Wild Thoughts for Wild Card Wednesday

The 2011 MLB regular season came to an end last night. And oh what an ending it was.

First, as this is a Padres blog, let's quickly note that the Padres bookended 2011 with victories, beating the Chicago Cubs 9-2 (where were those runs all year). Changes are no doubt coming, one coming today in Randy Ready being let go (yet another hitting coach scapegoat). I'm more relieved than anything. 2011 was a trying season, made more so with the memory of 2010 so fresh in our mind. It was a struggle, it was tough to watch, and at times it just wasn't fun. But I still miss it. And hope for brighter days.

Because on the same night the Padres were finishing their 71-91 campaign, across Major League Baseball games were happening that reminded me how fun watching this game can be, and showed me a world that one day I hope the Padres exist within.

Was September 28, 2011 the greatest regular season day in MLB history? I don't know about that. But I can say with no hyperbole that I've never experienced a regular night of baseball like I did on Wednesday.




















Some quick thoughts, as I don't even think I can put my thoughts into a coherent paragraph.

- I left work at roughly 5pm Pacific. The Rays were down 5-0 at that point. I got home and somehow it was 7-0. I stopped paying attention to this game at this point, turning my attention and all my fandom I could muster toward Baltimore.

- The Braves had a 3-1 lead at this point. As the Cardinals were well ahead of Houston, I pretty much assumed this was must win for Atlanta at this point. I was rooting for this, simple so we could have a Game 163.

- Went to get In N' Out for dinner. I came back just in time to see Evan Longoria hit a grand slam to get the Rays within 1. WHAT?!?!?!?!

- Boston was up 3-2 when..rain came. I contemplated whether MLB would call the game as it was the middle of the 7th with Boston up 3-2. It seemed like a very Bud Selig-y thing to do.

- The Braves are still up. No big deal there for the time being.

- I'm fully focused on the Rays game right now. Down 1, bottom of the 9th, and some guy named Dan Johnson is batting. No idea who this guy is, time to focus on hoping for rain to let up in Baltimore and an Oriole comeba....WHAT?!?!

- Dan Johnson, with 2 strikes, just saved the Rays season. Unbelievable! I'm cheering like I grew up in Tampa.

- Rain is over in Baltimore. Still, I'm rooting for an Oriole comeback here. That is not filling me with any kind of confidence.

- What's this? Hunter Pence just broken bat killed the Braves. Anguish on the fans faces. I've been there.

- The Braves get their last crack to avoid being on the infamous "Worst Collapse" list. They know it's over, you know it's over, their fans know it's over. Guess what, it's over. Cardinals in.

- At this point the Red Sox/Orioles game and the Rays/Yankees game blend together. Here's what I remember: 1) The Orioles defense came to play. Great relay throw to cut down a run at home, getting out of jam after jam. And then, Papelbon. There's really nothing I enjoy more than watching Papelbon blow a save...except when Brian Wilson does it. That double to the gap was delicious. Just delicious. Tie game. Andino's line drive to left, which I didn't think Crawford would catch but I also didn't think the Orioles would send the runner. He didn't, they did, game over. My favorite part of all this was how much Baltimore celebrated. They went nuts and good for them. This was the biggest game of their season. They played as hard as any team would, as if it were Game 7. It was fantastic. I felt great for their fans, who, for three days were one of the most relevant teams in baseball. And everyone outside New England was an Oriole fan.







2) I switched the channel just in time to see Evan Longoria go all Mark McGwire circa #62 on the Yankees, walk-off style.


Like that, the Red Sox were eliminated. Good riddance. I don't like their money, their arrogance, and their sense of entitlement. I will say I enjoyed their stadium, and the few fans I met in Boston were pleasant.

But fuck them.

It was great. It was fantastic. It was the most fun I've had watching baseball in awhile. And I'm looking forward to more in October.

Padres Walk the Freedom Trail

Sometime in November/December of 2010 the San Diego Padres schedule was released. One of the first things I like to look at when this happens is the interleague schedule. I realize interleague has distractors. But I for one am a fan. I love the weekends when the Cubs play the White Sox, or San Francisco plays Oakland.

While reviewing the Padres 2011 interleague schedule, one series stood out. June 20th-22nd. Boston, MA vs the Red Sox.










I'd been to Wrigley, old Yankee Stadium and Dodger Stadium (among others). So this was a no brainer. Any baseball fan worth their salt has Fenway Park on their bucket list. And my favorite team was going to be playing there for the first time since 2004.











This was a no brainer.

My day at Fenway began with a tour of the park. Fenway Park offers tours on the hour, even on game day, for $12. Not a bad way to start a day at the park.

The first thing you see is Yawkey Way. If you have ever been to Wrigley Field (and really, the surrounding neighborhood) then this will feel instantly familiar. A stadium built into a residential area, Yawkey Way has a street fair atmosphere.










