Speculation per Rosenthal earlier today:

One rival executive says there is no chance that general manager Josh Byrnes completes his off-season with the addition of free-agent right-hander Jason Marquis as his only significant move.

The Padres seem disinclined to make a strong play for any of the free-agent remaining starters, believing that some of their youngsters can be the rough equivalent of veterans such as Joe Saunders, and at a much lower price.

A trade for a pitcher such as the Detroit Tigers’ Rick Porcello, Kansas City Royals’ Luke Hochevar or Los Angeles Dodgers’ Aaron Harang remains possible, though the Padres might be content to wait until spring training to better determine their needs.

Yes, send him West. Get it done.

He would probably do pretty well in that park as well...of course, practically any pitcher would at least improve, so that's not really saying anything. Yeah...

He'd be fairly good there for sure, I'd bet...I always bank on Padres starters to do pretty well (for the most part).

If this is true...DM should be burning up the phone lines to San Diego. Just harass them until they accept some kind of trade to keep him from calling anymore.

Throw in some asterisks & tildes, that should get it done.

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--- bobellis75 wrote:

He'd be fairly good there for sure, I'd bet...I always bank on Padres starters to do pretty well (for the most part).

If this is true...DM should be burning up the phone lines to San Diego. Just harass them until they accept some kind of trade to keep him from calling anymore.

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Bob Dutton has already said you would be surprised at the kind of interest Hoch and Chen get. I guess they are waiting for somebody to give them like a C prospect or something. Maybe even a couple lotteries.

I expect a lot of activity to surround the Royals come the end of February. I think it's a near guarantee that Chen or Hochevar get moved.

As I said in an earlier thread weeks ago, I see Hochevar going to the Padres. Probably for ask OFer.

I think Luke would probably thrive there as most pitchers do... As a Boras client I wouldnt be surprised if Boras didnt try to help facilitate that kind of move knowing that Hoch could inflate his numbers before hitting free agency next year and put him in line for  a bigger pay day.

As the Royals front office I'd hold up for as much as possible but would ultimately move him inorder to get rid of the temptation for Ned to use him.

Regarding the multiple comments above about how Hochevar (or any pitcher) would do better in that park, you may have forgotten that Petco is both moving the fences in and making them shorter for 2013.

Hoch still has one more year of arbitration, unless he is non tendered.

ElChupanibre wrote: Regarding the multiple comments above about how Hochevar (or any pitcher) would do better in that park, you may have forgotten that Petco is both moving the fences in and making them shorter for 2013.

Totally forgot that. What will the dimensions be there now I wonder? I suppose I should turn to my friend Google for that info.

I wonder if the Padres would be inclined to part with Will Venable? He was already set to split time with Chris Denorfia, plus they have Jesus Guzman and Kyle Blanks (and Mark Kotsay!) there to fill in as well. One of their top 2-3 prospects is Rymer Liriano, a RFer who finished last year at AA, and is probably in San Diego in 2014.

Venable would be a great platoon partner with Frenchy. He hits RHP at about a 775 OPS (which includes many ABs in Petco) clip for his career, can steal 25+ bases (at a very good success rate), and plays pretty solid defense.

I don't think he is some superstar, and at 30 years old and in Arbitration, isn't exactly someone the Padres are probably set on building around, considering they have Liriano in the fold. I'm not saying we should offer the farm for Venable, but perhaps a package like this:

Hochevar
Arteaga
Fletcher

I'd do that deal... Makes us MUCH better this year, and we'd still have Venable for 2 more seasons. We aren't dealing off anything we can't do without, but those players do have some value.

We're screwed.  No way they want "The Server" pitching in that park. 

ElChupanibre wrote: Regarding the multiple comments above about how Hochevar (or any pitcher) would do better in that park, you may have forgotten that Petco is both moving the fences in and making them shorter for 2013.

Found this breakdown:

The changes will include:

• Moving in the wall that runs from the right-field porch to right-center 11 feet. The wall will also be lowered to match the height of the sub-eight-foot wall in left and center field.

• The out-of-town scoreboard in right field will be relocated. Seating modifications in that area will be announced later. In right-center, the wall will move from 402 feet to 391 feet.

