Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Comeback Kids

Back during the 2010 season, the Padres had a bunch of kids on a team that wasn't expected to do a thing. Someone forgot to tell them that they weren't any good. All they did was to compete in the division, leading most of the way only to run into a cold spell late in the summer. They finished one game out, it came down to the final day of the regular season.

The San Francisco Giants, the team that beat them that last day to secure a playoff spot, went on to win the World Series.

A lot of those same kids are still here, only a full year more experienced. Last season, the Padres were never in it, they struggled at the plate and while the game metrics had them close to playing .500 ball, they came up just short time and time again. Losing ninety games is not much fun in a baseball season, and not a single sports writer has the Padres anywhere in 2012 except for last place in their division. Las Vegas will let you bet on whether or not this season's Padres will win even 71 or 72 games.

There isn't a single solid reason to think that the Padres will compete this season either. On paper, they look horrible matched up to the likes of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the San Francisco Giants, and even the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some sports media personalities are even predicting good things for the Colorado Rockies. It's difficult to blame them for placing the Padres at the bottom of the division.

Ownership issues make everything seem so uncertain. Sure, they just locked up Cory Luebke for five years (brilliant move), but the future beyond these signings (including Maybin and Hundley) is completely unknown. Tossing that into the mix, it makes the 2010 season seem a more reasonable result. This season, the Padres simply don't have a chance.

Or don't they?

Fly back East and ask anyone to name a single player on the Padres, that won't happen easily. Just like in 2010 before then-General Manager Jed Hoyer signed a couple of players to help the Padres get some sort of an edge for the stretch drive into October, they are a bunch of guys with no popular recognition among the 750 players in major league baseball. Shades of the 2010 season. Shades of the comeback kids.

The thing is, all spring these guys have been coming back, they fight, they don't give in or give up. Cactus League statistics don't matter and they don't count, but the fight in these guys, you can't buy that in free agency. It doesn't mean a thing once the regular season starts, but if there is any indicator as to how spring rolls into summer, then perhaps there is hope. Perhaps there is enough desire to prove everyone wrong that the 2012 Padres will battle the Diamondbacks and the Giants and the Dodgers and the Rockies and they will be accountable.

There will be 25 guys on opening day hoping for the same thing.

* *

The comeback kids did it again on Friday, with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat the Giants in Peoria by the score of 8-7. Dustin Moseley went five innings and was the unfortunate victim of a horrible error by Jesus Guzman who tried to do more with a ground ball than he should have and threw it into the ground trying for an impossible double play. Moseley gave up 7 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits and 2 walks, but his effort was better than the numbers indicate.

Brad Boxberger, Miles Mikolas, Andrew Cashner, and Eddie Kunz each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

Nick Hundley and Kyle Blanks each went 3 for 4, with two of Hundley's hits going for doubles. Everth Cabrera went 2 for 4, and Jeremy Hermida continues to have an amazing spring belting his 4th home run. Jesus Guzman, Chris Denorfia, and James Darnell each contributed in the Padres 12-hit offensive effort.

The Padres stand at 19-12 in the Cactus League.


Notes:

All nicked-up players seem to be playing now, except for Jeff Suppan, who is still stretching out playing long-toss and will likely open his season with AAA Tucson. Carlos Quentin is rehabbing, and is reported to be on-schedule for a return in about a month. Orlando Hudson reported no ill-effects from his recently strained groin injury.

Today's game is going on right now, if you have Cox cable or DirecTV, you can tune in. The Stauf is on the mound as the Padres face the Milwaukee Brewers. It is another split-squad day, but the nightcap will not be broadcast when the Padres face the Mariners later this afternoon. This game is televised on Fox Sports San Diego and carried on radio 1700 AM.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

WAV College Church reminds kids that time is short

College is a formational time for decisions about belief
Next Article

Wild Wild Wets, Todo Mundo, Creepy Creeps, Laura Cantrell, Graham Nancarrow

Rock, Latin reggae, and country music in Little Italy, Oceanside, Carlsbad, Harbor Island

Back during the 2010 season, the Padres had a bunch of kids on a team that wasn't expected to do a thing. Someone forgot to tell them that they weren't any good. All they did was to compete in the division, leading most of the way only to run into a cold spell late in the summer. They finished one game out, it came down to the final day of the regular season.

