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“Padres-Future-Begins Today”

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We know where we are today…buried in last place just a quarter of the way into the season.

We know where they used to be when they had quality young pitching.

But that was so, so long ago.

You do remember Jake Peavy and Mat Latos. Here for sucess, then shipped off.

Before that the last good young arms we saw around here, were home grown high draft pick Andy Benes and Joey Hamilton, first round draft picks, but that was two decades ago.

And there were a couple with promise, sidetracked by arm ailments.

So as we sift thru the wreckage of this year, and what has happened in just the last week, we are looking for anything, anyone to give us hope.

The Padres dragged 38-pitchers in camp, an assortment of aging veterans, 1-year rentals, guys coming off bad seasons, some with injury history. It was with the hope they could be competitive. More bad outings than good, has gotten you to this (17-30) record at breakfast.

Of course, added a record 40-pitchers to their minor league farm system last summer, 17-whom they drafted, and a record 23-they signed when the International free agent window opened.

This week alone, Jered Weaver gave us an 8-run opening inning. Jhoulys Chacin staggered thru a 7-run first inning. Even Louis Perdomo gave up 5. The same for Clayton Richard.

We know what might be down road, if you are paying attention to the past draft, and what is happening at Lake Elsinore.

But Calvin Quantrill, Eric Lauer and Joey Lucchessi, are a long way from San Diego, and I am talking distance between the California League and the National League.

Same thing for the internationals, led by teenagers Adrain Morejon and Ron Bolonos, who will make debuts in the next two weeks, after coming from Cuba a year ago this time.

Again, we’re talking Arizona Summer League, and we’re not talking about driving distance from Peoria to San Diego.

But tonight we get the first glimpse of the future. Young righthander Dinelson Lamet arrives from El Paso.

The 6’4 hurler has moved quickly thru the farm system with success at every stop.

Lamet has a (20-20) career record in 3-plus minor league seasons. But really iimpressive is a (2.99-ERA) he has rung up.

He has electric stuff, but sometimes home plate moves on him. Lamet ha s 336-strikeouts in 298-innings, but he also has 125-walks and 16-hit batsmen.

He pitches tonight at Citi Field against the Mets.

Monitor his innings, his location, and how he handles whatever adversity he faces, and he will face adversity.

Andy Benes went an impressive (89-75) with the Padres before being dealt to the Cardinals. He finished with 148-career wins in a quality career..

Jake Peavy was (92-68) before he became too expensive and was dealt to the White Sox. He has pitched well in San Francisco and Boston, but appears to be done. He has 111-career wins.

Joey Hamilton was (55-44) and then was moved to the Blue Jays, winding up with 74-career wins.

Mat Latos appeared with a flourish,then flamed out. He was (27-29) here, then moved to Cincinnati, but physical woes have trailed him thru stops with 6-clubs. Just 29 years old his career mark (71-59) as he hangs on in the International League.

Others have come here with promise, only to break down…righthander Greg Harris…lefthander Corey Luebke, done in by devasting shoulder and elbow surgeries.

So tonight we will watch Lamet and hope he is a new beginning, the first new one of many this franchise will need to pan out on the Padres hill.

Hope is better than what we are suffering thru right now.

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