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Got power? Preller boosting need in outfield

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Generally speaking, Matt Kemp knew all the talking points to hit on Friday afternoon.

The Padres pitch. Trevor Hoffman’s changeup devastated. Petco Park suppresses hitting.

Most importantly, things had to change.

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“I hated to come to San Diego and play against the Padres; they always had such good pitching,” Kemp said during Friday’s introductory press conference. “Now we have some offense.”

It’s certainly not a coincidence that the Padres’ outfield has been a prime target for General Manager A.J. Preller’s upgrades.

On a team that ranked last in most major offensive categories, outfield production in particular was lacking in 2014. No team’s outfielders drove in fewer runs (141), while only two teams managed a lower OPS (.654) and fewer homers (29) than Padres’ outfielders last season. Historically speaking, more than a decade has passed since a regular Padres outfielder turned in 25 homers (Bubba Trammel/2001) or more than 100 RBIs (Greg Vaughn/1998).

Justin Upton (29 HRs, 102 RBIs) reached both milestones by himself last year. Kemp (25 HRs, 89 RBIs) nearly did, too, and Wil Myers’ power potential could also see the 24-year-old slugger flirting with those kind of numbers.

The hope is that inserting this power trio into the middle of the Padres’ order will have a cascading effect on lineup that severely underperformed last year. The additions of All-Star catcher Derek Norris (.763 OPS) will help, while buying low on Will Middlebrooks’ power potential has a chance at completely transforming the Padres’ lineup.

That it all came together in a 48-hour window had even Bud Black borderline giddy as he took the stage Friday afternoon.

“This process started the day AJ was hired,” said Black, who is entering his ninth season as the Padres’ manager. “His vision along with ownership and our baseball ops crew, this was building momentum. And obviously what’s transpired over the last week and over the last 48 hours, it’s exciting for those of us in uniform.”

That’s the reward side of Preller’s acquisitions this week. The risks, however, cannot go unnoted.

To start with, the Padres have only 2014 guaranteed with Upton, the safest bet of all of Preller’s pickups. At 27 years old, Upton has averaged 153 games and 26 homers while penning a .276/.355/.479 batting line over the last four years. This season will be the last before he’s finally allowed to test free agency, a proposition that could easily take his salary well beyond the traditionally thrifty Padres’ means.

Kemp and Myers, on the other hand, both belong to the Padres through the 2019 season, although their career arcs are on different trajectories.

A one-time perennial MVP candidate, Kemp is moving toward his mid-30s with a significant injury history and a hefty $107 million salary over the next five years ($32 million paid by the Dodgers). Myers, meanwhile, is approaching the meat of his playing career, albeit with a real wild-card in a wrist injury that sapped nearly all the power he displayed while winning the AL Rookie of the Year nod two years ago.

For now – in late December, mind you – everything has come together for the Padres.

“We obviously had a little of different balls in the air, but it felt like it made sense to our baseball ops group,” Preller said. “Ultimately, we feel like we have a chance to put a pretty good product on the field.”

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