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Home , 1980 World Series, Carter Capps, Peter Seidler, Winter Meetings

Padres Press Clips Friday, December 8, 2017

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Padres will weigh present against near future at winter SD Union Tribune Lin 2 meetings

Padres fans have gotten their hopes up before for big-name SD Union Tribune Kenney 4 free agents

Padres roster review: Carter Capps SD Union Tribune Sanders 8

Mariners, a finalist for Shohei Ohtani, trade for more SD Union Tribune Lin 10 bonus money while Padres remain capped

Shohei Ohtani choosing Padres would be almost SD Union Tribune Acee 11 unimaginably perfect

Wil Myers approves of outfield idea if Padres sign Eric SD Union Tribune Lin 14 Hosmer

Myers open to move back to OF for good of club MLB.com Cassavell 16

Preller expects to be busy at Winter Meetings MLB.com Cassavell 17

Padres meet with free agent Eric Hosmer SD Union Tribune Lin 19

Angels, not Padres, to sign Japanese star Shohei Ohtani SD Union Tribune Lin 20

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Padres will weigh present against near future at winter meetings Dennis Lin The contract extension A.J. Preller signed after this past season will keep the Padres general manager under contract through 2022. Much can happen in the course of five years, and baseball’s winter meetings, which begin Sunday in Orlando, Fla., could serve as a critical milepost.

“It does point somewhat to a long-term plan and a long-term vision,” Preller said of his recently expanded job security. “But I think the other thing that’s been consistent is nobody is saying, Hey, we have to wait till 2021 or ‘22.”

Indeed, primary owner Peter Seidler has said he would be disappointed if the Padres don’t at least threaten for a playoff berth in 2019. If the winter takes an unlikely turn — for , the dream would be signing both Shohei Ohtani and Eric Hosmer — the timeline might move up a bit.

The Padres would love to reel in Ohtani, a two-way star from Japan, and Hosmer, the best available first baseman, because they are the type of players who should provide immediate and long-term impact. These players are also rare commodities.

In the meantime, Preller will spend his time at the winter meetings looking to shore up present weaknesses without compromising the organization’s not-too-distant future. He will continue examining free-agent options and entertaining trade offers for the likes of Brad Hand and Yangervis Solarte.

Here are four areas of need the Padres will attempt to address in Orlando:

Starting pitching Ten or more options entering would be ideal. The Padres are still a few short.

Ohtani, who recently narrowed his finalists to San Diego and six other teams, could announce his decision during the winter meetings.

Jhoulys Chacin proved he can still be a serviceable rotation arm in 2017, and the Padres would like to bring him back for the right price. A two-year deal could work. Three might be stretching it; several pitching prospects could make or approach their major league debuts next season.

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Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. won’t turn 19 until next month, but the Padres’ No. 1 prospect has an outside shot of reaching the majors before his 20th birthday. Luis Urias, a second baseman who can handle himself at shortstop, appears even .

So, the preference here is another short-term fix. Veteran shortstop Alcides Escobar doesn’t get on base much, but he remains steady in the field and has played 162 games in three of the last four seasons.

The Padres have been linked to a slightly flashier option in Phillies shortstop Freddy Galvis. NBC Sports Philadelphia recently reported that the Phillies had yet to receive a satisfactory trade offer for Galvis, who is a year away from free agency.

Lineup stabilizer Hosmer, who can supply power from the left side, would fit the bill, though his value has been widely debated. Agent Scott Boras will seek a nine-figure contract, something the Padres have never given out.

Ohtani, if the Padres are fortunate enough to land him, would help, but the 23-year-old faces an adjustment period and won’t be in the lineup every day. Scouts rate his pitching above his hitting.

Other top free-agent bats many not make much sense, and San Diego will be priced out of competing for some of the biggest names in the 2018-19 class. Preller may decide it’s wiser to wait awhile longer before acquiring a headliner on offense. A deep farm system should help in that regard.

Relief pitching The Padres have some interesting relievers in the upper levels of their farm system, but more depth never hurts. Any bullpen acquisitions likely will be of the inexpensive variety; Colten Brewer, a career minor leaguer who recently signed to a big-league deal, is one example.

