Robert Murray predicts free agent landing spots + Padres to-do list

00:00:04
Speaker 1: Let's get to our next insider on the line right now, Robert Murray joining us.

00:00:08
Speaker 2: And this is a big day.

00:00:09
Speaker 1: Robert read you on the other day, but now we can officially say welcome to the FT fam. It would be one of our regular insider contributors. Man, we love talking to you, so thank you for greet to talk to us more frequently.

00:00:22
Speaker 3: Now, no, thank you guys for having me. I've been a huge fan of you guys for for years. I've known Eric for years covering in with the Brewers, and he's always just incredible to me. So to be part of this, to be on here with you more like this is an honor and I'm gonna make the best decision you guys have ever made.

00:00:39
Speaker 4: Well, welcome aboard, Rookie. I know you got you got some like you were you were just like a baby face. Now you're a sauna babyface guy. But we treat rookie, We treat rookies on on the FT network pretty well. But don't don't get don't get, don't get comfortable.

00:00:55
Speaker 2: Don't take that.

00:00:56
Speaker 4: So that's no hazy, no hate, not hate.

00:01:03
Speaker 1: Yeah, all right, so let's get into biz, shall we. Let's start with your thoughts on the Mets Rangers trade that broke last night.

00:01:11
Speaker 3: Yeah, it was a real surprise seeing that won for one trade there, but overall it made a ton of sense. And Marcus Simeon's name has been mentioned on the trade block for basically the entire offseason. I want to say Evan Grant, who covers the Rangers, started it and I asked Chris Young about it at the GM meetings and he didn't necessarily dismiss the idea, like he wasn't like trying to trade him by any means, But they were very open to the idea, and when this scenario presented itself, it made sense for both sides to consider here, Like for the Rangers, you move off of Simeon, you end up adding a guy like Brandon Nimo, who is a tremendous option there. He adds leadership at like it creates more payroll flexibility, because that was a big priority for them in terms of trying to shed some payroll, and they did so with the non tenders. They did so at this trade and it's been a real focus for them.

00:02:03
Speaker 2: But for the.

00:02:03
Speaker 3: Rangers' perspective, I totally get it, and from the Mets' perspective. I think it's really interesting here adding Marcus Simion moving on from a gully Brandon Nemo, who is as respected as anyone in that clubhouse, has been there his entire career. There's so many layers to it that like it's it's hard to dissect. But at the end of the day, it made sense for both teams, and that's why they did it, because they've been talking about it for a couple of weeks now, for a few weeks now.

00:02:27
Speaker 5: There's a lot of impacts here. So you think about Pete Alonzo, you think about the as Edwin Diaz here, like what what especially is the impact on those two guys. What happens if the Mets don't get any of those guys, so, like where where would they go after that?

00:02:43
Speaker 3: Yeah?

00:02:44
Speaker 4: They?

00:02:45
Speaker 3: I think Will Salmon of the Athletic put it really well. Is it shows that even though these guys have been with the organization for so long, like David Stearns, isn't afraid to move on for what he feels is best for the team. And I think that's a really good attribute by him because we've seen gms both in base in other sports as well, get really attached to players that they've been around long term, or that they drafted or like that they signed as free agents or just whatever, and it's it's led to some issues. And with Stearns, it like he wasn't afraid to move on from Nimo, and if that's the case, he's definitely not going to be afraid to move on from Edwin Diaz or Pete Alonzo. Like that being said, they want to retain both of those guys if possible, and then also Sterens didn't rule out adding it like another impact player, even if they ended up resigning both of those guys. So from the Mets perspectively, they definitely want to keep both of those guys. But that being said, let's say that Diaz leaves in free agency. You can immediately go after a Devin Williams type, who Stearns was with in Milwaukee and knows him better than almost anybody in baseball. They could go after a Robert Suarez type, which is a really intriguing option because he was dominant in San Diego. He's a very good player. Both of those guys are going to do very well in free agency. So like if they lose Diaz, it's not the end of the world with if they end up losing Pete Alonso, they're gonna have to get creative and trying to figure out how to fill first base, because he's as durable as any guy in ball, like he can consistently play around one hundred and sixty two games a year, which not many people can say. But yeah, they're definitely, definitely would not roll out either of them leaving, especially since Sterens showed that he's willing to part with those kind of guys.

