Sunday Brunch: Padres Will Have To Overpay For That First Big Bat

The Padres have tried in free agency to add a big bat all off-season long. They had the biggest offer on the table for Pablo Sandoval and failed to get Yasmani Tomas. If they are going to get a big bat, they are probably going to have to overpay whether it’s through trade or free agency. 

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Look at the Mariners last season. They needed a big bat for their lineup. They weren’t able to develop one. What did they do? They clearly overpaid for Robinson Cano. Cano almost go them to the playoff last year but he needs more help. Now they are being mentioned as a candidate for free agents like Nelson Cruz and Melky Cabrera.

The Padres could go after either one of them, but Cruz is older and isn’t exaclty the best fielder. Cabrera isn’t the power bat the Padres really need though with their lack of offense he could help.

What about the trade market? Well, they could trade for Matt Kemp and Jay Bruce. They may have to overpay for each. Kemp rebouded the last part of the season and right handed pop is hard to come by. The Reds don’t have to trade Bruce unless they are going through a rebuild or want to change it up.

Sometimes to turn a franchise around, you may have to do something big to get noticed. Whehter it’s when the Knicks signed A’mare Stoudemire to turn things around (or at least try). When the Tigers in 2006 signed Magglio Ordonez and Ivan Rodriguez to try and turn things around which they did.

The Padres may have to make that kind of move. The only question is who is it?