Why The Padres Are In Dead Last Right Now

Even though I am die hard Dodger fan, I want to take a few minutes and talk about the team in the city I have lived all my life. As of today, the San Diego Padres have a pitiful 15-27 record which is the worst in the majors. This is a team that missed the playoffs by one game last season and won the NL West the two previous seasons.

They have won with a great pitching staff, a fantastic bullpen and an average offense. But this year their bullpen hasn't been as strong (mostly because of Hoffman's early troubles and Thatcher's pathetic start), their rotoation is average after last year's NL Cy Young Winner Jake Peavy and their already average offense has become one of the worst in the last 10 years.

It has been so bad that their main offensive off season addition, Jim Edmonds, was recently waived because of his horrid start. Their offense includes below average catcher Josh Bard, a future all star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, below average Tadahito Iguchi, average SS Khalil Greene and below average Kevin Kouzmanoff completes their infield while starting at third base. That looks pretty bad right, but wait I haven't got to the worst part yet, the outfield. Scott Hairston is starting in left, some nobody named Jody Gerut is currently the starting center fielder and way past his prime Brian Giles is in right.

Out of the eight starters, only Adrian Gonzalez is a player pitchers worry about. Greene has some pop in his bat (27 HR last season) but he has no speed for a SS and is a career 251 hitter. None of their starting outfielders would probably make a contender's roster as would Bard, Iguchi and Kouzamonoff. So in reality, they are playing with only two players who would make a contender's every day lineup.

It doesn't help that their home park is Petco, which is one of the most friendly pitcher parks in the game, but with that roster it wouldn't matter which ballpark you play in, you aren't going to win many baseball games, especially in baseball's best division which included the team with the best record in the majors (Arizona), NL Champs (Colorado) and a good young team that is improving (LA Dodgers). The fact is that the Padres are going to be at the bottom of the standings for at least a few more years until they can retool their offense.