Fan Confidence Week 1: Padres fans cautiously optimistic, non-committal

by Dex on Apr 5, 2011 6:00 AM PDT

All last year we ran and tracked our own Padres Fan Confidence Polls and this year is no different. In fact, most of you have probably noticed the fan confidence poll just sitting there... constantly begging you to express yourself in some way in regards to your confidence about the San Diego Padres.

I find myself watching the Fan Confidence and I noticed last week it dipped a bit, just before opening day against the Cardinals. Almost as if to say, Sure Padres. I was feeling good about Spring Training, but I ain't so sure you can beat a real team like my St. Louis Cardinals.

And now, here we are at the home opener and we got the best of the 3 game set against the Cardinals, at St. Louis, a place where Matt Vasgersian will remind you, we never win. And we won convincingly. Dropping double digits one night and coming juuuuust this close to a sweep.

Not bad considering we were supposed to throw Mat Latos in there somewhere for our single victory.

So I wonder how the next Fan Confidence poll will go. The polls re-tally on the 7th, which will give some late voters a chance to see how the Padres do against this weird little two game set against the Giants. I'm throwing my vote in early and confidently. I think that Aaron Harang and Tim Stauffer can keep us in it and if 2011 is anything like 2010, we're due to win a good 7 or 8 games against the Giants before they take one against us. So there's precedent for this kind of thing.

Of course, I don't blame you if you'd rather wait and throw your confidence in on Thursday after you get a better feel for the team. You have been conditioned to be doubtful, Padres Fan.

But wouldn't it be more fun just to be psyched for once? Don't be such a downer, Debbie. Sack it up, Sally.

Buuuut if you're not confident, then you're not confident. Be who you be.

Padres Fan Confidence Poll

Last tallied on 04/06.

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Comments

i'm always psyched

but a few more weeks of this and i might go into panic mode on hawpe. how is blanks’ rehab coming along?

by iheartyourfart on Apr 5, 2011 6:45 AM PDT reply actions

give up on Blanks!

Despite what Dead Prez says, nothing is bigger than hip hawpe.

by Dex on Apr 5, 2011 6:47 AM PDT up reply actions

i'm pulling for hawpe to be this year's aubrey huff

albeit with less ambiguous sexuality and more heroic facial hair. 0-for-10 isn’t the worst way to start the year, but his at bats have been pretty ugly and his swing has not looked right. his swing is kind of complex so it might take him a little while to get back in the groove. i think he needs a re-grow said facial hair if he wants to make an impact on this team.

by iheartyourfart on Apr 5, 2011 8:05 AM PDT up reply actions

I believe he comes off the DL this week

And will go straight to the minors for a while. If he performs there hopefully hell get a call up. I still believe he can be a great player for our team. Right handed power plays better than left at petco. And so far hawpe sucks.

by SD Jake on Apr 5, 2011 6:56 AM PDT via mobile up reply actions

My first impression of Hawpe at Spring Training was not good.

It was also not related to his performance on the field. I had a friend back home who really wanted his autograph. Whereas Adrian Gonzalez happily signed a ball for me last spring right after posing for a photo with some guy’s baby, Hawpe walked right by the autograph seekers at all four of the games I attended this spring. Jorge Cantu signed for us and he isn’t 0 for 10, so based on the science of karma I think Cantu is going to take his job.

by SeeAnFrockOh on Apr 5, 2011 10:54 AM PDT up reply actions

I don't think Blanks will ever amount to much

too many holes in his swing. He’s like a slower Khalil with the bat.

Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser. -- Vince Lombardi
We know we can't do it without you. Around here, there's no them. There's only us, and we're all in this thing together. -- Rob Neyer

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Apr 5, 2011 11:15 AM PDT up reply actions

khalil isn't half sasquatch

that was his problem right there

by iheartyourfart on Apr 5, 2011 11:33 AM PDT up reply actions

Blanks has a way better minor league track record than Khalil.

And scouts still like him a lot.

Back from the dead!
When your face is a prune, then action goes boom!

by Zach (maestro876) on Apr 5, 2011 12:30 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Exactly

Plus, he has the tools to be a 50+ HR threat. Maybe they never materialize, but you can’t give up on him.

Plus, I believe he’ll eat you if you diss on him…

Ehhhh, I don't deserve a signature...

by sdchicken on Apr 5, 2011 1:07 PM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

Holes in the swing, can’t make adjustments, no game plan, swing too long...

Probably not gonna happen.

"Never have a motto, that's what I always say" - Me
http://marcel-oehler.marcellosendos.ch/comics/ch/1986/05/19860506.gif
"I Hate SF" - The Chosen One.

by padmadfan on Apr 5, 2011 12:51 PM PDT up reply actions

Could we make the axis of those graph a lighter shade of gray?

