And It Begins: Padres 2014 Injury Parade

Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

It’s so hard to be optimistic. So very hard. It’s so hard to not feel like the Padres aren’t cursed in some way. It’s so hard to not feel like the baseball gods hate you for making you a Padres fan.

Chase Headley has yet to see preseason action with a strained calf muscle. He says he should be ready for Opening Day. Do you believe it? The Padres fan in me doesn’t. When a Padres player is given a 4-6 week prognosis, I know it will be 6.

Yesterday Cameron Maybin made a beautiful diving grab in right centerfield. As he soared through the air so majestically, all of Padres fandom held it’s collective breath. It turns out, we had a good reason to. Although the results of his MRI aren’t in yet, Manager Bud Black says he will miss Opening Day with some type of bicep damage. Why does the universe hate the Padres? Especially after allowing us to see Maybin’s power and defense on display in back to back preseason games. Now he’s out. After injuries destroyed the 2013 season, the absolute very last thing the Friars needed was injuries this preseason. But, here it comes.

I want to be positive. I really do. I want to believe that the Front Office finally investing money in free agents and trading for some decent players means more wins. But, it doesn’t. Health means more wins. That’s the plain and simple truth. The Padres have a very good team. Probably 2nd place in the NL West good. But, it requires them to be healthy.

I want to believe that Chase will be ready for Opening Day. I want to believe that Cameron will only miss a week or two of regular season games. I want to believe that the baseball gods don’t hate us. But, it’s so hard.

It’s hard to be positive but, we have to. It’s a long season. Get well soon Chase and Cameron. Hang in there Friars fans. Things can turn around for us. Maybe without some sort of a sacrifice to the baseball gods that clearly despise us.