00:04:22
Speaker 4: All right, let's stick with the Rangers. Since we're talking a little bit about the Rangers here. They're non tenders A doles Garcia and Jonaheim. Obviously a doles Garcia is you know, we just talked to Jim Bowden about it, and he's kind of that high side, high upside. But Jonaheim was an All Star catcher. The catching position this year in free agency is thin. Does that bode well for Jonaheim? Does that bode well for the fact that somebody could take him on a flyer? Do you feel like his value has been decreased enough that you know what he's looking at, like a James McCann type of contract where it's a one year, we might get you ninety games type of contract.

00:05:07
Speaker 3: Yeah, he's gonna end up benefiting from this, And I don't necessarily think he's gonna dup getting the contract that he was doing arbitration. I want to say it was for aron six million that he was supposed to get an arb But there's gonna be plenty of different suitors here. You look at it, you have I mean, I could end up seeing a team like the Milwaukee Brewers taking a look at it like because they, you know, better than anyone, they value the backup catcher position and they just value the catcher position in general. And obviously they have William Contreras there, but they also they at the trade headline. Last year they added Danny Jensen from the from the Rays, who they thought could end up being an impact guy. So maybe he could end up being pencil in there. The San Diego Padres can make a lot of sense there as well, because they've been looking for a catcher for a couple of years now. They've tried getting different guys over trader through free agency and hasn't necessarily worked out. But there's so many different teams that can end up being impossibility for him, which will only lead to the bidding being getting more lucrative. Again, I don't think six million is gonna be gonna be the number for him, But that being said to like Adula's Garcia, he is a player. There's not many people who can match the power that he's got. And obviously he's not like the perfect player. He's got his flaws to his game, but the power immediately makes him a player that should be of interest to a lot of different teams. And like, this isn't necessarily something that I've heard, but I would love to see him with the Pittsburgh Pirates because they they need big boppers in that lab. They want to end up upgrading the offense in a big way, and we've seen them connected to Schwarber and some of these other guys Garcia. I mean, I don't necessarily not much money is going to get, but clearly the Pirates are willing to spend because they were after Josh Naylor and connected with some of these other guys. So I would love to see Garcia possibly being a fit with the Pirates, but he's gonna have a bunch of other teams after him as well.

00:06:53
Speaker 4: Maybe the guy that is most coveted in free agency isn't always the Kyle Tucker, isn't always the Kyle Schwarverer, isn't Cody Bellinger. Cody Bellinger has been linked to possibly the Angels and obviously any team once and because of the versatility. Do you feel like the Angels are in a spot where, hey, you know what, we are taking a gamble on Grayson Rodriguez. If it's a gamble and now we're gonna try to just solidify and get another player in there, or do you think it's a you know, more of a ploy from from Bellinger's side, hoping he gets to go back to the Yankees, hoping he gets to go to a team that's closer to contention.

00:07:33
Speaker 2: Yeah.

00:07:33
Speaker 3: The as soon as the Angels traded Taylor Ward, my mind immediately went to, like, could they pursue a guy like Cody Bellinger? And as John Hayman reported, like they have checked in there. And if I could see Ardie Mareno, who owns the Angels, being just a guy who just gets totally obsessed with Bellinger, I could see it. But that being said, do I see that happening? Probably not. And one of the prerequisites for Bellinger and his agents got boored. I believe made this clear the GM meetings is he wants to win. And if you can end up if like Bellinger's gonna have a bunch of different teams involved, it's gonna be the Yankees a bunch of other contending teams. And he's been with the Yankees, he's been with the Cubs, and he's been with the Dodgers. What all three of those have in common, They've all been contending teams. And going to a team that's not necessarily contending after being with those organizations would be really tough on anyone, but especially a guy like Balinger. But yeah, would be being close to La again be enticing to him. I'm sure it would. But winning is really important for him, and that's part of why I think that's pretty unlikely. Money does talk, and the Angels can end up offering him a deal that he just can't refuse, and maybe that's how he ends up going there. That being said, though, Perry Manassei and their GM there said that they have more flexibility now after moving war than they had envision going into the offseason, So maybe that's possible, But I just do not see that fit happen for Bellinger, and I would think of return to the Yankees. Are just going to a different contending team is far more likely.

