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“Padres Pitching–Better Future Than Today”

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The Padres season is drawing to a fast close, with just 1-more homestead left after they finish this series with the Cubs at Petco Park.

I had hoped the team would go (81-81) and set the stage for a playoff run. Not happening this season.

Might happen next season, but this ‘next year’ thing has been going on too long.

The AJ Preller blueprint has brought a truckload of young pitching to Petco Park this year. The top 6-young pitchers in the starting rotation have held their own.

From Joey Lucchesi to Eric Lauer…Chris Paddack to Cal Quantrill….Dinelson Lamet to Nick Margavicius, the Friars young arms have gone (35-37) and made 114-starts this season.

They have been reliable…gone more solid innings than bad ones, been competitive, and with rare exception have gotten into the 5th and 6th innings in most starts, as the Padres tried to keep them on pitch counts and out of stressful innings.

Yes the team record is disappointing, with the Friards headed to their 9th season in a row below .500. It will be 13-years since this team was in a playoff game.

Manager Andy Green headed into the Cubs series with a (271-357) record. His GM-AJ Prellar has a franchise that is (345-445), a whopping 100-games under .500 since 2015.

It takes time.

I asked a wide variety of people at Petco Park their opinion of what the 6-young starting pitchers have gone thru this season, handed the ball regularly in the rotation. The reactions were unique. Pitching 101.

ANDY GREEN..Padres manager
..Fatigue is a huge issue with kids. We have done a lot to make sure we gave them extra rest.
..We have tried to space out their starts-protect their arms.
..They have learned how to handle the hitters in the league.
..There have been bumps in the road-important to see how they respond to adversity.
..They have shown resiliency in the face of adversity.
..Pitching on a 6-man rotation this year won’t be the case next year.
..They’ve learned about hitters, like hitters have learned about them
..When you see a batter 15-times a season-you need to learn how to attack them.
..Next year will be a different grind…a 5-man rotation
..This off season will be huge for them to get physically ready for 202.

BUD BLACK-Rockies manager
..Most young pitchers wear out early in first season-they’ve been in a grind since January
..Young pitchers get ready in January..then camp in February, then a long season
..They show lots of intensity early in jApril-May-June…out of gas August-September
..Minor league baseball is 2-months shorter than the Padres-Rockies season
..Physicality goes first when fatigue takes over-arm weariness…pitch counts.
..Mentally there is a drain on kid pitchers by August
..You want them to compete even when things are going badly-mental makeup huge.
..In the majors there are no easy innings…these are good hitters
..In the minors, guys go chasing bad pitches…not up here they don’t.
..There are easy innings in the minors because of lack of hitter discipline.
..I guarantee you the kids in San Diego will be so much better next year
..This learning curve season has enormous value to them.
..I worry about young pitchers over-training in the offseason
..I don’t want young pitchers experimenting-follow the regimen
..San Diego has a nice group..this is a great stepping stone.
..Each of those pitchers is different-but they will figure it out.

CRAIG STAMMEN-Padres veteran pitcher
..The 1st year is the really tough time for a pitcher
..There is nothing similar in pitching in the minors compared to up here
..There is a physical toll you pay late in season…even worse a mental toll.
..There are high-highs when you pitch well early in the year…lows later in the year.
..Mental toughness-it takes a toll
..Young pitchers need to build a mental barrier to cope with it.
..They need resolve to have a mental will to get thru a long season.
..Guarantee you scouting reports catch up to kid pitchers.
..Justin Turner will see each of these kids 10-at bats early..he’ll figure them out
..The veterans compile scouting reports on the kid pitchers by mid-season in division
..Pitch counts with young pitchers always run high-those are good hitters
..In the majors-guys will keep fouling off pitches-stress you out in early innings
..You like to think you are the same guy late in the season you were at the start-not.
..You need heart to push thru August-September and not cave in
..I see these 6-pitchers trending upwards. from this young staff
..Veterans on teams don’t like giving away seasons-but we knew what this was about
..Let’s be realistic-this was about giving these kid pitchers real experience.
..A rough year..a rough period is a learning lesson for the next season
..You have to grind on the mound some starts-you have to learn how to win
..Show you can survive a bad inning and come back the next inning..they have mostly
..This off season will be huge for them to get ready for years 2-and-3
..Guarantee you the September callups important to give pitchers a taste of majors
..My 1st year-I was wiped out by August-September
..I came back the 2nd year healthier-mentally tougher.

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