We're just gearing up before taking the long trip down into Nevada (the Silver State). The game last night was my first, in-person, visual evidence that the Padres actually exist since 2006. Let me tell you, they're terrible.
Pregame watched the boys warm up for a good long while. Trevor, Jake and a bunch of the guys running sprints in the outfield. Remember what batting practice used to be like at a major league ballpark? Coors Field and the Rockies actually let you watch batting practice. What kind of backwards practice is that? And then... Players go around and meet fans and sign autographs and it gives Average Fan one less reason to boo a player as they get to know them on a slightly different level.
Is there a good reason why San Diego fans aren't allowed into batting practice before games at Petco? I always figured it was because they actually didn't take batting practice, but there they were, batting practicing away.
While the pitchers were doing sprints in the outfield (to prepare for pinch baserunning opportunities apparently), a group of underage girls kept shouting at Jake and jiggling their unripened bounty in his direction.
Jake kept grinning slyly saying things like, "If I were 3 years younger, your boyfriends would have competition!" The girls kept cooing things like, "We have a pact to get pregnant and there aren't any homeless guys in our neighborhood!" Needless to say, the girls got a good number of the autographed baseballs.
Also, I figured out Reason #217 why the Padres suck. You'll have to read the rest after the jump...
Reason #217 Why the Padres Suck
After taking sprints, Trevor Hoffman rolled into the infield and took grounders at short. Not only that he was practicing double plays. He must've rolled a couple dozen double plays from shortstop. I'm pretty sure we're converting him.
Back to the update...
There were plenty of Padres fans around and for the most part, we didn't get hassled. Jon didn't get a whole lot of substance on his nachos, and he's pretty sure it's because the guy serving them up didn't want to be serving no dirty Padres fans. I got the brat instead. Delicious brat.
The ballpark itself is really nice. In comparison to New Busch, Coors blows it away. Good sightlines from the concourse. Lots of good food options. Very well done.
The game itself was really terrible. This team is almost completely worthless. It really needs to just get blown up. I'm sure the guys are all very nice and good ballplayers in their own right, but their time with the Padres needs to end. Bud Black and the coaching staff needs to go also if only to save my sanity as I wonder why he and his group are even around.
All in all, it was a good time. Once Jon gets his photos downloaded, we'll get some other stories going. In the meantime, somebody blow this team up. Up, I said.