It's all in the bag! The Best Sunflower Seeds Power Rankings

Take me out to the ball game and take me out with the crowd, but if you are buying me anything, it better be a bag of sunflower seeds. I'd settle for peanuts I guess, but Cracker Jack is a no-go. I'm a shelled snack kind of guy and I pride myself in eating entire bags in one sitting, over several hours at a time if need be.

This list is for all my seed-poppin', shell-spittin' brothers out there who believe that seeds and baseball could be one of the best food/fan marraiges out there.

If you even bother eating Frito Lay or David seeds, I have a feeling you have no respect for yourself. Do yourself and your mouth a favor and grab a mans bag of seeds. All five of these are proven to make you run faster and jump higher and bring your game to the level of at least Alexi Amarista.

So, here is my top 5 seeds to get you through this 2014 baseball season. Don't be afraid to buy in bulk. You will eat them.

5. Giant Sriacha

There is always room for untraditional flavors of seeds and sriacha flavor is proof of trying new things is good for the seed world. Surprisingly, these pack a nice kick for any spice enthusiast out there and sure to leave a few mouths in search of a fire extinguisher. Give them a try...if you dare.

4. Bigs Original flavor

Every once in a while, having a plain, original seed can satisfy any salty craving, and there is a reason these are the official seed of the MLB. These are great in small doses and I would never turn away a handful of these that will eventually lead to the necessity of chugging a Gatorade Riptide Rush. Don't be afraid, try me sometime.

3. Spitz Dill Pickle

Many are afraid to try a bag of these, but let me tell you, these are awesome. Literally a taste that have never tingled your buds before, and I am sure they resent you for it. Don't be turned off by the idea of eating "pickle" because I don't even notice or remember until I am at least halfway through a bag that they are supposed to taste like a cucumbers little bro. High risk yields high reward and dill pickle seeds yield an overall better quality of life.

2. Jumbo Ranch

Several reasons these make my list besides the gourmet flavor that sends me into a seed nirvana. These seeds are BIG. The name jumbo is no joke as these seeds are at least twice the size of the normal seed and 7x the size of those David seeds I mentioned earlier. A very underrated fact of these is no severe splitting. Instead of getting seed shrapnel that sticks into your gums like tiny ice picks and eventually leading to pints of blood lost and poor performance during the game, these are a clean break. Lastly, none of that powder stuff. All ranch coat on the whatever they call it to flavor and leads to messy hands and powder everywhere. Not Jumbo. These seeds must have the flavor roasted in or something because the coast yields no powder and packs an extreme flavor anyone can enjoy.

1. Spitz Smoky BBQ

 There is only reason Jumbo doesn't crack the #1 and it's because this seed is truly the seeds of the baseball gods themselves. I can't confirm, but I'm sure Babe Ruth is up there with a bag of these currently. Imagine sitting down to a nice dinner and Phil's BBQ. Now imagine that tasting a million times better and getting it all for just $1.50 a bag that you can pick up at your local Shell gas station. Truly, the greatest flavor of any seed ever created and ultimately in a whole new snack category of their own. If you honestly claim yourself to be a true seed lover and have never tried these, I order you to leave reading this blog and go buy a bag now. It will be the best snack decision you will ever make in your entire life. Show your mouth the respect it deserves.

Enjoy the sodium overload this season. I know I will. 

Hurt Headley Hinders Him Hitting Home Runs

On the Twittersphere today, just checking in on the latest gossip on Spring Training and people posting selfies of Chris Denorfia, when I came across news that only seems fitting for the Padres:

#Padres 3B Chase Headley has a strained right calf. On crutches as a precaution. He thinks it could be a couple of weeks.
— Corey Brock (@FollowThePadres) February 22, 2014

Well, uh oh! That sounds crappy!

