San Diego Padres Fanatics

Juan Marichal decided Johnny Rosoboro (Dodgers catcher who replaced Roy Campanella after his car accident) threw the ball back to the pithcer too close to his head.  Juan Marichal (Ace Giants Pitcher) took his bat and repeatedly struck Roseboro on his helmetless (1960's) catcher head. Willie Mays is said to have rescued Roseboro.  14 stiches and hospital stay for Roseboro.    


Now we get to a different, modern matter:


 

SAN FRANCISCO — Before each plate appearance, San Francisco Giants slugger Pablo Sandoval steps out in front of the plate and does a ritualistic sort of tap dance with his bat and cleats. Drives opponents, especially pitchers, nuts.

At the end of every save, San Francisco closer Brian Wilsonmakes a celebratory gesture that’s even captured on bobblehead, a tribute to his late father in which he crosses his arms and flashes twin hand signs. Through his dyed-black beard, he said his new thing in 2011 is punctuating strikeouts and good Giants plays with the catch-phrase “Got him!”

And the Giants are irked at Chad Qualls?

“Playing in San Francisco,” said the Padres relief pitcher, “you gotta understand, when you’re warming up two feet from the fans, they’re not telling you how good you are or telling you how glad they are that you’re warming up. They’re calling you every name in the book, every cuss word in the book.

“To shut them down on an inning where we’re ahead, it’s kinda putting it to the city and the fans, because they’re just wearing you out on a consistent basis as you’re warming up, spitting on you, calling you anything they want. The later the game, the more drunk they are, the more harsh the words.”

Oh, the words Qualls was being called all day Wednesday and into the night. The airwaves of the Bay Area were fairly toxic with the verbal assaults on Qualls, taking the big right-hander to task for spiking the ball after he tagged out Andres Torres at the plate on the key play of a 5-3 Padres victory Tuesday at AT&T Park.

“I think that’s not respecting the game,” said Torres, who caught considerably less flak for trying to sneak home on a two-out pitch past catcher Nick Hundley with Sandoval at the plate and one swing away from tying the game. “It’s not professional. I don’t believe in making a show on the field.”

The fact that Torres was wearing a Giants uniform at the time of his criticism may have blunted his point somewhat. Well before they were the reigning World Series champions, the Giants were known for their cast of “characters” and the way they acted in a sport that selectively frowns on grandstanding or showing up an opponent.

For his part, Qualls took a conciliatory stance when approached in the clubhouse before Wednesday’s game, admitting he lost his head after tagging Torres and screaming.

“I just kind of freaked out,” said Qualls. “Like Brian Wilson, I just kind of raged out right there. You know, I don’t know. I just remember yelling. I was telling the umpire: ‘I got the ball. I got the ball. I got the ball.’ And when I showed it to him, I just said, ‘You’re out.’

“I wasn’t really saying it to him. I was just kind of … I’ve never had a passed ball and tagged a guy out at the plate. Never.”

The scenario around his first such play was intense. A two-run lead was at stake and Sandoval already had put one home-run ball into McCovey Cove this series. Torres was on third, having worked Qualls over for a walk on 16 pitches and advanced two bases by steal and ground-out. On deck was Aubrey Huff, who was 4-for-4 in his career against Qualls.

What might’ve been a Qualls wild pitch turned into a blessing for the Padres. The ball didn’t skitter far and Hundley quickly flicked it back to Qualls’ at the plate. End of rally. End of inning. Start of controversy.

“Like I said, I meant no disrespect,” said Qualls. “I’m sorry for doing it. That’s not what I meant to do. I play the game with passion. It was really adrenaline that came through me and that’s just what happened.”

Qualls said the only other time he’d “freaked out” in a game, it was 2007 and he was with the Houston Astros, blowing a big lead to the Angels in Anaheim. Making a put-out at first base to end the debacle, Qualls tossed the ball into the third deck.

“I was trying to throw it out of the stadium,” said Qualls. “I was fined and suspended three games for putting fans in danger. I gave a souvenir to somebody. If you can find a deal on that, it’s a pretty good one.”

Though clearly trying to diffuse the situation, Qualls did agree that the Giants are known for their theatrics. Earlier this year, it was San Francisco catcher Eli Whiteside spiking a ball after a collision at home plate.

“That’s what they do,” Qualls said. “(Sandoval) does it on a consistent basis. Wen he hit the homer off Ernesto (Frieri) the other day, he flipped the bat and walked to first base, I’m sure he didn’t mean to show up our pitcher. But that’s what he did. Not a big deal was made of that.”  
 http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/

2011/jul/06/qualls-being-excoriated

-san-francisco/

---

Obviously, The World Champions have a different view of their place in Society.   Bruce Bochy is not in control like he used to be.   

Category: MLB

1/2 game back with 10 more to go and 3 against the 1st place (for now) Giants! Lets get moving Pads!

Category: MLB

Wow.....9 losses in a row....will they be able to get out of this funk before the Giants, Rockies, or Dodgers catch them....I'm a bit nervous about them now....


Category: MLB

I think Miggy is a nice pickup for the Pads.  Everth is just not happening right now, and Miggy will be able to provide a boost, especially with the bat.  Go Pads!

Category: MLB

As a Right Coaster now (originally from Alameda but have most of my family in Chula Vista, National City, La Jolla, IB, CB) it is hard for me to "watch" a Friars game unless it is a Divisional or World Series. Since most have written off the NL West for many years, it's difficult, it seems for anyone to truly recognize what the SD Padres are doing. Not to mention, what they CONTINUE to do: win games. I love that there are naysayers and disbelief that such a squad can keep winning. I have even gotten into it with some "fans from other teams" who think it is a fluke and a landslide of losses will arrive very soon after the All-Star Break. Well?!?  I DISAGREE. What the Friars keep on doing is playing ball and winning more than losing and still have the lowest runs scored against them. They may not have the offensive output of cash-flow dynasties, or young phenoms or a super-deep bench...but they have guts and talent that shows up in the W column. I am proud to still be a Padres fan even after their recent successes and future ones in store.

Category: MLB