City News

Letters

Colleges

More Sports

Sunday Slant

Entertainment Extras

Directories

Sell

Research and Tools

Parts & Service

Find a Job

Quick Search

For Employers

Yahoo! HotJobs Local Search

Padres decide relievers will be in left-field bullpen

By: JOHN MAFFEI - Staff Writer | Friday, April 2, 2004 10:28 PM PST ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- The decision has been made, and Padres closer Trevor Hoffman is trying to put on a happy face. The pitchers favor headquarters in the right-field bullpen at Petco Park, about 90 feet from the home dugout and clubhouse.

Instead, the home bullpen will be in left field, nowhere close to the dugout or clubhouse.

"(Padres president and CEO) Dick Freeman, Trevor and I sat down and talked," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said as the team had its first workout in the new ballpark Friday night. "We have quite a few season ticket holders who bought tickets to be close to the home bullpen.

"We felt we owed it to them to stay where we originally said we'd be."

The left-field bullpen is beyond the fence and has covered seating for the relievers

The right-field bullpen sits down the first-base line and is exposed to the elements.

"We'll let the visitors sit out in the sun," Towers said. "Plus, there is nowhere to hide there."

But there are major drawbacks in left field.

Pitching coach Darren Balsley toured the left-field pen and found that the catchers will be positioned too close to a fence. That could be rectified by moving the mounds back a foot. Moving the catcher back would put him in the hitter's view.

Plus, the quarters, while nice, are extremely cramped.

There is no place for Hoffman or the other pitchers to play long toss while warming up.

Lengthening the bullpen to provide room for long toss would require moving a fence or taking out a sand volleyball pit.

"It would have been nice to be in right field," Hoffman said. "But we were told we'd be in left field. I'm sure our sponsors and fans will be happy."

Nokia, a major sponsor and the sponsor of the call to the bullpen, has a long sign over the left field bullpen.

Ballpark tour

A look at baseball's other stadiums, from oldest to newest, as we count down to Petco Park's April 8 opener. The 25th of 29:

SBC PARK

Team: San Francisco Giants

Opened: 2000

Cost: $255 million

Capacity: 41,503

Dimensions: LF 339 feet, LC 364, CF 399, RC 421, RF 309

Fast facts: Nestled on the San Francisco Bay harborfront, SBC Park offers vistas unrivaled in the major leagues. The Giants wisely kept the stands small beyond the outfield fences, giving fans a spectacular view of the bay on clear days. The ballpark was known as Pacific Bell Park for four seasons but gets a new moniker this year, following a corporate buyout. SBC Park sits on a tiny patch of land, giving it the feel that its odd outfield angles are of necessity, not part of the retro design. Among the place's signature features are McCovey Cove beyond right field, where Barry Bonds has deposited many a home-run ball into the drink, and open viewpoints in the right-field fence that allow pedestrians on the public walkway beyond to catch a bit of the action for free. Squatters are discouraged, however. The Giants sell out nearly every game, a dramatic turnaround from the indifference fans showed at cold, blustery Candlestick Park. SBC Park was designed to minimize the wind, and the short sleeves seen at day games speak to the planners' success.

Did you know?: The Giants lost their first six games at Pacific Bell Park in 2000, then went 55-20 at home the rest of the 2000 season.

Sources: San Francisco Giants media guide, ballparks.com