Two years in a row? You've got to be kidding me right? Corey Brock is pulling my leg and hoping to find the tween that says "LOL JK", but as I scroll down the page and see Bob Scanlan and other confirm this tragedy, I must now accept that our Face of the MLB contestant is out....again.

I feel ya, buddy

With Chase Headley sidelined for the second year in a row during the Spring Training season, it can't help but make me a little frustrated about the start of Padres camp in Peoria. This is already the second injury (Max Fried) the Pads have seen and we haven't even made it through the first week. I am expecting soon to see Venable go down with a rattle snake bite, Maybin straining his elbow while brushing his teeth or some other fluke accident to make things worse.

Even though Headley's injury was deemed "minor" and "will be back in a few weeks", that doesn't put me in the greatest of moods knowing our star player and *crosses fingers* future extended player is hurt already in what I felt was going to be a big year. He wants to show '12 wasn't a fluke and he knows it is a contract year. Some numbers will be put up, right?

But, I see the silver lining. It did happen just in the first week of camp and that will give him plenty of time to recover and still have a productive spring and be ready for Opening Day. Couldn't be worse than last year when we trotted out Cody Ransom at 3B at Opening Day at Petco Park last year.

Well, get well Chase. We need you. Heck, I need you...mainly for fantasy baseball purposes, but your bat is welcomed with open arms into a hopefully potent (can I use that word talking about the Padres?) lineup.

Go Pads!

Even you can be a Padres (partial) season ticket holder

Its that time of year again. Baseball is back. You pull out the schedule, pick your games and get ready for another exciting season at Petco Park, but I have one question for you: why aren't you a partial season ticket holder?

I hope this guy is a season ticket holder.

I have asked myself that question for the last few years as I have trekked down the cluttered 163 and patrolled the streets of downtown to find some free parking over twenty times each season. On each one of these pilgrimages, I forked over a minimum of ten bucks to gain access to the gates of Petco Park. Estimated cost per year easily eclipsed $200. Don't get me wrong, this is quite the bargain to attend a plethora of baseball games, but the hassle of buying tickets day of, waiting in line, and if it is a Giants game...don't get me started.

So, at FanFest I scouted the crowd until I came across Riley Danford, my new Account Executive. I told him straight up I wanted the cheapest 21-game pack the Padres have and he hooked my roommate and I up with the weekend plan for $195/ea or $9.50 a ticket. But enough about my story, I want to tell you the best reasons to get a plan


First, flexibility. With the plan I purchased, I get what is dubbed "the weekend package" or Plan Blue X where I get Monday, Friday and Sunday games throughout the year. The nice thing about this package is though is any weekend game is flexible in which you can move it to any other game you want. For instance, say I have a Sunday game against the Marlins, cash that in and change it to a Saturday game a tickets to a replica jersey night instead. Any good promotional night, any big series, or just a busy schedule, an easy switch can be made right from your computer, no questions asked.

Second, the ability to purchase additional tickets. My roommate and I just have our two, but at game we have in our 21-gamer, we can purchase up to six additional tickets at the cost we pay ($9.50). This includes Opening Day (normally $21.75) and weekend series. Even though it is just us two, we never attend a game with less than 4 people so this is a great way to save everyone money over the course of the year.

Third, you get Opening Night. Pretty self explanatory, and if you want you can also get Opening Day. These tickets are almost sold out. Not for me, I am rolling 10 deep.

Last, they can be upgraded with ease. Say I find lower box seats that I want. Boom. Mine. All I have to do is pay the upgrade fee, which is the price of a season ticket in that section. Also, if I want combine two games worth of tickets, that value can be applied to one ticket.


Padres are nice enough to add tons of perks to their plan to make it easy for people to get out to the ballpark. The price point is there, the flexibility is there, and other perks like promotions make the partial season ticket plans a sweet way for any fan to make 2014 a great season to remember as a Padre fan. And also, you didn't hear it from me, but the Padres just might surprise some teams this year and sneak in as a wild card. Only time will tell, but I will be there, 21 times at least, to enjoy the ride.

