Padres rotation = #1 in the majors, according to mlb.com

[HollywoodLeo]

ollie perez is the truth. he has some unadulterated stuff, if/when he stays in control of his pitches, hes downright unhittable.

The problem being, that's a big "if"

[HollywoodLeo]

Penny, Billingsley, Lowe, Kuroda and Schmidt when he comes back is nothing to laugh at.

Schmidt hasn't been the same since he left San Fran, healthy or otherwise.

Young's road splits kill me.

His home/away splits were crazy the other way around in 2006.

We'll see how that pans out this year, I suppose.

[HollywoodLeo]

The only question I have about Santana is how will he do with being pulled in the 6th inning because they have to use a pinch hitter ....

With the Mets offense he probably won't have to worry about that all that often.

[HollywoodLeo]

perez is only jekyll/hyde because hes still only 26 years old. and hes a lefty, and it always takes lefties longer to develop. hes got downright filthy stuff, and hes gonna be a legitimate starter for years to come knowing how to pitch now. i sitll put him over prior, because prior can take the flimsiest thing and be out for god knows how long with it. prior couldve and shouldve been one of the nastiest starters in the league, right up there with santana, but fact of the matter is the smallest shit and hes out for a long period of time. i hate the mets, but i gotta give it where its due... they got a deep ass rotation, and thats even with me saying el duque is finished, and pelfrey is shit, dont care what they expect out of him. johan, pedro, ollie, maine... best rotation in the nl.

You forget Padres fans have been following his career pretty close.

The guy can be down right dominant when his control is on....but you never know when that's going to happen.

[padrefanforever]

The problem being, that's a big "if"

That IF goes for a boatload of pitchers also. Hell Germano was unhittable for the first part of last season when he was in control of his pitches for that matter.....

[padrefanforever]

With the Mets offense he probably won't have to worry about that all that often.

There are a couple offenses out there that will go toe to toe with the Mets and force the issue......say playing IN Philly in that bandbox......lets see how Santana does there.....

[padrefanforever]

Oh and on the Dodgers front.......Latos = Kershaw and should be up shortly after Kershaw if not at the sametime

[ljshorty89]

Remember that Johan has played the NL East teams before, and has an ERA in the low 2's against them. Also, keep in mind that the Phillies stars (Utley and Howard) are lefties, and will likely have trouble with the lefty Santana.

[padrefanforever]

Santana is known for giving up his share of HR's........get him into those ballparks in the comedy central and against offensive juggernauts like the Phillies and he's got his work cut out for him.

The other side of that is.... .get Santana into any semblance of a pitcher friendly park and it spells hard times for opponents

[HollywoodLeo]

I still remember the day when Darrell May out dueled Santana

[jacs]

Big hit by D.Jackson right?

[HollywoodLeo]

They ranked the bullpen #2 in all of baseball

The Official Site of Major League Baseball: News: Which teams have the best bullpens?

2. Padres: This might raise some eyebrows, since the last time we saw San Diego's bullpen it was giving away the NL West title -- twice -- and it returns essentially intact. But it's hard to hold those nine runs they allowed in Games 162 and 163 against a solid crew.


Ageless Trevor Hoffman, the goat at that wire, is in tremendous shape, a tipoff to his determination to have a happier finish at 40. After four straight 40-save seasons, the all-time saves leader (524) isn't going to fall off a cliff.


The Padres will miss another 40-something, Doug Brocail, but still have a wall in front of Hoffman in Heath Bell and Cla Meredith, who between them stranded 56 of 74 inherited runners. Kevin Cameron should have a meatier role after a solid rookie season. The Friars could use a lefty in the mix, and hope youngster Joe Thatcher can prove to be the one.


One of the best things the San Diego bullpen has going for it is someone who will never deliver a pitch. Manager and former pitching coach Bud Black has a sixth sense for blending the right combination. He and pitching coach Darren Balsley will figure out a way to save Hoffman's bullets, given how he buckled physically at the end of last season.

#1 in SP, #2 in the pen. I like it

[padrefanforever]

#1 rotation before Prior, #2 bullpen and a lineup that currently is leading spring in slugging pct & obp.......it appears KT this FOS FO has the ship heading the right direction. If we have a top pitching staff, and even a middle of the pack offense.........This team will be extremely tough to beat.

Question is can we put all three together ? I'd like to believe yes......I just think it's the right time and entirely possible.

[love_that_reefer]

The #1 rotation included Prior. Offensive spring training stats are pointless. Headley is putting up good numbers but I can't find anywhere that says how well he is doing in LF. McNulty is putting up good numbers too.

[JayDawg27]

It's still a positive sign no matter how you spin it. I would rather see them getting the praise they are getting now and putting up their ST numbers then lets say a team like the Giants.