Twitter Says...Laugh Out Loud.

In my opinion, the #1 way to enjoy a game besides sitting at Petco Park is slumped up on the couch, computer open, and following my Twitter timeline. Hilarious doesn't even begin to describe how much Twitter makes the Padres games not only more bearable, but actually enjoyable. A 2-1 loss can still be a great game in my book from the comedy that comes out 140 characters at a time.

I'll admit, I am not always the best with my fingers and my jokes do not always hit the mark. To be honest, they mostly fall short of the mark, but I am trying so that is what counts, right?

So this morning, as I prep for my day at work, I wanted to see what the Twitter airwaves were saying about our Padres team by doing some simple searches. This is what I came up with:

Search: Padres hitting

Chris Denorfia is the #Padres best player and he's hitting eighth.. Gotta love Bud Black
— Kevin Charity (@kevin_charity) April 23, 2014

Mr. Charity does have a point. Batting .333/.353/.485, #Norf is currently the Padres best all around hitter. I am no baseball strategist by any means, but do you not want your best hitters hitting higher in the order to get more at bats? Deno should be in the 2 hole every night. Gets on base, can hit with 2 strikes and has some pop now and agin.

As hitting coach for this excuse of an offense Phil plantier is flat out STEALING a paycheck!!! #Padres #FriarNation #sdpadres #FSSD
— David Moore (@bmozmo) April 23, 2014

It is suspicious why the Padres bats are starting off so cold. I would not say the Padres are a top notch lineup by any means, but they have been scrappy enough in years past and have a few batters capable of hitting close to .300. Currently, the Padres are hitting .223 which lands them at 27th overall. This got me thinking, how have then done in previous years? 2013: .245 (23rd), 2012: .247 (22nd), 2011: .237 (29th), and even in the mighty 2010: .246 (28th). Last in 2009. 28th in 2008. 28th in 2007. Every year, same concept. Padres can't hit. Padres have not cracked the top 20 for nearly 10 years!

Is this all Coach Plantier's fault? I don't know. The personnel hasn't exactly been there, but 23rd of worse since 2004. Yes, the last time the Padres were a top 20 hitting club, the Expos were still around.


Search: Padres Cashner

#Padres are undefeated in games where Andrew Cashner plays left field.
— Geoff Young (@ducksnorts) April 25, 2014

Last night, in the hilarity that was a Padres baseball game, Bud Black trotted star pitcher and savior, Andrew Cashner, out to left field. For one out. This led to a lot of people scratching their heads to why Bud Black wasted their best hitting pitcher in an extra inning game while Tommy Medica sat the bench. He subbed in after one out, later struck out, and in the extreme irony, Medica tripped in left field in the bottom of the 12th that allowed Bryce Harped to double.

Which of course led to all of these:

What the Medica. Perhaps Cashner should have stayed in LF?
— Mitchell Stehly (@StehlyMitchell) April 25, 2014

Medica falls ... should have left Cashner out there.
— Harry Pavlidis (@harrypav) April 25, 2014

YES! Tommy Medica falls down in left, putting Bryce Harper on second. ANDREW CASHNER MAKES THAT PLAY BUD
— Drew Fairservice (@DrewGROF) April 25, 2014

And my personal favorite:

Best explanation of Cashner being out in left? Tommy Medica was crapping, needed some more time to take care of things.
— Stuart Wallace (@TClippardsSpecs) April 25, 2014

OH! And for those who didn't see yesterday, Bud Black wrote his lineup on a piece of toilet paper. I mean, I know people think this team is crap, but that may be one step too far!

@Padres will only be using toilet paper for all written communication from here on out. Tommy John surgeries don't pay for themselves.
— EM (@eriksean85) April 23, 2014

@Padres is this written on toilet paper? Looks like 2Ply
— Andrew Sanchez (@KillaThaStunna) April 23, 2014

I guess all of this doesn't really have a point again beside I enjoy Twitter and I am allowed to say so in my blog. I encourage everyone to join the fun. It may be worth it just for the Amarista jokes. Go Padres!

