Results tagged ‘ Adrian Gonzalez ’
Hello, Goodbye
Before I begin, I want to thank you guys for making this blog on the top 100 for 2010! My blog stood at number 42 and I couldn’t have been in that place without you guys. Thanks for the support all year and for the spread of word or two about my blog. You guys know that I desperately want more readers and to get a higher rank. That’s why I created a Facebook page for Perpetual Saga. Please show your love and “like” my official page!
Now onto the entry. Over the course of the offseason that’s still hanging around right now, Padres made ton of moves and lost and gained players in order to balance out the team. Padres released Adrian Gonzalez, Miguel Tejada, and Yorvit Torrealba, Jon Garland, Kevin Correia, Tony Gwynn Jr., Ryan Webb, and Edward Mujica. Free agents Jerry Hairston Jr. and David Eckstein are still not signed but for some reason I doubt the two middle infielders will return in Padres uniforms this year. In order to make up for the losses, Padres welcomed Aaron Harang, Jason Bartlett, Orlando Hudson, Brad Hawpe, Rob Johnson, Cameron Maybin, Dustin Moseley, and three minor leaguers in the Adrian Gonzalez deal.
But man, Adrian Gonzalez. He’s gone. It’s still hard to believe that Adrian in a Red Sox uniform is a reality. Here’s my take on the Adrian Gonzalez trade. Rival San Francisco Giants were able to sign Miguel Tejada, the veteran shortstop. It was disheartening to see him sign with the Giants not only because he signed with the team that I highly dislike, but also because Padres lost one more veteran player. You guys know that I highly respect veteran players and losing Miguel hit me. Same thing with Yorvit Torrealba and Jon Garland. Yorvit signed with the Texas Rangers while Jon signed with the Dodgers again. Kevin Correia moved from SoCal to the Steel City and he will play with the team that is not in National League west for the first time in his career. Tony Gwynn Jr. went with the Los Angeles Dodgers and I tend to get irritated when Padres players sign with a team that is in the National League west. Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica signed with the Marlins in a Cameron Maybin trade (Which I will mention later.). Although it’s extremely discouraging to see all the great players leave San Diego, the moves were made for the best. Because the Padres acquired new players, I expect this team to change and even improve in a good way.
To me, Aaron Harang “replaced” Jon Garland (Can’t think of a better way to say it.). Jon Garland was a number one starter last season and did a great job by eating up as many innings as possible. Watching him on the mound was not a problem. Now that Garland signed with the Dodgers, it’s time for Aaron Harang to shine. Harang may not crunch down many innings like Garland but I believe that Harang can settle in fine at Petco Park. After all, Petco Park is a pitcher-friendly ballpark. I can’t wait to see Harang will bring to the Padres with his new uniform during spring.
I mentioned about the acquisition of Jason Bartlett and Orlando Hudson in this entry. Both of them are defensive upgrades, and they have a chance to improve on the hitting from the middle infielders last year. Because the Padres signed Bartlett and Hudson, the likely chance of resigning the second baseman and the shortstop from reduced. Don’t get me wrong, I would love to see David Eckstein and Jerry Hairston Jr. back in Padres uniforms. I believe there is still a chance that these two will return but most likely, I don’t see that happening. Jason Bartlett and Orlando Hudson sound like fun and exciting players. I can tell that fans and I will enjoy watching them play. Will they make a huge difference at the middle infield? Possibly.
Padres signed Brad Hawpe and I think this is a great move. He is a first baseman and an outfielder and I believe that he will impact this team somehow. His natural position is first base but he is not “replacing Adrian Gonzalez”. Rather, he said that he is going to do what he needs to in order to help out the team. Hawpe played first base in the Rockies minor league system; however, he moved to right field when he got to the major leagues because Todd Helton was already at first base. Hawpe was also a 2009 National League All-Star. He parted ways with the Rockies last year in August and spent some time with the Tampa Bay Rays. Now that he is back in National League again, I think playing at Petco Park should not be a problem for him.
Rob Johnson was claimed by the Padres on December. He had ups and downs with the Mariners for almost four years. Now that Nick Hundley’s training wheels are off, he will most likely be the starting catcher this year. Nick benefited from being a backup catcher of Henry Blanco in 2009 and Yorvit Torrealba from last year. It’s pretty exciting for me that Nick will finally have a chance to be a starter. As for Rob Johnson, I really hope that he will improve much more this year than the previous year. I would love to see him develop behind home plate. He’s getting a fresh new chance and he needs to do his best in order to earn his job.
I can’t wait to see what Cameron Maybin is going to bring to San Diego. He’s only 23 but he looks like a very promising player. And even though he hasn’t produced at the Major League level like he has in the Minor Leagues, I can sense his potential. In order to acquire Cameron Maybin from the Marlins, Padres had to give up Ryan Webb and Edward Mujica. Both Ryan and Edward were in the group called “The Penitentiary” last year. They were a part of the outstanding Padres bullpen and I was kind of disappointed to see them go. But there’s an old saying called “it’s all part of business”. Even though Cameron is young, there is a likely chance that he will join the outfield as an everyday player with Ryan Ludwick at right field and Will Venable at left field.
Dustin Moseley was acquired to fill in the missing spot in the pitching rotation. He had few injury problems and was non-tendered by the Yankees.Because of the departure of Jon Garland and Kevin Correia, Dustin Moseley is currently an option as part of the starting pitching rotation. As of now, I see Mat Latos, Clayton Richard, Tim Stauffer, Aaron Harang and Dustin Moseley. Not necessarily in that order. Wade LeBlanc and Cory Luebke will also be competing for the spot. It’s going to be interesting to see who gets the job and who does not.
