Money can’t buy happiness… or a winning record. The Padres’ big dreams of winning the World Series this year are beginning to look dismal.
With a 63-67 win to loss record the Padres are in fourth place in the National League West Division. The Los Angeles Dodgers are hot as they come and carry a five game winning streak on their backs, helping to boost their 72-56 record to separate their lead over the Padres in the National League West, the Padres’ division. The Padres’ chances of even winning the NL West are beginning to look doubtful, however it is not to say it’s impossible as 32 games still remain and the Padres are 10 games out of first place in their division, still hoping to get a spot in the playoffs.
During this offseason the Padres organization underwent many changes as eight major league players were traded onto the team in high hopes of bringing a World Series ring to San Diego. In turn, many old veterans on the team were traded away. The owner of the Padres, A.J. Preller, wanted to see immediate change in the 2015 season and acquired players such as Matt Kemp, Derek Norris, and Justin Upton to try and jumpstart the notoriously weak offense of the Padres, all the while acquiring dominating pitchers such as James Shields and Craig Kimbrel to help keep opposing teams at bay.
After starting the 2015 season 32-33, Preller decided to fire manager Bud Black and try a different head coach, as Pat Murphy took over the position. To date he has a record of 30 wins and 34 loses. Many San Diegans seem disappointed with the current Padres season . While the team has nearly doubled its salary in the last two years, going from a payroll of 68 million to the current 126 million, a winning record still proves evasive.
This year, even with the added batters, the team batting average, .242, is the third worst in the NL and their run support is still in the bottom half of all teams. Additionally, their pitching add-ons have actually worsened the team earned run average (ERA) as it has risen from 3.27 to 3.99 this year.
With 26 of the last 32 games of the season being inter-division,the Padres still have a good shot at making the playoffs by hoping to beat opponents in their own division, meaning that they have direct control over their opponents wins and losses as well as their own.