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Padres Press Clips Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Article Source Author Page It’s time for the Padres to start over UT San Diego Calkins 2 Which Padres could move at trade deadline UT San Diego Lin 5 Friar talk: About that future shortstop UT San Diego Sanders 7 On deck: Trip to Mets’ Citi Field on tap UT San Diego Sanders 8 Padres try to stop revolving door at shortstop MLB.com Brock 9 Shields takes on Mets to open road trip MLB.com Maiman 12 Jankowski stays hot, gives prospect followers a scare Padres.com Center 13 Report: Padres looking to trade multiple players SI.com Axson 16 Kimbrel comes up in Yanks’ talks with Padres; chances for deal uknown CBSSports.com Heyman 17 Astros talking Ross, Cashner, Kimbrel, but could they turn to Hamels? CBSSports.com Heyman 18 Shields and Syndergaard square off in Padres-Mets opener Stats, Inc. Bechtold 19 Series Preview: Mets vs. Padres ESPN.com Rubin 21 Cubs target Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy (not James Shields) from Padres CSNChicago.com Mooney 23

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It's time for the Padres to start over By Matt Calkins | 6 a.m. July 28, 2015

The Padres' roster is staring at A.J. Preller and giving him the puppy eyes.

Be strong, man. This group was the general manager's baby, his splash, a master plan once thought to

be a masterpiece.

Don't get sentimental on us now. A first team is like a first love. You get attached. You convince yourself things can

change.

But at this point, Preller needs to treat this roster like a picture of an ex: Give it one

last look — then tear it up.

Yes, it is still possible for the Padres (47-52) to make a playoff run, but you'd need the

Hubble to see their chances. If every team in front of them in the wild card race plays

.500 ball for the rest of the season, San Diego would have to go 41-22.

That's a winning percentage of .650, which is .004 points better than the Cardinals,

the best team in MLB by a good four games. Sorry, but after an epic offseason in

which the Padres proved they could spend, it's time to prove they can sell, too.

The trade deadline is looming, and Preller's only logical move is to crumple this (very)

rough draft up and start over. And it's not just players with expiring contracts such as

Justin Upton, Ian Kennedy and Will Venable that have to go.

It is important, however, to note that "logical" is the operative word in the paragraph

above. This is a fundamentally-flawed roster — but will the front office be willing to

admit it?

You have to think that Little League coaches around the country are loving the Padres'

disappointing year. A collection of MLB celebrities were united this offseason with the

idea that sexy statistics would translate into a postseason push.

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What we've learned, though, is that the fundamentals we've been taught since

childhood — things like smart baserunning and defense — are just as critical to

success as star power. It's time for the Padres to find that balance...even if it means

losing some fans.

There is a train of thought out there that equates San Diego dumping a number of its

bigger names as an affront to season ticket-holders. People will cry "same old Padres!"

if this assembly of former All-Stars are suddenly split up.

What those folks don't realize, however, is that if this team doesn't move pieces when

they are actually, well, moveable, then the franchise will be stuck a rung or two below

mediocrity for years on end.

It is essential that a team that has given up more unearned runs than any team in

baseball find a true shortstop, upgrade its outfield, and acquire a second baseman

with a bat. It is compulsory that an organization which gutted its farm system pick up

some prospects, too.

It is mandatory that this right-hand heavy lineup (the Pads have been shut out a

league-leading 14 times, 12 of which came against righties) add some southpaws to the

dugout, or Petco Park's October attendance numbers will read: 0.

This means that, in addition to Upton, Kennedy and Venable, they may have to trade

Craig Kimbrel. The Padres aren't a team short on relievers, and while Kimbrel is best

in the game, the they could slide Brandon Maurer into that closer role and enjoy

similar results.

It might mean dealing Tyson Ross as well. This is a pitcher who has shown All-Star

level talent, but who doesn't seemed to have improved much from last year.

Will you ever be able to get more value for him than you can right now? It's a

legitimate question.

There may be fans who boycott Padres games should this perceived "fire sale" occur,

but a losing record is just as strong of a repellant. And if the ever-creative Preller can

cut his losses, it may not be long until his team is notching wins.

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But what's most important is that the front office not take any half measures. It can't

worry about having multiple representatives in the All-Star Game when it comes to

San Diego next year.

No, if winning is truly this organization's top priority, then rebuilding is the painful

but necessary approach. The best way to get over your last one, is to put everything

into the next one.

