I know that I said my next blog would be about the bullpen, but I think we all know how good that is, the best in the Major Leagues last year. And really there is no reason to expect anything else, the back end of the bully, Gregerson, Adams, Bell, will be back to begin the year (and unless the Padres just fall off the map I would bet they will be here come September) and while the latter two have had a few hiccups this spring – nothing is really all that bad – its spring training. There have been some injuries with the relievers though as Frieri has been down with a sore shoulder for about a week and Thatcher has essentially been relegated to the DL to start the year. This, although sounds bad, isn’t really that horrible – Randy Flores has had a great spring and will likely make the team as the lefty (though Buddy has made it a point to not carry a lefty just for his left-handedness) and will probably be in the same position another new acquisition will be in to start the year, Chad Qualls. Both will probably be used for earlier to middle innings but if they come in in later innings with the game on the line, especially if one of the back end guys struggles, don’t be surprised. That actually leaves two open spots, one will probably go to Dustin Moseley, who is going to likely command the long relief role early on (depending on how the back end starters do and how he does in long relief); the second spot could go to Luis Perdomo who has had a very good spring, pitching to contact – against the Rockies a few days ago he pitched an inning, gave up a hit, and only threw three pitches. Now that is pitching to contact! If not he will probably be one of the back end guys in the Tucson bully. Another injury to Tim Stauffer may also mean that both LeBlanc and Moseley begin the year in the rotation and then there is another spot in the bully open, which would probably go to Samuel Deduno, who came over from Colorado off waivers early in February – he should be serviceable.. 

Now to some guys that have had a very impressive spring so far and that includes Nick Hundley, Chase Headley, Cameron Maybin, Eric Patterson and Will Veneble as those guys who are likely to make the team; though Anthony Rizzo, Casey Kelly, Colt Hynes, Mike Baxter, and Cedric Hunter have also all been very impressive. Rizzo, Kelly, and Patterson came over in the Gonzalez trade, which is already showing off good dividends. Baxter and Hunter are most likely the starting left and center fielders, respectively, for the Tucson Padres (AAA), which means if there are injuries then we could possibly see one of these guys this year for the San Diego Padres. They are both still in their 20s, Baxter is older than Hunter and this could be his prime years to show that he is either MLB-material or not, Hunter has a few more years being 23 instead of 27. Hynes could be one of the guys who fills that extra bullpen spot, though he along with most of these guys have already been assigned to minor league camps.

The guys that are going to be on the team though are more important, at least this year. Hundley, what can I say, if he can hit between .260 and .280 I will be so happy! And I would love to see him back there 130 games, 5 games/week, he commands the pitching staff so well and has really stepped up recently – remember he is only 27, which is young for a catcher. Headley needs to step up, last year he was pretty good till late in the season, he needs keep that consistency all year. I don’t care if he doesn’t have the power we all expected of him as long as he hits with runners in scoring position and stops striking out so much (another thing I would like to see less of from Hundley as well), which will be his job hitting 5th. 

Patterson, with his spring so far has essentially made the team as the 5th outfielder and all-around bench player, he is probably the quickest (though probably not the fastest) guy on the team and has good base running instincts. Maybin and Veneble have both been great offensively and defensively this spring. With Maybin he needs to realize he will not be looked on this year really and thus needs only to relax and go out and play; Veneble is the exact opposite and he will be looked on, either hitting 1st or 6th. Maybin will probably be manning the 8th hole in the line-up which means he will get very decisive pitching, they are either going to pitch to him or pitch around him, it’s just what happens in the 8th hole. Hopefully he can keep the bat on the ball, his strike outs down and everything else will work out with his speed and power. As of now the projected starting line-up is hitting a combined .352, remember though it is only spring.

Another fallacious rumor I have heard being bantered around by our friends at the local sports radio station is that Mat Latos, due to his horrible spring training, may not be the starting pitcher opening day. You can basically disregard that as them trying to think of something to talk about, not only will Latos be opening the year as the ace of the rotation come the first game in St. Louis, but the way the schedule is set up, he could take the mound on his regularly scheduled day and pitch opening day in San Diego. Which would mean that we would begin the year with a three-man rotation, though with Tim Stauffer possibly beginning the year on the DL I don’t see why that should be an issue. After the first week, when the schedule normalizes, then LeBlanc or Moseley could be inserted into the back of the rotation. Remember it is still just spring training, it means nothing.