Results tagged ‘ Mat Latos ’
Home Sweet Home: 2011 Padres Fan Fest
Where do I start? Saturday’s Padres fan fest was incredibly fun. The atmosphere, the smell, and the sight caught my attention immediately. When the schedule for the fan fest came out on the Padres website, first thing that came to my mind was getting Mat Latos’ autograph. I was with my friend for the entire day and our first priority of the day was to get in the line to get Mat’s autograph.
Yes, it’s supposed to be M-A-T Latos.
After we got our ”passes” for the 12:30 to 1:30 session, we decided to walk around Petco Park for a bit because we had plenty of time. I knew Friarhood and RJ’s Fro had their booths at section 122 so we decided to drop by and say hello.
By the way, if you haven’t checked out Friarhood or RJ’s Fro, please do!
It was great seeing familiar faces again! I haven’t seen them since last year so I was stoked to see my favorite Padres bloggers. We talked Padres baseball and chatted for a good amount of time. I also got to be ”The” Fro.
And I was the very first one!
After we dropped by their booths and said hello, we walked around Petco Park. It was great to be home again, especially since the weather was absolutely perfect. I was able to wear shorts AND sunscreen in middle of February.
We saw our Twitter friend Daniel later. The three of us also saw Denise. It was great seeing Daniel and Denise again! Last time I saw them was at the Padres game/Twitter meetup from last year, which was full of fun.
Denise had to go with her family and friends so we parted our ways. Daniel, my friend, and I toured the Padres clubhouse together later.
I’m posting two pictures of doors because I did an interview with Ashley Eckstein last year inside the first door or the second door. They brought back great memories.
First, there was the weight room.
I also spotted Yoda!
Couple of minutes of walking, we finally saw a glimpse of the clubhouse. So I present to you the clubhouse of the San Diego Padres!
Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to take a ton of pictures of the clubhouse because the tour was a pretty quick process. But all of the pictures are my favorites and I especially love Heath Bell’s locker. We headed out to the dugout after the tour.
The three of us saw Chris, another Twitter friend of ours. He couldn’t see us for the first time but we eventually met at the Padres blogs section later. Before we met Chris, we sat on the outfield and took couple of pictures.
The turf was so nice that I was able to take a nap.
After couple of minutes of relaxing, I got in touch with Robert, and yup, he’s another follower of mine. He gave me some cool Padres stuff like Kyle Blanks and Everth Cabrera bobbleheads. I also got in touch with Kaybee, my Padres buddy! We met up and we were able to pass out cupcakes, cake pops and our blog cards to our friends. Even though our goodies were pretty much melted, they were homemade and made with love. Of course I saw Scott as well. He’s the one who gave me cool nick names like “Jedi Ninja”. Plus his birthday is today as well (we’re like twins) so wish him a happy birthday! It was almost 12:30 so we headed up to the seats to get autographs from Mat Latos and Tim Stauffer.
I was impressed with how nice and cool they are. Both of them asked me how I was doing and they were very friendly. I finally got my hands on Mat’s autograph! There was Mat’s fiancee behind him and she gave me a big hello when she saw me. It was great seeing her again. We asked each other how we were doing and chatted for couple of minutes. She’s absolutely stunning and cool at the same time. I hope to see her again in the future!
We finally met Chris and his friend after the autograph session. At the Padres blogs booth, we saw Matt from Twitter. He carried the one and only Yoda backpack and it was full of win. He looked pretty busy but it was sweet of him to stop by and give me a big hug, a high five and a fist bump. He’s a great guy and not to mention he’s hilarious too. The five of us went our way to the Channel 4 San Diego’s booth. There we saw channel 4′s crew John Weisbarth, Jane Mitchell, and Jenny Cavnar. It was a pleasant surprise that Jenny Cavnar remembered me from last year. We talked about things like school and lacrosse. She also asked me who’s going to be my favorite Padre this year since there will be no Scrappy this year. :( I told her that I’m still deciding but I might go along with Orlando Hudson, Jason Bartlett or Cory Luebke. But I still love David Eckstein and no one can stop me from that. It was great seeing her again!
Jane also remembered me from last year’s fan fest. I am honored that two broadcasters remembered me, the ordinary teenager who is an aspiring baseball reporter. Both Jane and Jenny also asked me if I am still blogging. Yup. They know that I still blog.
