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The offseason started slowly for the San Diego Padres, but it has ramped up over the past couple of weeks with the hiring of new manager Craig Stammen, and the announcement this week that the Seidler family is looking to sell the team. That news was unexpected to say the least, but not overly shocking since speculation about the team being sold started two years ago with the passing of Peter Seidler. Speculation about ownership only intensified when John Seidler, brother of Peter, became the control person and Sheel Seidler, Peter’s widow, filed a lawsuit against the family.
With the recent news dominating the headlines, and rightfully so, the hiring of Stammen to lead the club he once played for was pushed to the side. However, it is the offseason and there are no baseball activities happening at the MLB level. Award season is in full swing and the players and managers who excelled in 2025 are celebrated for their work on the field.
Before the moment passes, here are the results from this week’s Padres Survey Reacts poll:
As the graphic shows, the Friar Faithful are mostly uncertain about the hiring of Stammen and how he will affect the team. At the end of the day, Stammen may not have a significant impact on the players, that may come from someone else on the coaching staff. A previous post from Gaslamp Ball’s Thomas Conroy made the case the vacant bench coach position could be vital to a successful season in San Diego. Based on the team’s recent struggles at the plate, selecting the right hitting coach might be the most important move this offseason.
At the end of the day, Stammen will be the one at the podium and in the clubhouse answering the questions, and while it is his job to manage the players, his most important decisions this offseason could be made well before he takes the field in his managerial debut.
