We took the clubhouse tour once again at Padres Fan Fest. In the hallway they have the picture of Orlando Hudson spanking Jason Bartlett framed and signed on the wall. It's a weird moment to commemorate to say the least. Like I get that it's sexy but it's also fundamentally bad baseball.

The weight room looks like it got a new paint job. Now there are inspirational quotes on top of the walls. If those don't do the trick they have a corner stocked with "supplements" and what looks like boxes of herbal teas.

In the massage room they have a big bird cage in the corner. Usually when I want to relax and get a deep tissue massage I want to hear running water or an Enya album, not a squawking bird.

In high school I used to call over to Dex's house and ask him what he was doing and he'd say he wasn't doing anything. In the background I'd hear laughing and whistles. I always suspected that he was having a party that I didn't get invited to. That may have been true but years later I found out that he had parrots that made most of the laughing and whistling noises.

I asked one of the employees who was trying to keep the line moving what the deal was with the bird cage and he said it was for canaries. Dex asked, "So this clubhouse is like a coal mine where they have canaries to test for toxic gases?" I've seen what baseball players eat, I bet there are plenty of toxic gases in there once they start to get really relaxed during a massage. So I can understand the safety concern.

Today marks 7 years since Dex and I started blogging about the Padres. It all started on a blog called Padres Fans Since '76 with a post about a second or third hand account of seeing Khalil Greene at Rock Bottom Brewery.

We were just boys back then with our whole lives ahead of us. We didn't know anything about puberty, underarm hair, blogging or the Padres for that matter, but we had three innate qualities that in time would be the keys to our success. We were virile, charming and handsome.

I don't think either of us had read a Padres blog before that fateful day in 2005 and it wasn't until after we started that we looked around to see that there were about three others. Of course there was Ducksnorts who had been blogging in one form or another since '97 and then another two who have since been buried and forgotten under the sands of time. Ducksnorts was like an ambulance driving through traffic, leading the way and we just pulled in right behind him like jerks. He gave the real Padres fans what they wanted with great story telling and in depth analysis and we were able to be our quirky selves.

Here's what Geoff from Ducksnorts said about us back then and I think it still holds up as a good description of what we do.

The other day I asked why there aren’t more blogs about the Padres. Well, now there are! Check ‘em out when you have a moment:

Padres Fans Since ’76 A little TMI in spots, but how can you not like their Keys to the Season. Good start here…

We were the brash and impetuous rookies with complete contempt for authority and raw talent. Now 7 years later we blog before you as crafty veterans, the wise sages of the internet. Your moral compass on all things Padres. Too far?

Anyway it may have been a coincidence that we started on Valentine's Day back then, but our blogging was born of a nonsensical love for the Padres on the eve of Spring Training. It's still what fuels us today. Just like it was back in 2005, it's a good time to start a blog.

Honestly I'm not aware of anyone that has been with us this entire time, but we thank all of you that are with us now or at some point supported us by reading in the past.

Go Padres!

Padres Fan Fest was alright, it's just that there were long lines for everything except the Groundskeeper tour. While Dex and Kev took their kids to the Bounce House behind the batter's eye, Jonny and I got in line to throw in the Padres bullpen.

In years past you could only throw in the visitor's bullpen, but this time you could toe the same rubber that Trevor Hoffman used for so many years. Plus you actually got to pitch to a mannequin batter and catcher which gave you something to aim for.

As we stood in line for about 40 minutes we watched as young softball players showed off their underhand fast pitch and Little Leaguers tried to bean the opposing mannequin batter. Each pitcher was given three balls to throw and for the most part it only took about a minute for them to pitch, gather their things and exit.

Then this older guy dressed in a Padres cap, jacket and mirrored sunglasses took the mound. He was probably in his mid-50's and no more than 5'2" . He removed his tiny backpack and was tossed the first of his three balls. He was a southpaw but held the baseball in his right hand under his chin while he brought his pitching hand to his mouth. He jerked suddenly as if to fake a throw to an imaginary third base men.

