Grand(al) Illusions

By David Israel
Guest Contributor

It certainly feels like the walls are coming in.

Even if it is just the fences, the last few weeks seem to be a telling microcosm of Padres happenings. The 2012 season just… was. We entered with low expectations, and while Savior’s 5th place MVP season went mostly unnoticed outside of the NL West, we made headlines with the fences debate and a new owner. Yet, things felt… stagnant. We were unsurprised by the early season failure, and too embroiled over the lack of TV coverage (which is still absurd) to notice the second half surge, taking only enough notice of the foundational blocks we’d waited so long to be in place to give us hope for 2013, where a core of Headley, Alonso, Grandal, and half of Quentin might lead us to respectability.

And then the news hit. And it felt… deflating, yet unsurprising, somehow. When the headline alone can cause even the most devout to lose faith…

#LTF

— Jodi Paranal (@jodes0405) November 7, 2012

Thanks for letting me steal this off your twitter page, @Jodes0405.

…it’s probably not good.

The apathy scares me most; that after attending 18 MLB games last year, 14 at PETCO, that it was possible to just be resigned to the mediocrity we have seen year after year, unsurprised when the next great thing for your team gives you reason to question their potential.

Fortunately the offseason does not pause, moving daily towards Pitchers and Catchers. We get to ask if it is spring training yet and speculate about the hot stove season. And, on that note, a wish list for the 2013 Padres:

1) Bring back Mike Adams. The bullpen, still stocked with serviceable pitchers, has lost most of its personality. Gone are the goofy Bell, the swag Adams used to bring to the Penitentiary, and even Frieri’s little kid smile.
2) Grady Sizemore. As much as we’ve come to love Denorfia’s dive, a low-risk incentive laden contract for Sizemore could work. And it would increase female attendance in right field by about 800%. Anything to get those guys who think Yankee Stadium roll call is OK to be less of a presence out there.
3) Brandon McCarthy/Francisco Liriano: McCarthy for his arm and humor, Liriano as a cheap back of the rotation option, where he can be (potentially?) protected by modified bastardized Petco dimensions.
4) Faith. And fewer Tommy John surgeries.

91 Days until pitchers and catchers, when our faith will be renewed again.

Dis

In Defense (Sort Of) of PEDs...But Not of Grandal

There are two very distinct opinions I have on this entire story regarding Yasmani Grandal's suspension. They dovetail nicely but it is important that both be given equal time so as to avoid in confusion about what I'm saying. So, let's break this down in two sections. First, regarding Grandal himself.

Part I

I like Yasmani Grandal. What's not to like? The mohawk. The energy. The power from both sides of the plate. Aw, the power. You cannot help but now question, even if its only a slight question, as to whether or not what we saw in 2012 was real. In 60 games, he hit .297 with 8 HRs and 36 RBI. A WAR of 2.6. Again, in only 60 games. More importantly, he was a marked improvement from the minimal production the Padres were receiving from behind the plate.

But now, we wonder. He tested positive for testosterone. I'm not a doctor, but from a layman's understanding testosterone helps build muscles in athletes. As this article from the New York Times from 2006 points out, "Steroids are not going to take someone without athletic ability and turn them into a star athlete, or teach you how to swing a bat and connect with the ball, but if you have a certain athletic presence, testosterone could take you to the next level."

This begs the question as to whether or not the 2012 half season of Yasmani Grandal was in fact a bill of goods. We won't know the answer to that for some time. The most damning evidence in any of these cases is a marked drop-off in performance (conversely, what helps Braun in the public mind, at least somewhat, is that he reproduced at the same level in 2012).

More importantly however is how long this has been on going. Experts seem split on the short-term effects of testosterone. But the long-term effects are clear. Was Grandal using as a 1st round draft pick in 2010? Was he using when the Padres traded away their ace pitcher to bring him (among others) to San Diego? If it turns out that the Padres gave up Mat Latos for a player who's prospects are now built on a foundation with a very serious crack, then he will not only have cheated himself and his competitors but the franchise that has pegged him as a cornerstone of a talent-filled youth movement.

One final thought on Grandal. Regardless of what comes out of all this and regardless of what you are about to read next, this is an incredibly selfish thing for Grandal to do. Whether PEDs should be illegal in sports or not (more on that in a moment) is irrelevant for now. Because they are illegal in MLB. And Grandal knew it. And did it anyway. He now takes his tremendous talent off the field for 50 games, and has hurt his teams chances at being competitive. Simply put, this was selfish.


Part II

In law school I went to a sports law symposium once where the keynote speaker was David Cornwell, former Assistant General Counsel for the NFL and former attorney for Shawne Merriman during his PED issue. He made the argument that perhaps instead of pushing PEDs into dark rooms and alleyways (hyperbole obviously) that they should be made legal in sports.

Before we continue I think it's important to make the following statement. In absolutely no way do I condone abusing any drug, legal or illegal. From a health perspective, it is clear the damage that abusing drugs whether it's steroids, cocaine or alcohol is a very real danger to one's health. In no way should it be condoned.

But this isn't an argument about the health risk. If players are made aware of the risk and choose to take those risk nevertheless, so be it. This is about the "Performance Enhancing" aspect of this. Because that's why these suspensions are so serious. Professional sports leagues don't care that much about player safety. Not as much as they care about compelling sport and profit.

