Padres sign Mike Piazza

[HollywoodLeo]

Just bringing the thread over here...along with my brand spankin new avatar to match

http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/9195503

They say he plans on catching 90-100 games. I'll take the "under" on that one.

The only times he failed to start at least 90 games behind the plate were his rookie year, the injury shortened 2003 season, and 2004 with the 1st base experiment.

The only time he's failed to start at least 100 games are the 3 years mentioned above and 1994 when he started 99 games behind the plate.

Piazza started 100 games last season behind the plate.

All of the above combined with Doug Mirabelli being our other option leads me to believe starting 90-100 games this season won't be a problem for him.

Exactly. The last 3 years, he's averaged 103 games played. I'm banking on him playing about 110 games this year, about 75-80 behind the plate maybe, 25-30 at first. He's an old man now, he's not the young'in he used to be.

Anyways. Offensively, it should be interesting to see what Pizza-boy does. I have a feeling that he'll be legging out singles to the wall because of Petco. Should be good times.

Hey everyone........I finally found ya.........

UGHHHHHHHHHHH at the Piazza signing..........help me to understand why we're now the oldest team in MLB history.......lol

10 years ago, 8 years ago, hell even 6 years ago, I'd a felt better about this trade.....now......I'm afraid he is just an old ex-Dodger...........

speaking of Dodgers.....where is realmofotalk, has he been here yet?

realmofo.......no idea...........but yeah Piazza in his prime of course you want that.........every team did..........Piazza now I guess only we really wanted.........for the playing time we've said he'll get.....UGH!

You want to know the only reason why I like the signing? (not trade...rdr )

Piazza/Mirabelli >>>> Mirabelli/David Ross

whatever Leo.....play on words.....fact of the matter.....I HATE the business side of the game, always have, always will......trade....signing.....release.....free agent....whatever.....fact is.... the guy guy is GONZO.....for you guys who care about that stuff it is important, for me, I could give a flying ****......bring on the corporate sponsorship......Pac Bell, SBC, ........same ****ing difference....get it......particulars, so no importa.......

I didn't know I hit a nerve, I was just razzing you about it, is all.

as for your argument, I guess I can agree with you, but that's for its own thread... lol

Since things are as they are, however, I'm all for the 1-year deal for Piazza, because, as I stated, Piazza/Mirabelli >>>> Mirabelli/David Ross

[HollywoodLeo]

The only thing any of us Padre fans can cling to is that these old guys used to be very very good....... if Castilla and Piazza can muster even an avg. season we'll be winning at those two positions.......but IF's I know....but that's all we have so far.....

FYI..... my broken record keeps going around
'WE NEED A FRONTLINE #2 ARM" or this is all for not......the rotation we currently have is what opposing teams drool over seeing....... aside from Peavy it's BP......... I'm hoping for great things from Young, but he's got much to prove yet........and everyone else is a hasbeen or old man...... we're going to need our farm system to save us, and I mean SAVE us if they don't get that #2 guy before next year.....

well, you can repeat that till you're blue in the face and we're not going to get one...at least not one that's already proven to be at that level....not this offseason anyways. We simply do not have the tools

Next year we could possibly see one brought in, but with the way the free agency market goes and the Padres I wouldn't hold my breath for a pitcher of that calliber to be brought in (one will most definitely be brought in, but "FRONTLINE" I don't know, someone else will overpay most likely)
Anyways, we stand a better shot than we normally do next offseason due to all the $$$ coming off the books, so i'm not saying it won't happen, but I wouldn't be shocked if it was more of a #3-ish type pitcher brought in...especially if Chris Young does great this year.

The Padres, by nature of their market, can only acquire a "FRONTLINE" pitcher in very limited ways.

The only three ways you can really expect the Padres to land a "FRONTLINE" pitcher is one of 3 ways.

1) draft him and raise him in our system, ala Peavy.

2) have a deep farm system with very highly touted prospects that you can afford to part with, due to having other highly touted prospects in the system, so that you can make a trade with someone for said pitcher.

This is a no go for us, right now, because our farm system pretty much sucks. (it's getting much better, though, thanks to Sandy and Fuson. Last year's draft was good)

or

3) Trade proven, but questionable talent for a pitcher who looks like he can be real good, but hasn't quite proven himself yet to the point of having too high of a trade value that we can't afford him due to the ramifications stated below #2 and hopefully watch the guy continue to blossom into the "FRONTLINE" pitcher and laugh at the team that took our questionable guy in return for him.... hopefully this ends up being the case with Chris Young, and i'm pretty confident it will be.

Yah I know..... you're right on.....sadly if the Padres think they will compete with this rotation they are just kidding themselves.... funny thing is that the two old men that we signed ( Piazza & Castilla ) could have big years, hell even avg. years for them, and all the offense would be a waste......since only one of our guys Peave can actually hold a team in check..........I'm really hoping that Young is a diamond in the ruff, that will shine in Petco...... knock on wood ...... thats a very real possiblity.... but the rest....

Chan HO -- ugh
Woody ---- ugh
Estes ------ ugh
Stauffer --- uncertain but possible

and Hensley is going to the bullpen from what I've heard.... who am I missing ?

Quite honestly, I'd be more suprised if Young didn't fare well this year. I mean, the guy had one solitary bad month last year in the dead heat of summer, in a hitter's park.

After Young, there is real concern.
There's a chance Chan Ho, after one full offseason with Balsley, could get his game back.

There's also a chance Woody could rebound. I hear he had personal problems last season that were acting as a distraction of sorts.

I wouldn't hold my breath for either of the two, however.

Careful saying "he could get his game back" to some that means he's going to do just that.......lol

I think you're right on......... except for Woody, my faith in him doing anything other than just surviving 3 innings is gone, and that wont get it done this year..... I think the personal issues might be more for the media than anything........but who knows.....we can pray...... LET US ALL PRAY!!

.....

[DirtyKash]

.265, 52 R, 15 HR, 70 RBI

[General]

.562, 100 R, 51 Hr, 170 Rbi.

[DirtyKash]

Not even in MVP Baseball 2006...

[HollywoodLeo]

.562, 100 R, 51 Hr, 170 Rbi.

[HafDawg2003]

General, you had to be joking...

That being said, I like the one year deal... why not? He's better that Miribelli for sure.

[HollywoodLeo]

General, you had to be joking...

That being said, I like the one year deal... why not? He's better that Miribelli for sure.

neither Mirabelli nor Piazza is going to start more than 90 games behind the plate, and both are a much better choice than David Ross

THAT is why this is a good signing

[HafDawg2003]

Yeah, Piazza can't handle that every day anymore.

[realmofotalk]

I'd rather have Piazza than DePodesta's lover Dioner Navarro, but I wouldn't mind being wrong about it later.

[padrefanforever]

Well we all know that this years team word is "potential" ........IF this team lives up to just avg. season potential then the Padres will be fine from a hitting stand point. That still leaves a huge ? in the rotation.

The Potential output is great........but whether they do it is the huge ?
-
Mike Piazza 37 years old - 25+ HR's / 90 RBI / .280 BA
Vinny Castilla 38 - 25+ HR's / 90 RBI / .270 BA
Ryan Klesko 35 - 20+ HR's / 90 RBI / .290 BA
Brian Giles 34 - 20+ HRs / 90 RBI / .300+ BA
Mike Cameron 32 - 20+ HR's/ 75 RBI / .270 BA