He came set again and spread his pitching hand's index and middle finger wide apart like you would to throw a split finger fastball. He then slowly brought the two fingers to his mouth and flicked his tongue between them like he incorrectly imagined a big leaguer would do. He finished the display by licking the tips of his fingers. I couldn't see his eyes through his mirrored glasses but it was like he was staring directly at me when he did it too.

I recoiled in horror and exclaimed to Jon, "Oh that's just disgusting." Jon remarked how he didn't want to throw the balls that he was using.

After about 2 minutes of standing there on the mound performing oral between his fingers he finally threw the ball and it bounced no more than 4 feet in front of him and rolled about half way to the mannequins.

The process began again. He checked for any runners on third base who might want to steal home and then he got to third base with his pitching hand. Each time locking eyes with me as he did it.

I couldn't watch without grimacing and commenting something along the lines of "I think I'm going to be sick."

He was by himself and treating his experience on the mound very seriously, but each set up and throw were the same, the fake to third, the licking between his fingers and the throw into the ground.

Finally he threw the third ball and left. It was then that Jon told me that I should have videoed the whole thing. I was kicking myself, that video would have been gold. It was my only regret from Fan Fest

• Annie Hits Padres FanFest 2012 - YouTube
  The kids at 2:38 in this video are easily my favorite of part. This is the way I imagine I sound when talking about the Padres, weird and with my facts wrong.
  
  

• Cam Maybin on being team MVP, 2012 Padres & the NL West - YouTube
  Marty Caswell interviews Cam Maybin. Nothing too ground breaking in the interview but you get a good look at Maybin's new Faux Hawk which is enough for me.
  
  

• Padres and Pints: Special FanFest Episode | February
  The guys of RJ's Fro tour FanFest and interview President Tom Garfinkel under a picture of their namesake. I can't decide which is my favorite part the rapid fire question segment at 5:25 or the awkward imaginary cheers at 8:14, both make me laugh.
  
  

Padres President/COO Tom Garfinkel called into XX Sports Radio (MP3) this morning to talk about upcoming promotions. He was just minding his own business when suddenly and without warning he was forced to refute Bob Nightengale's USA Today piece that makes the outrageous claim that the Padres are closing in on a 20 year deal worth $75 million a year.

And even the San Diego Padres— playing in the 26th largest market in baseball — are, pending MLB approval, poised to sign a new deal with Fox Sports that will guarantee them $75 million a year for the next 20 years. The deal was confirmed by two industry executives familiar with the contract but not authorized to speak publicly about its details

Garfinkel responded in his interview with new morning hosts Dave and Jeff.

"Well unfortunately they're [the numbers] not real. I wish they were that high."

He continued by saying that the Padres have the smallest television market in baseball in terms of geography and the number of viewers. The actual contract will come closer to doubling the amount from last year, which by my calculations will put the amount between $20-25 million a year.

The Padres are getting closer to announcing the TV deal, but parts of it are out of their control. The ultimate goal is to give everybody in San Diego to the opportunity to see Padres baseball.

UPDATE: Nightengale stands by his numbers:

• San Diego Padres (padres) on Twitter
  As the Little League season approaches, the Padres are starting to hand out something like 11,000 Padres uniforms to our city's youth. Over the weekend they posted a few pictures of the kids in throwback jerseys and hats. Check those out when you get a chance and then find out why I think this is the best public outreach program ever!
  
• Thunder Across Time Pt.1 - YouTube
  Storm Baseball has released 5 or their 6 stop motion promotions starring their mascot Thunder. The story is hard to follow, but it all starts when Thunder gets a new dog house then suddenly is whipped back in time.
• North County Times: Seems Huey Lewis isn't up on Padres' news
  Speaking of going Back in Time... Bud Black was having lunch with the local media when he was approached by moderate rock legend Huey Lewis. Lewis remembered Black from his days pitching for the Giants but wasn't aware that he is now managing the Padres. I can totally imagine Black saying the following:
  

  "I'm a big Huey Lewis guy,'' Black later gushed. "If I'm driving in the car and a Huey Lewis song comes on the radio, I don't change it and I'm turning it way up.''