A reunion with Craig Stammen, who made the most of a minor league deal last season, is possible. Both sides have expressed interest.

3

Padres fans have gotten their hopes up before for big-name free agents Kirk Kenney Padres fans have been teased before — again and again and again — through the years with the organization’s pursuit of big-name free agents who then sign with another team.

Why should this year be any different?

So, while it is encouraging to hear the Padres rumored to be the front-runners for Japanese star Shohei Ohtani — and also mentioned with first baseman Eric Hosmer — longtime Padres fans aren’t going to get too worked up about it. They’ve seen this all before too many times. Let them know when there's a press conference to announce signing one — or both — of them.

The one thing different about this time is many thought those days were long gone. Outside of the signing of free agent James Shields before the 2015 season it has been three decades since the Padres were linked to a legitimate free agent.

During the dawn of free agency, the Padres were players each year. Or, more accurately, they were played. This was the mid-1970s. was the owner and he wanted to win at all costs. Price didn't matter. Man, the fans loved Kroc. Everyone did. But even his McDonald's millions weren't enough to lure the best players here.

Oakland A's pitcher Catfish Hunter was baseball's first big free agent. Hunter won the in 1974 after going 25-12 with a 2.49 ERA and helping the A's to their third straight win. He was declared a free agent that fall when Oakland owner Charles O. Finley failed to meet one of the conditions of Hunter's contract for insurance annuity payments.

In a 1994 story looking back on what transpired, Hal Bock of the Associated Press recounted in great detail how everything unfolded.

Pretty much every team inquired about Hunter’s services. A handful of them — the Padres included — were serious. Very serious.

Hunter lived in rural North Carolina, and he had teams come to him with their offers. His lawyer, a man named J. Carlton Cherry, handled the negotiations.

“Cherry didn’t know what he had,” Marvin Miller, head of the players union, told Bock. “He called me to say Finley had offered to forgive a loan and give Hunter a three-year guaranteed contract. He thought that was pretty good. As politely as I could, I explained that Hunter was the first free agent superstar. I told him, ‘You haven’t seen anything, yet.’ “

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Cleveland supposedly put a $2 million offer on the table. Kansas City offered to pay Hunter $50,000 a year for the rest of his life.

“What if I die?” Hunter asked. “They said, ‘The contract is for you, not your wife and not your family.’ “

The Royals were shown the door.

Padres General Manager Peter Bavasi was watching from the sidelines, waiting for his opportunity to jump in. Bavasi had come to North Carolina, staying at the Tomahawk Motel, with orders from Kroc to secure Hunter’s signature on a contract.

“Ray asked what I thought it would cost,” Bavasi said in the AP story. “I told him Catfish made $100,000 the year before and from all indications, he wanted a long-term, guaranteed contract. I thought it would take $400,000.”

Turns out, Bavasi wasn’t even close.

Bavasi, who waited for a late appointment so that other teams could come in and make their offers first, had purchased a new gray suit for the meeting. Hunter showed up in hunting clothes.

“It was the last day of the hunting season,” Bavasi said. “He had his dogs in the truck, ready to go.”

Hunter was chewing tobacco throughout the meeting, spitting the juice in a Styrofoam cup.

Not everything made it into the cup. Some spittle got on Bavasi’s sleeve. He didn’t flinch.

Bavasi was too busy focusing on Cherry’s contract demands for his client.

“He wanted a variety of things that added up to $3,750,000,” Bavasi said. “It was almost $4 million, a far cry from our $400,000.”

When Cherry said, “Now, young man, does that scare you?” Bavasi answered: “It sure doesn’t.”

Bavasi asked for a break in the negotiations, went back to his hotel and phoned Kroc, who was on a cruise. Through the static of a ship-to-shore line, the GM communicated the demand.

He said $4 million, but Kroc heard it as $400,000.

“That’s great,” Kroc told Bavasi. “You brought it in right where you said. Four hundred thousand.”

Replied Bavasi: “No, Mr. Kroc. The price is $4 million.”

