The San Diego Padres and Well-Rounded Rosters
The San Diego Padres are at the top of the NL West near the 2022 All-Star break. Krebs’ latest Friday MLB Column looks into the impact of fielding a complete team rather than standing by a few productive contributors.
Team sports require a mix of talent, skill, and depth. Since multiple players are on a team, the sum of the parts may be greater than the individual. Baseball, arguably as dependent on contributors as any other team sport, need a balance of different talents on the same team to create a balanced product. Successful baseball teams see results from a whole team effort rather than just a singular player carrying most of the team’s production. The San Diego Padres, while having multiple superstars on their roster, need to see contributions up and down the roster to sustain success.
When baseball production comes from every corner of the roster, teams are more likely to win games than those won by a few elite players. MLB teams experience highs and lows throughout the grind of the 162-game season. But when the team is well-equipped to handle adversity such as a dip in production or injury, the total product of the team benefits. Building teams centered around a plethora of capable contributors eliminates the dependency on a team’s success from one player.
The 2022 San Diego Padres have out-performed pre-season expectations due to significant contributions from potential MVP candidate Manny Machado and Cy Young contender Joe Musgrove. Both players have the capable talent of leading a team, but the lack of production in 2022 from the rest of the roster creates cause for concern.
Beyond the two superstars, the rest of the team must perform at a higher level, especially since Machado (ankle) will be out for weeks, while Musgrove Thursday return was to a rocky start. Whether either player will return to their tremendous production in the early part of the season remains to be seen.
More production is necessary from Luke Voit, Trent Grisham, Jake Cronenworth, and Ha-Seong Kim, all Padres starters with a lack of 2022 results. Fernando Tatis Jr. still resides on the injured list from his motorcycle incident, but the team has played above and beyond expectations.
While adding superstar talent is always the flashy and popular move, spending money on the right or productive players leads to contributions from the entire team. Figuring out what the player can provide to the team beyond the on-field production makes successful teams successful.
While looking from afar, the Padres are in a great spot at the top of the NL West. When well-rounded teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are behind you, waiting for your team to mess up, every player must provide their contribution and step up when necessary. Building a winner means standing toe to toe with division rivals and working to fix internal mistakes to prevent external issues. The Padres' dependency on their superstars may cost them, especially in a division with zero margins for error.
Reference Page
Image courtesy of Getty Images