Last year we didn’t need anonymous sources to tell us the Padres chemistry just was not right. So, going halfway around the world to spend eight days with each other might have been a blessing for this club.
They got to enjoy something unique, and they did it without the traditional distractions a ball club faces leading up to the start of a baseball season.
“We talk about togetherness a lot,” says manager Mike Shildt. “The group got closer during our spring training. You could feel it on a on a pretty much a daily basis. But then you go to Seoul and there's a next level of togetherness, you know, a long plane ride, a different country. We got a chance to share our game globally, but we had that experience to do it together, which allowed some opportunity for us to get together and just enjoy some off the field time, which obviously can lead to a good team camaraderie.”
They split their two game regular season series against the Dodgers, showing they have something the did not really have a year ago: the ability to punch back when challenged by a good opponent. Now they have a pair of exhibition games against the Mariners.
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It can be hard to be in game mode then have to ratchet down the intensity for outings that don’t count, only to flip the switch again two days after that for Opening Day. Shildt is trying to walk the line between staying locked in and putting his players at unnecessary risk.
“We just normalize how we compete,” says Shildt. “There’s a scoreboard out there and we're going to play to it. We're going to clearly get the guys opportunities but we're also going to, be smart about the fact Opening Day is around the corner. We'll get the regulars a good six innings of work, we’ll take their temperature if they need more bats or not and how they feel about it. But, yeah, we're going to go out and compete and play the game. Regardless of circumstance, we're going to play the game to win.”
When the real thing starts on Thursday afternoon against the Giants it will be Yu Darvish on the mound. He’ll be followed in the rotation by Joe Musgrove, Dylan Cease, and Michael King. All of that was expected. What’s a bit of a surprise is the 5th starter.
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Knuckleballer Matt Waldron earned the final spot in the rotation with a tremendous Spring Training. Shildt did not reveal what that means for Jhony Brito, Pedro Avila, and Randy Vasquez, who were all in the mix to be a starter but can also pitch out of the bullpen. It’s likely at least one is sent to Triple-A El Paso to keep starting so, in case someone gets hurt, they have capable reinforcements stretched out to handle multiple innings.
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