So if we view this problem from a perspective of "performance enhancing" then I think the question is fair. Why aren't they legal? Through time we have allowed people to ingest, in some form, any number of things to help aid one's performance. Most people begin their morning with coffee. A caffeine boost to get your day started. Caffeine is nothing more than a chemical being ingested to "enhance" your "performance." Test takers take medication to help them concentrate. Sleeping pills, pain relievers, and even prescribed steroids are all used to help every day people get through the day.

So where do we draw the line? Obviously I'm not suggesting that caffeine is in the same ballpark as a steroid. Only using an obvious exaggeration to point out that this bright line we have drawn is a moving target.

If players were allowed to use PEDs then the primary reason that leagues make them illegal (unfair competitive advantage) ceases to exists. The science has caught up with the athletes. Legalizing it could lead to safer use amongst player, perhaps off-setting some health concerns. There is some evidence that these drugs in fact help players recuperate from injury, aiding in the healing process.

And if health is the concern, and at this point we all accept that some portion of athletes are using, does that not make it more unsafe for players who don't use?

I don't know the answer to many of these questions. But in a week where recreational marijuana was made legal in two states, I'm left wondering the same for PEDs. Perhaps legalizing it is the easiest way to get control of it.

10 Reasons The 2nd Half Won't Suck As Much As The 1st Half

Hey there strangers. The blog posting has been sporadic to say the least around here. Hoping to change that. With any luck, the Padres will provide me with more material in the next 2 and a half months.

The 1st half of the season has not been, what's the word, "good." Currently, there are 12 players on the Padres DL. 12. Since the beginning of Spring Training, 22 different players have been injured. That's nearly an entire roster of players. Only the Boston Red Sox have more players currently on their DL than the Padres. At one point this year, half of the Padres payroll was either hurt, benched, or had been out right released.

This has contributed to a 34-53 record at the All-Star Break. Now, I don't think many harbored any delusions of division championships before the season began. But, I don't think this team is nearly as bad as that record suggest. 22 injuries will do that too you.

At 19 games under .500, you might be asking yourself "why keep watching?" Fair enough. Thus, I present to you 10 Reasons the 2nd Half of the Season Won't Suck as Much as the 1st Half:

10) Cameron Maybin's Toe Tap
I foolish predicted Maybin would be the Padres All-Star at the beginning of the year, banking on the fact that Maybin would continue improving on his mini-breakout year of 2011. About 100,000 strikeouts later, that prediction could not look more dumb. To help fix Maybin without sending him down to AAA, he is now trying a much shorter swing stride, or a "toe tap." Anecdotally it seems to be helping as only days after making that change he crushed a 485 ft HR in Phoenix. Here's to a better 2nd half, thanks to the toe tap!

9) Andrew Cashner's Return
Like most, I thought the worst when Cashner grabbed his elbow after air-mailing a warm-up pitch in Phoenix. I assumed yet another Tommy John surgery which meant not seeing Cashner until August/September of 2013. To say I was crestfallen would be an understatement. But it doesn't sound so serious now. Placed on the 15 Day DL with a strained right lat, it sounds like an injury that could have knocked Cashner out for more than a year will now only keep him out for about a month. Which means mid-August, the 100 MPH fastball returns.

8) The Trade Deadline
It's pretty clear the Padres will be active at the deadline this year. Quentin, Street, Headley, Denofia, all players who have been mentioned recently as being of interest to contending teams. The trade deadline will alter the current face of the Padres. What they get in return will be interesting.

7) The Forsythe/Amarista/Cabrera Middle Infield
Long gone are the Hudson/Bartlett days. They now reside in that part of my brain where I keep memories I don't want to think about. *shudder The quality of play up the middle has increased. And even if it doesn't translate into more runs, it's a hell of a lot more fun watching these guys then it ever was watching Hudson and Bartlett.

6) Avoiding 100 Losses
This has become my number one goal for the 2012 season. Avoid 100 losses. I'd be willing to put money down right now that they do. You know, if I were a gambling man. (Editor's Note: I'm a gambling man.) Heading into the All-Star Break the Padres were suddenly playing over .500, despite dropping 3 of 4 to the Reds. Partially due to a soft section of the schedule, its also due to the fact that the team is simply playing better.

5) Yasmani Grandal
Look, Nick, we had some fun times. Some laughs. They were great. But I'm not the same person I was back then. I've found someone else. He hits from both sides of the plate, with power, and has a mohawk. It's not you, it's Grandal.

4) New Owners
I don't pretend to have the business acumen to know whether the O'Malley Group is financially solvant enough to run a team or whether they are even the right choice for this team. I do know that having confusion at the top or worst, a lame duck, is bad for the on-field product. Having a relatively easy ownership transfer and getting the new owners in place before the season is out is a good thing, even if Moores walks with $200 million.

3) Playing Spoiler
From September 18th - September 30th, the Padres play: AZ, SF, LA, SF. Three teams that will likely be in the hunt for a playoff spot. If you can't make the playoffs, at least keep other teams from making the playoffs.

2) Minor League Prospects
If you head north on the 15 about an hour you can watch 2011 1st Round pick Cory Spangenberg. And the watch the Storm make another push for a California League Championship. The Missions are full of players on the relatively immediate radar of Padres fans (Decker, Liriano, Roach, Erlin). Max Fried (2012 1st Rd pick) is signed, sealed, delivered. The Minor Leagues are stock full of interesting stories and optimism. Get yourself out there to a minor league game before the season is up!

1) Big Eye IPA and Tacos
You could really do this during the 1st half of the season but, The Pier at Petco Park has become my favorite part at the park. Great views, great beer, delicious tacos. Who cares what the score is? I'm full.