I’m still working on my season wrapup. Every time I sit down to write, it comes out “lkjasdf” or “qweiopu” or even “)*(#@%)*#$!!!” I do have some thoughts, but I’m finding it difficult to articulate them. Meanwhile, we’ve got lots o’ links…

Looking Backward

• Latos’ growth apparent in wake of finale (Padres.com). He pitched better than I expected — made a couple mistakes but overall gave a strong effort. Now he can rest and not throw any more innings. Huzzah.
• An Ode to Mat Latos (FanGraphs). Graphs and stuff.
• Padres’ unlikely run comes up short (Padres.com). Corey’s lede pretty much says it all: “For the first time since 2007, the Padres played meaningful games in September and October. They just didn’t win enough of them.”
• Plenty of reasons for Padres’ pride (Padres.com). Sure, okay.
• Padres bound forward in 2010 (Padres.com). Former Padres manager Bruce Bochy has nice things to say about the Padres, and why not? He can afford it. Not that I’m bitter or anything.
• Given opportunity, Stauffer huge for Padres (Padres.com). Everyone loves Timmy.
• Despite Fade, Padres Worth Celebrating (FanHouse). Tom Krasovic brings the perspective: “You outpaced by four victories a St. Louis Cardinals team that drew rabid support in Flyover Land, and had Albert Pujols, Adam Wainwright, Matt Holliday and Chris Carpenter, plus a genius in charge.” Can you imagine what the Padres might have done with even one of those guys on their roster? [h/t Gaslamp Ball]
• Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, it was a wonderful play (619 Sports). Chainsaw tells it as only he can: “Only the rim of an active volcano lined with primitive virgins would be a more obvious sacrifice situation than runners at first and second with nobody out for Torrealba in the 6th inning Sunday.”
• Yankees Are Terrible! (At Spending Money Efficiently) (Business Insider). From the article: “The numbers showed that the San Diego Padres were the most efficient team this season winning 90 games with a $37.8 million payroll ($420K per win).” [h/t Gaslamp Ball]
• Padres GM Jed Hoyer: “There’s a reason we didn’t make the playoffs. We obviously weren’t quite good enough.” (Gaslamp Ball). Jbox summarizes an audio interview with Hoyer. Some good stuff in here, on a variety of subjects. Ray at Sacrifice Bunt remarks on several points made in the interview.
• What Went Right: Padres 2010 Season Review Part One (619 Sports). Craig offers some solid analysis of the team’s efforts this year: “Even as new general manager Jed Hoyer switched from evaluation/rebuilding to insta-contending mode, he never really got off the path too far. Trades for Miguel Tejada and Ryan Ludwick cost the organization virtually nothing in terms of prospects.”

Looking Forward

• Hoyer, Padres set sights on 2011 roster (Padres.com). Some things might happen; other things might not. It’s all a bit fuzzy.
• Hoyer does not plan to stand pat (North County Times). Well, good.
• Offensive upgrade wanted for 2011 Friars (Padres.com). Corey gives a nice breakdown of the current situation and future possibilities. I like this quote from GM Jed Hoyer: “You can make a big mistake by thinking you have a magic team or caught lightening in a bottle and think that group is going to do the same thing.” He also uses words like “chemistry,” “momentum,” and “spirit,” which may make some people uncomfortable.
• Roster must be reassessed after storybook run fell just short (North County Times). Yarp.
• Looking Ahead – Your 2011 Padres (Websoulsurfer). One man’s perspective…
• Padres claim infielder Hoffpauir from Jays (Padres.com). Sure, why not. He is a year younger than Craig Stansberry. The Padres DFA’d catcher Chris Stewart to make room for Hoffpauir, which is slightly less painful than exposing Joakim Soria to the Rule V draft to make room for Stansberry.
• Dave Roberts joins Padres coaching staff (U-T). He’ll be the new first base coach.
• Despite big league credentials, Balsley not making a managerial move (U-T). That’s good news.

Looking Sideways

• Park Chan-ho sets landmark for Asian pitchers (Korea Times). Congrats to the former Padres hurler for becoming the all-time winningest Asian-born pitcher in MLB history. [h/t BBTF]
• In Year of the Pitcher, Home Runs Plummet (New York Times). Year of the Pitcher? 1968? No, apparently 2010 has been given that name. [h/t BBTF]
• Numbers for the Numbered Starters (FanGraphs). Bryan Smith examines “the 2010 statistical definitions of what #1-4 starters were.”
• The Baseball Analysts 2010 Award Winners (Baseball Analysts). Bud Black is their consensus for National League Manager of the Year.
• Bring Back Sports Arguments (Joe Blogs). Joe Posnanski often says what I’m thinking, only much better than I ever could: “I do think we are getting back to the point in sports where arguments are being shouted down before they are made, that in this stats vs. scouts world of baseball that people are simply not even listening to the other side, that baseball is being turned into a game show like Do You Want To Be A Millionaire, where only one answer can be accepted as correct.” [h/t BBTF]
• Ex-baseball star and bankrupt financial ‘guru’ Dykstra envisions a comeback (Los Angeles Times). Much as I hate to admit it, I do marvel at the occasional train wreck. [h/t BBTF]
• Corona Santiago’s Darr carries heavy burden (Press-Enterprise). The late Mike Darr’s eldest son is making a name for himself as a high school baseball and football star in Corona.
• Mets set sights on Sandy Alderson, White Sox assistant GM Rick Hahn as general manager candidates (New York Daily News). Alderson certainly would be an interesting choice. [h/t BBTF]

Happy Friday. Is it spring training yet?

Tagged as: bruce bochy, bud black, chan-ho park, darren balsley, dave roberts, jed hoyer, lenny dykstra, mat latos, miguel tejada, mike darr, ryan ludwick, sandy alderson, year of the pitcher