San Diego Padres optimistic for success in 2013 season - MLB Update
The San Diego Padres posted a 76-86 result in the 2012 regular season. Those numbers, however, do not do justice to the performance by the Padres in the last season. The team made a resounding comeback in the latter half, posting a 49-37 record in the last
86 games with a .570 winning percentage.
Bud Black has been an inspirational manager for the San Diego ball club and the team management showed their trust in him when they exercised their club option on him for 2014-15 seasons.
Bud believes that his position players are settled and only minor adjustments will have to be made in the upcoming season. However, he knows that it is the pitching unit that will determine how well the team will perform in the upcoming season.
"I like the way we ended the season last year," Black said. "We've got the same group of position players coming back, with a couple guys maybe trying to fight to get on the club. Like every club, it depends on how you pitch."
Bud Black feels that a good performance by the pitchers accompanied by some strong batting performance similar to the lines of the one showed late in 2012 can do well for the team’s cause. He is hopeful for a good show.
He said, "I think we have to have a healthy year on the mound, do what we did offensively the second half of the year and then we'll see how the year plays out."
Some changes have been made to the dimensions of Petco Park, the home of the Padres. Bud Black thinks that the changes, which will make the park a little less pitcher friendly and will do a lot of good to the batters in his line-up mentally.
"It's going to help the psyche of our offensive players," said Black.
Chase Headley was the star performer with the bat for the Padres in 2012. He won two consecutive National League Player of the Month honours in August and September as his 115 RBI’s were the most in the National League.
If he can produce a similar batting performance in the upcoming season, the San Diego ball club certainly will be having a chance to produce better results.
Pitching will be a concern for the Padres as only two of their starting pitchers made more than 16 starts in 2012. A number of their pitchers who sustained injuries including Cory Luebke, Andrew Cashner and Joe Wieland will be making a return which will
boost the pitching unit. The club also signed Jason Marquis in December and is still looking to add another arm via trade route or through free agency.
The Padres have shown enough promise in the lateral part of the 2012 season to give hope to their fans of a good show in 2013 season. One hopes that they live up to the expectations and provide us with some good display of baseball.
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