Help Wanted

FF is officially disgusted by the way that the Padres are swinging the bat. It has been over 90 innings and more than a week since the Friars have hit a homer, and extra base hits are so rare that when they do occur the base runner gets confused and keeps running (sorry, PMac). The fact is that when this team hits, they are moving 90 feet at a time. If you are going to play small ball, please acquire some speed to go first to third on the back end of two singles.

Something needs to happen with this team, and fast. Rumor has it that the Padres have some sort of offensive stud playing in Portland. The time has come for Chase Headley to be up with the big boys. Though Scott Hairston maybe more comfortable in left field, his one handed haymaker swings seem to be the reason that he has never been an everyday player in this league.

Kevin Towers should have a ridiculously high phone bill right now, and a move for the Matt Murton's of the world is not going to cut it. I know the franchise philosophy is to build around young players and fill the gaps with average and declining veterans, but something has to be done to reduce this drowning offense. With the outstanding pitching the Padres possess, it would be a shame not to field a quality lineup behind them to make a mark this season. The farm system is built up a bit ~ put some chips in play in hopes to push some runs across the plate.

Jody Gerut Hot In Spring

Non roster invitee, Jody Gerut, has been swinging a hot stick early in the Padres camp. San Diego does not have an every day left fielder penned into LF and needs a reserve who has the ability to play all three OF positions with the aging Brian Giles and Jim Edmonds as their starters in right and center. As camp opens the Friars have Scott Hairston penciled in to left as the opening day starter, but that position is definitely up for grabs.

Gerut who has not played in MLB over the last 2 seasons due to knee injuries, rejuvenated his once bright career while hitting an impressive, league leading, .390 in Venezuelan winter ball. He has continued his tear by slapping a double yesterday and singling twice this afternoon in an annual charity game between Peoria Sports Complex residents, Pads and Seattle Mariners. The Mariners took the exhibition game tilt by a score of 10-3. With Cactus League play officially commencing tomorrow afternoon, the Padres staff has certainly taken notice of the strides that Jody Gerut is making. It remains to be the hot topic of the Padres camp and between the founding fathers of Friar Forum. Will it be the slight favorite in Hairston, the Padres top prospect Chase Headley, or the white hot Jody Gerut? Competition brings out the best in athletes and we at FF are exciting to see how it all plays out.

Fick Hoping to Return

After a stint in the unfriendly confines of the worst ballpark in America over the last two seasons (RFK Stadium), Robert Fick is back in camp with the Friars. Looking to earn a spot off the bench, Fick has been regularly catching this offseason. Over the course of his career, the 33 year old (34 on the Ides of March) has played 313 games at 1B, 178 in RF, 158 behind the plate, 71 at that evil, union-induced position for the American League, 31 in LF and 1 at 3B (those that recall/guessed Bruce Bochy was behind this are of course correct).

A little catching depth never hurts, but it is unlikely that Bud Black values carrying three catchers to the extent that Bochy did. Fick is often credited with exceptional patience at the plate, but his career mark of 3.91 pitches/plate appearance (P/PA) is just above the MLB average. Chase Headley is also supposed to excel at plate patience and his brief stay with the Padres in 2006 led to 4.14 P/PA. Nonetheless, Fick is a versatile veteran who is predicted by the Bill James Handbook 2008 to post a .677 OPS. We certainly have more confidence in him than Terrmel Sledge.

Fick was a budding actor in '80's, with parts in Cheers, Who's the Boss, Webster and a Gatorade commercial. FF would like to see this experience parlayed into one of two options for the upcoming season: "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" should be the diddy played when he comes to bat or, even better, the club should encourage everyone to shout "Fick" when he enters the game, hearkening back to Norm's arrival in Cheers.

Murton Rumors Still Alive

Matt Murton to the Padres rumors remain persistent, as reported by mlbtraderumors.com. FF doesn't expect any trades to go down soon, as Kevin Towers will likely see how Scott Hairston and Chase Headley look in Peoria. Even so, Murton isn't exactly the right handed power hitter the Padres covet. Nonetheless, The Bill James Handbook 2008 projects Murton to post a respectable .841 OPS in 2008. In comparison, James predicts a .932 clip from Headley with a .839 showing from Hairston (see OBP graph below). With these numbers, its hard to see a ton of upside in executing this trade, outside of a bench depth to offset an aging outfield.

Graph from FanGraphs.com