San Diego Padres: All Eyes on the Padres

With the NFL Draft taking center stage of the sports world this weekend, San Diego Padres fans have no choice but to stick with their baseball team for the first time.

One of the most highly anticipated events in sports which doesn’t actually involve the literal playing of any sport is among us. The 2017 NFL Draft begins Thursday night, finally ending months of coverage ahead of the apex of football’s offseason.

Normally, dedicated San Diego fans of both the Padres and Chargers take their focus off of their baseball club for the weekend, knowing that who their football team takes is critical and will influence the coming NFL seasons.

But 2017 is an unprecedented year when it comes to San Diego sports, as the Chargers are no more. The first real taste of the organization’s absence is about to really hit home with a lot of fans, as the NFL Draft is a major event, one that some fans have Super Bowl like parties for.

This year, assuming San Diego fans haven’t redirected their attention to the Los Angeles Chargers or different football team, will need to keep their focus on the Padres instead of getting caught up in all of the draft hype.

Sure, the Padres have lost four in a row entering play Wednesday and have plummeted to an 8-14 record. Still however, it isn’t a completely miserable sight for fans. The excitement of the four talented rookies on the major league roster is enough to hold any baseball fan’s attention, and the solid play of Wil Myers is also an enjoyable sight.

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The sting of losing the football organization may still exist, and probably won’t go away any time soon. The Chargers’ management failed the city of San Diego and betrayed one of the most loyal fan bases in sports.

Despite all of this, redirecting focus to baseball and a developing club isn’t so bad after all. When it all comes together and the team is competing consistently, the journey will make it all worthwhile. This is what fans must remember as they continue to bear the pain of losing their football team.

Next: Padres: 2B Prospects

The NFL Draft may be on every television at every bar this weekend, but San Diego fans have no real reason to pay attention. The Padres have their series finale with the Diamondbacks Thursday during the first round, and then travel to San Francisco to take on the Giants for a weekend series. These are the games that are worth paying attention to, as San Diego’s eyes should stay on the Padres.