Top 5 Padres Moments Of 2014

Mandatory Credit: Lance Iversen-USA TODAY Sports

Top 5 Best Moments 2014 San Diego Padres

 It’s been a long and rough season for the San Diego Padres, but not all was awful for Padres’ fans. Okay, it was pretty bad (Take the awful month of June for example) and yet another year of mediocre to bad baseball, finishing 3^rd in the N.L. West again at a record of 77-85. There have been worse records in Padres’ history before, but those teams dating back to the ending Qualcom days and early San Diego Stadium days had far worse rosters and talent. 

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The Padres were supposed to breakout this season and finally get over the disappointment tag. It didn’t happen, but there were some shining moments this year and should give some ray of hope for the 2015 season. Some of the most optimistic times in Padres history are times when the team isn’t expected to contend but here at Friars On Base, we think this franchise is heading in the right direction, with some new off-season additions and overdue subtractions, front office moves and a new general manager. We’ll look back at some of the best moments of 2014 and some spotlights on the future of this Padres franchise. It hopefully can’t get any worse than this past season.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

#5 “Little Ninja” Saves The Day

A few years ago, an under the radar trade happened between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the San Diego Padres. Padres gave up bullpen-ace Ernesto Frieri, who was key in the Padres 2010 bullpen until their late-season collapse cost them a playoff apperance. So whom did they receive in return?

A little-known utility player by the name of Alexi Amirista, and when I say little, he is little, but has a heart of gold. He wasn’t much of a name at the time, but he’s provided some nice depth for a few years as the Padres have had injuries all over the infield, mainly with disappointing shortstop Everth Cabrera. He’s even served in the outfield with his lightning quick speed. The only thing he hasn’t done yet is pitch or catch, which would be pretty interesting to see I think.

Anyway, back on August 6^th versus the Minnesota Twins, Amarista playing center field that day saved the game with a late diving, “Willie Mays” type of catch in the bottom of the 9^th to keep the game tied at 4 heading into the 10^th inning, in which the Padres went on to win that game 5-4 when Seth Smith a.k.a. “The Missing Piece” hit a towering home run to take the lead. Amarista will continue to be a fan favorite and will serve the Padres well into the future, but he still belongs on the bench utility role.

Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

#4 Cashner’s One-Hit Wonder vs. Detroit

Another Padre that was part of a trade to help boost the future, Cashner was acquired from the Chicago Cubs for All-Star and then prospect Anthony Rizzo. Cashner has gone from being projected into serving in the bullpen to near star-ace until injuries kept Cashner out for a good chunk of 2014 missing 71 games with two disabled-list stints.

I know, I got off-track with the negative. Cashner still had a great year. Cashner had a couple of shutouts and his most memorable one came on April 11^th vs. the Detroit Tigers. Cashner tossed a gem, hurling a shutout, striking out eleven and one-hitting a very dangerous lineup, striking out American League MVP Miguel Cabrera to end the game in the 9^th.

If it weren’t for a single in the first inning by Rajai Davis, Cashner would’ve had the Padres first no-hitter in the history of the 46-year franchise. That night, the Padres were working for Cash, giving him six runs to work with on thirteen hits, double-digit hits were a rarity in 2014 so Cashner took advantage for sure. Cashner could still be dealt in the coming offseason, but had he’d been healthy this entire season, Cashner would’ve been part of an already strong emerging staff and bullpen in the elites of baseball.

Mandatory Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

#3 “The Missing Piece” Strikes On Opening Night

You’ll notice the trend continue as the Padres made another trade but in the recent off-season. This one had Padres’ fans scratching their heads in the winter of 2013. The Padres had traded long-time ace reliever Luke Gregerson to the Oakland Athletics for notoriously known utility outfielder Seth Smith. Seth Smith? That’s the answer? Well according to then G.M. Josh Brynes, he was quoted as saying that Smith was the “Missing Piece” that would take the Padres over the top. Good one, Josh.

It didn’t happen. But he wasn’t that bad after all. When the current lineup was too busy getting injured or striking out, Smith made the most of his role and was the most consistent hitter in the lineup and it started immediately with opening night on ESPN as the Los Angeles Dodgers came down the I-5 to Petco Park.

We take you to the bottom of the 8^th inning, Padres down 1-0 to the Dodgers, Seth Smith at the plate with a 2-0 count facing over-paid reliever Brian Wilson, who happened to have elbow issues at the time. With one swing, opening night changed as Smith hit a sky-high home run into the night in right field as the Padres tied the game at one. That was Smith’s first at-bat with the Padres in a pinch-hit spot. In the same inning, Chris Denofria hit a liner into center as the Padres took the lead and went on to win 3-1.

Mandatory Credit: kenmoriyama.com

#2 New General Manager And Front Office Moves

Addition by subtraction as the Padres cut ties with General Manager Josh Brynes after promising the ownership and fan base a winner in 2014. Those hopes were dashed early into the season and the Padres needed to take a new approach to the future. The future will hopefully be bright as the Padres hired former Texas Rangers assistant A.J. Preller as the new General Manager of the San Diego Padres.

Padres’ fans will hope that finally good decisions will be made in the front office, not just with the current one through nine lineup but in the future. The Padres had whiffed on countless first-round picks through the draft and it’s hurt them. Some stability is absolutely needed in that category. Padres’ ownership thinks they’ve finally made the right move. Preller is known for being an all-out whiz with baseball knowledge and player evaluations as he was part of turning out a dismal Texas Rangers franchise who had never made a World Series until 2010 and then again with another appearance in 2011.

His newest staff serving under him has some good names, in particular to Padres fans liking, stealing former-Dodgers scouting director Logan White, who found talents like Yasiel Puig through the international ranks, drafted studs Matt Kemp, Dee Gordon and former Dodgers Russell Martin and James Loney. Padres’ fans can hope that if this current front office can come close to finding any one of those names, the Swining’ Friars will hope to be in contention soon.