SAN DIEGO PADRES

2009: 75-87 (4th)

So Long: 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, OF Cliff Floyd, OF Brian Giles, C Henry Blanco, C Eliezer Alfonso, IF Edgar Gonzalez , IF Luis Rodriguez, P Mike Ekstrom, P Walter Silva, P Cha Seung Baek

Welcome: P Jon Garland, C Yorvit Torrealba, OF Matt Stairs, OF Scott Hairston, OF Aaron Cunningham, IF Jerry Hairston Jr., C Dusty Ryan, P Radhames Liz


Projected Starting Lineup (courtesy of rototimes.com)
1. Everth Cabrera, SS
2. David Eckstein, 2B
3. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B
4. Kyle Blanks, LF
5. Chase Headley, 3B
6. Will Venable, RF
7. Yorvit Torrealba, C
8. Tony Gwynn Jr., CF

Rotation - Chris Young, Kevin Correia, Jon Garland, Mat Latos, Clayton Richard
Setup - Edward Mujica
Closer - Heath Bell

It's sad when the biggest news concerning your team is the inevitable dealing of a superstar before the trade deadline. But that's where the Padres stand heading into 2010. Adrian Gonzalez, who managed to hit 40 home runs last season (despite playing half his games in cavernous PETCO Park), will most likely be traded for prospects and cash so the Padres can attempt to rebuild their abysmal franchise. To hammer this point home, the Padres didn't even bother creating any promotional materials for the upcoming season featuring their only superstar.

Pitching was a huge concern for the Padres last season. After dealing Jake Peavy at the deadline last year, the Padres' fortunes went from bad to worse when Chris Young fucked up his arm in June and had to have season ending surgery. Young is back, and the Padres picked up Jon Garland in an attempt to secure the top half of the rotation.

The Padres' bullpen is the shiny chunk of corn in this otherwise drab pile of shit. Heath Bell went 6-4 with 42 saves and a 2.71 ERA last season. Two capable relievers (Luke Gregerson and Edward Mujica) are battling it out for the setup job. The Padres are praying that Mike Adams is healthy. Adams had an ERA of 0.73 in 37 appearances before his shoulder blew up last season.


PRESEASON AWARDS

If this team were a disease/ailment it would be: Body Integrity Identity Disorder (that freaky disease where people with perfectly good limbs seek to have one amputated because they feel like it doesn't belong). I understand that small markets can't afford to keep their superstars so they routinely trade their best players for prospects. But why would you cut Adrian Gonzalez, the only exciting thing about your ballclub, out of the promo materials? For fuck's sake, there's a Chase Headley bobblehead day!

The San Diego Chicken "I Forgot You Existed" Award: David Eckstein. Eckstein, who signed a one-year $850K contract with the Padres in the offseason, is apparently still alive. Who knew? How a 35 year old midget fits into the Padres' self-proclaimed "youth movement" is entirely unclear.

The Legoland Award for Low Expectations: Jon Garland. After bouncing from the Diamondbacks to the Dodgers last season, Garland signed a one year contract with the Padres this past offseason. Garland isn't expected to do anything but eat innings and turn it over to the bullpen, which is uncanny, because that's about all he can do.