Friar Machado: Manny Machado Joins the San Diego Padres

Spring Training is a time of year when all 30 teams and their fan bases can be optimistic about what's to come and hold the belief that their team will be a true contender this year. Regardless of how far stretched those odds might be for some teams, their fan base solely believes they will contend and dream for countless hours about their team playing in the World Series.

Well, that optimism level just got abundantly higher for the San Diego Padres and their entire fanbase yesterday afternoon when it was announced right around 10:30 AM that the organization had landed free agent star, Manny Machado. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, the deal is expected to cover 10 years and will be worth at least $300 million dollars. In addition, as Tim Brown of Yahoo Sports mentioned yesterday morning, the contract includes an opt-out after the fifth year. The final numbers, incentive amounts, and the exact breakdown of the contract have yet to be released, as Manny Machado and the San Diego Padres, are still awaiting a physical.

Either way, it's hard to see the deal falling apart now, as the financial terms have been agreed to, and there shouldn't be a significant issue with Machado's overall physical health. Beyond all of that, the deal includes a limited no-trade clause, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, who went onto say that, the deal is expected to be made official either this, Thursday or Friday, at the San Diego Padres Spring Training Facility in Peoria, Arizona.

It's hard to argue against the fact of Manny Machado signing with the San Diego Padres and the significant impact that adding someone of his caliber to their 25-man roster will have. It's not often that a 26-year old, once in a lifetime generational player hits the free agent market and for a small market team, like the San Diego Padres to get involved, shows that they are trying to be competitive and do everything possible to get the team back into the playoffs after a 13-year drought.

On top of that, the San Diego Padres have now made two of the biggest free agent splashes over the span of last offseason as well as this offseason. If you recall, the Padres unexpectedly were the final suitor for free agent first baseman, Eric Hosmer, last winter who they ultimately inked to a 8-year, $144 million dollar contract. Hosmer didn't have quite the season that many expected last winter, but with Machado in the fold now to go along with his bat, who knows what steps forward he might take this season. After all, "Hos" as many fans around the game refer to him as, is going into his 29-year old season and has a terrific pedigree that he developed during his time with the Kansas City Royals, who he helped lead to a World Series Championship, in 2015.

Furthermore, beyond Manny Machado and Eric Hosmer, the San Diego Padres also have Wil Myers in the fold. Myers, who previously played first base for San Diego prior to the Hosmer signing, will continue to hold down the fort in left field and is yet another vital part of the future core of the Padres. With Machado likely occupying the 2 hole in the Padres lineup and Hosmer in the 3 hole, Myers will likely slot down in the 4 hole where he put up a: .385/.385/.538 batting line last season over 13 at bats, the highest batting line of any spot in the order. Granted it was over a small sample size, but it could help to signify that Myers is comfortable in that spot and that's exactly what you want for any hitter.

When you combine the salaries of Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer, and Wil Myers, it totals up to be right around $496 million dollars moving forward, assuming that Machado makes $300 million dollars and not a penny more. More specifically, the Padres project to have a payroll right around $110 million dollars next season, which isn't that bad, when you consider having those three players on the payroll. A big reason why the overall payroll for the 2019 season is low is because of all of the pre-arbitration players that the organization has - a true testament to a team that is coming out of a rebuild.

Furthermore, Jon Heyman of MLB Network, announced yesterday that the Padres weren't giving up hope entirely on inking free agent outfielder, Bryce Harper, either. If they would add Harper, that would likely bump the payroll up to between $135 and $145 million dollars for the 2019 season, which would still be just a tick north of the league average payroll line of: $125.12 million dollars. If  a Harper signing were to happen or another significant investment was made by the Padres, it would give them the 13th highest payroll in baseball, just ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies and below the Colorado Rockies. What a force the team would be if Bryce Harper ended up joining that lineup too!

With that being said though, turning back to Wil Myers, the San Diego Padres have been rumored to have made Myers available before in trade discussions with other teams. Now, those rumors have never been confirmed by the organization, but many around the industry have speculated that he could be moved in the right deal. Of course, that was prior to Manny Machado coming into the fold, but still that could signal that if the organization does want to create additional flexibility and spending room, they could move Myers in the right deal and go with an everyday starting outfield trio of: Hunter Renfroe, Manuel Margot, and Franmil Reyes.

Still, the San Diego Padres could always elect to hang onto Myers, who is still under contract through the 2022 season and has a 2023 team option on his deal, which would be right around the time when the San Diego Padres would be pressing for a World Series Championship. Either way, it's a good problem for a team to have and something that any small market team would likely want the challenge of trying to decide.

Finally, turning back to Manny Machado now, the signing helps to signal the team's commitment towards not only bringing in star-studded talent and trying to bolster the lineup, but the idea of mixing in veteran players with the young prospects. If you recall, the San Diego Padres currently have the best farm system in all of baseball, according to Baseball America. In fact, the team possesses 10 of the Top 100 prospects in all of baseball right now, 7 of those being in the Top 50 ranks, according to MLB Pipeline. That's an amazing resemblance for the state of the San Diego Padres farm system and the organization's philosophy when it comes to internally developing and scouting players.

However, as teams have shown in the past, you can certainly rely on those internal development and scouting methods and players, but it can pay off huge dividends to invest in free agency as well. Sometimes you have to supplement the core of players that you have developed internally with options outside of the organization, and that's exactly what the San Diego Padres have done with both the Eric Hosmer and now, the Manny Machado, signings. Add to the fact that Manny Machado can now help mentor the Padres top prospect, Fernando Tatis Jr., and you can see the real value behind the signing.

While the San Diego Padres might not necessarily be a true contender this season, they are in a better state now as a team than they were a year ago and their future is extremely bright. While the Manny Machado signing is a huge gamble for the organization given the market it plays in, it's one that shows the organization is committed to winning and bringing back a championship caliber club to a city that is desperate for one.

Now, the San Diego Padres have to hope that all of those young prospects develop, like they're expected to, and continue to supplement their core with pitching pieces. If they are able to do that, then the team will be a lot better much sooner, than most fans, realize and could easily be in the process of creating a true dynasty, if all goes right.