Kuzul

The Padres ownership saga is unofficially complete.

John Moores has agreed to a deal to sell the San Diego Padres to the O’Malley group, according to The Union-Tribune San Diego. The price? A figure close to $800 million.

This move is just another step in the right direction for the Padres. After a decade of highs and lows and ownership uncertainty, the franchise can now focus on future success. The distractions of ownership uncertainty are behind the club. With veteran stars locked up with multi-year deals, along with young stars, the front office looks like it will spend money to re-sign players and attract free agents.

Besides the franchise itself, the big Fox Sports broadcasting deal is included as well. Currently, Fox has the rights to the Padres for three decades, and will pay over a billion dollars to retain those rights.  

The ownership deal is pending approval of MLB owners, which could come in the next few weeks.

However, the last time a Padres sale was pending approval, the deal was deferred. Jeff Moorad was attempting to become the majority owner in San Diego. His attempt to buy the Padres was a failure earlier this year.

As for Moores, the quicker he is removed, the better. History shows that when Moores was dedicated to the team, the Padres had success. But in the later years of his stint as owner, Moores became the opposite. He was less interested in the team, and his desire to unload the franchise was burning.

During his final years, Moores was also involved in a divorce, which was a distraction. His attitude towards the club did nothing but damage in his final years.  

Payroll was also an enemy of Moores. Many times during his time as owner the Padres budget was slashed. If it was not for these cuts in the budget, guys like Jake Peavy and Adrian Gonzalez could be playing in a Padres uniform today.

With a new owner comes a brand new attitude from the top towards the organization. This deal will only help this club improve year after year. With the top farm system in all of baseball, the Padres’ future success is imminent.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The San Diego Padres have succeeded in being one of the worst teams in the majors thus far in 2012. And, with the Padres payroll at 55.2 million (the lowest in the majors), how can anyone blame them?

Still, the Padres have some gems on the roster, and these players could be targets of playoff-contending teams in July. Many fans are—like always—totally against the Padres’ “rebuilding” strategy. But with the current ownership status, selling big names for prospects is regrettably the only real option for the team.

John Moores’ selling of the Padres comes at an uncanny time. The sale could affect how the team approaches the trade deadline, in addition to who goes and who stays. We know the Padres will be sellers, we just don’t know who could be leaving San Diego.

As we speak, two or three contenders remain in the race for the Padres, a team that’s worth up to $458 million, according to Forbes. But in order to become the next owner of the Padres, that entity should be willing to spend more: Moores wants a minimum of $800 million in exchange for his club.

Currently, the O’Malley family—featuring Phil Mickelson—is a finalist for the club. At this point, the identity of the one (or two) other potential buyers is still unknown.

In as little as three weeks, Moores could announce the winners of the bid for the Padres. And following the announcement should be, like always, trade rumors surrounding the big stars on the Padres. Here are a few potential trade candidates.

Huston Street: Street was the great successor to Heath Bell when he signed a contract to leave San Diego for the Miami Marlins. Street, who was originally in Oakland, had played in Colorado beforehand. Coors Field is hardly a pitcher’s park, so his move to PETCO Park was a happy one. However, the injury bug bit the veteran closer, and Street found himself on the DL with a shoulder injury.

Huston was recently added back on the 25 man roster, and his apparent future successor Miles Mikolas was optioned to Tucson. Along with Mikolas is the 23 year old Brad Boxberger, who was dealt in the Mat Latos trade. Both are closers for the future.

The Padres are reliever-rich, and Street’s $7.5 million contract is a burden. Street has a pricey $9 million option for the 2013 season as well.

Carlos Quentin: Quentin, a San Diego native, was traded to the Padres in the offseason to add some life to a nearly dead lineup. However, with the poor performance of the team, using Quentin as trade bait could net the Padres some excellent prospects. The Tigers today announced their interest, while Cincinnati and Cleveland could also be potential traders.

The Padres would like to resign Quentin for the long term, and a contract extension could be presented before the deadline. That, and the new ownership, could easily change everything.

Nick Hundley: Hundley, 28, has played four major league seasons in San Diego. And when Hundley signed a new deal in the offseason, we though he was here to stay. But the young Yasmani Grandal is one of the best catching prospects in the MLB. He made his debut earlier in June, going 0-1 in a pinch hitting situation. Grandal is another prospect the Padres lured for Mat Latos.

Both Hundley and his backup John Baker have performed poorly. You can blame PETCO Park for the poor hitting numbers, but one thing is for sure: a catcher must be dealt at the deadline to make room for Grandal, who is lighting it up in Tucson.

Chase Headley: Headley, who was the former Texas League Player of the Year, is another potential Padre to be dealt in the near future. Already, the Pittsburgh Pirates have inquires about the third baseman, who has also spent time in left field.

Headley’s ability to switch hit is an asset for any team, and the 28-year-old could be a productive hitter in any lineup. While he doesn’t hit many homers in San Diego, his .267 average is promising, and he currently has an 11 game hitting streak. The Padres have James Darnell to fill Headley’s place should the Pads deal him, and San Diego has a potential star in Jedd Gyorko in the farm system.