The players the Padres got from the Adrian Gonzalez trade are right-handed pitcher Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, and center fielder Reymond Fuentes. I personally think Kelly, Rizzo and Fuentes are great prospects and they will impact the Padres in a positive way. All of them are very young and it will take time to see them in Padres uniforms. I don’t guarantee that those three players will be in action wearing Padres uniforms this year but they have plenty of time.
Offseason is a reality check for the fans; this is what it’s all about. Good or bad, it’s all true. Losing players doesn’t mean I need to panic about it. Looking on the bright side, the moves that were made can make a huge difference for the team. I can’t wait to see how the Padres will turn out to be during the regular season. Baseball is starting to get on it’s way. Hang on!
Adios, Adrian.
The Padres and the Red Sox have agreed to a trade involving Adrian Gonzalez from San Diego and Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo, Reymond Fuentes and a player to be named later from Boston. Adrian got his physical examination done and the next step is the official announcement.
Honestly, the departure of the three-time All Star was predicatable because I knew that Adrian will leave San Diego someday. Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein kept a close eye on Adrian for more than a year and Epstein’s patience awarded him with Adrian wearing a Red Sox uniform. Of course I am unhappy to see the two-time gold glove winner leave. He is a San Diego native and represented his hometown and the team very well for five years. I see so many young aspiring baseball players in San Diego who look up to Adrian. I cannot imagine how they feel about this trade and they will sincerely miss Adrian. Adrian does his job as a baseball player and also helping out the community. He and his wife Betsy organized a foundation called the Adrian and Betsy Gonzalez foundation which is focused on underprivileged youth in areas of athletics, education and health. I love the dedication and his generous hands to help out the people in needs.
Trading favorite baseball players is absolutely heartbreaking and I dealt with this situation couple of times. I remember I was devastated for days and even weeks without Trevor Hoffman, Jake Peavy and Khalil Greene. Surprisingly, I don’t feel gloomy about this recent Padres trade not because I’m used to seeing my favorite players leave San Diego or I expected Adrian to get traded, but because I know that I always have to face reality regarding Padres and baseball in general. As time is still progressing, I realized that I’m dealing with trades calmly little by little and facing reality in a proper manner (Now, David Eckstein will be a completely different story). I do have to keep remind myself that trade is a part of business in the baseball industry because I do not want frustration and anger to mingle. When the combination erupts, it will be a huge mess.
I am not going to point fingers and blame the Padres general manager Jed Hoyer. He did come from the Red Sox organization so my assumption is that he made this move by his knowledge of the prospects. This trade is certainly not a mess. I believe that this trade is a win-win situation for both teams. The Red Sox received a talented baseball player while the Padres received three great prospects in return.
The players the Padres got in return are right-handed pitcher Casey Kelly, first baseman Anthony Rizzo, and center fielder Reymond Fuentes. Thanks to Elizabeth, I got to know much more about the players. She does an excellent job keeping up with not only the Red Sox, but also the prospects in the organization. I personally think Kelly, Rizzo and Fuentes are great prospects and they will impact the Padres in a positive way. All of them are very young and it will take time to see them in Padres uniforms.
Early this year, I started getting into learning more about the young players in the Padres and the Padres organization. In order to truly learn about the players, I created a segment of my blog called ”Future Star of Today”. This is a category which is everything about young players and why I think they will be successful in the major league. By one player per entry, I hope to that my readers will learn about these guys. I think Kelly, Rizzo, and Fuentes will be future stars of today.
I know the Red Sox will love Adrian not only because of his numbers, but he plays great baseball overall. The talent and the numbers allowed many Padres fans to proudly wear number 23 with “Gonzalez” on their backs at Padres games. I believe that the fans will still wear their Adrian Gonzalez jerseys and shirts to Petco Park. Who could possibly forget Adrian, the three-time all star and the two-time gold glove winner? Who could possibly forget the offensive provider for the San Diego Padres? Who could possibly forget the San Diego native who played for his hometown? Adrian will be greatly missed and I wish him nothing but the best. Thank you Adrian for all the great moments you left for San Diego. Adios, Adrian.
Quest for the Postseason
Here baseball fans stand today on September, anxiously waiting to determine which teams will reach to the 2010 playoffs. The thirty teams have about twenty games left to play during the regular season and it’s do or die for the six best teams in October baseball. Currently, the San Diego Padres are on top of the National League West, proving that impossible is possible for this team.
This season is filled with faith, perseverance and determination by both the players and the fans. The one word that I frequently use to describe this year is as simple as ”believe”. I believe this team can go all the way to the top. Many Padres fans and even the players relate to the word “believe” as well. The way this Padres baseball is played continues to amaze for those who have faith in this team.
Despite the non-believers and doubters, Padres are holding their heads up high by playing baseball by their style. They do every little things possible and turn them into enormous results. For example, Padres move the base runners as far as they can in order to score and keep the momentum going. That momentum can continue to the point when the opposing pitchers struggle to escape the trap. David Eckstein is not only a veteran but the king of moving the base runners for the Padres. Even though the offense is not very powerful, they have days when the bats become explosive and unstoppable. Adrian Gonzalez continues to work with his strong bat and showing a definition of a professional hitter. Other players such as Miguel Tejada, Yorvit Torrealba, Chase Headley are on top of their games to provide the offense for the team.
