I Will Not Allow 1937 To Contradict Me

Last week I wrote about my feelings: The feelings that overwhelmed me as the Padres made good on their promise to build through the draft by signing the vast majority of their 2011 draft choices. My thoughts were all over the board but I'd like to ask for permission to quote myself on this glorious Friday morning? Are we cool? Cool:

 The Padres are not the farm system for the Boston Red Sox.

Nor are they the farm system for the rest of MLB. For that to be the truth then the Padres would have needed to develop an awful lot of players over the last 10 years for it to be a valid argument. They have not. Jake Peavy is not a good example. Jake Peavy was a catastrophic injury away from sinking the organization.

 I stand by that statement. Because I wrote it. And most importantly, I felt it. Feelings count just as much as an 0 for 1 with three walks.*


Having conveyed that sentiment such a short time ago, I could not help but chuckle as I read through David Halberstam's The Teammates last night. One of Halberstam's last books before his untimely death in 2007 tells the tale of four close friends named Ted Williams, Bobby Doerr, Johny Pesky, and Dom DiMaggio; teammates with the Boston Red Sox.

Bobby Doerr and Ted Williams were very close friends, perhaps destined to be so, as Doerr was a patient and kind man who understood Williams, but most importantly, he could deal with Williams' uneven temperament. Bobby Doerr recounts to David Halberstam how Ted Williams almost didn't become his teammate with the Red Sox:

It was Red Sox owner Tom Yawkey who almost blew it. That year's baseball winter meetings were held in December in Chicago, where Collins [Red Sox GM] and Lane [The PCL San Diego Padres owner] were supposed to meet to finalize a deal. But suddenly Yawkey balked. He had lately been paying a lot of money for aging stars like Jimmie Foxx and Lefty Grove, and it was all short-range, so they decided to go another route: to build up their farm system. To Yawkey, who had had a number of drinks that day, the Williams deal suddenly seemed to smack of the old way (paying big money for a star), now officially known as the wrong way. For whatever reason -- perhaps it was the cloud of alcohol -- it was hard for the owner to understand that this was not the same kind of deal, that this was paying far less money, only $25,000 plus a couple of prospects, for what was obviously an immensely talented kid. They were using the Padres as a de facto farm club, and Williams was not a player on his way down, but a wunderkind on his way up-- a kid with a stroke like Joe Dimaggio's.

The Red Sox went on to sign Ted Williams by the deadline imposed by San Diego Padres owner Bill Lane that evening at the winter meetings. Had the deadline not been met the Chicago Cubs were next in line to purchase the services of the young San Diegan, Williams.

All very interesting but it was the reference to the Padres as the de facto farm club for the Red Sox that brought a grin to my face. There was a time and place where this was indeed the truth.

But so we're clear, allow me to reiterate... it is not here... nor is it now.

Enjoy your Friday.


* Write that one down.

Over At The Fro: Where Jerry Crasnick makes fun of the Padres and I solicit input

In this post I give a reaction to ESPN's Jerry Crasnick and the article he wrote earlier this week on the 2011 Padres. I've also recapped all previous posts in the series, our own Spring Training, if you will. 

I'll be continuing the Pacific Coast League Padres series over at RJ's Fro and I was wondering if I might bother you for some input? If you have any interests, ideas, or suggestions drop them in the comments section over at The Fro.

Over At The Fro: February of 1936 with the PCL Padres

AJM went to the library. Came up with all sort of good stuff from February of 1936.  From naming the team to acquiring players and building a park, see what it was like as San Diegans anticipated their first season of professional baseball. Over at The Fro.

Over At The Fro: PCL Padres, Flux Capacitors, and DeLoreans

Doesn't the title really just say it all?

Go for the history. Stay for the Back To The Future references. Enjoy it [right here]

Over at the Fro: PCL Padres and the Birth of an Interleague Rivalry

Have you ever wondered why the San Diego Padres get the Seattle Mariners as their "Natural Rival" during Interleague play? Excellent, because I have the answer for you...

The Padre/Mariner match-up is a rivalry that traces its origins back to 1936 in the Pacific Coast League. Bet you didn't know that! Check out the rich histories of each city and the sordid speculation that has brought each fan base to incomparable hatred towards one another... check it out over at RJ's Fro.

Over at the Fro: the PCL Padres and taking stock of history

Avenging Jack Murphy and RJ's Fro are teaming up (Avenging Jack Jones' Fro?) this season for an in depth look at the history of the Pacific Coast League's San Diego Padres. Perhaps, "in depth", is a bit of a reach on our part...  but hey, we'll give it a try.

So check out our introduction, which in a fit of logic, was designated the third installment of the PCL series. You see, first we discussed how FDR's New Deal helped bring the Padres to San Diego and then we hailed the first batter in Padres history.

Naturally, the introduction and statement of purpose would come third... because that's where you'll find the most awesome hitters and other things of awesomeness... third!

Baseball Game Attire: 1930s style

Over at Ducksnorts, Geoff Young discussed the highlights of the SABR* meeting he presented at over the weekend. In the post Geoff provided some links to other articles including the one about the Pacific Coast League Padres I wrote over at RJ's Fro.

Beside the link GY commented on the accompanying picture (found by SDPads1) and the game attire for the 1930s baseball fan. The 1930s fan was stylish. There were no replica jerseys. There were no New Era hats with the Lids sticker still on 'em. Attending a ball game was an event and people dressed for it.

So what's my point? I've often thought about dressing up for a game. Not like Barney Stinson where I look like I just walked out of some downtown financial monolith but instead like an actual fan from the 30s or 40s... it would be like retro-suiting-up, if you will.

I wear flip-flops and generally dress like a slob at a game so pulling this off would be difficult... unless, of course... you did it too... moral support, ya know.

Maybe I'm just writing out loud.

*SABR is an acronym for The Society for American Baseball Research.

Over at The Fro: The PCL Padres and a New Deal

I've written a column at RJ's Fro in which the birth of the San Diego Padres is both examined and celebrated. You see, today marks the official announcement that San Diego would be receiving entrance into the Pacific Coast League. So it's a birthday story of sorts. And who do we have to thank for suffering these pangs of child birth? The answer may surprise you.

To continue the celebration..... AJM and RJ's Fro.