For my last point, 21 times you can skip out on listening to these two. Hubba, hubba.

Go Padres!

What WWE Superstars are your Padres most like?

Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, this main event is scheduled for one fall....

I am a big fan of the wrestling and I have been since I was a young kid getting my first taste of the WCW and the Hulk Hogan era. Brother. As I was taking a shower, thinking about the upcoming Elimination Chamber PPV on February 23rd, I couldn't help but to have my mind wander off to see the likeness of many of my favorite wrestlers in comparison to some of the Padres players.

I know what you are thinking, baseball and wrestling? Those aren't alike! WRESTLING IS FAKE!!! But hear me out, I have good reasons for my comparison.



Chris Denorfia is Daniel Bryan

These two are the exact same person. Both of these players are super fan favorites and with their long flowing locks, they pump up fans in their respective arena. Both perform above average, but never seem to get the push they deserve because someone is always in front of them, whether it be John Cena or Will Venable. They are both waiting for their title chance and to show the fans they can be a true champion, defying all odds. While the "#Norf" chant may never catch on like the "Yes!" movement has, both of these superstars fly under the radar, but deliver results.

If you close your eyes and muffle your eyes, it almost sounds like Norf, right?

Cameron Maybin is Kofi Kingston

These two superstars are so much alike. Both are probably the most athletic ones in their respective locker room and perform high flying acts only they themselves would be able to accomplish. They both have the athletic ability but still haven't been able to get a long run at the top. After Cameron Maybin in his first year, he won Padres MVP, but then seem to slip to the level of mediocrity while Kingston has had a few short lived trips at the Intercontinental Title, but hasn't held on long any of those turns. I want both of these guys to get the                                                push they deserve and show their ability to live up to the potential.

I'd like to see him jump off the top ropes

Everth Cabrera is Rey Mysterio

This one feels like a no brainer. Both undersized mens have been able to make a name for themselves by their performance in their craft. One a former WWE Champion and the other an MLB All-Star, while both repping San Diego? The excitement they provide fans through a diving play in the hole or a reversal into a special move, this one is about as cut and dry as it gets. 

If Cabby can stop a ball in the hole, he can do this

Kyle Blanks is The Undertaker

The way I see it, these guys are similar for one reason. They both seem to come back once a year. Undertaker famously comes back one time a year for a short stretch during the WrestleMania season while Blanks seems to come back once a year while he's not on the DL. Two very different comebacks, but they perform almost                                                                     equivalent amounts. Oh yeah, they both are HUGE!

Best Intro Video?

The Rock is Huston Street

No more explanation needed than best finisher in the game. Hands down. Proven closer.

Imagine the commentators being Mark Grant and Dick Enberg

Chase Headley is John Cena

I see your fanhood, Cena.

And last but not least, our two stars. No matter what, these two are expected to perform. I feel like ever time I watch John Cena, I expect him to win and every time Chase Headley steps into the box, he is supposed to hit a home run. Both men act as the face of the locker room and are the top dog. Chase Headley is maybe the only Padre that casual fans can name and same                                                         can be said about John Cena. And if Chase Headley's special move                                                         was the walk-off home run, he could be deadly in the WWE.

Give him a title belt.

So, we may never see our guys in the ring, but I'll give our team the #1 contender spot on the diamond any day of the week. 

Padres Baseball Is Back: Spring Training Starts Today!

It is the best day of the year if you are a Padres fan. Spring Training has begun as pitchers and catchers have officially shown up to Peoria for the start of Cactus League workouts.

They will be playing their first set of catch with each other since the season ended last September. They will be meeting new teammate, such as big arm, Joaquin Benoit, and potential call ups for the first time. And they will begin their quest to bring a big league title to San Diego.

Let's pretend this never happened, Joaq....

