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“Padres–So Close-Yet So Far Away”

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If there ever was a perfect night for it to happen, it was Wednesday night.

Padres-vs-Marlins in Miami. You know the Marlins, a former World Series team, which has conducted as many fire sales in its history as the sad past owners had done in San Diego.

You know the Marlins, the team that dealt away the likes of Giancarlo Stanton, Chrisitan Yelich, Dee Gordon and a host of so many other players over the years.

A Miami franchise that is dead last in attendance, in a brand new stadium.

If ever a team was lined up to be no hit, it was the Marlins and it would have been with Chris Paddock on the mound.

Not to be. The firebrand Texas rookie right-hander carried a no hitter into the 8th inning, dominating the lowly Marlins with 95mph fastballs, curves, changeups and pinpoint control. He threw so many first pitch strikes to hitters, I lost count.

To do it, a no-no, you need a little help from your friends.

Eric Hosmer preserved the no hitter in the 7th knocking down a scorching liner, and tagging the runner in a bang-bang play at first base. Manny Margot flagged down a long fly ball at the wall in the 7th. And Hunter Renfroe ran and ran to the right field foul line to catch one, to keep the no hitter intact.

Paddock looked possessed on the mound. No one spoke to him in the dugout between innings. He was robotic in his dominance of the Marlins batting order, until Starlin Castro led off the 8th inning with a bomb to left center for a homer to break up the no-hitter.

The Padres are the only major league team in baseball, yet to throw a no hitter in its 50-year history. Think of that.

Not Randy Jones, nor Kevin Brown, nor any other Padres arm has thrown one. Mike Fiers, a journeyman pitcher, has thrown two in his spotty career with the Oakland A’s. The Padres none.

Oh they have been close. The Padres history shows 21-times they have had pitchers take a no hitter into the 8th inning.

History will remind us that Clay Kirby had a no hitter in 1970-but was pulled by Manager Preston Gomez. Reliever Jack Baldschun gave up a hit in the 9th to the Mets.

Journeyman Aaron Harang and a cadre of relievers had a no hitter into the 9th inning against the Dodgers, but wound up losing the game despite 8.2-innings of great pitching.

Steve Arlin went 8.2-innings of no hit ball before it got away from him in a 1972-game against the Phillies.

Andy Ashby threw 8-no hit innings against Atlanta.
Chris Young had two no hitters into the 8th with the Padres
Jordan Lyles had a perfect game into the 8th a year ago against Colorado.

Randy Jones threw a 1-hitter against the Reds in 1975.
Andy Benes had no hitters twice into the 8th in his San Diego starts.

Paddock was brilliant, though disappointed he couldn’t finish what he started.

I also wondered, considering he has been on a pitchi count, if Andy Green would leave him to pitch in the 9th, or would Green go ‘Preston Gomez’ to protect the rookie right-handers arm.

There will be a no hitter sometime in the future for a San Diego starter. Paddock might well be the guy to throw it.

But not on this night in Miami.

Padres and no-hitters, so close but yet so far away.

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“Padres–Progress & Disappointment”

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Well that was really ugly.

In a season of some ups and a bunch of downs, the Padres erratic play continues.

The Monday night loss to the lowly Miami Marlins was deflating. But then so many other recent series this summer have been the same way.

Losing to struggling Pittsburgh. Getting shelled by the Giants. Name it and it has happened, including this current 7-game home field losing streak they left behind as they started this 9-game road trip..

It’s part of a learning curve season for the youngest pitching staff in the National League West, and maybe the second-or-third youngest only to gruesome Detroit Tigers, and the young Marlins.

The very fast (11-5) start in April is a distant memory, with a team now that is now (34-44) since the fast start and has not had a winning month since April.

There have been flashy starts from Joey Lucchesi, Eric Lauer, the blazing start by Chris Paddock, and some solid outings from Matt Strahm and Calvin Quantrill.

Logan Allen had one great game, Dinelson Lamet, a year after surgery, pitched so well first time out, and waiting in the wings might be Garrett Richards, the ex Angels ace in August.

But the league and scouting reports have caught up to the team, and possibly the fatigue of a long season taking a toll on the resiliency of the young pitchers.

That coupled with the up and down outings of an overused bullpen. Manager Andy Green has yet to find reliable middle of the game guys out of the bullpen. He really needs a bridge to get to Craig Stammen and ace closer Kirby Yates.

