#InPrellerWeTrust

Moves the Padres G.M. is making are not popular now but he's doing the right thing

NBC 7’s Derek Togerson looks at what should be a bright future for the Padres in this commentary

In the 10th inning of Saturday night’s game against the Reds, Padres 3rd baseman Adam Rosales provided a moment of catharsis when he pounded a 2-2 pitch in to the left-centerfield seats to give the Padres a 2-1, walk-off win.

It was a fun end to the night because … well, walk-offs are ALWAYS fun. But also because the beginning of the game saw the Padres trade away Matt Kemp. The veteran outfielder was the fourth starter to be dealt in span of five days and the clubhouse was starting to feel the strain.

“It’s been tough over the last number of days,” said manager Andy Green. “There are a lot of guys we love around here that are going other places and having opportunities that are different than being on the Padres. I loved having Matt on the club so saying good bye to him is a tough moment. Middle of the lineup hitter, but I think the way we look at it right now is we’re building for the future.”

That future may be distant. Pitcher Hansel Rodriguez, the guy they got from the Blue Jays for Melvin Upton Jr., is 19 years old. So is 1st baseman Josh Naylor, the key piece of the deal that sent Andrew Cashner and Colin Rea to Miami. Anderson Espinoza, the pitcher the Friars got from the Red Sox for Drew Pomeranz, is only 18. Chris Paddack, the pitcher who came over in the Fernando Rodney trade, is just 20 but the team just found out he needs elbow surgery and will miss about a year. Even going back to the James Shields trade, they got Erik Johnson and 17-year-old Fernando Tatis Jr.

Then you look at the 19 international players they’ve signed and realize Cuban outfielder Jorge Ona is among the elder statesman and he’s only 19 years old. First round pick Cal Quantrill, a pitcher out of Stanford, looks like an old man at 21 years old.

There is a cluster of players that is about to be infused in to the Padres system, all from 16 to 21 years of age, unlike anything the franchise has ever seen before. That’s why the Padres made the deals they did this week. They didn’t get any prospects back for Kemp but with that one move they’ll save in excess of $20 million and they plan to spend it.

“It’s a deal about financial flexibility and I feel we got to a point financially with the Braves that we can use that money down the road,” said General Manager A.J. Preller, the mastermind behind the moves. “Reallocate it to our big league club, reallocate it to the amateur market … there’s a lot of flexibility in the dollars that were presented to us and ultimately that’s where the trade came from.”

There was an outcry on social media about getting rid of all the recognizable faces on the Padres roster, and that’s understandable. Fans want to have All-Star-caliber players to root for. Preller understands that but thinks there’s one thing that will make fans even happier than a few big names: Winning.

“You’re always looking for players that fans can identify with, especially players that fans like to see play,” said Preller. “Fans want to come out and see good players. They want to see dynamic players. But I think most of all they want to see a good team, a team that has a chance to win a division title and I think from the standpoint definitely Matt Kemp is recognizable and has done a lot of good things in the game and will continue to do that but I think our goal and the purpose behind the deal is to get a group of guys together and a group of guys the fans are going to be able to enjoy watching every single night and a team that plays well as a group and a team that’s on the top bar of the standings. I think the move enables us to play some more young guys and to get to that point in the next couple of years where we have a group of guys that the fans want to come out and see play every night.”

This is why I’m excited about what Preller is doing. I know a lot of Friars fans are seeing this as the “Same old Padres” and immediately flash back to the fire sales of yesteryear. That’s natural. But this situation is truly different.

In the past the Padres would get rid of big name talent, save a few bucks, and not invest those savings back in to the team. They would talk about building the farm system and having a strong organization from the bottom up but never actually DO it. They constantly tried fighting on two fronts and that is simply not a viable business plan for a small-market team.

Now, for the first time, the Padres have a clearly defined plan and they are executing it. Preller is basically playing Pokemon Go with prospects and trying to collect as many as he possibly can. That creates competition in the minor leagues and fosters a “survival of the fittest” atmosphere where players have to live up to their potential or risk being passed up and left behind.

In the past the Padres would pander to their top prospects, letting them almost coast through because the players knew they would eventually get a big league call-up. But once they reached The Show they were too often overmatched and unprepared for the highest level of professional baseball. Preller is trying to make sure guys get ready to become Major Leaguers before then spend even a day with the Padres.

That means having, as Preller says, more answers than questions. They will take their lumps at the big league level for a couple of years but, let’s be honest. Were they really going to contend with what they have right now (or in 2017? 2018?) anyway?

There is no guarantee Preller’s plan will work like it did for the Royals or Astros. Padres fans have had to wait for years to see a winner at Petco Park and the last thing they want to hear is another request to be patient. But unlike the last four decades or so, this time the Friars are being set up not for a couple of flash-in-the-pan, flukie playoff trips. They’re laying the foundation for sustained success.

It’s a gamble, for sure, but it’s the way things have to be done and if it happens … the wait will be worth it.

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