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Monday, June 30, 2008

Padres organization soon could reach crossroads in woeful season

A week ago, Sandy Alderson was waffling. He was wiggling. He was waiting. Rather than pick a pigeonhole he might later wish to leave, the Padres’ Harvard-trained CEO cleverly characterized his ballclub not as buyers or sellers, but as watchers; “observers of our own team.”

It would appear he has now seen enough.

“It’s probably easier to see us as sellers at this point,” Alderson acknowledged during Sunday’s 9-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners. “If we were to be buyers, it would be hard to choose among catcher, shortstop, outfielder, starting pitcher, half the bullpen. There’s not a shopping cart big enough.”

This problem is commonly known in baseball markets as the Ruprecht’s Cube.

Repoz Posted: June 30, 2008 at 08:15 AM | 27 comment(s)
Related News: General, San Diego

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1. Edmundo was digging the Italian ladies Posted: June 30, 2008 at 08:50 AM (#2837260)

This problem is commonly known in baseball markets as the Ruprecht’s Cube.

I chuckled at this intro. My kids used to love "Shop 'Til You Drop" and "Supermarket Sweep". I can't remember which one Ruprecht hosted.

What's the likely price tag for Maddux? A Single-A B-ish prospect? The Phils might just have to move Meathead Myers to the bullpen for sanity's sake.

2. Gromit Posted: June 30, 2008 at 08:53 AM (#2837261)

Should reach crossroads???

They are already at the intersection and have been running over by several trucks and a pack of ravenous Yugos

3. Evil Twin Posted: June 30, 2008 at 09:35 AM (#2837286)

Shortstop is a curious inclusion in that list. Have they soured on Khalil Greene that much?

4. RB in NYC (Now with an Australian Itinerary!) Posted: June 30, 2008 at 10:02 AM (#2837305)

I chuckled at this intro. My kids used to love "Shop 'Til You Drop" and "Supermarket Sweep". I can't remember which one Ruprecht hosted.

Supermarket Sweep. And, on a related note, are you my Dad? God, I loved Supermarket Sweep.

5. DL from MN Posted: June 30, 2008 at 10:10 AM (#2837316)

They just need to swing one of their deals with the Mariners for Ichiro, Johjima, Bedard and JJ Putz.

6. Ignatius J. Reilly Posted: June 30, 2008 at 10:24 AM (#2837340)

Whats a fair price for a couple months of Maddux and Giles (has an $9M club option for '09)? How bout just Giles?

7. jwb Posted: June 30, 2008 at 11:23 AM (#2837433)

This sounds like a not very thinly veiled shot at Towers.

8. PepTech Posted: June 30, 2008 at 12:34 PM (#2837517)

I can't think of "Ruprecht" without visualizing Steve Martin in an eyepatch, and all that entails.

9. Deadball Posted: June 30, 2008 at 12:51 PM (#2837537)

I can't think of "Ruprecht" without visualizing Steve Martin in an eyepatch, and all that entails.

Oklahoma! Oklahoma! Oklahoma! Oklahoma!

10. Red Juice Posted: June 30, 2008 at 12:56 PM (#2837544)

Have they soured on Khalil Greene that much?

Thabit is an emotionless blah, with a career .307 OBP. Watching him walk back to the dugout with his chin in his chest after every ab has grown tiresome.

11. Biff, Red Sox Jinx Posted: June 30, 2008 at 01:18 PM (#2837563)

I also loved Supermarket Sweep.

12. Paul M is filibustering vigilantly Posted: June 30, 2008 at 03:18 PM (#2837693)

“If we were to be buyers, it would be hard to choose among catcher, shortstop, outfielder, starting pitcher, half the bullpen. There’s not a ~~shopping cart~~ bus big enough to throw your team under.”

Fixed.

13. AJM Posted: June 30, 2008 at 03:24 PM (#2837698)

I also loved Supermarket Sweep.

As did I.

14. jwb Posted: June 30, 2008 at 03:58 PM (#2837736)

And I thougth of this guy, who many interesting decisions.

15. Edmundo was digging the Italian ladies Posted: June 30, 2008 at 03:59 PM (#2837737)

My sons will be very impressed that the site where their dad likes to hang out is full of SS lovers. As if they don't think I'm uncool enough already ...

16. MexicanGabe Posted: June 30, 2008 at 04:54 PM (#2837817)

I think they should look to trade not only Mad-dog and Gilly, but also CY. I think they should be able to grab something in exchange for a pretty solid SP.

How about Tampa Bay? Florida? Milwakee? Cubs? There should be something there.

KT, get to it.

17. MM1f Posted: June 30, 2008 at 05:18 PM (#2837848)

The thing I love about horrible teams like this is that it lets a few random minor league vets, that might not ever get even a cup of coffee, say they were once major leaguers..
Colt Morton
Callix Crabbe
Luke Carlin
Craig Stansberry
Carlos Guevara

18. MexicanGabe Posted: June 30, 2008 at 05:25 PM (#2837854)

That's what you love about horrible teams? Really?...

19. MM1f Posted: June 30, 2008 at 05:32 PM (#2837859)

Yeah, totally. As a fan, as someone who dreamed of being a Major Leaguer as a boy, how couldn't you?

A bunch of guys get their lives changed in the course of a day. There is a big difference between saying you once played minor league baseball, and saying "I was a Major Leaguer." It is great for them and, to me, the heart of the game doesn't come from superstars, it comes from the lesser players.. the baseball lifers.

20. MexicanGabe Posted: June 30, 2008 at 05:51 PM (#2837869)

Yeah well... I once was a minor leaguer, so there.

But yeah, myself was always the kind of guy that would root for that guy, you know, the "gamer" type player; the Eric Owens type.

21. Vaux, A.B.D. Posted: June 30, 2008 at 06:48 PM (#2837910)

Of course, now that Billy Crystal has played major league baseball, the distinction is a bit diluted.

22. Jeff K. Posted: June 30, 2008 at 10:04 PM (#2838406)

As did I.

This must be some thing. I'm only about 5-6 years older than Jolin and AJM, and I watched SS a few times, and I have no idea why a kid would have loved it.

23. Boots Day Posted: June 30, 2008 at 10:26 PM (#2838454)

The Padres do have a set of brothers in the starting lineup for the second year in a row, with Adrian and Edgar Gonzalez, after having Brian and Marcus Giles last year. So that's something to brag about.

24. Justin T Posted: June 30, 2008 at 10:56 PM (#2838501)

Please don't let this turn into a a 500 post thread about the lack of brothers in MLB.

25. Red Juice Posted: June 30, 2008 at 11:08 PM (#2838516)

The thing I love about horrible teams like this is that it lets a few random minor league vets, that might not ever get even a cup of coffee, say they were once major

dude, thats the padres whole philosophy right there

26. Red Juice Posted: June 30, 2008 at 11:09 PM (#2838518)

The Padres do have a set of brothers in the starting lineup for the second year in a row, with Adrian and Edgar Gonzalez, after having Brian and Marcus Giles last year. So that's something to brag about.

If both Boones were available, they would probably put them to work too

27. ghost of perros Posted: June 30, 2008 at 11:18 PM (#2838526)

Given up hope on the season, Rent? Guess getting swept by the Ms will do that to you.

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Padres organization soon could reach crossroads in woeful season

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