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The Padres had a major-league payroll of about $38 million this past season. That buys a lot of fish tacos for the average Joe but does not allow the Padres to eat at the same table with the majority of major-league teams. Consider that the Chargers once had committed a reported $31 million to quarterback Ryan Leaf, and that Rangers shortstop Alex Rodriguez earns an average $25 million a season himself. Thus, it was amazing that the Padres managed to be competitive for half of retiring icon Tony Gwynn's 20th and final summer. They finished 79-83, better than most projected. Sure, it was the franchise's third consecutive losing season after its 1998 World Series appearance. But general manager Kevin Towers and manager Bruce Bochy made the best of a bad situation.
Best Pitcher: Trevor Hoffman has recorded at least 40 saves a season for four consecutive summers, the first to do so. He became the 14th reliever to get 300 career saves. He's also the first pitcher with seven straight 30-save seasons. He matched his save total of the 2000 season (43) despite eight fewer appearances. Only three National League teams had more saves than the Padres' did as a team (46). Hoffman is the workhorse for a team that plans to spread the workload next season. The catch is the help will have to come from bargain-basement free agents or the farm system.
Best Position Player: An obvious argument can be made for infielder Phil Nevin, who has hit 96 homers and driven in 318 runs since arriving in San Diego in 1999. Nevin provides plenty of pop and backup for power-hitting Ryan Klesko in the batting order. But Nevin has had the worst fielding percentage among the National League's regular third basemen the past two seasons. If he remains a Padre next season -- as of late October he's yet to sign a deal to extend his stay with the Padres beyond 2002 -- he probably will play first base. That move would mean Klesko, who's not exactly a Hoover at first himself, would find himself in the outfield. Klesko provides an outstanding blend of power (30 HRs, 113 RBI) and -- for a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder -- speed (23 stolen bases).
Grading The Manager: A-minus.In his seventh summer as the Padres' skipper, Bochy made the most of a challenging season. The franchise's most successful manager had to deal with the hoopla surrounding Gwynn's retirement and the various attractions and distractions Rickey Henderson's return to the club provided. Bochy was faced with the mid-season resignation of pitching coach Dave Smith. Injuries and other setbacks forced the Padres to use five rookie pitchers. Plus, they played an unplanned game of musical shortstops (six different starters). Bochy had to do all that while trying to squeeze as much as he could from one of the smallest payrolls in baseball. He did that and produced 79 victories -- including an impressive 44 on the road. The Friars were 24-15 in one-run games. The Padres were 9-1 in extra-inning contests, the best in the majors last summer. Bochy managed to get the Padres into first place -- however briefly -- in May. His biggest projects for 2002 will be improving the team's poor defense and spotty offense.
Most Improved: Outfielder Bubba Trammell has proven to be a great bargain since arriving last winter in a trade with the Mets for pitcher Donne Wall. Trammell , who earned $800,000 less than what the Mets paid Wall, hit 25 homers and produced 92 RBI in a career-high 142 games. His previous single-season major-league highs were 14 homers with the Devil Rays in 1999 and 45 RBI with the Devil Rays and Mets in 2000. The Padres awarded Trammell with a contract for $8.75 million over the next three seasons with an option for 2005. His right-handed power would become more valuable if Nevin is traded.
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Padres' 2000-01 comparison
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2000
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2001
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W-L
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76-86
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79-83
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HR leader
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Nevin, 31
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Nevin, 41
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BA leader
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Nevin, .303
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Nevin, .306
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ERA
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T. Hoffman, 2.99
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Nunez, 3.31
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Biggest Weakness: The Padres present problems on both defense and offense. They led the majors in errors (145) for the second straight year, were shut out a major-league leading 16 times and struck out a team-record 1,273 times. They were no-hit twice and needed Ben Davis' eighth-inning bunt to break up a perfect game bid by the Diamondbacks' Curt Schilling. The seemingly annual combination of poor defense behind him and shoddy run support for him seemed to wear on starter Bobby J. Jones, who had a 6.75 post-All-Star break ERA. Overall, he surrendered 37 home runs and posted an 8-19 record. If he remains with the Padres, Jones might need help regaining his confidence. Pitching was dealt a big blow with the loss of promising Adam Eaton, who after elbow surgery is not expected to return until 2003.
Gaining Momentum: Shortstop D'Angelo Jimenez, a mid-summer acquisition from the Yankees, might give the Padres stability at a position that's been hard for them to staff. He had 22 multi-hit games in 86 outings with the Padres - or seven more than two of the Padres' other primary shortstops last season combined to manage. Jimenez, a switch-hitter, did not flinch when put at the top of the Padres' order. He hit a solid .280 at the top of the order. He was calm enough to end the Cardinals' Woody Williams' perfect-game bid with a seventh-inning single. Jimenez did commit 21 errors in 85 games at shortstop, so his fielding must improve. But Jimenez, who turns 24 in December, is young. Center fielder Mark Kotsay was bothered the last part of the season with a hand injury, but the Padres reportedly are high on his potential to blossom into an offensive force.
Kicked Off The Island: Jones is guaranteed $3 million in 2002 -- that's a huge portion of the team's payroll. The Padres are dedicated to a youth movement on the mound, with fast-rising right-hander Dennis Tankersley, who began the 2001 season in Class A, expected to contend for a job in the parent-club's rotation next spring. Another pitching-starved team might consider Jones a bargain and be willing to assume his salary in exchange for cheaper talent. Towers has an eye for such swaps. If the Padres cannot get Nevin -- who reportedly rejected a $32 million contract extension for the 2003-2006 seasons -- into the fold long term, he might become trade bait again. Prized prospect Sean Burroughs is expected to assume Nevin's job at third base.
Sheldon Spencer is an associate editor at ESPN.com.
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