@woedoctor can Amarista play 3rd and CF at the same time?
— Nathan Veale (@VocalMinorityNV) April 25, 2014

According to ESPN, The Padres are just average

 The Padres offseason report card came in today. If I was a kid and this was my report card, I would have made up some lame excuse to why it never made it home.

Anyways, thank you highly qualified ESPN analysts for letting me know the team with the projected 4th lowest payroll has room to improve.

ESPN Offseason Moves: D, The Pitiful Padres: C-

Yes, the Padres didn't go out an do what they wanted to. They came out after last season saying they need a starting pitcher or two to complete a rotation but failed to do so. To be honest though, I am confident in the rotation. We have a lot of young and great arms in the mix right no, and for a team that went 6 games under .500 last year using 15 starting pitchers, imagine what we could have done with a solid rotation through 2012.

The Padres may not be done though. According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, GM Josh Byrnes said:

"There is a chance we can solve [the rotation] with our own guys," San Diego general manager Josh Byrnes said. "The thing about the offseason [is] … we haven't pursued guys just to add bodies. But if we feel there's an upgrade, someone with upside or a long-term guy, then OK. But we're comfortable with seeing how our guys look. There might be a need [to add a pitcher] but there might not be."

Additionally,  there are a few more arms out on the market currently looking to find a home in 2013. Including Kyle Lohse, Roy Oswalt, Dallas Braden and Chris Young.

Okay, alright, Lohse (16-3 in 2012) will not be a Padre and I find it hard pressed for the Padres to go after 35-year old Oswalt and his usual high contract demands that surround. Braden could be a potential who they could get for cheap. He only made $3.3M last year in a season he only had 18IP. Young, on the other hand, could be a great move for fan moral. He is a consistent arm who can win some games and keep you in most others.

Chances are though, if I am in the front office, I stick with what I got and run a craps shoot with my 10 potential starters.

                                            I heard he is still looking for a contract in 2013...

ESPN Position Players: C+, The Pitiful Padres: C+

PROJECTED LINEUP
SS Everth Cabrera
RF Will Venable/Chris Denorfia
3B Chase Headley
LF Carlos Quentin
1B Yonder Alonso
CF Cameron Maybin
C Nick Hundley/Yasmani Grandal
2B Logan Forsythe/Jedd Gyorko

So, the Padres didn't score a lot of runs last year (4.0/game, 10th in NL), but I will use the old cliche of "Petco Park". Let us not forget they are moving the fences in 10ft which could provide for a little more offensive production. To analyze the lineup:
Cabrera, solid defense, lack of offense. Basically, we know what to expect.
Venable/Denorfia: Solid defense, and an upside on base-paths  Both can run decently well and Denorfia hits nearly .300 and puts the ball in play. Get on base for the big boys.
Headley: Coming off a near MVP season last year, we can only hope he replicates his numbers.
Quentin: Only played 86 games and made his impact known. A full season with fences in? HIGH potential for some offensive surge.
Alonso: Only 9 HR's in his rookie campaign but showed a lot at the plate. He will have people on base in front of him to drive in some runs.
Maybin: After bad first half, he hit .283 in the second half. Keep the swing up. At 26, still has a chance to be sucessful.
Hundley/Grandal: Game 51 we get a hitter back. Hundley plays great defense, but too many holes in his swing.
Forsythe/Gyroko: Logan hit .273 last year and an upgrade form Armarista. Gyrokos 30 bombs in Tucson hopefully can transfer to the bigs.

I feel the lineup will be better than last years based on potential. One year more experience for the rookies and a chance to erase last year for the likes of Maybin and Hundley.

ESPN Pitching: D+, The Pitiful Padres: C

I stated my opinion before. If the Padres don't get hurt, they have 10 potential arms. 6 under last year with a platoon of starters.

ESPN Overall: C, The Pitiful Padres: C

Ok, so I am a little biased and think all of my Padres are going to be All-Stars this year like Huston Street was last year. Last year, the team surprised some people. We had a MVP finalist and Gold Glover in Headley, a pleasant surprise from rookies Grandal and Alonso and a great effort from an ailing staff. I don't (realistically) expect any World Series this year, but .500 is not out of the question.