The San Diego Padres season ended on a sour note in 2025. Losing two out of three to the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card series, the team then lost its manager when he retired 11 days after the season ended. Citing mental, physical and emotional exhaustion, manager Mike Shildt left the team and subsequently took a job with the Baltimore Orioles in their player development department.
After his retirement from managing, news came out about several issues that were common between Shildt’s two opportunities to manage in the major leagues. His temperament with his coaches and front offices was portrayed as volatile and there wasn’t anyone who watched the team closely that didn’t notice his short temper with media during his press conferences.
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Despite these issues, Shildt was a successful manager and won 90 games or more in his two seasons with the Padres. Players cited their good relationships with him and how they felt he had their backs throughout his time with the organization. But the tensions and constrained environment could not have been good for the overall vibe with the team. It isn’t hard to assume that the choice of Craig Stammen as manager by president of baseball operations A.J. Preller was partly a reflection of wanting someone whose temperament and personality he knew well.
A different approach
So what will be the new philosophy for the team be going forward?
What will Stammen bring to the environment that takes a talented group of players and helps them take the next step that is needed to win a World Series championship?
During his first presser of Spring Training on Tuesday, Stammen was asked about his organizational philosophy for the team. His response shows his sense of humor as well as his desire to build on what the team has already accomplished and then add his own contributions.
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“Score as many runs as possible, that would be a good philosophy,” Stammen said, with a big grin. “We’re going to talk about hard work, we’re going to talk about togetherness and we’re going to talk about, you know, adding days together that add up to a big picture. So, being really good at the small things, being ‘extraordinary at the ordinary’ – if you want some buzz words. Those are the things I believe in and the things I’m going to try to impart on the team.”
This does sound a little similar to Shildt’s ‘winning on the margins’ philosophy but if you add the comments of new hitting coach, Steven Souza, to what Stammen stated you get a more complete picture of what they want the offense to be like.
Steven Souza outlines his goals
“First of all, it’s nice to have a talented roster like this. You’re only as good as the players you have and the culture you create,” Souza said. “There’s a lot of really good players in this offense that do a really good job at a lot of different things.”
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“Controlling the zone, hammering mistakes, being able to make the pitcher do something different out there,” Souza said.
Souza went on to expand on his thoughts by adding, “create traffic, when that happens, is a huge part of the success going forward.”
He acknowledged that slug was an issue last season but emphasized having a dialogue with the hitters to give them a different creative avenue.
“The offense needs to be able to play the game that we need to play,” Souza said, stating that hitting in Petco Park might mean spraying the ball around, but a different environment would call for more slug.
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“Not limiting this roster to one type of team, I think that’s what I want to do. Controlling the zone is part of that.”
He also said that he wants the hitters to feel free to do what works for them. The dialogue and communication will stress that the hitters need to feel free to be themselves.
An optimistic clubhouse
Communication and relationships are the two words most often heard from both Stammen and the players who spoke to the media at Padres FanFest on Jan. 31 at Petco Park. Many of the guys he will manage this season also played with Stammen when he pitched for the Padres.
Jake Cronenworth wasn’t shy about his feelings for Stammen, as quoted in the San Diego Union Tribune – “What an amazing guy… a mentor and an incredible human to be around. I couldn’t be more excited.”
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The other telling quote from that same article came from Padres pitcher and clubhouse leader, Joe Musgrove.
“The manager’s biggest goal is to have a happy clubhouse and a good relationship with the players,” Musgrove said. “He’s coming in already ahead of the game in that aspect, having played with us. I think the communication is going to be a lot freer and a lot more open, a little bit of honesty. And I think Craig’s the kind of guy that’s not looking for praise, you know, he’s not looking to be the hero that comes in and always makes the right decision.”
Read into that what you will but just from the tone at FanFest, this team seems happier.
There is a long way to go before we get to Opening Day, but the next six weeks will hopefully show signs of what the personality of this team will be, both on offense and defense. If Stammen and his coaches do their jobs well, the Padres should give the Friar Faithful more reasons to fill Petco Park in 2026.