MLB WINTER MEETINGS

December 7, 2022

A. J. Preller

San Diego Padres

Press Conference

Q. What's your pursuit of the top end market players about what the Padres direction is?

A. J. PRELLER: We've talked about, in general, you have a targeted list of guys, and I think two players that we met with obviously here in the last few weeks, they're two of the best players in the game.

And ultimately we think we have a really good team, a team that can play in the postseason. And anytime you get an opportunity to at least sit down with two of the best, that doesn't come -- guys of that caliber in free agency you don't see that every season.

So, I think we talked about it as a group. We felt we wanted to sit down and at least have those conversations. We did that. And ultimately didn't sign either player. But I think it's just more a matter of exploring guys that are elite players.

Q. What else or what did you accomplish?

A. J. PRELLER: Again, I think you know going into a lot of these things, every time -- there's hundreds of conversations that go on throughout the offseason. Some are public. A lot are private.

I think from our standpoint, a lot of times it's getting to know and trying to see if there's a fit there amongst the player and amongst the organization and obviously financially if there's going to be a fit.

So I think from our standpoint you want to explore and make sure we're looking at every possible opportunity to get better.

And we've got a real desire to win and do it for a long time. And I think that's just part of our due diligence and part of our process.

Q. With what you know now on Aaron Judge, you said you had a real chance to sign him or was that more about his leverage to drive up the price for the Yankees?

A. J. PRELLER: I don't know. Obviously we took a meeting and sat down because we felt like we wanted to hear more and have him hear more about our situation.

So exactly how it played out, we never really got an opportunity to kind of find out a lot more. So I think from that standpoint, you know, ultimately sat down, had a conversation. But he made the decision here early this morning to go back to the Yankees.

Q. Did those talks start after you missed on Trea Turner or have you been planting the seeds with Judge's camp earlier?

A. J. PRELLER: It was something honestly in the last few days. We sat down. Ultimately, I don't think we really -- we thought it was him going back to New York felt like something that was, at least from our evaluation, we probably thought that was something that was likely.

And I think in the last couple of days I reached out to his agent and just went to Page and just said, what's going on and is he interested in talking a little bit.

He was interested and (indiscernible) came in, we had the meeting. And ultimately woke up this morning, he had already made the decision to sign with the Yankees.

Q. At any point yesterday did you think it was a possibility that he'd come in?

A. J. PRELLER: Honestly, I think it was just a situation, we went into that meeting just open minded seeing what would happen. I think what went into that meeting from both sides, hey, just kind of talk about our situation, what we're looking to do, hear what may be important to him and really didn't progress much past that.

Q. Anything you can glean from that for the future if you're trying to sign something else? Is there anything you can take from it even though he didn't sign with you guys?

A. J. PRELLER: I think you always do. I think a few years ago we went down the path with Manny Machado and Bryce Harper who were free agents. We talked with Peter Seidler and we talk about it all the time from the baseball operations team.

There's a lot of positives. You never know what's going to happen down the road. It's a ton of information that you're able to find and sit down, especially when you sit down with these players like individually sometimes weeks, sometimes a few hours.

And I think you learn too about your own situation, your own organization. I think it's fun to talk about. Like, hey, things that we're doing, maybe you get some ideas about things we can do differently and do better and hear some things that are going on in the industry.

There's a lot of positives to it, honestly. I know it's disappointing when you don't get the player. I think it's exciting for people when you look up and you imagine the possibility of signing an elite player.

But I think we go into it knowing it's hard to kind of line up in these situations. And I think just being involved, similar to a few years with Manny and Bryce, we thought that was a good process. We thought the last couple weeks were a good process with Aaron Judge.

Q. Where do you go now in search for a bat? And does the fact that you were in on those two guys, like, anything's possible?

A. J. PRELLER: I think those are two, like, pretty unique players that don't get to the market very often. Those are MVP-caliber guys that are kind of the top of the food chain in terms of where they're at from a star-power, position-player standpoint in the big leagues.

We've got a few different things we're talking about. I think -- you're always going down different paths this time of the year. Nothing's really changed. You wake up and now we're on to a different option. And we'll see if we can line up to add another hitter and look at some pitching as well.

Q. How does the prevalence of shortstops in this market, really high end, good shortstops maybe the lack of the some corner outfield -- you mentioned you need a corner bat, how does that juxtaposition fit into what you're searching for?

A. J. PRELLER: I think it's a combination. It's having some position players and a shortstop that can play different spots. I've been asked this over the last 24 hours, we're looking for a shortstop. That's not the point of this.

Obviously with Kim, Cronenworth, Machado and Tatis, we've got really talented infielders. And we've got guys on our roster who can play different spots. And with Trea Turner's situation, he can play a lot of different positions on the field.

I think we looked at it as the ability to add a quality position player. And I think we're going to continue doing that in the next couple of weeks.

Q. Is there value in, you were talking about the value of meeting with these players, is there a value in the message it sends to perspective players that you're talking about, about the aggressive level of this club and how hard you guys are working to be better? Is there a value in sending that message out to the sport?

A. J. PRELLER: We're definitely not trying to like, hey, it's not about ultimately sending a message or winning on that front. It's about getting a good player and getting the quality guys who can play for the Padres.