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Which Padres could move at trade deadline A rundown of the Padres' trade candidates, with July 31 around the corner By Dennis Lin | 11 a.m. July 27, 2015

As recently as July 17, Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler said he thought his club

could both buy and sell at baseball's non-waiver trade deadline. The team was 41-49

at the time. It would begin the second half that night with a win over the Rockies.

Since then, the Padres have completed a 6-3 homestand and flown to New York.

Tuesday, they will begin a three-game series against the Mets, one of two teams

between San Diego and San Francisco in the wild-card standings.

The National League's second spot belongs to the defending World Series champions,

currently 7 1/2 games ahead of the Padres.

To some, that may not seem so daunting. Then you consider that, to reach the 88-90

win threshold, the Padres would have to finish at least 41-22.

Regardless of what unfolds over the next three games, they cannot afford inaction.

The trade deadline arrives Friday, before a series opener in Miami, and the best the

Padres can be is 50-52.

General Manager A.J. Preller has said that value, not the team's record, will be the

main determinant in any deals before the deadline.

In talking value, here is the main issue: The Padres' salary obligations to four players -

Matt Kemp, Melvin Upton Jr., James Shields and Craig Kimbrel - are scheduled to

jump from a little less than $38 million this season to more than $66 million in 2016.

If the Padres are to successfully retool for next year, at least one of Shields and

Kimbrel - Kemp and Upton Jr.'s contracts are considered all but unmovable - may

have to be dealt. The best time, too, would be now, not when the market will be

flooded with free agents in the offseason.

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That's even before considering the club's crop of soon-to-be free agents, whom logic

dictates should be used to restock the farm system, and a couple controllable starters

who soon will become more expensive.

With young, major league-ready talent at a premium, it's unclear how Preller might

"buy" at the deadline, though he certainly doesn't lack for creativity.

In the meantime, Preller has been listening on virtually the entire roster. The first-

year GM is well-positioned to sell multiple pieces, and all indications are that he is

prepared to do just that. Here are the most-mentioned candidates:

Justin Upton: The star left fielder is the Padres' most attractive free-agent-to-be and

the top rental bat on the market. He's slumped badly since early June, but the track

record of power and production is hard to ignore.

Joaquin Benoit: The 37-year-old reliever is another impending free agent. Even at

his age, he could bring back good value; he's held opposing batters to a .142 average,

the best mark of his career.

Ian Kennedy: The veteran starter looked solid over six-plus innings Saturday. He

could be a useful back-of-the-rotation addition for a number of contenders.

Will Venable: The veteran outfielder is the Padres' other soon-to-be free agent

drawing significant interest. He could be a fit for the Mets, whose GM, Sandy

Alderson, was the Padres' CEO when Venable was drafted.

James Shields: The 33-year-old starter has had a mildly disappointing season, and

his contract is heavily backloaded. Key in the equation could be how much money the

Padres have to eat in a potential deal.

Craig Kimbrel: The closer has looked dominant again, saving each of the Padres'

last 10 victories. This season, however, he's a bullpen luxury for a team that likely

won't reach the playoffs.

Andrew Cashner: The controllable starter is eligible to become a free agent after

the 2016 season. Some scouts still would take him over Tyson Ross in a big game.

Tyson Ross: The 28-year-old starter is the Padres' most valuable trade asset - and

perhaps the least likely to be traded. He is under club control through 2017. Preller

would need a lot to move him, though more than a few teams have long been

interested.

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Friar talk: About that future shortstop Report: Padres asked about Trea Turner in Craig Kimbrel talks By Jeff Sanders | 5 a.m. July 28, 2015

In need of a closer, the Nationals have interest in right-hander Craig Kimbrel. In need

of a shortstop, the Padres have interest in … their old shortstop of the future.

Doesn't hurt to ask, right?

According to a report from CBSSports.com, discussions with Washington have led the

Padres to inquire about the availability of Trea Turner, the player to be named later in

the three-team deal that netted Wil Myers. The Nationals, however, have Turner

pegged as their shortstop of the future with Ian Desmond set to become a free agent

after the season.

In other words, the chances of a reunion with Turner, the 13th overall pick in the 2014

draft, are "somewhere between slim and none."

Too bad, too.

With Jose Rondon out the next three to four months with a fractured right elbow, the

system's highest-ceiling shortstop, 19-year-old Ruddy Giron, is all the way down in

low Single-A.

More the likely, rookie General Manager A.J. Preller will address this shortcoming

with his decisions this week.

