2014 Record: 77-85
Run Differential: -42
Let me start by saying I think the 2015 San Diego Padres will be a good team, but I absolutely hate what general manager A.J. Preller is doing this off-season. He is being praised by everyone it seems, but I personally think he's making desperate moves and killing the franchise long term.
Timing: I think timing is everything when it comes to winning in professional sports. (Just ask the Hakeem Olajuwon led Rockets who won back-to-back titles when Michael Jordan left the league for a few years) Windows open and close in sports, and it's very important for teams to make their moves at the right time to give themselves the best possible chance at a title or World Series. Instead of focusing on all 30 teams in the league, let's just look at the Padres own 5-team division. They'll have to beat out the defending World Series Champions (Giants) and the Dodgers who have the best pitcher in the game and unlimited cash! So even if Preller pushes all the right buttons moving forward, he still needs one, if not both of these two teams to falter. Good luck with that!
Ballpark: Petco Park where the Padres play is a pitchers park with a huge outfield. It is at the bottom of list every year when it comes to runs scored or Park Factor. So you must (in my opinion) structure your team around your park, since it is proven to be so much different than the average park. In my opinion, a team that plays at Petco Park should have fast outfielders that can cover their huge outfield! I understand that you have to sacrifice hitting and power for this speed, but I think the runs saved on defense will outweigh the runs scored by slower, better hitting players.
So who did Preller bring in to play outfield in 2015?? Wil Myers, Matt Kemp, and Justin Upton. These are basically three right fielders that must play in the field because the NL doesn't have a designated hitter! Three right fielders to roam around one of the biggest fields in the game?? Someone please explain this!
Wil Myers (-1.1), Matt Kemp (-3.1), and Justin Upton (-0.9) are all below average defenders to begin with! (2014 dWAR- defensive wins above replacement)
I love the rotation they have put together, but I promise you the guys in that rotation will not love who will be chasing down flyballs in 2015! And guess who is going to get sick of crushing balls to the warning track? Yep, Preller's new outfielders!
The Future: The Padres have parted ways with six of their top fifteen prospects so far this off-season! Four of which were top-10 prospects! That is a lot of talent to give away for some power hitting outfielders that should never be in the same outfield!
About five years from now, the Dodgers and Giants windows will be closing, these prospects will be entering their prime playing years, and A.J. Preller will probably be looking for a new job...
no way do Rockies have more wins @ end of the year than the Giants