As for pitching, the Padres are on top. Both the starters and the bullpen possess jaw-dropping numbers. The young pitchers are stepping up their games to help out not only the pitching staff but for the entire team. Recently, Cory Luebke and Tim Stauffer earned their important roles as starters. Cory Luebke was a September call up and he is making a great impression so far by earning his first Major League win against the Dodgers. Tim Stauffer replaced starter Kevin Correia and is currently on the starting rotation. Kevin Correia has been struggling which allowed to land himself with the bullpen. This was a good choice because he needs time to cool off and take time to fix his pitching. Tim Stauffer filled in the hole right on with no problems. He, like Cory Luebke, is making a great impression and I want to see both young pitchers grow thorughout their baseball careers.
The veteran pitcher Jon Garland does have his ups and downs but he knows his role perfectly. When he has an atrocious outing, the look of his face tells everything. The frustration and anger really defines himself as a pitcher who wants to win badly. I really respect him for the effort he put in every time he gets the call to pitch. He is stepping up and setting a great role as a quality veteran pitcher.
The pitcher that stands out is Mat Latos. His pitching is like the presence of CY Young award winner. He’s only 22 but fear him. The youngster is not only a great pitcher but matured himself by listening to the veteran pitchers and following directions. Every time he gets a start, I see a luminous glow on the mound. He truly shines and the light never seems to fade away. This year, he can be a NL CY Young award candidate because he is that impressive. Having Mat Latos is an incredible honor.
The question is, will the Padres win the division with pitching? My answer is no. Padres cannot afford to win multiple amount of 1-0 games. I personally don’t see that happening. Sure, 1-0 games are nail biting and exciting at times, but winning too many of them makes me want to scratch my head and wonder, “Can the offense step up?” I’m a pitchers’ duel girl because I absolutely love pitchers. The problem with winning not only 1-0 games but low scoring games is that pitchers have to step up their even more without any cushion and comfort. Physically, pitchers can’t win every single game because they can get easily worn out. It will be great if the Padres offense can step up and help out the pitchers.
Postseason baseball is so close that I can smell it. I truly believe that the San Diego Padres will be one of the six teams to play October baseball. Possibly, this team can go all the way to the World Series. In order to do so, the Padres have to continue play baseball with their style. They cannot back down and collapse. The boys have to fight for the ultimate prize and play in the hard way. I’m always supporting the Padres every time, everywhere. I really believe in this club.
VIP entrance, press box tour, conversation with the Ecksteins and Padres’ win in one day? Oh my!
First of all, I apologize that the title of this entry is incredibly long. However, this lengthy title does not describe everything I did at Petco Park on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon.
I was able to go to this game with Kaybee, John and my friend because the Ecksteins were so generous to offer tickets for me. If you read this entry, the same thing happened to me last year except that I went to the game with my brother. This year, I wanted to bring my friends but I received many, many requests that they want to tag along with me to go to the game. To be fair for everyone who entered my “contest”, I wrote all of their names and randomly picked three. So this is the reason why I invited Kaybee, John, and my friend. They were the lucky winners out of the bunch.
All of us gathered around at VIP entrance/media entrance/player will call before the game to pick up the tickets. I was astonished that all I had to do was simply tell the worker that a player left tickets for me and show my photo identification. My name was on the system so I had to be in charge of getting the tickets for us. Things went smoothly and two different workers at the VIP entrance really liked my David Eckstein poster, the poster which I will mention towards the end of this entry. So already, two people complimented my poster and it was a great way to start off the day at Petco Park.
The four of us went down to the field level to see what was going on for the Padres and their opponent of the day, the Diamondbacks. The first Padres player in action the four of us saw was Chris Young.
Kaybee was able to get Chris Young’s autograph. I already got his autograph from last year’s Padres Fan Day. All four of us were very impressed because he was so nice to everyone who wanted his autograph. Currently, he is on the DL and did not pitch since April this year. The return of new, healthy Chris Young is a must for the sometime in second half of the season.
Adrian Gonzalez was also signing autographs but again, I already got his autograph last year so no need to worry for me. Kaybee got his autograph but John was extremely close to getting his. My friend? Well, he doesn’t like waiting in a huge crowd trying to get autographs.
Later, we met Angela, the head of the photography crew of Petco Park. Angela contacted me through Facebook and asked me if I want to get a tour around the press box. You read it right. Press box. I responded back “Definitely!”. So Angela camed down to the field level to introduce ourselves and the journey began.
Personally, walking pass by securities felt pretty nervous but I love the fact that Angela was very calm and easy going that we made it to the press box smoothly. Since my friends and I did not want to look like bunch of super fans, I chose not to bring my camera. Plus we had to put our belongings in a room and my camera was in my bag. The reason why the pictures do not look great is because I took them with my phone. Also, people in the room looked busy preparing for the game and gave us a weird look. But I present to you, the press box of the San Diego Padres!
The second picture shown is where analyst Jerry Coleman does his job. It would have been fantastic if Jerry was present in his room but he was in New York, according to Angela. She was kind enough to take a picture of us in his room.
From this perspective, I really felt like Jerry Coleman. We had a very good look at his room and everything was just incredible. After looking around several more rooms, it was time for us to go back to our seats. We thanked Angela for a great tour and I hope to see her again in the future at Petco. She gave us t-shirts for each of us as well.
Also, we saw play-by-play announcer Dick Enberg and Padres radio announcer Andy Masur. We could not say anything to both of them because they passed by us in less than three seconds. It would have been amazing if they stopped by us and say hello. I even had several questions to ask for them. My goal was to have a quick interview with any broadcasters for the Padres but it didn’t work out. Someday I hope to accomplish my goal.
