Projecting the San Diego Padres' Opening Day Starting Lineup

Whew, we’re almost at the most wonderful time of year, baseball season! If you’re like me, and your football team’s season is long gone, you’re counting down the days until pitchers and catchers report and spring training commences. 

As some of my avid readers have pointed out, the Padres' front office seem to be all talk and little walk this offseason.  And it doesn’t appear anything is going to change. As CBS Sports reports, the Padres are unlikely to sign another starting pitcher despite their goals heading into this year. 

With suspected little changes heading into spring training, it’s time to predict the Padres’ Opening Day lineup. 

1. Evereth Cabrera SS
2. Yonder Alonso 1B
3. Chase Headley 3B
4. Carlos Quentin LF
5. Jedd Gyorko 2B
6. Cameron Maybin CF
7. Will Venable RF
8. Nick Hundley C
9. Edison Volquez P 

Assuming there aren’t any major changes during the offseason, this lineup isn’t all that surprising. 

The one seemingly questionable addition is Jedd Gyorko at second base instead of Logan Forsythe or Alexi Amarista. As many suspect, including my colleague, Gyorko should get the nod because of his vast potential and hitting capabilities. 

Barring any pitching moves, Edison Volquez stands as the team’s No. 1 starter and the running “ace” of the Pads. 

The 3-4 combo of Chase Headley and Carlos Quentin should be imposing, using last year as a measuring stick. If Gyorko can have a decent rookie campaign, the heart of the Padres' order should drive in a good amount of runs. 

Notably missing from this Opening Day roster is star catcher, Yasmani Grandal. Unfortunately, he will miss the first 50 games of the season due to a suspension for a banned substance. Hopefully the reliance of backup catcher, Nick Hundley, is brief. 

As Padre fans we should look towards 2013 optimistically. They finished the 2012 season with a strong 42-33 record. Don’t discount this momentum. In 2009, the Padres closed out the season with an equally impressive record that propelled them into a surprising 2010 campaign—one that left them one game short of a playoff berth.

What do you think? Let's hear it in the comments...

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