00:09:07
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00:09:42
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00:09:43
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00:10:07
Speaker 4: Sent you intriguing free agent pitcher Michael King came off a little bit of injury, got healthy at the end of the season. The Marlins are supposedly in on the Marlins pitching factory. The Marlins, like I remember, I know the pitching the minor league pitching coach Jeremy Powell before he got traded. He was the guy that kind of was instrumental in all these guys. Is this a shift to, well, you know what, we don't have a guy that's creating all these pictures. They're all up in the big leagues right now. Do we want a veteran type? Is this a like shift from we're not just going to use our younger pictures for the Marlins or is it all hogwash?

00:10:45
Speaker 3: I don't think it's hogwash at all. It's really cool coming on this show and being able to talk about the Marlins, and previously we talked about the Pirates being teams that could contend and try to end up adding in free agency and add meaningfully. And with the Marlins, they're interesting. King is I think it's real and you can look at it from a number of different ways here, like they far exceeded expectations last year. Clayton mccallaugh did a terrific job in Miami, and they have a pitching staff that allows them so much different flexibility there. Like Samuel Contra they didn't move him, Edward Cabrera, they didn't move him. They have super high expectations for a guy like Gary Perez, and those three together give them just endless possibilities. It's kind of like what we've been talking about with the Pirates there too. And if you end up adding a guy like Michael King to that rotation, just you have a front four that's as good as almost any in baseball. He's got tremendous upsiders, teams that love Michael King around the league, and he's going to do very well in fre agency and especially so I think that showed after he made it. It was kind of a no brainer for him to turn on the qualifying offer. But you can end up having the flexibility where you can have those four leading the rotation, or you sign King and it allows you to maybe move one of those starting pitch pieces to improve the offense. I don't know which one would be more likely, but it's a scenario that would give that front office in Peter Bendix, just so much different flexibility and options that I think it would be a really good thing for them. But I hope they continue to try to add because them contending and also getting the Pirates contending as well is just only going to be a great thing for baseball.

00:12:21
Speaker 5: Let me ask you this said, I had another question, but just thinking now, can you see him going back to the Yankees on a little deal, little nugget over there back to New York or No.

00:12:31
Speaker 3: I don't think it's impossible at all. Like we've seen the Yankees like they need to add pitching, and they're going to be connected to bats, they're going to be connected to bullpen pieces. But a guy like Michael King for them would make a whole lot of sense. And we've seen players after getting traded they've signed back with their teams in free agency. I mean, it's not the most likely scenario by any means, but it's definitely an option that I think both sides should consider. And if they end up offering King the best dealing for agency, I thank you for his perspective. You absolutely have to go out and do it, but his market is going to be very lucrative. I think he's going to end up doing very well in free agency. And the Yankees, like even Steinbrenner said that his ideal goal would be to cut payroll. They're going to figure that out around the winter meetings time, is what he said. So we'll see there. But I hope they don't cut payroll because they're the Yankees. They should be able to go out and sign just about anybody, and that just it's it sounds sounds really weird to me.

00:13:27
Speaker 5: Yeah, definitely talk about a little more trade possibilities here.

00:13:31
Speaker 2: I know, I think I know your answer.

00:13:32
Speaker 5: But Terrek's school boy, I mean, the best picture in all the land left handed wise, talk to me about where you think he might get traded.

00:13:40
Speaker 2: If he might get traded, what do you think, Robert?