So already, it was about 4:20, which means we had time to relax and watch batting practice from our seats. About five minutes or so later, I saw pitcher Mat Latos’ girlfriend and her friend. Because I interact with them, I had to drop by and say hello. In order to do so, I had to ditch my friends. Sorry guys! I caught up with the ladies and it was so awesome finally meeting them in person. They were extremely nice and we had fun talking some Padres baseball.
After we parted our ways, I went back to my seats where my friends were waiting. About five minutes before 5, we decided to go back down to the field level to wait. Why and for who? David Eckstein signs every single day at Petco Park. For Saturday games, he signs around at 5. He came out from the dugout and started signing. I caught his attention by showing him the poster I made for him. He gave me his big, cute, “Hey!” and gave me a hug. I gave him a big thank you because he and his wife were the ones who provided the tickets for my friends and I. He was kind enough to sign the poster and take a picture with me. He loved my poster too!
This is my third picture I took with him but trust me, there will be more if I go to Padres games in the future. Of course I had to introduce Kaybee, John and my friend to Eck. He was so nice to everyone and made great eye contact. I appreciate him for everything he does to make Petco into a friendly place for the fans. The way he signs autographs everyday and doing his very best are only two reasons out of the bunch why he is my favorite player.
It was almost game time and I was reminded by Ashley, his wife, that she will be coming to our seats and say hello to us. When she came down to us, I was extremely stoked because I finally met her in person for the very first time. Trust me, I was about to scream.
First things first, she is so sweet and down to earth. The five of us had an incredible amount of fun talking with each other. I learned so much about the Ecksteins thanks to Ashley. It is impossible to remember every single thing we talked about but here are some of the great and funny ones that I remember:
1. David drives Ashley’s green Honda Civic, which I think it is adorable and funny. According to Ashley, David does not like anything flashy (If I remember correctly.) but instead, he likes simple things. People make fun of him driving Ashley’s car but I love the fact that he just laughs it off. What a great guy.
2. David watches WWE. That is all.
3. Ashley is the one who reads things off from the Internet. David does not want to read these because people can make up things that are not true. Especially rumors about players getting traded. So Ashley tells him directly about the things she reads. Therefore, David Eckstein does not read this blog.
4. Ashley has her clothing line for Star Wars. She has her website called, Her Universe. Please check it out! She works so hard to make her products for the female Star Wars lovers. She created her clothing line so the female Star Wars fanatics do not have to worry about purchasing Star Wars shirts that are made for guys. Everything Ashley created is gorgeous and chic and feel free to click here to see her creations.
5. Ashley calls David ”The grandpa of the Padres” because he gets along with his teammates but does not have a “best friend”. I think this is very cute.
At first, I was nervous because Ashley was right behind us. Meaning a row. It is not like everyday that a famous person sits right behind you so that was a really unforgettable moment. But because of her friendliness, she helped us to interact with each other smoothly and I thank her for the help.
Also, Ashley was supposed to sit in a different section but she was so nice to stop by us first before the game even began. Our conversation got longer and longer and I did not want this to end. She went to her seat in the middle of the game and she gave us a big hug. In the end, we talked to each other for about an hour, three innings in terms of a game. I did not pay attention to the game very well because I had a blast talking with Ashley.
I honestly don’t know how to explain this game very well so I’ll leave here some of the pictures I took.
On the left is Scott Hairston’s wife and on the right is Jerry Hairston’s wife. Stalker much? I think so too. But they were literally three rows in front of us.
So I am 3-0 this season. Meaning all of the games I went to this season so far, the Padres won all three games. Saturday July 17, 2010 marks the day as the best Padres game I went to in my life so far. When I go to more Padres games in the future this year, I hope to improve my record and stay undefeated. Meeting people and doing something new every time at Petco is always fun. What’s better than touring the press box, having a full conversation with the Ecksteins plus being 3-0 this season? Nothing.
First Game of 2010
The title of this entry is straightforward. On a gorgeous Saturday afternoon, I went to Petco Park with my friend for the very first time this season. It was his first time this year as well. On my way up to Petco, I was extremely nervous and my heart was beating non-stop. I know it sounds very silly, especially since this is coming from a huge Padres fan. I didn’t know what to expect for the 2010 season at Petco Park and I was excited above and beyond. I also wanted my plans to work out smoothly as possible. My plans were:
1. Talk with David Eckstein and see if he remembers me.
2. Meet up with my Twitter follower.
3. Watch a great Padres win without missing an action.
I waited for my friend and after I found him, we went inside the Petco Park for a great adventure. First person I saw was the one and only David Eckstein taking a batting practice. Several minutes later, Scott Hairston was signing autographs. I was able to get his just in time.
Pretty picture of Scott Hairston’s autograph, I know.
About ten minutes or so later, I saw my follower from Twitter, Danny. We promised to meet up and we did. I love bloggers/twitter people meetups. It’s so easy to talk Padres baseball together and I enjoy meeting new people.
Not too long later, pitcher Clayton Richard started signing as well. I was able to get his autograph as well and I even took a picture with him. He was extremely nice and I was very impressed.
After Clayton Richard signed, none of the Padres showed up to the field. However about an hour later, David Eckstein came out from the dugout or clubhouse to sign autographs for the fans. I figured out that he still signs everyday at Petco and I really respect him for showing class and doing the very best for the fans. He is a wonderful guy and San Diego will not be the same without him.
While he was signing, I just had to interrupt and say hello to him. It was so nice that he still remembers me! He gave me a big hug and I nearly fainted. No dialogue of the conversation this time because I was freaking out and became way too excited. But he did ask me how is everything going and I replied to him I’m doing very well. We even took a picture together that is literally made up of win.
