As the final out was made tonight for the 2010 Major League Baseball Season and the San Francisco Giants are the World Champions. Yes, those Giants who barely made the playoffs. Well, actually we handed it over to them and Padres gave the Giants fits by winning the year series 12 out of 18 games. Atleast, the Padres can say they lost out to the World Champions and the National League West has crowned a World Champion since 1988 when the Los Angeles Dodgers did so. Now, the real work begins for the Padres Baseball Operations and time to shape the roster for 2011 season.

The upcoming 2011 season will present the Padres Baseball organization many challenges not only internally but definitely externally. Here are some key points that I feel the Padres should be aware of:

1. The World Champions San Francisco Giants have a lethal starting rotation that must be dealt with for 18 games next year. I know for sure Brian Sabean and Bruce Bochy will not stand put as they will try to go after it again.
2. Another former long time standing Padres Employee, D’backs GM Kevin Towers will be doing his darnest to get back even at the Padres. You know that Towers will assemble one of the better bullpens in the league, Towers has proven this throughout his entire GM career and we all know to well of this.
3. The newly hired New York Mets GM Sandy Alderson, yes you heard that Padres fans. You same Padres fans, who ridiculed Alderson’s philosophy from 2005 through 2009. Even Bochy had issues with Alderson’s ways and it was well noted in the papers in San Diego. Alderson will definitely make the Mets into a fierce powerhouse organization, mark my words

Let’s not get too overly excited yet Padres fans. Looking at those three points above, the one that truly stands out to my eyes is Sandy Alderson. Why? You are probably asking. How could it affect the Padres in 2011 ? Well, let me state this clearly to each one of you. The way Alderson was kicked out from San Diego brings back memories of 2001 when then Padres CEO Larry Lucchino left the baseball club. Ever since, Lucchino had the greatest impact on the Boston Red Sox after a glorious run with the Padres from 1995 through 2001. In fact, under Lucchino’s term, the Padres had won the NL West Division in 1996 and 1998, which the latter went on to the World Series against the Yankees. Alderson like Lucchino had a profound affect on the San Diego Padres baseball operations, Sandy literally rebuilt the entire farm system and latin academy from ground floor. I strongly feel like Lucchino did, Alderson will take a few of his guys from the Padres to New York. This will present the San Diego Padres Baseball Operations a major challenge for 2011.

In the coming year, we will truly see what Padres GM Jed Hoyer and his comrades can do. Now, it’s his club to shape and mold to his liking as several key past employees of the San Diego Padres are now with competing clubs in the SAME LEAGUE. All of them know a lot about the Padres players from current major ballclub all the way down to single A minor league club. 2011 is a crucial year, and the Padres must take a step forward, time to put on some overalls and start to work hard.

As I close out this post, a most befitting blues music video is by Charlie Musslewhite titled “Times Are Getting Tougher Than Tough”. Hmmm, damn right, there are way too many key ex-personnel out there in the National League who all are competing against the Padres. In time, the fans of San Diego will see how good GM Jed Hoyer can be with this enormous challenge ahead of him. Remember, Crisis always presents Opportunities.