AROUND THE WATER COOLER

• Kimbrel isn't the only Padre who could move this week. Justin Upton headlines

the players most often mentioned in trade rumors.

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On deck: Trip to Mets' Citi Field on tap Three-game set in New York awful conventient for Justin Upton trade rumors By Jeff Sanders | 10 a.m. July 27, 2015

UP NEXT

• After a day off Monday, the Padres begin a 10-game road trip with a three-game

set at Citi Field against the Mets. Though New York remains within a handful of

games of the NL East-leading Nationals, their offense is on life support. An up-

close look at Justin Upton figures to dominate the back pages as the Padres

inch closer to sell mode.

GAME 1

• Tuesday, 4:10 p.m.: Padres RHP James Shields (8-3, 3.77) vs. Mets RHP

Noah Syndergaard (4-5, 2.97)

GAME 2

• Wednesday, 4:10 p.m.: Padres RHP Tyson Ross (6-8, 3.45) vs. Mets RHP

Bartolo Colon (9-9, 4.60)

GAME 3

• Thursday, 9:10 a.m.: Padres RHP Andrew Cashner (4-10, 3.93) vs. Mets LHP

Jon Niese (5-9, 3.75)

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Padres try to stop revolving door at shortstop By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | July 27th, 2015 SAN DIEGO -- For a five-year period from 2004-08, the Padres rarely had concerns about the shortstop position.

Only three other shortstops in the National League -- Jimmy Rollins, Jack Wilsonand Jose Reyes -- logged more innings at shortstop during that five-year stretch than Khalil Greene, who played on San Diego's last two playoff teams (2005-06).

But when the Padres parted ways with Greene after the 2008 season, sending him to the Cardinals, they probably didn't think they'd spend the next seven seasons trying player after player at one of the most critical positions on the field.

That's exactly what has happened, though. Not only has San Diego used 17 shortstops since the start of the 2009 season -- hello, Pedro Ciriaco! -- but the organization has failed to produce anything close to an everyday shortstop through the Draft since selecting Greene in 2002 with the 13th overall pick.

As the Padres and general manager A.J. Preller head toward the non-waiver Trade Deadline on Friday, you can bet they are looking to add talent to the organization at shortstop, with the intent on stopping the revolving door at the position.

"I don't want to attribute it to bad luck, but some of it is how we have prioritized players in the Draft," said assistant general manager Josh Stein, who has been with the organization since 2003, when he was a baseball operations intern.

"I don't think we have made it a priority to draft shortstops in the early part of the Draft. But I can tell you it's certainly a priority and something we are taking a hard look at moving forward."

Especially at Petco Park, a ballpark -- though while playing more fair than in the past -- that is built for teams who thrive on run prevention, pitching and defense.

Since drafting Greene, the Padres have had very little luck in getting homegrown talent to the big leagues.

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Since 2003, San Diego has drafted 17 shortstops during the first 10 rounds of the Draft. In fairness to the Padres, some of those players were drafted to play different positions once they turned pro. Help wanted: Shortstops Name Year

Everth Cabrera 2009-13

Luis Rodriguez 2009

Chris Burke 2009

Josh Wilson 2009

Miguel Tejada 2010

Jerry Hairston 2010

Lance Zawadzki 2010

Jason Bartlett 2011-12

Alberto Gonzalez 2011

Andy Parrino 2011-12

Logan Forsythe 2011-12

Alexi Amarista 2012-15

Ronny Cedeno 2013

Pedro Ciriaco 2013

Yangervis Solarte 2014

Clint Barmes 2015

Will Middlebrooks 2015 Since the Padres traded Khalil Greene in December 2008, the organization has used 17 shortstops over the past seven seasons. A look at those players.

But in many cases, those players simply didn't pan out.

The team has also had trouble developing middle infielders from Latin America during that stretch, a trend the Friars are looking to buck. Earlier this month, San Diego signed three Latin American shortstops during the international signing period. That wasn't by accident.

"It's a crucial spot," Preller said. "That's what makes the good ones so valuable. Only a handful of guys can handle that position. They are the captain of the infield."

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There have been some notable misses along the way, starting with Matt Bush, the first overall pick in 2004. Bush has had his share of personal and legal trouble, and he has been out of baseball since '11. Many feel Bush will go down as the biggest miss in Draft history.

Drew Cumberland, the 46th overall pick in 2007, might have had the best chance to become an everyday big leaguer. He hit .316/.380/.420 in his four seasons in the Minor Leagues before having to retire in March 2012 because of a rare neurological condition called bilateral vestibulopathy.

