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Denise Hatch and her teenage son Michael are such diehard Padres that they made the drive down from Santa Clarita to be at Petco Park on Saturday morning for the team’s annual FanFest.
Michael’s allegiance to the Padres began seven years ago when they acquired his favorite player, Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer.
“When he signed with the Padres, I transferred over,” Michael said. “When he left, I stayed.”
His loyalty to the Padres has caused some difficulty in the Hatch family, given that his grandfather is a diehard Dodgers fan. Somehow, they have remained on speaking terms.
“We stayed with him last night,” Denise said.
Michael viewed last year’s Dodgers playoff win over the Padres — and eventual World Series victory — as an anomaly.
“Hopefully, we can make it into the wild card round and then beat them in the playoffs when they inevitably choke,” Michael said.
The Hatches were in an autograph line that snaked up a walkway to where Padres players — past and present — were signing for fans.
Michael already had secured a Manny Machado autograph.
“I really want to meet Jake Cronenworth,” Michael said. “But getting to meet Mr. Machado again was cool.”
Again? What, are you guys old friends?
“I met him before in spring training,” Michael said.
Fans started lining up three hours before the gates opened at 10 a.m. Staggered entry times enabled fans to get in more quickly compared to two years ago, when a record 48,000 fans attended and created a chaotic scene inside and outside the ballpark.
Getting autographs remains one the more popular features of FanFest. The line included several hundred fans and took long enough that new friendships were made during the wait.
The Hatches met longtime Padres season ticket holder Stacie Bresler-Reinstein of San Diego. She was hoping to pick up an autograph for her son, who is away at college.
“I want to hear the players,” Bresler-Reinstein said. “I also want to hear the leadership forum, like their vision for the season and what their plans are. I think a lot of fans are upset with (starting) players leaving for other teams. … I feel like morale has gone down. FanFest is a good opportunity to build it up.”
Missing faces
Several fans in the crowd were spotted wearing the jerseys of outfielder Jurickson Profar and infielder Ha-Seong Kim, who signed as free agents recently with Atlanta and Tampa Bay, respectively.
Two fans waiting in line before the gates opened wearing Profar jerseys were San Diego’s Christian Martinez and Shanon Khounborine, who said she was devastated about Profar’s departure.
“Oh, 100%,” Khounborine said. “But it’s understandable with what’s happening with the ownership legal battle.”
Both said they will miss Profar’s energy, his passion and his smile. They plan to wear their Profar jerseys when he returns. They won’t have to wait long to see him. The Padres open the season at home March 27 against the Braves.
In Profar’s absence, Martinez and Khounborine will adopt center fielder Jackson Merrill as their favorite Padre.
“He should have gotten (NL) Rookie of the Year,” said Khounborine, echoing a sentiment shared by many local fans. Merrill was runner-up for the award to Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes.
Kim was so beloved here that fans chanted his name when he came to the plate. San Diego’s Nito Jackson was no doubt among them when he came to games. Jackson wore a Kim jersey at FanFest, where he was accompanied by Mira Mesa’s Patrick and Dom McKenzie.
“I’m going to still wear this jersey this season,” Jackson said. “I understood they weren’t going to be able to hang onto him, but it was a little disappointing that they couldn’t make something work. … I’ll still be a fan of him, but I’ll root for the Padres.”
Jackson said outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. is his favorite player, “but I like a good utility guy. We’ll see if anyone emerges like Profar did last season.”
Garage sale
One of the most popular features at FanFest is the Padres Garage Sale, where fans can search for deals on anything from jerseys and hats to beach blankets and bobblehead dolls.
The garage sale was staged near the Park Blvd Plaza and at one point had nearly 1,000 people in a line that wrapped up and around a walkway, down the right field line all the way behind home plate. There were approximately 100 fans allowed in at a time. They snapped up jerseys priced at $200 (current players), $100 (former players) and $50 (old school styles) and bobbleheads priced from $5 to $15, among other items.
“Last time here we got a bunch of cool stuff, a couple of hats and a Machado jersey, at good prices,” Patrick McKenzie said. “We got here early (in 2023), so it wasn’t too bad. This year, I’m expecting an hour and a half or two hours (to get in). I think it’s worth the wait.”
The McKenzies are newlyweds. Dom, who is from Lithuania, was wearing a Fernando Tatis Jr. jersey and was hoping to get a hat as she looks forward to her first full season as a Padres fan.
Patrick is optimistic about the season.
“Each year it seems we get closer and closer,” he said. “I’d like to see them go all the way, of course. That’s always the goal. … For me, the big goal is to win the season series again with the Dodgers.”
Touch ’em all
Another attraction at FanFest is “Kids Run the Bases,” which was sponsored by Chick-fil-A.
Hundreds of kids circled the bases, from those who learned to walk maybe a few months ago to others who looked old enough to get their driver’s license.
Some kids took it pretty seriously, like they were being timed from first to third for a showcase event. Others seemed like they were on a Sunday stroll.
And then was the little girl who stumbled three steps past first base and decided that was enough and turned around. Even encouragement from a Pad Squad member couldn’t change her mind.
Actually, the activity might make a good senior thesis for a Master’s program. Title it: “How running the bases correlates to life success.”
Hopefully, it’s not a sign of what’s to come with the next generation. A large percentage of kids cut corners at second and third and many failed to touch home. Maybe they need something to incentivize completing the task, like waffle fries waiting at the plate.
Hammer time
Construction workers were present on the roof of the Western Metal Supply Co. building during the event as work continued on renovations that are scheduled to be completed in time for the start of the season. The $7 million project includes remodeling the Padres Team Store, the first-level Sony Entertainment Suite and the fifth-level Budweiser Loft as well as the Western Metal Rooftop.
Originally Published:
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