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Padres News: Padres’ Shortstop Search Continues

By Nick Wilson |

The San Diego Padres expected shortstop to be a weak link their 2015 lineup.  The platoon of Alexia Amarista and Clint Barmes has gotten a ton of criticism, and the fans have demanded change.

But look at the numbers.  Yes, neither player is as impressive as Troy Tulowitzki, but the offensive play of Amarista and Barmes has actually been decent.

Though he has limited at bats, the veteran Barmes actually ranks second on the team behind Yonder Alonso with a .297 batting average.

Amarista has taken the majority of the starts this season, which may explain his lower .219 average.

However, if you were to combine the two players, their average would come out to .258.  This would rank the platoon 7th among NL shortstops, just behind the .268 average of the Cubs’ Starlin Castro.  The platoon is not that far behind Castro in home runs or RBIs either.

Interesting considering that Castro is rumored to be a trade target for the Padres.  They are nearly getting the same offensive production without the defensive miscues of Castro at shortstop.

What is of particular concern to the Padres organization, is the trade of the club’s future shortstop, Trea Turner.  Turner was included in the deal with the Rays and Nationals that brought Wil Myers over in the offseason.  Turner put up impressive numbers in his meteoric rise through the Padres farm system.  John Maffei of the Union Tribune summarized the miniscule talent the Padres are left with after Turner’s departure.  His potential will certainly be missed.

Rudy Giron looks promising, though it’s hard to tell if a Single-A 18 stud will be productive at the major league level when he is just 18 years old.  Other than that, the farm looks dry for Shortstop replacements.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again.  I’m not crazy about the Padres taking on the massive $40.4 million contract of Castro, especially when his numbers don’t blow our current “abysmal” platoon out of the water.

Jean Segura of the Milwaukee Brewers has been rumored, and seems like a better fit to me. He’s cheaper and would give the Padres a much needed speed element up the middle.

Obviously, another option would be to keep the Amarista/Barmes platoon going, and perhaps look to restock the farm at the shortstop position if the Padres are sellers at the deadline.

Barmes has played well in his few starts this season.  I know he is another right handed bat, but I believe he gives the Padres a better chance to win games than Alexi Amarista does.  It seems Pat Murphy is giving Barmes more starts than Bud Black did earlier in the season.  I’d like to see AJ Preller let this play out and see if Barmes can help kickstart the Padres into a solid winning streak at this pivotal moment in the season.

What do you think?  Should the Padres go for Castro?  Segura? … Tulowitzki?!!! (I wish).  Or should they keep the Amarista/Barmes platoon going?

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