Padres Spring Training Season Preview

 

(Image is owned by the Padres official instagram, we do not own the rights)

Well. Here we are again Padres fans. After an excruciating end to the 2021 season, the start to the 2022 season is right around the corner. I hate to do this....... But I don't feel good about this team. Now that doesn't automatically mean that I think we're doomed but we need to have a successful start to the year. THAT IS PARAMOUNT. Last year, I think we as fans were on such a high from making the playoffs and winning a wild series for once that we gave this team a ton of leeway. That's the not the feeling I have as a fan anticipating this year at all. The mystique surrounding this team is gone. We played like trash for 3 months last year and blew an incredible lead in the wild card standings to miss the playoffs entirely. And to make matters worse Fernando Tatis Jr. is out for the first 3 months for fracturing his wrist riding a motorcycle in the DR. Cue the black cloud that surrounds this franchise.

Moreover, in a previous blog I pledged my allegiance to GM AJ Prellar for making the trade for league leader in hits Adam Fraizer. I couldn't have been more wrong about putting my faith in that move. If it was Scherzer and we blew it, I'd still be willing to defend the wall but now I'm on the brink of calling for the firing. That's right, the firing. Aside from Luke Voit, we literally made ZERO significant moves to better ourselves this offseason. And meanwhile the first place Dodgers sign Freddie Freeman? Have some stones AJ. How can you continue to let the best free agents in the league go to LA?? How? Whether it's by trade or free agency, you consistently play second fiddle to the team up north. I don't care about the payroll, find a god damn way. Have a shred of competitiveness. And for years he's dove into the Texas Rangers well as if that was the answer..... Dude the Rangers are terrible. Somebody in the front office has to tell him they aren't some gold mine off the Ivory Coast. 

Let me be clear, this isn't all about the Dodgers signing Freddie Freeman. That would be foolish and singular minded. No, this is about the collapse of the 2021 campaign and my lack of optimism for 2022, based on Prellar basically bringing the same team back. The fact does remain that this team is loaded in terms of talent but I don't know man there's something fishy about this team. The real hope is that Bob Melvin can understand the pulse of the clubhouse and be able to fix it yesterday. I do have faith that that is a possibility but again, RESULTS are what will prove that. 

So many question marks this year:
Clevinger?
Lamet?
Hosmer?
Myers?
Tatis?
Pagan?
Snell?

That's a few off the top of my head but it really is a toss up for how this team is going to play coming out of the gates. I'm extremely cautiously optimistic but as a San Diego diehard I wouldn't be surprised if this turns out to be the Upton/Kemp/Norris disaster part 2. 

Please don't let that be the case Padres, I beg you.

-Peanut




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