The underperforming San Diego Padres

[True Dough]

Sitting at 12-13 after Tuesday's 6-0 loss to the Cubs.

This was a feared lineup entering the season, particularly when Fernando Tatis returned, which he did recently.

Xander Bogaerts is the lone hot bat, hitting .330 with a .959 OPS after 25 games.

The rest of the offense is ice cold. Yeah, it's early in the season and this is likely to turn around but what a collection of scufflers all at the same time:

Tatis: .182

Juan Soto: .188

Manny Machado: .213

Jake Croeneworth: .220

Ha-Seong Kim: .197

Matt Carpenter: .239

Austin Nola: .145

Trent Grisham: .198

The starting rotation (Darvish, Musgrove, Snell, Lugo, Wacha) has been meh.

Closer Josh Hader is off to a hot start with 8 saves and a 0.82 ERA.

The Padres have an estimated payroll of $251.1 million for the 2023 season, putting them behind only the New York Mets ($336.1 million) and the New York Yankees ($268 million). Gotta be one of the most disappointing teams in baseball so far.

And here are the Tampa Bay Rays with a $98.3 million payroll and they are an astounding 20-4.

[Bristlecone]

1. Only 140ish games to turn it around

[True Dough]

2. Time to revisit this OP

We're now past the midway point of the season. The bumbling Padres dropped to 38-46 today following a 4-3 loss to the Reds, who are actually a very dynamic and exciting young team. Cincy improved its record to 45-39 despite having a fraction of San Diego's payroll.

[Brother Buzz]

3. 3-7 in the last ten games, matched only by the Mets 3-7 - Worst in MLB, but....

The Mets are spanking the Giants right now, so go figure.

[True Dough]

4. Steve Cohen said the Mets could be sellers before the trade deadline

I wonder if Peter Seidler feels the same way?

[Brother Buzz]

6. Seidler believes the Padres are still in the hunt

He's not gonna be selling off much, but rather, he's gonna do some horse trading to improve the team. Or so he implies.

It will be interesting to see who the Padres can snag, and at what cost.

[True Dough]

5. I found the answer!

The struggles of the Padres’ first three months haven’t dampened the overall view of team chairman Peter Seidler, who first of all hasn’t written off the Friars’ chances for 2023. “We have half the season to play. I mean, much, much stranger things have happened….So there’s a lot of catching up for us to do. I’m on the train that says we’re gonna catch up,” Seidler told Kevin Acee of the San Diego Union-Tribune. Just because the Padres’ plan for 2023 “hasn’t worked yet….it doesn’t make me lose sleep at night or lack confidence in what we’re doing.”

“I know we’re going to be good. We’re gonna have every chance to be in the mix for the World Series every single year. And so that gives me some kind of serious long-term comfort. We’re not going to reverse course. We’re always gonna adjust….All my focus now is on this year, because I’m as solid as I can be on the year after and two years after and three and the next decade.”

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

[Brother Buzz]

7. Yes, I believe I read a rehash of that somewhere

Following MLB Trade Rumors for the next period of time will be fun; it doesn't take a rocket surgeon to determine which teams will be moving up or down.

Note: Seidler has pretty deep pockets so expect him to tag a choice player or two; he's not afraid to put money where his mouth is.

[True Dough]

8. The season is almost over and the Padres never did find another gear

Two games below .500 despite all that talent and huge payroll. And they're facing rumors of infighting, which wouldn't be a surprise after this disappointment of a season.


Padres push back amid reports of organizational dysfunction


https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/38488176/padres-push-back-amid-reports-organizational-dysfunction

[Brother Buzz]

9. My hapless SF Giants gave the Padres a reprieve from being statistically eliminated last night

Extra innings, the Padres scored three easy runs and beat the Giants.

[Kingofalldems]

10. We'll take Soto back.