Talking Padres: Hosmer, Outlook of the Team, and What the Team Should Focus on Next

The San Diego Padres were a team that was all in a few years ago only to find their plan turn south quickly and in the middle of a rebuild. Padres General Manager, AJ Preller, made plenty of trades during his first year on the job, but has since went full blown rebuild and adopted the mentality of giving the youngsters a chance to play on an everyday basis.

Anyhow, last night, San Diego reached an agreement with free agent first baseman, Eric Hosmer, on an 8-year deal that includes an opt-out after the fifth season. The deal is front loaded meaning that Hosmer will earn $20 million dollars per season for the first five years and then $13 million every year after that. In addition, Hosmer got a $5 million dollar signing bonus and has full no-trade protection for the first three seasons which then turns to limited no-trade protection there after. In all, the contract totals out to $144 million dollars if he stays with the team for all 8 years.

While this move surprised many people because it was the Padres largest free agent signing in franchise history and due to the fact that the Padres typically don't go after players of Hosmer's capacity, it is one that should be embraced by everyone including the Padres fan base. Sure, Hosmer isn't always the greatest defender or doesn't always put up stellar offensive numbers, but this signing goes beyond that. This signing gives the Padres a true veteran player to build around moving forward, a veteran to look towards for leadership in the clubhouse, and someone who the people of San Diego can attach themselves to. Hosmer became a true icon for the Kansas City Royals and it looks like he will have the same impact on the Padres franchise as well.

Another reason to like the signing of Hosmer is because it lengthens the lineup for the Padres. Yes, it means Wil Myers has to move off first base to one of the outfield spots, but if it means that the Padres have a better chance of winning with the energy and leadership that Hosmer brings to the clubhouse, then it's well worth it. Even Myers stated that he would be more than happy to move out to the outfield if it meant that San Diego could bring in Hosmer. Now he gets that chance and both Hosmer and Myers get the opportunity to show what they can do in the middle of the lineup together. With better protection, Myers should be able to get on base even more and build off of the .243/.328/.464 hit line that he put up last year over 649 plate appearances.

Moving beyond Hosmer now, the Padres will likely still be in rebuild mode this coming season as they continue to see what assets they have down in the farm and give the youngsters an opportunity to play on a full-time basis. However, with that being said, there are some great pieces that San Diego has that will help them this coming season and well into the future.

Just look no further than their outfield which will now include the likes of Wil Myers, Jose Pirela, Manuel Margot, and Hunter Renfroe. Their not the most well-known outfielders in the league, but they all have a ton of potential as they have showcased in the past. Let's start with Jose Pirela, who in 83 games last season, finished with a .347 on-base percentage. Pirela hasn't spent a full season at the major league level yet, but should provide some decent offense in left field.

Furthermore, 23-year old, Manuel Margot whose slated to be the Padres Opening Day centerfielder, continues to be full of potential. During the past two seasons over 566 plate appearances, Margot finished with 19 stolen bases, 13 home runs, 42 RBI, and 35 walks. He does strikeout quite a bit, however, with 113 strikeouts over that span, but you have to remember he's only 23 and still has yet to reach his full potential. Next, is Hunter Renfroe, who just turned 26 last year, and is someone who possesses a lot of power. Renfroe finished last year with a .467 slugging percentage over 479 plate appearances with 103 hits, 26 home runs, 58 RBI, and 27 walks along with 140 strikeouts. Again, Renfroe is another strikeout machine, but he does give you a lot of power potential.

Beyond the outfield, another component of the Padres roster that stands out is catcher, Austin Hedges. Hedges finished last year with a 20.8 pitch framing rate, which put him behind Tyler Flowers, in second place among catchers and had the highest FRAA (Fielding Runs Above Average) in the league at 26.7. There is a lot to like about Hedges from a defensive perspective and he does provide some offense as well. Over the past three seasons in 595 plate appearances, Hedges has recorded 109 hits, 21 home runs, 67 RBI, 31 walks, and has a .350 slugging percentage.

While there is a lot to definitely like about the Padres roster heading into this season and the potential that many of the players have still, that doesn't mean that there isn't a weakness or two that needs addressed. One glaring weakness is at the top of their starting rotation. Right now, 34-year old, Clayton Richard, is slated to be the Padres Opening Day starter. Richard finished last season with a 4.79 ERA over 197.1 IP, had a 1.52 WHIP over that span, and a .308 Batting Average Against. In addition, he had an extremely high hits-per-9 rate of 10.95 and a walks-per-9 rate of 2.69.

Although it's nice to have a veteran at the top of any starting rotation, Richard doesn't appear to be the guy and with how slow the free agent market has moved this winter, why don't the Padres go out and try to sign one of the three big remaining free agent starting pitchers in Jake Arrieta, Lance Lynn, or Alex Cobb? All three would be great fits, but the best fit would probably be Lance Lynn. With Lynn, you know you are always going to get around 200 innings per year and he provides someone, who has had success at the big league level, to serve as a mentor for the younger pitchers coming up through the Padres system. Of course, Lynn came back last year after missing all of the 2016 season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but he recorded a career high 33 starts and had a 3.1 WAR.

If Lynn doesn't sound like a fit to the Padres front office, then they should explore Alex Cobb or Jake Arrieta. Arrieta has stated that he wants to play for a contender, but if the money is right and the deal is structured properly, he would probably be more than willing to pitch for the Padres. Arrieta would provide the workhorse that the Padres need at the top of the rotation, while Alex Cobb would help to lengthen the front of the Padres rotation. Cobb isn't necessarily a true ace, but rather a number two or three starter in most rotations.

Beyond the need for a top of the rotation starter, another potential need for the Padres, as with almost any other MLB team, is the need for another reliever. The Padres have a very good reliever in, Brad Hand, who is now slated to be the team's closer as well as a bunch of young relievers who could take a significant stride forward this coming season. While you'd like to see another veteran reliever added, who could potentially be traded at the deadline to make room for a young reliever, it doesn't seem like a necessity for San Diego right now. The Padres bullpen finished with a 4.49 ERA last year, but that is all part of the rebuild process. You have to give the youngsters an opportunity to showcase what they have and that's the route the Padres should go.

While the 2018 season probably won't result in a postseason trip for the Padres, there is certainly quite a bit to like about the current team they have as well as the farm system they've built up. The Hosmer signing helps to solidify things from a lineup and veteran leadership perspective, but it would still be nice to see the team try to sign one of the three remaining free agent starting pitchers on the market. You can never have enough pitching and investing in someone like, Lance Lynn, would be a great investment for the Padres.