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Hacksaw’s Thursday Podcast…1pm
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“PADRES BASEBALL-DO YOU BELIEVE THIS”
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There have been some great times in modern day Padres history.

The Steve Garvey home run vs the Cubs, that put the Padres into the World Series against the Tigers.

The Tony Gwynn-led Padres getting to the World Series against the Yankees.

The phenomenal pennant race run that included a big upset of the Dodgers in the playoffs.

The last summer of success that put the Padres into the NLCS against the Phillies just a couple of years ago.

But what is happening at Petco Park this summer has been something.

Sellout after sellouts.
Gallagher Square’s launch.
The blockbuster trades.
The state of the art contract extensions.

A new manager bringing a new culture into the clubhouse.
The arrival of a star in the making in centerfield.
Veteran cornerstone players at 3B-1B
The ability to withstand the loss of two starting pitchers and the star rightfielder.
Hitting the jackpot on role players.

It is amazing what we are experiencing with the closer who was a refugee in Mexico and Japan-Robert Suarez.

Jurickson Profar is having a career year, considering he was a last minute winter signing after spending the off season on the streets.

My Rookie of the Year should be everyone’s Rookie of the Year-Jackson Merrill.

The arrival of Michael King and others in the controversial Juan Soto trade have benefited the team so they could make the Dylan Cease trade.

Luis Arraez and Manny Machado have been rock solid on the corners.

Look at the roles and the success that Solano-Peralta-Higashioka have had.

Unsung heroes have to include Mike Schildt, and his closed door approach to running the clubhouse.  And the same for pitching coach Ruben Nieblo, who has solved numerous mechanical and mental confidence issues with a pitching staff.

So we are storming thru August and we have a pennant race that could be the greatest the Padres have ever experienced.  The Dodgers have survived a traumatic season of injuries and are still in first place.

The Padres head to the weekend having won (19-of-22).  Arizona has won (18-of-21).  The Dodgers were (71-49) when I last checked.

The architect of all this, the guy many thought was on the brink of losing his job when the Padres went to the Cactus League in the spring.

AJ Preller, bold, brazen, irresponsible, creative, dynamic and free wheeling deserves as much credit as anyone.

Who could have imagined the Friars and the World Series could be mentioned in the same sentence this late in the season?

Who could have imagined Preller as Executive of the Year, but very possible if this team gets to the Fall Classic.

Do you believe what you see?  Some Padres summer so far.

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