I asked him nicely if he can take a picture with me showing a thumbs up sign and he did! I was very, very impressed but at the same time, I knew he would do such things like this because he is an overall excellent person. It was sad and hard saying bye to Eck but I told him good luck.
According to my friend, he didn’t sound too enthusiastic when he was signing to other people but when he turned around and saw me, his eyes really lit up. My friend also said that the fans gave a “What?! How does he know her?” look. I felt such like a celebrity among the crowd. The best part is that Eck gave me a big “Hey!” that everyone can hear about 10 feet away. His “Hey!” is really adorable, by the way. So as a conclusion, this is now my new profile picture in my blog and it will probably not change, unless Eck and I take another picture that is just as great as this or even better.
It was almost game time so my friend and I quickly settled into our seats.
The lineups looked like the following.
This was literally starting pitcher Wade LeBlanc’s first pitch.
Wade started to struggle already in the first inning but he settled down and was very consistent throughout his outing.
David Eckstein’s very first at bat was a hit!
Chase Headley grounded into a force out so David Eckstein was out at second base. But thanks to Adrian Gonzalez, he hit a two-run shot to drive in Chase. At this point, Padres took the lead with a score of 2-0.
Starting pitcher for the Mariners was Cliff Lee. At first, I was very nervous that he will dominate the Padres because he is one heck of a good pitcher. But rather, he struggled which was a very good thing for the Padres and the fans.
It was also fun seeing Ichiro with my own two eyes at a ballpark. We all know that he is a big shot in Japan and even here in the United States. It was a pleasure watching him but of course, I did not root for him.
Yesterday’s promotion was a soccer-style scarf and it was spectacular. At some points during the game, we put our scarves up like so shown in above.
Jerry Hairston Jr. got a productive out with a sacrifice fly and catcher Yorvit Torrealba scored. At this point, the game was 3 to 1, Padres with the lead.
Bottom of the 8th was when things got very interesting. Chase Headley hit a double to drive in Will Venable. It was now 4 to 1 Padres. Oscar Salazar came up to pinch hit and he responded a pitch by hitting a three-run shot to drive in Chase Headley and Adrian Gonzalez.
Now the score was 7 to 1. Reliever Edward Mujica did a good job not giving up any runs to the Mariners in the ninth inning. The Padres ultimately beat the Mariners 7 to 1!
It was very nice to start off the season (Well, for me.) with a win. I was very impressed with Wade LeBlanc and he out shined Cliff Lee. This win was very nice, especially because I was in the stands rooting hard for my Padres.
So in the end, I got:
- Two autographs (Scott Hairston and Clayton Richard)
- A big hug from David Eckstein
- A nice conversation with Eck
- Padres soccer-style scarf
- Great Padres win
- Over a hundred pictures
- Perfectly worked out plan
Feel free to click here to check out more. This night was another fun one at the ballpark and unforgettable. I hope to make more trips to Petco Park this season.
Introducing… the 2010 San Diego Padres (Part 1)
Spring training has come to an end which means 2010 regular season is quickly approaching. I had a great opportunity to take a good look at the players we have during spring training. Veteran players are no problem and young players impressed me very much. I had so much fun listening and watching the Padres play. This entry will be about my hopes for each Padres and a much better season.
1. Young players: non-pitchers
What more I can say? These guys are tough. So the other teams better not underestimate these guys.
Everth Cabrera
He has a great arm, can handle the ball extremely well and nail almost every defensive plays I can think of. He reminds me of 2004-2007 Khalil Greene. As we all know, Khalil is still struggling in the majors and I hope this will not happen to Everth. When Everth came to the majors, I immediately thought he was going to be a huge impact for the Padres. He is the guy who only played single-A baseball. No double-A. No triple-A. To come to the majors by playing single-A ball is absolutely incredible. He is still young but grew so much when he became the starting shortstop and did not miss a single start ever since the day he came back from DL in 2009. I always have high hopes from him because he is extremely talented. 2010 season should be not be a problem for Everth.
Kyle Blanks
If I am the opposing pitcher, I better watch out when Kyle Blanks comes up to bat. Like Everth, I was happy to hear when Kyle made his major league debut last year. The defensive plays he make are eye-popping wheter he is playing at first base or outfield. Power is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of him. That power lead him to hit inside the part homerun last year against the Cubs. He is so much fun to watch. He did miss couple of weeks because he was injured and it was last month of the season. I want him to stay healthy throughout the season and hope to see the same Kyle Blanks on the field and on the plate; Power and energy.
Will Venable
When I think of Will, defense comes to my mind first. Yes, he can hit well but I personally think Will looks stronger when he plays at the outfield. I like him a lot. He made his major league debut in 2008 and I saw promise of his bright future as time progressed. He may look like a soft-spoken player but he does not back down from anyone in the majors. I repeat. Anyone. For example, on August 23rd, 2009, Will and Albert Pujols had some sort of fight. I was thinking to myself, ”WOW. Will? And Albert Pujols?!” As we all know, Albert Pujols is like the king of Major League Baseball right now. I was shocked when Will did not back down from Pujols. This was great for Will because he did not make an excuse of being young but rather stepped up his game. I had to give two thumbs up to Will for the extreme courage. He is fun to watch and I hope to see him grow as well in 2010 and so on.
2. Not-so-young-players-but-young-in-a-way-players: non-pitchers
I don’t think that makes sense but I continue.
Chase Headley
His natural position is third base. When he made his major league debut during the 2007 season, he was called up because Kevin Kouzmanoff, unfortunately now a former Padre, was injured. His playing time at third base got short as the season rolled on because Kouz was already locked in at third. So he had to shift his position to outfield and did a great job. Now that Kouz is not with the Padres anymore, he is moved back to his natural position and it is finally time for him to shine. I hope he does well in 2010 and so on now that he is at where he started.
