Comments on: Springtime Storylines: Is there life after Adrian Gonzalez for the San Diego Padres?

By: monsieurbear

monsieurbear — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 03:15:56 +0000

I’m not sure that I would consider the Twins and Cards “small market”.

By: Craig Calcaterra

Craig Calcaterra — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:35:32 +0000

You’re going by city limits size. In terms of metro areas, it’s 17th in the country, just behind Minneapolis and just above St. Louis. LA, SF, Riverside/Ontario/San Berdoo are three metro areas larger than San Diego in the state.

And it’s metro that matters, because that’s what determines TV ad rates and ratings and all of the things that make a team real money.

By: monsieurbear

monsieurbear — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 23:27:31 +0000

b7p19,

San Diego is the second most populous city in California and the eighth most populous in the US. Of the cities with MLB teams, only NY, LA, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, and Philadelphia are more populous (and the top three have two teams each; Phoenix and Philly are not much bigger). How is San Diego a “small market team”?

By: beantownsports247

beantownsports247 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 16:04:08 +0000

No problem it is understandable , we have def bought some players with big contracts like the yankees but we do have alot of home grown talent ( Pedroia , Youk , Lester , Bard, Bucholz , Papleblow , jacoby , kalish ) Wasn’t hating on the Padres , do like them in the NL if i was rooting for anyone because i think Jeds a great guy , he will do a good job figuring the situation out in SD , no worries . Rizzo will be a beast in a few years , Kelly DOES have potential just had a few bad outings last year in double AA , again , best of luck to the organisation.

By: b7p19

b7p19 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:25:17 +0000

I hear you, but I would say they have more than most simply because small market teams tend to give more chances to prospects and often times push them quicker. Matt Bush is just a little to fresh in my mind I guess.

By: seattlej

seattlej — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:16:29 +0000

Yeah… the Pads are the only team that has had failed prospects.

By: seattlej

seattlej — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:15:05 +0000

Yeah, the most interesting player to me on this team is Headley. The guy put up one of the quietest 4.6 WAR seasons you’ll ever see. That’s not that far off of what Gonzalez did. Granted, it was mostly on the strength of his glove and he’s not likely to reproduce such an excellent defensive season. But there is certainly room for growth in the bat and maybe even a 20 HR, .300 season could be in the cards at some point (which is probably something like a 30 HR, .325 season if he played in a neutral park).

By: b7p19

b7p19 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:04:32 +0000

Sorry, I’m a little sensitive to Sox and Yankee fans. Lifetime of getting beat up will do that to you.

By: b7p19

b7p19 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 15:03:06 +0000

You shouldn’t be able to drop nice comments like that after I overreact to your first one. Now I just look like a schmuck. Oh well, thanks for the nice words about Maybin, even though “potential” is a bad word in San Diego. (Sean Burroughs or Ruben Rivera anybody?)

By: b7p19

b7p19 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:58:17 +0000

It’s not bad enough that you got our best player, but now you feel you need to trash talk what you gave up? Of course they will never get the same production coming back. And people wonder why the world hates the Red Sox. They are pretty much the Yankees with more annoying fans. Had to listen to them cry for 86 years and now we get to listen to them boast over and over. Picking on Padre fans though? Get a life. Good luck buying your next championship.

By: beantownsports247

beantownsports247 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:55:20 +0000

b7p19 living in Florida i have watched Maybin play and you are right he does have a ton of potential , best of luck.

By: b7p19

b7p19 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:52:35 +0000

I’m seeing 78-84 wins and a 3rd place finish for my Pads. Good starting pitching and possibly the best bullpen in the majors (arguable I know) will carry the team to a respectable season. There are a number of guys right at the brink of their prime that could break out and surprise some people (Venable, Hundley, Headley, Maybin), but it’s tough to replace an MVP canidate like Adrian.

By: icanspeel

icanspeel — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:51:17 +0000

Sure the Padres lost their best hitter in Adrian Gonzalez, but people fail to realize last year besides him just about every other position under performed offensively. The Padres plan this year was to improve just about every other position for the downgrade at first. Sadly even if most of the players have average years they will still be better than last years stats. With that being said the Padres will go with the same strategy this year as last. Keep the game close or grab a short lead after 6 innings, then throw in the big guns from the bullpen to the hold the lead. I am not sure if they will take the division, but I can see them in 2nd and at least competing

By: beantownsports247

beantownsports247 — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:47:57 +0000

The simple answer is NO . Rizzo will be in the MLB in a couple years but he will never be an A-gon , Casey Kelly has bust written all over him he has gotten crushed in double A . Hoyer also didn’t have much choice seeing as he was going to walk after next season , lose lose situation . Red Sox are happy about it though .