How many people realize the San Diego Padres have the third-best record in baseball at 54-37? I don’t think too many people realize how good the Padres have been this year, and the guy leading the way is manager Bud Black.
Due to the team’s success, the Padres front office has rewarded their manager with a three-year extension. The extension will run through 2013, with club options for 2014 and 2015.
In three-and-a-half seasons as Padres manager, Black has compiled a 281-297 record. The record doesn’t do Black any justice. He has been dealt some pretty crappy cards in San Diego, and he has always held steady and brought a lot of leadership to a young Padres team.
Black, like his mentor Mike Scioscia, manages in a similar fashion. They both are extremely detailed, both surround themselves with solid coaches (Randy Ready, Glenn Hoffman, and Ted Simmons are a good group), and both like to play small ball when possible.
With Black and GM Jed Hoyer at the helm, the Padres should be competitive for years to come. Now, if people would actually watch them play, that would certainly help.
Come on people of San Diego—support your Padres!!! There is no reason that a team with the third-best record in baseball is ranked 20th in attendance.
You want to keep Adrian Gonzalez in San Diego? Show up.
You can follow The Ghost of Moonlight Graham on Twitter @ theghostofmlg
Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com