The San Diego Padres front office was busy this offseason. This team has had their fair share of issues as of late, with great struggles on the field and the standings. As Opening Day approaches, this could be the year the Padres turn it around.
Their top acquisitions this offseason include Matt Kemp, Wil Myers, Justin Upton, and James Shields. This revamped roster will look to challenge the top dogs of the West, mainly the Los Angeles Dodgers and defending World Series Champs San Francisco Giants.
These are big names, which bring excitement and high expectations to the fanbase, but they’ll have to deliver.
Looking at this division, Los Angeles is the team to beat. The Dodgers' rotation along with superstar hitters, puts them at the top. The Giants roster has taken a hit with the loss of Pablo Sandoval, while injuries are a concern in the city by the bay. The Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks have also struggled in this division, finishing at the bottom along with the Padres, while the Dodgers and Giants have been in control.
The D-Backs have struggled on the injury front, particularly in the pitching department, as one-third of their pitching staff has been on the disabled list, missing the majority of the past two seasons. They are hoping to get a boost with the return of some young arms including Daniel Hudson, as well as Patrick Corbin. The future is bright fortunately, especially with the news of Archie Bradley making it into the Opening Day rotation.
When it comes to the Rockies, they have two superstars in Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, but the injury bug has not been kind in Colorado. They have missed a combined 284 games over the past three seasons, which has greatly affected the Rockies chances in the NL West.
When considering rosters around the NL West, San Diego absolutely has a chance in this division. The Dodgers will look to take the crown again, but they’ve lost some players as well, and the Giants will start the season without one of their best players in Hunter Pence.
This offseason was great for the Padres. They’ve added some pop to a lackadaisical lineup, while improving their pitching staff. Their success this season will depend on whether or not their new acquisitions can stay healthy for the duration of the year.
Kemp is an MVP caliber player when healthy, but he’s missed quite a few games the past few seasons, but he’s crucial to this lineup. He’s had a fantastic spring and put up solid numbers in 2014 with a .287 batting average, 25 homeruns and 89 RBI. After a rough 2013 season, he needed a year like 2014 to gain some confidence moving forward as he attempts to rejuvenate his career in San Diego.
Shields was another outstanding addition by the Padres. He should do even better switching to the National League and making half his stars in the pitcher-friendly Petco Park. His postseason struggles are well known, but he’s an ace during the regular season, and a veteran in this league.
The NL West isn’t a powerhouse division. They have a few teams that have been successful in recent seasons with the Dodgers and Giants, but other than that this is one of the weaker divisions in baseball. With the Padres new acquisitions, they have a chance to surprise this season. They have the talent to contend in this division, it’s just a matter of keeping these guys healthy and on the field.