Tony Gwynn Jr.
2010 will be his first year starting the season off with the Padres. When he came to San Diego from Milwaukee, I was screaming in joy. As the son of Mr. Padre, Tony Gwynn Sr., I was glad to hear that Tony Jr. joined us. I forgived him when he forced the Padres to unable to clinch in 2007. Besided that terrible memory, he is an overall a great player. He can run extremely well, which is a good thing since San Diego Padres is not well known as speedy. Speed can actually win games by base stealing and forcing the runner to be at scoring position. I hope to see Tony a lot throughout the season with the mixture of talented outfielders.
3. Veteran players: non-pitchers
These guys know and have the ability to help out the young players we have. The leadership skills from the veterans will surprise many teams.
David Eckstein
I just know that he will continue to deliver what he has in 2010. His leadership skill is excellent for the young players and I can always depend on him when the Padres are slumping. The former World Series MVP is a great players to have in the young team. Extending him was a great move and he deserves to be the everyday starter at second base. When he was injured last season, the Padres were slumping and Eck could not help the team. His absence sunk the club and I hope this will not happen in 2010 season. I want him to stay healthy throughout the season and continue to do his job very well. With the word “grit” all over his face, I’m sure he can handle the bat by moving the runners over to scoring position and driving them in.
Adrian Gonzalez
According to my book, he is now one of the veterans for the Padres. He won two Gold Gloves and he represents San Diego by playing for his home team while helping out the city as well. There is still a trade talk about Adrian and I do not want to see him go. The young kids growing up in San Diego playing baseball who are looking up to Adrian will be devastating. As for the Padres, he is a key towards winning games because of his power at the plate and strong defensive plays at first base. Without him, this team will look shaky and I hope this will not happen in 2010. First step for the Padres is keeping Adrian.
Scott and Jerry Hairston
Did I mentioned that they are cute? Anyways, Both Hairstons experienced in the majors for a long time and it’s an honor having them together in a team that is rebuilding. It’s great to have Scotty back from Oakland because I missed him so much when he left in middle of 2009 season. Jerry recently won the World Series with the Yankees and it’s fun to have former World Series winners with the team that needs a bit of help. I like both of them a lot and it’s going to be very exciting to see them play together. Their offense is great because they can hit bunch of homeruns that’s going to make the fans stand on their feet and cheer on the Padres really loudly. I want to see that a lot throughout the season.
4. Catchers
I already wrote about them. You can check out the entry here.
So that will do for part 1. Tune in for part 2!
Q’s and A’s
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What I want for Christmas are…
1. A healthy team throughout the season and almost none of these:
Injuries are very scary, especially during games. Yes. Even spring training. It’s so painful and heartbreaking to watch when a beloved player or whoever in your favorite team gets injured. I even saw a live one at a ballpark once. That was when Edgar Gonzalez got hit with a baseball on his head back in July. There I was at Petco, standing to look at Edgar to see if he was ok and speechless for five minutes. Injuries can happen to any players and I’m ok with that. When they happen during an unexpected time, it’s a diffrenet story. They can also lead to a shaky team because there is a possibility that an ace can be placed on the DL as well. A healthy team however, will be a dominant group since most of the players will be in action to play solid baseball. Padres tend to have a problem with injuries and I hope this wouldn’t be a major issue next year.
2. Extend David Eckstein for couple of more years.
Currently, he is staying in San Diego for a year because of an extension he got during regular season. I was so pleased with that announcement especially since I heard that news when I was at a game. Like I said many times, he is a pleasure to have and a great role model. Great pickup as well. He believes in the young Padres and I defintiely approve of his words. Eck is my favorite player and I’m going to be heartbroken for a very long time when he departures. This guy has true definition of manners and grit as well. For example, when fans go to Petco, he will be always signing autographs, making eye contact to everyone around him and actually say something back at them. I love how he does that every single game at Petco, even when he is injured. Most players don’t do that which means that Eck is one of the rare players who knows how to take care of the fans. Heck, I was one of the fans at one point and I was so happy to see him do that for me. That turned out even better by him knowing who I am, which is truly amazing.
Eck is going to turn 35 on January 20th. I try not to think about his age so much but it keeps coming back to me for some reason. Anyway, this guys works hard for entire 162 games and I really appreciate for everything he does for this club and the fans. Whatever happens to him, he will remain as my favorite player whether he will stay for couple of more years, or go to another team.
3. Keep key players such as Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Heath Bell, etc.
There are several clubs who are keeping a sharp eye on Adrian, Kevin and even Heath. It will be devistating when even one of them leaves. Adrian, a two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, is one of the key ingredient in order to make a sucessful team. Will Red Sox be a good fit for Adrian? No. Any other team? No. He is perfectly fine with San Diego and we need this guy so much. His contract will be over in 2011 but at some point, he may get traded. He’s talented and hard working player that everyone loves to watch.
Kevin Kouzmanoff is my gold glove winner. He didn’t win last time, but he definitely deserved that award. His glove is at the Hall of Fame and it’s an honor to have it as a Padre. Chase Headley can play thirdbase as well since it’s his natural position. Honestly, I am more comfortable watching Kouz do his job at third. His plays are spectacular and I rely on him more than Chase. Again, it will be depressing to watch when he gets traded. Plus, he has a lot of female fans. Most of them can turn to a different fan. He always tends to start of the season very slow but eventually bounce back somewhere in June. Usually, I don’t like slow starts but since Kouz is a hard working guy, I accept that from him.
