[IBL] PAD Looking for ... (In Addition to New Owner)

[Nelson Lu]

Hi, folks:

As I’ve perhaps beaten the horse to death before on, I really think my running PAD as a team is untenable due to my work and personal schedule at the moment, given my inability to follow baseball very well.  Ryan did not work out as a new owner, unfortunately, which put me back in the situation of (for now) running PAD.  If you have friends who might be interested, please direct them to Rusty and Sean (and possibly myself if they want some insights on the team before joining).  If it helps whoever may take it over, I am willing to stay around to advise and to help at times, but that’s if the person wants me to do that; I would also be willing to step away completely if that person prefers.

Meanwhile, in the absence of a new owner prospect on the horizon, I do think I need to put PAD’s trade needs on the table.  PAD needs starting pitching, badly.  We are willing to pay premium price for premium pitchers, and good price for good pitchers, as to be further explained below.  Far less important, but somewhat important, we are also looking for a part-time LF who can hit lefties - preferably SH, then RH.

What is PAD willing to trade?  Well, I think it will mostly be draft picks.  PAD currently has these draft picks for the ’18 draft, and the ’19 draft picks would be on the table as well:

PAD #1, COU #2, KAT #4, CAN #4, PAD #4, PAD #5, MCM #5, ODM #6, COU #7, PAD #8, PAD #9, PAD #10

The reason is that we don’t have many prospects to deal, and I do think that even as the holdover temporary owner, I am willing to sacrifice a bit of our future for the present on the pitching front, because I do think that I’d like to hand a new owner a team that he/she can contend with immediately and we’re basically there (in terms of offense).  This is our current roster heading into next year, with our recent releases:

Player		MLB Position	Projected PAD Role
BAL Smith	RF		part-time RF vs. RH, part-time DH vs. RH
BOS Vazquez	C		C vs. LH, vs. RH sometimes
COL Reynolds	1B		nearly full-time 1B
COL Wolters	C		C vs. RH sometimes
HOU Gonzalez	LF/SS/1B	starting LF, will fill in in other positions as necessary
HOU Marisnick	CF		CF vs. LH
MIL Shaw	3B		starting everyday, either 3B/DH (DH when Escobar starts)
MIL Walker	2B		75% 2B
MIN Escobar	3B		3B vs. LH, also some vs. RH
MIN Polanco	SS		starting SS, will sit for Goins at times
STL Fowler	CF		CF vs. RH
TEX Choo	RF		part-time RF vs. RH, part-time DH vs. RH
TOR Goins	2B/SS		25% 2B, some SS

ARI Chafin	RP		specialist vs. LHB
CHN Strop	RP		middle reliever
COL Anderson	SP		try to get him to 75% to see if he gets back on track
KC Hammel	SP		inning eater, ideally in #4 starting position
LAA Richards	SP		try to get him close to 133% against key opponents only
MIA Conley	SP		try to get him to 75% to see if he gets back on track
OAK Hahn	SP		try to get him to 75% to see if he gets back on track
SD Hand		RP		closer
SEA Whalen	[none]		[sleeper for the future]
TB Hunter	RP		main setup man, backup closer
TOR Happ	SP		decent starter (’17 ace), ideally in #3 starting position

While I’m willing to make some adjustments here - any Devil is tradable, as I’ve said in the past - I think that this is our strength and which I’d need to hold onto for any new owner.  That’s why trading draft picks (particularly given that I don’t feel that I’m in a good place to do good draft scouting work) is a bit more attractive - hopefully the new owner can step in and take this team far immediately.  Nevertheless, I’ll consider any reasonable proposals.

What I would urge you to consider is to try to be good to your team but also good to us - a new owner with a good team is good for the league, because it helps the league retain people.  PAD is capable of being a good team immediately without completely gutting the future, and if we can make a deal that is good for both teams, we can hopefully get PAD into a stable ownership position.  Please consider it.