00:13:43
Speaker 3: I think every team in baseball should be checking in on this guy, Like how could they not? Like you can you have him possibly being mentioned on the trade market. You have to check in to see what the price is going to be. And the price is just going to be absolutely insane, and as it should be. As you said, he's the best picture in all the land. He's the best picture in base ball, and he's left handed. He's only saved for one more year, and that could be what entices the Tigers to really listen on any trade inquiries. But that being said, you have Schooble in Detroit. He wants to be there, the organization wants him to be there. I just don't see any real possibility of him being moved at this point. I've been surprised before, but this one would really surprise me. And my expectation is that he starts the season in Detroit. He does not have a new contract because they're so far apart, is what various reports are saying about that. And also his agent, Scott Bors, prefers his the open market, so I don't see that being a real possibility there. But he's gonna probably start the season in Detroit, and if they're aut of contention at the deadline, then we can end up seeing him be moved. But my guess is he plays out the season in Detroit on the same deal, enters free agency for the season, and then it's going to be the bidding war of all bitting wars for services.

00:15:01
Speaker 4: This is how we make it tough for you, rookie insiders on FT. All right, we just we just asked the same question to Jim Bowden with the big league trade of Nemo for Simeon. What's another expected, like or future possibility this offseason of a big league trade that you see could possibly happen. Doesn't have to be exactly like this, but you know, not the one big leaguer for six minor leaguers type of trade, like a true big leaguer everybody wins type of big league trade.

00:15:37
Speaker 3: Wait, can I take this in a different direction? Or am I not allowed to as a rookie.

00:15:41
Speaker 4: It's your creative. We want you to be you, Robert, but don't screw it up.

00:15:44
Speaker 3: Okay, I'm not gonna be shaking in my boots over here. Oh oh, that's talk about pressure.

00:15:50
Speaker 2: Okay.

00:15:50
Speaker 3: We've seen a bunch of different guys here mentioned in trade rooms this offseason. The first one I'll start with is Fernando Tattis Junior, and people people are on the league of texting me being like like, have you heard him connected to the Yankees? Have you heard him connected to so and so team? My expectation as of right now is that Tatisz Junior will not be traded that you will be part of the Padres in twenty twenty six. That being said, though, if let's say or the Padres potentially new ownership want to shed payroll, does that become a possibility in future seasons, then I could see that being a possibility there for sure. I heard Jim say ti Oscar Hernandez, I'd be really surprised by that. I think he's I think Todd said it best. He's a great fit in LA and the only way you could really move him is if you have all assurances that you're gonna end up sign Kyle Tucker. So I'm not looking for that one to be a possibility. I do think Corey Seeger after this trade, you got to definitely consider this being a possibility here, and contending teams are gonna want him. He's obviously a tremendous player. He's an MVP caliber player. He's dealt with injuries for sure. Tracked is big and that always complicates things. But when an elite player like that could possibly be had, especially with the Rangers trying to ship Peril. Of all the guys that I mentioned, I would think he's probably the most likely, but I still have a hard time seeing the trade happen.

00:17:15
Speaker 1: Well, Robert, you crushed it in your first official FT appearance, even though we've had you a million times before this.

00:17:22
Speaker 2: There you go, Kratz thumbs up.

00:17:24
Speaker 6: I didn't screw it up on it.

00:17:25
Speaker 2: No, you never do, dude, You're spot on now. Yeah, but we're watching people. You always get great.

00:17:33
Speaker 1: Yeah that the live chat loves you, so you know. It's all love here man. Thanks for joining us, and we're excited to have you more frequently. We'll see at the winter meetings too, but we'll talk soon, okay, and have a great holiday.

00:17:43
Speaker 3: Hey, Happy Thanksgiving to you guys. And I just want to say thank you again for always being so good to me. You guys are the best and I'm just I'm honored to be part of the team. So much love and I'll talk to you guys soon.

00:17:52
Speaker 1: Time to hit our off season to do list covering the San Diego Padres, and we're very pleased to be joined by Marty Caswell, who right for the Sporting Tribune and is now going to be a regular contributor to Friar Territory, part of the FT Network the Padres Show.

