Padres Editorial: Bi-Polar Padres Are At It Again
After getting swept by the San Francisco Giants this past weekend, the Padres headed to the desert to take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in a three game series. Game one saw the team score five runs in the first inning after failing to score five runs in the whole three game series against the Giants. Amazing.
The Padres were outscored 27-4 in the three game series verses San Francisco, then go on to score 10 runs in the first game of the series in Arizona. The inconsistencies on this team continue to plague them. Nothing, truly nothing surprises me with the play of this team. Nothing
Game two saw an impressive performance by Tyson Ross blown at the hands of the Padres bullpen. A.J Pollock’s three run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning off of Kevin Quackenbush sealed the game for the Diamondbacks. Quackenbush and newly acquired Bud Norris failed to get a single out for the Friars. The Padres bullpen was to be a strength for the team this season, but has continually given up big runs in very inopportune times. The Padres team just seems to be snake bitten when it comes to luck.
The game of baseball is a very difficult game to play. Breaks in the game can go either way. The game is commonly refereed to as the game of inches and nothing could be closer to the truth. Many believe you have to remain positive when the breaks don’t go your way. In remaining positive and playing the game the correct way, the breaks will eventually go your way. That is a task much easier said than done.
The front office is currently in search of that winning formula as they look to change the history of the San Diego Padres. The team has been average at best through the years. That will not suffice anymore. This organization has much higher hopes than being consistently average.
In the end the Padres take the last game of the series on a Matt Kemp three run home run to right field. Kemp himself has been an enigma this 2015 season. He was absolutely cold in May where he hit .186 with zero home runs in 113 at bats. Kemp amassed a .225 on base percentage and a .212 slugging percentage that month in 28 games. The team finished 14-15 in the month of May. Kemp truly drives this ball club and the team goes as well as Matt Kemp takes them.
Taking two out of three from Arizona was nice. This team probably will not finish the year with a winning record, but the momentum must be built for the 2016 season. Players such as Wil Myers, Cory Spangenberg, and Austin Hedges must get as many at bats as possible. Not only to evaluate these young players for their future roles on the team, but to just get them at bats against Major League quality pitching.
A.J. Preller is likely in full evaluation mode. The future of this team can go in many different directions. Will the team choose Hedges or Derek Norris as the catcher of the future? Will they move James Shields, Tyson Ross or Andrew Cashner during the off-season? Anything can truly happen as the Padres intend to re-mold this team for a 2016 Championship run.
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.