Padres chairman Fowler expects better from team

SAN DIEGO — Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler was critical of the team’s recent performance in an interview with the Mighty 1090AM radio on Wednesday morning.

Entering June, the Padres are 20-33 and sit in last place in the National League West. They’re coming off a road trip in which they won once in eight contests and were beaten twice in Seattle by a combined score of 25-7.

“It’s been embarrassing,” Fowler told host Dan Sileo. “I don’t know how else to put it. I think our performance on the road trip, 1-7, is pathetic. I’m a very competitive individual, I’ve won a lot more than I’ve lost in my life. This baseball experience has been very frustrating.”

Fowler singled out the performance of starter James Shields, who struggled Tuesday, allowing 10 runs over 2 2/3 frames.

“To have a starter like Shields perform as poorly as he did yesterday is an embarrassment to the team and an embarrassment to him. It’s about as frustrating as it can get, but we’ve got to get through it,” Fowler said.

Shields did not respond to Fowler’s comment, but he was quick to note that those frustrations aren’t limited to the Padres’ executive chairman himself.

“I’m sure it’s more just the frustration of our team losing,” Shields said. “I’m frustrated, myself. Obviously, I’m not happy with my game yesterday. I don’t think it’s an embarrassment to me, personally, but I’m not happy. I’m the ultimate competitor. I have high expectations of myself. Ultimately, they expect the same out of me.”

Right fielder Matt Kemp echoed Shields’ sentiment. …

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