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Padres still face several needs

The Padres' Seth Smith hits a RBI double, but the run was taken back after it was determined that Irving Falu didn't touch third base in the fourth inning.
(Hayne Palmour IV / UT San Diego)
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Trying to predict A.J. Preller’s moves in recent days has been a mostly futile endeavor, even as the first-year Padres general manager seeks to upend public perception.

Matt Kemp’s acquisition was more stunning in the actualization than in the idea. The outfielder had existing ties to San Diego’s new front office, which early on communicated its interest to the Dodgers.

But then Preller traded for Wil Myers, whom many had thought unavailable and most evaluators consider a corner outfielder. Undeterred, and after getting catcher Derek Norris from Billy Beane (the most unpredictable GM), Preller proceeded to deal for another corner outfielder in Justin Upton. That brought the roster’s outfield roll call to Kemp, Myers, Upton, Cameron Maybin, Seth Smith, Will Venable, Carlos Quentin and Abraham Almonte (if he isn’t traded, Rymer Liriano will start in Triple-A).

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Late Friday, in his latest but certainly not his last move, Preller went for something a bit more conservative. Catcher Ryan Hanigan, who’d come over in the Myers trade, was flipped to the Red Sox for third baseman Will Middlebrooks.

Middlebrooks, a 26-year-old with power and arm strength but iffy strike-zone judgment, will address at least part of a positional void. Yangervis Solarte, who was a rookie at 27, had been the Padres’ most viable third-base option.

And that’s the direction this is going: Having loaded up on priority No. 1 (power), Preller can devote the bulk of his attention to balancing the roster. The Padres’ remaining maneuvers should be easier to forecast -- in theory.

Given the outfield glut, figure on at least two more moves. The Padres have some obvious weaknesses, as well as the following needs:

Left-handed hitting: At least three-quarters of the current projected lineup is right-handed. The obvious in-house option is Smith, but the lefty with the smooth stroke no longer has a defined role. Fellow corner outfielders Kemp and Upton are everyday players. The Padres might consider trying Smith at first base, but they need to move a couple outfielders and, of the available options, Smith would net the most in return. Meanwhile, Venable’s left-handedness and ability to back up multiple outfield positions could increase his chances of sticking. The same goes for the switch-hitting and less expensive Almonte, though Venable is a better defender.

Leadoff hitting: The new additions bring a ton of power but perhaps just as much swing-and-miss. The aggressive Cory Spangenberg, who’s fast but doesn’t draw walks, might have been a consideration to lead off, but Middlebrooks’ arrival means he isn’t scheduled for more than utility work. Myers, who could be asked to play center field, could have an outside shot at topping the order. However, he has a .324 on-base percentage in his young career. Again, no easy answers here.

First base: Asked about this position Friday, Preller said, “In general, I think we’re looking at a situation at first base most likely with Yonder (Alonso) and Tommy Medica.” Neither option, of course, has an inspiring track record, though a seemingly unlikely resurgence from Alonso (who’s now one of the best defenders on the roster) would provide a decent complement to all the right-handed offense. But judging by Preller’s moves so far, he won’t hesitate to consider an upgrade; it’s believed the Padres have checked in on Chris Davis, the Orioles’ left-handed-hitting first baseman.

Shortstop: Because of recent developments, the Padres don’t need more than a little offense and solid defense from the shortstop position. But can the duo of Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes hold up over an entire season? Solarte is only an emergency resort.

Another starting pitcher: The Padres lost one rotation candidate in Jesse Hahn, and incentive-laden deals for Brandon Morrow and Josh Johnson are incentive-laden for a reason. (The payoff certainly could be huge, especially with the top three starters intact.) Backend options such as Odrisamer Despaigne, Robbie Erlin and top prospect Matt Wisler all are varying degrees of untested.

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