For guys like Burch Smith and Matt Wisler, this could be a very important spring for them. Even though the 5-man rotation seems all but set, we as Padres fan laugh at the idea of that staying healthy long. No one would be surprised to see one of these five take an early spring training boo-boo that sidelines them to start the season.

So, Smith and Wisler. Burch Smith came up last year and started 7 games for the Friars, posting a frightening 6.44 ERA with a 1.65 WHIP to boot. Although, he did show us what he was capable of. In a September start, Smith was able to go 7IP, surrendering just 3 hits and no runs while fanning 10 Braves. Those are numbers I like to see.

Then there is Wisler, the Padres top pitching prospect. A long shot to make the roster for Opening Day, but apparently is supposed to have a go bag packed at all times just in case the Padres are ready to pull the El Paso Chihuahua up.

Lastly, another big question is Austin Hedges. It is not a question of "if" but more of a "when"? The guy has what many are saying the tools to be the best defensive catcher in baseball, and although his bat has been a little slow, hasn't Nick Hundley's? What are the chances Hundley has another repeat of 2012, in which he was sent down to Tucson for most of the year, or will Grandal and himself have healthy competition for games behind the plate this year?

Will we have two players donning "Smith" on their uniform on Opening Day at Petco, or will it take a little longer? I guess we will see what spring holds for the Padres. Good luck to everyone on the roster and for those fighting, fight hard. Only so many get this shot, so take full advantage.

We pray you work out too, Seth.

Little League Baseball has Big League sized problems

My Little League career was awesome. No doubt, my finest days as a baseball player. As captain of the infield as an All-Star left-handed short stop, I led the Pirates to a 17-3 record and a deep run in the Tournament of Champions along with a walk-off hit against our rivals in an All-Star game. I didn't end up taking the team to Willamsport, but none the less, it was a blast. I finished as a six-time All-Star and if there was a Ponderosa Little Leauge Hall of Fame, I think I would be a first ballot vote in.

The number of time I have heard "All Star" could be in the millions

                                                     
But recent research for a graduate school essay has left a frown on my face. Little League numbers have been dropping. And fast. From 2000 to 2009, Little League numbers have dropped 24% and many kids are giving the same reason: the game is boring to them.

So, I sit here thinking to myself how can the game I love be boring? But then I think of a kid in right field, where the ball never gets hit, sitting and picking dandelions and waiting for the post game snack of orange slices and a Capri Sun. How can we get kids more engaged and enjoy the game?

Other sports like football and basketball admittedly are much more fast paced and I can see the appeal to a youth society that can't go five minutes without picking up their brand new iPhone to play a game of Flappy Bird.

This game is the worst, by the way.

We need to teach kids that baseball can be fun, it can be exciting. We need to teach them how on every play, there is a lot that goes on. The pitch selection depending on the count, the shifting of an outfield for a left handed batter or the runner on first taking different leads depending on the move from the pitcher. Baseball might be a slower game to some, but it is more complex than it seems. The basic throw, hit and catch is not the only thing that baseball can provide.

Get out with the kid and throw the ball around with him for 10 minutes. Get a bucket of balls and go hit at a field, even it if is just wiffle balls. Help make your kid better. Don't make a child lose interest in baseball because no one took the time to help them improve the skill. I realize not everyone is going to be an All Star, but that does not mean they can't have fun being part of a team.

There was nothing greater than hanging out in the dug out and spitting seeds while chowing down on some Big League Chew. Every child deserves the chance to have fun with their friends and enjoy America's greatest past time.

Isn't that wright, David? HAHAHA

MLB Fan Cave Essay Submission...I Hope They Like It

It’s a numbing, 60-degree Tuesday night in January- well, as frigid as it is going to be in San Diego this time of year. While most of the country is covered in snow, I don’t have time for that nonsense. I have greater ambitions. It may be more an hour before I have to arrive, but I am in my room with the Space Jam theme song blaring through my headphones with “game mode” etched upon my face. I need to mentally prepare myself. It is game night. This is for the playoffs!

