Seven bold predictions for the National League West in 2018

My next bold prediction takes us to San Diego. I believe the first season of the Eric Hosmer experiment in San Diego won’t produce the kind of results the Padres were hoping for when they inked him to an eight-year contract in the $144 million neighborhood.

Colorado Rockies

Petco Park and Hosmer aren’t made for each other. It’s that simple. A pitcher’s park and a hitter who has never been known for his power (back-to-back seasons of 25 home runs mark his career high in the category). In fact, Hosmer is very much a ground ball hitter. As this article points out, since his MLB debut, Hosmer in among the league leaders in grounders.

The Padres are betting on Hosmer being a player who can eventually take the team to the playoffs. The 28-year-old has proven he can do that with the Kansas City Royals. However, the supporting cast in Kansas City was much stronger and deeper than the team that will be alongside Hosmer in San Diego this season.

Does that mean the signing was bad? Not necessarily. If San Diego continues to build around Hosmer, it could be a great investment. But that’s a lot of money tied up in one player for the foreseeable future.

Hosmer is projected for a season with 22 homers and 87 RBI. They’re OK … but are they worth $20 million this season? If they are, Nolan Arenado must be licking his chops for his turn to test the free agent market.