San Diego Padres: Buying Or Selling Trade Rumors

A number of San Diego Padres players have been connected to trade deadline rumors. Let’s look at each of these and discuss whether we are “buying” or “selling” each of these rumors.

As the San Diego Padres fall further and further behind the leaders in the National League West, the rumors swirling around a number of pieces continue to pick up. After reading numerous different reports from national writers across the scene, let’s jump into each of these rumors and discuss whether fans should “buy” the rumor or “sell” the rumor.

Why not jump right in with the idea of trading closer Brad Hand. If you were to ask me a month ago, I would have given you an enthusiastic, “yes!” The tune has changed, and here is why; the Padres won’t get what they deserve for Hand. Despite a few rocky outings (90% of the blame goes towards Andy Green), Hand is one of the most valuable relief pitchers in baseball. While the Astros, Nationals, Red Sox, and Indians all make sense as trading partners here, none of those teams will part ways with their top prospects for a closer.

Hand wants to be in San Diego and wants to win with this team. I’m selling the Brad Hand trade rumors.

Kirby Yates, Craig Stammen, and Adam Cimber.

Buy, buy, buy those Kirby Yates and Craig Stammen rumors. The Padres have been applauded for turning average pitchers into really good bullpen pieces. Yates (31) and Stammen (34) will each fetch solid returns in either mid-level prospects or key bench/depth pieces that Padres can use going forward. How much longer can Cleveland go with their bullpen? What will it take to get Triston McKenzie? Will packaging a reliever (or two) and some prospects sway Cleveland to part with the pitching prospect?

The dominance of Adam Cimber also plays a factor in this. Sell the Adam Cimber trade rumors. Opposing hitters have yet to figure him out and as the season progresses we are seeing that he brings much more than just an unorthodox delivery to the table (28% strikeout rate/4% walk rate). Deal Yates and Stammen and slide Cimber into the setup role. Let’s see if he can take control of the position.

Tyson Ross and Clayton Richard

Clayton Richard is a name that has been popping up more, recently. While many debate the effectiveness of having “leadership guys” in the clubhouse, there’s no denying the impact the left-handed veteran has had on rookie pitchers Eric Lauer and Joey Lucchesi. Interview after interview with the young arms gives praise to Richard and his guidance.

Richard’s improvement from month-to-month this season prove that his adjustments are paying off. He’s having a good season, but not good enough to be the ace of a pitching staff. If he were in the backend of the rotation, we would be viewing him much differently. Sell the Clayton Richard rumors.

As for Tyson Ross, buy those trade reports. A large contingent of fans have been adamant about keeping Ross, however, how much longer can he keep up this success? The regression is already evident with his wOBA jumping from .267 to .284 to .325 over the last three months. In his first July start, Ross gave up three home runs, seven runs in total, walked three, and failed to record a strikeout. Strike while the iron is hot and deal him, immediately.

More recent, less attractive names may also be on the move.

Let’s briefly address a few more names here. Buy the A.J. Ellis trade rumors. Whether you like Austin Hedges or not, he isn’t going anywhere, because of his defense. As long as he can figure out how to hit between .230-.240, Hedges is the long-term option here. Austin Allen will need to be added to the 40-man roster or lost to the Rule-5 draft. Get what you can get from Ellis and bring up Allen.

Buy Jose Pirela. Trade him for a grounds crew intern. Just trade him.

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The Seattle Mariners already came calling for Travis Jankowski, surely other teams are interested in the speedster. Sell those rumors. Jankowski is a perfect fourth-outfield option, for when this team figures out what their starting outfield will look like. You can make the argument that there are plenty of Jankowski-type players to be had for cheap (or currently in the system) and we need to see exactly what Franmil Reyes has. It’s a valid argument, but not one I’m buying. Reyes isn’t a national league outfielder.

Last but not least, we have Freddy Galvis. Sell the Freddy Galvis rumors. In fact, go ahead and extend Galvis for another season. The benefits he brings to the defense outweigh his offensive downfalls. If the lineup around him were hitting at their potential, we wouldn’t be complaining about his numbers, but instead celebrating his defensive play, stashing him in the eight-hole in the lineup, and enjoying the few random spurts of production at the plate. Fernando Tatis, Jr isn’t starting at shortstop on next year’s Padres’ team, so go ahead and extend Galvis.

Next: Recent Top Draft Picks Are Exploding On To The Scene

No one can even remotely predict where A.J. Preller and company will go with this trade deadline. The only certainty is that the Padres have to be active. There are too many pieces that aren’t a part of San Diego’s future who are performing well and there are too many prospects in the system who are at risk of being swiped in the Rule-5 draft. Buckle up, everyone.