Padres close to wrapping up spring schedule

The San Diego Padres have all but decided their 25-man roster prior to their opening series against the Houston Astros next week.

There are a few positions that still need to be decided, and those changes may not be what the team first thought, especially with Edmonds feeling almost 100% and says he's ready to go for Opening Day. If that's the case, the previous idea that Jody Gerut, Callix Crabbe and Paul McAnulty would all make the team may have to be looked at again and re-decided.

The other final decisions that need to be made will be on the bullpen. They seem to have the players they want, but it just needs to be finalized. When you have guys like Cla Meredith, Glendon Rusch and Adam Bass pitching as well as they have, on top of Heath Bell and Trevor Hoffman, it's going to be a strong bullpen yet again in 2008.

I think a lot of the national media is taking this Padres team lightly, but this team is going to be stronger than that of the 2007 team, I have no doubts about that. A stronger, more determined Jake Peavy, Michael Barrett should have a better year, they'll have 1 second baseman (Iguchi) instead of a platoon, Kevin Kouzmanoff showed his ability, a healthy Jim Edmonds will go a LONG ways.

There are so many things that make this team the best in the NL West, but they need to put it all together to make that happen, not to mention to go deep into the playoffs.