San Diego Has Been One Of The Quiet Feel Good Stories Of This Season
The Padres have been making inquiries about trading for Oakland ace Sonny Grey, according to an article from ESPN.com yesterday. Foxsports baseball columnist Ken Rosenthal confirmed the report, describing San Diego as a surprise contender at the trade deadline.
True, the Padres are in fourth place in the National League West and 12 games out of the Wild Card race, but they have been an overlooked feel good story of the 2017 season. After all, who would have predicted that one hundred games into the season, San Diego would lead perennial playoff contender the San Francisco Giants by five games?
Brandon Mauer has emerged as one of the best closers, currently fourth in the league with twenty saves. Right Hander Jhoulys Chacin has won ten games to complement veteran lefty Clayton Richard to form what could become an impressive rotation as the San Diego pitching prospects develop.
Most of the excitement for the Padres has been seen on the field rather than the wins column, given that San Diego is on a pace to finish with just a few more victories than the 68 they notched last season. Outfielder Hunter Renfroe has twenty home runs and at age 25 is finally displaying the tremendous power he had shown as a prospect, joining other youngsters such as 22 year old center fielder Manual Margot.
The former top prospect in the system is enjoying a tremendous rookie season, batting .275 with double figures in stolen bases. Margot is also on pace to hit fifteen home runs, leading many fans to believe he will add power to an already impressive list of assets.
First baseman Wil Myers, who at just 26 is considered the veteran in the San Diego regular lineup, is an All-Star. While his numbers are down a little from last year, he should put up better statistics once third baseman Yangervis Solarte returns.
Scheduled to come off the disabled list this month, Solarte will provide some protection for Myers. Solarte hit fifteen home runs, drove in 75, and batted .286 last year, so he will be a big boost to the offense for the last two months of the season.
Therefore, if the Padres do indeed land Sonny Grey, they will in effect be adding not only an ace for the pitching rotation but also a slugger for the middle of the lineup in Solarte. These two can only boost an already exciting young team.
In spite of a sub .500 mark, there is optimism even in this year's record when you consider what baseball statistician Bill James refers to as the Pythagorean record based.
Determined by the runs allowed versus the runs scored, the Pythagorean record is the number of games a team should have won and lost. Last year the Padres underachieved by four wins, winning only 68 games rather than the 72 suggested by their Pythagorean record.
This year manager Andy Green has the team playing well above its Pythagorean record of 38-65. Indeed, the Padres have won eight games more than that prediction, demonstrating that they are learning how to win the close ones.
With a sterling young lineup that has made great strides since last season, no one who follows baseball should be surprised that the Padres are interested in adding a young and talented arm like Sonny Grey. He could help the Padres become contenders as early as next season, which would be the twentieth anniversary of their last trip to the World Series.
True, the Padres are in fourth place in the National League West and 12 games out of the Wild Card race, but they have been an overlooked feel good story of the 2017 season. After all, who would have predicted that one hundred games into the season, San Diego would lead perennial playoff contender the San Francisco Giants by five games?
Brandon Mauer has emerged as one of the best closers, currently fourth in the league with twenty saves. Right Hander Jhoulys Chacin has won ten games to complement veteran lefty Clayton Richard to form what could become an impressive rotation as the San Diego pitching prospects develop.
Most of the excitement for the Padres has been seen on the field rather than the wins column, given that San Diego is on a pace to finish with just a few more victories than the 68 they notched last season. Outfielder Hunter Renfroe has twenty home runs and at age 25 is finally displaying the tremendous power he had shown as a prospect, joining other youngsters such as 22 year old center fielder Manual Margot.
The former top prospect in the system is enjoying a tremendous rookie season, batting .275 with double figures in stolen bases. Margot is also on pace to hit fifteen home runs, leading many fans to believe he will add power to an already impressive list of assets.
First baseman Wil Myers, who at just 26 is considered the veteran in the San Diego regular lineup, is an All-Star. While his numbers are down a little from last year, he should put up better statistics once third baseman Yangervis Solarte returns.
Scheduled to come off the disabled list this month, Solarte will provide some protection for Myers. Solarte hit fifteen home runs, drove in 75, and batted .286 last year, so he will be a big boost to the offense for the last two months of the season.
Therefore, if the Padres do indeed land Sonny Grey, they will in effect be adding not only an ace for the pitching rotation but also a slugger for the middle of the lineup in Solarte. These two can only boost an already exciting young team.
In spite of a sub .500 mark, there is optimism even in this year's record when you consider what baseball statistician Bill James refers to as the Pythagorean record based.
Determined by the runs allowed versus the runs scored, the Pythagorean record is the number of games a team should have won and lost. Last year the Padres underachieved by four wins, winning only 68 games rather than the 72 suggested by their Pythagorean record.
This year manager Andy Green has the team playing well above its Pythagorean record of 38-65. Indeed, the Padres have won eight games more than that prediction, demonstrating that they are learning how to win the close ones.
With a sterling young lineup that has made great strides since last season, no one who follows baseball should be surprised that the Padres are interested in adding a young and talented arm like Sonny Grey. He could help the Padres become contenders as early as next season, which would be the twentieth anniversary of their last trip to the World Series.
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