• Padres implementing dynamic ticket pricing | padres.com: News
  I'm a fan of setting pricing by supply and demand. I think I'll probably save money by getting cheaper seats during the less popular mid week games. I don't go out of my way to see pitching match-ups. I usually don't even know who's pitching until the 3rd inning once I get situated.

  "We wanted to provide discounted seats across the ballpark to fans that purchase in advance," said president and COO Tom Garfinkel. "Over time, as the game gets closer, ticket prices will normalize, but generally, fans who buy early will save money. "As always, our season-ticket holders will enjoy the deepest discounts available. Season tickets remain the ultimate buy-early-and-save opportunity for our fans."

• This is a rad video of some thrill seekers doing a rehearsal sky dive into Petco Park armed with 2 GoPro cameras. Just turn down the music to fully appreciate the video.
  
  
  

Below is a documentary style video voiced by Channel 4's Dennis Morgigno (interlaced with techno beats) showing how Petco Park came to be built.

I'm disappointed that it doesn't appear to have one of my favorite moments in Padres history. During the initial stages of building the ballpark in the East Village, the Padres decided to make the demolition of one particular building even more spectacular.

They painted a Padres catcher on the side of the building and painted a wrecking ball to look like a lopsided baseball. You can see it at about the 4:59 mark. The plan was to swing the wrecking ball so that it would land in the catcher's mitt until the building collapsed under a barrage of fireworks.

What happened was the crew didn't first measure where the ball would actually make contact with the wall. So when fans were invited down to the East Village to watch and the wrecking ball was released it hit the catcher repeatedly over and over again right in the crotch.

In all subsequent airings of the video (that was shown live at the time) that scene has been removed, but it will always remain a part of my most cherished memories.

Watch this three part YouTube video series for an hours worth of Padres enjoyment. Remember it's part of Gaslamp Ball's Happiness Project to Ground Yourself in the Past.

Here's Part 1:

Continue reading this post »

Yesterday as the Super Bowl was winding down and I was losing what little interest I had in the outcome of the game, I started wandering and snooping.

We were at Dex's in-laws and his wife's Uncle Tony was a Padres season ticket holder for 30+ years. He had a pile of sports memorabilia and right on top sat a 1985 Padres calendar. I flipped through the pages and the months.

In the last pages of the calendar was a "Name the Padre" game that has only become harder due to the time that has passed, the glare from the lights and the blur from my nervous disposition.

Let's play. Make a list from 1 to 30 and name as many 1984 Padres team members that you can.

I'll be back in a little bit to check on your progress. Go!

[UPDATE] Answers after the jump. Grade your own.

Continue reading this post »

Well, it's now official, the Padres have signed Micah Owings to a one year $1 million Major League deal..

"Micah will compete for a spot on our staff," Padres general manager Josh Byrnes said in a release. "He is a proven contributor as a starter and as a reliever. Micah's character and versatility made him a priority for us as we looked to add depth to our pitching staff."

Owings looks to be a pretty good pick up for the Padres. I never liked him when he was with the Diamondbacks, but I think that was mostly because he was with the Diamondbacks. Now that he's a Padre I find him to be delightful. It's weird how that works.

It's comforting to know that the Padres have another pitcher that can start when the rotation is inevitably faced with injuries and can also throw out of the bullpen. As long as he makes the team out of Spring camp I foresee good things for his time in San Diego.

UPDATE:

Lots of jokes about Owings' hitting prowess.

I haven't found one internet opinion that hasn't liked this deal for the Padres, so for now the signing is 100% fresh, on par with the likes of Toy Story.

Apologies to RottenTomatoes.com

Padres add Micah Owings | Friar Forecast
While signing Owings exclusively as pitching depth is okay, his real value comes in his offensive game and overall versatility.

Pitcher-Slugger Micah Owings Signs With Padres - Rob Neyer - Baseball Nation
this seems like a great fit, as Owings is a fairly extreme fly-ball pitcher and his new home ballpark -- assuming he earns a spot on the squad -- is where fly balls go to die terrible deaths.