The squiggly line will reach skyward after our Hardee’s Miracle series.

by ElectricTerp on Apr 5, 2011 7:24 AM PDT reply actions 2 recs

Hardees Miracle Series. Epic.

Easily my favorite post so far this season.

by SD Jake on Apr 5, 2011 7:37 AM PDT up reply actions 1 recs

100

I need new pants.

I believe that we will win.

by jodes0405 on Apr 5, 2011 9:12 AM PDT reply actions

How often do I have to say it?

BEST. SEASON. EVER.

by Darklighter on Apr 5, 2011 9:43 AM PDT reply actions

Is there a graph of last year's poll somewhere?

by Oski4Heisman on Apr 5, 2011 9:44 AM PDT reply actions

Last year we didn't have the SBNation poll and graph

we were just using the poll. So you could see the bar graph of each week. Occasionally Dex or the readers would accumulate the results into a line graph, but I don’t think we have one for the entire season.

by jbox on Apr 5, 2011 10:15 AM PDT up reply actions

100

البيسبول من الكفار
Baseball is for Infidels

by sqrunt on Apr 5, 2011 10:38 AM PDT reply actions

Left work. On my way to Petco. So excited.

Go Padres!

by partmanpartmonkey on Apr 5, 2011 11:22 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Jealous

by ElectricTerp on Apr 5, 2011 11:51 AM PDT up reply actions

me too

HOT ICE...I heat up the ice cubes...IT'S THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS

by Steve5150 on Apr 5, 2011 12:36 PM PDT up reply actions

Leaving work now. LET'S GO PADRES!

by Darklighter on Apr 5, 2011 11:58 AM PDT reply actions 1 recs

Damn all you that get to go to the game

Living in LA sucks big time, at least my Dad gets to go, better save me the shirt. Wonder how many Gigantes fans will be there today?

I HATE SF.

Mat Latos is the real deal...Go Lakers, Pads, and Bolts

by mrbarneydangles on Apr 5, 2011 12:08 PM PDT reply actions

at least you're in the right time zone

i’m living in new york and have got to get ready for 10pm-1am games all season long.

by iheartyourfart on Apr 5, 2011 12:15 PM PDT up reply actions

Feeling your pain here in Indiana.

At least you don’t live in the most mayonnaise on white bread state in the union.

What I need is an electric monk

by Boilermaker19 on Apr 5, 2011 1:01 PM PDT up reply actions

but i feel your manning pain

by iheartyourfart on Apr 5, 2011 1:05 PM PDT up reply actions

Yes

But mlb.tv on the Ipad is going to make sure I get 159 games stream straighted to my heart.

The other 3 I plan to be at Nationals Park. May even hike to Philly if I’m motivated.

by ElectricTerp on Apr 5, 2011 1:28 PM PDT up reply actions

I'm a believer

And I’m confident and I’m in freakin Az and I have to work. How’s that for a run on sentence. Gaslamp ballers hoist a few for us long distance Padre fans and let’s get ready for the best season EVAR!!!!

by sdval-inaz on Apr 5, 2011 1:03 PM PDT via mobile reply actions

I'm 100% all the way

If a sh_t team like the 2006 Cardinals could win it all, then this team has the chance to do it. Plus, I’m balls-deep into backin’ this team.

Ehhhh, I don't deserve a signature...

by sdchicken on Apr 5, 2011 1:10 PM PDT reply actions

Cautiously Optimistic

Watching Opening Day via Mobile Phone (MLB app) from Ahhhhlaska! Flying down for the weekend series vs. Dodgers. (Bringing umbrella, just in case.) So many newbies/transfers, it feels like “rehab.” But, after last year’s scrappy baseball-basics performance, I’m definitely optimistic that this team can win more than they lose. But, win OR lose, go Padres!

by Roadlesstrvled on Apr 5, 2011 1:18 PM PDT reply actions

Just hit it to right field all day baby

Watching Aubrey Huff flopping around like a fish out there will be a real treat indeed.

"I don't think about the things I say. You guys are the ones who think about it."

by surferfromSD619 on Apr 5, 2011 1:42 PM PDT reply actions

Exactly...

Ehhhh, I don't deserve a signature...

by sdchicken on Apr 5, 2011 1:45 PM PDT up reply actions

You can't possibly be as hard on Huff's defense as giants fans are.

Here’s how one Giants blog views him:

http://www.baycityball.com/2011/04/03/aubrey-huffs-defensive-style-in-a-picture/

by wegotballsley on Apr 5, 2011 7:03 PM PDT up reply actions

My vote...

Automatically goes up if Suckstick isn’t in the lineup. I’d rather go with a Deno or Cunningham at this point. He choked HUGE twice on Sunday, and is keeping in line with his track record from last year.

by SDFriarFan on Apr 5, 2011 3:24 PM PDT reply actions