"I think Drew, for us, was on pace to be a Major League-caliber shortstop," Stein said. Of the 17 shortstops drafted since the Padres picked Greene, only Lance Zawadzki (fourth round, 2007), Sean Kazmar (fifth round, '04) and Jace Peterson (58th overall, '11) have reached the big leagues.

Those three combined for a minus-0.8 WAR (wins above replacement) in just 66 games at shortstop for San Diego. The Padres might have had a fourth had they not traded their 2014 first-rounder, Trea Turner, to the Nationals as part of the three-team deal that got them Wil Myersfrom the Rays. Turner has already advanced to Triple-A.

"Turner, for me, was one of the easiest everyday shortstop grades I have ever written," one NL scout said last year.

So for now, the search continues.

Even if San Diego doesn't trade for a shortstop before the Deadline, Preller said the need will remain near or atop the team's wish list.

"You're always looking out for quality shortstops, and we've always said we want to be strong up the middle," Preller said. "That's something in the last six, eight months we've looked at trying to find ways to improve.

"But teams aren't looking to give away guys at that position. Teams want to hold onto them."

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Shields takes on Mets to open road trip By Beth Maiman / MLB.com | July 26th, 2015 James Shields will start for the Padres when they face the Mets on Tuesday in New York in the first game of their 10-game road trip. Noah Syndergaard (4-5, 2.97 ERA) will get the start for the Mets in the three-game series.

Shields said he had more in the tank after his last start where he pitched five scoreless innings before being taken out in the Padres' 7-1 loss to the Giants on July 22. The right-hander picked up a win in his last start against the Mets on June 3, pitching seven innings, while allowing six hits and two runs.

Syndergaard walked five batters in five innings during his last start, but boasts a 2.05 ERA over his last seven starts. Syndergaard's worst career start was against the Padres on June 2 at Petco Park, allowing 10 hits and seven runs in four innings. Things to know about this game

• Kelly Johnson has batted fourth in both games since being acquired from the Braves. Juan Uribe, also acquired, hasn't started. Mets manager Terry Collins said he will continue to go with the hot hand at all positions. Kirk Nieuwenhuis has had a very nice couple of games in center in place of Juan Lagares.

• The Padres won two out of three games when the Mets visited San Diego in early June.

• Padres infielder Cory Spangenberg, who has been on the disabled list since June 28 with a left-knee contusion, will fly to the team's Spring Training facility in Arizona on Monday to continue his rehabilitation and baseball-related activities. He will join the Padres at some point on their upcoming road trip to continue his rehab.

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Jankowski stays hot, gives prospect followers a scare Rondon has surgery, Dust Devils win title By Bill Center / San Diego Padres | July 27th, 2015 When one of your top prospects and lead-off candidates comes out of a tie game for a pinch-runner, alarms go off.

That is what happened Sunday with center fielder Travis Jankowski. Jankowski, the 24-year-old 44th overall selection of the 2012 draft, came out of Triple-A El Paso's game at Salt Lake on Sunday for a pinch-runner after stealing a base in the 10th inning.

By going 3-for-4 with a walk Sunday, Jankowski raised his average to .550 (11-for-20) in his first five games with the Chihuahuas since being promoted from Double-A San Antonio.

How serious is the injury?

"Nothing serious," reported Chihuahuas club official Tim Hagerty.

El Paso manager Jamie Quirk told Hagerty that Jankowski had some soreness after sliding hard into third. Because Jankowski hadn't had any time off since the Pan American Games, Quirk took him out.

"I'm told Travis won't miss any time," Hagerty said.

There was one other piece of really good news and one piece of bad news in the Padres minor league system Sunday.

Good news: Short-season Single-A clinched the first-half title of the Northwest League's North Division, despite a 6-4 loss to Spokane.

Bad news: Double-A shortstop Jose Rondon will miss the rest of the Minor League season after having surgery last Thursday to repair a fracture to his right elbow. Rondon is expected to take three or four months to rehab, and the Padres are hoping the 21-year-old Venezuelan will be ready in time for winter ball. Rondon was hitting .190 in 28 games after being promoted from high Single-A Lake Elsinore (.300 in 57 games).

There was also an important debut to note: Twenty-year-old Venezuelan right-hander Ronald Herrera allowed four runs (two earned) on eight hits and three walks with four strikeouts in four innings in his

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first start with San Antonio. Herrera was promoted from Lake Elsinore, where he was 5-6 with a 3.88 earned run average in 18 games (17 starts).