Micah Owings Deal Finalized With Padres - Chicken Friars
It’s a relatively low risk contract for both sides.

Owings Seeks Asylum In Petco | FanGraphs Baseball
The Padres didn’t get a bargain at a million bucks, but they did a good job recognizing that their ballpark’s tendencies will help cover for Owings’ faults. They could end up squeezing half-a-win out of this investment if things break right.

San Diego Padres Add Micah Owings to Major League Roster: Fan's Take - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
I think that the addition of Owings was a great move and one that can help the team in many different areas. If Owings is forced into the starting rotation, it would likely be due to injury or ineffectiveness of someone ahead of him. This wouldn't be good news for Padre fans but is a task Owings is certainly capable of handling.

Could the Padres signing of Micah Owings be a precursor to another deal? | Through The Fence Baseball
Either way, I like the signing of Owings. He can start, be the swing man out of the pen in long relief or even be an extra bat off the bench in late-inning games. Something the Padres in the NL West, and PETCO Park are accustom to.

Mighty Micah Steps Up to the Plate | RJ's Fro
This looks to be the last piece to the 2012 puzzle. We definitely needed another free agent starter to throw in the mix and why not kill two birds with one stone here. Owings is a prolific hitter (for pitchers' standards).

• PADRES: Owings to sign minor league contract
  Some people are saying it's a Major League Deal and some are saying it's a Minor League deal. The only thing we do know is that the trade is likely to happen since Owings is another ex-Arizona player. Kind of surprised he went 8-0 last year, that means he's still good right?

• 11,000 Future Friars " Padre Knows Best
  This community outreach program was genius and that's high praise that I usually reserve for my own ideas. Take a look at the crew unpacking 11,000 Little League Padres jerseys. Then think about what it would be like to make a nest out of all those jerseys and take a nap like a baby bird.

• NL Central suddenly has an identity crisis - ESPN
  Jayson Stark suggests that the Red Sox might consider Jason Bartlett as a SS alternative, but then back pedals and says they probably want someone who is less expensive. It's official Stark is a tease.

• Here's some video of Anthony Bass pitching on what looks like a tennis court using an "MVP Flatground Mound". I've never seen one of those before, but I should tell Jon. He was wanting to build a mound in his backyard. He should get one of these instead.
  
  

Former Padres closer Heath Bell shot a commercial for the company that did his home renovation. Presumably there was a deal in place that gave Bell a discount if he created a commercial upon its completion. There must have been something in the contract about tweeting construction updates as well, because Bell has been tweeting about it for months, always making sure to not so casually drop the name of the company.

The commercial script is at one moment cringe worthy and the next charming. For instance, I like when he pops up from behind a wall made of Tuscan stones or says "It's my garage, it's awesome." Then I groan when he says "It's an amazing outdoor kitchen, OH YEAH!" or speaks nonsensical statements like "...and I've wanted what I got."

In any case, Bell describes the finished product as the backyard of his dreams, which is nice, but I always imagined Heath Bell's dreams being a little goofier and having more personality. I was totally expecting his backyard would be a mixture of a Chuck E. Cheese and a McDonald's play land.

Like Bell himself, his backyard looks like it's trying to be a little more fun than it actually is. They're both classy in spots and just tacky enough in others that nobody will want to buy them in 2 years.

I like the pool, the patio, the grills and the fire pit, but I'm not a fan of the fake boulders and mini-campfires that just seem to be thrown in place randomly like some weird Paleolithic amusement park.

Still, even with my mild criticism and the fact that Bell will never be a Padre again, I'd be willing to participate in any future pool parties as long as bathing suits are optional.

When Jerry Coleman speaks, I listen.

Of course I don't know his broadcasting schedule since it's been severely cut back over the last couple of years. So really there are probably a lot of times that he's speaking and I'm not listening, because the game is on TV or the Padres are playing really poorly and I'm trying to ignore them.

But if I'm in the car, the Padres are in the divisional race and Jerry Coleman just happens to be speaking, then I'm listening.

