Padres Chair Peter Seidler said all of his focus now is “on this year,” and the team is "not going to reverse course," despite being fourth in the NL West while having MLB's third highest payroll, according to Kevin Acee of the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Seidler said, “I know we’re going to be good. We’re gonna have every chance to be in the mix for the World Series every single year. And so that gives me some kind of serious long-term comfort." Seidler: "I’m as solid as I can be on the year after and two years after and three and the next decade." Seidler proclaimed “unequivocal support” for CEO Erik Greupner and President of Baseball Operations & GM A.J. Preller. Seidler said, “I’m not afraid to make changes. I never have been. But I really value stability. And when I know the person as well and the skillset as well as I know A.J. and Erik, they’re not going anywhere. Period.” He added, “I believe in stability. It is something that is undervalued, generally speaking, in organizations and maybe particularly in sports franchises. But I’m not for mediocre stability. I’m for excellence. And to me, A.J. is excellence.” Acee wrote Seidler has a "patience well beyond the norm for someone so emotionally invested in a team’s fortunes.” Seidler: “That’s the very interesting thing about professional sports. You have a couple of bad months and fans or the media say, ‘You’ve got to fire this guy.’ It’s crazy to me” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 7/1).
BUYERS REMORSE: On Long Island, David Lennon wrote the “spectacular failures” of the Mets and Padres are “proving to be a cautionary tale.” The “sugar high of the cash-happy offseason” is “wearing off" at the start of July. With the Mets on the verge of "being sellers at the Aug. 1 trade deadline," sitting at 10 games below .500 (36-46), who could blame owner Steve Cohen for “feeling as if he got ripped off?” Seidler is “wrestling with the same question” in San Diego, where the Padres (38-45) are “in a worse payroll dungeon than the Mets.” This season, the Padres have the “third-highest payroll” at $276M, which makes them “only the runner-up when it comes to expensive flops in 2023.” The “meager return from this mind-numbing investment” should put Preller “on the hot seat” (NEWSDAY, 7/1).
FOOL'S GOLD: In San Diego, Nick Canepa wrote "never have so few done so little with so much” as Preller has “assembled a brilliant cast with a lousy script.” Seidler’s only problem is that he “dreams expensively and trusts Preller with his purse,” though he “doesn’t deserve this.” The "buck(s) stops at Preller’s desk," as this is the "team he built." Canepa: "I’ve never called for a firing. But one must wonder just how many more expensive ships can sink with Captain A.J. jumping off instead of going down with them” (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 7/1).
FANS STILL COMING THROUGH: Bally Sports West's Mark Gubicza noted the Padres have been selling out games "even though they are struggling.” Bally Sports West's Patrick O’Neal replied, “That’s because they thought they weren’t (going to struggle). It was all the season-ticket sales and everybody hyped about the Padres' 2023 season after their run to the championship series last year. It’s just been miserable for the Padres this season. But everybody already bought their tickets pretty much, so I expect we’ll see good crowds” (“D’Backs-Angels,” Bally Sports West, 7/2).