“Four million?”

Joan Kroc, the owner’s wife, overheard the conversation, which started a ship-to-ship conversation.

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But Ray Kroc was not to be dissuaded. Bavasi returned to the meeting and told Cherry he had a deal.

Unbeknownst to the Padres, the had enter the picture seemingly moments after the two sides had struck a deal.

The Yankees offered $3.75 million and convinced Cherry that New York would be a better place for Hunter.

But there was still the matter of getting out of the contract with the Padres. As lawyers were going over the deal line-by-line, Kroc’s reps asked for one more thing, for Hunter to be a spokesman for McDonald’s restaurants in the Southeast.

It amounted to a counteroffer.

“Cherry seized the opportunity to get out,” Bavasi said. “Kroc went ballistic. I thought I would be fired. The lawyers understood what was going on, though.”

Hunter signed with the Yankees, who made the announcement on New Year’s Eve.

Reflecting on it all 20 years later, Bavasi said, “Isolate that signing and it tells you all you need to know about how baseball got in the mess it is in. All of this was created and sustained by the owners themselves. It was simply a complete lack of self-restraint.

“I saw Catfish Hunter with a Styrofoam cup in his hand. He didn’t have a gun to my head.”

The Padres would be used as leverage time and again over the next five years by free agents. The Players would get their prices bid up by the Padres, among others, then go sign somewhere else.

In the spring of 1976, the Padres made a strong at Dodgers pitcher , , who had been declared a free agent after challenging the reserve clause. But it was the Braves coming out on top in the bidding. Messersmith wanted $1.2 million for four years. Kroc offered $1.1 million. "Finally, I just said, 'Let's split the difference and make it $1,150,000,' “ Kroc told the AP. "Then his two-bit promoter said, 'It's $1,200,000 or nothing.' That did it. We said it'll be nothing. I wouldn't take that guy now at any price. ... He can work in a car wash."

At the end of 1976, it was the Yankees again. They did the same thing with Baltimore outfielder Reggie Jackson (who had played out his option with the Orioles after being traded from Oakland during the season) that they did with Hunter. Kroc fumed once again.

"Reggie is a great guy," said Kroc after negotiations broke off with Jackson's agent, a fellow named Gary Walker. "He's got a great personality. And he's a great person. But he's got a juvenile for an agent. He can't make up his mind."

Jackson could have back-to-back in the heart of the Padres batting order with a young Dave Winfield.

The Padres did sign Oakland reliever Rollie Fingers, the franchise's biggest signing, and outfielder Gene Tenace that year.

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In 1978, 's was the prize of the free agent class. The Padres were among the teams in pursuit, along with nearly a dozen others. In fact, a Sports Illustrated story by E.M. Swift includes photos of Rose wearing the caps of nine different teams.

In the photo with Rose wearing a Padres, he is pretending to eat a hamburger. Nice touch.

In the story, Rose says: "San Diego had two Pete Rose Days this year. Two. Ray Kroc likes me because I'm a self-made, aggressive guy like he is, and he likes me because I help his younger players. I go to the park early and work with them. He appreciates that."

Rose didn't appreciate the Padres enough. He signed with Philadelphia, where he helped lead the Phillies to the 1980 World Series title.

And so it went.

The Padres' biggest free agent signing was in the winter of 1982 when they convinced Dodgers first baseman to come down from . All it took was $6.6 million over five years. It was worth it. Garvey's game-winning against the Cubs in the 1984 Championship Series is perhaps the most memorable moment in the franchise's history.

Another prominent signing was in the winter of 1983 when the Padres finally took someone from the Yankees by signing closer . By the way, Yankees third baseman rejoined the Goose in a trade for pitcher Padres Dennis Rasmussen before the 1984 season began.

Shields is the team’s only significant free agent signing since, although outfielder Greg Vaughn was re-signed in 1996 after coming to the team during the season in a trade with Milwaukee. Good move. Vaughn hit a club-record 50 home runs in 1998 while helping the team reach the World Series.

Padres fans have endured fire sales and ownership changes and were regularly told to accept that, as a "small-market team," such players are unaffordable.

