Know Your Enemy: San Diego Padres

Mar 2, 2014; Phoenix, AZ, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder

(24) walks off the field against the Los Angeles Dodgers with an injury at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

The San Diego Padres finished 76-86 the past two seasons, manager Bud Black‘s sixth and seventh season with the club, for third place in the National League West ahead of the San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies. The Padres last playoff trip was in 2005, when they fell 3-1 to the St. Louis Cardinals in the Division Series; they also fell to the Cardinals in the 2005 NLDS with both trips under Bruce Bochy.

First baseman Chase Headley had a dominate 2012 performance and then struggled from the start in 2013 with a thumb fractured he suffered in Arizona. Carlos Quentin joined the Padres last season and if healthy along with other Padres looks to provide added power to their lineup.

The Padres did not make any news this offseason in the pitching market as they elected to wait and see if Ian Kennedy can perform like he did at the start of the decade and if former Chicago Cubs prospect Andrew Cashner can prove to be a top-of-the-rotation starter in the majors. The club did sign starting pitcher Josh Johnson to a one-year, $8 million deal, but he is coming off arthroscopic surgery to remove loose bodies and a bone spur in his right elbow. In 16 starts during the 2013 season with the Toronto Blue Jays, Johnson went 2-8 with a 6.20 ERA over 81 1/3 innings.

Projected Lineup
Everth Cabrera SS
Will Venable CF
Chase Headley 3B
Carlos Quentin LF
Yonder Alonso 1B
Jedd Gyorko 2B
Seth Smith RF
Nick Hundley C

Projected Rotation
Ian Kennedy
Andrew Cashner
Josh Johnson
Tyler Ross
Eric Stults

Schedule
Cubs @ Padres May 22-23-24-25
Padres @ Cubs July 22-23-24

For more Chicago Cubs conversation and updates follow us on Twitter @CubbiesCrib and Like our Facebook page at Cubbies Crib.