Padre Offense

The 1981 San Diego Padres sported a very young group of offensive players. Of all non-pitchers only two hitters the entire season experienced all or part of their season at the age of thirty or older. The other eighteen hitters ranged in age from 21 to 28 at some time during the season. The starting eight were concentrated between the ages of 25 and 27.

Shortstop Ozzie Smith was the team's most recognizable player. The twenty-six year old was enjoying his fourth season in the bigs with another paltry offensive effort (62 OPS+). Catcher Terry Kennedy was also in his fourth big league season and would earn his 1st trip to the All-Star game in '81. Alan Wiggins came to the plate the first fifteen times in his career during the season and he and Kennedy would end up being the only members of the 1984 pennant winning club in the starting eight who had also been with the club in '81.