San Diego Padres 2012: An in-Depth Look at Each Position

With the dawn of a new season nearing, the revamped lineups and pitching staffs of the National League West seem to be nearing the finalization process.

Making their annual migration into the heat of the Arizona sun, the San Diego Padres will begin their quest to contend this year, hoping to compete throughout the 162-game stretch.

The Padres are familiar with epic challenges, as they faced a lot of adversity throughout last year's disappointing campaign.

Both Padres fans and players alike have reason for optimism for the first time since their last playoff appearance in 2007.

Once considered a rollover division, the NL West, with the recent successes of the San Francisco Giants, who capped off their illustrious 2010 run by taking home the World Series crown, as well as the Arizona Diamondbacks' stellar come-from-behind performance to take the division title in 2011 (only to lose to the Milwaukee Brewers in the end), is back and here to stay.

The Padres have cleaned house this offseason and are looking to get back to their old ways of winning and securing playoff berths.

Like the Diamondbacks in 2010, nobody is expecting much from the Padres. Unlike the enormous contract Prince Fielder and the Detroit Tigers recently agreed to, there are no expectations that the Padres have to live up to, other than their own.

Every Padres fan knows, or should know by now, to keep the faith.

Edinson Volquez

Approaching two weeks until both pitchers and catchers report for spring training 2012, the Padres' consistent accumulation of pitching in recent years is starting to pile up on the shoreline.

After the rearrangement that took place this offseason, the starting five that will toe the rubber for this year's squad will be:

1. Tim Stauffer: The ACE

After coming off a stellar 2011 campaign (before hitting a wall late in the tail end of the season), it seems most likely that Tim Stauffer will get the nod from Bud Black to start Opening Day.

2. Clayton Richard:

After signing his one-year contract to avoid arbitration, if healthy, Richard should explode onto the scene this year, prompting a resurgent comeback.

3. Cory Luebke:

Since retreating from the bullpen, Luebke has proven he has the ideal stuff to take down anybody in the lineup, especially in crucial situations. He is a great complement to the rotation, and after last year's successes, he has proved his worth to land a locked role in the starting rotation.

4. Dustin Moseley:

Last year was a jinx. Running into an ugly 3-10 season wasn't even the worst of it all. Moseley checked himself onto the IR after dislocating his shoulder after he connected on a base hit.  

Don't Fret. Moseley is back and stronger than ever, securing not only a starting role but also avoiding arbitration by recently agreeing to a one-year deal. With the offense additions to help increase the run support, Moseley is the least of my worries this year, after posing a convincing 3.30 ERA in 2010.

5. Edinson Volquez:

Return to 2008 form, and we have ourselves a complete pitching staff. The pitcher-friendly dimensions of PETCO Park bode well for a comeback season.

X Factor: Inconsistency and maturity

Upon first review, this list may not appear impressive. But it is the availability and depth that shadows each starting spot in the rotation. The Padres are stacked with pitching.

With the acquisition of Edinson Volquez, the Padres seemingly gave up what they sought in return—an All-Star who knows how to dominate the strike zone.

The Padres signed Volquez to a one-year contract to avoid arbitration, and hope he can turn his career around like Aaron Harang proved last year. PETCO Park has the ability to turn duds into studs.

Breathing down the backs of them all is the coveted gunslinger, Casey Kelly. Considered to be the No. 3 prospect in the Padres farm system, don't be surprised to see Kelly make his major league debut sooner rather than later.

Possibility: If the Padres find themselves out of the hunt early, don't be surprised if they ship Volquez away for another Western Metal Supply pull-hitter. In turn, this could prompt the emergence of Casey Kelly.

Overall: The Padres have received the essentials they have wanted for so long. It is time to put in the work this Spring now more than ever.

Nick Hundley

The timeless veteran, or not exactly.

In only his fourth full season, Hundley seemingly has what it takes time and time again. Just when you begin to downplay his abilities, he pulls through.

At 28, you would expect to see a decline in his offensive statistics; however, Hundley is showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.

He has never showed consistent power, but his ability to get on base is his primary success. Hundley is notorious for hitting those scorching low liners up through the gaps.

He finds ways, and gets the job done. He knows how to adapt, which has helped maintain his prominence both behind the dish and in the batting order.

Hundley resembles a good wine; he just keeps getting better with age.

2011 Setback: Although he was marked to have yet another productive season, Hundley hit an impenetrable wall that halted his progression when he had to tend to his irritable elbow and oblique problems.

This struggle to be the everyday catcher led to the team's acquisition of former Cincinnati Reds young backstop Yasmani Grandal. Grandal has a lot of upside, and sits in a perfect position to learn under Hundley's wings before assuming the everyday starting role.

Overall: Hundley is a workhorse, and rather than complaining about his hardships, he is one who will strive to become better from them. The quintessential qualities of desire and dedication are what pumps through Hundley's blood since he stepped foot onto the baseball scene.

Yonder Alonso

Formerly ranked as the Cincinnati Reds' No. 2 prospect, entering at a healthy 6'2'' and 240 lbs, Alonso is here to make an immediate impact.

