Was thinking about this a bit. And we are in quite a bind. The biggest question is, is this a lost year or not? I think it is. The only thing we can do is hurt ourselves some more with delusiions of winning, because it's obvious the only way we will get better talent on the MLB club is through free agency. We can't trade some vital parts to fill gaps. We don't have much in the minors to trade.
We have to lose and stay in the bottom 10 so our #1 pick is protected. We also need to go into free agency and pick up players that can make a difference.
Another thing to consider is to start calling up some of our better prospects and get them experience through the season. Prime candidate would have been 3B. Till I saw what our #1 prospect is doing in AA. He's making Hamilton look like a slugger at the moment. So now 3B is a bigger black hole that I thought. Which will come later.
Pitching. Williams and Richards should be trotted out there to prepare for 2014. This is an ideal time to consider a Vargas extension in the low end of 3/$30 area or less. I don't know what other pitchers are considered MLB talent that we can also give an extended September to. And just because they are in our top 10 doesn't mean they are MLB talents. But then again, we are so unhealthy in the pitching department, that I don't know if we are truely as bad as it seems. Just having Burnett in the pen would change the landscape of the pen. Add to him if Madson's arm ever heals, and Coello. Although Coello may have been more of a blind squirrel finding an acorn.
Now as far as trade targets. Pitching is a top priority, but pitching usually comes with a huge pricetag. I don't think we will be able to get any quality in pitching, without giving up quality. Bourjos, Trumbo, Trout. I think we will be able to get prospects, which don't equate to MLB pitching, for some of our players, but nothing that will immediately help the MLB club.
Now here is where I go off the deep end. I have always said that this person won't be traded from his team, and that he would cost too much. But right now, the time might be right. Right now, the Padres are 3.5 games out of first place. They have 3 good starting pitchers. And 2 Blantons with a 5.67 and 7.01 ERA and negative WAR's. So they could use a starter. They also have a hotshot rookie Jedd Gyorko who has a .802 OPS to match a .913 minor league OPS, and a 1.148 college OPS. So I don't think his numbers are a fluke. This is also his first year of MLB service time. And he plays thirdbase.
It would be near impossible for us to trade for him. So that guy that was bantered about the last 2-3 years of a trade target might be available. Headley. He is currently at a .682 OPS. Headley would have a higher upside than Callaspo in the mid .700 ops range. Callaspo is a .700 hitter and that his last Royals year was a fluke. Headley is also approaching arbitration 3 next season.
So who can we trade to them. Weaver, CJ, and Blanton are out. Vargas is probably out with his health issue. But he would have been a prime candidate, so it's still possible he would be the one included. That would leave Hanson, Richards, and Williams. Richards would be good for them for his control left, but that is also something we need. Williams is also approaching arbitration 3 next season, so might be a good fit. Hanson would be our ideal person to trade off, since he's in Arbitration 2 next season, and it seems he hasn't adjusted to the AL very well. Of course it might have to do with his situation, and a change of scenery might do him well, mentally. Hanson would also benefit from that park, and his numbers are better than their 4/5 pitchers currently, and his past numbers shows some potential that Black can weave. Would probably have to include one or two players, but nothing really we would miss.
Just throwing a dart on the board.