San Diego Padres: What To Expect In The 2018 Season

This is KPBS Midday Edition. I am Maureen Cavanaugh. The 2018 baseball season is in full swing. They are taking on the Colorado Rockies tonight at Petco Park. They lost all three games against the Milwaukee Brewers. She spoke with longtime San Diego sports writer Jay Paris, about the Padres upcoming season. Jay, thank you for joining us. We had the Padres home opener this year, they played against the Milwaukee Brewers. Talk about what the opening game means to the fans. >> Spring is in the air. To have a sense of optimism that maybe this will be the year. It is always wait until next year. Next year finally arrives. The are expected to do grand think this season. They have not lost a game. You see old friends. It is the baseball community if you go to a lot of games, you are friends with those people. Is fun to get back to the ballpark. There are not any prettier places to watch the ballgame then Petco Park. Have new things that fans will notice? They're always up-to-date on the food. They do a great job of getting local food in. If you want to fish taco, you can get one out a pottery game. If you wanted IPA our fancy craft beer, you can do that as well. They have also incorporated the Hall of champions into Petco Park. You can go and learn about San Diego's history. There highlighting all the high school and college basket to baseball teams. In the name of safety, the netting is behind home plate. It is good. Don't get hit by foul balls. Now they have extended the netting to the end of the died out. Not only for balls, but so fragile as most. There have been serious injuries. It is not a joking matter. People have gotten hurt. Couple that with people using their phone. That ball gets to you, so quick. They want that fan experience. Than what close seats. That is a great if you have a glove on and you are ready for it. But if you are typing in text messages, they extended the netting in the name of safety. In the name of safety, I think it is a great idea. >> They have not been implant since 2006. They are, they were second to the last. >> It is coming. It is growing. Let's look at it, you go at one go out in your backyard and you are not seeing much. Now, it is starting to blossom a little bit. They went for the younger players. They are less expensive. You need to develop them. It is almost like research and development. We are going for young kids. Let's see when it comes up. It is starting to come up. Is a little ways away. You can see the direction they are heading. The light at the end of the tunnel is not an oncoming train. [ Laughter ]. >> That have poured money into their roster. >> Right. >> He is the headliner. He is making almost as much as you. $144 million over seven years. [ laughter ] you should have pitched better, when you were a kid. He was the outlined her. It is all young talent. They went out, and gave him the richest contract and Padre history. They got a young guy they gave all that money to. They think he has 20 left in him. These other kids blossomed. >> There is a bit of a controversy going on on the sidelines here. From the radio host on the Padre station referenced the suicide. >> How much do you think that affects the teams image? >> Please, this is a military town. We lose more warriors to suicide, then we do to battle. For gentleman who is in town and not aware of that, trying to drum up some publicity if you will, that is tasteless. If you know him and you know his family background, and you know Mr. Seidler who came from the Dodgers and they're all about tradition and family values, to be linked to radio program and host, that was so crass and out of bounds, they were shocked. Some of that is on the Padres. They went into an agreement with this radio station. If they did not know this was the type of town that they were going to follow the game. That is on them. They were trying to have a shock jock mentality. It was a family oriented game. It was a bad mix. We will see how it goes. We will see how the first stone, home game. With ratings, and how they will figure that out. We are and a bit of a jam for the first pitch. >> Let's talk about what are you going to be watching? >> The continued growth and of the inner field and Austin Hedges the catcher. That is a big deal. He is one of the young arms we're hoping comes through. We have Chase Headley he returns. There is fun there. You have to be a fan that appreciates watching growth. The scoreboard will tell you one thing. Your seeing growth with the players. That is really the bottom line. That would be the eighth straight year, they have won more games than they have lost. These hundred fans have been awfully patient. I hope there's a reward at the end of this one. >> That is definitely something to look forward to. >> Okay, thank you for having me on.