There’s really nothing to really be done, but to ride out this young season, and to continuing giving the ball to the young arms.

The Padres don’t need to trade a wheel barrow full of prospects for Noah Syndegaard of the Mets, or to try and buy a short term rental like a Mike Leake of Seattle or Robbie Ray of Arizona.

The Padres everyday lineup is a hindrance too. They may hit lots of home runs, but the batting average with runners in scoring position, is anemic. The strikeouts are still high.

Wil Myers is more of a bench sitter than a trustworthy starter, and Hunter Renfroe-Franmil Reyes-Manny Margot are hot one week, cold the next one.

The catcher’s are hitting around the Mendoza Line (.200), and the offense at 2nd base sputters (Ian Kinsler) and there has been no recall yet of the next kid coming (Luis Urias).

Oh you can look thru the glass half full theory, that the Padres are only a couple of games out of the last wildcard spot. The cup half-empty will tell you they’d have to go thru four other teams in the final months to get to the last playoff spot.

And you can’t doing that letting the Miami Marlins put double digit runs up on your pitching staff.

Just have to bite the bullet, and work to find solutions, to what could still be my (81-81)…..500-type season.

But Andy Green needs to unlock the enigma of Myers….make the right decision on bullpen roles, and work to get the young pitching staff more experience without getting them scarred in the process.

It’s called learning on the job. Hopefully it won’t mean another last place season.

Progress can be slow. Patience will be necessary.

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Gulls–New Era-Next Coach”

The San Diego Gulls have been a raging success in the American Hockey League since the AHL expanded to the West Coast four years ago.

Record setting attendance, 4-strong seasons, a strong working agreement with the Anaheim Ducks, and a superb job by head coach Dallas Eakins.

Eakins is headed to the Ducks as their NHL head coach.

Kevin Dineen, a former NHL head coach, a strong AHL head coach, and a player who spent 19-years in the NHL-scoring 355-goals in a rock-solid career, comes in as the Gulls next head coach.

He is the son of legendary WHA coach Bill Dineen-who coached Gordie-Mark-Marty Howe with the Houston Aeros and Hartford Whalers….he brings a long respected career with him to San Diego

A track record of success, but facing a major task on their roster, with the Ducks likely to take up virtually all of the rookies who dominated the roster the last couple of years.

GM Bob Ferguson hand picked Eakins. He worked against Dineen when they were coaching in AHL..against each other with the Portland Pirates of the AHL in the early 2000’s.

Bob Ferguson-General Manager

..We congratulate Dallas Eakins on his promotion to Anaheim.
..We believe in player development for Anaheim
..Want to develop them to play in NHL and win in the NHL
..Kevin knows about winning-he was with the Ducks when they won the Cup in 2007
..He’s passed the test-knows how to develop players
..He has understanding of NHL and how the AHL operates.
..He’s been so successful everywhere-want someone knows success
..We have good people in Anaheim with success-now we have coach with it.

Kevin Dinnen-Quotes

..Thrilled to return to the Ducks organization after time in Florida and Chicago
..Hockey world is small fraternity…we all know each other
..San Diego is considered a landmark franchise in the AHL
..Growth hockey San Diego-7 rinks up and running in area
..Our role is to produce players for the Ducks
..I have expectation for success in this market.
..Head coach 9-years..have a sense this is what I should be.
..Worked with Joel Quennevhlle in Chicago-learned a bucket of things
..Wanted a chance to run my own program again…Ducks great commitment to win
..Not all days in hockey are roses.
..History learn develop players-take something from everywhere you been
..Rely on own experiences from my NHL career.
..Style as player .my work ethic was important..honest-sincere effort
..Yes-constant churn players with your roster in AHL
..We have diverse with culture background, age difference
..I give a lot feedback to our players-
..When you are the rink for 4-hours-get your business down.
..You need symmetry between NHL-AHL team..style of play we will use
..We had some really good players in Portland from the Ducks
..We will have level of defense to win championships.
..Dallas and I are in a coaches fraternity…we go back years
..What he has done here for the last four years is amazing
..Learned from bad experience in Florida…4-fabulous years in Chicago
..Painful lesson with Panthers…how you play..use personnel….learned a lot

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“Celebrating Centre Court–So Much History”

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Wimbledon has given us greatness over the modern decades.

Rod Laver won 4-times in the early years of the ‘Open era’. John Newcombe won thrice.