Ohtani, 23, would be a relative bargain because he is not an unrestricted free agent since he is not yet 25 years old. Hosmer, 28, likely would require the largest contract the Padres have ever awarded a player (the $83 million extension signed in January by first baseman Wil Myers).

Either way, longtime Padres fans won’t hold their collective breath waiting for one — or both — players to sign. They’ve been teased before by free agents. Again and again and again.

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Padres roster review: Carter Capps Jeff Sanders

CARTER CAPPS

• Position: Right-handed reliever • 2018 age: 27 • Bats/throws: R/R • Height/weight: 6-foot-5 / 230 pounds • Acquired: From the Marlins in July 2016 trade • Contract status: Arbitration-eligible (projected to make $1.3 million by MLBTradeRumors.com); will not be a free agent until 2020 at the earliest • Key stats: 0-0, 6.57 ERA, 7 Ks, 2 BBs, 1.14 WHIP, .261 opponent average, 12 1/3 IP (11 games)

STAT TO NOTE

• 5.11 – per nine innings, a career-worst as Capps returned from a 2016 Tommy John procedure. He’d posted better than 10 per nine innings each previous year in the majors, including an eye-popping 16.8 in 2015.

TRENDING

• Idle – Capps was already rehabbing his March 2016 Tommy John surgery when the Padres acquired him alongside RHP and 1B prospect in the trade. The deal has a chance to be a tremendous boon if Capps ever approaches 2015 form (1.16 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 16.8 K/9), but that did not happen in 2017. Instead of opening spring training in contention for ninth-inning appearances, Capps started his season at high Single-A Lake Elsinore in April. He shifted to Triple-A El Paso before the end of the month, was bounced back to extended spring training at one point to iron out mechanics and made 26 appearances (2.60 ERA) before finally making his Padres debut in August. His controversial hop-step delivery wasn’t nearly as pronounced up his return, but a 93 mph fastball had also yet to return to form (98.96 mph in 2015, according to brooksbaseball.net). His command was shaky, too, and hitters were rarely fooled in Capps’ initial innings. Capps had, however, allowed a run over 7 2/3 innings when a blood clot ended his season in September.

2018 OUTLOOK

• Further tests revealed that the compression of nerves and blood vessels in Capps’ upper chest – thoracic outlet syndrome – caused his blood clot. He underwent surgery and is 8 expected to be ready in time for spring training. There, he’ll have every opportunity to work his way into a set-up role in a Padres bullpen that may ask him to games if Brad Hand is traded. As versatile as Hand is, the Padres could even insert Capps into that role without a trade to give Padres manager Andy Greenflexibility, but Capps is also two surgeries removed from his previous peak. He’ll have to prove he’s up to the task before moving into a high-leverage role.

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Mariners, a finalist for Shohei Ohtani, trade for more bonus money while Padres remain capped Dennis Lin Shohei Ohtani proved the relative insignificance of money in his life when he recently left Japan two years ahead of a potential $200 million payday. In a list of seven finalists, he included the Padres among four teams that can offer him signing bonuses of no more than $300,000.

But money is not entirely unimportant to the 23-year-old and his representatives.

The , one of the contenders for Ohtani’s two-way services, certainly appear to believe so. On Thursday, General Manager Jerry Dipoto sent three minor leaguers to the Marlins for Dee Gordon and $1 million in international bonus pool space. The exchange followed similar-minded deals Wednesday night, when the Mariners and another Ohtani finalist, the , each acquired $1 million in bonus pool space from Minnesota.

Seattle can now offer Ohtani a bonus of $3,557,500, slightly more than the ’ maximum bid of $3.535 million. The Angels are up to $2.315 million, while the Padres, Giants, Dodgers and Cubs cannot offer more than $300,000 — a penalty for exceeding spending allotments in previous signing periods.

Ohtani has until Dec. 22 to sign with a team. Unrestricted to an extent, the Mariners, Rangers and Angels still could sweeten their proposals by trading for more international pool money.

