by Chris Ello on October 30, 2009
So the San Diego Padres send out a ticket brochure to former season ticket holders for 2010 — and there isn’t a single photo anywhere in there of All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. First thought: Does that mean that the Padres plan on not having Adrian Gonzalez on their ballclub next season?
Seems like a fair question. After all, why in the world would the Padres try to sell tickets without so much as a mention of the one true superstar they have to sell? Would the ‘89 Padres have put out a season ticket brochure without a photo of Tony Gwynn? Five years ago, would the Friars have left out Trevor Hoffman? Or Jake Peavy?
What in the world of weak-thinking marketing strategies is going on here?
by Craig on August 7, 2009
How can it be a good thing when a last-place team, on pace for back-to-back 90+ loss seasons, extends their manager’s contract? How could a skipper with a career 198-236 record deserve further commitment? From the outside looking in, the San Diego Padres’ extension of Bud Black’s contract might raise some eyebrows, but a closer look reveals that Black has proven himself the right man for a tough job.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Buddy Black when I first met him in 2007. It’s almost impossible not to like Black, who is personable and engaging, remembers your name and looks you in the eye. But his early appearances at postgame press conferences were stilted to the point of pain. Never wanting to say one thing that could be construed as critical, Black would pause 20 seconds and pick out his words more carefully then a Supreme Court nominee. Was Black a leader, or just a company guy? Continue Reading →
