The San Diego Padres fired manager Bud Black Monday following a lukewarm 32–33 start to a season filled with inflated expectations. Black, who was named NL Manager of the Year in 2010, was in his ninth season with the Padres, but had never taken the small market team to the playoffs.
Yet after the team acquired established players like Matt Kemp, Craig Kimbrel, Justin Upton, Wil Myers, and James Shields the popular expectation was that San Diego would be contenders for the first time in five years.
Yet, sometimes expectations are unfair.
The best teams normally are built around a game plan that includes good defensive players up the middle—center field, shortstop, second base, and catcher—with power hitters at the corners. And good pitching.
