Hot and Cold Padres from Opening Week

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Apr 12, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres left fielder Matt Kemp (27) celebrates after tripling during the seventh inning as San Francisco Giants second baseman Matt Duffy (right) and third base coach Glenn Hoffman (left) look on at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Opening weekend at Petco Park has left me, and I’m sure the rest of the San Diego Padre fans, extremely optimistic for the 2015 season. Obviously, winning three games against the defending World Series champions is exciting but more importantly, the energy the club played with should set the foundation for a very exciting and (god willing) successful season.

Here are some pros and cons I saw while watching the Padres this opening day weekend.

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Apr 11, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Wil Myers (4) hits an RBI double in the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Wil Myers

I think Wil Myers has shown some good things in the first week, but I’m just not sold on him in the lead-off role. Myers approach hasn’t really seemed to change, and he is still ranked towards the bottom of the team in on base percentage.

Of course time will tell, but I think sliding Alexi Amarista into the lead-off and dropping Myers further down could help him really find his swing. This guy has proven that he is a dangerous hitter, but the Padres shouldn’t expect him to be something that he is not – a lead-off hitter.

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Apr 9, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres second baseman Jedd Gyorko (9) singles during the ninth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Jedd Gyorko

Jedd Gyorko seems to still be struggling and is really the only cold spot in the Padres lineup. He could just be starting off cold, but the scouting report seems to be out on Gyorko. Could it be that Gyorko outplayed himself his rookie season? It seems Gyorko consistently strikes out or grounds into a double play.

I think the Padres should continue to go with Gyorko, when he gets it going, he can be a huge offensive threat, and brings a surprisingly solid glove at 2nd base. However, with Gyorko struggling, Bud Black has the options of Yangervis Solarte and the disruptive Cory Spangenberg, who could both fill the need for the Padres at second base.

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Apr 9, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants center fielder Angel Pagan (left) reacts during an at bat in the ninth inning as San Diego Padres catcher Derek Norris (3) gestures at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

Derek Norris

I loved the gusto Norris played with this entire week. You rarely see a catcher in the second spot in the lineup, but Norris is a perfect fit for it. He always gives a tough at bat, and consistently gets on base, already posting a .370 OBP. Once on base, Norris recklessly throws himself at the next bag, taking the extra 90 feet whenever he can.

Defensively, I thought Norris did a great job throwing out base runners and blocking balls behind the plate.

It was great to see him show some passion when dealing with Angel Pagan. The little argument clearly fired up the team and the players. Norris seems to be emerging as the leader of this club. Having the heart of the team at the catcher position will be integral to the Padres success, as Norris will help lead and inspire both the hitters and the pitching staff.

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Apr 12, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Padres catcher Wil Nieves (right) signs autographs for a group of Marines after the Padres beat the San Francisco Giants 6-4 at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

The Padres are still finding their identity, but have played with a great amount of energy that should translate into a lot of wins this season. I look forward to Bud Black molding the clay to find the winning formula for 2015.

How else could the Padres improve going forward?

Who are some of your stand out (both good and bad) players from Week 1?

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