I think the risk of it, obviously, is it kind of looks like you're just in on every player, who's the next guy? When you don't sign the player, I think it's, hey, what's wrong with this situation?

Honestly, I think we understand that going down that path. We understand, hey, the perception of what it may look like. But I think we also, for us, like the value of sitting down, seeing what's possible, seeing what may be out there, just doing our due diligence, our homework to see if it lines up, I think that part for myself, Peter, Josh, the whole group, that's at least in this case, with these two players, we valued that more so than understanding that maybe these are long shots for different reasons.

But we wouldn't take the meeting if we thought there was no chance. And ultimately that's what we came out with.

Q. I think almost every contract that's been handed out this offseason is bigger, maybe longer than people would have projected. What have you thought of just the amount of money that's been spent by teams so far? Has it surprised you?

A. J. PRELLER: No, I think when we looked at the market, we knew it was going to be really aggressive. You can just tell -- everything's like a moment in time.

A few years ago when we went after Manny and Harper and some of the things we did, there was a lot of chatter about, hey, it was the right time for the Padres. Should we wait a few more years to be a little more competitive?

I think that moment in time, one, they were great players that were right in the prime of their careers. But, two, I think we looked at it there just weren't as many teams that for whatever reason, the competitive cycle that were really involved from that standpoint.

Right now, I think it's just kind of the way it is. Whether it's ownership, whether it's teams that fell short in the playoffs, teams that did well in the playoffs, teams that are ready to take a step from maybe a 3-, 4- or 5-year rebuild, you look up and there's few teams that are taking a step back. Almost everybody looking to advance forward.

And that, along with some really quality players, is why it's a very aggressive market.

Q. Do you think -- both seasons, but specifically what the Phillies did with the run they went on, the team that snuck into the playoffs at the end incentivize teams, the path, just go for it, be more aggressive?

A. J. PRELLER: Maybe a little bit. I think it's probably more where teams are in their process, just a lot have lined up where you have a lot of teams that, I think, feel like they want to take a step or are ready to take a step or maybe with some disappointment this year ready to bounce back.

So I think it's a little bit more of that. But I do think, like, from when you've got a chance to play in the playoffs and there's an extra spot available or two, it probably does motivate teams to consider, especially when it's like, hey, there's an extra spot out there, I think it probably does help a little bit with some teams showing they have a chance.

Q. Were you itching to go back to the Rule 5 Draft?

A. J. PRELLER: Always. I know PT Young was in our pro scouts. So, yeah, Jose Lopez. I think trusting that group, they do a really good job.

Obviously, I think, when we looked a few years ago, we were just looking for ways to add talent to the team. We've been active on that front. And I think this year, get a lefty, it's a big fastball.

And of course, a breaking ball, continuing to refine his command, pitching at the Double-A level this year with a taste at Triple-A, he'll get an opportunity to come in and compete, see where it stands.

Q. Given your current payroll and star players you have on this roster, how much of this chase, this pursuit of Judge and Turner was about the uncertainty of that when he comes back, the possibility that Manny could opt out after next season?

A. J. PRELLER: I think you factor everything. I think the biggest thing you look at, you want to have your plan for next year and like how does that fit for next year. And you're always constantly evaluating that versus over the next five years. And I think we kind of factor everything in.

I think the biggest thing was you just feel like, similar to Manny and Harper a few years ago, there's elite players and elite talent, and hard to get those guys that we like that we think will be good for a while.

We definitely factor kind of the different things that may come up the next year, understanding that you have the opt-out situation with Manny. Toddy coming back from missing the season.

Factor all that in, I think the biggest thing we're trying to see what the right blend is, just excitement of adding another player or two to the current nucleus we have.

Q. When you met with Kodai Senga, what factors did he say were most important when he selects a team?

A. J. PRELLER: Probably not getting into too many. Probably more a question for him. Again, I think he's a very accomplished pitcher. I think he was very familiar with -- he's been to the states before. I think he has some feel for what's important to him from a pitching development standpoint.

He's been part of a winning team in Japan. So I think he knows what that feels like. But that's more of a question for Senga and his camp in term of what the fits are and what he's looking to do.

Q. What's your patience like at this point? Has it changed at all since you first started as GM, in terms of waiting something out or filling the holes a little quicker for the roster?

A. J. PRELLER: No, again, I think the offseason, it's always like a lot of ups and downs. And I think in terms of sometimes you get momentum towards a move or a trade or an acquisition.

But I think the thing, in baseball, I think everybody knows we've had trade deadline a few years ago, Spring Training this past year. I think we've had some different things that we thought were right there on the goal line.

And I think the biggest thing with anything, until the move is finalized, you've got to kind of understand that there's a lot that can go on. There's a lot of competitive -- a lot of competition for top-end players.

You've got to be patient. You've got to kind of see what ultimately like what's -- you can't really force anything. It's got to be a fit both ways, from a player, from a team on a trade front. We understand that. And just kind of be prepared.

I think we have our game plan, what we're trying to do. If we line up, great. If not, I think we're ready for another move down the road and maintain some flexibility.