Today, as I begin to write this post is a very sad day in San Diego. As a pure baseball fan and competitive minded from participating in basketball, football and baseball as a youngster, the trade of Adrian Gonzalez had to be made. It’s plain and simple, let’s face it the Padres organization continues to be hamstrung by John Moores and his unwillingness to sell his portion of the Padres immediately. Our neighbors to the north, the Los Angeles Dodgers Owners are going through a nasty divorce as well. But unlike the Padres franchise, the Dodgers are spending capital to acquire players. So what is the bottom line here? It’s not the divorce case, it’s purely the fact behind the scenes, John Moores has handcuffed the Padres Organization.  If and when Moores lets go of the Padres, perhaps then the fans can get a true reading on Jeff Moorad and his contingency. There is no way that this organization should be only spending 40 million and plus some loose change for a major league baseball team. This is almost ranks right up there as the MLB’s Donald Sterling version of the Los Angeles Clippers, which if you haven’t figured out also came from San Diego. Anyway, it literally sucks to be a major league farm system for all other clubs. Best of luck and have an MVP year in Boston, Adrian. You deserve it and a few of us, San Diego Fans will be rooting for you. Guess what? The Padres will face the Red Sox in Fenway this upcoming season.

As a vested season ticket holder of 14 years, I have some things to mention. As we all know the economy is becoming progressively worst and we are barely leaving the eye of the storm. Which the second half of the economic meltdown has yet to begun. Though, many states, counties, cities, and federal government salaries and pensions are being challenged. One fundamental question I have to ask is, why isn’t the professional ballplayers salaries are not reflecting the true economy makeup? Surely, the owners are not acting like Bernanke and Geithner, and tossing out bailout money to their overpaid players. Maybe I am wrong and the owners have ignored such a crisis developing and perhaps thinks China can buy some of the season tickets as well. Well, I find it downright humorous to see the kind of funny money (fiat) being tossed around at the free-agents these days.  Which leads me to the next point…If people are facing economic challenges and changes to salaries and pensions, it’s about time the general public (aka fans) take a look at the major league players per diem. Well well, now we are at a touchy subject. But let’s get real. The major league minimum salary for 2010 was $400,000.00 per player. Ok, the per diem a player receives on a daily basis is $91.50. Now, if I am going to look at cutting costs and put more money back into the Owners pockets so a few of them can spend on the franchise, such as the Padres. The daily per diem is a great candidate, since if I am making 400,000.00 per year, I surely can feed myself. Wait a minute?? But, maybe they can eat in the clubhouse before and after a game for a minimum of $20 per player. Nevertheless, let’s do the math…91.5 – 20.00 = 71.5….25 players x 71.50 per diem per day = 1,787.50 per day. Now, there are 81 road games and not counting off days for traveling to keep things simple, would give us the following….81 (days) x 1,787.50 (per diem per day for entire team) = $144, 787.50 per year. So, here we are in 2010 and the Padres are willing to spend up to mid 40 million for fielding a team. Well, I’ve just shown that eliminating the per diem due to economic reasons, the Padres ownership could have an additional $144,787.50 pot of fiat money. Just take that pot of fiat money ~ $ 144,787.50 and use this to lower all season tickets, the Padres could reasonably increase season ticket holders base. Once again, why do the ballplayers need some entitlements? Citizens all over the country are taking hits, and it’s time to get reasonable as well.

Now, let’s look what the Padres are receiving in terms of players from the Gonzalez trade. Pitching prospect Casey Kelly, 1b prospect Anthony Rizzo, and OF prospect Reymond Fuentes. I will not go into details and if you are a true fan of baseball, you can easily check out the links for the players I have provided and do your own due diligence. Basically, I think the Padres Baseball Operations could have done better and demanded for either, pitching prospect Stolmy Pimentel or shortstop prospect Jose Iglesias. This huge trade will define the Jed Hoyer regime, especially since the Padres truly are without a legit shortstop prospect in the upper minor leagues. Thus, why I felt Iglesias had to be in the bag as well, though I don’t understand why Fuentes is in the bag. Fuentes reminds me very much like Luis Durango and the only way I can see Fuentes is included, something is in the works for Durango to be traded as well. Ex Padres GM Kevin Towers got more in return for Jake Peavy than Hoyer has for a regular position power 1st baseman. As I said, this trade will define the Hoyer regime and time will tell.

As I conclude this post, literally the economy will have a profound affect in the upcoming season and others to follow. Sooner or later, the salaries and entitlements will come back to a reasonable figure. As the Padres fans now feel the effects of an ownership that has their hands cuffed, we all bid Adrian Gonzalez all the best in Bean Town. Here is Blues and Gospel singer Mavis Staples singing….’I’ll take you there’.