Happy New Year, Padres fans! 2007 has come to a close and the time has now come to look ahead at the season to come for the 2008 San Diego Padres. That being said, does anyone know who’s going to score runs for this outfit? The Padres, like many others clubs, have had a busy off-season, hopping on to the yearly carousel of available ballplayers ranging from the sickeningly overpriced marquee has-beens (Andruw Jones, I’m looking at you) to the bargain basement John Doe’s (anyone remember Chin-Hui Tsao? I thought not, ask the Royals).Â
Amidst the flurry of signings so far, the Padres continue to look like that lovable uncle with the gambling problem who’s one bad weekend in Vegas away from an intervention. Why else would they be rolling the dice on former big names such as Jim Edmonds and Mark Prior?  I know! Perhaps they’re not the gambling uncle, after all.  Maybe they’re the uncle who ingested too many psychedelic drugs in college (you know you’ve got one, too) and are now having a flashback to 2003.Â
Why 2003? Well, that would be the last time either Edmonds or Prior had anything close to an outstanding season (ok, 2004 for Edmonds, but would you really have looked that up if I hadn’t mentioned it? My gut says nay). In 2003, right-handed starting pitcher Prior had the season of his life, winning 18 games and finishing the year with a 2.43 ERA that helped lead the Chicago Cubs to the brink of the World Series, only to fizzle amidst the infamous Steve Bartman fiasco (baaaaa!…or whatever sound goats make...). Since then, however, injuries have hampered his performance, culminating with his one win in nine starts for the Cubbies in 2006. The Padres considered Prior to be a steal at $1 million for one year and another $4.5 million in incentives. He also won’t be the only injury-plagued hurler to be battling for a spot on the mound with the Padres this season (see Randy Wolf).
Edmonds, also, has had his share of ailments leading to shoulder and toe surgeries that have curtailed his production over the past few seasons. Last year, the St. Louis Cardinals’ centerfielder finished the season with a mere 12 homeruns, 53 RBI and a .251 batting average, hardly the savvy slugger of the early millennium. The Padres acquired Edmonds from the Red Birds for minor leaguer David Freese and cash considerations. In doing so, the Padres picked up Edmonds’ $8 million yearly salary and are assumed to be getting some help from the Cards, as well.
All joking aside, however, I really do like both signings for the same reasons the Padres like them: the upside.  In 2004, Edmonds hit 42 homeruns, 111 RBI and finished the season with a .301 batting average for the St. Louis Cardinals. According to Edmonds, he hasn’t felt 100% at the start of any season since…until now. With Mike Cameron seemingly out of the picture at centerfield, Edmonds looks to carry the position without much of a drop-off (again, if healthy) in either fielding or offensive production (not that many Padres fans will miss watching Cameron strike out looking in the bottom of the ninth, anymore). He is also, by most accounts, one of the most fundamentally sound outfielders in the game today. If Edmonds is as healthy as he says he is, look out.
Regarding Prior, if he can regain any semblance of his 2003 form, he will help bolster a solid pitching lineup that already includes Jake Peavy, Chris Young and Greg Maddux. Prior, no doubt, was tempted by the prospect of pitching at the wide-open chasm that is Petco Park, which is commonly referred to as a “pitcher-friendly” park. This could be the perfect environment for a pitcher with Prior’s potential to get his rhythm back and perhaps help the Padres boast one of the most dominating pitching lineups in the league.
Upside is a term that is often thrown around in the sports world as being worth its weight in gold and the Padres have certainly been tempted by the upsides associated with both Edmonds and Prior.  But in this case, I believe the risks have been calculated. The Padres stand to lose very little if either player ends up not working out and everything to gain if one, or both, hits the bull’s eye.Â
Spring Training Countdown: 1 month, 27 days. Check back regularly for more Padres updates and opinion. Until that time…
P.S. The Chargers host the Tennesee Titans at home for the Wild Card matchup this weekend. I, for one, don’t think the Titans have it in them to smack the Bolts in the mouth like they did earlier in the season. I know, I know…famous last words…we’ll see. Also, as much as I appreciate all the fine comments I’ve received so far (please keep the ones regarding the Padres coming), all Chargers related comments should be directed to my esteemed colleague Jeff Williams’ blog at ChargersCoverage.com. He is as passionate as you are and is an excellent writer, to boot. Check out his site for more in-depth Bolts opinion and submit your guess for this weekend’s final score.Â
 -Collin Elliott
