Padres Showcasing Their Power Early In Spring

By David Conde
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Updated: March 11, 2015

Photo Credit: Charlie Riedel/AP

It’s very early in Spring Training, with just about a week full of games being played, but the San Diego Padres offense already looks to be very dangerous.

On Tuesday, Matt Kemp, B.J. Upton and Will Middlebrooks, who were all brought in via trades, went yard in a 10-5 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Kemp was brought in via trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the off-season. He is coming off a season where he batted .287, with 38 doubles, 25 home runs and 89 RBI’s, which was a big rebound from his 2013 season when he only hit six home runs and drove in 33 RBI’s. So far in Spring Training he is batting .545 (6 for 11).

Upton also arrived in the off-season to the Padres via a trade with the Atlanta Braves. In 2014, he had a quick start to his season, belting 13 home runs combined in April and May, but slowed down during June and July only belting six total, before his monster month of August where he launched seven home runs and drove in 28 RBI’s. Upton would finish the season batting .270, with 29 home runs and 102 RBI’s. In this Spring, Upton is just 4 for 10, but of the four hits, two are doubles and two are home runs.

Middlebrooks, is not one that comes with much power, only belting two in a 215 at bats last season and 34 combined in his brief three-year career, but he could be looking to change that in 2015. In four Spring games, he is batting .538 (7 for 13), with two home runs.

Until the regular season begins, there is no way to tell if Middlebrooks will make an impact to the lineup as will both Kemp and Upton, but if spring is any indication of what is to come, 2015 looks to be his year.

There is also Wil Myers, who was added to this revamped lineup and who looks to make a major impact in 2015. Myers, who arrived in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays, hit his first home run on Saturday. He has gotten off to a slow start this spring and as his career indicates, he doesn’t come with much power, only six home runs in all of 2014, but he should be a good compliment to a lineup building up to be interesting to watch this summer.

With the collection of bats on the Padres roster, the team looks poised to be more than just power, but it will be up to Kemp and Upton to lead this revamped lineup to possible play-off contenders, then we will all witness just how dangerous the Padres will be this summer.

David Conde

David is the Co-Founder and Executive Editor of Legends On Deck®, as well as a Co-Host on Legends On Deck Podcast. David was a Senior Editor for MetsMerizedOnline.com, MetsMinors.net and Contributor for Hardballchat.com that spanned from 2010 to 2014. David made his MLB Debut as a writer in June 2014, while covering the NY Mets at Citi Field, for MetsmerizedOnline.com. David also coaches baseball for ages 13-15, a Babe Ruth League team in his local community. David's passion is coaching the game he loves to the future Legends of Tomorrow as well as making available a website that people can have fun sharing and reading. David is also passionate about his career as a Mortgage Loan Officer which allows him to help many families reach their dreams of owning a home. Connect with David via his Social Media pages as he loves to chat all about baseball.