Fansided

Fantasy Baseball: Padres’ Offense Greatly Improved With Justin Upton

By Robert Moodispaugh

facebooktwitterreddit

The San Diego Padres continued their team transition during the offseason acquiring outfielder Justin Upton from the Atlanta Braves. Earlier in the week, they also acquired outfielder Wil Myers from the Tampa Bay Rays. And they traded for All-Star catcher Derek Norris. Not to mention the acquisition of Matt Kemp.

As mentioned in my previous post about Kemp, the Padres were extremely lacking on the offensive side in 2014. They are clearly going all in right now, but I am questioning why. Why is 2015 the year the Padres feel they have the best chance?

In 2014, PETCO Park only allowed 101 home runs, which was the least in the majors. Again, PETCO is renowned as one of the best stadiums for pitchers. There is no doubt that these acquisitions are beneficial for the Padres’ offense, but expect drop-offs in all of their stats

The 2013 rookie of the year, Myers struggled mightily in 2014 only batting .222 in 87 games. Surprisingly, he performed a lot worse against south paws (.192 average). Notable lefties in the NL West include Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-Jin Ryu, Madison Bumgarner, and Patrick Corbin (depending on progress of Tommy John surgery). Not a bad list there.

Live Feed

Braves News: The improvement Ian Anderson needs to make, MiLB coaching staff, more
Braves News: The improvement Ian Anderson needs to make, MiLB coaching staff, more /

House That Hank Built

  • Atlanta Braves: Justin Upton trade, where are they now?House That Hank Built
  • 15 worst Los Angeles Angels free agent signings in franchise historyHalo Hangout
  • Michael Lorenzen sends shots at MLB after drilling former LA Angel in the headHalo Hangout
  • Mike Trout's reunion with Justin Upton on the field gives off all the feelsHalo Hangout
  • SEAside Thoughts: Seattle Mariners Get Roughed Up Out EastSoDo Mojo

    • Of course, 2014 could be an anomaly. The Rays struggled as a team, and it probably affected Myers’ production. However, even if that damage against lefties increases in 2015, the Padres current lineup features 5 right-handed hitters. That’s a pretty even split, but those 5 hitters accounted for 332 RBI’s (66.4 RBI’s per player) in 2014. In comparison, the left-handed hitters only produced 115 (about 38 per player). If this team struggles against right-handed pitchers, those lefties at the bottom of the lineup are not likely to pick up the slack.

    In my opinion, the Upton trade was the most important move for the Padres. If any of these guys can succeed in San Diego, it’s him. He has hit more than 25 home runs in four of the last six seasons. There is obviously the concern of the dimensions of the field, but his average home run length in 2014 was 405.9 feet. Also, he has played in 149 or more games in each of the last four years.

    Ultimately, I like Upton to be the most successful acquisition. But honestly, I would have invested more in a strong pitcher if I were the Padres. Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross had great seasons, but after them, you have a bunch of middle-of-the-road guys whose inconsistency will frustrate any manager. But they want a heavy offense, and now they have one. Just don’t expect the world from them.

    More from FanSided

    Home/Fantasy