Daniel was having trouble taking a picture with my camera. John made some entertaining comments and I was clearly cracking up. It was so much fun!
Then we headed to the Padres garage sale. We also bumped into Ashley, a fellow Tweeter. It my first time seeing her in person and I’m glad I was able to!
Padres had few Q&A sessions with the players and the fans. Daniel, my friend, and I attended the session that featured the infielders Jason Bartlett, Chase Headley, and Brad Hawpe.
I was able to see the trio up close. I’m definitely looking forward to see them play during the regular season. I love their positive thinking and determination for the upcoming season. Chick alert: I may have found a new Padre crush and his name is Jason Bartlett.
I still think Jon Garland is absolutely adorable too. It’s unfortunate that he signed with the Dodgers but I’m hoping to see him when the Dodgers come down to San Diego. I do have a feminine side and drool when I see cute players. It was a pleasure seeing Jason Bartlett up close. I really think he’s cute. What do you think, ladies?
After the Q&A, we decided to go down the field and take pictures at home plate. While we were waiting in the line, we saw Cameron Maybin signing autographs for the fans.
Couple of minutes later, it was our turn to take pictures.
So that is all we did at the 2011 Padres fan fest. It was great seeing familiar faces and finally meeting “new” people. For example, I was finally able to see Chris in person. They are awesome people and great fans. I didn’t get a chance to see more awesome people like Scott, Ken, and Cecily. During the regular season, I’m definitely looking forward to meet them. I love attending fan fest not just for autographs, but also for interacting with fellow Padres fans. It’s great to hear what they have to say and I’m glad we’re part of the Friar Faithful. Going to Petco Park is like Christmas.
Being able to attend fan fest and having fun was my early birthday present. I’m telling you it’s so much better than going to a concert or a movie theater.
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!
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.
Future Star of Today: Mat Latos
It’s been awhile since I posted “Future Star of Today” entries. My previous ones are about Wade LeBlanc, Aaron Cunningham and Matt Antonelli. Today’s entry dedication goes out to a young ace, Mat Latos.
Mat grew up in Florida and was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 11th round, 333rd overall, of the 2006 Major League Baseball Draft. In 2007, he already started his professional career with short-season Class A Eugene Emeralds when he was only 19. A year later, he spent time in Eugene again but got promoted to Class-A Fort Wayne Tin Caps. Last year, he was invited to join the Padres spring training. He started the 2009 season in Fort Wayne and was promoted to Class AA San Antonio Missions. His overall record for the Missions was 5-1. Couple of months later, he was selected to play in the 2009 All-Star Futures game and made his major league debut on July 19 against the Rockies.
Sounds like a stunning young pitcher, but Mat also suffered with difficulties. Throughout his minor league and even beginning of his major league career, his flamboyant and cocky attitude caused an unfriendly relationship with the veteran players and even coaches. Mat believed that his phenomenal pitching and confidence meant everything in the baseball industry. He learned that listening carefully to the veterans and taking their advice will not only make him a better pitcher, but a better person overall. For example, pitcher Heath Bell even yelled at Mat because Heath wanted Mat to become the best pitcher he could be. The hard lessons from not only Heath, but other well-experienced players allowed Mat to mature as a pitcher. He leaned how to trust other players and being patient on the mound from the veteran players. The 22-year-old pitching sensational has become a great listener and became an ace of the pitching staff. He even stole veteran pitchers’ spotlight and he is quickly becoming a fan favorite of the Padres.
Fans are referring Mat to former Padres ace Jake Peavy. Like Peavy, Mat grew up in the Padres and started his major league career with San Diego. Jake Peavy was so loved when he was with the Padres because he spent about eight years in San Diego and won the National League CY Young Award in 2007. Peavy shared the fans ups and downs but mostly the good moments. He is now with the White Sox organization. Mat Latos can be a Cy Young candidate if he continues to keep up his great work. He is known as the next Jake Peavy but personally, Mat doesn’t deserve that name because he is already better. Jake Peavy, move over. There’s a new pitcher in town and his name is Mat Latos.
National League West is filled with excellent pitching such as Mat Latos himself, Ubaldo Jimenez and Tim Lincecum. Facing pitchers with big names in Major League Baseball is tough but Mat can handle the challenge. Mat’s potential is telling the fans that he can accept the challenges and beat the pitching staff around the NL West. Jimenez and Lincecum? No problem.
