Manny Machado ready to return to the third base

PEORIA, Arizona – Manny Machado is a third baseman with two Gold Gloves and one of the most valuable defensive players of the last decade. After a year at the stops, he returned to the hot corner of San Diego.
The Padres finalized their 10-year contract with Machado on Thursday

PEORIA, Arizona – Manny Machado is a three-time third-place player with the Gold Glove Award and one of the most valuable defensive players of the last decade. After a year at the stops, he returned to the hot corner of San Diego.

The Padres finalized their 10-year contract with Machado Thursday night and presented their new superstar Friday. Despite Machado's earlier statements that he considers himself a stopover, he quickly confirmed that he had signed to play third place.

"Coming here to play the third goal is an opportunity," said Machado.

This movement certainly corresponds to the short and long-term trajectories of the Padres. In the short term, Machado's third-place presence fills the most glaring void of the starter formation. The prospect Luis Urias should open the season in force, Ian Kinsler in second position.

In the long run, adjustment to the third base is even clearer. The arrival of Fernando Tatis Jr., MLB's potential No. 2 candidate by pipeline, is on the horizon, and when that happens, Urias and Kinsler will fight to save time in second place .

The situation is similar to that of Machado at the beginning of his career. He could have played a solid stop for his first six seasons in Baltimore, but the Orioles had J.J. Hardy, so they asked Machado to play the third goal. In this regard, the Padres were honest from the start on their vision of Machado.

"From our first conversation, if we were to get involved, he would play third base," said general manager A.J. Preller said. "In Baltimore, they explained to him that their best club was with J.J. in short and Manny in third.He said," I just want to win games. "With us, he said," If your best glove is a young man who can play that role, I just want to win. "

The arrival of Machado gives the Padres a better chance of winning. His presence at the third base probably makes this more true. Machado earned 84 defensive defenses in the third and minus 11 total. In addition, there is the question of Tatis, which has become a short stopover well above the average of the Minor League.

Machado met Tatis last summer during All-Star Week in Washington, where Tatis was to play in the SiriusXM All-Star Futures game.

"It's a beast," says Machado. "Did you see him? … This guy is an absolute beast, he reminds me of myself when I was 20 or 19. But I did not have that height." power."

The feeling is reciprocal. Earlier this week, Tatis called Machado a "favorite player for five years". He watched the highlights of Machado regularly in adolescence.

During his press conference, Machado extolled Tatis' skills, adding that he would do everything in his power to bring out the best of this 20-year-old prodigy.

"He's just a great player," said Machado. "He has all the tools, he can run, he can play, he has the power, he can do anything."

"Coming here, playing the third goal, I will try to help him in the same way that JJ Hardy helped me when I was called. He had a great influence. I had my gold gloves because of JJ, next to me.I hope to be able to do the same for him and teach him everything I know.I hope he take it, and if not, I'll take it head-on. "

There is no better way to learn, said Padres director Andy Green.

"Manny has always been an incredibly instinctive player," Green said. "He feels very good about the game." That's one of the things we value a lot at Fernando, having someone who has the same kind of instinct, the same kind of impression, the will grow much faster sometimes. " that coaches can. "