Manager Bud Black led the Padres to a 75-87 (46.3%) record despite not having much talent to work with. He has compiled a 227-260 record (46.6%) in his three years with the Padres. Black is a master at working with the pitching staff so if the offense improves in 2010 so will the Padres’ record.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE MANAGER IN 2010: B-

32-year old righty closer has heard his name in trade rumors all winter but he will be at least starting the 2010 season with the Padres and that is a good thing. Bell pitched in 68 games (0 starts) for the Padres last season in which he was 6-4 with 42 saves, a 2.71 ERA and a 1.12 WHIP. He only gave up 54 hits in 69 2/3 innings last season while whiffing 79 batters which is pretty darn impressive. Bell has now pitched in 223 games (0 starts) in his three years for the Padres and he is 18-14 witih 44 saves, a 2.72 ERA and a 1.09 WHIP. I look for him to be outstanding for the Padres once again in 2010.

31-year old righty Mike Adams will be the Padres’ top set up man if he can stay healthy this year. Adams pitched in 37 games (0 starts) for the Padres last season and he was 0-0 with a 0.73 ERA and a 0.60 WHIP. He only gave up 14 hits in 37 innings pitched last season while whiffing 45 batters showing just how nasty he was last season. Adams has now pitched in 91 games (0 starts) in his two years with the Padres and he is 2-3 with a 1.85 ERA and a 0.88 WHIP.

25-year old Luke Gregerson really stepped up for the Padres last season and they hope he keeps up the good work for them in 2010. Gregerson pitched in 72 games (0 starts) for the Padres last season in which he was 2-4 with 1 save, a 3.24 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP. He only gave up 62 hits in 75 innings pitched last season while whiffing 93 batters.

25-year old righty Edwin Mujica also stepped up for the Padres last year. Mujica pitched in 67 games (4 starts) for the Padres last year and he was 3-5 with 2 saves, a 3.94 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP. He was a bust early in his career with the Indians but I think the Padres have something in him.

28-year old lefty Joe Thatcher has really developed into a solid reliever. Thatcher pitched in 52 games (0 starts) for the Padres last year and he was 1-0 with a 2.80 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP. He only allowed 37 hits in 45 innings for the Padres last season while whiffing 55 batters which is impressive.

26-year old righty Adam Russell was part of the Jake Peavy trade last summer. He pitched in 15 games (0 starts) for the White Sox last season and he was 3-1 with a 3.65 ERA and a 1.95 WHIP. Russell also pitched in 43 games (0 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 2-2 with a 3.56 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP.

24-year old righty Ryan Webb also made his debut with the Padres last year. Webb pitched in 28 games (0 starts) for the Padres last season and he was 2-1 with a 3.86 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Webb also pitched in 34 games (2 starts) in AAA-ball last year and he was 7-1 with 2 saves, a 4.25 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP.

25-year old righty Luis Perdomo also made his major league debut last season for the Padres. Perdomo pitched in 35 games (0 starts) for the Padres last year in which he was 1-0 with a 4.80 ERA and a 1.52 WHIP. He did whiff 55 batters in only 60 innings last season so he has the potential to pitch better in 2010.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE BULLPEN IN 2010: B+

The Padres have three solid starting pitchers to lead the way for them in 2010 (Chris Young, Jon Garland and Kevin Correia). The rotation will be filled out by two youngsters who the Padres will need to step up. 30-year old righty Chris Young missed a large chunk of the season due to injury and the Padres can’t afford a repeat of that in 2010. Young started 14 games for the Padres last season and he was 4-6 with a 5.21 ERA and a 1.45 WHIP. In his four years with the Padres, Young has started 93 games in which he is 31-25 with a 3.70 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. His health is a big key to the Padres’ success in 2010.

30-year old righty Jon Garland is a solid innings eater. He started 33 games for the Dodgers & D-Backs last season and he was 11-13 with a 4.01 ERA and a 1.40 WHIP. Garland has won at least 10 games for 8 years in a row now and I think he’ll make it 9 in a row in 2010. Garland’s stuff will likely play very well with him pitching half of his games at Petco Park.

29-year old righty Kevin Correia had a career year with the Padres in 2009 and they hope he will repeat it in 2010. Correia started 33 games for the Padres last season in which he was 12-11 with a 3.91 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. Correia was a horse for the Padres last season and they will be depending on him to remain effective in 2010.

26-year old lefty Clayton Richard will likely win the #4 spot in the Padres’ rotation for 2010. He started 12 games for the Padres last season in which he was 5-2 with a 4.08 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. Richard pitched in 38 games (26 starts) overall for the White Sox & Padres last season and he was 9-5 with a 4.41 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP. If Richard starts pitching better on the road this season the Padres will have a double digit winner on their hands in 2010.

