I was out and about this evening so bear with me as I get up to speed. Join me won't you?
The Padres, the Rays and a third mystery team are said to be deep in negotiations. The Padres want 2013 AL Rookie of the Year winner Wil Myers. To get him the Pads would have to give up some of their top prospects. Padres GM A.J. Preller might be more willing to trade them since he doesn't have a connection or long history with them.
The UT's Dennis Lin suggests that pitcher Matt Wisler might be a starting point. ESPN's Jim Bowden says that catcher Austin Hedges has been discussed as part of the deal. SB Nation's own Chris Cotillo says Rays have been inquiring about pitchers R.J. Alvarez and Burch Smith as well. If Preller were able to trade for Myers, Ken Rosenthal says that it would likely mean they'd no longer be in contention for Justin Upton, likely because both teams are after some of the same prospects. Bowden says the Padres continue to check in with the Braves about Upton while negotiations with the Rays continue.
Meanwhile Rosenthal hints that the Padres have shown some interest in Josh Hamilton, then quickly dismisses the likelihood of the Padres taking a risk on such a large investment. While Hamilton may still be a source of power for the punch-less Pads, it's been a long time since his 2010 MVP season.
As for Matt Kemp, he has yet to officially sign with the Padres after his physical today. The team will continue discussions on Wednesday, which makes me worry that he'll need TJ surgery soon.