Headley will get N.Y. Spotlight to make 2008 Padres Debut

"I wouldn't be surprised if there's a learning curve here," Towers said. "He needs to get familiar with new pitching staffs and ballparks. It'd be nice to have him get off to a good start, but if you look at him historically, he started slow and got better and better.

"He's been consistent. He's never had a down year. How that translates up here, we'll find out."

The Padres front office has absolutely no idea how to keep fan's expectations in check.  You can't have a team play as poorly as the Padres did in April and May without fans looking at talent in the minor leagues.  When you have someone like Chase Headley playing so well, fans... anyone who wants the Padres to win should want him on the roster.

If the Padres aren't going to move him up then they better have a good reason.  They had reasons but they were all terrible. 

Chase shouldn't be brought up when:

• the team is playing poorly
• fans might expect too much out of him
• he hasn't had enough practice in the outfield
• he has Super Two status
• the team is playing well
• it's before June 1st
• he might have something positive to contribute
• he can't DH his first few games

It's ridiculous the reasons that fans were given and most of the reasons put the blame on us for Headley's extended stay in Portland.  It was our fault because we would expect too much of him, put too much pressure on him and destroy his confidence when he didn't perform.  It's our fault.

Well really, it's the Padres Front Office who is to blame for all added pressure on Headley.  If they would have just brought him up when he was needed, he wouldn't have been treated any differently than any other minor leaguer making his season debut. 

By teasing us and providing reasons that make no sense, they created a mystery.  Suddenly every fan wants to solve the mystery and discover the real reasons why Headley is still in Portland.  It became a conspiracy and theories were flying through the internets and talk radio daily.  After every loss you'd wake up the next day wondering if today was the day that Headley would get promoted.

This is not how temper fan curiosity, expectations and excitement.  Try walking into a  grade school with a poorly wrapped gift behind your back and keep telling the kids not to expect anything good.  Yet the kids can clearly see that something good is indeed in the box.  You think they'll be able to concentrate on anything else? We saw Headley performing in the box scores for weeks now and we keep getting the same message from the Padres, Chase Headley can't perform under pressure and he's not ready.

Now that Headley is scheduled to debut on Tuesday on the world's stage in Yankee Stadium, the Padres have brought excitement and expectations to a fever pitch.  Every reason that fans were given seems to have been completey disregarded.  Why now?  Is it just because he can DH?  He could have done that in Cleavland without the pressure of playing the Yankees.  I still don't get it and have no idea why we waited so long to bring up a player that has more upside than a handful of current players.  Maybe one day somebody will tell us the truth.

I hope Chase Headley does well because now the pressure is on and it's your fault.