It is the favorite phrase of die-hard baseball fans in February: "Pitchers and Catchers report.”

There is also a phrase that has surfaced this week involving the San Diego Padres that should be of concern: "Financially fragile.”

Across the Cactus League and Grapefruit Circuit, from Arizona to Florida, all 30 teams open their spring training camps this week. Pennant contenders and pretenders all start with a clean slate this coming weekend. But not all is well in some troubled spots in major league baseball.

San Diego is still one of those troubled spots. Owner Jeff Moorad remains resolute his franchise is properly funded and will be competitive in 2012. The Padres are a team that won 90 games in 2010, slipped to 91 losses in 2011. The one thing consistent about the team is their decision to keep trading away higher priced veteran players, to shed salary, and stockpile young players and draft picks.

In Moorad's near three year run since taking day-to-day control of the team, they dealt away pitcher Jake Peavy, star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, reliever Mike Adams, starter Mat Latos and watched relief ace Heath Bell head to free agency. The payroll levels have come down, the farm system has been restocked, but the questions remain unanswered about the owner's ability to run a major league team with a minor league budget. In his three summers running the team, the Padres have spent a record $35 million to sign virtually all their draft picks - possibly the third highest spent on minor league development of the 30 franchises in the baseball.

Moorad will tell you all documents have been files with the Commissioner's office, and that last week he answered three major questions about his ownership group, and its financial backing. The Commissioners office privately questioned as least three minority holders to determine their financial depth and ability to meet cash calls if need be during the season.

The Padres owner, chided often for having to buy the team on a credit card installment plan from lead owner John Moores, now says he expects approval from the other owners sooner than later. That despite ongoing rumors that the White Sox Jerry Reinsdorf and Arizona owner Ken Kendrick have a block of owners still ready to vote against Moorad, because of past personality issues.

The long delayed Padres TV deal with Fox Sports San Diego, could be worth anywhere from $40 to $75 million per season when finally approved. Moorad says that will be done within thirty days and there will be Padres baseball on television. It seemingly has been held up because Moorad wanted to use upfront money to buy out Moores, while baseball by laws maintain it must go towards payrolls and operation of the team.

Of course all conversations involving this ownership group revolve around the $55 million payroll, small by standards of virtually everyone else in baseball. Moorad reminds one and all who listen, he promised to take the payroll up in increments.

It is now at his high water mark since taking over as owner, but a far cry from Moores-era, when a pennant contending team that went to the World Series, spent $75 million. So while Friars fans get excited about baseball under the sun in the Arizona spring training climates, back in San Diego there is still concern over the health of the franchise. Until ownership gives approval and the games are on TV, there will be lingering concern about who this man is, what he stands for, and whether Jeff Moorad is truly honest about the financial health of his team.

The Padres open camp with 13 veteran pitchers, but without Mat Latos, Aaron Harang and Heath Bell from last year's staff. They have retooled the everyday lineup, bringing in a firebrand leftfielder in Carlos Quentin, a bright young first baseman in Yonder Alonso, and a veteran leader in Mark Kotsay. They are feeling pretty good about a deep farm system. ESPN said they have the best minor league talent in all of the majors. Baseball American said the Padres ahve 21 bluechippers in the pipeline, from Lake Elsinore to Ft. Wayne, San Antonio and Tucson. MLB.com rated them with 6 of the top 100 players in minor league baseball, more than anyone else.

It will be a different team going forward. It might be a better team starting mid-July if some of the young talent arrives, and better seasons may be on the horizon. But that is all hopes and wishes, not reality. What is real though, and scary is what Moorad said about Commissioner Bud Selig. He wants to believe every dollar with the franchise is spent properly on its baseball operation. Moorad admitted Selig told him he is worried about the financial health of the team.

If the favorite phrase for fans is, “pitchers and catchers report” to the Cactus League, the burning baseball question is, "Do you have enough quality players?

Sandwiched around Selig's use of the words financially fragile, the burning business question is. "Do you have enough money?"

Lee 'Hacksaw' Hamilton talks baseball weekday mornings 10am-2pm, on XX1090-Sportsradio, flagship station of the San Diego Padres.