PEORIA, Ariz. -- Every spring, on the first day of full-squad workouts at Padres camp, the team's ownership group addresses the media. The optimism is always palpable -- but never quite like this.

"It's Day One," said general partner Peter Seidler. "This is our decade. We've talked about it, and we're not shying away from it."

This much is clear: Seidler and executive chairman Ron Fowler believe that 2020 will mark the beginning of the franchise's turnaround. After nine straight losing seasons and 14 years without a playoff berth, the Padres have spent significant time and resources building toward this.

Two years ago, San Diego signed Eric Hosmer to a franchise-record contract. Then, last year, they shattered that mark with a 10-year deal for Manny Machado. In the meantime, the Padres committed to building a juggernaut farm system with the belief that it would bear fruit -- beginning right about now.

Fowler and Seidler both acknowledged that there's work to be done before the Padres are legitimate World Series contenders. But they also believe many of the pieces are already in place to take them there. Impact rookies Chris Paddack and Fernando Tatis Jr. joined Machado and Hosmer in San Diego last season. Top pitching prospects MacKenzie Gore and Luis Patiño could do the same this year.

"I'd like to see us above .500," Fowler said. "We think we have the team to get us there. We're focused on winning this year, and I think we have a lot of pieces in place. Are we perfect? No. But I think we're going to be a good team, and we look forward to winning a lot of ballgames."

Fowler was vocal this winter about his belief that the organization's investment must translate to victories in 2020. In that regard, general manager A.J. Preller could be on the hot seat entering the season. But Fowler wouldn't entertain that question specifically on Tuesday, throwing his support behind Preller.

The Padres, of course, have already overhauled a portion of the team’s leadership structure, parting ways with manager Andy Green at the end of the 2019 season. Both Fowler and Seidler spoke glowingly about the new coaching staff helmed by manager Jayce Tingler, and they were in the clubhouse for Tingler's first address to the full squad on Tuesday.

“We like what we heard,” Fowler said with a grin.

Neither of the two owners addressed the team Tuesday. That job was left for Preller and Tingler. But from their conversations with individual players, both came away optimistic.

“What’s important to me, to us, is that the guys in the clubhouse believe,” Seidler said. “You can see they believe -- the coaching staff, the players. That gets me fired up, even more than you would be on Day One of Spring Training in a typical year.”

Indeed, in the eyes of Padres ownership, 2020 will not be "a typical year."

Tingler addresses full squad
Unsurprisingly, Tingler didn't divulge much of what he said when he addressed the full team for the first time on Tuesday.

"We've got a lot of hard work in front of us," Tingler told reporters shortly afterward. "I went and talked about what the plan is and how we're going to do it. I'll choose to keep it in that clubhouse. But we've got a hungry group in there, and it's good to see."

Asked whether he felt his message was received well, Tingler was quick to point out that he couldn't know the answer until his team took the field.

"We don't want to be a group that's talking," Tingler said. "We want to be an active group. We want to be a working group."

It's obviously early in camp, and players' exposure to Tingler has been limited. But he has drawn positive reviews across the board for his down-to-earth demeanor and his ability to connect.

"Early impressions are good," Hosmer said. "It seems like he's doing a really good job relying on his staff. He seems like a guy who's going to have his players' backs, be passionate about the game and about the fundamentals of the game. That helps the overall message of turning this talent into a moving unit."

Hosmer eyes bounceback
It's been two years since Hosmer signed his then-franchise-record eight-year contract. Neither Hosmer nor the Padres have lived up to expectations since then.

Before the first full-squad workout, Hosmer met with reporters and expressed his desire to put the team's disappointing finish to the 2019 season in the past.

"It's definitely a change -- from the uniforms, to the [coaching] staff, and I think everybody is excited to get out here, get to work," Hosmer said. "It's a brand new season. Everyone has a clean slate, and everyone's ready to go."

Hosmer is hitting just .259/.316/.412 since he arrived in San Diego -- a stark contrast to the .284/.342/.439 slash line he posted with Kansas City. He has never been one to go very in-depth about his personal performance, preferring instead to focus on the team as a unit. That was the case again on Tuesday.

"After a season that doesn't end playing in October, it's always disappointing," Hosmer said. "You go home in the winter, and you do whatever you can to flush that out."

Noteworthy
• The Padres added 19-year-old shortstop prospect Gabriel Arias to Major League camp, bringing their spring roster to 72 players. Arias batted .302/.339/.470 for Class A Advanced Lake Elsinore, while playing an excellent defensive shortstop.

• Prospects Patiño, Michel Baez and Adrian Morejon faced hitters in a live setting on Tuesday. Rotation favorites Paddack, Dinelson Lamet and Joey Lucchesi all threw bullpen sessions.