Continuity has been more of a focus for the San Diego Padres, with Peter Seidler operating as the majority owner.

It is something that the Padres have lacked consistently since the mid-2000s, and while consistency in terms of personnel has improved, some departments, such as the manager and his staff, have lacked or been devoid of any continuity.

A.J. Preller finished his ninth season as the general manager of the Padres. Bob Melvin, the manager for two of the three winning seasons under Preller, finished his second season as the skipper in San Diego.

Amongst others, that duo seemingly received a vote of support from Seidler in a statement posted to social media by the Padres.

Seidler’s statement is certainly another sign that he wants the leadership of the Padres to remain the same, as some reports indicated last week. While final decisions are yet to officially be made, this will either make or break the San Diego Padres.

Melvin would enter the final season of his three-year contract, while Preller is tied to the Padres through 2026. Firing either two will burn Seidler several million dollars, who is reportedly cash short and will be lowering his payroll for the 2024 season. The relationship between Preller and Melvin is tarnished, according to the Athletic and San Diego Union-Tribune. Still, Seidler wants the same head honchos in charge who led the Friars to its most successful postseason run this century, which is understandable despite a failed season in the following campaign.

Other teams who suffered disappointing seasons, like the Padres, have already made decisions for their staff. In-division rival San Francisco Giants’ manager Gabe Kapler was fired before the weekend after a collapse in September. Former Padre Phil Nevin will not be returning as manager of the Los Angeles Angels. The New York Mets will also be looking for a new manager and already announced David Stearns as the new President of Baseball Operations.

Seidler and company may not need to make leadership hires, but if they need to, he will not be alone and is behind the eight ball in terms of timing.

Preller, with the guidance and loyalty from Seidler, has consistently brought talent into the organization but has failed to put together a consistent, winning product with nearly a decade to do so. Melvin is a three-time manager of the year and guided the Padres through murky waters to a successful year in 2022, but did not repeat the same success amid championship admirations most recently.

Tough decisions loom, and they need to be made soon. And correctly. The future and present of the San Diego Padres lay in the balance and will heavily impact the next decade of Padres baseball as well as Seidler’s pockets.

Dominic Stearn

Dominic is a graduate of Arizona State University’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, with a bachelor’s degree in Sports Journalism. He also  is the producer and co-host of the “Padres EVT Podcast.”