22-year old Mat Latos is the front runner for the #5 job in the Padres’ rotation. He started 10 games for the Padres last season in which he was 4-5 with a 4.62 ERA and a 1.30 WHIP. He only gave up 43 hits in 50 2/3 innings for the Padres last season showing that he has swing and miss stuff. Latos also pitched in 13 games (11 starts) in A+AA-ball last year in which he was 8-1 with a 1.37 ERA and a 0.75 WHIP. Latos only gave up 42 hits while whiffing 73 batters in 72 1/3 innings in the minors last season. But the number that really sticks out to me was that he only walked 10 batters in the minors last year. Latos has a very nice upside.

25-year old lefty Wade LeBlanc is also in the competition for the #5 spot in the Padres’ rotation. He started 9 games for the Padres last season and he was 3-1 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. He only gave up 35 hits in 46 1/3 innings in the majors last season showing he has decent stuff. LeBlanc also pitched in 24 games (20 starts) in AAA-ball last season and he was 4-9 with a 3.87 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP.

27-year old righty Tim Stauffer was pretty effective last season for the Padres. Stauffer started 14 games for the Padres last year and he was 4-7 with a 3.58 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP. If Stauffer doesn’t win the #5 job in the rotation this spring the Padres might keep him and use him as the long man in the pen.

24-year old righty Sean Gallagher could break into the starting rotation at some point in 2010 if he can stay healthy. Gallagher pitched in 8 games (0 starts) for the Padres last season and he was 2-0 with a 0.00 ERA and a 1.88 WHIP. Gallagher pitched in 14 games (2 starts) overall for the Padres & A’s last season and he was 3-2 with a 5.95 ERA and a 1.93 WHIP. Gallagher needs to throw more strikes before the Padres can really trust him.

23-year old lefty Aaron Poreda was one of the big keys to the Jake Peavy trade last season. He is the Padres’ #10 rated prospect coming into this season according to Baseball America. Poreda pitched in 4 games (0 starts) for the Padres last season and he was 0-0 with a 3.86 ERA and a 2.57 WHIP. He pitched in 14 games (0 starts) overall for the Padres & White Sox in which he was 1-0 with a 2.70 ERA and a 1.73 WHIP. Poreda also pitched in 20 games (19 starts) in AA+AAA ball last year in which he was 5-7 with a 3.95 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Poreda only allowed 83 hits in 107 innings in the minors last season while whiffing 108 batters, but, he also walked 75 hitters and that’s way too many. Until Poreda gets his control in order he probably won’t get a extended shot with the Padres. But, he has a big time upside.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE ROTATION IN 2010: C

29-year old righty swinging Scott Hairston didn’t play at all in RF last season but that is where he will be penciled in to start in 2010. He played in 116 games for the Padres & A’s last season in which he was 114 of 430 (.265 avg, .763 OPS) with 50 runs scored, 17 homers, 64 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Hairston is more than capable of being a solid defensive RF for the Padres while providing them with some thump in the lineup.

23-year old righty swinging Aaron Cunningham came over to the Padres along with Scott Hairston in a trade over the winter and he will compete with him for the starting job in RF. Cunningham played in 23 games for the A’s last season and he was 8 of 53 (.151 avg, .456 OPS) with 6 runs scored, 1 homer and 6 RBIs. He also played in 83 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 101 of 334 (.302 avg, .851 OPS) with 62 runs scored, 11 homers, 48 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Cunningham did not play well in the field either as he made 2 errors in 16 games in RF last season while showing poor range. Cunningham was one of the better prospects the A’s had so maybe he’ll find himself in 2010 with the Padres.

29-year old righty swinging Chris Denorfia is also at spring training trying to win a outfield job for the Padres in 2010. He played in 4 games for the A’s last season and he was 0 for 2 (.000 avg) with 1 run scored and 1 RBI. Denorfia also played in 107 games in AAA-ball last season in which he was 117 of 432 (.271 avg, .715 OPS) with 62 runs scored, 9 homers, 49 RBIs and 15 stolen bases.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE RF IN 2010: C

27-year old lefty swinging Will Venable likely has a slight edge over fellow 27-year old lefty swinging Chris Gwynn for the starting job in CF heading into spring training. Venable played in 95 games for the Padres last season and he was 75 of 293 (.256 avg, .763 OPS) with 38 runs scored, 12 homers, 38 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. Venable played 16 error-free games in CF last season while showing below average range. Venable has a nice upside as a hitter as he can bring some thump to CF for the Padres.

Tony Gwynn Jr. is a legacy for the Padres as his daddy was the best player in team history. That can only carry you so far though. Gwynn played in 119 games for the Padres last season in which he was 106 of 393 (.270 avg, .693 OPS) with 59 runs scored, 2 homers, 21 RBIs and 11 stolen bases. Gwynn made 7 errors in 102 games in CF last season while showing outstanding range. He also has a decent throwing arm in CF as he had 4 assists last year. Still, the Padres would be better served with Gwynn coming off the bench in 2010.

29-year old righty swinging Scott Hairston is also a capable CF if the Padres need him to play there. He played in 51 games in CF last season making 2 errors while showing slightly below average range.

PROJECTED GRADE FOR THE CF IN 2010: C