• The wall in left-center will be moved in from 402 feet to 390 feet.

• The visiting bullpen, currently down the right-field line in foul territory, will be moved to center field behind the existing home bullpen area.

You're a great source of info & ideas, and I wholly endorse this...I'd hate to part with Arteaga though.  I'd rather give up Calixte, but that's just my preference.

SpringtownRoyal wrote: I wonder if the Padres would be inclined to part with Will Venable? He was already set to split time with Chris Denorfia, plus they have Jesus Guzman and Kyle Blanks (and Mark Kotsay!) there to fill in as well. One of their top 2-3 prospects is Rymer Liriano, a RFer who finished last year at AA, and is probably in San Diego in 2014.

Venable would be a great platoon partner with Frenchy. He hits RHP at about a 775 OPS (which includes many ABs in Petco) clip for his career, can steal 25+ bases (at a very good success rate), and plays pretty solid defense.

I don't think he is some superstar, and at 30 years old and in Arbitration, isn't exactly someone the Padres are probably set on building around, considering they have Liriano in the fold. I'm not saying we should offer the farm for Venable, but perhaps a package like this:

Hochevar
Arteaga
Fletcher

I'd do that deal... Makes us MUCH better this year, and we'd still have Venable for 2 more seasons. We aren't dealing off anything we can't do without, but those players do have some value.

Pretty signficant changes

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--- bobellis75 wrote:

Found this breakdown:

The changes will include:

• Moving in the wall that runs from the right-field porch to right-center 11 feet. The wall will also be lowered to match the height of the sub-eight-foot wall in left and center field.

• The out-of-town scoreboard in right field will be relocated. Seating modifications in that area will be announced later. In right-center, the wall will move from 402 feet to 391 feet.

• The wall in left-center will be moved in from 402 feet to 390 feet.

• The visiting bullpen, currently down the right-field line in foul territory, will be moved to center field behind the existing home bullpen area.

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ElChupanibre wrote: Regarding the multiple comments above about how Hochevar (or any pitcher) would do better in that park, you may have forgotten that Petco is both moving the fences in and making them shorter for 2013.

He should still do better regardless moving from the DH league to the non-DH league, but once again, just like the park factors, that would be just as irrelevant since it comes out to averages in the end.

wilson123 wrote: Pretty signficant changes

Boy they really are.  And that stadium will only be 9 years old by the time this season starts.

I think that giving up Carlixte or Arteaga would be too much for a guy like Venable. Guys like Venable are a dime a dozen, literally.  His most recognizable comparables are guys like Ricky Ledee, Eric Byrnes, and Ben Francisco.  Guys with comparable OPS this past year include Neil Walker, Alejandro De Aza, David DeJesus and Michael Brantley.  Venable has some value, but I don't know if giving up Hochevar AND a good shortstop prospect AND Fletcher is the right thing to do when you could probably sign a scrapheap guy, a la Emil Brown back in the day, and get the same production.

Just my two cents.

MrMorden wrote: You're a great source of info & ideas, and I wholly endorse this...I'd hate to part with Arteaga though.  I'd rather give up Calixte, but that's just my preference.

SpringtownRoyal wrote: I wonder if the Padres would be inclined to part with Will Venable? He was already set to split time with Chris Denorfia, plus they have Jesus Guzman and Kyle Blanks (and Mark Kotsay!) there to fill in as well. One of their top 2-3 prospects is Rymer Liriano, a RFer who finished last year at AA, and is probably in San Diego in 2014.

Venable would be a great platoon partner with Frenchy. He hits RHP at about a 775 OPS (which includes many ABs in Petco) clip for his career, can steal 25+ bases (at a very good success rate), and plays pretty solid defense.

I don't think he is some superstar, and at 30 years old and in Arbitration, isn't exactly someone the Padres are probably set on building around, considering they have Liriano in the fold. I'm not saying we should offer the farm for Venable, but perhaps a package like this:

Hochevar
Arteaga
Fletcher

I'd do that deal... Makes us MUCH better this year, and we'd still have Venable for 2 more seasons. We aren't dealing off anything we can't do without, but those players do have some value.