After busy offseason, Padres have higher expectations

James Shields wore a stocking cap and smiled Thursday as he worked his way from the front of the clubhouse to the back. ''Time to meet the troops,'' Shields said, as he greeted his San Diego Padres teammates with an ''I'm James'' and a handshake. Thanks to first-year general manager A.J. Preller's whirlwind offseason, the Padres have gone from one of baseball's worst teams to a team with higher expectations. ''On paper, we have what I feel like is one of the best teams in Major League Baseball,'' said right fielder Matt Kemp, acquired in a December trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers.