy Lopez
3. Austin Hedges
4. AJ Ellis

Oops.

First Base

Wait....do you really need a power ranking here?

Really?

Just be happy Hosmer is doing alright. He ain’t gonna be last year’s 4 WAR but he ain’t gonna be a negative.

OH YEAH

Second Base

1. Jose Pirela
2. Cory Spangenberg
3. Carlos Asuaje

I can feel the vitriol all the way from over here, like a Twitter-fueled radiator heater in the corner of my apartment. Yes, EVERYONE HATES PIRELA. He barely discovered his power stroke, doesn’t hit many out of the infield and yet still appears in games. I personally chalk that up to Spangenberg not doing enough to warrant Andy Green to pencil him in at the keystone in lieu of Pirela. Both ARE UTILITY AT BEST, I AGREE. But what are you gonna do until Urias comes up? Asuaje played himself off the roster and into hitting for the cycle in El Paso. Celebrate.

Third Base

1. Christian Villanueva
2. Cory Spangenberg

AT THE VERY MINIMUM Spangenberg makes his way into two spots in the power rankings and even still I wouldn’t supplant Villanueva for him. Christian is already worth 1 WAR hitting BOTH hot and cold. HE LEADS THE TEAM IN HOME RUNS. He may not be the best answer at third base in the future BUT IT WORKS FOR NOW. Let him develop!

I would put Spangenberg the pitcher above Bryan Mitchell.

Shortstop

Enjoy Freddy Galvis this season. WE DON’T NEED TO RESIGN HIM, ACEE.

STUPID

Left Field

1. Wil Myers
2. Franchy Cordero
3. Whoever else, Travis Jankowski

I would have Franchy as the top spot BUT HE’S INJURED AND WE CAN’T HAVE NICE THINGS. Wil is currently not injured and gets the nod. He’s been good so far in his return. Whatever. It’s fine. Really. Jankowski is a perfectly fine 4th outfielder and nothing more.

Center Field

1. Manuel Margot
2. Travis Jankowski
3. Matt Sczcur, I guess?

MANUEL MARGOT IS DOING IT, EVERYBODY HAPPY

CELEBRATE

Jankowski is a perfectly fine 4th outfielder and nothing more. I don’t know where to plug in Matt Sczcur, do you? CUE “HE DOESN’T BELONG ON THE ROSTER” TALK TWITTER

Right Field

1. Hunter Renfroe
2. Travis Jankowski
3. Franmil Reyes

I JUST WANT TO SEE WHAT RENFROE HAS FOR THE REST OF THE SEASON, OK?

Seriously, let’s see if he’s finally adjusted, ok? YES, HE FRUSTRATES ME ON DEFENSE NOW AND AGAIN. I enjoyed Franmil for the time he was here MASHIN DONGERS but he needs more work. Jankowski is a perfectly fine 4th outfielder and nothing more.

Relief Pitching

1. Kirby Yates
2. Brad Hand
3. Craig Stammen

Oooo, this was a fun one. Really. I had to actually LOOK at NUMBERS and REALLY THINK about who I thought was best. And you know what? Kirby Yates is really having himself a season. You seen his ERA (0.82)? His WHIP (0.848)? Those are some good numbers! Sure, his WAR doesn’t stack as well against Hand or Stammen even, but man is he automatic right now. And can you believe all 3 were picked off the scrap heap? Embarrassment of riches, I tell you! You could make legit arguments for why any of these 3 should be better than the other and I’D LISTEN.

4. Adam Cimber
5. Matt Strahm
6. Jose Castillo
7. Robert Stock
8. Phil Maton

Cimber has been the pleasant surprise of the season and deserves a spot in the bullpen for years to come. Ditto for Strahm, though I think he gets into the starting 5 next season. You could rearrange Castillo, Stock and Maton and I wouldn’t complain. While jury’s out still on Castillo and Stock, they both throw well (or hard) enough to warrant keeping them around.

9. Robbie Erlin
10. Phil Hughes
11. Kazuhisa Makita
12. Tyler Webb
13. Cory Spangenberg
14. Waiver wire pitcher

Now we’re sorta getting into desperation time. Erlin is a good long man, NOT A GOOD STARTER. Phil Hughes is another Reclamation Project™. I really liked me some Kaz, but he’s been rendered ineffective and is only a real “change of pace” pitcher. DON’T GET ME STARTED ON TYLER WEBB. It’s a wonder I didn’t rank Spangenberg above him! I feel like I’m missing someone, though...
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40. Clayton Richard throwing right-handed
41. Whoever threw out the first pitch of the game
42. Your buddy “who could have taken the team to State in high school”
43. Hunter Renfroe throwing as hard as he can
44. Think Tim Wakefield could still do it?
45. Bryan Mitchell

Oh, there he is. FEELS LIKE AN APPROPRIATE RANK, NO?

ENTHUSIASM CURBED

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Alright, what do you think? Did I rank ‘em right? Got your own opinion on the subject? GONNA BLAST ME ON TWITTER? GO AHEAD. SOUND OFF. IT’S AN OFF DAY. LET’S TALK ABOUT IT.

Until next time!