San Diego Padres Hoping for a Better Season in 2009

With 63 wins and 99 losses the 2009 San Diego Padres are coming off their worst loosing season in 15 years as a franchise. The Pads were unable to do much they couldn't score runs and didn't have as good of a bullpen or starting pitchers as they had in 2006 when they last won the N.L. West Division. 

Injuries here and their to starting pitcher Chris Young, to starting catcher Josh Bard and, to starting second baseman Tad Iguchi. Injuries were aplenty in 2008 for the Padres it hit rock bottom when Jake Peavy injured his right elbow but still managed to have a record of 10-11 with an ERA of 2.85. But the Pads still had bright spots in its dismal season.

Chase Headley was brought up from minor league because he was doing so well. Chase did end the year with nine home runs for a rookie. But low and behold the kid would be striking out consistently.

In 22 of the last 23 games in 2008, he had a strike out. Adrian Gonzalez's brother Edgar Gonzalez played well for in his time late in the season. Other bright spots of the '08 season was key acquisition Center Fielder Jody Gerut, who has a chance to fight for the starting CF this spring.

The other outfielder, Scott Hairston, played good and ended the season with 17 home runs. It may be age creeping up on Brian Giles, but he does not seem like his old self, but he still managed to pull out 12 home runs.

Adrian Gonzalez had another great season for the padres with thirty six home runs and a hundred and nineteen runs batten in and had his moments at first base. Kevin Kouzmanoff is also had a great season last year with twenty three home runs and he had many moments at third base.    

Even Trevor Hoffman had a usual thirty save season but showed his age catching up to him. In many close games it came down to whether Hoffie could close out and in some he was unable to. Hoffie's played well but in the eye's of General Manager Kevin Tower it wasn't, so he made a tough decision by releasing the soon to be one day hall of famer.   

Since then the padres made Heith Bell the new closing pitcher. They have also added veteran David Eckstein to play second base this season. Rumors are also going around that the padres might add another veteran Omar Vizquel to play shorts stop. After their dealing with their infield they might want to try to add another veteran starting pitcher to their rotation.

So what will we see out of the 2009 San Diego Padres? We'll just have to wait and see this spring.