Repoz-
Often I don't even understand your lead-ins but, this time, I unfortunately did. Sometimes it is better to forego these things, rather than fall so woefully short of an established level of quality.

Apparently, Peavy wants Edmonds to say, "Fellas, it's been good to know ya."

Question for Padres fans - how much longer would the Padres have to go playing at this level before Towers decides that he should blow things up and commit to a real rebuilding program?

That may sound harsh, but it's nothing controversial to say that the Padres' talent is declining while AZ, Col and LAD all have strong young cores to build upon. Too, it doesn't appear that Towers will ever make a flashy free agent signing, nor is it clear it would even help. Which would Towers prefer, rebuilding for several consecutive years of 78-win baseball.

Of course, my real question is, how long until we see the Jake Peavy sweepstakes get going? I'd like to start the bidding at Max Scherzer and change.

That may sound harsh, but it's nothing controversial to say that the Padres' talent is declining while AZ, Col and LAD all have strong young cores to build upon.

The Padres have Matt Antonelli and Chase Headley in the minors. Granted, they're struggling at the moment. Regardless, even if they want to rebuild, how would they do so? Their best players are guys like Peavy, Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young, Heath Bell, Khalil Greene. With the exception of Greene, all are under control for some time.

What "real rebuilding" moves do you suggest?

Of course, my real question is, how long until we see the Jake Peavy sweepstakes get going?

09:$8M club option ($0.5M buyout)
10:$15M,
11:$16M,
12:$17M,
13: $22M club option ($4M buyout)
# full no-trade clause for 2010, may block trades to 14 clubs in 2011 and 8 clubs in 2012 (also earns 10-and-5 rights in 2012)

He's under control.

One of the biggest problems for the Padres is their ballpark. It simply has to be a major impediment to signing free-agent talent. What offensive force, in today's game, would risk his earning potential, and possible HOF chances, by willfully signing on for a team with a ballpark that destroys offense as mercilessly as Petco? What can the Pads do? Focus on slashers to fill up the line-up around the Adrian Gonzalez/Kouz/Headley/Etc core? They certainly need more speed. But, the three true outcomes style sluggers seem worthless to even think about. Are there any players of Lofton's profile, but younger, who would make sense for the Padres going forward? Certainly Edmonds makes no sense whatsoever...

He's under control.

Of course he's under control, but Peavy, Gonzalez, Greene, a middle reliever and 150 innings of Chris Young do not a team make. If Headley comes up and manages to cut down on his Ks (a reasonably large if) then he'll be a good third basemen.

So who'll be manning the largest outfield in the majors? Will it still be a AAAA player, a so far past his prime that it's comical center-fielder and the 37+ right fielder that hasn't OPS+ed over 109 since 2005?

Apparently, Peavy wants Edmonds to say, "Fellas, it's been good to know ya."

Good give him the boot!

Question for Padres fans - how much longer would the Padres have to go playing at this level before Towers decides that he should blow things up and commit to a real rebuilding program?

its three weeks into the season and that is way to early to start tossing in the white towel, especially in this division.
The padres will still win it, they just ran into some early season slumps and some damn good pitching. nothing more.

Are there any examples of free-agent sluggers that turned down top-dollar money from the Padres because of the ballpark?

You'll have to excuse if I find this oft-trotted out line as nothing more than an excuse for a franchise adverse to spending big money.

Besides, even if it's true a) it's no worse than the Rockies have to face playing in Coors and b) it's easier to build a winning ball club in a pitcher's park.

It's must be nice to be able to pick up a good fly ball pitcher like Chris Young and turn him into a Cy Young contender over night.

If Headley comes up and manages to cut down on his Ks (a reasonably large if) then he'll be a good third basemen.

Headley is now an OF.

Its a shame that there aren't any power-hitting outfielders who want to play baseball in southern california still available. I mean even if one of those guys was in his mid-40's and could still hit I think the Padres would have to consider adding him for a one year deal or something. Its just a shame none of those guys are out there. It not like adding one of those guys even if he'd done roids and was under indictment would do much to diminish the team's rep since Giles and Edmonds are likely roiders themselves.

