Hurt Headley Hinders Him Hitting Home Runs

On the Twittersphere today, just checking in on the latest gossip on Spring Training and people posting selfies of Chris Denorfia, when I came across news that only seems fitting for the Padres:

#Padres 3B Chase Headley has a strained right calf. On crutches as a precaution. He thinks it could be a couple of weeks.
— Corey Brock (@FollowThePadres) February 22, 2014

Well, uh oh! That sounds crappy!

Two years in a row? You've got to be kidding me right? Corey Brock is pulling my leg and hoping to find the tween that says "LOL JK", but as I scroll down the page and see Bob Scanlan and other confirm this tragedy, I must now accept that our Face of the MLB contestant is out....again.

I feel ya, buddy

With Chase Headley sidelined for the second year in a row during the Spring Training season, it can't help but make me a little frustrated about the start of Padres camp in Peoria. This is already the second injury (Max Fried) the Pads have seen and we haven't even made it through the first week. I am expecting soon to see Venable go down with a rattle snake bite, Maybin straining his elbow while brushing his teeth or some other fluke accident to make things worse.

Even though Headley's injury was deemed "minor" and "will be back in a few weeks", that doesn't put me in the greatest of moods knowing our star player and *crosses fingers* future extended player is hurt already in what I felt was going to be a big year. He wants to show '12 wasn't a fluke and he knows it is a contract year. Some numbers will be put up, right?

But, I see the silver lining. It did happen just in the first week of camp and that will give him plenty of time to recover and still have a productive spring and be ready for Opening Day. Couldn't be worse than last year when we trotted out Cody Ransom at 3B at Opening Day at Petco Park last year.

Well, get well Chase. We need you. Heck, I need you...mainly for fantasy baseball purposes, but your bat is welcomed with open arms into a hopefully potent (can I use that word talking about the Padres?) lineup.

Go Pads!

Spring Training 2013: February 25th (Game 4)

The Padres face the Brewers with the rights to sudsy beverages as the victor's prize. Would the evil conglomerate empire or the valiant microbreweries prevail in this beer fight?

Your kung-fu is week, Fuzzles.

Not bear fight, beer fight! Oh thank Xenu, the jump is here.

Padres win 9-3 in Spring Training opener

First thing to be said: I am not going to do this every spring training game, I just thought in honor of a first game blowout victory, I would be willing to muster up some words of goodwill.

In my short synopsis of the game, it was basically over before it really began. The Padres drop a six-run dump on the Mariners which consisted of four hits, including a Jedd Gyorko Grand Slam, 4 walks, and a dropped fly ball. Cool Padres offense. Scored 3 more times knocking in 9 total on 10 hits.

Gyorko has the ability to spit venom which could prove valuable to earn a roster spot.

On the other side, San Diego's own,Sean O'Sullivan, did the Padres well giving them exactly what they would want in a Spring Training start going two hitless, scoreless innings.


So, what now? I know it is just one swing, but what if Jedd has an amazing spring? He has power, which we saw in Tucson last year, belting 24 bombs. Also, he has been taking strides to become a good asset on defense.

“I’ve always been known as a hitter first. I also want to be known for my defense and all-around play." 

So, this could prove to be a tough decision for Buddy Black. Do you bring him up to start the season, or hand over the job to Forsythe? And lets say they get more bad news about Evereth Cabrera's potential PED mishap in Miami? If I was a better man, and I am, I would say the Gyorko may start the season with the Padres, if the numbers and the defense can back it up.

As far as O'Sullivan, the pitching rotation is wide open as far as I am concerned for the maybe 3 and definitely 4-5 spots in the rotation. A good spring for him may prove valuable, and this start only helped put his name further in the mix of 10 guys.

Hey, Bret, I am the coach you know? I got this...

All in all, good to see a Padres win and start the season off with a bang. First place in the Cactus League! Hey, I will take what I can get.

Grandal Plans to Say He is "sorry"

"Hey team, yeah, sorry I did steroids..."

How else can this really go down beside this? A news report came out today saying that Padres catcher Yasmani Grandal plans to apologize to the team on Saturday at Spring Training. He was tested positive last November for banned substance and received a 50-game suspension and recently has been suspected to be connected with the Miami PED scandal which has been the talk of the last few weeks.

My first thought was, how does one plan to apologize. Doesn't one just do it? I mean, if I did something wrong, I am pretty sure my girlfriend wouldn't let me plan to apologize, it would just be expected of me. I understand he wants to wait for the entire team to show up Saturday, but I would have been more excited to read an article stating that he has apologized.

 He really should be apologizing to me though. I was stoked on seeing him play this year after a great debut last year only to find him being suspended for 50 games. Now, I trade in his power at near .300 batting average to potentially seeing Nick Hundley get his swing back after his demotion to the minors last year.

Hundley had a pitiful season last year to say the least. Not only did he record career-lows in Home Runs (3), RBI’s (22), Hits (32), and Runs (14), his Batting Average (.157 32 for 204), On-Base Percentage (.219), and Slugging Percentage (.245) were awful.

This is most likely Nick's reaction after finding the news of Grandal in the offseason.

I personally hope to see a lot of John Baker over Nick Hundley this year if he is going to give a 81 point average jump from him (.238).

Yasmani, I forgive you. I really do. I am a disappointed fan, but I hope this is just a small blip on an otherwise promising Padres career.

The Pitiful Padres: Here we begin.

The 2013 San Diego Padres season is closing in on us quickly. In just five days time, pitchers and catchers will be reporting to Peoria to begin their spring training and just nine days time until the full roster voluntary date for all players invited to Spring Training this year.

This is going to be a big year for the Pads. With new owners, hopefully big things to expected and the lack of playoff streak can end. This being said, the NL West is not going to be a cake walk this year....again. Our rivals from two hours away have decided they wanted to spend every penny Magic Johnson and all his buddies have on signing every big name player they can get a hold of for the Dodgers and the Giants are coming off their second World Series in the last few years.

I have faith though. We have a good team as it is, when healthy, and if players play to their full potential we can get a lot out of this squad. Even with the 5th lowest payroll in the league (even after a 17% increase from last year according to Yahoo!), odds are against them, but I have a feeling this could be a great year.

The fences moving in, Headley coming off an MVP caliber season and Alonzo coming into his sophomore season (and Grandal after his 50 game...um...vacation). With Maybin getting hot the second half of the season, Hundley returning to the lineup after clearing his head in the minors and the Padres hopefully not using 15 different starting pitchers this year due to a ton of bad luck, I could see this being a fun summer being a Padres fans, with hopeful shades of 2010.

Of course ever team gets excited to start of the year and every teams fanbase is "going to win the World Series". I am not going to predict that, but I wouldn't be surprised if they snuck into the playoffs somehow. With the 5th best 2nd half record last year (other 4 teams made the playoffs), the Padres have shown what they are capable of and if they improve their road performance (34-47) and keep up their home performance (42-39), I have full confidence the Pads can break .500 this year.

Who knows? I could be speculating. But why not have faith? Why count out the Padres? I won't until they are mathematically eliminated. I hope for a fun season and I plan on being at Petco Park for as many games possible this year.

I hope to see everyone at Fan Fest this Saturday, February 9th at Petco Park where you can meet the players, get autographs, run the bases, tour the clubhouse, buy season tickets, play catch on the field, buy game used gear, and get excited about the 2013 Padres.

Good luck guys, and I hope to keep the excitement up late into October.

-Bret