00:18:07
Speaker 2: So Marty welcome.

00:18:09
Speaker 1: We're excited to have you and to chat with you more frequently and get right into the San Diego Padres.

00:18:14
Speaker 2: So how you doing and congrats?

00:18:17
Speaker 6: Hi everybody. I'm happy Monday. Thank you so much, Todd, Eric and Scott. I am so thrilled to be here and join your outstanding crew, work with our guy Kyle Glazer and talk some Padres. So thank you so much for having me. It's a it's a true pleasure.

00:18:31
Speaker 1: Thank you. Yeah, pleasure is all ours. Love your coverage of the Padres. So let's get right into it. Let's give everyone a taste of what Friar Territory has to offer. Lay down the off season to do list in your mind for the Padres the top three most important.

00:18:46
Speaker 6: Number one has to start with their president and baseball ops and their GM AJ Preller, entering the final year of his deal. We've been talking a bit the idea of an extension for aj Preller for I mean shoot, since since the last month of the regular season, and it was brought up up during the intro press conference for Craig Stammen, their new manager. We asked Padres CEO Eric Grupner about what's going on. No one will really say, oh, this is a done deal. It's going to happen. There is the likelihood and the expectation it's going to happen, but it still hasn't happened. So I don't think you can really move on with anything else and know what this future is going to be about until we have absolute certainty on Padre's GMAJ Prowler. All indications, including from Craig Stamman, was that this is going to happen. But the fact that it is now November twenty fourth, the Baseball meetings are upon us or the GM meetings are the GM meetings, The Winter meetings are upon us, and there's still no deal. That's going to be interesting. Number two, it's going to be the starting pitching. We know that Michael King, Dylan Cees, they declined their options. They are now free agents. You Darvish is out for all of twenty twenty six and who knows where his future with the Padres is. He has three years left on his deal. So right now, when you look at the Padre's rotation, this is what they have. They have Nit Paveta, he was an absolute bargain who was a fine for the Padres late last December. They have Randy Vasquez, who is a fine back of the rotation sort of piece. And they have uncertainty around JP Series, who was part of the interesting trade for Mason Miller that also saw them giving up a top prospect, Leo Derie. So the starting pitching, you can never have enough starting pitching, and right now the Padres have one guy that's a lot. Also, I should have mentioned that Joe Musgrove is going to return after major Timmy John surgery, but we don't know what he We don't know what to expect from Joe Musgrove when he does return. I spoke to him a couple of weeks ago in the Padres hired Craig Stamm, and he says that he is in the right spot right now. The velocity the spin is very good when he has his bullpen, and he is proceeding with this off season in a normal off season. But who knows on Joe Musgrove what to expect when he does join the Padres. But he does expect to be part to be ready for spring training and last on my list right now, it's a long list, but we during top three would be first baseman. Not sure what the future is for Luisa Rise. He is currently a free agent. I know he wants to return, but I think the Padres want a little bit more slugged from their first baseman. We'll see how that market sorts itself out. I know the Padres might be interested in bringing back Ryan or Hearn, but right now they do not have a true first baseman. Although although they could move Jake Crunerworth from second base back to first base, where he filled in very, very well, but right now my top three AJ Pewler the uncertainty about his future starting pitching. They can they convert Morohone or Mason Miller into a rotation piece and finding a slugging first baseman.

00:21:44
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00:22:43
Speaker 3: You can't beat that, all right?

00:22:45
Speaker 4: You said extend, aj Preller, No extensions are two sided. Is there any chance that aj Preller says, I've already spent all this money, I've already spent all these prospects. I've built this team up. If he sees what all ownership or the flux and owner ownership that we're at in San Diego, is he like, eh, you know what, Maybe I do want to go and be probably the most coveted GM out there on the market and walk away. Or is this definitely a two sided extension talk where they both want AJ Prewler to be the GM for a long time in San Diego.