The way Mat overcame his obstacles is unbelievable and amazing. The 22-year-old youngster is not backing down from anyone. Not even CY Young candidates for both American League and National League. New tests are waiting for him but he is ready for battle. Mat Latos is the future star of today.
“The only way I can look back on it now is to see how I was and how I never want to be again. I just want to be the person that I am now. I’ve come a very long way from what I used to be.”-Mat Latos
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 Half Recap of 2010
First half of the 2010 season reached its finish line but this San Diego team made a magnificent impression to the fans, analysts, and many others in the baseball sphere. Before and during the beginning of the season, there were so many doubters who thought the Padres will not have a spectacular season, play baseball under .500, and received more negative criticisms than positive criticisms. Sure, there were those who thought the Padres will turn up a notch or two but in general, these people were not so sure about the Padres. However, this team proved the doubters wrong even during spring training.
Spring Training:
Technically, spring training is not the first half of the 2010 season but it should be included in the first half because it is bonus baseball for the fans. March baseball can determine an outcome for the team and even how they will play throughout the regular season.
The Padres reunited on February 18th from the long off season and it was time to get back to business for everyone. Throughout the course of spring training, Padres and the fans discovered talent from the veterans and the youngsters. The start of spring training was shaky but this team never quit and bounced back to finish the training with a solid record of 18-10-2. The chemistry of youth and experience became successful and the Padres were prepared for a major test; bouncing back from an abysmal 2008 season and some what blooming 2009 season.
April: 15-8
Game 1 and opening day of 2010 took place in Arizona and unfortunately, Padres could not capture a win against the D-Backs and lost with a score of 6 to 3. Three days later, Padres hit the road again. This time, the duel took place in Colorado against the Rockies. Rockies celebrated their home opener on that day by beating the Padres 7 to 0. The six road games were shaky for the Padres. However, the Padres shined when they returned home for their home opener against the Atlanta Braves. Padres worked together as a team and beat the Braves with the score of 17 to 2. It was a great way to start off the season at home, especially with a jaw dropping score like 17.
As April rolled on, the Padres even had a huge eight game winning streak to stand alone on top of the NL West. On the 19th, David Eckstein, scrappy player who is not a home run hitter type of guy, sent everyone home with his walk-off home run of the season. That was when unrealistic became realistic.
You can check out my entry “April Evaluation” for top 5 greatest moments for the month of April.
May: 16-12, 31-20 overall
May was filled with ups and downs for the Padres. Kevin Correia’s huge loss made an impact for his game time and started to struggle ever since the day he came back from the bereavement list. He needs to check the time and realize that he is taking too long to come back. However, nothing but the best and luck go out to him whenever he is on the mound doing his job. Kevin Correia in April will be in the near future.
Mat Latos shined on May 13th when he tossed a complete game, one-hit shutout against the Giants in San Francisco. He was absolutely stunning on the mound and took the spotlight. Beginning of the season, there were fans who thought Mat should be sent to the bullpen and even be sent down to the minors because he is very young. Mat proved the doubters and haters wrong by showing his great performance and he is still proving, which is excellent. He is continuing to mature as a great pitcher and his future seems very familiar to a former ace, Jake Peavy. Is Mat Latos the next Jake Peavy? Could be.
Padres continued to work hard as a team and reached to the place they wanted to be at, which is first place. The doubts started to vanish little by little and surprises appeared from the fans. “May Evaluation” is also available.
June: 15-12, 46-32 overall
June was filled with interleague games and surprisingly, the Padres did a good job not getting dominated by the American League teams. We are not the best when interleague approaches. This year, the American League teams that played against the Padres consisted of the Mariners, Orioles, Blue Jay, and the Rays. Padres finished the interleague series with 7-5 record. It was very pleasant to see these boys turn things around during mid-June baseball from the previous ones, when they had difficult time playing against American League. One of the reasons why this year’s interleague was much different from the previous years was that the Padres took the series from the Tampa Bay Rays, a great looking team in the east. Overall, this series deserved two thumbs up.
You guessed it. You can check out “June Evaluation” to learn more about the month of June that the fantastic Padres had.
Current record of July: 5-5, first half record: 51-37
The last few games has been a downside for the San Diego Padres. In the beginning of July, Padres took three games out of four against the Houston Astros in the homestand. However, the Padres started to struggle, especially with pitching. Besides Mat Latos, the starting and relief pitchers did a below average job. Mat Latos was dominant and even awarded himself with his first career home run against the Nationals in game 3. He is young, but his pitching and performance is veteran quality.
