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If No Tomas Who Will The Padres Buy As Their Big Bat?

Mandatory Credit: Joy R. Absalon-USA TODAY Sports

While it’s nice to sit and dream about the possibility of a star like Yasmani Tomas patrolling right field for the Padres in 2015, you can’t bank on it, and you need to have a few backup options in case Tomas goes elsewhere. Like I said, A.J. Preller is looking to make an impression on the baseball market in his first off-season as a big league General Manager, and bringing in a big bat that the team desperately needs. [related-topic]

Sticking to the outfield spot, the team can choose to bring in someone like Nelson Cruz (Orioles), Melky Cabrera (Blue Jays), Torii Hunter (Tigers), Michael Cuddyer (Rockies) or Colby Rasmus (Blue Jays). But Preller could look to improve the third base spot and bring in someone like rival Pablo Sandoval, but that may be far too much of a grasp. The Padres are in serious need of an impact bat, and this market yields some, but not too many viable options.

With Preller’s experience in the foreign market, he’ll likely prioritize courting Tomas, but he can’t put all his eggs in one basket. If he loses Tomas, someone like Nelson Cruz, who leads all of baseball in home runs, could be the next best thing, although his home runs will certainly take a dip in Petco Park. Still, Cruz can be counted on as a power threat, and will likely cost less than Tomas’s predicted price tag of $100 million dollars. It’s clear the Friars need a big bat in their lineup, but who ends up taking on that role will be an interesting topic this winter.

Keep the Faith.