00:23:23
Speaker 6: I think it's too it's two sided, and I don't know that there's any certainty where that we know for sure that aj Prowler is going to be the guy long term. I think that the big, the giant elephant in the room is the uncertainty about Padre's ownership. He was very, very close with the late Peter Sidler, who is a big reason why the Padres were able to spend that kind of money and extend Fernando Tatis Junior and Manny Machado and Bogart and you know, big contracts for Joe Musgrove and for you darbish. But Peter passed away a couple of years ago, and now the current chairman, John Siler, has made it clear that he's looking to sell the team. So I don't know right now that we know what's going to happen with Padre's ownership. And when ownership comes in a lot of times they want their own people. And maybe j Pler is like, listen, I've been here for ten years. I did my thing. We would We tried to go ahead and build up on Peter's vision. Padres have one of the greatest atmospheres in baseball. As you guys know, Peco Park is sold out every single night. But we don't know what's going to happen now with the future of this organization. John, we have not spoken with John Syler. I think he spoke maybe once with the Padres radio flagship, but he has not made himself available to speak with the media. So we don't know really what John Siler thinks on on AJ Preler. So we're going to We're gonna find out a lot. But again, I don't know that I feel like this is an absolute lock. Maybe if you're a J Preler, you want to go somewhere where you you have firmer footing, like you know, with the future of the organization is going to be, and right now there's a lot of I don't know when it comes to the future of the Padres ownership, talk.

00:25:00
Speaker 5: To me a little bit about Well, first off, I think the Padres have one of the best reliever relieving teams in the country. I've always thought that. I've always thought when the relievers came in almost lights out. But as we've seen, but you know, we're talking about mister Miller here, Mason Miller. All of a sudden in the rotation, we got throws over one hundred and three miles an hour. I mean, talk to me a little bit about that question and what their you know, prognosis and thoughts are there.

00:25:29
Speaker 6: I can't wait to get a spring training so we can ask Mason Miller. I know that you guys had Jim Bowden in a while ago and he mentioned a conversation that he had with Mason Miller. I want to say a year and a half ago at the All Star Game, where Mason Miller said he did not he's done that before. He doesn't want to be a starter. And of course you know that Robert Suarez he is. He's was allowed to become a free agent. There was a mutual option there, so the Padres don't have a true closer. We thought at that time that Mason Miller was brought into to be that guy. But if Mason doesn't want to do it, then I don't know how you you can't make him do it. But then again, then again, Rubin Diebla is different. This is a different situation than Mason Miller was with the Oakland A's or the Sacramento A's or the Vegas A's or whatever they call him in these days. It's a completely different situation. So maybe if you're Rubin Diebla and you're a former reliever of Craig Stammon who's now his manager, perhaps they can they can convince him into it. But if not, you can look at Adrian Morohane the idea of converting him into a starting pitcher, or maybe it's going to be David Morgan. But right now, right now, I wouldn't. I thought Mason Miller at that time was brought in to be the future for Robert Suarez, who's now a free agent. So that's a good problem to have if you're the Padres. I'm looking forward to seeing how convincing Rubin Diebler and Craig Stammon can be in convincing him that he has a future, a better future in the rotation than the back of the bullpen. And one more another point there, Todd. One thing that Adrea Peller has done an incredible job of is finding all star relievers. We know what Robert Suarez is and he was an All Star this year, but don't forget Kirby Yates was an All Star for the Padres as their closer back in twenty nineteen. Before that, it was Brad Hand in twenty seven twenty seventeen and twenty eighteen. That was during an era though where the Padres could not afford to pay their stars. They traded their all stars. But one thing it tells me is an AJ Puller does not have a problem when it comes to finding all star relievers.

00:27:24
Speaker 4: Right. Well, your last point was first base. First base is a need for San Diego, and they showed you know what, we have Luisa Rise here last year, and so we don't need off, We don't need a lot of power from first base. The Padres is a team need power. First base is the I mean, if your rest of your team's not going to hit for power, your first basement has to. Is there a chance because of the payroll flexibility or inflexibility of their payroll that they can bargain shop for home runs? Essentially, you need if the Padres stick to where they're at, you need about thirty home runs from first base. And that's not happening under fifteen million million dollars a year on the free agent market.