I'm also going to listen to him if he makes any endorsements, whether it be for San Diego County Credit Union or for a combat tested Marine who is running for mayor.

NathanFletcher.com:

It is time to turn the page on the problems of the past. Nathan will lead San Diego into a new era and will build broad coalitions to solve our problems. I encourage you to learn more about Nathan by visiting his website, facebook or twitter.

Sincerely,

Jerry Coleman

John Sickels doesn't often make lists, but when he does he puts the Padres second on said lists.

2) San Diego Padres: Incredible depth after the winter trades pushes this system almost to the top.

It's got to feel good as the Padres to get this kind of recognition from the great John Sickels. You work so hard to build up your farm system and no one seems to notice or care because the only thing that really matters to them is Major League Baseball.

John Sickels notices... John Sickels cares.

Sickels is so graphic in the way he describes the Padres gutting the Cincinnati Reds. He makes it sound like a scene from Temple of Doom.

21) Cincinnati Reds: Heart of this system torn out by Mat Latos trade but there is enough at the lower levels that I think they can recharge quickly.

On a Fall night in the not so distant future we'll all look back on this day as a hazy, blurry memory because we'll have consumed so much champagne and it will be stinging our eyes in our post World Series celebration. Sure we lost to the Blue Jays in the World Series, but we'll remember that John Sickels was right. John Sickels is always right.

I like Heath Bell enough, but with any luck, in 5 years the San Diego Padres will already have a World Series title under their belt and not be viewed as a place for elderly, overweight baseball players to slowly ease into retirement. No offense.

I'd like for Heath to comes back and get a hosting gig on TV or radio and make his permanent home in San Diego, but unless Bell finds the fountain of youth, that affects more than just his personality then I really hope the team isn't in a position where they would even consider signing him again.

We've been scanning old family slides recently and I came across this one. It's an aerial shot of Jack Murphy Stadium when Mission Valley was home to Mission Basilica San Diego de Alcala, the stadium and not much else.

In those days, Admiral Baker had recently conquered Mission Valley's native tribe ending a three day skirmish, by sailing the Star of India up the San Diego River to reenforce his cavalry that had come under attack. The Franciscan Friars from the nearby mission acted as intermediaries and formed a peace accord between the two warring factions that resulted in the building of Admiral Baker Golf Course that can be seen in the upper right hand corner.

To the North, gold had yet to be found in the steep cliffs that are now known as Tierra Santa and the area was still an active lizard and jack rabbit preserve.

No one knew that the empty plateau sitting kitty corner from the stadium would become a hedonistic dwelling named El Mirage Luxury Apartments. A place where Charger Girls would jog and older men who would sit in one of its hundred jacuzzis alone for extended periods of time waiting for young women to remove their bikini tops or for their already wrinkly skin to prune... whichever came first.

Most importantly, Father Junipero Serra, tired from building a string of missions in California, had taken up America's pastime and formed the San Diego Padres Baseball Club with his Friar brethren, one of which was the recently ordained Father Ted Williams. On this particular day in July, Jack Murphy Stadium sits empty with the Padres playing an away game in Philidelphia against the Athletics.

Here's a google map of what the area surrounding Qualcomm Stadium looks like now. Today the valley floor is covered in condos, homeless camps and malls. What year was the original picture taken?

View Larger Map

• Serial Robbery Suspect Arrested | NBC San Diego
  Police arrested another bank robber wearing a Padres cap. It appears that the Geezer Bandit was a trend setter.

  Agents labeled the suspect as the "Frustrated Fan Bandit" because he either wore San Diego Padres or Chargers clothing during the robberies.
  

• Top 15 Prospects: San Diego Padres | FanGraphs Baseball
  More names of baseball men that I don't recognize.

  This is an organization on the upswing.

• Live Padres Chat with Tom Krasovic - Friarhood
  Friarhood just concluded a Live Chat with Tom Krasovic. I love me some Tom Krasovic. Here's his thoughts on the Rizzo trade.

