Sports: Padres Update
by Noah Gaines
Holiday season: it’s a time for gift giving, classic family argumentation with in-laws, and, most importantly, the Winter Meetings. The Winter Meetings began this past Sunday and are the highlight of the Baseball offseason. At the four-day meeting, numerous baseball executives, prestigious free agents, and mass media migrate to a common meeting ground to discuss signings and trades. This is in order to better their teams' chances of success down the road for this season and for future seasons yet to come.
The hometown Padres made a few minor moves in the waking hours on Tuesday. General manager AJ Preller preformed a transaction with the infamous New York Yankees, acquiring former Padre Chase Headley, along with 26-year-old swingman prospect Bryan Mitchell in exchange for the 28-year-old Virgin Island outfielder Jabari Blash. The Padres and Yankees are compatible in the sense that the Yankees are attempting to cut payroll and get below the luxury tax line. With the Padres absorbing all of Headley’s 13 million in salary, the Yankees now land 30 million dollars below that line. The Padres are receiving Bryan Mitchell, who hasn’t had a long look at a major league opportunity in the Bronx, so he got sent to San Diego in hopes of capitalizing on the open Padres roster that will give him a chance to play every day.
The Padres also traded minor-league second baseman Ryan Schimpf to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for minor-league infielder Deion Tansel. This move was merely to dispose of Schimpf’s contract and acquire young talent that can help the Padres down the road.
In other Padre news, the team has inquired about covenant free agent first baseman Eric Hosmer, but a deal has not been official or developing much as of late. The team has also expressed interest in seeking a shortstop, as that is its largest need at the moment. Philadelphia Phillies Freddy Galvis, free agent Zack Cozart, and both Chicago Cub infielders Addison Russell and Javier Baez have been linked to the Padres search for this hole in the infield. Despite this lack, the team simply needs a one-to-two year filler. This is because the minor-league system is stacked with talent at this position, such as Fernando Tatis Jr (18), Luis Urias (20), Esteury Ruiz (18), and Luis Almanzar (18).
AJ Preller has been active so far this offseason, acquiring numerous pieces in order to benefit the team in the future, but will the Padres land this biggest fish in the pond?
