caulfield12

Tatis Machado Bogaerts Kim Campusano Cronenworth is fine...it's the other three spots at the bottom. All depends on how quickly Merrill adjusts.

Had to get payroll under $200 million after Seidler died. Too much downside risk attached to that salary.

Thorpe definitely ahead of Quero...and Nastrini.

https://twitter.com/ProspectsLive/status/1768074190521860563?ref_src=twsrc^google|twcamp^serp|twgr^tweet

This is where all that international spending is paying off again...we are cornering the market on Venezuela. Bring back Ozzie lol. https://www.prospectslive.com/scoutingreports/samuel-zavala EVALUATOR: MATT THOMPSON Age: 16 yr Height: 6-1 Weight: 178 lbs Hits/Throws: L/L Acquired: 2020 IFA RuleV: 2025 Overall: Padres signed the 6'2", 180 pound Zavala out of Venezuela for $1.2 million. Zavala is a left-handed hitter with a future up the middle projection due to his strong defensive traits. It's a contact over power offensive skill set, but the power should come as he gets stronger. He's one of the younger players in the class but also has one of the better swings, taking advantage of his quick hands. OFP: 35 Risk: Extreme

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JR will never spend for it again in FA.

Wilson would obviously just be a throw-in for the 2024 bullpen to help hold the fort down in the Lambert spot...

DIllon Head or DeVrieze 50/50 one of the remaining 3 names... Iriarte as the #8 in their system should be just off the 100 mark...as DeVrieze as the #1 international signing was listed as #99 in some of the update lists, so think 100-115/20ish range for Iriarte. And Balta certainly didn't predict FIVE players going for Cease, either. All depends on these other three names, though. Likely pushes the White Sox system to the #12-15ish range, in all likelihood.

https://www.mlb.com/prospects/padres/jairo-iriarte-683568 The Padres were limited to handing out $300,000 max bonuses for the 2018-19 international signing period, and yet signed Iriarte for only a quarter of that at $75,000 out of Venezuela. Over the last five years, he’s developed into one of the top arms in the entire system, first becoming a starter for Single-A Lake Elsinore in 2022 and then breaking out even more last season with a 3.49 ERA and 128 strikeouts in 90 1/3 innings between High-A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio. San Diego moved Iriarte into relief when he first reached the Texas League to prepare for a potential MLB role but extended him back out to 70-plus-pitch outings in September. On pure stuff, it isn’t hard to see why San Diego would have considered using Iriarte out of the MLB bullpen. His fastball sat mid-90s and touched 98 mph in Double-A, and the heater showed good ride and run with the 6-foot-2 right-hander looking like he was effortlessly hitting the high arm-side corner consistently. His sharp low-80s slider can dive to the opposite end of the zone, moving away from righties and backfooting lefties, while a low-90s changeup doesn’t necessarily have great separation but does have the fade needed to run away from opposite-side bats. Iriarte doesn’t necessarily control those darting pitches well, however, especially the breaker and cambio/change-up, and Double-A hitters laid off the stuff outside the zone, leading to a career-high 13.5 percent walk rate at the higher level. The righty’s best route remains in a starting role, given the ceiling his swing-and-miss arsenal provides, but if walks keep piling up, he could flip back to relief where he can still get batters from both boxes out.

Iriarte a $75,000 sign out of Venezuela... Jairo Iriarte, RHP 22-year-old Jairo Iriarte enters this season as MLB.com’s #8 prospect in the Padres farm system. The right-hander began the 2023 campaign with Fort Wayne before being transferred to San Antonio on July 14th. In 27 combined outings (21 starts), Iriarte went 3-4 with a 3.49 ERA. He struck out 128 batters across 90.1 innings of work last season.

Second Juan Soto trade keeps recirculating in different directions...

Balta's going to be squirming here to debate his way out of this...that he would have been right on his prediction until the Cole injury reopened the trade market.

Interesting to see if DeVrieze gets added into the deal...and if the Sox can actually develop him. More likely Head as a local Sox connection ala Nicky Lopez.

Just got tax bill instead lol.

Cease had to catch flight to Seoul for Opening Series with LAD lol. Quite an intro to a new team...10+ hour flight and unexpected trip to a foreign country halfway around the world to pack for.

Merrill on Opening Day roster. Salas most untouchable teenage catching prospect in baseball at the moment. Well really the only one.

Have said all along the Padres were one of the teams with system, desperation in NL West and rotational needs after Darvish Musgrove King. We shall see the price soon enough.

How can the #5/6 system in baseball not have one? Then it would have to be some combo of Marsee Head DeVrieze. There's only two untradeables in Merrill and Salas. Unfortunately Padres can't absorb deals for Benintendi Jimenez and Moncada...well, that's more for JR's pocketbook sake I guess. If SD could eat half the Benintendi deal...for example. Of course, that would limit the prospect return while simultaneously being classic JR "screw the fans."

Jimmy Lambert and Cole like two ships passing in the night...same doctor. Let's not forget all the variables with Rodon and Nestor Cortes coming off injuries as well...Rodon recently struggling to ramp his FB velo back up again in ST.

Marsee and Head would be the two top outfielders at the moment...

Pauley and Rosario aren't even likely to be the equivalent of Nicky Ortiz. Both are relative long shots. Batten as well.

The Grandals and Melky Cabreras and Benintendis of the world would seem to be the exact definition of good but not great/elite. Lynn, Robertson and Kimbrel as well. Only Abreu and Robert defied those limited return for amount allocated rules.

Well...since they arguably have one of the worst FA ROI records in the majors over the last decade...they should be at least decent in one area just by pure luck. Shields Shark and Swisher deals would argue quite the opposite, though. Only the Q and Eaton rebuilding trades worked out well...and any astute minor league fan could have picked those names quite simply from poring over BA prospect lists.

That's likely DeVrieze before he hits stateside...but the odds of essentially two Salas-level players in a row out of international headliners can't realistically be all that high. Would be like winning the real Powerball lottery.