If the Padres release Heath Bell, that would be an absurd thing to happen. First of all, he is a closer and closers have a huge role by end of games during save situations. As a first year closer, Heath did an excellent job by saving 42 games and earned his name as number one on the list among leaders of NL closer in most saves. He has ton of energy on and off the mound. This guy is down to Earth as well. His words and jokes crack me up and if he leaves, I’m gonna miss his bright personality so much.
There are other Padres who I don’t want them to get traded. For example, Mike Adams. He’s a great reliever to have and I can rely on him the most out of the bunch in the bullpen. Keeping Tony Gwynn and Oscar Salazar is a must as well.
4. A trip to the playoffs and even a World Series Title in the Padres’ hands.
I’m not joking. Clinching NL West would be great, but World Series will be even more better. I will burst into tears of joys for long hours. Padres are rebuilding but I truely believe in this club. With a mixture of ton of young guys and well-experienced vetrans, this team will definitely turn things around. Just watch. We will have our World Series Ring someday.
I sometimes get this from my friends: “Who are the Padres?” I just brush it off tell them to watch their mouths but I get frustrated from their words when I’m not with them. They are not serious about it and I know it’s a joke. When it comes to Padres, I tend to get serious so we have an issue with that. When my boys can win it for me and the rest of the fans, I want to prove to those who think Padres are a bad club that this group of boys are winners. They are so underrated and it’s time for that to stop.
5. More consistent Padres bloggers that I can interact with.
Having more Padres bloggers is going to be so much fun. I’m very opened to reading their opinions about this team. For example, the guys at Gaslamp Ball are hilarious and I enjoy reading their posts. They are not members of MLBlogosphere but I try my best to read their blog because they make me laugh. The best part is that they link my entries on “Around the Mission: Padres Links”. I always get excited when my blog is on those posts. If you guys are reading this, thank you very much for the shoutouts. I really appreciate it.
Those are the five main things I want for Christmas. If all of them can happen, I will be a very lucky girl. Have a safe and wonderful Christmas and happy holidays to all!
Do’s and Don’ts
The nail-biting World Series is going on right now but not so much for the Padres. I’ve figured this is a good time to share some of my do’s and don’ts.
Don’t: Trade/release Kevin Kouzmanoff and Henry Blanco (offensive side)
Kevin Kouzmanoff is eligible for arbitration. Honestly, I have trouble getting how the whole process of arbitration works 100% when it comes to baseball. Anyway, if the Padres do trade him during the winter, middle of next season, or whatever, they will make one of the biggest mistake. During this regular season, he only made 3 errors out of over 300 chances. Now that my friends, is a jaw-dropping number. I’ve noticed that he always stuggle early in the season for three years now as a Padre. He has April and May blues (mostly May) but for some reason he always bounce back in mid-June and so on. Offensive side for Kouz is fine. Deffense? Let’s just say that his glove is at the National Baseball of Hall of Fame at Cooperstown.
First of all, catcher Henry Blanco is a free agent. He spent some time at the disabled list and didn’t surprise me as much as the others, but he did a consistent job this year. Padres currently have another cathcer named Nick Hundley. Nick is a young guy but getting the hang of the big leagues every single day. He’s still learning but he’s getting the learning process from vetran Henry Blanco. He’s 38 and heading towards the twilight of his carrer. But he definitely has the experience to pass onto the young players. It will be great for Nick and the rest of players when Henry Blanco returns next year.
Do: Trade/release Brian Giles
Dear Padres, just please… get him out of my sight. Although he have ups with the Padres he definitely have downs as well. This year, he was just flat out terrible. HIs performace was very inconsitent, had poor average, and was not healthy. He is a free agent and the Padres need to get rid of him in some way shape of form. Simple as that.
Do: Keep Kevin Correia, Mike Adams and Heath Bell (pitching side)
Heath Bell plus
Kevin Correia plus
Mike Adams equals…
dynamic trio for the Padres. Without just one, the Padres pitching staff would be in major trouble. I’ve mentioned Kevin Correia a ton of times but he is a solid starter. He was the only one that survived when the starters were sent to the disabled list. Even though he struggled, he does look like a confident ace.
Mike Adams is personally, the best reliever out of the bunch. His ERA is almost microscopic. Although he missed most of the season, he proved to the Padres and the fans that he can be a great reliever. If I were Bud Black, I would put him as an eight inning guy in the game and hold onto Padres’ lead so the closer Heath Bell can shut the door for the opponents.
Speaking of Heath Bell, an All-Star for 2009, is a very storng closer for the Padres. Ever since the departure of Trevor Hoffman, Heath impressed everyone so much. As a first year as a closer, he recorded 42 saves and ranked number one among the National League with most saves.
All three pitchers are eligible for arbitration. Even when one of them leaves, the equation is going to fall apart and the Padres will be screwed.
That will do for today. Bad news though: Trade talks are starting to heat up.
This man pictured above could have a chance to be with the Red Sox. First of all, Adrian Gonzalez is our hero. Secondly, he would not look good in red. He is extremely talented and there are ton of little baseball fans in San Diego who is looking up to Adrian, hoping to play with the Padres like him. It will be devistating for those kids, myself and the rest of the fans when Adrian departures. Besides, Red Sox have very talented players and I don’t think Adrian will not have a lot of playing time like he does in San Diego. For example, look what happened to Adam LaRoche. He only played six games with the Red Sox and later got released.
