Something felt comfortably familiar about last night’s game at Petco Park between the Rockies and Padres. Sure, the crowd was small, and neither team is likely for a playoff spot, there are only a couple of players you come out to see on the Pads…wait, that’s it! (cue harp music for memory flashback).
The Glory Days?
When I came to San Diego to stay in 1990, the Padres had a couple of decent teams and a few terrible ones. But going to the Murph to watch a game was a pretty fun experience. The sightlines in the upper deck were pretty good for a $7 ticket, and with so few people there on most nights you could find a better seat later if you wanted. The fans who were there were real, true fans of the team, and in all of San Diego there were about 12,000 of them. The rest would come from time to time when there was a giveaway.
It was certainly different from what I had grown up on, trips to the baseball cathedral that is Dodger Stadium. Walking into that place evoked a timeless feel, with the greens and blues, reds and yellows, and Nancy Bea Hefley playing the stadium organ. The crowds were always huge and it took forever to get out of the parking lot. A little less so at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, but still in the 30,000 range usually. At the Murph? Come on a Tuesday, plenty of good sections available.
More than not in the 40-year history of Padres baseball, the team has been some variation of what we’re seeing now. For some of you, going out to Padres games meant watching Randy Jones, Nate Colbert, and the other team. For others, it was Tony Gwynn, the one constant through years of non-contention. Then, Trevor Hoffman. Now, it’s Adrian Gonzalez and Jake Peavy, and maybe CY or Bell will pitch.
Petco Park changed the dynamic for a few years. The prices went up, and the lower seats had much more of a corporate, business shirt with no tie feel. The crowds were bigger, but if the stadium scoreboard wasn’t prompting them to cheer they weren’t really that into the game. The expectations were higher, as the Padres talked about building a sandstone baseball dynasty.
Last night, things felt like they did for so many years. With no real expectation, there’s almost a freedom to enjoy a team with guys who are plugging away. So what if Josh Geer’s not going to challenge Roger Clemens’ career, or even Andy Benes’? Kid’s pitching a good game, let’s cheer him on. When’s Adrian coming up? He might actually win this game with one swing. I swear I actually heard the crowd once start to cheer pre-pitch, before the giant green blinking scoreboard sign told them to!
The drop in concession prices, combined with the ability to buy a cheap seat and wander in an empty Petco Park, has seemingly allowed some of those real Padres fans back into the park again. I felt more positivity and excitement last night (at the smallest crowd in Petco Park history, mind you) than I had in many a trip there the past few years.
Maybe, with nothing to lose (except a bunch of baseball games), something small has been regained for Padres baseball. It’s not the feel the front office wants to cultivate for years to come, to be sure. But in this 40th anniversary season, with empty seats and a mediocre team plugging away, the Friars have certainly captured a slice of this city’s baseball life and returned it to the ballpark. Our Team! Our Town!
– Elsten
