AJ Preller Is On Crack

The San Diego Padres are going for it. The Padres have made 4 trades before the deadline and have signaled they’re in go for it mode. Albeit in a 60 game season where basically half the teams get into the postseason. It’s not the fact that San Diego is trying to win. It’s the fact that they are pushing their chips to the center without accomplishing anything. Padres general manager AJ Preller is on CRACK.

Let’s be honest, nobody knows how AJ Preller still has a job. Preller took over the Padres in 2014-2015. Preller tried to get the Pades to win right away making a flurry of terrible decisions. In his first year, Preller added Matt Kemp, Craig Kimbrel, Justin Upton, James Shields, Wil Myers, Derek Norris, and Will Middlebrooks in one offseason. San Diego went on to win 74 games.

The Padres have not made the postseason once since Preller has been the GM. Since that first season, ownership has given him year after year trying to clean up his own mess. Now, Preller did do a good job building back up the farm system. The Padres have some young talent and he did steal Fernando Tatis. However, when push comes to shove, we all know Preller isn’t ready for prime time.

Preller is on drugs. I’m not sure which drugs but let’s just go with crack. Preller made deals for Jason Castro and Trevor Rosenthal giving up minor pieces. Fine whatever. Here’s where things start to get dicy.

Preller did go into the piggy bank giving up two top 20 prospects for Mitch Moreland. Now, Moreland is playing out of his mind but the fit is weird. What happens when or if Moreland reverts back to his career norms. Does the move rub Eric Hosmer the wrong way who should be entrenched as the everyday first baseman? I’m not sure it was the right fit but hey, I’m not going to kill you for being aggressive and trying to win.

It’s the last trade San Diego just made that puts it over the top. WTF are you doing? The Padres in their latest move traded away Ty France, Taylor Trammell, Luis Torrens, AND Andres Munoz for Austin Nola, Austin Adams, and Dan Altavilla. HUH????

No, you read that right. Ty France is hitting .314 for the Padres this season as a second year player. Andres Munoz is another player on the big league roster who’s posted a 3.91 ERA in his first season with room to grow. Luis Torrens is a big league catcher hitting .273. Wait it gets better.

THE PADRES GAVE UP TAYLOR TRAMMELL! The same guy the Reds were willing to give up for Trevor Bauer who’s a stud pitcher. Trammell is a top 100 prospect and viewed as a high end starter in the big leagues.

Surely, the Padres got a HAUL then, right? NOPE. They got journeyman Dan Altavilla who has a 7.71 ERA and has never been anything more than a 6th inning guy at best. Austin Adams is another 32 year old journeyman reliever. The prize of the deal is Austin Nola who before last year was best known because his brother is Aaron Nola.

Look, Nola is having a great year. Nobody is denying that. He’s the best offensive catcher in the sport so far in 2020. It doesn’t change the fact that this is ridiculous. Nola is a 31-year-old catcher who’s been in the big leagues for two years. You traded the farm for a catcher who’s had major success at the Major League level for 2 months without doing it before the age of 30.

Revisiting The Fernando Tatis Jr. And James Shields Trade

WTF is AJ Preller doing? What drugs is he taking. I could type out a bunch of words but I think this tweet sums it up perfectly.

Here is one I would love to know: Is #Dodgers top baseball exec Andrew Friedman smiling at all the future collateral that the #Padres are surrendering or worried that they have made themselves even more of a real NL/NL West threat now and in the near future?

— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 31, 2020

It’s the first one. Frieman is laughing his ass off at that clown in San Diego.