The Padres need a shortstop. I’d say they have only one on the roster but that one is Alexi Amarista and his career -1.7 UZR (Ultimate Zone Rating, a defensive metric that has really good players in the positives) at the position are just not a viable option. Amarista is a valuable utility guy but he’s simply not being used properly in the role of an everyday middle infielder.
This year Padres General Manager A.J. Preller is addressing the issue, something he couldn’t get to during the pre-2015 whirlwind.
Barring a trade for a new shortstop, something that doesn’t seem likely at the moment given the Padres attempts this off-season to re-stock their farm system, it’s looking like free agency is the preferred mode of expression. Recently two candidates have emerged as the top options and they bring very different things to the table.
Before we continue it should be noted that any deal that gets done must take in to account Javier Guerra. He’s one of the top shortstop prospects in baseball, a left-handed hitter with a plus glove and a howitzer for an arm. Guerra was acquired in the trade that sent closer Craig Kimbrel to the Red Sox and should be ready in two to three years so the Friars don’t want to have someone in place on a big contract blocking the kid.
With that in mind, it’s interesting they’re talking seriously with Ian Desmond. The former Nationals star won three straight Silver Slugger awards before his numbers took a noticeable dip in 2015. Desmond is 30 years old and looking for a big payday.
He made $11 million his final year in Washington and, after the 2013 season, reportedly rejected a 7-year, $107 million deal from the Nats. That tells me he was either banking on himself becoming the next Cal Ripken or he really hated D.C. The former did not materialize but as the top shortstop option in free agency odds are he still wants to get a big payday.
Desmond has the ability to play shortstop or third base. Interestingly the Padres could also use a full-time 3rd baseman. So if they can convince Desmond to play short until Guerra is ready then move over the third I have no problem with him getting a five or six year deal at around $75-$80 million. Having an infield of Desmond, Guerra, Cory Spangenberg and Wil Myers is not an altogether bad idea.
If Desmond is not amenable to a position change or thinks he’s still worth a 9-figure deal then the other option is not a bad one, either.
The Padres have also reportedly been talking to former White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramirez. The 34-year-old is not as good a hitter as Desmond but, until a drop-off in 2015 that could be regression or a simple off season, was the superior defender.
Ramirez was known as a good guy in the Chicago clubhouse and would likely be willing to take two or three years at $20-30 million, one final nice contract before retiring. He would be your proverbial stop-gap to hold down the position and actually give the Friars something resembling production until Guerra is ready.
Both options would be a gigantic upgrade for 2016 and beyond so whichever way Preller ends up going it’ll be nice to see a natural shortstop on the field at Petco Park.