Relief pitcher Luke Gregerson’s incredible slider did not slide very well against the Nationals and even against the Rockies. Luke is one of the best relief pitchers for the Padres bullpen and it was frustrating seeing him struggle. Two things that stood out were 1. Luke was used in so many games during the first half of the season. And 2. Luke is worn out and needs a break. Padres should not rely on Luke Gregerson all the time. He is a human and he needs to rest every once in a while. This All-Star break approached at the perfect moment and Luke will get his much needed break.
Another reason why the series against the Nationals and Rockies were so difficult is that not only the Padres lost two games out of three against Washington and Colorado, but also the four games they lost were in an extremely close fashion. All four games were either down by one or two runs. These games show that one or even two mistakes can cost the game and suffer the consequence with a loss. In order to avoid these devastating losses, mistakes should be avoided at all times.
So that will do for the first half of the 2010 Padres. Padres really proved so many that they do not back down and do not give up at all times. This team is unstoppable but they stlill have homework they need to do over the All-Star break. After the break, things are going to get more serious. The San Diego Padres, team with a great mixture of youth and veteran players, will remain in first place for a long period of time.
Game 2 of 2010
Yesterday I went to Petco Park with my friend Woo Jin for the 4th of July weekend. We were hoping for another great win and you bet we were stoked throughout the day. This area is where we sat.
We saw pitcher Mat Latos near this area. Mat is becoming my favorite pitcher. I mean, he’s only 22 but his pitching is nasty. He’s just incredible and I really love watching him continuing to grow as a pitcher. Evertime he goes up to the mound, I see a bright light from him.
We were walking around the park and saw my Twitter follower Danny again. It was fun talking Padres baseball together. It was around 4:30 so the three of us decided to wait for David Eckstein because Eck signs autographs at 5 every single day at Petco. I mentioned this so many times but I really respect him for doing this for the fans. Petco Park environment and Padres fanhood would not be the same without him.
For some odd reason I was extremely nervous waiting for Eck. While we were waiting, I kept saying “Where is he?” or ”Be 5 already.” Eck finally came out to sign and I had to say hello to him. Unfortunately, pictures of Eck are not available this time because he was busy signing. However, I’m so glad that he stopped for a minute and talked to me. I introduced my friend and Danny to Eck and trust me, they were stoked. Thanks Eck!
According to Eck, his wife Ashley was in the stands too! I was ecstatic because I really wanted to see her in person. Eck also told me that she reads this blog and I was extremely shocked and happy. It was time for my friends and I to get to our seats and it was hard saying bye to Eck. We went on a little scavenger hunt to find Ashley but we had no luck.
It was almost game time and I saw Friarhood founder Steve and a fellow Padres fan, Scott, who called me a David Eckstein stalker. And please, I did not stalk Eck! Scott was playing around with me. The three of us took a quick picture together before the game.
I met Steve at the Padres Fan Fest this February and he is so down to earth. He is the one who runs Friarhood and please check it out. The gentleman on my left actually had seats next to each other.
It was game time and starting pitcher for the Padres was Kevin Correia.
He has been struggling lately but he turned things around yesterday. He threw seven solid scoreless innings and I was very impressed. Unfortunately, runs didn’t come until the eighth inning.
I started laughing when I saw this.
That’s Nick Hundley and Heath Bell rocking on the guitar and Chase Headley on the drums. Yes, they were playing Rock Band. I love the enthusiasm these three brought.
Sometime during the game, I saw my another Twitter follower, Charisma. Yes, her name really is Charisma. We waved at each other and said hello. She is a Padres fan, of course.
Because both teams didn’t score until the eighth, I was pretty bored in the stands, to be honest. But I stood up couple of times and cheered on my boys. Aaron Cunningham started the show by getting a double.
Tony Gwynn Jr. drove in Aaron Cunningham and the Astros made a throwing error as well.
We finally saw Heath Bell for the first time this season! His entrance song “Blow Me Away” by Breaking Benjamin really suits him very well and I was screaming like crazy.
Heath ended up getting the save and Padres beat the Astros with the score of 1-0!
Overall, I had a great day at Petco Park again and I am 2-0 this season so far! I love meetups with Padres fans. The interaction is so much fun and very easy to talk Padres baseball. I hope to do this more throughout the season.
