In a season plagued by disappointment among several Major League Baseball teams, the San Diego Padres’ disastrous 2023 season is certainly one of the worst (along with both New York clubs).
Despite their offseason spending spree, the Padres currently find themselves with a lackluster 74-78 record and stories are coming out fast and furious detailing just how toxic their clubhouse has become.
There are reports of the team lacking leadership and accountability – with star slugger Manny Machado apparently being the main culprit.
Now, there are reports about the fractured relationship between General Manager A.J. Preller and Manager Bob Melvin.
The Athletic published an in-depth analysis of San Diego’s disappointing season, revealing a growing divide within the organization. Notably, one unnamed Padres player went as far as to characterize the relationship between Preller and Manager Bob Melvin as “unfixable.”
In response to these allegations, Preller conceded that he and Melvin do not always see eye-to-eye but framed their disagreements as “healthy debate.” The Athletic’s report delved further into the situation…
Bob Melvin's relationship with A.J. Preller is described as “unfixable."
The rift between San Diego's respected manager and Type A GM became one of baseball's worst-kept secrets.
One player likened the situation to a toxic relationship between parents in which the kids suffer.
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) September 19, 2023
Several individuals associated with the Padres were interviewed for the story and shared instances where Preller and Melvin presented conflicting directives to players. One player, cautious not to absolve the team of responsibility, likened the situation to a toxic relationship between parents, with the players suffering the consequences.
“If nobody’s on the same page and you’re getting two stories from two different people, there is not trust there,” the player explained. “The players are going to feel like, well, who can I confide in? Who can I talk to?”
Melvin, a three-time Manager of the Year, joined the Padres last season and led the team to the National League Championship Series (NLCS). He became the seventh manager to serve under Preller’s nine full seasons as GM, including interim managers, and the third full-time manager in the last five years.
Melvin’s hiring was expected to address the team’s ongoing underperformance issues from 2019 to 2021 while providing much-needed stability in the dugout.
#Padres AJ Preller needs to change, let Bob Melvin manage. Sometimes as a manager, the most important person you manage is the person you report to. Managing up is an effective technique to gain team trust.https://t.co/b1MPURXvp9
— John Tompkins (@jtompkins619) September 19, 2023
However, the Padres have continued to underperform this season, with some of their problems being apparent from the outset. A lack of depth, particularly beyond their top starting pitchers and core relievers, has hindered the team’s performance at various points during the season.
The Padres roster is top-heavy, and when the star players fail to meet expectations, it adversely affects the entire team.
“I think we just didn’t want it,” remarked Manny Machado. “I will say that. I think that’s everyone’s fault. It’s everybody’s fault. We didn’t want it as a team. It falls down to the team. That’s not necessarily one player. It’s not an individual sport. So I think ultimately, it comes down to all of us. We should have wanted it more.”
What a mess in San Diego!
Who deserves the majority of the blame and what needs to be done going forward?