Defending A.J. Preller

Despite the San Diego Padres' failures, general manager A.J. Preller deserves praise for the current state of the franchise.

Photo byGetty Images

Never in my life did I think defending A.J. Preller would be necessary.

What he has done to transform this franchise into relevancy is amazing.

I get the frustration, though. I really do.

The San Diego Padres have only enjoyed two winning seasons under the G.M.'s 10-year reign. That is not a good thing. But in hindsight, the team is drawing more fans than ever in the organization's history. The ownership group is also spending money on players, which is a complete turnaround of the season's past.

Exciting things are happening in San Diego. You CANNOT deny it.

Sure, winning a world title is the ultimate goal. But the Padres are fun to watch, and the fans are coming in droves. If we remain patient, good things may come to San Diego.

The late Peter Seidler and his staff created a brand to be envious of in major league baseball. The Gaslamp and East Village area of Downtown San Diego is now the hip place in town. Continuous development occurs in the area as new restaurants and bars revitalize an area that was dormant before. Petco Park and the Padres built that area of San Diego.

There will be no slowing down the Padres as far as attendance is concerned, either.

[caption id="attachment_121906" align="alignright" width="450"] Credit: Getty Images[/caption]

Petco Park is a theme park with world-class restaurants and plenty of entertainment for those who do not necessarily come for the Padres and baseball. Tourists are encouraged to take in a game and witness the ambiance of San Diego firsthand. The baseball season runs from spring to the end of summer, which just happens to be the height of tourism season in San Diego.

The modern era of sports involves catering to every type of fan, maximizing income, and making your team available to the masses in different ways, whether in person or via social media. The Padres have mastered that art, and other teams are attempting to utilize the same formula for their city.

Now, A.J. Preller doesn't necessarily deserve praise for all this. But he has built an exciting team full of stars.

It is hard to imagine all these fans coming out if the product on the field was stagnant and boring to watch.

Yes, in the infancy of Preller's reign, the Padres dealt away Trea Turner and Max Fried before they reached the major leagues, trading each player for Wil Myers and Justin Upton. In hindsight, the trades did not age well for the Padres. It's true.

However, when they were dealt, both Fried and Turner were years away from reaching the majors and contributing. They were also prospects and had no guarantee of success in the majors. The Padres needed star power now, and Upton and Myers certainly provided that for the fans in 2015. It's a shame neither Upton nor Myers lived up to the overall expectations.

Fans continue to spew the results of these bad trades when discussing Preller. I understand the frustration, but it was about the big picture, not a single trade or two. I still believe that without Upton and Myers, the current fans would not be enjoying Manny Machado, Yu Darvish, or Xander Bogaerts. The fan base needed to be energized, and the 2015 run was exciting for the city. Even though it ended relatively soon, it was fun seeing the national media actually talk about our Padres.

Preller is aggressive in building his team. He moves prospect capital for relevant major league players. That's just what he does.

In that formula, you do miss. Turner and Fried are not the only former Padres prospects to go off to bigger and brighter things. Josh Naylor, CJ Abrams, Andres Munoz, MacKenzie Gore, James Wood, and a few other former prospects look like they will be productive major leaguers for a long time. It happens.

Sometimes, you trade prospects who blossom. That should not prevent you from moving young players for specific needs on your major league roster now. I understand getting sentimental about these young players. It's only natural. But the overall goal trumps all.

The Padres are built to win in 2024. Their roster is full of veterans, and there isn't much room for young players to develop.

Hoarding prospects is not the answer. Leodalis De Vries and Ethan Salas still lead a very talented group. Prospects are emerging every month for the Padres. The system keeps producing, and that will not stop. Look at what Jackson Merrill is doing this year for the Padres.

A.J. Preller and his staff must be allowed to continue building. At this point, a change would be detrimental to the franchise's future. Peter Seidler had complete trust in Preller, and the fans should, too. Well, at least most of you.

I know a World Series title is the ultimate goal, but winning said title isn't rocket science. Just ask the team up the 5 freeway in Los Angeles. They outspend most teams every year, only to lose in the playoffs. One (Covid-shortened season) World Series title in over 35 years is not a success story for the Dodgers.

Winning in MLB is not easy. We need to recognize that fact. Let's just be content (for now) that we have a great team capable of winning it all and hoisting that trophy. The ownership group is going for it and spending money. Keep supporting the team, and maybe something magical happens.

With all this being said, the clock is running out on A.J. Preller.

The Padres must win relatively soon, or the ownership group may look for a different philosophy. That is just the nature of the game currently. It comes down to results. It's a business.

The groundwork is laid for the Padres to be a successful franchise for a long time. It would be naive to believe A.J. Preller is the only man capable of bringing a trophy to San Diego. He is just the man currently holding the seat. Preller deserves a ton of praise for what he has created. The Padres are relevant, and that is thanks to his efforts.

The Padres possess all the tools for success, and the players are in a position to win. Now, it will come down to execution and a little luck.

Thank you, A.J.- for creating this moment.