The rumor mill has continued to churn since in-person presentations to Ohtani concluded Tuesday night with a visit from the Padres, but the next steps in his decision-making process are unclear. Many are of the belief that he would like to announce his choice sometime during next week’s winter meetings in Orlando.

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Shohei Ohtani choosing Padres would be almost unimaginably perfect Kevin Acee When Shohei Ohtani signs with the Padres, San Diego will change.

Santa Ana winds will only blow for good. Downtown will smell like boysenberry all the time. Commuters on the eastbound 8 will smile and blow kisses and sing in one rapturous voice at 5 o’clock every weeknight.

“It would be generational-changing,” said this week.

I am not certain what Hoffy meant by that. Maybe it was simply about transforming a baseball franchise. But I think he meant the children born after Ohtani arrives in San Diego — Ohtanials, we shall call them — will never have cavities and generally achieve greatness in science, athletics and oceanography.

Probably. Maybe. Or something even better.

What it would definitely mean is that we will be euphoric about the Padres.

And not the desperate delirium accompanied by queasiness and questions. (Like, “Holy moly. A.J. Preller is a rock star! Wait. Can Matt Kemp and Justin Upton really coexist and be what they once were? Yeah, of course they can. This is awesome! But I wonder …”)

Ohtani will be different. He’s 23 years old. He pitches. He hits. He does both so well he is roundly considered a sure thing. There is no such thing as a sure thing in baseball, except Ohtani. That’s how young and good he is.

He did things in Japan no one has done in America since the most famous baseball player ever. And like Babe Ruth, Ohtani has also become larger than life.

He would be especially so here in San Diego.

We usually laugh when we hear such things. (“Yeah. The Japanese Babe Ruth might come to the Padres.” Haha. LOL. Shut up! Crying emoji.)

Now we might be dancing.

Unlike the flush we knew deep down was fleeting when Kempton & Co. arrived, Ohtani’s youth and talent and celebrity are a harbinger. Yes, signing this dude would be so big, it would be a damn omen. It would be more than symbolic; it would practically fulfill prophecy. 11

With Ohtani as the marquee move among the many A.J. Preller has orchestrated to build a system centered on youth and sustainability, we could feel exceedingly good about the direction of the Padres. The direction, not just the moment.

But speaking of time, that plays a factor in why San Diegans have pretty much lost their minds over even the opportunity of Ohtani.

We love being chosen, because we hardly ever are and we believe we always should be. And at this particular juncture, we’re hurting over being abandoned.

The Padres are our professional sports franchise, the professional sports franchise that remains in San Diego.

A superstar athlete that virtually every fan of the sport is talking about in two countries deciding he wants to play for the Padres over better teams in bigger markets that really wanted him — that blows our minds and puffs up our chests any year.

Him doing it in the year we lost the Chargers is cumulus clouds of self-esteem. It’s Zoloft and Adderall for our depressed and scattered sports psyche — in chewable tablets that taste like champagne and strawberries.

It’s a win we need. It’s telling us we are players.

The Padres have acquired big names via trade and free agency. None like Ohtani.

Steve Garvey signed as a free agent with the Padres before the 1983 season, and it immediately brought folks to the box office and helped deliver the Padres to the World Series two seasons later. It is appraised as one of the best free agent signings in baseball history. The Garv considers himself a Dodger and we still retired his number, because he changed the way San Diegans viewed a forlorn franchise.

That’s what Ohtani will do.

But with a whole career ahead of him, with hope that he will always want to be a Padre because he decided to become one despite of who they are and what they could give him.

Ohtani would be a instant icon here.

We love those who love us.

Tony Gywnn’s sweet swing was nice. Man could hit. And he was gracious. And that he forsook greener pastures with more green for all those seasons is why he has a statue at .

Hoffman, whose statue is coming, was so freaking awesome and stayed here so freaking long that we basically forgot that he went to Milwaukee at the end of his career. (Or maybe the Brewers’ uniforms being virtually identical to the Padres’ uniforms has something to do with it.)

“It would be hard to put your mind around how meaningful it would be to the community,” Hoffman said of Ohtani choosing San Diego. 12

Well said.

