The Morning Friar – 2/24/11

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There’s a certain vibe around the Padres.  It’s unique, not just in Major League Baseball, but in pro sports in general.

It’s called fun, and the Padres are having a ton of it.

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The biggest move of the Padres’ off-season was the trade of slugger Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox.  Making up for the loss of production from their best hitter in the past five seasons will not be easy.  However, even with Gonzalez in the lineup a year ago, the Padres managed just a .246 team batting average, which ranked 15th in the National League.  Their .371 slugging percentage, also 15th in the NL in 2010, is sure to take a hit as well.  If not for a solid .263 batting average with runners in scoring position (RISP), this team could’ve fallen even further down in offensive rankings last season.

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Former Wichita Wingnuts left-handed pitcher Dustin Pease has been signed by the San Diego Padres organization.

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In the past, Brad Hawpe was a first baseman playing outfield. Now, thanks to the Padres, for the first time as a Major Leaguer, Hawpe has a home at first base.

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