When I first heard that the Padres signed Manny Machado for $300 million for 10 years, I was surprised that the San Diego organization, famous for being penny-pinchers, laid out the mother lode for the former Orioles' star.
I was also skeptical that he could carry out his stated mission to "mentor the younger players", which he cited as one of the reasons he was drawn to this distant National League outpost.
Having read a piece on the Padres' management's outlook, I am more hopeful. This, from a Dodgers' fan, but who has spent several years of my married life taking my wife to Padres games (22 a year in the early years, after she had never attended a game before meeting me), hanging in there even after she began taking a novel with her to read during games, then finally telling me gently, "Honey, maybe you ought to go alone." (I knew that was the end of the baseball honeymoon.)
Peter Seidler assured the reporter that his club had done a thorough vetting, that they had concluded many of Manny's antics came when he was younger (he's now 26, with hopefully many more years of productivity ahead of him), and that they are comfortable with having him as the face of their franchise.
Okay, I'll go along with that. I'll be optimistic.
But at first, at Spring Training, I was like several other people: "Manny, he's talented, but he's a jerk." One couple that had just driven from San Diego the day before, putting off their departure because of the cold weather (36 degrees and rain) in Phoenix, said, "Yeah, right, he's going to mentor the younger players. How?"
No one disputes Manchado's incredible baseball talents: glove skills at shortstop and third base, power and hitting for average at the plate.
The dragging-his-foot incident with the first baseman during the postseason last fall was my first exposure to his negative side. I had heard a little of the complaints about his not fully running out batted balls.
With the kicking incident at first base, then I became aware of the numerous incidents he has been involved in before. Maybe evidence of a competitive spirit, but also immature, unprofessional. I leaned toward getting Bryce Harper, the other high-priced free agent available, over Machado because of this.
The good part for local fans is that the Padres put out that much money for a star player. One Spring Training attendee told me, "Yeah, but they're going to get rid of him after three years." Which very well may be true.
The hope is that with Eric Hosmer at first base, Ian Kinsler at second, and now Manny Machado at third, with Fernando Tatis Jr. waiting in the wings at short and Luis Arias at short right now, that the Pads have enough talent to start turning the corner on the long stretch of losing teams they have sent out the last several years.
No comments:
Post a Comment