The low expectations continue to pour in for the San Diego Padres, as they are simulated to finish with a 58-104 record, the worst in baseball.
Just about every power ranking that exists has the San Diego Padres 30th and last in baseball in every category. Could a season simulation yield any better results? Apparently not.
Recently, MLB The Show 2017 simulated the entire 2017 MLB season. While the National League West once again proved to be a strong division, the Padres were handed the worst record in all of baseball, finishing with more than 100 losses.
FanSided’s apptrigger.com reported on the simulation in their piece, MLB The Show 17: Simulating The 2017 MLB Season. Each team’s record was analyzed and the simulation was critiqued. Somehow, San Diego’s simulation was portrayed as accurate.
"At this point, I’m sure the GM of the San Diego Padres wishes he could call up Ginny Baker from Fox’s TV show Pitch to make a spot start or two because this MLB The Show 17 version of the team is very much embracing the tank."
A little sarcasm was added as well…
"The San Diego Padres, essentially, trotted out an AAA team for the entirety of a season in the hopes of getting a strong draft pick. There’s no better pick than first overall, is there?"
Supposedly, the Padres aren’t supposed to be good this year. It’s not like this is breaking news. But 58-104? A -214 run differential? This has got to be taking this way over the top, right?
Check out the simulation’s National League West results for yourself.
"x – Los Angeles Dodgers: 100-62, +201 run differential"
"y – San Francisco Giants: 96-66, +88 run differential"
"Arizona Diamondbacks: 80-82, -79 run differential"
"Colorado Rockies: 75-87, -79 run differential"
"San Diego Padres: 58-104, -214 run differential"
Padres fans won’t take this too well, and they shouldn’t. After all, the club just spent millions of dollars this season to completely revamp their rotation, bringing in three all-star starters with experience and re-signing another in Clayton Richard.
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San Diego also has one of the most exciting young rosters in baseball, anchored by a powerful young duo in Hunter Renfroe and Ryan Schimpf, complemented by a speedy outfield with Travis Jankowski and Manuel Margot, and led by the face of the franchise, Wil Myers.
Just because the roster isn’t full of household names doesn’t mean the Padres can’t win more games this season than they did in 2016. In fact, more stability at critical positions such as the rotation and with Austin Hedges at catcher would suggest that an improvement, even if it is slight, is coming. Only time will tell, but it sure looks like the Padres have nowhere to go but up in 2017.
Next: Two Surprises as Rotation is Set
In the end, the simulation had the Boston Red Sox edging out the New York Mets in the World Series in six games. This seems realistic, but giving the Padres just 58 wins seems nothing short of ridiculous, as inexperienced as the roster may be.