New season brings new faith, potential

It's morning, sun slowly coming up over San Diego and already movement has begun at Petco Park this Monday morning.

Some employees have already made their way in, looking over last minute preparations, make sure everything is where it should be, making sure the ball park is ready. The grounds crew will make their final checks of the field, raking the field, checking for any hard packed dirt and making sure the grass is cut just so. It's Opening Day 2008, the baseball season has returned.

Players are slowly waking up, cooking breakfast for their families, taking their kids to school, but there's an unfamiliar feeling in the pit of their stomachs, something they haven't felt since early October. It's the nervous feeling right before a ball game, they know it's time to put the 2007 season and all they've learned during spring training behind them. They know, at 7:05pm PST, the marathon to a 162 game season begins on March 31st, 2008.

In just a few short hours, the already bustling streets of downtown, packed with business men and women walking or driving to work, with be crowded with cars taking Padre fans to Petco Park. The restaurants just opening this morning know what's in store for later today. Fans that couldn't get tickets for Opening Day, will crowd their floors and tables, their eyes glued on their team.

The San Diego Padres will open their season tonight against the Houston Astros. Jake Peavy will get the start for San Diego, while the Astros will counter with Roy Oswalt who, oddly enough, is not only a very close friend of Peavy's but is staying at the Peavy home during this 4-game series.

It's the start of a new season, new faith in the team we've all come to love, new potential for this team to go deep into October and a new found belief that this year, will be the year.

Padres announce Opening Day roster

The San Diego Padres have announced their Opening Day roster for the 2008 season.

The first move made was to place Jim Edmonds on the 15-day DL retroactive to March 21st. He will be eligible to return to the team on April 5th.

On the roster, though unexpected through most of spring training, is outfielder Paul McAnulty. He's been on the opening day roster before, but he says this year has a whole different feel to it. "I feel like I'm in a whole new situation this year. This year, I'm going to get a chance to play a lot more. You never find out until you do it. I dedicated my whole offseason to working out and become the player these guys want me to be ... and the player I want to be, as well. Last year was just a down year, stuff like that happens. It's a question of if you can get back up or not."

Also on the roster are Rule 5 draft pick Callix Crabbe and non-roster invitee Jody Gerut, both of whom gave the Padres everything their scouts said they would during Spring Training and have earned their way onto the ballclub.

Pitchers:

Jake Peavy
Chris Young
Greg Maddux
Randy Wolf
Justin Germano
Joe Thatcher
Cla Meredith
Wil Ledezma
Heath Bell
Trevor Hoffman
Glendon Rusch
Enrique Gonzalez


Position Players:

Josh Bard
Michael Barrett
Callix Crabbe
Adrian Gonzalez
Tony Clark
Tadahito Iguchi
Khalil Greene
Kevin Kouzmanoff
Brian Giles
Scott Hairston
Paul McAnulty
Justin Huber
Jody Gerut

Justin Germano named 5th starter

Padre fans can finally put the debate of "who will be the 5th starter" to rest. According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, the San Diego Padres have named Justin Germano as their 5th starter for the 2008 season.

Germano had a great start to the 2007 season, impressing everyone that watched him pitch, but maybe National League hitters figured him out because he really struggled through August and September.

He's done so well through spring training, he has really earned the 5th spot in the rotation and I think he's learned so much through last season that he'll put that all together and be even better in 2008. He's not relying so much on throwing curveball/slider, he has picked up a changeup and is throwing it for strikes and it has really become an out pitch, not to mention that he has increased his velocity on his fastball by at least 3 MPH according to scouts.

The question that this brings up is, when Mark Prior is ready to go, what happens to Germano? Does he get shipped out in a trade, does he slide into the bullpen? What we do know at this point is, he'll be the 5th starter for the Padres at least until the end of May or beginning of June. After that, we'll just have to wait and see.

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.

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I know, I know, this isn't something I would normally post here, but I think it's worth the look to people who are interested.

For any of you wanting new music to listen to or any local bands that are looking for someone that can put together a demo video for you, this will give you both.

The band is called "The Breach" the song is called "Blue Eyes," take a listen and I hope you enjoy it.

On the flip side, the guy that directed the music video is Evan Kaufmann who is one of the best directors in the Dallas area. You can reach him here if you're interested in having someone professional to work with.

Padres make more roster cuts

The San Diego Padres moved one step closer to finalizing their 25-man roster for the start of the regular season that opens on Monday.


The Padres optioned infielders Oscar Robles, Craig Stansberry and Brian Myrow to AAA Portland, as well as assigning outfielder Chip Ambres and pitchers Adam Bass and Shawn Estes to their Minor League camp.


Also, with Jim Edmonds possibly starting the year on the DL, it means that Callix Crabbe, Jody Gerut and Paul McAnulty could all make the team and may share duties in left field with Scott Hairston starting in Center to replace Edmonds.

Adam Bass also could find his way onto the roster, especially since Rule 5 draftee Carlos Geuvara could start the year on the DL.

Padres pick up Black's 2009 option

Going into his 2nd season as the manager of the San Diego Padres, Bud Black has already made an impression on not only the fans of San Diego, but the Padres' brass as well.

It was announced today that the Padres have picked up Black's option for the 2009 season, but don't count out a long term deal before the end of this season.

GM Kevin Towers, "I think he's handled it very, very well. I think that for the first year, you couldn't ask for more. To have us where we're at right now, he's done a remarkable job."

"While we exercised Buddy's option for next year, we believe that he will continue to grow and develop as a Major League manager for many years to come. He has exceeded our expectations, and we are excited for the future of the Padres under his guidance."