Bjorn Borg dominated for five yeas in a row. Jimmy Connors had two wins. John McEnroe and his fiesya style wowed us 3-times. Boris Becker muscled his way to 3-wins.

Pete Sampras was a dominant summer champion 7-times.

Andy Murray won for queen-country-and himself twice. Even Andres Agassi and Arthur Ashe raised the trophy once.

But no one did what Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer did on Sunday. The Swiss star with 8-Centre Court wins to his credit. The Serbian had won 4-times, leading into Sunday’s showdown..

And then they rewrote the record book Sunday.

The debate will rage was this better than the Federer-Andy Roddick 16-14 finale in 2008, but this was different.

Electricity, excitement, tension, drama, exhaustion. It was all bundled together in a record long (4:57) match, decided under the newly installed tiebreaker rule that was put in place after the final set was tied (12-12).

Federer was dominant, but Djokovic was relentless, climbing out of the hole multiple times to climb back into the match, and eventually win it in the 7-point tiebreaker.

It capped an amazing weekend for both. Djokovic won a 45-shot rally in the semi finals on Friday. Federer won 25 and 26 shot rallies the same day.

Then Sunday happened.

Federer produced a record 25-aces in the final but lost. Djokovic had an unheard of 9-double faults, but won. This after he had his serve broken an amazing 8-times.

The Swiss star won a 35-shot rally, but the Serb came right back and won a 17-shot exchange.

It was back and forth, in one stretch, they broke each others serves in games 6-7-15-16. You could cut thru the tension and the anticipation with a knife thruout the final hours.

The pendulum swung wildly. Federer’s backhand display of shot making made him look unbeatable. He stormed the net and kept dumping drop shots in for key points. But just when it looked as if Djokovic was done, he rallied, spraying long shots to the corners of the court.

With defeat-death at his doorstep, he came right back, staving two championship points in the 17th games to stay alive.

But the same for Federer, he was down 4-2 in the final set, and stormed right back.

Neither gave up as the shadows overtook the court. Neither wilted under the pressure. Neither gave an inch to exhaustion.

And then the tiebreaker ended it all.

At center court in the post match festivities, both were nearly speechless as the Duchess of Windsor presented the runner-up plate to Federer and the Golden Trophy to Djokovic.

The champion, a 5-time winner,kissed the grass when it was over. The 8-time winning Djokovic won the hearts all 37-year olds still playing the game.

Wimbledon started in 1877. World War I interrupted it for four years. It ceased operation for 6-years after the Germans bombed the tennis sight in World II. It has given fans enormous joy ever since.

What we saw Sunday was brilliant, and now new records to chase going forward.

A shiny moment on the green grass that is the All Lawn Tennis Club in London. A Gentlemen’s final, played by two great warriors.

Wimbledon at its best.

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“Chargers Crisis—Players & Cash Flow”

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Dean Spanos, Team Spanos, the Chargers, have a problem, a real problem now.

A problem worse than the hatred left behind when they dismissed 55-years of fan loyalty to execute the money grab to move to Los Angeles.

A bigger problem than the two years of media criticism, and the embarrassment of seeing all their home games overwhelmed by fans of the visiting team, who bought out all the tickets.

Despite the quality play of QB-Philip Rivers, the astute drafting of GM-Tom Telesco, and the fiery leadership of incoming coach Anthony Lynn, they still have a problem.

And this time, it is serious.

So they had to move to Los Angeles, where they hoped they would win, and garner a corner of the fan support up there. The market that loves the Lakers, is now enamored by the Clippers, has a World Series Dodgers team, and still supports the Bruins and Trojans.

They hoped too, to increase their revenues streams by going into the 2nd biggest market in the NFL.

Everyone in the NFL makes money thanks to the mega-TV deal from all the television partners. Some teams make lots more, because they win, or they play in a huge stadium, or have a heritage following.

Each team last year got 221M-as part of the TV pie-revenue sharing in the NFL. But the additional bonanza comes from Sky Box Revenues, Club Seats, PSLs, pricey tickets, merchandising and more.

None of that is part of the makeup of Chargers football now. Spanos’ net worth, according to the Forbes Magazine survey of owners, was 1.2B last season. A far cry from Stan Kroenke of the Rams (12.6B) or Robert Kraft of New England (9B) or Jerry Jones in Dallas (8B).

Of course owning your own Stadium, which Kroenke will do, and Kraft and Jones already have, is a big difference maker.

