San Diego Padres 2003 Season Preview

by Paul Wysard

Trevor Hoffman - Out for the year

MAUI, HAWAII, MARCH 18 - Shane Victorino does not have the power of young Ranger Mark Texeira, the hype or the job so far given to Arizona's Lyle Overbay, and he has not burst upon the Spring scene as has new Braves' southpaw Horacio Ramirez, but the potential Padre is a good prospect, the 1999 High School Athlete of the Year on this world-famous island. If it wasn't for the season-ending shoulder disaster of slugger Phil Nevin, Victorino may have already been set aside for assignment to Triple-A. That may yet happen, but as of this writing, he is still alive for a reserve outfield slot, with March numbers including half-a-dozen hits in about 25 at-bats, 4 RBI, and a couple of steals.

Many on the island, including visiting tourists but especially some sportswriters, are excited about Victorino, and for good reason. Babe Ruth came over and golfed in the 1930s, and there were several exhibitions featuring PeeWee Reese, Schoolboy Rowe and others during World War II. The San Francisco Seals of the PCL held part of their Spring Training in the tiny east coast town of Hana in 1947 and a barnstorming team with Yogi Berra arrived for a game or two in the 1950s. Otherwise, professional baseball was far away and non-existent in this tourist Mecca until there was a Winter League team in the early 1990s in a league in which Todd Helton, Jason Giambi, Alex Ochoa, and Quinton McCracken performed. Although club and prep baseball were always of some interest, the Winter League was popular with both locals and visitors, and surely had an impact upon the development of players like Victorino and Keith Luuloa, from a smaller island across a channel, who had the proverbial cups of coffee with Anaheim.

Early this March, the largest local newspaper announced that if Victorino was kept up with the big club, he would be the very first from this island to play in the Major Leagues. That is not correct, as there was another player a long time ago, but let's not digress now.

What does this little story have to do with the 2003 Padres? Except for the Victorino connection, not much. . . but this year's club won't be a big story either.

The loss of Nevin means not only the removal of a .300-30 -100 player, but also less mutual protection with 1B Ryan Klesko, who could easily put up similar numbers with Nevin in the lineup. The injury also leaves the Padres as the only team in the NL West without an elite run producer in its outfield. Mark Kotsay in center is a nice player, but cannot be compared with Bonds, Gonzalez, Green or Walker. The corner OF slots could be weak links, with old Roberto Kelly and young Xavier Nady(whose name reminds one of a typographical error) leading candidates. Rondell White has just arrived via trade with the Yankees, and he could greatly improve the mix if he stays healthy, but that has not been the case for much of his career.

Sean Burroughs may be ready to become the good hitter predicted during the past couple of years, but observations remain mixed. Some analysts see the first of a string of .300 seasons this coming year; others have penciled in a more modest .280. But the main issue with him is where he will play. Right now, it is at third instead of the experiment at second, where veteran Mark Loretta, a good contact hitter with absolutely no power, seems set. SS Ramon Vazquez will probably be adequate in leading off, but lacks the speed which can upset defenses. The need for conditioning has been a problem for C Wiki Gonzalez, but in any case he remains at the lower level in the NL, as does this offense in general.

Although individual and team statistics may not reflect the true picture, righthander Brian Lawrence is seen by peers as one of the leagues best pitchers. Alas, ace reliever Trevor Hoffman is out for the year, unable to provide the closing that Lawrence and fellow younger starters Jake Peavy and Oliver Perez so desperately need. Jay Witasick, who has drifted among four clubs since the latter part of 2000, will replace Hoffman. The rest of the mound staff is in flux and uninspiring.

Projected Lineup:
ss Vazquez
2b Loretta
cf Kotsay
1b Klesko
rf White
3b Burroughs
lf Kelly/Nady
c Gonzalez
sp Lawrence
sp Peavy
sp Perez
sp Eaton
cl Villafuerte

Prediction: Very bad breaks, and so there is just not much here. Last in the West.

Oh, yes. . .the bench. Veteran back-ups Keith Lockhart and Dave Hansen are the core; countless folks out here on Maui hope that Shane Victorino will join them.