It's great news and awful news at the same time. That the payroll of this team this year is the same as it was in the late 90s at Qualcomm is pretty disgusting considering the baseball financials of the last 15 years, and that a baseball sale has now dragged on for what, four, five years? The team isn't on half of the TV sets in San Diego County this year, and to start the season they are playing baseball like the 70s versions of the team. At the same time, I wasn't thrilled with Moorad turning the team into Arizona Further West...and we have a much improved farm system that hopefully will buck all Padre history and produce thriving players who remain with this team for an extended period.

I think Magic Johnson as the front of the LA Dodgers is a joke...an insurance consortium owns the team, and Magic will be the face with no power. The Dodgers will likely win...I think the pall of McCourt will lift and that intangible will help, but also this new group will spend money to make money, so the Dodgers will finally be that financial superpower MLB wanted for the franchise. Fans will pay the price. There are not nearly the financial opportunities in San Diego unless someone could tap into the Mexico market (and I'd love to see someone do an in-depth study on why such a synergy has not happened, despite some efforts in the past in pairing up ticket initiatives with the tenures of Valenzuela and later AGon), and Mark mentioned there is not that kind of money in SD, so you're looking at a business or an out-of-towner, and I'm afraid Mark Cuban doesn't really want the Padres. Anything would almost assuredly be better than what we have now, but most stuff wouldn't be much better...leading to great disappointment.

As for the 2012 team...I've been away from the board for the most part since we traded AGon. Still love baseball, and will always support the Padres, but I can't follow them as closely...they are boring and bad, and I have too many pulls on my life to continue to make the big investment unless there is any return. We have no connections to the 2006 playoff team, and very few to the surprise team of 2010. I'm supposed to care about the kids, but I invest in Rizzo to see him traded for a reliever. They don't have to win...I've been a fan all my life, so I know they rarely do...but I need something to hang my hat on. No Gonzo, no Bell, no Latos...I'm left with an injured Tim Stauffer, a frustrating Chase Headley, and an underachieving Will Venable as the links to the past. That's not a good way to advertise product while you continue to wait for the winner.