Let's start with this: I want things to work out for the Padres. I really do. They make a trade, I hope it turns out to be good one. But that doesn't mean I have to be happy with everything they do.
A couple of days ago, the Padres traded my favorite player. Chances are he's among your favorites, too. I mean, how could anybody not fall in love with Franmil Reyes? I was smitten the first time Tony Gwynn Jr. and I had a chance to interview him -- at spring training in Peoria, Ariz., this past March. After the interview, our producer Matt Skraby asked the loveable big fella if he wouldn't mind reading a promo for the radio station.
It went something like this: "Hey, this is Franmil Reyes, and you're listening to Padres baseball on 97.3 The Fan." Pretty simple, you'd think. But let's not forget that English is not Franmil's first language. The S.S. Reyes originally docked in the Domincan Republic. Rather than butcher the promo, Reyes asked politely if he may have a few minutes to practice reading it off to the side. He wanted to make sure that it sounded right.
That told me everything I needed to know. He could have just read it a few times, and eventually done it well enough to be acceptable. But Reyes is a young man who wants to please people -- us at the radio station included. It was important for him to do it correctly. And after a little practice, he delivered the line perfectly.
As far as being a baseball player goes, he was far from perfect. But in a way, that was a part of his charm. He didn't run like a gazelle and he didn't field like Manny Machado. But if you ever asked him what he needed to work on as a player, he would always answer the same: "I want to be a great defensive player," he would say.
Apparently the Padres thought he'd never get there. And so when the opportunity arose at the trade deadline to ship him off to the American League -- where the designated hitters live -- Reyes was sent packing. Along with him went a lot of the Padres' spirit and joy, I believe. It won't be easy to replace.
You simply don't run across many athletes like the big guy who could "hurt the pelota, big time." (Thanks, Ted Leitner for that, by the way). The smile, the laugh, the appreciation for the game. Always first out of the dugout after a teammate homered to remove their helmet. (Who's going to do that, now?).
But baseball is, like most everything else, a business. And the Padres felt this was best for their ballclub. After all, they already have a corner outfielder who can hit home runs in Hunter Renfroe. And Renfroe is miles ahead of Reyes defensively. What the team needs is more athletes. More speed. More defense. The ability to create runs without the aid of the home run.
And the Padres think they got all of that by picking up big-time prospect Taylor Trammell, basically in exhange for Reyes. We'll see. This is a trade that could be a great one for San Diego or one that could blow up and become a disaster. Most of that will depend on what happens with Trammell. Will he be the next Alan Trammell? Or the next Bubba Trammell?
The kid apparently has all the tools -- except for the fact that he has a minus-throwing arm and scouts say he fits best in left field. That's all right with the Padres as long as produces big-time at the plate. He might. He might not. As of the time of the trade, Trammell was hitting just .236 in Double-A ball with six home runs. Doesn't exactly sound like a sure thing, but then again, what do I know?
Well...I know this: Franmil Reyes is a 30-plus home run guy who gives a team every possible positive intangible imaginable. The first thing he said upon arriving in Cleveland was "Hopefully everybody will love me here, just like we loved each other in San Diego." I have no doubt that will happen.
I also have no doubt we'll all miss Reyes. Not as much if Trammell becomes a big success, but we'll still miss him.
Business sometimes sucks.