I will be extremely disappointed when Adrian leaves. Fortunately, there is a chance that this trade will not happen. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a big, fat “NO” sign for Adrian Gonzalez trade. It is up to the front office to either make the fans smile or cry.
Final game at Petco
I can’t believe there are only two games left in regular season. I went to Petco on a Friday night with a friend of mine who likes the Padres to see the boys one last time before the end. On my way, it was sprinkling. I was worried that it might rain really hard and the game had to be canceled. Thankfully, the rain stopped by the time I arrived at Petco and the weather was back to normal. San Diego has crazy weather sometimes.
Funny story here: When we went near the player gate entrance, there was a guy who was walking like six feet infront of us with long hair, skinny jeans, aviator sunglasses, beanie, stylish shirt, and a newsboy bag (?). I thought, “Is that Tim Lincecum?!” Sorry. I don’t have picture of “Tim Lincecum” This happened so quickly and I did not expect this to happen. He used the gray thing next to the gate and went his way to the entrance. There was a grouchy looking security guard and stopped “Tim” and yelled him for an ID. The guy looked very p*ssed, and showed his ID. The guard told “Tim” that next time, he needs to go around the fence. I think ”Tim” ignored the security guard..
The gate opened and we made my way to find my seat and hung around the field inbox area so I could get autographs. Padres rookie pitcher Mat Latos was socializing with the Elite Group. He has crazy tatoos on both of his arms. On his right arm, it has flowers (I think they were roses and his new ones), a scroll with letters, and old English writing. On his left, he has Major League Baseball logo, U-shape and some kind of bug. Call me weird because I looked at tattos of a guy almost the whole time when really, the point was to get an autograph. If you get a chance to see him up close, I’m telling you the tattos will stand out. Mat seems like a cool, pretty laid-back guy, especially since he loves to talk.
I didn’t get any autographs because the Padres were coming in and out of the dugout and they didn’t have time to sign except smiling at the fans. Outfielder Drew Macias signed a few though. Catcher Nick Hundley signed only two. Again, it was impossible to get Mat Latos’. But I didn’t stop there. My last chance was obviously, David Eckstein. I knew exactly where he signs so I waited in that area for five minutes. He finally came out from the dugout and it was super crowded in that area. Since I already have like five autographs from Eck, all I wanted was a picture with him. I waited a little and did something I have never done before. Here it goes:
Me: (Tapped his wrist gently) “Hey Eck, do you remember me? Thanks for the package you and Ashley sent to me. I’m wearing the jersey right now.”
Eck: “Oh hey! I remember you.” (Gave me a big hug.) “How’s everything going?”
Me: (At this point, I started to freak out but didn’t show that so I can be a strong fan. I was just smiling like crazy the whole time.) “Everything’s going great. Thanks. Can I take a picture with you?”
Eck: “Absolutely.”
(I finally took a picture with him. Yes. I put my hand on his back and he put his hand on my back. One of the Elite Group didn’t look so happy. Oh well. As you can see, the picture I took Eck is now my new picture for my blog.)
Eck: “You know, Ashley is here today. She said she would love to meet you.”
Me: “Really? I would love to meet her too. Since I don’t know where she is, can you tell her I said hi?”
Eck: (Smiles.) “Sure. Thanks again for your continued support.”
Me: “I’m a big fan, and that’s what big fans do. Thanks again and good luck tonight!”
Eck: ”All right. Have fun tonight!”
Me: (Gave him a big smile.)
Call me crazy for remembering every single words but the chat with David Eckstein is 100% true. Our conversation got longer than from the one before which was a great. It is absolutely amazing when a fan talks to a baseball player, especially if that player knows who you are. I couldn’t meet Ashley but someday I will.
Starting pitcher for the Padres was Kevin Correia and Barry Zito was up for the Giants. I went to Petco three times now and I’ve seen Kevin pitch all three times. I find that awesome because he has done very nice job throughout the season. Last time out, he threw a first career complete game shutout against the D-Backs. Friday was his final outing for 2009 and I really wanted a win for him and the Padres. Barry Zito on the other side has improved but to me, he still needs a lot of work to get back on track. If he does that, there’s a possibility that Zito can win a Cy Young Award again.
Things started smoothly for the Padres because they had an early lead thanks to Oscar Salazar, who drove in Adrian Gonzalez for a Padres’ 1-0 lead over the Giants in the first inning. In the fourth inning however, Giant’s Pablo Sandoval hit a homerun against Kevin Correia to tie the game. There were Giant fans going crazy around me but luckily, Padre fans were there to back me up.
I was fine until the seventh inning. Giants ended up scoring six runs. It was absolutely pathetic to watch. I felt really bad for young Everth Cabrera. He made not one but two costly errors in the same inning for throwing and fielding. He now made 23 errors in the season. Even though the number sounds like a disastor, I understand because that’s what rookies do during their first major league career year. They make ton of errors but eventually fix them throughtout spring training.
Padres try to rally in the seventh to cut the lead by the Giants. Catcher Henry Blanco made it happen. Sort of. He hit a solo shot to left and I went crazy.
Sadly, that was the one and only run in the seventh for the Padres. Both teams did not score any runs in the eight and ninth inning so the Padres lost by the score of 7-2. This is their first loss at Petco this season. That’s pretty impressive.
(My last look of Petco Park for the season.)
I was kind of disappointed since my boys lost for final game at Petco for me. But I had a blast with Eck, even though I didn’t spent a ton of time with him. People around me looked totally jealous. Ha! I am definitely looking forward for 2010 San Diego Padres.
Pictures
These are few examples of work of 5.0 megapixal digital camera that I have owned for a year. I need to get a new one very soon.
More can be found here.
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