No one cares about that if you are a fan of the team. All they care about are wins and losses and how deep you go into the NFL playoffs.

The Chargers haven’t done that much, just two playoff wins in the last 11-years with Rivers at the helm. They surely don’t do that when it comes to tabulating revenue streams, considering they averaged 25,000-fans a game in their futbol-football stadium they play in in Carson.

And now they have issues, with the impending holdout of running back Melvin Gordon. Philip Rivers may be the straw that stirs the drink for the Bolts, but Gordon’s rushing and pass catching abilities are the meat and potatoes that sets up everything Rivers can do.

Gordon has a year left on his contract, due to make (5.6M) this coming season. He says he’s not coming to camp, and won’t play in the regular season, without an extension. He’s not going to risk getting hurt this year without the guarantee of an extension. He wants a state of the art salary, a lucrative bonus, and guarantees for a group of years going forward.

He’s not going put up huge numbers, while earning half of what Ezekiel Elliott gets in Dallas, or taking home just a third of what Le’Veon Bell will get from the New York Jets.

Gordon’s demands are simple. He wants 14M a year, quite a pay hike from his current salary this season.

Todd Gurley of the Rams will make (14.3M)-bad knee and all. Bell, who held out all last year, will earn (13.1M) in New York. David Johnson of the Arizona Cardinals gets (13M) this coming fall.

Gordon has been enormously productive with the Chargers.

He does everything, but he has also been banged up, four different injuries in the lat four years. The stats are impressive (3,628Y) rushing….(1,577) in receptions….that’s (5,205) all purpose yards and 38TDs in 4-years.

Bell, who walked away from the Steelers, after sitting out last season, piled up (4,045Y) rushing…(2,0005Y) receiving…a combined (6,050Y) and 31TDs in his first 4-years in Pittsburgh

But the Team Spanos problem is more than just the running back. The quarterback is also part of the equation.

Rivers is in the final year of his contract too, and has indicated ‘no more discounts’ in what will be his final deal. No one expects Rivers to ask the absurd money Minnesota shelled out for QB-Kirk Cousins (32M) a year average. But there will be a hefty increase for the Bolts passing star.

Can you say (24M) per year for Rivers? Add Gordon’s demand (14M) per year, and that’s a huge hike in this salary cap era. Throw in signing bonus money of possibly 20M upfront, and you wonder how Dean Spanos is going to pull this off.

His revenues are not what they were in San Diego. His potential to rake in bigger money a year from now seem limited, in that he is going into Kroenke’s stadium financed with the Rams’ owners money.

And there is the impending bill to the NFL League office. Spanos has to start paying (129M) in territorial fees to the NFL this coming season, for the next four years, for the move into the Los Angeles market, just two years ago.

Team Spanos has always had holdout issues with players, and granted you cannot always give the individual player what the agents always demand.

But you cannot play ‘hardball-lowball’ with your top two offensive players, whose contracts are both coming up.

Where is cash poor Spanos going to get the money?

There’s a big difference in the amount of revenues you generate, when you average 65,000 fans a game in San Diego, as they did in the good years, compared to the 25,550 they are getting in their soccer stadium in Carson

Big difference too in the corporate advertising revenue they used to get at the cement edifice that was Quallcom, compared to what they can sell in the LA Galaxy soccer stadium. And ditto for what they can charge for sky boxes and club seats.

Odd as I put pencil to paper to look at the economic of the Chargers. I thought of their ownership money issues, Spanos had to borrow money, a reported 650M, to finance the move to LA, and build new training facilities. Hell, if he had borrowed that money he could have helped finance a new Stadium in San Diego.

And then I thought of Mayor Kevin Faulconer’s comments, the day Spanos left San Diego.

“Dean Spanos will regret the decision he made’. Two years later it appears he really might, if he cannot pay his star players, to play in a market that still doesn’t love his franchise.

Could you imagine what Chargers football without Melvin Gordon for a full season would be like? Could you imagine life without Philip Rivers if he ever got hurt this coming season?

Could you imagine the trauma the Bolts would have on their hands?
Could you imagine the joy, still enraged San Diego fans would experience?

The Chargers have a crisis straight ahead, with players and with cash flow don’t you think?
Spanos could have been revered in San Diego. Instead, he is reviled, by the decision he made.

And a final thought about all this.

Would have never happened if they were still the San Diego Chargers.

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