The Padres Know You Need to Play Three Outfielders, Right?

The Padres made their signing of lefty Randy Wolf official today and, if he's healthy, he'll be a fine fourth starter behind Jake Peavy, Chris Young and Greg Maddux. The bullpen also looks sound as a pound. Heath Bell, Kevin Cameron and Cla Meredith are safe bets to hold leads for Trevor Hoffman. How many leads are they going to be able to pass on, though?

Milton Bradley's going to Texas, Mike Cameron's going to rehab and Brian Giles is trying to come back from microfracture surgery at 37. Throw in Termel Sledge, headed to Japan where a name like that can make you lots of yen in anime, and the four top outfielders from last season are either gone or risky bets to return with much oomph.

That's why they are hot on the trail of Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, but no one's even sure he's coming to the U.S., and it doesn't seem like they are the favorites anyway. Kicking the tires on a trade for Jason Bay needs to become making a trade or else Geoff Jenkins is going to be in your opening day lineup. All the pitching in the world isn't going to help you score runs and neither will an outfield of Jenkins, Scott Hairston and Giles. Year in and year out the Friars handcuff good pitching staffs with underwhelming lineups. It's hard to see how 2008 will be any different.