Alexander: Padres veterans play role in developing prodigies

PEORIA, Ariz. — The assumption is that the Padres’ collection of young talent — its “hot lava,” as Scott Boras famously called it a few weeks ago — will really be ready to rock by 2020, which would be Year Five of the tank … er, rebuilding process.
This is Year Three, coming up. But a team depending on youth and potential sure seems to have a lot of experience hanging around … and that’s not by accident.
Eric Hosmer, who agreed to an eight-