So here we are….the end of the first week of the 2012 San Diego Padres season.  What am I supposed to say?   The 2-5 Padres are 29th out of 30 MLB teams in team batting average (.179),  3rd in strikeouts (probably first after striking out 9 times in a row against Harang of the Dodgers), and 26th in runs scored.

The thing that bothers me the most is the lack of team defense.  The Padres team is not designed to blow teams out, but to squeak out victories or lose close games.   Unearned runs have probably led to 3 losses in the first week alone.   The Padres are deal last in MLB in errors.  They are 2nd to last in fielding percentage.   I can’t find out how many unearned runs the Padres have given up this year, however, the Padres pitching staff is in the middle of baseball statistically.

The two players that stand out as the biggest defensive liabilities are regular shortstop Jason Bartlett and left fielder Jesus Guzman.  Bartlett has committed only 3 errors, but he is 2nd to last in Fielding Percentage in baseball.   Jesus Guzman is like a girl on a co-ed softball team….he is in the field because he was the best hitter on the team last year, but he is a liability in the field.   His “best” position is 1B, but with the platooning of Yonder Alonso, they are trying to hide Guzman in left field.   Guzman is 13th in the NL in fielding percentage, but what isn’t accounted for is his lack of range or great play ability.

The disappointing thing about the beginning of this young season is that it feels so much like a continuation of 2011.

After spring training we though that the Padres team was going to be younger, faster and play better defense, but boy were we wrong.

While the Padres haven’t had the benefit of their full lineup with Carlos Quentin (the regular left fielder) and Mark Kotsay (off the bench), I don’t know how much those two players can do.

Here are the questions for the beginning of the season…

When Quentin comes off the DL (April 23-29th) – what do the Padres do with Guzman?   I thing that Guzman would be better served traded to an AL team.   Perhaps there is a starter out there (we have 2 on the DL) or more young talent to load the minors.

What is wrong with Hundley’s bat?   He is still hitless on the entire season – 0-19.

Trying to put a positive spin on the season, so here it is:

We took out 2 year old daughter to the Dodger game at Petco Park last Sunday.  We got “Park in the Park” tickets for $7.50 each.  Brought all of our food with us and had a picnic in the outfield.   We got their early and they had the FriarFit calisthenics with the Friar and the Pad Squad which was fun.   They built a playground in the park to take our daughter on the slide and she got her face painted and a balloon animal….all in all, a great value and family experience.   We were able to watch the game on the large TV and see some of the game on the field.

The broadcast team on Fox Sports San Diego is doing a great job.  We have DirectTV and get the games in HD.  I think that the addition of Mike Sweeney is great and they go to him from time to time during the game to get perspective of the game from different angles.

I'm Yonder and I am supposed to play first base.

So here we go again.   2012 Spring Training.  Hope springs eternal.  Every team starts the year tied for first place.

There are alot of outstanding issues relating to the Padres off the field heading into this year….Will the new ownership group get MLB’s approval to take over the team?  Will Fox Sports San Diego sign a contract and what cable systems will it be on?  Who will be the announcers?  Postgame? Pregame?   There are all things that will iron themselves out shortly.   The bigger issue is about the product on the field.

The big question in San Diego that pertains to the Padres is:  Do we have a chance of contending in the National League West in 2012?

A lot has changed since the end of 2011 season (which came around July for myself).

The Padres lost Heath Bell through free agency (Marlins overpaid and too many years).   What good is an overpriced closer if you aren’t leading games late?

The Padres traded Matt Latos & Anthony Rizzo.   Latos showed that he was a bit of a headcase and probably couldn’t handle the load as a #1 guy.   He is going to have challenges in Cincinnati with that hitters park.   Rizzo on the other hand is a 4A player.  Can hit .375 in the minors but under .200 in the majors.   I wish him luck in Chicago.

As for some additions?   There are some interesting stories shaping up….Carlos Quentin returning home where he grew up after an All Star  career elsewhere, Mark Kotsay returning to San Diego as the utility veteran, Orlando Hudson, will he bounce back from an abysmal 2011 season.   Will Jesus Guzman find a position to play and can he continue to be the hottest hitter on the Padres.

The big challenge are:

Are these young players ready to be in the big leagues and can they learn to hit in Petco Park?   Do we have enough arms to put together a solid starting rotation and bullpen?

I am going to reserve judgement for the first month of the season.   I am heading to Spring Training next week and have no idea who some of these guys are.  I will need to see their photos to pick them out of a lineup.

So here’s to our first place Padres!

So here I am taking over as the Blogger for the San Diego Padres.     Thankfully I am not a PR rep for this team to try to spin the 2011 season’s woes into a positive.    I sit here thinking of positive things to write about this team and this gives me writers block.

What is it about this team that it can’t win at home and why are they so much better on the road?   Is it the pitcher friendly dimensions of the ballpark?   Is it the heavy sea air that causes pitches to curve and move more?  Is it the mental approach by the home hitters when playing at home?   Is it the loss of Adrian Gonzales and other leaders like Ecky? Is it the team that was assembled for this season?   Is it the lack of fan support and attendance? Is it the home uniforms or home cooking?

The answer isn’t simple, but it is all of the above.

The Padres are currently 9-20 at home (and 13-11 on the road) This all reminds me of the motto of Under Armor – “We have to protect this house!”.     How can you let teams come into your house and punk you this badly.

As of May 30th, the Padres are last in the league in hitting & on base percentage and are also last in strikeouts.   These are huge hitting woes that can’t be ignored, but firing another hitting coach isn’t the answer – Randy, are your bags Ready?

The answer is that this team just wasn’t built for this ballpark.   The park requires exceptional defense, speed on the base paths, great base running,  hitting behind the runners,  line drive hitters to the gaps, and contact hitters that don’t strike out.    The Padres are in a bind with their low payroll and rely on mixture of young hitters as well as veterans trying to rebuild their careers.   They can only afford players that are coming off a down year or even surgery.     The focus of the Padres needs to be their farm systems and develop players that are ideal for this ballpark themselves.   When these players hit their prime they will be under contract for a few more years, and when they hit free agency, trade them away for young minor league talent to reload again.   Keep the pipeline filled at all times.

I see the Reds, Indians & Tampa Bay and they have low payrolls, but have tons of homegrown players.

What is the answer for this season?   The Padres aren’t that far off – they are one timely hit or one great defensive play away from being still in there.  There may not be an answer with the players we have.   Is it time to dump the players we have?   I don’t think that this is the right time.   As badly as they have played, they are only 7 games back in the division and they are one great 20 game streak away from being back in it.

Perhaps they need to stay in a hotel at home and wear their road greys?