 As I pull on my Hawaiian shirt uniform, I lace up my cleats and grab my Rawlings Heart of The Hide glove on the way out the door. After the grueling, three minute drive to the field, I arrive at my battleground. As I step through the gates, I can’t help but to give our bitter rival a stone cold stare from across the diamond as I warm up my arm in preparation for the war ahead. After delivering a Lombardi-esque speech in the dugout with eleven sets of eyes feeding off my intensity, I break the huddle. We tear onto the field with pride, as if we were storming the beaches of Normandy. As I sprint past second base, into the outfield, I pop a wad of Swingin’ Sour Apple Big League Chew into my mouth. I am ready to take my place as starting center fielder for the Big Kahunas in the San Marcos Parks and Rec slow pitch softball league.

I will allow myself to use one cliché in this writing: I love sports. As many have come before me, and many will after me, sports are ingrained in my DNA structure.

In my opinion, sports, namely baseball, are one of the most unique concepts that have ever been conceived. We throw a sphere made of string with a leather cover, and we swing a piece of wood and run around a dirt path. The team that can do this the most consistently throughout the season will win a piece of metal saying they are the best. But, if it were only that simple, no one would play the game.

No, for us fans, it is definitely more than just a game. It is a way of life.

Sports allows our naturally competitive spirit to blossom at its fullest as we cheer on men who played the same game we did as children and who were able to live out our wildest fantasies and make it to the highest level. This group of 25 individuals sends us on an annual, dramatic six-month roller coaster ride as we cheer our team to victory. Every night they are there, and every night we watch.

Not a day goes by where my inner-GM doesn’t critique the product that is on the field. Where can we add depth? What holes need to be filled? Does this team have a legitimate shot to win it all? Sports do this to people. It can take over your life. The close fantasy baseball losses, the superstar traded for a “two minor league prospects and player to be named later with cash considerations” or a questionable call to the bullpen for a lefty-lefty matchup that doesn’t pan out. These decisions can really make a person go insane. It is a kind of insane that only sports fans can understand, and it is a beautiful, beautiful thing.

It doesn’t matter who you are, where you came from, what your beliefs may be. For three hours, nothing matters besides our team. It can uplift cities, such as the New Orleans Saints with Hurricane Katrina or the Boston Red Sox with the marathon tragedy. With incredible, heroic feats, sports can give a horrible day something to look forward to later that night. It can turn bitter enemies into best friends and can split apart tight knit families apart simply because they don’t root for the same team. Sports conjure up some of the most powerful emotions a person has ever felt.

I have laughed, I have cried, I have cheered and I have gone clinical depressed because of sports. But I take the bad with the good, because no matter what, I love my sports teams. Win or lose, I will be there for them, just like they are there for me.

My MLB Fan Cave Submission Video

Call me crazy, call me what you like, but I want to live in the MLB Fan Cave during all of 2014. I feel I have the needed skill to watch baseball for seven months straight and to help the Padres reach the World Series from New York City this year. I have been painstakingly training by watching large amounts of How I Met Your Mother while mixing in college basketball and WWE to build my television watching endurance. I hope the selection committee can see the dedication I have put in.

Here is what I came up with:

When the time comes, if it does, spare a moment and vote for me. We all know the Padres could use a good rep, because well, contrary to popular belief, there are actual Padres fans in existence.


Either way, tons of fun and will enjoy whatever happens.


Go Pads.

2014 Fan Fest Recap: The Good, The Great and The Awesome

Another Fan Fest has come and gone and over 17,000 Padre crazies and myself traversed to Petco Park, likely for the first time since last September.

Couldn't have asked for a better day overall. Great weather, lots people and literally something for every fan. As I walked around Petco decked out in head to toe a 98 uniform (pants and cleats included), this is what I noticed.

The Good: The Garage Sale.

