I'm still a little stunned that we were watching a third place team all season. It didn't look, feel, sound, smell, or taste like a third place team. I didn't delight in the team like it was a third place team. All season, people kept telling me they were a third place team, that they didn't have championship stuff, and I guess they were right. Nevertheless, I watched the games and I cheered.
What kind of team will they be next year? If Baseball Think Factory's projection is even close to correct, they may be the best team in the National League.
As far as ZiPS sees it, the biggest challenge the Padres will face is making sure Kouzmanoff and Headley are both in the lineup and figuring out what to do in centerfield, if they are in fact not going to make a run at signing Mike Cameron. Aaron Rowand would be a great fit, but I don't know how expensive he'll be in a very weak free agent market. Not much else to say - from eyeballing, I think ZiPS is predicting San Diego to be the best team in the NL, but I won't know for sure until I run the Mets projections.
Click the link and notice where the league averages lie for every single position and then notice where our projected starters are projecting to be. We are gonna be awesome! HUZZAH!