Meet Trent Grisham, The Padres Star No One Is Talking About

Meet Trent Grisham, The Padres Star No One Is Talking About

by | May 6, 2021 | THE LEAD OFF

Baseball fans know the likes of Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and golden-armed Blake Snell — some of the San Diego Padres Padres top players.

With all that star power dripping from Petco Park, there’s a multi-faceted Black Knight that gets lost in the sauce. Having played just 110 games before this season, the 24-year-old centerfielder Trent Grisham is still a baby, but he is the party starter at the top of the lineup for the Padres and is having an All-Star season.

Grisham has quickly become a top player not only on his team but in the league. He’s hitting .348 through his last seven games. On the season he is hitting an impressive .306. He’s also tied for sixth in the league with six stolen bases.

Despite the challenges of the 2020 season, when Grisham joined the squad, he was eager and confident to put the work in and show people what he’s all about.

 

 

The 24-year-old takes pride in working hard and that is certainly paying off. In an article from The San Diego Union-Tribune which was published in 2020, Grisham talked about how he approaches the game and puts in the work.

“Essentially, for me, it’s all routine-based,” Grisham said. “I’m going to do the same thing every day because I know it translates. So that’s all I really do, is be the best at that routine every single day and have the right mentality … and let it translate.”

Grisham was a first-round draft pick in the 2015 MLB Draft, selected by the Milwaukee Brewers. He made his MLB debut during the 2019 season at the age of 22 and hit six homers in 51 games.

Let’s not beat around the bush here, the San Diego Padres are one of the most exciting teams to watch in baseball. They bring that youthful exuberance and a throwback combination of small ball, swag, timely blasts, and confidence that makes you want to watch them every time they are on TV.

 

 

From the plate to the mound, the Padres have the personnel to make a deep run in the postseason. The Padres have one of the top young players in the league in Fernando Tatis Jr., who quickly rose to stardom without ever playing a full season. They paired him with Manny Machado, who has already made quite a name for himself in the league.

Surrounded with young talent and experienced vets, the Padres will surely slug it out with the Dodgers and Giants for NL West supremacy until the very end.

That’s not happening without Grisham, who is challenging White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson and Blue Jays outfielder George Springer for best leadoff hitter in the game.

After spending his first year with the Brewers, he was traded to the Padres in November of 2019. Grisham took full advantage of the 2020 shortened season. The MLB Bro won the National League Gold Glove Award after leading NL outfielders with 134 putouts.

It was the first time since 2012, that a player from San Diego won the award. Now in 2021, Grisham is determined to keep rising to the top.

 

 

He’s quickly become a fan favorite and with him roaming the outfield, just know that if that ball is in the park, Grisham is going to find a way to make that catch.  He also knows his role as the leadoff hitter and understands he can change the momentum of the game at any time.

When you have hitters like Tatis Jr. and Machado in your lineup, you know that there’s a pretty strong chance you’re scoring when you’re on base. The Padres made the right move in 2019 acquiring Grisham and this season could be the year we see a World Series title come to San Diego.

Grisham is another player that opposing teams have to worry about. Let me tell y’all, our MLB bro can ball!!!

Check The Resume: Be Patient Padres Fans… Tommy Pham Will Prove His Worth On The Playoff Stage

Check The Resume: Be Patient Padres Fans… Tommy Pham Will Prove His Worth On The Playoff Stage

by | Apr 19, 2021 | THE TWO HOLE

Entering the season, San Diego was a popular pick to dethrone Mookie Betts and the Los Angeles Dodgers and advance to the franchise’s first World Series since 1998. The main reason being, the nucleus of young stars led of course by Fernando Tatis and Manny Machado. However, for a squad to dethrone a team as loaded and multi-faceted as the Dodgers, the right blend of experience and young talent is needed.  

That need for veteran leadership to balance out the enthusiastic rebellion of the new school is why outfielder Tommy Pham, in his 8th MLB season, is on the team. While his professionalism is duly noted, the outfielder was hitting .128 entering Sunday night’s series finale against the Dodgers. 

I’m going to say what everyone was thinking: “You’re not carrying your weight, Pham.” 

At least those were the grumbles behind the scenes and in the Black Knight barbershops. Pham’s ears must have been tingling because his lackluster bat woke up at the right time for the San Diego Padres, who were trying to avoid a sweep in a tone-setting, early-season series against the LA Dodgers, in a game that meant a lot more to the upstart Padres (10-7)  than the seasoned World Champions who are 13-3 and rolling through the league.  

The Dodgers took the first two games of the series thanks to some clutch hitting (scored 5 runs in the 12rh to win Game 1) and otherworldly defense (Mookie Netts’ shoestring diving catch to end game, which had a 10 percent probability rate.)

In Game 3, Tommy Pham finally made an appearance for the San Diego Padres, getting a clutch hit that led to 5 unanswered runs to rally from a 2-0 deficit and win a game that is a tremendous confidence booster for a squad who believes that they have the onions to go head up with the Dodgers. 

 

 

It was a huge hit for a career .270 hitter who has been battling the Mendoza line since COVID hit in 2020. Pham’s never been as productive as his 2017 season when he made a huge splash by going 20-20, hit .306 2ith a .931 OPS. 

Pham had 23 homers and 25 steals and finished 11th in the MVP voting for St. Louis. The Cardinals missed the playoffs that year for the second consecutive season and by the end of 2018, Pham was tearing it up for Tampa Bay, batting .343 after coming over from Da Lou. 

Pham has explosive power, speed and experience in high profile games. The numbers are ugly right now, no doubt. But the Padres organization knows the caliber of player they have and if Pham gets on a hot streak, he’s one more weapon that will come in handy against the Dodgers. 

A secret weapon almost, with guys like Fernando Tatis, Manny Machado, Eric Hosmer and Trent Grisham getting all the press. 

 

 

Pham is the kind of competitor whose game elevated in the playoffs, In fact, he became a considerably better player when the pressure is the highest. Pham has a .375 career playoff batting averages, with three home runs and 19 hits in 54 at-bats — a couple of them huge ones. He’s played in two ALDS and two WILD Card games in each league. 

His first post season at-bat back in 2015, resulted in a homer, showing early on that he rises like yeast in October.

 

 

The Padres have to get through the Dodgers in the regular season and the playoffs to ascend to the MLB mountaintop. So, yeah they’re going to need Pham to be on point, but I wouldn’t panic because come playoff time, if the Padres do shock the world I can almost guarantee Pham will be in the middle of it. Someway, somehow. That’s just how he gets down.