Now, getting back to El Paso, the 53-48 Chihuahuas won a franchise-record sixth-straight road game when rehabbing Padres catcher Tim Federowicz (.207) hit a three-run homer in the top of the 10th in a 6-3 win at Salt Lake. First baseman Tommy Medica (.262) was 2-for-4 with an RBI. Third baseman Will Middlebrooks (.313) had a double with an RBI and run scored in five at-bats.

Starting left-handed pitcher Jason Lane (5.10 ERA) allowed three runs on nine hits with three strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings. Right-hander Aaron Northcraft (2-3, 8.14) allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in 2 1/3 scoreless innings to get the win. Right-hander Jay Jackson (1.79) had a strikeout in a perfect 10th to get his eighth save.

El Paso is second in the Pacific Coast League's Pacific Southern Division. AROUND THE FARM DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (42-58): MIDLAND 6, Missions 5 -- RHP Stephen Kohlscheen (3-2, 3.10 ERA) followed Herrera and allowed two unearned runs on two hits and two walks with three strikeouts in two innings to suffer the loss. RHP Michael Dimock (2.27) allowed two hits and a walk with four strikeouts in two scoreless innings. 2B Diego Goris (.265) had a double and his third homer with RBIs and two runs scored in four at-bats. 1B Luis Domoromo (.241) was 2-for-4 with a double and a walk and a run scored. C Adolfo Reina (.193) was 2-for-4 with a run scored. RF Yeison Asencio had two RBIs. HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (38-61): High Desert 6, LAKE ELSINORE 2 -- RF Nick Torres (.321) had two doubles in three at-bats with a RBI and a run scored. 2B Fernando Perez was 2-for-4 with a run scored but committed three errors. Starting RHP Matthew Shepherd (2-6, 5.63 ERA) allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits with two strikeouts in three innings. RHP Rafael De Paula (5.35) allowed a hit and a walk with four strikeouts in three scoreless innings. RHP Bryan Verbitsky (5.06) allowed an unearned run on two hits with three strikeouts in two innings. LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (48-51): BOWLING GREEN 3, TinCaps 2 -- LF Franchy Cordero (.232) had two doubles with a run scored in four at-bats. 3B Luis Tejada (.302) was 2-for-4 with a double and a RBI. SS Ruddy Giron (.294) had a RBI single in four at-bats. Starting RHP Dinelson Lamet (3.51) allowed a run on six hits with four strikeouts in five innings. RHP Nick Monroe (2.25) allowed two hits

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with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. RHP Aaron Cressley (1-2, 6.61) allowed a walk-off homer leading off the bottom of the ninth. SHORT-SEASON SINGLE-A TRI-CITY (22-16): Spokane 6, DUST DEVILS 4 (10 innings) -- After learning they had clinched the first-half division title, Tri-City lost. LF Jose Carlos Urena (.283) hit his fourth homer, a two-run shot in five at-bats. CF Rod Boykin (.264) and 3B Carlos Belen (.241) were each 2-for-4 with a stolen base, a RBI and a run scored. Starting RHP Angel Mejia (7.39 ERA) allowed a run on five hits with four strikeouts in four innings. LHP Griffin Russell (3.77) struck out three in two perfect innings. LHP Elvin Liriano (1.31) allowed a walk with four strikeouts in two otherwise perfect innings. RHP Wilson Santos (4.76) allowed three runs on four hits and a walk in two-thirds of an inning. LHP Brandon Fry (0-1, 7.36) served up two solo homers with two walks and three strikeouts in 1 1/3 innings. ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (13-16): PADRES 19, Mariners 7 -- Rehabbing Lake Elsinore 1B Yale rosen (.500) was 5-for-6 with three doubles, a homer, four RBIs and three runs scored to lead the Padres 21-hit attack. CF Aldemar Burgos (.261) was 3-for-6 with a triple, two RBIs and two runs scored. LF Josh Magee (.216) was 3-for-6 with a RBI and three runs scored. DH Bryant Aragon (.296) was 2-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and a run scored. C Kyle Overstreet (.190) was 2-for-5 with a double, a RBI and three runs scored. 3B Carlos Sosa (.183) had a homer in four at-bats with three RBIs and two runs scored. 2B Tyler Moore (.215) was 2-for-5 with a double, a walk, an RBI and two runs scored. RF Alan Garcia (.381) had a teo-run double during the Padres 10-run first. RHP Austin Smith (3.60 ERA), the Padres second-round pick in June, allowed two runs on five hits with two strikeouts in two innings. RHP Starling Ynfante (1-4, 6.15) allowed a run on two hits and three walks with four strikeouts in four innings. DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (21-27): The Dominican Summer League didn't play on Sunday.

