After keeping a low profile for his first 3 1/2 months as the Padres' general manager, Jed Hoyer pulled the trigger on a series of significant moves in the final weeks of the offseason. 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff was traded to Oakland for OFs Scott Hairston and Aaron Cunningham. RHP Jon Garland, C Yorvit Torrealba, INF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr. and OF Matt Stairs were signed as free agents. Still, this is a young team. Fifteen players made their major league debuts with the Padres last season, and 19 qualified as rookies. The kids helped the Padres finish 2009 on a 37-25 run. Will the improvement continue?

ARRIVALS: OF Scott Hairston (trade with A's), OF Aaron Cunningham (trade with A's), RHP Jon Garland (free agent from Dodgers), C Yorvit Torrealba (free agent from Rockies), INF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr. (free agent from Yankees), OF Matt Stairs (free agent from Phillies), C Dusty Ryan (trade with Tigers), RHP Radhames Liz (waiver claim from Orioles).

DEPARTURES: 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff (traded to A's), OF Brian Giles (free agent, signed minor league deal with Dodgers), C Henry Blanco (free agent, signed with Mets), C Eliezer Alfonzo (released, signed minor league deal with Mariners), INF Edgar Gonzalez (released, signed with Japanese team), INF Luis Rodriguez (released, signed minor league deal with Indians), RHP Shawn Hill (released, signed minor league deal with Blue Jays), RHP Mike Ekstrom (claimed off waivers by Rays), OF Cliff Floyd (released, unsigned), RHP Walter Silva (released, unsigned), RHPs Cha Seung Baek (released, unsigned).

SPRING FOCUS: The Padres will continue to nurture such young players as LF Kyle Blanks, RF Will Venable, RHP Mat Latos and LHP Clayton Richard. More time will be spent on preparing the team for the season than last year's non-stop auditions to fill the rotation and bullpen. There will be four pitchers vying for the last two spots in the rotation and two of them (RHPs Tim Stauffer and Sean Gallagher) are out of options.

PROJECTED ROTATION:

1. RHP Jon Garland

2. RHP Chris Young

3. RHP Kevin Correia

4. LHP Clayton Richard

5. RHP Mat Latos or RHP Tim Stauffer or RHP Sean Gallagher or LHP Wade LeBlanc.

The Padres are in much better shape than a year ago, even if ace RHP Jake Peavy is gone. Last spring, the Padres were auditioning starting pitchers with less than two weeks to go before opening day, with the final spots going to RHPs Shawn Hill and Walter Silva, both of whom were soon gone. "We've got more depth in the rotation than we've had in years," manager Bud Black said.

Garland could get the nod at No. 1 because he is a proven workhorse and because Young is coming off shoulder surgery. Correia had 22 quality starts last year and was the Padres' winningest pitcher at 12-11 with a 3.91 ERA. Richard (4-2, 4.08 ERA) came from the White Sox in the trade for Peavy.

Latos just turned 22 and could start the season with Class AAA Portland if he struggles this spring.

PROJECTED BULLPEN:

RHP Heath Bell (closer)

RHP Mike Adams

RHP Luke Gregerson

RHP Edward Mujica

LHP Joe Thatcher

RHP Sean Gallagher

RHP Adam Russell or RHP Ryan Webb or RHP Luis Perdomo

With Garland aboard and Young healthy, the Padres are planning to go with only seven relievers this season compared with their regular eight-man bullpen.

Bell led the National League with 42 saves last year. Adams was brilliant with a 0.73 ERA in 37 appearances, but he has a worrisome medical history. Rookie Gregerson had a 3.74 ERA over 72 appearances and had an amazing 0.65 ERA at home compared to a 6.48 ERA on the road. Mujica developed into a workhorse, while Thatcher is a solid situational left-hander (lefties hit .182 against him).

If Gallagher doesn't make the rotation, he will make the bullpen as a long man and spot starter. If he makes the rotation, Perdomo, the rookie mop-up man a year ago, could return.

PROJECTED LINEUP VS. RIGHT-HANDERS:

1. CF Tony Gwynn

2. 2B David Eckstein

3. 1B Adrian Gonzalez

4. 3B Chase Headley

5. LF Kyle Blanks

6. RF Will Venable

7. C Nick Hundley or Yorvit Torrealba

8. SS Everth Cabrera

PROJECTED LINEUP VS. LEFT-HANDERS:

1. SS Everth Cabrera

2. 2B David Eckstein

3. 1B Adrian Gonzalez

4. CF Scott Hairston

5. 3B Chase Headley

6. LF Kyle Blanks

7. RF Will Venable

8. C Nick Hundley or Yorvit Torrealba

The Padres struggled scoring runs last year, and that could be a problem again unless Headley, Blanks and Venable come through. Hairston served as adequate protection for Gonzalez last year until he was traded to Oakland. After that, as Kevin Kouzmanoff and Headley struggled in the No. 4 hole, teams pitched around Gonzalez, who walked 119 times, including 24 times in an 11-game span after Hairston departed.

Gonzalez can drive the ball in every direction, and he was the first Padre to have a 40-homer season at Petco Park, although a big-league-leading 28 of those were on the road.

Gwynn and Cabrera give the Padres ample speed (for a change) at the top of the order. Both need to get on base more, especially Gwynn, if he's going to be a regular in center.

Headley's bat improved late last season when he returned to his natural position at third when Kouzmanoff was injured.

PROJECTED RESERVES:

C Yorvit Torrealba

OF Scott Hairston

INF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr.

INF/OF Oscar Salazar

OF Matt Stairs

While Hundley will be the lead catcher, Torrealba will see ample time. The outfield will be a four-man rotation, as it was in July and August of last season with Scott Hairston backing up both Blanks and Venable as well as platooning with Gwynn.

Jerry Hairston can play every position, but he will see a lot of time at short and second (where Eckstein needs more breaks than he got last season). Salazar can play first and third and the corner-outfield spots. The right-handed-hitting Salazar and left-handed-hitting Stairs are mainly bats.

TOP ROOKIES: Most of the Padres' advanced prospects (Blanks, Venable, Latos, Headley, Hundley) reached the major leagues the past two seasons. More talent is on the way, but most of it will open the season at Class AA or Class A.

OF Luis Durango, the fastest player in the organization, was 6-for-11 in a late-season cameo. Four of those hits were of the infield variety. He hit .281 with 44 steals at Class AA San Antonio. If there is a need and room on the bench for speed, Durango could make it.

LHP Aaron Poreda, 23, was considered a key acquisition from the White Sox in the Peavy trade. He struggled upon joining the Padres organization (0-3, 7.16 ERA in seven games with Class AAA Portland), but manager Bud Black believes he will be a force in the bullpen, possibly as soon as this April.

MEDICAL WATCH:

--RHP Ernesto Frieri (groin strain) was hurt early in spring training. He was scheduled to throw a bullpen session March 14.

--RHP Mike Adams (leg soreness) was slowed early in spring training, but he made his spring debut March 9 with a scoreless inning.

--RHP Mark Worrell (Tommy John surgery in March 2009) was scheduled to make his spring game debut March 13.

--CF Scott Hairston (bruised left calf) was hurt March 11. He was expected to miss two to three days.

--RHP Luis Perdomo (inflamed right knee) was expected to be sidelined five to six days in mid-March.

--RHP Cesar Carillo (tight right hamstring) could miss four to five days in mid-March.

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