Notice this column began with a definite.

When Ohtani signs.

That’s because only positive thinking and positive things will occur in San Diego when Ohtani becomes a Padre.

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Wil Myers approves of outfield idea if Padres sign Eric Hosmer Dennis Lin Depending on how the next month or so unfolds, San Diego’s offseason could go in a number of directions. The Padres are a finalist for Japanese two-way talent Shohei Ohtani, who has until Dec. 22 to make a decision, and the team has expressed interest in free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer.

In the event Hosmer does move out west, Wil Myers apparently would not hesitate about his own direction.

Myers, the first baseman signed to a franchise-record contract, has approved of a potential move to the outfield, club sources told the Union-Tribune. The front office contacted Myers’ camp when news of its Hosmer interest emerged last month, essentially saying the Padres were attempting to add impact players, not force Myers off first base. More recent, direct interaction is said to have gone smoothly.

“He loves Hosmer,” one official said. “Wil wants to win and will do anything to accommodate a player like Hosmer. Quick, easy conversation. No hesitation on his part.”

The Padres would seem a long shot to land Hosmer, who they know could cost upward of $150 million — the team’s largest deal to date is the $83 million extension Myers signed in January — but the dialogue with Myers further illustrates a serious pursuit.

Aside from Ohtani, Hosmer is the youngest premier free agent available and theoretically will remain in his prime when the Padres’ competitive window opens. As well, the 28-year-old could address a need for left-handed offense and provide relevant leadership. Hosmer, who is bilingual, served as a key cog for a Kansas City team that went to the World Series in 2014 and 2015, lifting the franchise out of a decades-long playoff drought.

Myers, who will turn 27 on Sunday, has spoken glowingly of Hosmer, whom he played with in the Royals’ farm system; Hosmer was drafted a year earlier, also with a third-overall selection. In 2012, Myers, then an elite prospect, was part of a trade that brought James Shields and Wade Davis to Kansas City. A three-team blockbuster sent Myers to San Diego before the 2015 campaign.

The last three seasons have represented a mixed bag. Myers missed much of 2015 due to wrist injuries, made his first All-Star team in 2016 and had an up-and-down 2017.

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He has moved from right field to center field to first base, where he has said he is most comfortable but retains significant room for improvement. He has 150 career starts in right field and four in left, which likely would be the first option if Hosmer joins him in San Diego.

Hosmer is a four-time Gold Glove winner at first base, though advanced metrics do not view him as kindly. The Padres appear to be in the camp that regards him as a strong fielder. Hosmer’s offensive production has fluctuated, but he hit .318 with 25 home runs this past season, and there’s a belief he could supply significantly more power if he chose to.

Somehow signing both Hosmer and Ohtani, in addition to being a serious upset, would give the Padres much to consider. Ohtani has made it clear he would like to continue pitching and hitting, and his most natural position as a defender is right field, though he has not played it since 2014.

While incumbent right fielder Hunter Renfroe endured struggles on both sides of the ball as a rookie, some evaluators think it would be foolish to give up on the 25-year-old so early; Renfroe, who bats righty (Ohtani hits lefty), has launched three home runs in a game and owns one of the sport’s more potent outfield arms.

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Myers open to move back to OF for good of club By AJ Cassavell MLB.com @AJCassavell Dec. 7th, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- Wil Myers is open to a move back to the outfield, should the Padres land a first baseman via trade or free agency this offseason. They've already been linked with former Royals slugger Eric Hosmer.

According to a source, the Padres' front office spoke with Myers earlier this month regarding whether he'd be comfortable abandoning first base, where he has played the past two seasons. Myers was evidently very receptive to the notion.

Paraphrasing the response, Myers, according to the source, said something along the lines of, "I'd rather win games than play a certain position."

There's no evidence that Myers' answer means San Diego is any closer to signing Hosmer. Last month, team sources said the club was merely doing its "due diligence" by checking in with Hosmer's camp. Asking Myers to move to the outfield is undoubtedly part of that due diligence.

