Hader Contract with Padres: Should the Padres Keep Spending?

A Josh Hader Contract with the Padres? Many signs point to Go; however, as a longtime Friars fan, maybe a different route might be more clutch. Here’s why I think this way.

First of all, in the realm that is baseball; it’s important to remember that relief staff and closers are volatile. They tend to have short careers. They can be great one year and bad the next, and then great again.

Do the Padres need Hader? Well, they’ve already signed Suarez (who is a complete stud); to a contract for five years. So they have the big man on lock for literally another four entire years after this season. 

While Peter Seidler is in fact opening his wallet wide; and showing that he’s “all about the Benjamins.” Truth be told, you can’t pay everybody. To avoid certain taxes, go after other big names and stay on budget; it is impossible to do so if you have a team roster of players, making 20 to 30, to 40 million dollars. There is going to be a limit on this at some point. 

Therefore, where do you draw the line? What position gets the short end of the budget stick? In my mind, it’s the closers. 

Closing pitchers tend to cycle through every three or four years. It wasn’t that long ago that the Padres had Kirby Yates for a couple years; who was really good. Before that they had Brad Hand for a couple years. Once again, really good. 

Furthermore, they also had Fernando Rodney for a year.  He came, he saw; and had great output for a season. He served his purpose at the time.

So then, the Padres have had a history. Hudson Street was another closer that they had for a year or two. All of the names dropped so far proves an important point; that being, the Padres have a track record for being able to find quality guys, since Trevor Hoffman.

Moreover, after Hoffman they also had Heath Bell who was good for a few years. It’s just, these guys don’t last that long. So why open up the checkbook and write in a humongous figure?

Hader Contract with Padres: Should the Padres Keep Spending?

Moreover, my concern with Hader is you’d have to pay him over 20 million a year, I’m sure. Why? Well, the man has had success. Having won already 3 National League Reliever of the Year Awards. Currently, he is making 14.1 million.

To keep him in a Padres uniform, he will probably want Diaz money. Diaz signed with the Mets for something to the tune of a hundred million dollars. So in terms of coins, Hader is probably contemplating a contract in that ballpark or perhaps even more.

However, I just feel like those resources would be better spent on other players. Roster positions, other than the closer. I mean, Hader is awesome to have, but, the chickens are coming to roost. The guy is cooking and he’s in his last year of arbitration. He wants money, and frankly I’m not mad at him getting his bag.

But if it was me bankrolling, I probably wouldn’t sign him at all. Doesn’t make a lot of sense right now to pay 20 million for a guy like that when you probably could replace him for less. I know it’s somewhat of a risk, but, it could be worth rolling the dice.

Why do I think such a course is wise? Well, simply, I’m really concerned with a guy like that. When he’s good, he’s a killer. When he’s bad, it’s “Thank you Fans!”

We all saw after the trade how easily he got off track last year and he was struggling for a short period of time before he turned it around. Therefore, I’m just concerned that these types of  guys are just too volatile. And to put that kind of money on the back end, to close deals to me doesn’t make a lot of sense. You gotta stop the bleeding somewhere. And that’s where I would stop if I was running the team. I would keep him and then I’d offer him a qualifying offer at the end of the season. 

He most likely will not accept it, which allows you to move on to a plan B. Get a draft pick, compensation, in the next draft. You can draft a player because of losing Hader; and wish him well so that he can go somewhere else and get that big money. 

Freeing yourself up from Hader allows you to search and find a new guy. A proficient, less money guy. Moreover, I would probably put Suarez in the closer role because he’s electric and proven on the mound; and making close to 10 million a year. With him safe and sound in the closer role; you then find a setup guy, on the staff to care for the eighth inning. I strongly believe the Padres could find more guys to do that through scouting. 

Nevertheless, that’s just me though. I like a good gamble. However, Peter Seidler has Scott freaking Boras praising him for building “Mount Crushmore;” so he’s definitely doing one heck of a job at the helm. Keep steering the Pads towards a title Cap!

**Want Even More Sports, News, Hot Takes, Stats as well as Athlete Celebrity Sighting Updates, Insights as well as Trends? Well, be sure to join all of us Sports Feens over on Youtube to get an additional sports fix; and also don’t forget to check out all of our new Podcast topics and episodes. Just Click HERE**

Thoughts on Hader Contract with Padres: Should the Padres Keep Spending?? And the ONE Game That Came Close!? Well let’s connect then you Feen! We are always around on social media posting as well as chatting away; and we would love to hear some POV from you. Therefore, join the discussion and talk all things Sports Feen; athletics as well as breaking industry news related with us by dropping a comment or two. Get into our comment section on YT; or also hit us up on our TikTok page or tweet us @SportsFeen.