The veteran Headley is due $3.45 million this year and is arbitration eligible next year.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The 2010 season abruptly ended for the San Diego Padres, who were hungry for a postseason berth. The Pads fell one game short of forcing a tie in the NL West, and needed to sweep the Giants or have the Braves be swept instead. Sadly, the Padres finished second in the West, and could not qualify for the wild card position. 

The San Diego Padres made countless roster changes in the 2010 offseason, which began with a jaw dropping trade. Cameron Maybin, a 24 year old center fielder from Florida, was acquired by the Padres in exchange for two relievers from the best bullpen in the Majors.

Another trade occurred on December 6th, when Adrian Gonzalez, San Diego Padres’ slugger, was traded to GM Jed Hoyer’s former team: the Boston Red Sox. Padres fans were expecting big names in return, like CF Jacoby Ellsbury or CP Jonathan Papelbon. Instead, the Padres got prospects, including Casey Kelly. Most people don’t know who he was, however, Kelly was named a top baseball prospect and has won countless awards in the Minor League system. 

The Padres have also signed a few big names this offseason. Hoyer has inked contracts with: SP Aaron Harang, INF Orlando Hudson, and RP Chad Qualls. Jason Bartlett and Rob Johnson were also acquired in trades.

Despite big gains, the Padres have also lost leadership and talent this offseason. David Eckstein and Miguel Tejada, two main pieces in the infield, were not re-signed. The brothers Scott and Jerry Hairston are also not returning, and son of Padre great Tony Gwynn, Jr. was also not signed to a new deal.

Some fans find the new lineup frustrating, because so many faces are gone, replaced by new ones. These fans must understand that the payroll is tight, and Jed Hoyer is doing the best with what he has.

In 2011, the Padres must do many things to replicate the unthinkable playoff run that occurred a season before. First of all, the Padres must hit successfully with runners on base, especially with runners in scoring position. Last year, the Padres left runners on base countless times. Potential runs were not scored. Believe it or not, this was the main reason why the Padres lost games in 2010. If the bats can produce hits in clutch situations, the chances of victory increase for the Friars.

The Padres must also continue the great work in the bullpen. The Padres ‘pen was the best in the MLB last year. Despite some losses, the Padres still have main pieces returning in 2011, with some new additions. Also, many prospects or Minor Leaguers in the Padres system are ready for MLB action. There is always room for flourishing Minor League stars on the Pads’ roster. 

The team must also find a leader who can emerge and fill the enormous gap left by Adrian Gonzalez. Adrian was the Team Captain, no doubt. As a San Diego native, Gonzalez led the team in offense and defense, however, lacked in enthusiasm. Especially with other veteran leadership leaving, like Tejada and Eckstein, the Padres must search from within to find their Captain.

Most of the Padres lineup and roster are young. Many of the players 30 and older are new additions, like Orlando Hudson, Jason Bartlett, and Brad Hawpe. If one of these players can put up monstrous numbers to begin the 2011 campaign, they could become the Team Captain, which is needed in San Diego. 

Most importantly, the Padres need fan support. For much of the early part of 2010, the average attendance of a Padre game stood at around 19,000. Petco Park holds 42,000 people. When the Padres started to look “for real” in the NL West, attendance soared into the 30,000’s. In 2011, fan support is key for the Padres.

If the Padres could replicate the miraculous run from 2010, the Friars’ chances of playing October baseball are great. Despite a rather new lineup, the Padres still have great pitching, and a few sleeper players who could step up.

My player to watch in 2011 is Nick Hundley, San Diego Padres Catcher. He calls a great game behind the dish, and had some clutch moments in 2010 that show promise for this young player. 

Watch out for Jason Bartlett, who is in for another All Star year in the infield. Bartlett is a tough out who gets on base frequently and scores runs often. The man playing by his side, Orlando Hudson, is also a guy who can deliver RBIs for San Diego. This could be a successful one-two punch in the infield.

The Padres will replicate another spectacular run in 2011. Even though they will not win the West, they will finish runner up and clinch a spot in the playoffs via Wild Card. The Padres will finish the 2011 season with a 94-68 record, winning the majority of their games at home.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After falling a victory short of the playoffs, the Padres entered the MLB offseason with a goal in mind: lay low at the winter meetings. With that being said, the Padres have made risky and regrettable moves.

The offseason for the Padres started with a bang. Padres GM Jed Hoyer traded what were key pieces of the best bullpen in the majors, Edward Mujica and Ryan Webb, to get Cameron Maybin, a rising star in the Marlins organization.

Maybin, who is 23-years-old, will most likely play centerfield.

The next move in the offseason for the Padres was to offer arbitration to select players. Of the five players expected to receive arbitration, only three of them were offered it: Jon Garland, Kevin Correia and Yorvit Torrealba.

