San Diego Padres are beginning to tick all the right boxes

The season is still young but the San Diego Padres are making baseball fun again for fans in San Diego.

Winning is one thing but playing hard baseball is another. The current bunch of San Diego Padres are playing as a team and if they can continue doing that, they will be a force to reckon with.

San Diego Padres have notched up six wins out of a possible nine. Although it is still early in the season and the sample size is small, they have eked out wins against decent teams. Last two games have been good indicators of Padres’ fighting spirits.

Playing a Saint Louis Cardinals home opener series against a quality opponent and forty-six thousand odd fans was never going to be easy but the San Diego Padres showed poise to outclass the Saint Louis Cardinals not once but twice. And they showed us that this team is probably unlike the Padres teams of the past by notching come-from-behind victories in both games.

San Diego Padres are clearly playing as a team. Over the last nine games, what has stood out is the team spirit. There were reports of the team dining together in St Louis and the team camaraderie is at display many a time. The Friars seem to be playing complementary baseball and the results are there for everyone to see.

When Wil Myers has cooled off (1-for-10), Manny Machado has picked up the slack (3-for-6 with 4 BB’s and a round-tripper). Hunter Renfroe is knocking the door with regular plate appearances with standout bench performances.

Eric Hosmer has been very steady after starting off slowly (0-for-6). Fernando Tatis Jr is showing the baseball world that at twenty, you can start every game and still play with composure. Austin Hedges is making a claim for Gold Glove award.

I will reserve the praise for the young hurlers in another piece but the inexperience definitely might not be as big a concern as it was supposed to be initially.

San Diego Padres still have room for improvement

Ian Kinsler has only 5 hits in 27 AB’s. His slugging line of .185/.241/.333 is concerning. Until Luis Urias is ready, the Friars could try Wil Myers at the lead off spot. Wil Myers has had very ordinary at-bats squandering multiple opportunities against the Cardinals with runners-in-scoring-position.

Some of the Friars are yet to put up their best performances. Robert Stock, Matt Strahm, Robbie Erlin, Manuel Margot are yet to hit their stride. Andy Green will also hope the starting pitchers can go an inning or two longer.

Despite these shortcomings, San Diego Padres are off to a flyer. Hope they continue to impress and let the world take notice. Go Padres!