Joe Musgrove set the bar for a team bonding experience. He put together a bonfire on the beach at sunset with pizza for some of the Padres' pitchers and catchers.
Talk about a picture-perfect setting for one of the first meetups of the new season.
Last year, the team chemistry came under fire with reports of disgruntled players and disharmony in the locker room. It looks like Musgrove wants this year to get off to a better start ahead of pitchers and catchers reporting to spring training in a couple of weeks.
Even after key contributors from last season left the team, the Padres still have plenty of talent left on the roster.
Musgrove and Yu Darvish will headline the rotation. Manny Machado will continue his role as a leader in the clubhouse and the lineup. Underlying metrics point to even stronger years from both Fernando Tatis Jr. and Xander Bogaerts.
How the team comes together and gels will play a major role in the success of next year's team. If all goes well, another October run should be in play for the Padres.
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