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Report: Padres looking to trade multiple players

BY SI WIRE Posted: Mon Jul. 27, 2015

The San Diego Padres are looking to trade several players, including those who will hit the free agent market and have big salaries, reports CBS Sports's Jon Heyman.

The non-waiver trade deadline is July 31 at 4 p.m. ET.

According to the report, rivals have said the team is "pushing hard" and potentially looking to unload pitchers James Shields, Andrew Cashner and relieverCraig Kimbrel.

Shields still has $66 million left on his contract over the next three years. Kimbrel, who was traded by the Atlanta Braves, is in the second year of a four-year, $42 million contract, and Cashner is in the final season of his contract.

Other players who are in the final season of their contract and could be potentially be traded are outfielders Justin Upton and Will Venable, and starting pitcherIan Kennedy. Reliever Joaquin Benoit has a club option for next season.

• MLB trade deadline tracker: Keep up with every move

San Diego started the season with a $107 million payroll after acquiring Kimbrel and the Uptons from Atlanta and bringing in outfielder Matt Kemp from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Last season, the Padres had a opening-day payroll of $90 million.

The Padres (47–52) are 8 1/2 games back of the Dodgers in the National League West and 7 1/2 games back from the second Wild Card spot in the NL.

- Scooby Axson

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Kimbrel comes up in Yanks' talks with Padres; chances for deal unknown July 27, 2015 11:03 pm ET The name of superstar closer Craig Kimbrel has at least surfaced in the Padres' talks with the Yankees. The chances for a deal aren't known, but at first blush it would not seem to be the most logical or likely landing spot.

The Yankees have said they have no intention of trading any of their top four prospects -- pitcher Luis Severino, outfielder Aaron Judge, first baseman Greg Bird and shortstop Jorge Mateo -- in any deals. And a person familiar with the Padres' thinking suggested the Yankees' stance would have to change for such a deal to have any chance of happening.

The other reason this deal would seem to be less than likely is that the Yankees already have one of the best bullpen back-ends in the game, and thus no overwhelming need for Kimbrel, who has $28 million to go on his contract through 2017.

San Diego has also talked to the Jays and Nationals about Kimbrel, but both those teams may have financial questions that could make any such deal difficult. The Yankees don't have any such questions.

While the Yankees already have an excellent pen, an importing of Kimbrel would give them a chance to build a super bullpen to rival the Royals, who rode their pen to the World Series last year and are dominating yet again.

The Yankees are investigating most starters and relievers on the market, so it's hard to know how much significance to put on the talks.

The Padres made a huge trade to land Kimbrel on the cusp of the season, and he has performed well for them, saving 29 of 30 games.

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Astros talking Ross, Cashner, Kimbrel, but could they turn to Hamels? July 28, 2015 7:22 am ET The Astros are talking to the Padres about young starters Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner, and also star closer Craig Kimbrel, but it will be interesting to see how involved in the Cole Hamels sweepstakes the Astros may become.

Ross or Cashner plus Kimbrel are pitchers who intrigue the Astros, but while Hamels was long seen as an afterthought by them, there is some belief someone at the ownership level, perhaps managing partner Jim Crane, has some interest in Hamels.

Hamels' name had not been linked Houston for weeks, since it came out that Hamels wasn't all that interested in waiving his no-trade to go to Houston, but Evan Grant of theDallas Morning News and Jerry Crasnick of ESPN recently suggested the Astros could be a player for Hamels.

People connected to the team suggest some or most of the baseball people are more keenly interested in the San Diego pitchers, who are all in their 20s, and that Hamels remains unlikely. However, if it's true that ownership is enamored with Hamels it can't be completely ruled out.

The odd thing here is that Hamels hasn't been said to have been a focus of Houston's interest, though it's also possible that top Astros target Johnny Cueto going to Kansas City could make someone rethink Hamels. Some folks still see Houston as a major long shot in Hamels, however -- the Rangers and Dodgers are viewed as the favorites -- and not just because there's been more interest in others, almost from the start.

There is also the big question of whether Hamels would accept a trade to Houston.

