So the Padres closed out the 2009 baseball season this past weekend against the San Francisco Giants at Petco Park. And, being as it was the final series of the year and all, they called it Fan Appreciation Weekend.
I understand the reasoning behind the whole thing. The idea, of course, being to thank the fans who supported this team throughout what really — when you add it all up – was another rather mediocre year.
Sure the Padres finished strongly, moved up into 4th-place in the standings, and denied the Dodgers last week the chance to celebrate the NL West title on their home turf.
Nevertheless, it’s hard to believe that former GM Kevin Towers – fired prior to Game One of the weekend (celebration?) – felt much appreciation.
And…were there really any fans who appreciated another baseball season that was basically over by the end of May? To me, if you really want to show appreciation to your fans, how about doing some things between now and the beginning of 2010 that we can actually appreciate?
So now that you’re done shooting off a bunch of fireworks and handing out a bunch of really cool prizes, here are few moves for you to contemplate — moves that I know at least I’d appreciate.
Padres’ right fielder Brian Giles is 38, batting .191 in 225 at-bats, and is currently on the disabled list. His $9 million dollar option that the team picked up in the offseason is hanging like an albatross over their heads, as Giles’ productivity has rendered him untradeable. With the Padres going nowhere and needing to get younger, it is possible that Brian Giles has played, if not his last game for San Diego, something close.
In this weekend 619 Sports podcast, Chris and Craig look at the career of Brian Giles in San Diego, writing for him perhaps an early epitaph. In the end, with all the hay in the barn, was the trade of Jason Bay and Oliver Perez for Giles really a mistake, or did the Padres get enough value from Giles over the past five seasons? And what about the whispers of steroid use during his time in Pittsburgh, or the cloud of controversy that has followed Giles since the release of a videotape showing him slapping his long-time girlfriend Cheri Olvera to the ground in an Arizona nightclub? All stones are unturned in this Goodbye To Giles podcast:
ShareThe streaky Padres are back on another bad streak, and with the MLB Amateur Draft this week, it’s clear that there is much to be done to turn around the fortunes of the home nine. In their latest Padres podcast, Craig and Chris come up with 5 specific steps the Padres’ front office must take [...]
ShareYou know you’ve seen it a thousand times, yet it still doesn’t make sense. Some average-looking guy — maybe even a bit frumpy, unshaven and generally unkept — is walking hand-in-hand with the most beautiful girl you’ve ever seen.
How in the world did that happen? (You say as you snort, pick some lint out of [...]
ShareThere’s good news for the Padres Thursday in Chicago, just in time for the series finale against the Cubs: it might keep raining and wash the game away. (Update: no rain, no good news, the Padres got smashed 11-3 to cap an 0-6 road trip.)
If they do play, the Padres will plug away and earnestly [...]
There’s good news for the Padres Thursday in Chicago, just in time for the series finale against the Cubs: it might keep raining and wash the game away. (Update: no rain, no good news, the Padres got smashed 11-3 to cap an 0-6 road trip.)
ShareCourtesy of KOGO.com, listen to Padres Right Fielder Brian Giles talk about his 2 for 3 hitting performance tonight against the Colorado Rockies as the Padres win 2-1. Check this out.
Courtesy of KOGO.com, listen to Padres Right Fielder Brian Giles talk about his 2 for 3 hitting performance tonight against the Colorado Rockies as the Padres win 2-1.
ShareAlthough he may not be with the team currently, former Padres CEO Sandy Alderson’s work is still here on this years Padres team. Chris Ello and Craig ElstendiscussSan Diego native Brian Giles, and why Sandy thought it was a good idea to keep him this year. Check this out.
Although he may not be with the team currently, former Padres CEO Sandy Alderson’s work is still here on this years Padres team. Chris Ello and Craig Elsten discuss San Diego native Brian Giles, and why Sandy thought it was a good idea to keep him this year.