The Padres acquired the 24-year-old, who was previously blocked at his natural first base position by Joey Votto, and moved him up the depth chart into sole possession of the starting spot at first base.

Alonso will serve as the direct complement to Carlos Quentin, providing the much-needed long ball presence in the lineup that has been missing for so long.

PETCO Park seems like a sufficient fit for the left-hander, as he has the tendency to get a hold of balls and send them deep into gaps. PETCO has enough room that Alonso can leg out a few triples, too.

A clear victory for the Padres—now let us hope he can live up to his potential.

O-Dog

To accompany the sure hands up the middle, the Padres dug deep and brought over the veteran second baseman, Orlando Hudson.

Hudson was retrieved for his consistent defensive approach and versatility. If it weren't for his scrappy play and progressive leadership, Hudson may have been dealt in free agency.

In 2010, Hudson put together a career-worst .246 BA to go along with his .329 OBP. However, Hudson did have a major setback when he went down with a nagging groin injury.

Entering the final year of his $4 million contract, Hudson needs to prove his worth in a crucial year for the Padres; otherwise, he may find himself without a job.

Hudson will also service as the prototypical mentor to incumbent Logan Forsythe. Forsythe appeared on the scene last year when Hudson went down.

Jason Bartlett

Diving into the 2010 free agency pool, the Padres reacquainted themselves with their former 13th-round selection in the 2001 MLB draft, grabbing shortstop Jason Bartlett from the Tampa Bay Rays.

Like Hudson, Bartlett too had a very ineffective 2011 campaign offensively. His accumulated successes in South Florida didn't bode well for the gaping holes of PETCO Park. He recorded a dismal .245 batting average to accompany his .308 on-base percentage.

If those numbers continue, Bartlett likely won't, at least not with the Padres.

Defensively, he is a gem.

As he and his tandem partner Orlando Hudson enter their second seasons, look for a more aggressive approach and emphasis on utilizing the lengthy size of the park to Bartlett's advantage, spraying the ball from the PETCO Porch to the Western Metal Supply building.

Chase Headley

Concluding last year's performance, Chase Headley would emphatically point out that it was his worst season to date. An accurate statement indeed.

Recording 43 fewer at-bats than his lowest total (in his rookie season), Headley remained sidelined for a lengthy duration of time.

However, Headley remains one of those quintessential ballpark-adjusting players, conforming to the range of the wide dimensions that PETCO has to offer.

Headley has found ways to be successful. Although his numbers are a bit saddening at times, Headley finds ways to get on base, and that has helped bolster his resume.

After sitting out quite a bit for the 2011 season, Headley found his predecessor, James Darnell, to be inching ever closer to taking hold of the hot corner.

Although rumors have begun to spread about his trade value and opportunities elsewhere, Headley is here to stay, at least for now. Headley owns the reigns of his starting third base position to open the 2012 season.

Cameron Maybin

Although his numbers appear to be a bit alarming at times, the big-time plays he records from legging out game-changing triples or sacrificing his body against the warning track show that Cameron Maybin is the real McCoy.

His demeanor and approach to every ball is the perfect prescription the Padres need to patrol the depth of their outfield walls.

Deal Breaker: With the hiring of General Manager Josh Byrnes, Cameron Maybin is no stranger to his divisional competition. Byrnes, former Arizona Diamondbacks GM, was the staple behind the contract of D-Backs center fielder Chris Young. For those that remember, he signed a five-year deal worth $28 million.

Rest assured that if Maybin adds another strong season under his belt, he is one breakout year from landing an equivalent contract.

Carlos Quentin

With the departure of General Manager Jed Hoyer to the Chicago Cubs, Josh Byrnes stepped right in, taking the initiative to restructure the mindset of the team, with an offensive emphasis.

Diving in head-first, Byrnes made an immediate splash, helping bolster the Padres' lineup by acquiring the pull-hitting San Diego native Carlos Quentin.

At 31, two-time All-Star Quentin has spent time in his young career with the likes of the Arizona Diamondbacks to the more recent Chicago White Sox.

Over his major league tenure, Quentin has developed a polished career with first-class numbers that will hopefully carry over and propel the offensive ranks of the blundering bats of the San Diego Padres.

Note: It isn't a secret anymore. Since the the 2007 season, the Padres have remained the bottom-dwellers in nearly every recognizable offensive statistic.

The Padres have a lot riding on the back of Quentin, hoping he can not only produce, but also fill the gaping hole in the lineup.

X Factor: Look for Quentin to jump into an immediate leadership role in both on and off the field, propelling the Padres to new heights.

Will Venable

If there is a heated battle at any one position, it has to be right field.

Will Venable clearly has the upper hand, but he will more than likely be sharing playing time with the five viable options of Chris Denorfia, Jesus Guzman, Kyle Blanks and the ageless wonder and former Padre, Mark Kotsay.

Watch out: Underneath that stack of names lies the up-and-coming sensation Rymer Liriano.