Second Chance For Will Middlebrooks

The Padres search for a third baseman hopefully will be over as the restoration project that is Will Middlebrooks from the Boston Red Sox will begin this season. Middlebrooks knows what it is like to win, getting a World Series ring back in 2013 with Boston. Middlebrooks 2014 season was not good as he struggled with sliders and had battled injuries through 2014. A.J. Preller like the rest of his “Rockstar G.M.” moves will be hit or miss, with stars battling injuries/slumps. A change of scenery will be nice for the ex-Red Sox.

Put it this way for Middlebrooks, the pressure is off. The market in San Diego has zero pressure to produce all the time unlike the Boston-area where it’s a Red Sox microscope. Hopefully that should take some of the pressure off. So take your time Will, but don’t take too long, you have to make A.J. Preller look like a genius, but most importantly, help a desperate Padre fan base get the winning feeling back!

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Padres didn’t have to give up too much to acquire Middlebrooks either, which should raise a bit of a red flag, and here is why. According to Boston.com’s Tony Massarotti, Middlebrooks was asked to go to winter ball this past September with his struggles at the plate. His answer, “I’ll think about it.” That was not quite the response the Red Sox were interested in hearing, which is probably the case as to why the Red Sox were willing to part ways with Middlebrooks. Did Middlebrooks go to winter ball? No, opting for time to let his body rest and heal.

Hitting at Petco Park will not help his cause, but that’s something fantasy baseball owners can worry about. The Padres can still turn around Middlebrooks thanks to his power and hopefully he wants to turn it around. This will be his chance while playing at the downtown gem.