And my first view of Fenway Park from inside.









Have you heard the Red Sox have won some World Series? Because if you haven't, there was really no way to miss it at Fenway.









Ok, the Green Monster is pretty cool. Even if it is only 310 feet from home plate.










The view from atop the Green Monster. According to our tour guide, fans have to enter a lottery for the right to buy tickets on top of the Monster. If they are chosen in that lottery, you get 4 tickets. Total. For the season.









Look, a table that looks like home plate!










The "Teammates" statue outside Gate B. Statue is of Johnny Pesky, Dom Dimaggio, Ted Williams and Bobby Doerr.









And the Ted Williams statue. The first of many San Diego/Boston connections throughout the decades. Ted Williams that is. Not the statue.












Finally, it was game time. A view from my seats.











A few notes from the game.

- Unfortunately the only game I was able to go to was the first game in the series. But, I did get to see something historic. This was the first game in MLB history that ended in a 3-3 tie after 6 innings. Because the bottom of the 7th never happened. IT NEVER HAPPENED!

- Did a little pre-gaming at the Cask N' Flagon thanks to a suggestion from Bernie Wilson.

- Dave Roberts received a very nice ovation from the Boston crowd when he was announced, for obvious reasons. If you don't know why that's obvious, chances are you are not reading a blog about baseball.

- Adrian Gonzalez is a monster and probably the best player in baseball. He is tailor made for Fenway Park, which is something we all knew. But to see it in person and see him play pepper with the monster is something to watch. No matter how good Casey Kelly and Anthony Rizzo become, it still may not have been enough.

- Overall, the Boston fans I meet were knowledgable and passionate baseball fans. The most common question I got: when Adrian Gonzalez plays in San Diego, will I boo him? My answer was no. I'm an Adrian fan. But I tempered that answer by pointing out that this is not a view shared by all in San Diego.

- That's not to say that there weren't some jerks. A fan two rows in front of me, as the game went on, became increasing loud (and presumably, drunk). At one point, late in the game (after the inning that didn't happen), his buddy asked him "who is pitching tomorrow?" (which, for the record, was scheduled to be Beckett at that point). His answer, "who cares, we're playing the Padres." I thought about that guy with a wry smile on my flight home as I watched the Padres beat Boston on MLB Network (thanks Continental Airlines and your Direct TV!)


I'll leave you with this. I got to talking to some Red Sox fans at the Cask N' Flagon before the game. The conversation at one point turned to the 2004 ALCS. I assume this happens a lot in Boston. It was something to see as their eyes lit up as if they were remembering their favorite Christmas as a kid.

I want that feeling. So Jed, do whatever you have to do. Build the farm system, trade away Bell, sign expensive draft picks. I can be patient. But one day, I want someone to strike up a conversation with me in some bar in San Diego and have the conversation turn to the Padres first World Series. And I want to feel what those guys felt.

I'll be patient, Jed. But I want that.

Rooting for Evil

As I type this, the Padres first game of a 6 game road trip is in a rain delay in Washington D.C.

Luckily for me, I have MLB.tv, which allowed to me switch to the Boston vs Detroit game just in time to see Boston score 5 runs in the top of the 3rd inning. While watching, my mind began to wander, as it is want to do from time to time. So, if you will excuse the momentary deviation from the typical Padres talk, I offer this quandary.

What if the Red Sox make the World Series?

Despite their awful start to the season, the Red Sox find themselves tied for first in the AL East. Based merely on my own eyeball test on the handful of games I've seen, their offense is as good as advertised, and as I write this Carl Crawford hits his 4th HR, a 2-run shot. Assuming Crawford can get hot, this offense is all the better.

But this isn't about the ins and outs of the Red Sox season. I'm not the guy to talk about that as I don't follow this team (or really, the American League) to offer in depth analysis beyond what a boxscore or highlights reveal.

My point is this. The Red Sox appear to be, if not the best, then one of the best teams in the AL. And yes, it's only Memorial Day, but it looks like they are only getting better, not worst.

So, the quandary then? Adrian Gonzalez.


This still looks weird to me.











I'm still an Adrian Gonzalez fan. I know to some this is already blasphemy. I can't help it. I like him and as far as I'm concerned he left San Diego on good terms. Call me soft if you must.

To that end, I want to see Adrain Gonzalez win a World Series at some point in his career. He is one of the games best players and a player I have invested a lot in from an emotional standpoint. It is sad to me when any sports great players retire without that ring, unless I absolutely loathe that player (looking at you Eli Manning with your Super Bowl ring you don't deserve) when it gets to the end of their career, I root for those players. Many a time, in games I otherwise had little to no rooting interest in, I find myself pulling for the fading veteran still looking for that ring (Jerome Bettis being a great example and the first one I thought of).