Hosmer batted .318/.385/.498 with 25 homers and won an Gold Glove Award for Kansas City last season. At 27, he's one of the few big-name free agents whose youth might mesh with the Padres' plan to contend in 2019 and beyond.

. 27th, 2017 Financially, however, Hosmer would require a major commitment. He figures to receive a nine- figure contract this offseason, which would be the largest in club history.

In any case, one hurdle is clear. Myers, who has professed his love for playing first on numerous occasions, appears content to shift back to the outfield, where he spent his first three big league seasons.

Myers excelled in his first full season at first base in 2016, finishing among the National League Gold Glove Award finalists and ranking first in Ultimate Zone Rating at the position. But he took a major step back in '17, slumping to the bottom of that leaderboard. Myers has spent part of the offseason honing his footwork, looking to improve on his poor range numbers.

Last offseason, San Diego signed Myers to a six-year, $83 million extension, lauding him as its first baseman of the future. The Padres remain committed to that plan -- at least as long as another first baseman doesn't fall into their lap this offseason.

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Preller expects to be busy at Winter Meetings From talkin' trade to the , GM has full to-do list By AJ Cassavell MLB.com @AJCassavell Dec. 6th, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- Two-way Japanese phenom Shohei Ohtani has moved to the front burner of the Hot Stove for the Padres. But there are a number of other items on general manager A.J. Preller's agenda with the Winter Meetings set to begin Monday in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Understandably, Ohtani has dominated headlines. The Padres are one of seven finalists for the 23-year-old who serves as both a hard-throwing righty pitcher and a power-hitting lefty batter.

But Ohtani or no Ohtani, there are other holes to address on the roster. And after a quiet couple months, the moves could come quickly over the next couple weeks.

"Everybody has kind of had their time to review trade possibilities and free-agent possibilities," Preller said. "I get the sense that things are going to start to open up, and you'll start to see some activity."

Club needs

Starting pitching: Preller, speaking early this week on a conference call after his three-year extension was announced, said he'd like to enter camp with 10 pitchers competing for rotation spots. The Padres currently have seven, including three coming off major surgeries. Expect Preller to add 2-3 more starters before the offseason ends, and a reunion with Jhoulys Chacin remains possible. That said, the club would like to avoid multiyear contracts for those starters with their talented Double-A rotation approaching big league readiness.

. 23rd, 2017 Shortstop: The Padres have inked a one-year shortstop solution in each of the past three offseasons, underwhelming all three times. This year, however, signing a stopgap appears to be the prudent move with No. 4 prospect Fernando Tatis Jr. waiting in the wings. Tatis could make an impact as early as 2019, and the Padres would prefer not to block his path. Among notable free agents, Zack Cozart and Alcides Escobarcould each provide the defensive upgrade the Padres are looking for.

Bullpen: Craig Stammen has expressed his desire to return to San Diego, and the feeling is mutual. But it's unclear whether the two sides are on the same page financially. Stammen, who went through a resurgence in 2017 after two injury-riddled seasons, could ask for a two-year deal. The Padres might be willing to meet that price if the second year is discounted. In any case, Preller will be busy scouring the relief market for high-upside arms -- an area in which his staff has had plenty of success recently.

. 18th, 2017 Who they can trade, if necessary

LHP Brad Hand: For more than a year, Hand has been the focal point of trade chatter surrounding the Padres. It speaks volumes that the left-hander -- arguably the best reliever 17 available via trade -- is still in San Diego. Time and again, Preller has proven himself willing to keep Hand if he doesn't feel he has received an adequate offer. That said, Hand, who is under contract through 2019, will surely draw interest at the Winter Meetings.

IF Yangervis Solarte: Realistically, the Padres could deal any of their 2B/3B options, meaning Cory Spangenberg and Carlos Asuaje won't be immune to trade chatter either. In fact, in the early stages of the offseason, the Padres fielded calls on all three. On the surface, Solarte is likeliest to be moved. He has three years of control remaining on an extremely team-friendly deal. Plus, he's the most proven hitter and the most versatile of the bunch.

