<span style="font-size:10pt;line-height:100%">The Padres are lead by their two all star caliber starting pitchers in returning Cy Young Award Winner Jake Peavy, along with 6 foot 10 inch Chris Young. Joining them in the rotation are solid veterans in Greg Maddux, a four time cy young award winner, and Randy Wolf, who signed after pitching for the Dodgers last year. Manager Bud Black has hopes free agent addition Mark Prior can stay healthy and be a key part of the rotation as well. However, Prior will start the season on disabled list, leaving Justin Germano as the fifth starter for the time being. Prior hopes to return by the end of May. Trevor Hoffman returns as the closer for the Padres. Nearing fifteen years with the club and now 40 years old, Hoffman had a great season last year with 42 saves, however he had trouble at the end of the season, eventually giving up a lead that cost the Padres a playoff spot in their one game playoff the Rockies. Heath Bell surprised many last season, emerging as Hoffman’s primary set up man and finished with an ERA of 2.02. Cla Meredith also performed well last season (though not quite to the extent of Bell) and will be the other main option out of the bullpen for Black. The Padres led the NL in total ERA (3.70), bullpen ERA (3.01) and rotation ERA (4.11) last season. If the pitching staff can repeat that, the team will have a legitimate chance to reach the playoffs in the difficult National League West. The Padres offense and infield is lead by premier first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Aside from Gold Glove Caliber defense, Gonzalez hit 30 homeruns and drove in 100 men this past year. Joining him in the infield are slick fielding shortstop Khalil Greene, who hits for power but also strikes out a lot, and Kevin Kouzmanoff who started slow but came on strong later in the season last year as a rookie. Rounding out the infield at second base will be free agent addition Tad Iguchi, who spent last season with both the Phillies and the White Sox. The outfield for San Diego will be lead by two older veterans trying to stay healthy and prove they have something left. Right fielder Brian Giles hopes his knee is healthy again and wants to play in all 162 games. Former gold glover Jim Edmonds hopes to be the centerfielder, but will start the season on the disabled list with a calf strain. Scott Hairston will get the opening day nod in center, and most likely move to left field when Edmonds is healthy. Jody Gerut will be the primary backup until Edmonds returns, but he could be pushed by Paul McAnulty, who has had a strong spring with the bat. The Padres will again enjoy a home field advantage at Petco park, where their pitchers will have an advantage against the hitters. But unless Edmonds and Giles stay healthy and help out Gonzalez, or GM Kevin Towers can acquire more power for the lineup, the Padres will probably fall short of the playoffs.</span>
