Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
This has been a bad week, month and season for the San Diego Padres.
     
But I can't help be optimistic when I look forward to the 2019, 2020 and 2021 seasons.
     
I have no idea what General Manager A.J. Preller might do during the off-season, but the young nucleus seems to be there. And you can almost identify most of the players who will be here next spring:
     
Catchers - Austin Hedges and Francisco Mejía.
     
Outfielders - Franchy Cordero, Travis Jankowski, Manuel Margot, Hunter Renfroe, Franmil Reyes.
    
Infielders - Eric Hosmer, Luis Urías, Wil Myers, Cory Spangenberg and either Freddy Galvis or Fernando Tatis Jr. to start the season.
     
Rotation - Joey Lucchesi, Eric Lauer and Jacob Nix to start with the other possibilities including Dinelson Lamet, Chris Paddack, Logan Allen, Clayton Richard, Robbie Erlin, Matt Strahm, Bryan Mitchell, etc.
    
Bullpen - There are already more solid candidates than potential spots in Kirby Yates, Craig Stammen, José Castillo, Phil Maton, Robert Stock, Brad Wieck, Rowan Wick, Andres Munoz, Trey Wingenter plus possibly Erlin and Strahm.
    
Those are the possibilities already available from inside the organization.
     
NOTEBOOK:
     
--RF Franmil Reyes now has two, 10-game hitting streaks over the last 21 games. The only thing standing between Reyes and a 21-game hitting streak is a 0-for-3 on Sept. 6 in Cincinnati. Reyes is 14-for-36 with a double and a homer in his current, 10-game hitting streak - which, incidentally, also ties the longest hitting streak of the rookie's career.  
     
--Returning to shortstop after three straight starts at second base, Freddy Galvis went 4-for-5 Tuesday night with two doubles and two runs scored. It was the third four-hit game of his career and second of this season (he had five hits against Atlanta on June 15). Galvis is also 8-for-16 with four doubles, a RBI and four runs scored during an active four-game hitting streak that follows a 3-for-34 drought.
     
--Speaking of streaks, catcher A.J. Ellis has drawn walks in three straight pinch-hitting appearances over the last three games. While the catching focus is naturally on Austin Hedges and Francisco Mejía, the 37-year-old Ellis is hitting .289 with a .398 on-base percentage and a .764 OPS.