Padres Editorial: Is It Time To Blame A.J. Preller?
With all the additions made to the San Diego Padres roster, there were a lot of high expectations for the 2015 squad. When a team adds James Shields, Matt Kemp, Craig Kimbrel, Justin Upton, Derek Norris and Brandon Maurer to their roster, then the fans naturally expect production. General manager A.J. Preller did wonders to revitalize the Padres fan base, but did he do it at the cost of the team’s future?
When you add the before mentioned players, naturally the fans expect results immediately. That has obviously not happened as the team has struggled to find consistency. The promise of the playoffs seems to be getting dimmer with every series. Each time the team looks to have turned the corner, they immediately return back to old habits. Very frustrating to watch as a fan and as a team the emotions of being up and down can absolutely take its toll on you. That is exactly what all Padres fans are presently going through.
The Padres swagger and chemistry of April seems like a distant memory. The loss of Wil Myers from the lineup has hurt the team undoubtedly. Before being lost to a left wrist injury, Myers was leading the Major Leagues in runs scored. His Mother’s day injury was a turning point on the season.
The loss of the 24-year-old slugger has resulted in the Padres looking more stale on offense and the overall morale of the team seems low in the past 6-8 weeks. You certainly cannot blame A.J. Preller for Myers injury. Critics can however point to the fact Myers has failed to stay healthy consistently in his brief Major League career. Perhaps Preller should not have paid the price tag for him.
Losing Trea Turner, Mallex Smith, Zach Eflin, Joe Ross, Max Fried Burch Smith, etc for a competitive team now was a risk. Not one of those prospect dealt are guaranteed to be anything more than just prospects. They could develop into great players, but their value is yet to be determined.
To blame Preller for the teams inconsistencies is unfair at this point. The team did have expectations of winning, but sometimes in the game of baseball it takes more than just great players. The players must play together and pull together for a common goal. At this point it looks as though the Padres are missing some key pieces on the field as well as in the club house.
A.J. Preller has done a fantastic job of taking this franchise back into relevancy. It might take a few more moves to get the result fans want, but the fact Preller is trying is great for the city. This Padres franchise wants to win and they are invested long-term into success. As a fan it can be maddening seeing the team under-perform on a weekly basis, but the fact fans expecting more is a great sign towards where this franchise is headed.
As a Padres fan we must remain patient and hope that the perfect combination of players can be found. The young players lost in the farm system will be missed but the team has plenty of chips to move if they decide to look for some prospects in a potential deal. The future is bright for Padres fans and A.J. Preller. We must remain cautious with our expectations of this team. You cannot build a winner overnight and Padres fans are beginning to realize that. In A.J. we trust and he shall lead us into the promise land.
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.