On point once again, the Padres were able to provide a large variety of game used items to go along with a treasure trove of unique Padres memorabilia that must have been stashed deep in a storage locker somewhere. If you walked out of the garage sale empty handed, you obviously weren't looking hard enough. Usually, I would rank the garage sale as the best thing about Fan Fest, but this year, the Padres Foundation must have been short on cash because many of the items skyrocketed in price compared to recent years. 

The Great: The Turnout

I am not just speaking of the Wednesday day game sized crowd, which was impressive, but the amount of players and major faces that turned up as well. With players, announcers, front office people with autograph and Q&A sessions, fans had full opportunity to get as close to any of these people as they will all year (unless, of course, you are heading to Peoria in the next month). We even got a Dick Enberg and Mark Grant signed poster and met Yasmani Grandal in the Padres store.

Yaz-$$$

                        

The Awesome: Full Access

Literally anywhere you wanted to go, the Padres let you. Run the bases, pitch in the bullpen, catch in the outfield, clubhouse tours, social club, dugouts, and anything else I missed were all at the fans fingertips. Many dreams came true today I am sure for fans seeing what it is like for the 25 guys who are living out all our wildest baseball fantasies. Touching the outfield grass and knowing it's the same grass you see Will Venable making a game-saving diving catch or pitching off a mound that our closer Huston Street frequents before a great Padres victory is something that is very satisfying. Kudos to the Padres for allowing fans to have these once a year opportunities.

Got this photo on the first take, I kid you not

         

As I lay in bed, typing this out on my iPhone with what I am sure is to be a rough read as it was done in one take, I can honestly say I am as optimistic as ever about this Padres season. The theme today I heard from the panels as I walked around Petco was that the Padres are a playoff ready team. I believe it. If healthy, the Pads have the bats and the arms to make a run into October and I am willing to take my chances in playoff baseball with Cashner, Johnson, Kennedy, Ross and Stults versus the rest of the league because when those guys are on, the Padres could potentially have a top-5 staff.

So sweet dreams, Padres fans, March 30 is just around the corner!

Happy 2014 Season Padres Fans!

Dear Baseball Fans....

Dear Baseball Fans,

The start of another baseball season. The deep breath of anticipation as we await what February through October is going to bring to us. The next nine months of hope, speculation, heartbreak and triumph lay in front of us as we prepare for another long season. The great plays, the dramatic late innings, the home runs, the pitching dominance and every win or loss, we will be there.

These nine months are just as hard on them as they are on us. The hours we spend talking and wondering what this season will hold. The research we put in and all the moves we should have made in the offseason( and all the ones we shouldn’t) all come together and we plan our season.

As we plan our Spring Training trips, break out our teams gear, and pound our glove to get it ready for the first time since last October, it’s hard not to think that this is not our year. How much preparation we have put in, how much time we will have to sacrifice? How much work we will miss, how much money we will spend, how many minutes, hours, days we will spend in front of the television or radio, listening to every crack of the bat and every third strike call? It doesn’t matter. We will be there, we will be following and darn it, WE DESERVE THIS!

It doesn’t matter what our rivals say, it doesn’t matter what the analysts say or how long our odds may be. Let them all talk, let them all doubt, because no matter what, we will back our team. We will root, root, root for the home team. We will make our pilgrimages to our personal baseball cathedrals.  With every win we will feel the sensation of victory and every loss, the agony of defeat. We take them hard. Just as hard, if not harder than the players. Harder than we should admittedly, but still doesn’t hurt any less. For it will all be worth it come fall as we chase a Division and League Championship and make our claim for the best in the game.

It is hard to contain the excitement as players arrive to Arizona and Florida to brush off the dust and begin this journey. We will be there, too, and we will enjoy the ride.

Rejoice fans, for it is baseball season.  May your season be as enjoyable as mine will be!

Sincerely yours,

A Diehard Baseball Fan