00:28:09
Speaker 6: It's it's not going to happen. I almost feel like part of their philosophy for last year, I mean, you want to you want to get slug I think they were expecting a lot more slug from their platinum glove right fielder. And that's going to be interesting right there, because what they said all along was, you know, if we you can you can get a first basement, and you can get you can survive with ten to fifteen home runs if you're getting major slug from your outfielders. And they didn't get that from Tatis last year. So I don't know that we can expect the Padres to be the market for like a p Alonso or something like that. But we'll see what the market is for a guy like Ryan on her And who was a great hit in the a great fit in the Padres clubhouse. But I with the way the payroll is right now and you're pushing two hundred million dollars even though you don't have your rotation set up, I don't know that I'm expecting the Padres to spend a ton of money when it comes to their first base. For their first baseman, you're probably going to hope that you get a lot more slug from Tatis, you know, maybe rebound from Fremti Machado. Of course, Romon la Riano before he was injured, he was slugging like crazy. So I don't know that the Padres are going to be in the market for a top hitting first basement. That's where you want your slug but they just they haven't gotten it. Then again, they haven't really gotten it consistently from the spots they were expecting. This last season.

00:29:24
Speaker 5: New manager Craig Stamon. You know, everybody was thinking like, oh wow, look at this. It was kind of like over there in the distance. Nobody really thought yeah. I mean, I don't think anybody knew at the end of the day. But hey, I'm not mad about it. I think this is this is different. I think the baseball is different. I like X players getting in in my faily. Look at you laughing at that? Well, I love what. I want to get your thoughts on that for one, But for two, k, how do you think the players are going to adjust to this and the new manager in Craig.

00:29:54
Speaker 6: Todd, they're going to adjust a lot better than they did with the previous first time managers all start with the Andy Green era, and the Andy Green era was different because he was not brought in to win. He was brought in to be the bridge to when they could start. You know, spending some money. He started off his his Padres career with four rule five picks on the opening day roster right and Jace Tandler, Jase tangler Man. He was a good buddy of a j Peler from their time in the Rangers. He didn't have a chance because he didn't have a clubhouse that bought into him. He never had a chance with guys like Eric Cosmer and and Manny Machado and a young Tatis. This is gonna be different though with Craig Stanmon, because number one, he has a support of the guy that I keep saying is the most important clubhouse guy on the Padres, and that's Manny Machado. Manny Machado's Stammin said that he heard Manny Machada right away and he was so excited for the hire. And when when Craig Stammon was a reliever of the Padres, he had he was so respected he was he was you don't usually hear about like a relief pitcher being a leader in that clubhouse, but Craig Stanmon was was wildly popular in that clubhouse. He was so respected. He's really respected by Manny Machado. I think I think He told the story about how he and and Manny would play cards on every single flight, so he he has guys. I had Joe Musgrave on my on my on one of my shows, Gosh the day they may be the announcedmore the day that the news came out, and he said, give this guy a chance. That he's just give this guy a chance. I know he's a first time manager. He's never been he's never coached at any level. Players or fans fell in love with the idea of Poop of Albert Poohols, who was a Hall of Famer and one of the bigger stars of in baseball history. But Craig Stamon knows the organization in side out. He is a j Peller's trusted right hand man. He knows a scouting system, he knows the front office, he knows the organization. He's not going to be new, so I think he's going to bring instant respect inside that clubhouse. It's going to be different than it was for Andy Green, for for a Jase Tingler, and even Mike Schilt who had to really go out of his way when he was hired by the Padres two years ago and shil went on tour, he went to the Dominican Republic, he went to Miami, he went everywhere to get to know these guys and let them know, Listen, I've never played or coach, this is who I am. The difference that Craig Stalmon has is a good portion of the guys in that clubhouse, the leaders, the the key Coggs, the Tatis, the Mannies and Joe Muskrove, they know who Craig Stalmon is and AJ Prowler knows who he is, and that gives him a very big advantage.

