Sunday Brunch: Padres Must Do Something By End Of Winter Meetings

Clint Barmes. So far this off-season, Clint Barmes has been the only stick added and he’s known more for his glove. We all know what the Padres lack and we know what has to be done. A.J. Preller needs to do something.

Justin Upton. Matt Kemp. A bat.

As I talked about last week, sometimes to get a superstar you need to overpay. One star can lead to another.

You can make the argument that the Padres haven’t had a true superstar since Tony Gwynn (sorry Adrian Gonzalez). Kemp and Upton are guys you can build around and help recruit other players here.

There’s been a lot of talk surrounding the Padres. Offers made to Pablo Sandoval and Yasmani Tomas and none taken.

The Padres have some money to spend and it seems like no one wants to take it right now. Would Yoenis Cespedes or any other available Red Sox bat help? Yes, but it won’t be a total game changer for them.

Maybe staff writer Matt Mirro is right in what he said yesterday. Maybe they should just continue to build up and not make a big splash. Maybe Buster Olney is right in what he said in his podcast this week in saying that the Padres aren’t a big bat away from contending.

If I am A.J. Preller I have to show the fans and baseball in general that the Padres mean business. If you have to give up Yasmani Grandal to get Matt Kemp do it. If a team wants Austin Hedges for a different bat. Or Ian Kennedy for a bat. Do it.

Everyone’s coming to San Diego for the Winter Meetings. It’s time for A.J. Preller to show baseball the Padres mean business.