Eric Hosmer getting off to a fast start with the Padres

The Padres inked Eric Hosmer to an eight-year deal worth $144 million just last week and today made his Padres spring training debut.

The 28-year-old first baseman made his presence felt early, quickly pick up his first hit for San Diego, finishing 1-for-3 with an RBI single.

And while Hosmer spoke of first game jitters when talking with MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell, Hosmer is just excited to get back on the field. Practice is one thing, but it’s hard to replicate in-game experiences, as those are the things that truly ready a player for the MLB regular season.

But Hosmer is settling in nicely in San Diego, particular with third base coach Glenn Hoffman who Hosmer gave a Rolex watch to have Hoffman’s No. 30. Hosmer is a classy guy who was beloved in Kansas City by his teammates and coaches as well as the fans, but the Padres will need more than just his excellent attitude to turn their fortunes around.

Hosmer’s slash line from last year wasn’t too shabby at .318/.385/.498 with a career-high 25 home runs, but there’s doubt Hosmer is worth the $144 million San Diego gave him. His defense is relatively average, he’s never truly hit for power, and outside of last year, his on-base percentage has been somewhat average as well.

However, Hosmer is a proven winner after going to back-to-back World Series’ and winning one in 2015. He’s a veteran leader that brings a certain confidence the Padres have lacked for some time, especially with the revolving door that has been San Diego the last few seasons.

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Adding a veteran leader like Hosmer brings more than just a good player to San Diego, he sets the type of example young players need in order to emulate and thrive at the big league level. And with the club having high hopes for players like outfielder Manuel Margot and top prospect MacKenzie Gore, having Hosmer on the team for the better part of the next decade does nothing but help those players thrive in San Diego.