COVERITLIVE.COM

12:00

Tim Sullivan - Good afternoon. I'm here for an hour to respond to questions, comments, jokes and weather forecasts for the U.S. Open.

12:03

Tim Sullivan -

In the absence of reader comments, be advised that I may start reciting The Charge of the Light Brigade. Consider yourself warned.

12:07

Tim Sullivan - Thanks for your message. I asked Jeff Moorad about it the other day. He said he didn't even want to hear about it until Aug. 5, and placed the likelihood of a deal being done before Aug. 14 at "zero."

12:07

[Comment From Jeff]
Hi Tim, I'm a huge fan of your writing. You've got a really unique style that I can always recognize. Anyway, lets start with the Padres. Anything going on with Donovan Tate negotiations?

12:08

Tim Sullivan - That last comment was in response to Jeff's question (and thanks for the kind words). Should have posted the comment before the question. I'm still learning how to do this.

12:08

[Comment From Jeff]
Do you buy the Padres' proclamation that nothing has changed since Sandy's exit as far as philosophy? It seems like they are just trying to deflect criticism, but it's obvious that something changed. Do you think they would have drafted all those high school kids and upside-potential picks if Alderson were here?

12:10

Tim Sullivan - It's hard to say what Sandy Alderson would have done with the No. 3 pick in the draft -- the Padres picked quite lower during his tenure -- but the big change I see is the shift from John Moores' draft philosophy (which gave us Matt Bush) to the idea that you have to pick the best players and worry about signing them later.
Signability is always an issue, but it shouldn't be the overriding concern.

12:11

Tim Sullivan - Looks like it's just you and me, Jeff, so don't be shy. I'll let you know if we get company.

12:12

[Comment From Jeff]
Wow, I can't believe more people aren't here. Anyway, is Towers serious when he says that Chris Young is untouchable? Seriously, he can't be. I hope his reason for saying that was too increase Young's trade value, in contrast to how he handled PEavy.

12:13

Tim Sullivan - These chats tend to be hit and miss in terms of participation. We do well if we promote it or if there's a hot topic like the NFL draft.
No one is untouchable, though. There are players the Padres would like to keep because they're inexpensive, but if you dangle Albert Pujols, you can probably take your pick.

12:15

Tim Sullivan - Some people believe the Padres should trade Gonzalez because he could help them address three or four needs. My concern would be that the Padres already have a lot of Triple-A talent and they should be reluctant to move All-Stars.

12:18

[Comment From Jeff]
I really think the "Moneyball" philosophy was a problem at Petco Park. To me, it made no sense to have a slow team that didn't believe in playing small ball at Petco. What do you think about building a team built around speed and pitching at Petco?

12:20

Tim Sullivan - I think Petco Park is ideally suited for a team based around pitching and speed, but there's a balance you need to achieve. If a guy can't hit, speed isn't enough. If a guy can hit, you can live with lesser speed.
I like the Cardinals' model of the early '80s, but the stolen base is no longer fashionable, and the size of most ballparks places a premium on power.
Looks like we have company.

12:20

[Comment From JESPER]
Are the Chargers in any danger of loosing V.Jackson for any amount of time if he gets convicted?

12:21

Tim Sullivan - I would think so. I don't know how flexible the courts are going to be about accommodating the Chargers' schedule. But I'm guessing Jackson's attorneys can push this back for a while. That's just a guess, however.

12:21

[Comment From Jeff]
Honestly Tim, I would trade Adrian if two things happen: 1. Kyle Blanks is the real deal; 2. They can get a bonafide uberprospect and several other very good prospects. Do you know when Adrian is a free agent? I just can't see the Padres giving him a 7 year, $100 million deal. What they can't do is give him a no-trade clause. We know how that goes here.

12:23

Tim Sullivan - It's my understanding that Adrian Gonzalez has one more year under contract, and then an inexpensive club option for 2011. That means he's under the Padres' control for two more years.
I don't see Kyle Blanks establishing himself as "the real deal" this year, and probably not next year. I would guess we'd be looking at 2011 before a decision is made to sign Gonzalez long-term or trade him. But it might happen earlier if the Padres are offered enough.

12:23

[Comment From JESPER]
What is your opinion on the new stadium situation, do you think it gets done (ever) or not?

12:25

Tim Sullivan - Ever is a long time. But I don't see anything dramatic happening in San Diego County in the next year. I'm still not convinced that the Los Angeles threat is viable, but so long as that market has no team, it's going to make people nervous.
The good news is that the economic issues that make stadium deals so difficult are not a local problem, but a national one. Money is tight, and the public is not in much of a mood for subsidies.

12:25

[Comment From JESPER]
What do you think about the Brandon Marshall thing in Denver?

Page 1 Next >