June Evaluation
Can you believe we are almost at the midpoint of the season? It seems like yesterday that we celebrated Opening Day of 2010. June has (almost) come to an end which means it is time for another evaluation of the San Diego Padres. This team is continuing to amaze myself, the rest of the Padres fans, and even other fans of different teams. Without further ado, I present to you the top 5 greatest moments for the month of June.
5. Taking the series at Tampa against the Rays.
It may not sound special to others but it is for the San Diego Padres. We all know the Rays have been on top this season. Taking the series from the Rays was very important for the Padres because we needed to get ourselves on top of the NL West and especially since the Rays are an American League team. Game 1 was all about Mat Latos and his gem. He is continuing to mature as a pitcher and doing a very impressive job on the mound. Could he be the next Jake Peavy? Padres fans are not sure but who knows for now? I am extremely proud of my boys for their effort they showed in Tropicana Field.
4. Trailing from 8-0 and coming back to 10-6.
Padres lost on Monday of June 28th but this game really meant something. The opposing pitcher was Ubaldo Jimenez of the Rockies, which means the Padres had to face a tall task. Starting pitcher for San Diego was Kevin Correia and he was all over the place, to be honest. His commend was off and he had a terrible night on the mound. Kevin had a solid April but started to fall apart in middle of May. Simply, he has not been very impressive. Ubaldo Jimenez was going for a no-hitter but it was broken by David Eckstein. I knew Eck can handle these types of situations. After Eck broke the no-hitter, Padres offense started to pick up and we scored 6 runs in the end. At one point during the game, the score was 8-6. Unfortunately, Padres lost with the score of 10-6 but this game proved to everyone that this team does not stop. I absolutely love the energy and effort this team brought to the ballpark and I really enjoyed it. What this team has that many others don’t is that we never give up. I believe that the chemistry of effort and not giving up really makes a difference throughout the season. If a team does show this chemistry, then that team will most likely have a great season.
Coming back from 8-0 to 8-6 really blew the Padres fans and even the Rockies fans away. I hope to see something like this from the Padres throughout the season. We simply do not give up.
3. The Pen-itentiary
Who is the pen-itentiary? Simple. The San Diego Padres’ outstanding bullpen. Our bullpen has been on top this season and even baseball fans know that we are one strong bullpen. Out of all, the three guys who stand out the most are Luke Gregerson, Mike Adams, and Heath Bell. Luke has been solid throughout the season so far as the 7th inning guy. Same thing goes out to Mike Adams, who is the 8th inning guy. Closer Heath Bell has been very consistent, as usual. Heath does scare the fans and shows a nail-biter games at times but that’s what makes the bullpen so interesting. These gentlemen show surprises. Pleasant surprises rather. I am digging the shirt that Mike Adams is holding in the picture shown above. If the Padres start selling this shirt, you bet I will purchase it.
Be aware of the San Diego Padres’ bullpen everyone. They actually do bite.
2. Sweeping the Marlins.
From the 25th though the 27th, Padres hit the road to Miami to play against the Florida Marlins. I have to admit that the Marlins are pretty impressive but it was the San Diego Padres who took the spotlight in Miami. We faced Marlins’ ace Josh Johnson on game 2 while we had Jon Garland on the mound. Jon Garland drove in the game winning run as a sacrifice fly. This series meant so much for us because we were ahead of the San Francisco Giants by 4.5 games, probably the biggest lead in NL West so far.
1. Still first place in NL West
That’s right. The San Diego Padres are still in first place in NL West. Beginning of the season, there were so many doubters who though the Padres are going to finish the season in last place. Guess what? June is almost over and the Padres are first place. This team does not stop but rather move forward. We take each game seriously and continue to stride. I don’t understand why there are still doubters who thinks some other team is going to finish first in NL West. I am not pointing fingers at them but do they not see this team in the spotlight? Yes, this season is pretty young. However, All-Star break is coming up and after the break, it is time for some serious business throughout the season.
So there you have it. The top 5 greatest moments for the month of June. I think the Padres are doing great but we still have so much to prove that we are the best in NL West.
May Evaluation
First and foremost, I am so sorry for lack of entries. The reason I neglected my blog was due to school. I also had to stress with final exams and major projects. My last day of school year was today and my freshman year is officially over. May was a crazy month in high school and I had to stop blogging for quite a long time. School is always my first priority. Speaking of May, it is now time for me to evaluate the month of May for the Padres. If you want to check out the evaluation for the month of April, feel free to click here to read all about it. I know this post will be kind of pointless because May came to an end couple of days ago. However without further ado, here are the top 5 greatest moments for the month of May for the San Diego Padres.
