MLB 30 Team Preview: San Diego Padres

[AZ_]

Manager:

Bud Black (8th Season) 540-595 (.476)

Last Season:

76-86, 3rd in NL West

-A team .686 OPS was the second worst by the club since 2000.
-Had a losing record against every team in their division except Arizona
-Went 20-33 from July to August, going from 2.5 games out of first place on July 1 to 21.0 games out on September 1.

Key Additions:
OF - Seth Smith
SP - Josh Johnson
RP - Joaquin Benoit
RP - Alex Torres
RP - Patrick Schuster


Key Departures:
UTIL - Jesus Guzman
INF - Logan Forsythe
RP - Luke Gregerson

Projected Lineup:

(ZIPS PROJECTIONS: AVG/OBP/SLG)
SS Everth Cabrera (.250/.321/.337)
CF Will Venable (.247/.304/.424)
3B Chase Headley (.254/.339/.411)
LF Carlos Quentin (.258/.350/.471)
1B Yonder Alonso (.270/.336/.391)
2B Jedd Gyorko (.254/.308/.423)
RF Seth Smith (.246/.321/.402)
C Nick Hundley (.231/.290/.377)


Projected Rotation:

(ZIPS PROJECTIONS: W-L, ERA)
Ian Kennedy (11-10, 3.49)
Andrew Cashner (9-7, 3.19)
Tyson Ross (7-8, 3.81)
Eric Stults (8-9, 3.77)
Robbie Erlin (5-7, 4.40)

Projected Bullpen:

(ZIPS PROJECTIONS: W-L, ERA, WHIP)
CL Joaquin Benoit (4-2, 2.55, 1.05, 16 saves)
CL Huston Street (3-2, 3.22, 1.09, 12 saves)
RP Nick Vincent (6-5, 3.31, 1.22)
RP Brad Brach (4-4, 4.62, 1.41)
LP Alex Torres (3-3, 3.58, 1.45)
RP Dale Thayer (4-3, 3.55, 1.20)
RP Tim Stauffer (5-5, 3.77, 1.29)

Best Case:

Chase Headley and Carlos Quentin stay healthy and produce offensively like they're capable of doing, with Cabrera providing a good spark at the top of the lineup. The rotation could be really strong, with Cashner potentially emerging as an guy with ace type stuff while Ian Kennedy benefits from the spacious Petco outfield. Tyson Ross can be a strong middle of the rotation starter and adding Benoit to the bullpen with Street gives them a solid 8th-9th combination. They can be a darkhorse Wild Card candidate if they can better take care of business in their division.

Worst Case:

Injuries have already started to rear their head, with Josh Johnson missing time along with injuries to Headley (calf), Yasmani Grandal (ACL), Corey Luebke (TJx2), Casey Kelly (TJ). With an offense so light on production, they really can't afford to lose any offensive contributors.

Prediction:

The Padres will turn some heads this year, with a young and capable starting rotation and some really underrated players like Cabrera, Venable and Alonso. In the end, they don't have enough offense to carry them to a playoff berth but will have high hopes heading into 2015 with a better farm system nearing the big leagues to help them out.