For Padres Fans, Trusting the Process Isn’t Easy
Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports
Padres fans have been told to trust the process, as a run of competitive seasons is supposedly near for this team from San Diego. The prospects are certainly starting to trickle in, but it is still very difficult for all San Diego Padres fans to completely “trust the process”.
In the 49-year existence of the San Diego Padres, there has been little to be content about.
The back-to-back NL West Championship years of 2005 and 2006 seem like decades ago. For most young fans of the team, there is no remembrance of a winning franchise. No idea of how exciting Petco Park can be when filled with cheering Padres fans. For these recent fanatics of the team, there has been nothing to celebrate.
The times are changing though. As the 2018 season concludes, fans will get an opportunity to witness many of the future Friars in uniform for the club. Eric Lauer, Jacob Nix, and Joey Lucchesi give the Padres three rookie pitchers in the rotation currently. Sure the trio will have rough days, but like no other time in the history of this franchise, there are actual groups of talented players hitting the major league level.
Multiple times, the fan base was told to trust the process. They were told that the development of the franchise would take time and things could not be rushed. The process is happening now and it can be really painful. Watching the major league team on a daily basis can be maddening. There is stuff to be excited about, but there are also issues that need to be resolved.
Andy Green is taking heat from some fans, but it is not his fault. Young players make mistakes and when your team is full of youth, those mistakes are magnified.
I asked Green about trusting the process on Wednesday before the teams game with the Giants. Here is what the manager had to say. “The results in the standings are not what we want them to be, but there are positives to this season.” We spoke about a few of the positives to the year as plenty of youth has surfaced this 2018 season. We both agree that the process takes time, as the two of us discussed how long it took the Cubs and Astros to be relevant.
Green keeps a positive spin to the year, as he recognizes that the team needed to grow this 2018 season. With all the youth, there are bound to be bouts of inconsistency. Green is attempting to mold this unit into a group that can perform on a daily basis without these lapses. It takes time, but in order to do it right, it is necessary.
At this point, the team is in full evaluation mode. Franmil Reyes and Hunter Renfroe will play each and every day as the team gathers more information on them. The team will also take a long look at Francisco Mejia behind the plate. Expect the switch-hitter to get ample time at the catcher’s position, as the team gets to know their new player.
This time next year, several young players will be with the team.
It is not out of the realm of imagination to think that Josh Naylor, Logan Allen, Chris Paddack, Cal Quantrill, Ty France and maybe even Andres Munoz will be in a Padres uniform at some point next season. Can you imagine the decisions that would need to be made in order to fit all these young players? Great teams have problems like this. The Padres are about to feel the roster number crunch.
“Trusting the process” can and will deliver for the Padres to some degree. Things are about to get very exciting in America’s Finest City in regards to their baseball team. How this philosophy will deliver is anyone’s guess, but the Padres are really trying and that in itself deserves some real credit. Padres fans should recognize that and yes, keep the faith.
James was born and raised in America’s Finest City. He is a passionate baseball fan with even more passion towards his hometown Padres. Editor-In-Chief of EastVillageTimes.com. Always striving to bring you the highest quality in San Diego Sports News. Original content, with original ideas, that’s our motto. Enjoy.
Trust Preller, after he’s been suspended twice by MLB, and hires liar/denier McGwire? Not bloody likely. I’ll root for my team – the players, but the ownership/front office has no credibility. An organization to be proud of would have fired Preller.
It’s easy to judge when the details are scarce for what really happened when AJ was with the Rangers organization. Bottom line it was one other time officially and MLB reduced the initial penalty from 3 months to 1 month.
Got to believe Fowler and Dee did their due diligence and were provided more detail than is public. Let’s not overlook the ones pushing this anti AJ narrative are the ones losing out to him for players so to say they dont have ensentive to perpetuate this narrative is just nieve.
It’s a fine line to gain a competitive advantage. Bill Belicheck is celebrated for the same thing regarding injury reports.
Regardless the Seidlers can take comfort in the zero tolerance upon AJ and that MLB will be watching. It doesn’t negate the successes this front office has been able to do vs. those that came before them. 3 solid drafts that have all places players on the current ML roster. Not Towers, Alderson, Hoyer, or Byrnes were able to handle the Intl market like this group.
Dont hate the front office, hate the game..
No mention of a “Deep Rebuild.” Padres decided on a longer and deeper rebuild than most teams. A lot of very young talent was acquired in 2016-17. So instead of drafting college players, they focused on international players (16 years old) and high school players with high ceilings. Those type of players don’t always pan out, but given time, they have the highest rewards.
As a fan, i just hope we stick with developing and retaining our young talent. Look at how much Renfroe, Reyes, and Hedges have improved this year. Don’t trade these guys — they could be the new faces for this franchise.
How long will it take? Being one of the worst teams in all of baseball but hearing that it’s going to get better year after year does not make me feel trust in this organization.
“Great teams have problems like this. ” – excellent point. The goal for a rebuilding team, especially one with a farm system as good as SD’s, is not to block good players with so-what players. Let the best players win their positions.
This will shortly force some big decisions regarding the ground ball king.