San Diego Padres - The Beginning Years (1969-1979)

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1970

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Titles:

Top Padres Players of the Seventies

None

Pitchers:

Ballpark:

Randy Jones (19.85) - 60

San Diego Stadium

Clay Kirby (9.94) - 35

Rollie Fingers (3.33) - 26

Team Name:

Gaylord Perry (7.52) - 24

Padres

Steve Arlin (1.42) - 20

Bill Greif (0.29) - 16

Owner:

Bob Shirley (3.88) - 16

C. Arnholt Smith (1969-1974)

Dave Freisleben (2.52) - 15

Ray Kroc (1974-1979)

Dave Roberts (10.08) - 14

Fred Norman (5.72) - 6

General Managers:

Buzzy Bavasi (1969-1976)

Catchers:

Bob Fontaine (1977-1979)

Gene Tenace (15.86) - 29

Fred Kendall (1.79) - 22

Managers:

Chris Cannizzaro (2.32) - 11

Preston Gomez (1969-1972)

Don Zimmer (1972-1973)

First Basemen:

John McNamara (1974-1977)

Nate Colbert (17.25) - 41

Bob Skinner (1977)

Willie McCovey (5.27) - 16

Alvin Dark (1977)

Mike Ivie (2.25) - 14

Roger Craig (1978-1979)

Second Basemen:

Hall of Famers:

Derrell Thomas (0.29) - 11

Dave Winfield

Gaylord Perry

ShortStop:

Willie McCovey

Enzo Hernandez (0.45) - 27

Rollie Fingers

Ozzie Smith (4.89) - 17

Ozzie Smith

Third Base:

Rookie of the Year:

Ed Spiezio (3.57) - 9

Bruce Metzger (1976)

Doug Rader (4.83) - 7

Dave Roberts (0.51) - 6

MVP

None

Outfield:

Dave Winfield (28.15) - 61

No Hitters:

Gene Richards (7.95) - 27

None

John Grubb (7.13) - 27

Cito Gaston (1.28) - 22

Cy Young:

Ollie Brown (6.72) - 17

Randy Jones (1976)

George Hendrick (5.58) - 14

Gaylord Perry (1978)

Jerry Morales (2.26) - 11

Jerry Turner (4.21) - 6

Chicken:

Ted Giannoulis

Notable Events:

1974 - McDonald's owner, Ray Kroc, buys the Padres from C. Arnholt Smith.

Major league baseball was never popular in San Diego under Smith's

1968 - The expansion Padres open in San Diego Stadium (later Jack

unimaginative tenure. Smith also wasn't spending to make the Padres

Murphy Stadium and, later still, Qualcomm Stadium).

any better and attendance was in the five to six hundred thousand range.

They are one of four new expansion teams.

Kroc saved the club from being moved to Washington, DC.

1969 - C Arnholt Smith is the owner. He's not a big spender, altho' he

1974 - SS Bill Almon, 21, is the first overall pick in the draft.

does hire Buzzy Bavasi as his GM. Bavasi was brilliant as GM of the Dodgers,

Like Mike Ivie before him, he's not a complete bust in that he has a

but he left his mojo up in LA, apparently. Preston Gomez, another well

lengthy big league career, but he nowhere near meets the expectations

respected baseball man, is manager. The Padres are absolutely putrid

of an overall number one pick. He debuts in September.

for most of the decade. They finish sixth (last) their first six years including

four one hundred loss seasons. They improve over the latter half of the

1974 - Ray Kroc brings in a San Diego State college student, Ted Giannoulas,

decade a bit to where they only stink.

as a mascot in a chicken suit. Giannoulas is a revelation - supremely

entertaining to the fans - and his phenomenon packs the ballpark. The

1969 - Righty Clay Kirby, 23, is the 12th pick from St. Louis

last place Padres draw over a miliion fans mostly to watch The Chicken.

in the expansion draft

Ted was not your run of the mill mascot, he was highly innovative with a

great sense of humor - he broke the mold because we haven't seen another

1969 - 1B Nate Colbert, 23, is the 18th pick from Houston

mascot like him. Ted was a natural as a mascot and after seeing him in action,

in the expansion draft

watching most other mascots becomes cringe-worthy.

