San Diego Padres: The New Waiver-Wire Pitching Staff
The San Diego Padres have a lot of questions when it comes to pitching. Considering past inconsistencies, General Manager A.J. Preller is working towards stabilizing the system.
So far the pitching staff for the 2017 San Diego Padres consists of probables (Luis Perdomo and Christian Friedrich) and possibles (Paul Clemens and Jarred Cosart). Former first-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Dodgers Zach Lee, recently plucked off the waiver wire, will also get a look during spring training.
That latest addition reminds faithful fans of the peculiar 2012 season that could have been called the year of the waiver-wire starting rotation. That bizarre season started with the withdrawal of Jeff Moorad from his attempt to buy the team on the layaway plan from John Moores.
While Bud Selig tried to undo the damage done by the Frank and Jamie Mccourt in Los Angeles, he left the Padres twisting in the wind. The McCourts ended up selling the Dodgers to the Guggenheim Baseball Management group for $2 billion in March, while the Padres operated in limbo until August when MLB finally approved the current ownership group.
The mercurial and unpredictable Edinson Volquez started the first game and lost to the Dodgers at Petco Park. He teased his way through the season, shutting out the Houston Astros in a one-hitter, but losing his focus in other games. Other starters came and went, with several arriving via the waiver wire.
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In all, 24 pitchers took the mound and pitched at least 15 innings. This includes Cory Luebke, Tim Stauffer, Kip Wells, Dustin Moseley, Ross Ohlendorf, Jeff Suppan, Eric Stults, Jason Marquis, Casey Kelly, Anthony Bass as well as Volquez. And who can forget the now much maligned trade of Anthony Rizzo for Andrew Cashner? Predictably the Padres were over 20 games under .500 by June.
With luck and help from ever-patient pitcher-whisperer Darren Balsley, Perdomo and company should have better results. Perhaps Clayton Richard and Tyson Ross will return. Recent reports indicate that Walker Lockett, who was, ironically, drafted in 2012, has a chance at a rotation spot too.
Preller, obviously aware of the need to re-arm the system, wisely drafted several college pitchers last summer, including Cal Quantrill and Eric Lauer. Help is definitely on the way.
