For those of you who think the San Diego Padres are going to fade, two veteran sportscasters—Dick Enberg and Ted Leitner—disagree.
The two entertained a capacity Sports@Lunch gathering yesterday at the San Diego Hall of Champions and gave some very good reasons why this year’s Padres team will remain a force to be reckoned with through September.
“It’s magical,” said the legendary Enberg, who returned to the baseball broadcasting booth this year after a long hiatus. “This is 25 players pulling together with just one superstar (Adrian Gonzalez) and one future superstar (Mat Latos), if he stays healthy.
“Gonzalez is a great player but the team MVP would be David Eckstein because he personifies the Padres. No one expected the Padres to be a contender, no one picked them higher than fourth just as David Eckstein has battled being called too small and too slow.”
The outspoken Leitner, too, is convinced something very special is happening this year as the Padres continue to lead the National League West with good, young pitching and a camaraderie rarely seen on most teams.
“When you don’t expect it, like this year, it’s the best,” said Leitner, the radio voice of the Padres. “When you’ve done it for three months, it’s no fluke. You can start fast or have a streak, but their pitching isn’t going away.
“There’s nothing worse than being out of it in April but this team really has a chance. Even when they’re down by eight runs they still believe they have a chance.”
Both credited Manager Bud Black—Leitner said he should be named the National League Manager of the Year right now—with playing everyone just enough to keep those who don’t start hungry and yet still feeling like they are a major part of the team.
“Black is the dean and his coaches are the professors,” said Enberg. “He has a level-headed approach allowing every player to connect with the rest of team, which is why you see everyone trying to boost the others.”
Enberg says he still gets excited every day he goes to the park and Leitner clearly is having the time of life as the Padres continue to post the best record in the National League.
But each said there is one phase of the game that has taken a step back in recent years: umpiring.
“In the last 25 years the umpiring has deteriorated,” said Enberg. “The strike zone is still the letters to the knees, why is that so hard? I know it’s not easy but sometimes it’s so blatantly bad it is embarrassing.”
Leitner agreed.
“I know they’ve lost a lot of very good umpires in recent years and along with it, they’ve lost an attitude,” he said. “You say a word or two and the umpires seem like they’re wanting to start the fight when they’re supposed to be keeping the peace. The young turks have a chip on their shoulder.”
But in the end, both agreed baseball players are more athletic now days and that it’s nice to see a sport where most egos are held in check, unlike the NBA, because the veteran players police the youngsters.
And the Padres are a shining example of a group of players who are winning as a team without letting egos get in the way.
Posted on August 11, 2010 by Steve Brand