Word has been that he wasn't anxious to go there, and that still seems to be the case. The one possibility that could put these two sides together even though neither seems anxious to get together would be if Philly finds the best deal in Houston and tells Hamels he must decide whether to accept the Astros or stay in Philadelphia. While Hamels has been a professional about his long lingering time on the trade block in Philly, that could be a tough call since it's known he believes it's time to go, as does everyone else.

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Shields and Syndergaard square of in Padres-Mets opener TAYLOR BECHTOLD STATS, INC. JUL 27, 2015 6:21p ET

While James Shields' days with the San Diego Padres could be numbered, the New York Mets expect Noah Syndergaard to be one of the cornerstones of their future.

As Shields goes after only his second win in 10 starts, the Padres will try for their fourth straight victory

Tuesday night in the opener of a 10-game trip against Syndergaard and the Mets.

Shields (8-3, 3.77 ERA) has been the subject of trade rumors in his first season with San Diego (47-

52), which has been a disappointment at 8 1/2 games out in the NL West.

Since going 7-0 with 2.51 walks per nine innings and a 7.2 run-support average in his first 12 starts, the

right-hander is 1-3 with 4.56 walks per nine and a 2.8 RSA in his last nine.

Shields hasn't lasted past the sixth in any of his last three starts. He allowed no runs and three hits with

seven strikeouts over five innings in Wednesday's 7-1 home loss to San Francisco, throwing 96

pitches.

The 33-year-old is among several big-money players the club could move before the trade deadline.

"It's professional baseball and those types of things happen and whatever happens we are going to

move forward," interim manager Pat Murphy told MLB's official website.

San Diego has made a push by winning eight of 11, though it's likely to be too little, too late. The team

allowed just four runs in taking the last three of a four-game home series with Miami.

Justin Upton, one of those mentioned in trade rumors, isn't ready to give up. He went 2 for 3 with a

home run in Sunday's 3-2 win after going 6 for 56 (.107) in his previous 16 games.

"I think this (Mets) series coming up is a big one for us," Upton said. "We have to play well against a

good team with good pitching, so we're going to have to do some good pitching of our own."

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Shields gave up two runs over seven innings in a 7-3 home win over the Mets (51-48) on June

3. Curtis Granderson (7 for 61) and new addition Kelly Johnson (2 for 16) have struggled when facing

Shields.

Syndergaard (4-5, 2.97) has solidified his place in New York's young rotation by going 2-1 with a 1.59

ERA with 34 strikeouts over 34 innings in his last five starts.

The rookie right-hander did not factor in a 4-3 loss at Washington on Wednesday when he overcame a

season-high five walks and allowed one run in five innings. He's been particularly outstanding at home,

going 4-1 with a 1.74 ERA.

The Padres were responsible for Syndergaard's worst outing June 2, tagging him for seven runs over

four innings in a 7-2 home win. Derek Norris went 2 for 3 with a home run off him.

Yonder Alonso is batting .389 over a 10-game hitting streak versus New York, which is tied with San

Diego for the worst batting average in the majors at .236.

The Mets, two games back in the NL East, took the last two of a four-game weekend series with the

Los Angeles Dodgers to open a 10-game homestand.

They bolstered their bullpen Monday, acquiring closer Tyler Clippard from Oakland for minor league

pitcher Casey Meisner in a swap of right-handers. The 30-year-old Clippard, who is eligible for free

agency after this season, went 1-3 with a 2.79 ERA and 17 saves in 21 chances for the Athletics.

Ruben Tejada went 8 for 14 when New York dropped two of three in San Diego in June. The Mets

haven't lost a home series to the Padres since 2009, going 11-6 over that span.

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Series preview: Mets vs. Padres Adam Rubin, ESPN Staff Writer

NEW YORK METS (51-48, second place/NL East) vs. SAN DIEGO PADRES (47-52, fourth place/NL West)

Tuesday: RHP Noah Syndergaard (4-5, 2.97) vs. RHP James Shields (8-3, 3.77), 7:10 p.m. ET Wednesday: RHP Bartolo Colon (9-9, 4.60) vs. RHP Tyson Ross (6-8, 3.45), 7:10 p.m. ET Thursday: LHP Jonathon Niese (5-9, 3.75) vs. RHP Andrew Cashner (4-10, 3.93), 12:10 p.m. ET PADRES SHORT HOPS

• The Padres figure to have major roster upheaval as Friday’s 4 p.m. ET non-waiver trade deadline approaches. Among the players who potentially may get traded: outfieldersJustin Upton andWill Venable, closerCraig Kimbrel, starting pitchers Shields, Ian Kennedy and Cashner, and reliever Joaquin Benoit.