5. Comeback from interleague slump.
From the 21st through the 23rd of May, Padres battled the Seattle Mariners for a quick interleague series. First game out of the three in Seattle was very, very forgettable. Starting pitcher was Wade LeBlanc on that day and he looked lost on the mound. He is still young but there is no excuse for me to let him slide off. Padres ultimately lost with an abysmal score of 15-8. The offense did their best to come back but it was not enough for them to pick up a win.
Things settled down very well for the next two games. Youngsters Clayton Richard and Mat Latos were on a roll on the mound. Along with great pitching, the offensive side was alive as well. So in the end, Padres took the series from the Mariners. We all know the Padres struggle in the interleague games. They showed great team effort which rewarded them with two wins that they deserved. I hope to see the same Padres from the two days in the future when they play against other American League teams.
4. Kevin Correia’s comeback.
Padres fans were shocked when starting pitcher Kevin Correia’s brother passed away. It was very emotional not only for the Correias but for us, as the fans of the Padres. Deepest and sincerest condolences were definitely sent out to Kevin and his family along with thoughts and prayers. When Kevin made his first start coming back from the bereavement list, I was so proud of him. I could not imagine what he had to go through because he lost a beloved person in his life. He was strong and definitely deserved the standing ovation from the fans. He fought the internal struggles very well on that day and made my eyes get teary a bit.
3. A wild 18-6 win against the New York Mets.
What a way to celebrate Memorial Day in San Diego! No, the 18 is not a typo. Yes, the Padres scored 18 runs in one game. Padres’ offense was unstoppable and everyone contributed for the team in some way shape of form. The multiple amount of the sound ”Crack!” made the fans stand up on their feet and cheer wildly for the San Diego Padres. On that day, Petco was not the pitchers’ ballpark but rather, the batters’ ballpark. This game was so much fun to watch and the Padres proved the doubters wrong by exploding incredible amount of runs.
2. Mat Latos’ complete domination and gem
On the 13th, Mat Latos blew away the Padres and Giants fans at San Francisco. His complete game one-hit shutout made both fans drop their jaws hanging wide open. Unfortunately, there was no run support from the Padres offense due to Giants’ Jonathan Sanchez. Sanchez pitched very well on that day as well but it was San Diego’s own Mat Latos who took the spotlight. Mat even helped out his team by getting the only run of the game with a smooth RBI single. His performance on that day was so incredible. I am glad to be a part of #TeamLatos. Mat is really making an excellent impression which is a pleasure. He is growing everyday and getting better and better. This is great for the team that is growing together in order to be at the place they want to be, which is first place. Mat’s progress is an ”A” so far.
1. Still on top of the NL West, 16-12 record for the month of May, 31-20 overall (not including June)
Padres are still first place in NL West. I know there are still doubters who think Padres are going to slip and fall at one point. Those doubters need to think again and need to think about how the Padres are doing currently. Padres are making a huge comeback and they still are. Our club is still the one of the youngest out of 30 but one thing that stands among the crowd is that this ball club does not back down from anyone. I repeat, anyone. These boys are making a great impression to people around the baseball industry. The playoffs and World Series are still in question because this season is young so far. No, I am not saying the Padres have a guarantee spot for the playoffs this season. What is true is that I have high hopes for them to reach the playoffs and maybe even win the World Series. Padres are taking the spotlight and it is definitely something to be proud of for San Diego.
So that will do for the month of May evaluation. Hopefully this month will be better and brighter. Lots of tests will be waiting such as interleague series. By the way, I am number 41 for the month of May on the Latest Leaders’ list. I only wrote one entry for the whole entire month of May and my blog is on the top 50. Thank you to my readers for keep coming back and I will do my best all the time to bring you guys back to read my blog. Thanks for reading!
Introducing… the 2010 San Diego Padres (Part 2)
(Continuation of section 3 of part 1)
Matt Stairs
He will be definitely added on the Padres’ 25-man roster on Sunday. Matt Stairs signed a minor league deal during the off season and I thought this move was great. He won a World Series ring with the Phillies in 2008 and I always love when the Padres acquire players who claimed the ultimate prize. He is obviously one of the vetrans of this club and I am looking forward to see him to play. Especially in pinch hit situations because Padres did not have a strong pinch hitter throughout the seasons. Matt Stairs can change that ’cause the first thing that comes up to my mind when I think of him is pinch hit situations. I will be definitely looking fowrard to that situation throughout the season.