  I like the idea of bringing a power arm into Petco Park. Cashner needs to reduce his walks. The best pitching environment in MLB improves his chances of doing that. I didn't see urgency to trade Rizzo, but since the Padres believe Alonso is the better fit for them, it made sense to move him. I don't think the Padres handled Rizzo well last year, and that lowered his trade value, as did the trade for Alonso.

• Yonder Alonso on First Pitch. - SiriusXM Sports
  Alonso feels like he is a line drive hitter, so Petco Park shouldn't have much affect on him. He's ready to work. Hat tip: @Padres

• San Diego Padres (padres) on Twitter
  Josh Byrnes attended his first tweetup at Bub's last night but everyone is keeping the happenings very close to their vest. Maybe Gaslamp Ballers Wonko or Darklighter do some Gaslamp Ballin' and write us a FanPost. [UPDATE] Oh look, while I was bitching Wonko wrote a recap.

• Who wants to be bracelet buddies? - Twitpic
  Gaslamp Baller jodes0405 was Gaslamp Ballin' last night. She made a baseball string bracelet and then tried to find similarly minded people to be her friends.

• Avenging Jack Murphy: Thomas Jefferson and Breakfasttown
  AJM is talking crazy again, which is a good thing. One of our very first readers of Gaslamp Ball just told me this week that she really likes AJM's blog and adores his t-shirts. It hurt and I was jealous.

• Evaluating a strange offseason in San Diego
  Myron from Friar Forecast summarizes the offseason for Hard Ball Times.

I'm not going to be able to attend, but hope that some of you will go in our stead. Be vigilant about taking notes. What type of beer is he drinking? Is he dipping his wings in ranch dressing? What's he wearing? Business casual? What are you wearing? I heard the official dress code for those attending should be "fun and flirty".

Also let us know if Padres baseball comes up in conversation.

I saw this Baseball String Bracelet on Pinterest last week and thought I'd try to make one today. Crafts are not my strong suit but it's important to try things you see on the internet, whether it be arts and crafts or love making techniques.

It wasn't long into the process that I determined I should have started with a better baseball. Actually that should be tip one.

Tip 1: Use a baseball that is only slightly used, instead of beat to hell.

I grabbed the worst one in the ball bag because I didn't want to cut up a ball that I might actually use again. Cutting the dried leather was rather easy with my Craftsmen utility knife. It helped to keep the leather in place on the ball as long as possible so that you have a backing to cut against.

Tip 2: Try to make one long continuous cut.

Once I disconnected the laces from the ball I realized that I would probably need a pair of tweezers to pull laces through the holes. The ball I was using had rotten laces though, so the stitching kept breaking. I got frustrated and gave up, just like the 2011 Padres.

Maybe I'll try this with a better ball a little bit later. Anyhow here are the fruits of my labor.

Make your own and we can be BFF.

I'm watching some YouTube videos of Austin Hedges hitting in a batter's cage. Is that what you call it? Batter's cage? That doesn't sound right. Batting cage. I think that's it.

Dex reminds me that Austin Hedges is the catcher the Padres picked in the second round. People thought he was unsignable because of his bonus demands. That's why he dropped to the second round. The Padres scoffed at the thought that anyone was unsignable. So what did they do? They signed him, they signed the hell out of him.

Now all they have to do is put him through years of regimented training, watch him blossom into a man, promote him as a player of the future with the All-Star potential and then trade him away before he has a chance to make an impact. Right Padres fans?

It feels so naughty when people film with their iPhone upright. It makes me feel like a voyeur. It's like I'm hiding, peeking out of a door and just seeing a sliver of what's going on. Perhaps touching myself all the while. I digress...

Professional baseball players swing so hard, but make it look effortless. I bet I could swing with all my might and still not even approach their bat speed. I think the better you are the more effortless it looks. Like if you could see me blogging right now you'd see me in my pajamas, smoking a Newport cigarette -- effortless.

One time we saw Adrian Gonzalez in the cage one time and that dude looked flat out lazy but the sound of the crack of the bat sounded like a small caliber gun shot.