Well, of course it's great for big-name pitchers. But, comparing Coors and Petco is looking at each side of the coin, and claiming that each side reveals the same image. A slugger would sign in Coors more quickly than a pitcher. Even with "Das Humidor." A pitcher would love the chance to pitch in Petco. If the Padres are offering the same $$$ as "Team With More Favorable Ballpark for Sluggers," the pitcher would be wise to choose the Pads. I'd feel perfectly confident that the hitter would never think twice about signing with any team that doesn't play half their games in San Diego. Yes, it is much easier to build a winning team in a pitcher's ballpark. Where do I indicate otherwise? But, the problem for San Diego (aside from a seeming lack of desire to try for the big contract players) in courting free-agent sluggers is their ballpark. While it might be used by the organization as a means of excusing a lack of big contract sluggers, and as a way of covering for an utter lack of attempts to do the same, it is still a fact that any agent representing a slugger is going to use that canyon to either get more money for his player, or as an easy way for the player to start whittling down potential suitors. Look at the friggin' home/road splits for this team, and then tell me that the ballpark rouse is only that, and is simply trotted out as an excuse to cover for a front-office unwilling to spend big money. Who cares if the F.O. spends or doesn't? The facts stand beyond dollars. The Rockies spent big money on pitching. It didn't work. They had to find a type of pitcher who would be suited to their ballpark, and realized that ground ball pitchers could succeed more easily. It would seem to me that hitters who produce line-drives, have speed, and end up with doubles in the gaps, might be better suited as focal points to build a more effective team, than the Jim Thomes of the world. They've got some slugging players in Khalil, Gonzalez, and Kouz. It's the crap around them that stinks to high heavens. Would they be wise to try and swap some of their usually endless high-end relievers (a la Linebrink) for more obp/2B/SB type hitters? And who would they be? Since the Padres can create pitchers with amazing numbers in their pitching factory ballpark, and there are teams desperate for pitching, wouldn't it be wise to work this advantage in trades? This is what I am asking. It seems all the more reasonable when one considers the amount of space their outfielders need to cover. By the way, it gets lame engaging threads centered on a certain team, asking a question, and then being attacked by the resident faithful over lines of reasoning that aren't there. Didn't your high school gym teacher show you what happens when you assume?

I doubt there is anybody who turned down top dollar, simply because Sandy Alderson would never authorize top dollar. The Padres do get the benefit of the Padres discount from time to time though. Both Peavy and Hoffman are signed below market value. Iguchi publicly stated he wanted to play in San Diego, and these are just examples. player's like it here because of the weather and the overall quality of life for their families.

The only guy I have ever really seen whine consistently was about the ballpark is Phil Nevin, but he was a whiny little ##### anyways who had forgotten that Towers pulled him off the scrap head and made him a very rich man.

The problem always seems to come because Kevin Towers tries to pinch a few pennies in the outfield, and will try out as many cheap scrubs as possible until they settle on somebody.

and yes Chris Young was a steal.

By the way, it gets lame engaging threads centered on a certain team, asking a question, and then being attacked by the resident faithful over lines of reasoning that aren't there.

who attacked you BJ?

My biggest concern this season is Jim Edmonds, and not he leftfield platoon. It is clear Edmonds is not even 75% of the player he once was, yet the friars are going to keep trotting his sorry ass out there, because maybe they can get a "Draft Pick " at seasons end.

grrrrr.

Bah. Attack is too strong a word, and I think I was overreacting a bit, Gambling Rent. But, this is the second time I've been labeled, or written off as an apologist, or assigned a system of thinking based upon sheer assumptions. In an Orioles Thread, I was accused of being an Orioles Basher by half the faithful, and of being An Idiotic, Uniformed Believer by the other half. It really pissed me off, since I am markedly neither. I was merely a guy sick of reading crappy "Orioles Rebuilding" articles, so I posted one to see what folks would say. In this instance, I made what I thought was a nuanced post, asking if it might be wise, given the way Petco hurts offense, to focus on a different type of hitter. That was met with an "I'm sick of people justifying a lack of F.O. activity with an oft-trotted out line about their home ballpark reply. I'm sure that Padres fans, who live and die by the team, and who read every article, are sick of excuses from a front office unwilling to spend top-dollar. But that wasn't my intent. I do think they should spend. But not on a burly, immobile, Adam Dunn type slugger. In any case, whatever. I agree that Edmonds stinks, and isn't going to suddenly rediscover his stroke in that ballpark. Plus, his inability to perform at a top level will also dampen his defensive contributions in center (when he's actually on the field, of course). It was a silly signing. Why not bring Cameron back? It ain't like he got a huge deal in Milwaukee. And I agree that the outfield is kind of a penny-pinching graveyard of sorts. Milton "I'll kill you if you try to buy Marvin Gardens out from under me" Bradley was a good risk to take. So is Hairston, to some extent. And I guess I can see the logic in bringing Huber in, if only to show the other teams who could've used him (like Kansas City, for instance?) that he's got something to offer. But, really, I'm thinking a guy like Coco Crisp might look awfully nice in center (though he doesn't offer much in the way of OBP, and that's not exactly the kind of player I proposed earlier). And I'm also wondering: who else is out there for the taking? Could the Padres send Chris Young to the Yankees for one of their young CFers, and some other shiny things? It does seem like a mini-retooling might be wise, since this is an awfully slow, singles hitting type of team. Could they snatch a Ricky Weeks and put him in center? What about one of Tampa's young CFers, since I don't see Upton or Crawford going anywhere any time soon...?

No one bashed you for your lack of paragraphs? DNRTL...

It's must be nice to be able to pick up a good fly ball pitcher like Chris Young and turn him into a Cy Young contender over night.

Young's road ERA since he's been a Padre is in the 3.50 neighborhood.