Now for part 2.
5. Young and experienced players: pitchers
I would like to add more things from this entry because really, I mentioned about the five pitchers.
Padres pitching rotation looks like the following below:
1. Jon Garland
2. Chris Young
3. Kevin Correia
4. Clayton Richard
5. Mat Latos
Looks like a big name is missing. What is it? That’s right. It’s Jake Peavy. We don’t have Jake as the number one starter anymore. So what? Loss of an ace should not be an impact towards a disastorous team when we have players that are solid and stepping up their games. Now, don’t get me wrong. I still like Jake and miss him. Trading him away was heartbreaking but it was part of buisness in the baseball industry. Personally, this move was acceptable because now the young guys can push themselves even more to be the starter.
For example, Clayton Richard.
He was one of the pitchers we got from the White Sox. He pitched the day after Jake Peavy left and wow, Clayton blew me away. He made a great first impression to the Padres fans. To me, first impression is very, very important. Clayton accomplished it well and that is the reason why he is one of my favorites. Ever since that day, he looked strong on the mound and I am still having fun watching him pitch. He is one of the youngsters but he can pitch extremely well at times. I am looking foward to see him everytime he goes on the mound.
Padres have another young starting pitcher who is totally going to blew the fans away.
When Mat Latos made his major league debut last July, he also made a great impression. Even though he got the loss on that day, he continued to pitch well whenever he got the ball. He is a big deal so the hitters need to watch out. He has a great fastball and can domintate the opposing players by throwing consistenet amound of strikeouts. Congrats to Mat for making on the fop five. By the way, this guy can throw some serious gas.
The top three pitchers Jon Garland, Chris Young and Kevin Correia is going to continue to pitch well and help out the young pitchers. Jon Garland is known as an inning eater and having him as the number one starter was an excellent move. He continues to pitch well and he will be an impact for this team. Not to mention he is pretty dang hot.
Chris Young is 100% back and this is a big, big must for the Padres pitching rotation. He was unhealthy for the last two seasons and it was devestating. His absence made the rotation shaky and the Padres needed him so much when he was placed on the disabled list. This is 2010 and a brand new, clean season for Chris. I can’t wait to see him again on the mound and hopefully he can deliever great things like he did during 2007, his All-Star season.
Kevin Correia is one of my favorite because he totally stepped up his game last season and made a really good impression. Also, it was his best season of the career. I like this guy a lot and he is fun to watch. I hope he can improve the performance from last season and continue to impress me.
6. Bullpen and closer
Bullpen is a pleasant surprise with mixture of young and experienced pitchers.
One of the youngsters is Luke Gregerson.
He joined the Padres late Spring Training of 2009 and he is very consistent on the mound. Last year was his first full season in the majors but I liked this guy from the start. He looks strong and impressed me as well. I hope to see him healthy and solid this upcoming regular season. He is a key ingredient towards a strong bullpen.
Another bullpen pitcher that is capturing my attention is Mike Adams.
He is an amazing pitcher with very good numbers. He must stay healthy or the bullpen can become disastorous. Mike is a solid pitcher but one of the problems he have is injury. I hate when guys especially like him gets injured and impacts the team in a horrible way. He was once again injured last season and I really want him to not go near the disabled list. His stuff is nasty and will blew the batters away.
And of course, how can I forget Heath Bell?
Last year, Heath took a giant step by taking Trevor Hoffman’s spot. As a first year as a closer, he made an excellent impression for not only Padres fans but fans across America. He lead the National League in saves and this was great way to represent San Diego. I am really proud of this guy and hopefully he can deliever the same pitching like he did last year for this season. He even made into the All-Star roster for National League and it was a lot of fun watching him. Heath is not only a great pitcher but a freaking hilarious guy. His bright personality can definitely bring the club up, not down.
Wrap Up
I am so pumped for 2010 season to kick off on Monday. Get ready Padres fans. This is going to be a fun, exciting winning season for San Diego. I guarantee it. With mixture of youth and veteran players, this one heck of a team will surprise so many people and prove the haters wrong by consistency, power and most importantly, energy.
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