1969 - In the Seventies, the Padres, due to their poor records, draft high

1975 - OF Gene Richards, 21, is the first overall pick in the draft.

high every year and, every year, they make a really lousy first round pick.

As with Mike Ivie and Bill Almon before him, Richards has a lengthy,

Even the guys who turn out to be decent major leaguers were

but disappointing, big league career. Being the overall number one pick

disappointments because more was expected due to their high draft position .

carries with it the expectations of superstar and that just wasn't

However, those guys were successes when compared to some

happening for San Diego's overall number ones. Richards debuts in '77

of the others who were complete busts. A list of the complete busts:

1969 - Larry Elliot - 24th overall

1975 - Randy Jones leads the Padres out of the cellar for the first time,

1971 - Jay Frankliin - 2nd overall

winning the ERA title.

1972 - Dave Roberts - 1st overall

1975 - Mike Lentz - 2nd overall

1976 - Jones wins the Cy Young. Rookie pitcher and one year wonder

1976 - Bob Owchinko - 5th overall

Butch Metzger wins Rookie of the Year

1977 - Brian Greer - 8th overall

1979 - Joe Lansford - 14th overall

1977 - Buzzy Bavasi, who had been retained as GM by Kroc due to his great

Truly, remarkably bad drafting.

reputation, retires. Somebody named Bob Fontaine is hired to fill his shoes as GM.

1970 - 1B Mike Ivie, 17, is the first overall pick in the draft.

1977 - SS Ozzie Smith, 22, is selected in the 4th round of the draft.

Altho' not a complete bust, he's pretty close considering he was

The future HOFer debuts in '78.

the number one overall pick. He debuts in '71 at age eighteen

1977 - Relief ace Rollie Fingers, 30, is signed from the A's as a free agent.

1971 - OF John Grubb, 23, is the 24th overall pick of the draft

Ray Kroc, tired of losing, wants to turn some of those Big Macs into victories.

. He debuts in '72

1977 - Hard hitting catcher Gene Tenace, 30, is also signed from the A's

1971 - SS Enzo Hernandez, 22, is obtained from the Orioles

as a free agent. Padres fans are happy to see that those orders of large fries

in a six player deal

are being turned into something productive.

1972 - Righty Randy Jones, 22, is a 5th round pick, He debuts in '73

1978 - Veteran righthander Gaylord Perry, 39, is acquired from Texas

for a bundle of cash. He goes 21-6 and is worth every quarter pounder.

1972 - Nate Colbert, the only star player the Padres have,

four years into their franchise history, hits five homers

1978 - Righty Andy Hawkins, 18, 5th overall pick, debuts in '82

and knocks in thirteen runs in a doubleheader

1978, Righty Eric Show, 22, is selected in the 18th round of the draft.

1973 - OF Dave Winfield, 21, uses his leverage as a three sport star

He debuts in '81. Show had a tumultuous life off the field that

at the University of Minnesota (basketball and football, as well)

overshadowed his on field accomplishments which weren't that great.

to sign a big contract with the Padres and get a guarantee to go

straight to the majors. It turns out that he was correct -

1978 - First winning season in Padre history behind Gaylord Perry's Cy

he didn't need minor league ball.

Young pitching, Rollie Fingers's 37 saves, Dave Winfield's hitting

Dave was the fourth overall pick in the draft, the Padres finally got one right!

and rookie Ozzie Smith's fielding.

1974 - McDonald's owner, Ray Kroc, buys the Padres from C. Arnholt Smith.

1979 - San Diego drops 16 games in the standings as '78 proves to be

Major league baseball was never popular in San Diego under Smith's

a mirage. It was the pitching that collapsed as Perry became human

unimaginative tenure. Smith also wasn't spending to make the Padres

and Rollie Fingers was innefective out of the pen.

any better and attendance was in the five to six hundred thousand range.

Kroc saved the club from being moved to Washington, DC.