|
San Diego Padres:
Crusading to the
World Series
The San Diego Padres aren’t a team in
who have enjoyed much success since breaking into Major League
Baseball in 1969. The team has only been to the postseason three
times in 35 years. On the optimistic side of that two of the
three times in the postseason they won the National League pennant;
once in 1984 and another in 1998. In 1998, the Padres finished
with a 98-64 record and won the NL West. In the playoffs they
beat the Cardinals 3-0, and the Braves 4-2 before being swept
by the Yankees in the World Series. Since then San Diego has
been in some sort of funk. Since winning an NL pennant they have
finished an average of 25 games out of first place and no postseason
appearances. Last season was their worst season in that span.
They finished with a 64-98 record, 36.5 games back of division
winner San Francisco.
The San Diego Padres were one of the teams that made
a big splash with trades and free agent acquisitions. The first
big trade came during last season when they traded for Pirate
right fielder and southern California native Brian Giles. Padres
management also traded away outfielder Mark Kotsay for catcher
Ramon Hernandez and outfielder Terrance Long. The Pads also
went out and signed a couple of big name free agents in center
fielder Jay Payton and starting pitcher David “Boomer” Wells.
Payton had a break out year in 2003 with Colorado and Wells is a grizzled veteran
that can help teach the Padres young pitching staff.
The bats in San Diego weren’t very active. They scored 678 runs in 2003,
which ranked them 14 of 16 in the National League. At the top of the lineup the
Padres will showcase third baseman Sean Burroughs and second baseman Mark Loretta.
The two combined to hit .300 in 2003. In the heart of the lineup are right fielder
Brian Giles, first baseman Phil Nevin, and left fielder Ryan Klesko. Rounding
out the rest of the lineup are center fielder Jay Payton, catcher Ramon Hernandez,
and shortstop Kahlil Greene.
The Padres have one of the younger starting rotations
in the National League with an average age of 29.6 and 26.7
not including 41 year old David Wells. Wells was brought
into San Diego to be their ace and to lead Brian Lawrence,
Jake Peavy, Adam Eaton, and Ismael Valdez. In the pen, fresh
off of his second shoulder surgery, is Cooperstown bound
closer Trevor Hoffman. Hoffman has accumulated 352 career
saves in 12 seasons.
This season the Padres will open up the doors to
Petco Park. This 42,000 seat pitchers ballpark will feature
the Western Metal Supply Company building that had been in
the same spot for 95 years. Inside the building, on the first
floor will be the gift shop, on the second and third levels
will be party rooms, on the fourth floor will be a restaurant,
and the roof will feature a bleacher and standing room section
80 feet above the field.
Are you a San Diego Padres Fanatic? Check out SanDeigoPadresFanatics.com!
|
