It is the beginning of a new era for the San Diego Padres. After months of rumors and family drama, the ownership situation has been figured out. The family of the late Peter Seidler has sold the Padres to Jose E. Feliciano and his wife/business partner, Kwanza Jones, for $3.9 billion, the largest sale in MLB history. The move has been unanimously approved by the other 29 owners, making the move official. Now that the ownership situation is resolved, the Padres can return to a clear plan. But how will these new owners affect the future of the Padres?
Can These New Owners Take the Padres to the Promised Land?
One of the biggest concerns fans had about the ownership was their willingness to spend. Before Seidler took over, the Padres were always in the middle to the bottom of the league in spending. There were legitimate fears that the new ownership would return to this style. However, Feliciano does not appear to be doing that. He has talked about how he wants to bring championships to San Diego and build a strong relationship with the Padres fan base. The one he described as the best in baseball.
It’s clear that this new ownership is not afraid to spend money. If they want to win and build a better relationship with fans and the community, they will have to invest money. They will have to invest not only in payroll but also in other areas of baseball. Stuff like analytics, scouting, player development, and other areas that help the team become a sustained winner. Given how clear they were in their opening statements about building that winner and the money they spent to buy it, they should be ready to open their wallets.
Another sign that this ownership group is invested in winning is its decision to keep the baseball operations team intact. Both CEO Erik Greupner and general manager AJ Preller will stay in their respective roles. This is a group that helped usher in one of the most successful eras in Padres history. Under their leadership, they have made the playoffs in three of their four seasons. They have also been one of the hottest teams in baseball over the past few weeks and are back in a playoff spot.
Preller is also the most aggressive general manager in baseball. He has shown time and time again he is not afraid to be aggressive and do whatever it takes for the Padres to win. This year was a perfect example: he bought rather than sold at the deadline. While it is a bit reckless at times, it is the type of GM that every team wants. Someone who is going to be aggressive and always think they’re in a position to win. Keeping him around shows that Feliciano and Jones have a similar vision.
It’s clear that Feliciano and Jones have a clear vision for this franchise. They are going to continue investing in the team and try to get the Padres over the top.
