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!

According to ESPN, The Padres are just average

 The Padres offseason report card came in today. If I was a kid and this was my report card, I would have made up some lame excuse to why it never made it home.

Anyways, thank you highly qualified ESPN analysts for letting me know the team with the projected 4th lowest payroll has room to improve.

ESPN Offseason Moves: D, The Pitiful Padres: C-

Yes, the Padres didn't go out an do what they wanted to. They came out after last season saying they need a starting pitcher or two to complete a rotation but failed to do so. To be honest though, I am confident in the rotation. We have a lot of young and great arms in the mix right no, and for a team that went 6 games under .500 last year using 15 starting pitchers, imagine what we could have done with a solid rotation through 2012.

The Padres may not be done though. According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, GM Josh Byrnes said:

"There is a chance we can solve [the rotation] with our own guys," San Diego general manager Josh Byrnes said. "The thing about the offseason [is] … we haven't pursued guys just to add bodies. But if we feel there's an upgrade, someone with upside or a long-term guy, then OK. But we're comfortable with seeing how our guys look. There might be a need [to add a pitcher] but there might not be."

Additionally,  there are a few more arms out on the market currently looking to find a home in 2013. Including Kyle Lohse, Roy Oswalt, Dallas Braden and Chris Young.

Okay, alright, Lohse (16-3 in 2012) will not be a Padre and I find it hard pressed for the Padres to go after 35-year old Oswalt and his usual high contract demands that surround. Braden could be a potential who they could get for cheap. He only made $3.3M last year in a season he only had 18IP. Young, on the other hand, could be a great move for fan moral. He is a consistent arm who can win some games and keep you in most others.

Chances are though, if I am in the front office, I stick with what I got and run a craps shoot with my 10 potential starters.

                                            I heard he is still looking for a contract in 2013...

ESPN Position Players: C+, The Pitiful Padres: C+

PROJECTED LINEUP
SS Everth Cabrera
RF Will Venable/Chris Denorfia
3B Chase Headley
LF Carlos Quentin
1B Yonder Alonso
CF Cameron Maybin
C Nick Hundley/Yasmani Grandal
2B Logan Forsythe/Jedd Gyorko

So, the Padres didn't score a lot of runs last year (4.0/game, 10th in NL), but I will use the old cliche of "Petco Park". Let us not forget they are moving the fences in 10ft which could provide for a little more offensive production. To analyze the lineup:
Cabrera, solid defense, lack of offense. Basically, we know what to expect.
Venable/Denorfia: Solid defense, and an upside on base-paths  Both can run decently well and Denorfia hits nearly .300 and puts the ball in play. Get on base for the big boys.
Headley: Coming off a near MVP season last year, we can only hope he replicates his numbers.
Quentin: Only played 86 games and made his impact known. A full season with fences in? HIGH potential for some offensive surge.
Alonso: Only 9 HR's in his rookie campaign but showed a lot at the plate. He will have people on base in front of him to drive in some runs.
Maybin: After bad first half, he hit .283 in the second half. Keep the swing up. At 26, still has a chance to be sucessful.
Hundley/Grandal: Game 51 we get a hitter back. Hundley plays great defense, but too many holes in his swing.
Forsythe/Gyroko: Logan hit .273 last year and an upgrade form Armarista. Gyrokos 30 bombs in Tucson hopefully can transfer to the bigs.

I feel the lineup will be better than last years based on potential. One year more experience for the rookies and a chance to erase last year for the likes of Maybin and Hundley.

ESPN Pitching: D+, The Pitiful Padres: C

I stated my opinion before. If the Padres don't get hurt, they have 10 potential arms. 6 under last year with a platoon of starters.

ESPN Overall: C, The Pitiful Padres: C

Ok, so I am a little biased and think all of my Padres are going to be All-Stars this year like Huston Street was last year. Last year, the team surprised some people. We had a MVP finalist and Gold Glover in Headley, a pleasant surprise from rookies Grandal and Alonso and a great effort from an ailing staff. I don't (realistically) expect any World Series this year, but .500 is not out of the question.