The San Francisco Giants, the team that beat them that last day to secure a playoff spot, went on to win the World Series.

A lot of those same kids are still here, only a full year more experienced. Last season, the Padres were never in it, they struggled at the plate and while the game metrics had them close to playing .500 ball, they came up just short time and time again. Losing ninety games is not much fun in a baseball season, and not a single sports writer has the Padres anywhere in 2012 except for last place in their division. Las Vegas will let you bet on whether or not this season's Padres will win even 71 or 72 games.

There isn't a single solid reason to think that the Padres will compete this season either. On paper, they look horrible matched up to the likes of the Arizona Diamondbacks, the San Francisco Giants, and even the Los Angeles Dodgers. Some sports media personalities are even predicting good things for the Colorado Rockies. It's difficult to blame them for placing the Padres at the bottom of the division.

Ownership issues make everything seem so uncertain. Sure, they just locked up Cory Luebke for five years (brilliant move), but the future beyond these signings (including Maybin and Hundley) is completely unknown. Tossing that into the mix, it makes the 2010 season seem a more reasonable result. This season, the Padres simply don't have a chance.

Or don't they?

Fly back East and ask anyone to name a single player on the Padres, that won't happen easily. Just like in 2010 before then-General Manager Jed Hoyer signed a couple of players to help the Padres get some sort of an edge for the stretch drive into October, they are a bunch of guys with no popular recognition among the 750 players in major league baseball. Shades of the 2010 season. Shades of the comeback kids.

The thing is, all spring these guys have been coming back, they fight, they don't give in or give up. Cactus League statistics don't matter and they don't count, but the fight in these guys, you can't buy that in free agency. It doesn't mean a thing once the regular season starts, but if there is any indicator as to how spring rolls into summer, then perhaps there is hope. Perhaps there is enough desire to prove everyone wrong that the 2012 Padres will battle the Diamondbacks and the Giants and the Dodgers and the Rockies and they will be accountable.

There will be 25 guys on opening day hoping for the same thing.

* *

The comeback kids did it again on Friday, with three runs in the bottom of the eighth inning to beat the Giants in Peoria by the score of 8-7. Dustin Moseley went five innings and was the unfortunate victim of a horrible error by Jesus Guzman who tried to do more with a ground ball than he should have and threw it into the ground trying for an impossible double play. Moseley gave up 7 runs (4 earned) on 9 hits and 2 walks, but his effort was better than the numbers indicate.

Brad Boxberger, Miles Mikolas, Andrew Cashner, and Eddie Kunz each pitched a scoreless inning in relief.

Nick Hundley and Kyle Blanks each went 3 for 4, with two of Hundley's hits going for doubles. Everth Cabrera went 2 for 4, and Jeremy Hermida continues to have an amazing spring belting his 4th home run. Jesus Guzman, Chris Denorfia, and James Darnell each contributed in the Padres 12-hit offensive effort.

The Padres stand at 19-12 in the Cactus League.


Notes:

All nicked-up players seem to be playing now, except for Jeff Suppan, who is still stretching out playing long-toss and will likely open his season with AAA Tucson. Carlos Quentin is rehabbing, and is reported to be on-schedule for a return in about a month. Orlando Hudson reported no ill-effects from his recently strained groin injury.

Today's game is going on right now, if you have Cox cable or DirecTV, you can tune in. The Stauf is on the mound as the Padres face the Milwaukee Brewers. It is another split-squad day, but the nightcap will not be broadcast when the Padres face the Mariners later this afternoon. This game is televised on Fox Sports San Diego and carried on radio 1700 AM.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

Take Two

Next Article

Padres whollop Dodgers as bats come to life

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader