San Diego Padres Begin Spring Workouts

By Daryll Dorman | Feb 25, 2015

The full squad of the 2015 San Diego Padres baseball team finally assembled Tuesday, with many roster battles to ensue over the coming up getting ready for Opening Day as reported by 10 News Ben Higgins. Of the 60 players in camp, about 30 of them are brand new to the organization which begs the question who will fans recognize?

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Pitchers and catchers reported last week as well as some key players like Matt Kemp, so now it was time for everybody else. When you consider some of the big names and egos that are now in Peoria, you realize the job these coaches have to do isn’t just teach baseball but also deal with personalities.

James Shields already seems to be taking his leadership lessons seriously and Kemp is showing he too is ready to lead this team. Shields is 33 years old and certainly his age and innings log made some teams leery in the same way that the Padres were excited about getting another durable pitcher to lead the way.

Last year they got 200 innings out Ian Kennedy and Tyson Ross just missed the magical mark; Shields seems to point in the direction that he takes his job as staff leader seriously and plans on pushing both Ross and Andrew Cashner to not be satisfied with 6 innings and 3 or less earned runs.

This spring should also be decidedly more optimistic than previous ones – as long as injuries don’t derail. Remember, last spring one day Cameron Maybin flashed some leather and homered – the next day he dove on his shoulder and another injury plagued season began. Last year the team took their first chance on Josh Johnson and he too was injured in spring training after being handled with kid gloves. Those past springs weren’t dampening the enthusiasm from newcomer Kemp:

“The first day of spring training every team in major league baseball thinks they are the best team in major league baseball.”

Among the position battles to keep an eye on in camp is at first base, where incumbent Yonder Alonso has a slight advantage being left-handed on a right-handed heavy lineup but has to prove he can hit a productive major league level. He too is excited about all the changes at the positions around him (and perhaps that Adam LaRoche was NOT one of those new faces):

“What we did in the offseason gives us so much excitement not only for the city of San Diego but everyone in this clubhouse…we’re here to stay and win for a lot of years.”

Yes, it is an exciting time to a San Diego Padre and one of their fans. With the Chargers future in doubt the Padres are the hottest story in San Diego sports unless you count the return of the Gulls. Games start next Wednesday March 4th against the Mariners.

Next: #2 Padres Free Agent Signing

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