2015 Padres

I am old enough to remember early 1984 when the Padres signed both Goose Gossage and Graig Nettles as free agents. The year before, we had signed Steve Garvey. I remember being amazed that these great Dodgers and Yankees were actually on the Padres. And of course we went to our first World Series in 1984.

Since then, over 31 years, I don't recall being as amazed as I am now. The Padres new GM, AJ Preller, has gone wild in the free agent market. The team is practically brand new and this is fun--not to mention unexpected--to watch. Now Matt Kemp and James Shields are Padres.

Starting rotation:

James Shields
Andrew Cashner
Tyson Ross
Ian Kennedy
Odrisamer Despaigne and others

In the field:

C: Derek Norris
1B: Yonder Alonso
2B: Jedd Gyorko
SS: Alexi Amarista
3B: Will Middlebrooks
LF: Matt Kemp
CF: Wil Myers
RF: Justin Upton

Compared to last year (when a pretty bad team still win 77 games) this is incredible. Only 1B, 2B, and SS remain from 2014. And apparently we're going after Yoan Moncada too!

The main potential problems are injury (Kemp especially, but also people like Cashner and potentially Ross) and bad defense.

The Padres have not been in the playoffs since 2006 and have not been in the World Series since 1998. We came very close to the playoffs in 2007 (I actually can't believe it was that long ago) but lost the 163rd tiebreaking game to the Rockies. This team will be a massive disappointment if it does not at least make the playoffs, and the World Series is not out of reach.