So I want Adrian to win. But here's the rub. He plays for a team that I cannot stand. Most teams I'm indifferent about. Does anyone have a strong opinion about the Astros or Twins? not unless you are a fan of those teams. But for me, the list of teams that I actually hate is short: Dodgers, Yankees, Red Sox.

End of list.

The Red Sox are the most recent addition to that list. In the interest of full disclosure, in 2004 they were nowhere near this list. I pulled for them and their 90ish years of failure. I got caught up in the 2004 ALCS. Who didn't? Down 3 games to the Yankees (who I never liked but began hating in 1998...about mid October if memory serves) they pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in MLB history.

Then came the books, and talk shows, and the fans. My God the fans. They would not shut up about the Red Sox. They became insufferable. The team then dropped the GNP of Guatemala on Dice K. They had become another Yankees, engaged in an ongoing arms race with their rivals to the south. It wasn't until I went to a Padres game vs Boston that my hate for the Red Sox reached it's apex. The fans were obnoxious, arrogant and all together infuriating.

But now one of my favorite players in baseball plays for one of my least favorite teams. And not just one of my least favorite teams. A team I hate. Loathe. Wish bad things on.

So, if the Red Sox make the World Series, where will my rooting interest lie? I suppose it depends on who is in the World Series from the NL. But the possibility is there and I fear I will find myself pulling for the Red Sox solely based on Adrian Gonzalez, despite my best intentions to the contrary.

So I ask you, do you want to see Adrian Gonzalez win a World Series? Do you not care now that "Padres" is not written on his jersey? Do you have the Red Sox to a point that it is irrelevant who is on the team?

The Inevitability Conundrum - Trading Adrian Gonzalez

After the 2005 season, Kevin Towers pulled off what could arguably be called the best front office move of his Padres GM tenure. He traded Adam Eaton and Akinori Otsuka to the Texas Rangers for Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Young, and Termel Sledge. Apologies to Mr. Sledge, but let's focus on Gonzalez and Young for a second.

At the time of the trade I remember not being crazy about it. I like Otsuka as a set-up man to Hoffman and Eaton at the time seemed a more than serviceable starter. And who were Chris Young and Adrian Gonzalez? No one I had ever heard of.

Fast forward to winter of 2010.

The trade of Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox has sent shock waves through two fan bases, for two very different reasons.

For Boston fans, they get a perennial All-Star who hit 30 plus HR playing in one of the most cavernous parks in baseball, coupled with Gold Glove caliber defense at first.

For Padres fans, we are left only with melancholy.

Any fan who has been paying even the slightest of attention knew this was inevitable. When Ryan Howard signed his 5 year, $125 million extension the writing was on the wall. But in reality, the writing had appeared before that. The Moore divorce that has wrecked havoc on the Padres, decimated the Padres payroll nearly in half, down to a paltry $40 million projected for 2011.

There was no way to justify paying one player, no matter how great, nearly 50% of a teams entire payroll. And it was unfair to ask Adrian Gonzalez to not get market value. This is the economic landscape of modern day baseball.

Thus began the Adrian Gonzalez trade rumors, rumors that would dominate the 2009 offseason. But as Opening Day 2010 approached, there he was, firmly in place at First Base.

Then a funny thing happened on the way to Fenway Park. The Padres started winning. And winning.

With the Padres in contention, the idea of trading Adrian Gonzalez, despite his value likely never higher, was unfathomable. The Padres front office pushed their chips in and said "Let's go for it."

Did that decision lesson the overall haul for Adrian Gonzalez this week? Probably. The need to trade Adrian was well known and everyday he was a Padres was a day his value decreased and the Padres need to trade increased.

Do I regret them going for it? Not for one second. As earlier post have pointed out, the 2010 baseball season, despite its outcome, was one of the most enjoyable seasons I can remember as a fan. The team won 90 games, had a real shot at making the playoffs and a World Series. Those shots don't come around all the time. And when they do, you take that shot, consequences be damned.

So here we are. Adrian Gonzalez is no longer a San Diego Padres. The starting First Basemen is unknown and the ability for the Padres to compete in 2011 appears, on paper, to be limited.

Adrian Gonzalez leaves San Diego second on the All-Time franchise HR list at 161, behind Nate Colbert at 163 despite 61 fewer plate appearances. He leaves 4th on the franchise all-time RBI list. And despite his relatively short tenure in San Diego, he leaves as perhaps the 3rd most beloved Padres of All-Time, behind Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman (ok, this one is less a stat and more of an opinion).

Today, despite all the logic and reason behind the trade, is not a good day to be a Padres fan. The organization loss their franchise face for most of the last decade.

I know little of the prospects coming from Boston behind what has already been reported. I know they are all highly touted, all with tremendous upside and that none are MLB ready. And I know that the economics of the situation meant this trade had to happen for the long term health of the franchise.

Going to the dentist is good for my long term health too. Doesn't mean I have to enjoy the dentist when I'm there.