What The Padres Must Do Before Opening Day…..

Posted on by

Ohh Man ! It’s half way point for the Padres 2013 Spring Training in Peoria, Arizona. Let’s face it for many Padres fans this year theme is “Make it Or Break it” as season ticket holders. So many of us have endured MANY and MANY dismal seasons with various amount of EXCUSES as to why the Padres could not compete. The majority of us, felt with the new ownership group that things will be much different. Yes? Ahhh Always Positive when Spring is around. But CBS Senior Baseball Columnist Scott Miller broke the news about the Padres Ownership status. I really do not want to focus on the financial situation of the Padres, been there and done that many times over at the two previous ownerships (John Moores and Jeff Moorad). Let’s hope for the best this time, otherwise Padres fans it’s the same old story and it gets old real fast.

So what must the Padres do before Opening Day? Well, from my perspective and I am not looking to take anyone’s job at the Padres Baseball Operations department. Apparently, they are much like in the same situation as Fed’s Chairman Ben Bernanke. Just take orders from upper echelon’s without any concrete financial backing. So much for the financial aspect, let’s get our hands dirty and depict the potential Padre’s short comings and what must be addressed now:

  1. Starting Pitching – As it was last year, there are signs of some leakage in the plumbing per se. Highly Acclaimed Farm Prospect P Kelly Casey has a bad elbow and is facing a potential “Tommy John” surgery. How many of these types of injuries can inflict an entire organization ? Well, counting from last year and that’s a total of 4 Padres Pitchers in 10 months of having this type of surgery. Factor in the Padres top outfielder prospect Rymer Liriano, that’s 5 players in 10 months. Simply stated ! this is bad karma striking the Padres Organization for being too damn cheap in the past. Let’s face it, no other organization has been snake-bitten as the Padres have ever since they drafted Matt Bush as # 1 pick in 2004. As long as they continue to operate like a “Pic-N-Save” mentality, expect nothing to change. Action Item: The Padres must do something about the starting Pitching, a trade is most likely.
  2. Carlos Quentin Annual Spring Injuries – It doesn’t take a rocket scientist NOR a professional baseball scout to figure this out. But, seriously folks ! This is not what the Padres should have to deal with on a yearly basis. It’s time to give Kyle Blanks a serious look at starting in LF or even James Darnell. Action Item: The Padres must address this situation immediately, stop hoping for the best and that’s much like thinking the currency crisis is going to get better soon. Fat chance !
  3. Chase Headley Value – Hmmm, if Carlos Quentin is not available or will be dealing with nagging injuries this implies a potential downward season for Chase Headley in terms of statistics unless Kyle Blanks and someone else rises to the occasion. The recent rumors has the Yankees knocking on the Padres door about the availability of Chase Headley. Why wait to the middle of the season? Why not trade when Headley’s value is HIGH !! Just like a contrarian investor in the stock market who buys stocks when there is blood on the streets and sells stocks when everyone else is buying. Come on Padres Brass, think about the long term rewards, we all know how it went when no one else wanted Adrian Gonzalez and the Red Sox sent us four players, which NONE brought any value to the Padres so far. Wait a minute, I forgot yeah we traded Anthony Rizzo for Andrew Cashner. We have something for an all-star first baseman *COUGHS* Action Item: The Padres should explore trading Chase Headley to the New York Yankees for RHP Ty Hensley, LHP Nik Turley, 2B Angelo Gumbs, and OF Mason Williams.

Padres’ GM  Josh Byrnes has some critical decisions to make very soon. You never want to have some lingering issues to start the season. It’s time that New Ownership makes a splash to convince the Padres Fan Base that there is no financial distress going on with the ballclub. Yes Josh you are on the hot seat and Opening Day is approaching quickly. Here’s a hot blues video by musician JJ Grey & Mofro “On Fire”. Ohhh Baby ! The seat is On Fire ! Lite Em’ Up and let’s see you do your Mojo Josh Byrnes !!