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Padres Town Hall Meeting Part 3

If you're just joining us, read Part 1 and Part 2 first.

If you've ever been to a live studio audience for anything, there's always a few people that they send out beforehand to get the crowd riled up. They throw out t-shirts. Do a lot of hootin'. A fair amount of hollerin'. Etcetera. Here's a photo of one of those guys at the Town Hall Meeting

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Ignore the bored looking dude on the cell phone, scanning the crowd for his friends. I know this isn't that great of a photo, but it's the last one I have on my camera from the evening, therefore, up it goes.

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Around the Mission: 2/1 Padres Links

Time to flip the page on the ol' Padres calendar.  Let's see who is Miss February, shall we?  In the upper left hand corner we have a handsome picture of Buddy Black, with a wry grin.  On the right side a mother showing her daughter how rude it is to point.  Finally in the bottom left hand corner, an awkwardly staged high five.  Hmm, guess I'll have to wait until March for some good pictures.

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Game Thread: 10/7, 1998 NLCS Game 1 San Diego @ Atlanta

Turn on the MLB Network and let's watch some Padres post season.  Here's game one of the 1998 NLCS.

Andy Ashby vs. John Smoltz

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Around the Mission: 1/30 Padres Links

Don't forget to set your DVR for the Gwynn wedding on 1/31 at 9pm on Cox Channel 337.  I'll probably have a recap ready on Monday.

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Padres Town Hall Meeting Part 2

If you've never stood next to Tom Garfinkel, he can be an imposing figure, if you yourself are 5' 7.5". That being said, it was 6'1" jbox who was nervous about walking over and saying hello.

"He looks busy eating that hot dog," jbox said quietly as we tried working our way through the crowd.

"What? He's just eating a hot dog. Let's go."

"Shhhhh! What if he hears you?"

We made our way, shyly, meekly and said hello to Mr. Garfinkel. He was surveying the crowd while munching on a hot dog.

Reintroducing yourself to somebody is always a tricky thing. Do I say my name? Do I shake his hand? Do I give him a hug? He's awfully tall. Where would a hug put my face? Where would a hug put his crotch area?

I opted for the handshake, making careful note of whether he attempted to turn my wrist or not. He did not. Instead, he gave me a firm handshake and a nice little shoulder pat while introducing himself to Jonny Dub.

He seemed genuinely happy to see us and offered hot dogs from the tables while admitting that he was having a bit of dinner himself. He went so far as to get me a hot dog himself. Here's photographic evidence:

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Padres Town Hall Meeting Part 1

Petco Park in the gloaming

Petco Park in the gloaming

These Town Hall Meetings are great. That's the short review.

The Long Review: You get together with all kinds of Padres fans. You listen to good questions being delivered by interviewers more amateur than your friendly neighborhood Gaslamp Balloggers. You listen to answers delivered by men (and they're all men) who know how to sell to, persuade and reason with people much more savvy than you or me, dear reader. The answers are not usually anything more than sound bites and circle-speak designed to hypnotize with their vagueness. And yet, we delight. Oh how we delight.

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Around the Mission: 1/29 Padres Links

The cute one on the left is not such a good driver.  The cute one on the right is Matt Antonelli. via his blog

The cute one on the left is not such a good driver. The cute one on the right is Matt Antonelli. via his blog

 

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Padres GM Hoyer looking to sign some Minor League free agents

XX Sports Radio: Jed Hoyer Interview (MP3) with Coach John Kentera

  • Hoyer says Garland is a young veteran.  They needed someone that could throw 200+ innings. "We really added something to the rotation that we lacked."
  • All winter they thought Jerry Hairston Jr. was the best utility player that could play short stop. It's great when you get a guy at this age that views himself as a super utility guy.  The bench wasn't very strong last year.
  • Aaron Cunningham has performed at every level.  "He's a big league ready guy".  He's probably best suited as a corner outfielder.
  • Padres thought it was important to get Chase Headley back to his natural position and getting Kyle Blanks every day at bats. 
  • Blanks has lost 25 pounds and looks fantastic.
  • Sean Gallagher is a good young pitcher.  Inevitably a team is going to use 8 or 9 starters, so there are going to be plenty of innings for the young pitchers.
  • Padres are looking for a veteran catcher but Hoyer feels good about Dusty Ryan, he's performed in AAA.  Chris Stewart is one of the best defensive catchers in the minor leagues.
  • "We'll probably sign some minor league free agents to fill out the roster."  The roster will probably be the same as it is today as it is when pitchers and catchers report.
  • Matt Stairs can be dangerous left handed bat off the bench.  "Stairs is one of the best at that."
  • In the AL you can go a week without pinch hitting.

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Padres President Garfinkel is trying to get Ron Burgundy to throw out the first pitch of the season

Tom Garfinkel

Tom Garfinkel

XX Sports Radio: Tom Garfinkel Interview (MP3) with Scott and BR

  • Garfinkel has lost some weight, he sure looks great.  He's eating less.
  • Signing Garland was a great move.  They made offers to other players that wanted more money.  Garland knows how to win.
  • Garfinkel sat next Chris Young at dinner. Young says this is the best team he's ever played on.
  • The division is up in the air this year.  It's going to come down to who can stay healthy.
  • Garfinkel would be proud if his 3 boys grow up to be like the young players on the Padres team.  "They are the type of guys you want to have over to your house."
  • Eckstein is a gamer and knows how to win. Cabrera has a great work ethic. He made the media wait after he hit a grand slam so that he could work out after the game.
  • Garfinkel sat with Ricky Henderson at a game and Henderson called every pitch.
  • Clayton Richard is the only guy on the team that uses the heaviest bar bells in the gym.  He was also a back up quarterback at Michigan.
  • The Padres have focused their marketing on low cost high impact things.  The fans wanted bobble heads.  Season ticket holders got a separate entrance for BP. Parking and beer pricing has dropped.  He doesn't have the beer prices yet. Mom's want more healthy food for kids.  They have a PB&J, Milk and fruit for kids.
  • A caller thinks Enberg is too old.  Garfinkel says this is the first complaint he's heard about Enberg.  "We're thrilled to have him."
  • Garfinkel says Mark Grant wants Blazing Saddles references to Headley on the scoreboard.  Garfinkel says they can make it happen.
  • The Padres are proud to sponsor the military appreciation pavilion at the 14th hole at the golf tournament.
  • Moving the game times allows families to attend, young singles to go out after game (the park at the park will remain open and have more tailgating. It's easier to ditch out of work a little later.
  • They'll be announcing the winning throwback uniform at FanFest.
  • There's a possibility that Jed Hoyer will make another move or two before the season starts.
  • Garfinkel tells the story of Adrian Gonzalez meeting a child and the child's reaction.  "You would have thought Jesus Christ himself had just stepped behind him and put his hand on his shoulder."
  • They've heard complaints from fans about the loud PA system.  They've been testing it this off season.
  • Moorad and Garfinkel are both big Chargers fans and they support a new stadium.
  • Garfinkel is trying to get Ron Burgundy to throw out the first pitch of the season.
  • Garfinkel invites old man and his wife to opening day.
  • 5000 people have RSVP'd for tonight's event.
  • Poll
    Who would you rather have throw out the first pitch on Opening Day?
    Ron Burgundy
    149 votes
    Phillip Rivers
    113 votes

    262 votes | Poll has closed

    38 comments  |  0 recs |

    Around the Mission: 1/28 Padres Links

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