. 22nd, 2017 Rule 5 Draft

The holiday season is Rule 5 Draft season in San Diego. Preller has made it one of his calling cards over the past two years. In total, the Padres have made seven Rule 5 selections since 2015, easily the most in the Majors. Last year, the Padres became the first team since at least 2000 to keep three Rule 5 players on their big league roster through an entire season. As a result, youngsters Luis Torrens, Allen Cordoba and Miguel Diaz are now part of the organization for the long haul. Expect Preller to be busy again on Dec. 14.

Big contracts they might unload

The only big contract on the books is that of first baseman Wil Myers, who signed a six-year, $83 million deal last offseason. Myers struggled a bit in 2017, but it's still highly unlikely the Padres look to deal the 26-year-old slugger. He's an integral part of their vision for the future.

Payroll summary

There's plenty of payroll flexibility for the Padres, though it's doubtful they take advantage of it this offseason. Including arbitration projections, the Padres appear to have around $40 million committed to 2018. It's more likely that money is spent in the coming offseasons, as the Padres hope to vault themselves into contention in 2019 and beyond.

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Padres meet with free agent

Eric Hosmer Dennis Lin Shohei Ohtani isn’t the only prominent player the Padres sat down with this week.

According to a source, the team met with free-agent first baseman Eric Hosmer in San Diego on Thursday. The Padres have significant interest in the 28-year-old, who they believe could spearhead a playoff run within the next few seasons. Given Hosmer’s visit, there appears to be some level of mutual feeling. The face-to-face interaction was their first this winter.

Hosmer is coming off a career year; the longtime Kansas City Royal won his fourth Gold Glove Award while batting .318 with a .385 on-base percentage and 25 home runs. Although his offensive production has fluctuated, the Padres are among those with high regard for Hosmer, who also draws praise for his intangibles.

In light of their interest, Padres officials recently approached first baseman Wil Myersabout a potential move back to a corner-outfield position. Myers, who knows Hosmer from both players’ time in the Royals system, agreed to the idea without hesitation, according to sources.

The Padres, of course, aren’t the only team recruiting Hosmer. The Royals would like to retain him, and the deep-pocketed Red Sox are among his other suitors. Some believe Hosmer will land a contract in excess of $150 million, nearly double San Diego’s record (Myers’ six-year, $83 million extension.)

Due to his relative youth, the Padres will remain interested in Hosmer even if they don’t win out in another pursuit. Ohtani, the two-way star from Japan, could announce his destination before the middle of next week. The 23-year-old will select from among seven finalists, including San Diego. The Padres met with Ohtani in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

More dialogue with Hosmer or his agent, Scott Boras, could occur during next week’s winter meetings.

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Angels, not Padres, to sign Japanese star Shohei Ohtani Dennis Lin The Padres have fallen tantalizingly short in another high-stakes pursuit.

Shohei Ohtani, the coveted two-way star from Japan, has chosen to sign with the Los Angeles Angels. Ohtani’s other finalists were the Padres, Dodgers, Giants, Mariners, Cubs and Rangers.

Nez Balelo, Ohtani’s agent, released the following statement Friday:

“This morning, after a thorough, detailed process, Shohei Ohtani has decided to sign with the Los Angeles Angels. Shohei is humbled and flattered by all the time and effort that so many teams put into their presentations and sincerely thanks them for their professionalism. In the end, he felt a strong connection with the Angels and believes they can best help him reach his goals in .

“I want to thank the clubs and everyone else for respecting our intent to make this very important process as private as possible. We were resolved to having a fair, methodical process. Teams clearly put in a lot of work, and we are grateful for that. The past few weeks also further demonstrated Shohei’s incredible thoughtfulness, attention to detail and determination to make an informed decision. He read every page of every presentation and listened to every word in each meeting, and he was so impressed that it was not an easy choice. While there has been much speculation about what would drive Shohei’s decision, what mattered to him most wasn’t market size, time zone or league but that he felt a true bond with the Angels. He sees this as the best environment to develop and reach the next level and attain his career goals. More than ever, I believe this is not only a special talent but a man of special character, and like everyone else I’m excited to see him in Major League Baseball.”

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