ESPN just put out its winter power rankings, and they didn’t go well for the San Diego Padres. The Padres plummeted from 8th to 15th, which is hardly surprising given who they’ve lost and the fact that they haven’t done much to replace any of those losses.
That part of the story is well known, but let’s review anyway. Ace Dylan Cease is gone, and so is closer Robert Suarez. Ryan O’Hearn left to sign with the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the only new signee is Korean infielder Sung Sun Song. Starter Michael King is back, but just barely, as he’ll be on a three-year deal that gives him an opt-out after this year.
But that’s not the real story. To get that part, you have to look at some of the company the Padres are now keeping in the middle of those rankings, and there are some teams in this group that rarely get mentioned in the same breath with San Diego.
Start with the Atlanta Braves, who are ranked just above the Padres in these power rankings. The Braves were a team that couldn’t get out of their own way last year, but now they’ve signed away San Diego’s closer, and according to ESPN writer Buster Only, they’re poised for a bounce back season.
Then there’s the New York Mets. Yeah, that’s right, the same Mets that just went through an historic collapse. They’re ranked at 14th after letting some of their key free agents walk, not to mention trading popular left fielder Brandon Nimmo.
The Tampa Bay Rays are also above the Padres in these rankings at 13th. Shocking, right? But there it is. The Rays are a team that never spends money on free agents, and now they’re just like the Padres.
The Kansas City Royals are the final team we’ll mention. They’re listed at 11th, four slots above the Padres, and they’re also a team that doesn’t spend. They’re a team that has to work around the margins, which is what the Padres are probably going to have to do if they want to improve.
Can GM A.J. Preller do it? So far, the answer looks like a “no,” but this may not be Preller’s fault. He may not have any money to spends, which could be a big part of the reason he hasn’t been extended with the team up for sale for the near future, and possibly well into the season.