David Eckstein and Miguel Tejada, two leaders and veteran players, were not offered arbitration. It was then learned that Correia would decline arbitration, and Jon Garland and Miguel Tejada signed with the Dodgers and Giants respectively.

Questions still linger with the Padres. Who will fill the leadership role in the clubhouse? Who will play in the vacant second base and shortstop positions? Will Tony Gwynn Jr. re-sign with the club?

First of all, the Padres must sign a veteran starting pitcher off the market.

Jon Garland, who was an important piece of the puzzle, has left the ball club. As of this point, only three rotation pitchers are expected to pitch in a Padre uniform: Mat Latos, Clayton Richard and Wade LeBlanc.

Expect Cory Luebke and Tim Stauffer to possibly fill the holes in the rotation if a decent starter is not signed.

The biggest issues in the offseason are replacing David Eckstein and Miguel Tejada, who stepped up offensively and defensively. Their presence at the plate and in the field could hurt the Padres if replacements aren’t found.

Unlike at the pitching or outfield positions, a decent minor league player is not ready for MLB work. This is where the free agent market could come in handy for the Padres.

In the outfield, the Padres look very strong. With the re-signing of Chris Denorfia, depth in the outfield is at each position.

Denorfia should find himself playing left field with Cameron Maybin in center and Will Venable or Ryan Ludwick in right.

This leaves Tony Gwynn without a starting job. He, along with Jerry Hairston, could be packing soon.

I feel that both deserve a utility or relief job, but it will be up to them whether or not they want to leave. If Gwynn decides to re-sign, it would build upon the outfield core.

Luis Durango, Aaron Cunningham and Tony Gwynn are young fielders who could backup the everyday starter. With these three on the bench, Bud Black could feel good using them in the late innings or as a pinch hitter in a tough spot.

These young men have proven to be clutch when it matters.

The Padres have opportunity to make large gains in the winter. With this opportunity, the Padres can make another run at the NL West Championship.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

Although the Cincinnati Reds ended the first half of the 2010 season with a four game skid, they are still sitting atop of the N.L. Central eight games above .500. They also lead their division rival, St. Louis, by one game. 

2002 was the last time the Reds were in playoff contention at the half-way mark and Cincinnati fans everywhere are eager to see if their beloved team will actually make a post season appearance.

Although it feels pretty good to be sitting in the top spot, there is still a lot of baseball left to be played. The Reds will need to continue using their bats as their pitching staff is showing improvement each and every day. 

With hard work and determination, it’s very likely that this Red Legs team can bring post-season baseball back to the Queen City.

With that said, let’s look at the second half schedule beginning with the rest of the month of July.

Home Stand

The Reds will begin the second half of the season with a seven-game home stand in which they’ll face the Colorado Rockies and the Washington Nationals. 

Colorado will be coming into the three game series 10-games above .500. They are also only two games behind NL West leading San Diego. 

With both teams in fierce divisional battles, this series should be nothing short of hard nosed hard ball. 

Statistically speaking, the Reds have the edge in batting, while the Rockies hold a slight advantage in their pitching rotation. 

However, NL All-Star starting pitcher Ubaldo Jimenez in not scheduled to face Cincinnati during this series. Definitely a plus for the home team.

The Washington Nationals come to town on July 19th to start a four game series against the Reds at Great American Ballpark. 

Washington is currently in last place in the NL East, 13.5 games behind the Atlanta Braves.

The story of the Nationals this year has of course been rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg. The Reds are most likely to face the young face of the franchise, and the crowd at the G.A.P. is sure to be near capacity. 

Aside from Strasburg, the Nationals other story is Adam Dunn. Dunn has been on a tear, hitting five of his 22 homeruns in the last six games. 

On the Road

The Reds immediately head to Texas for a three game series against the struggling Astros. 

Houston is currently 12.5 games behind Cincinnati in the NL Central. 

The two teams have met twice already this season. The Reds swept the first three game series and took 2-of-3 from the second. 

It’s not a stretch to expect similar results this time around.

After finishing in Houston, we go north to Wisconsin to face the Brewers. 

Surprisingly, Cincinnati has only played Milwaukee twice this season. Both games ended with a win for the Reds. 

Although the Brewers’ pitching numbers are below average, their hitting is near the top. They’re third in homeruns with 110 on the year. Cincinnati’s pitching staff will need to keep that in mind when keeping the game under control.

Because the two teams only faced each other once in the first half, they will meet for four series during the second half.

That makes this series very important. 

Goodbye July 

The Cincinnati Reds will close out the month with a home series against the Atlanta Braves.

The Braves, in Bobby Cox’s last season as manager, are leading the National League in wins with 52. 

Powered by their pitching prowess, the Braves are looking to send their manager off to retirement with another World Series appearance.

The Reds on the other hand will need to take this series very seriously because it’s very likely that the National League Championship goes through Atlanta.

The two teams met in May for a two game series. The Braves won both games by one run. 

I’m sure the Reds will be looking for a little redemption, and hopefully, July will end with fireworks over the Ohio River.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com