00:32:32
Speaker 5: All right.

00:32:33
Speaker 4: Twenty twenty two, the Padres were Bryce Harper away from making the World Series. Twenty three. They did not make the World Series twenty four. They were one game and one throw into the dugout away from Manny Machado going to the World Series. Same, same old, same old. Is this successful for the Padre for Aj Perewler, who you want to get extended and the Padres fans who absolutely clam for this team and they love being in this environment. If they just keep making the playoffs and not finishing the job, because this is clearly the team, they need to make a splash. Will they make a splash this offseason to push it forward or are they just going to continue to hope and pray that something goes their way when they make the playoffs.

00:33:22
Speaker 6: I think there's a bit. I think give a great point there, there was a bit of a disc I think Padres funds are a bit disgruntled right now because they are seeing the separation. You want to have a you want to have a deep playoff run, and I don't know there was really that belief that the Padres were going to make a deep playoff run. This gosh, this in twenty twenty five because of the state of the pitching staff. That was a big issue when they didn't know what was going to happen with Michael King or his health. Dylan Sees was not Dylan Cees and the Padres don't have that guy. So I think I think there's a lot of unease with Padres founds because you want to see your team getting better and better. We saw what the Dodgers did, which is the last thing you want if you're a Padre's fan, and they have they have deep they have deep pocketbooks.

00:34:04
Speaker 1: So sorry, sorry, my nephew is here, so I don't so, I.

00:34:12
Speaker 6: Just I just think that right now there is an ease because I think again the the pal of ownership is a big deal. Padres fans have gone through this before with the with the team being sold and the wild uncertainty left. There's a small feeling that last year was was kind of the last their last best chance, that was their window, right because you it was you had Dylan Cees, and you had Michael King and and you have Manny Machada was like in his prime. So they're getting older and they have less pitching. So I don't know that Padres fans are filling it, and I don't know that they think that they can make a deep splash because of the uncertainty around the ownership. One thing that Padre's CEO Air Groupner said at the pressor for Greig Stammon was he expects that they're going to it's going to be business as usual and they will still hold a top ten table. But a lot of those commitments are the players they have already under contract, Manny Machado, Tatis Bogarts, They're gonna make but over one hundred million dollars combine from twenty from twenty twenty seven on. So I don't know that there's a there's a true belief that the Padres can spend the way they did when they under Peter Seidler, especially when it seems like a sale is imminent.

00:35:22
Speaker 1: Oh, Marty, this was great stuff, and we're excited to have you for more of these conversations. But also make sure you let your nephew know if you get in the shot, there's a risk that he too has to join the Foul Territory network. So you can play that out for next time. I say, okay, but be careful you take one more step, you might have to appear on foul Territory more frequent.

00:35:41
Speaker 6: Okay, just so you know, though, his questions are only about Jackson Merrill. So that's that's where he can that's the depth of his knowledge when it comes to the Padres fans. And by the way, he picked a pretty good player. I'll tell you one more thing if you guys don't mind. If there's one thing that you feel better about for twenty twenty six, is that Jackson Merrill. He's on his way, man, and he was he had He suffered through multiple injuries last year with a concussion with the hamstring. I am really looking forward to Jackson Merrill being full strength, because that key is an absolute difference maker. So despite some of the losses the Padres have, the guys who are leaving in free agency, you get it. You get a healthy Jackson Merrill for most of that regular season. That to me is a that's a game changer.

00:36:25
Speaker 1: I agree, that would be a big, big change if you get the twenty twenty four version of Jackson Merrill versus the twenty twenty five.

00:36:31
Speaker 2: I'm with you.

00:36:32
Speaker 1: Your nephew can be our Jackson Merrill specialist. Right for more on.

00:36:36
Speaker 2: Jackson Merrill, let's get sug Yes, it's a little neft, but good stuff. Marty. This was great. Really appreciate it and we'll talk to you soon.

00:36:43
Speaker 6: Okay, great, thanks guys, I'm great week