• Upton (.251, 16 HR, 50 RBIs) returned Thursday after sitting out four days with a tight left oblique.

• Kimbrel has converted 29 of 30 save chances -- the best percentage in the majors.

• San Diego fired manager Bud Black on June 15 with the team’s record at 32-33. The Padres replaced him for the rest of the season with Pat Murphy. Black went 649-713 as manager of the Padres over parts of 15 seasons. Murphy had been managing Triple-A El Paso. He previously was the longtime head coach at Arizona State and Notre Dame. San Diego has won eight of its past 11 games, but is only 15-19 under Murphy.

• The Padres flopped despite a busy offseason under first-year general manager A.J. Preller, who was hired from the Texas Rangers. In mid-December, San Diego acquired outfielder Matt Kemp from the Los Angeles Dodgers, catcher Derek Norris from the Oakland Athletics, outfielder Justin Upton from the Atlanta Braves, third baseman Will Middlebrooks from the Boston Red Sox and outfielder Wil Myers from the Tampa Bay Rays. Then, on the eve of the regular season, the Padres again dealt with the Braves, acquiring Kimbrel and outfielder Melvin Upton. Myers, the 2013 AL Rookie of the Year, continues to have trouble with his surgically repaired left wrist. He had a bone spur removed on June 18 and remains on the disabled list.

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Cubs target Tyson Ross, Ian Kennedy (not James Shields) from Padres July 27, 2015, 11:45 pm

Ignore the rumor that generated some Twitter buzz on Monday night: The Cubs are not on the verge of acquiring James Shields.

But the Cubs are looking hard for pitching help and see the San Diego Padres as a possible match, major-league sources said, with Tyson Ross being viewed as an ideal fit leading up to the July 31 trade deadline.

Ross is 28 years old and won’t be positioned to become a free agent until after the 2017 season, which makes him an attractive win-now and win-later player for almost any contending team.

Ross is making $5.25 million this season, but the right-hander won’t come cheap in terms of prospects if the Padres slam the reset button after a frenetic offseason led by new general manager A.J. Preller.

Ross made the National League All-Star team last year, finishing at 13-14 with a 2.81 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 195-plus innings. He has size (6-foot-5) and smarts (Cal-Berkeley). He also leads the majors with 57 walks this season (6-8, 3.45 ERA).

To stay in the playoff hunt, the Cubs (52-46) clearly need some help at the back of their rotation and will at least try to add a No. 5 starter. Dallas Beeler (0-2, 6.43 ERA) is up from Triple-A Iowa and will make another spot start on Tuesday night against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field.

Monday also marked the day the Cubs formally released $52 million bust Edwin Jackson, which again underlined the organization’s pitching deficit.

Cubs executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer weren’t huge fans of Andrew Cashner when they took over baseball operations after the 2011 season, feeling like the former first-round pick would max out as a reliever. They flipped Cashner – who has shown signs of being a top-of-the-rotation starter – a few months later for future All-Star first baseman Anthony Rizzo.

While a Cashner reunion sounds doubtful, the Cubs see Ian Kennedy as a decent rental at the right price. The Scott Boras client is owed less than $4 million for the rest of this season before hitting the free-agent market.

Kennedy won 21 games for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2011 and showed up in the Cy Young voting that year. He’s never quite reached those heights again in an up-and-down career, but he did make 33 starts and throw 201 innings for the Padres last season.

Still, San Diego can’t expect a huge return for a two-month rental with a 6-9 record and a 4.58 ERA.

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“If we do something on the bigger end, it will involve players who will help us beyond this year,” Epstein said. “If we do something on the smaller side, it will probably be more for a rental player. And if we do nothing, it will be because we couldn’t find anything rational that we could actually do.

“I don’t know which of those three directions it will go yet.”

The Cubs already had their chance to get Shields, who sat out there as a free agent past Super Bowl Sunday. Shields had helped lead Joe Maddon’s Tampa Bay Rays into the 2008 World Series, and changed the culture around the Kansas City Royals team that won last year’s American League pennant.

The Cubs floated a three-year, $60 million concept that included a significant amount of deferred money, while Shields grabbed the four years and $75 million guaranteed from the Padres.

Before Monday night’s 9-8 comeback win over the Rockies, Epstein signaled the Cubs aren’t close to any deals that would involve taking on a big contract.