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San Diego Padres Got Better by Flipping Kimbrel

By Matthew Schoettler

Aug 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) throws to the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. The San Diego Padres won 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 26, 2015; Washington, DC, USA; San Diego Padres relief pitcher Craig Kimbrel (46) throws to the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. The San Diego Padres won 6-5. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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The San Diego Padres managed to beef up their farm system by flipping Craig Kimbrel after just one season.

The San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves were under a lot of scrutiny last season, with both teams making bold moves for different reasons. A.J. Preller wanted the San Diego Padres to be an immediate contender in the National League West, and he made some bold moves to bolster the MLB-level roster. However, most of his moves were at the expense of the San Diego Padres’ farm system, which the Atlanta Braves raided.

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Right before Opening Day in 2015, the San Diego Padres and Atlanta Braves struck a deal that sent Craig Kimbrel and B.J. Upton to the Padres. The Atlanta Braves received Carlos Quentin, Cameron Maybin, Matt Wisler, Jordan Paroubeck, and the 41st overall pick. The Braves, ultimately, cut Quentin, and they traded Maybin for an underwhelming return. The San Diego Padres had to give up top pitching prospect Matt Wisler, which was the key return for the Braves.

While Wisler might have been the San Diego Padres’ top pitching prospect, MLB.com ranked him as the 69th-best prospect heading into 2015. Moreover, Paroubeck is nowhere near the top-100, so the Braves traded one of the best relief pitchers in baseball for a rental (Maybin) and Wisler. At the beginning of the 2015 season, the Atlanta Braves looked to have hit a home run because of Maybin’s production and Kimbrel’s lack there-of.

However, Craig Kimbrel found his stuff over the course of the season with the San Diego Padres, and although his numbers were down, he still finished the season with dominant numbers. Kimbrel finished with a 2.58 ERA, 2.68 FIP, 39 saves, and 13.2 K/9. With the San Diego Padres out of contention due to a failed system by Preller, they decided to shop some of their stars this offseason.

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The San Diego Padres dealt Craig Kimbrel to the Boston Red Sox for Manuel Margot, Javier Guerra, Logan Allen, and Carlos Asuaje. With Dave Dombrowski at the helm of the Red Sox, he wanted power arms in the starting rotation and bullpen, and he did just that by signing David Price and acquiring Craig Kimbrel. However, the Red Sox gave up a ton to land Kimbrel from the San Diego Padres.

Both Manuel Margot (25th) and Javier Guerra (76th) are ranked in MLB.com’s top-100; also, Logan Allen is a player flying under the radar, likely due to being overlooked by former teammate and top overall pick Brady Aiken. So, for Craig Kimbrel, the San Diego Padres landed three plus-prospects, with Asuaje potentially developing into a decent player.

If you look back, the San Diego Padres parted ways with Maybin, Quentin, Wisler, Paroubeck and the 41st pick to acquire Margot, Guerra, Allen, and Asuaje. The San Diego Padres gave up just one player in the top-100, but they landed two in return for Kimbrel. If Allen has another dominant season in 2016, he could easily find himself in the top-100. The only unknown in the flip for Kimbrel is the 41st pick in the upcoming draft.

As of now, it looks like the San Diego Padres did well in flipping Craig Kimbrel. They replenished their farm system in one fowl swoop, and the San Diego Padres received more than they gave up for Kimbrel. No one doubts the talent of Craig Kimbrel; however, the Boston Red Sox gave the San Diego Padres an offer they could not refuse. Margot and Guerra figure to be key staples in the San Diego Padres’ future lineups.

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While Preller’s plan for 2015 fell apart at the seams, he landed enough talent to flip and rebuild the farm system, if need be. As of now, the Kimbrel flip is a nice start to the 2016 season. The San Diego Padres made some questionable moves last season; however, flipping Kimbrel is one of the best moves they have made in recent years. Look for the San Diego Padres to reap the benefits of this trade in years to come.

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