Sports

Get Ready for Baseball Season; Padres Fanfest To Be Held Saturday

The Padres are scheduled to hold their annual Fanfest today, with a chance to meet players, purchase team gear and buy season and single-game tickets.

About two dozen players are scheduled to participate, including new acquisitions Joaquin Benoit and Josh Johnson. Also scheduled to appear, among others, are Yonder Alonso, Everth Cabrera, Andrew Cashner, Chris Denorfia, Jedd Gyorko, Nick Hundley, Cameron Maybin, Xavier Nady, Carlos Quentin, Tyson Ross, Tim Stauffer, Huston Street and Will Venable.

Alonso is scheduled to lead a hitting clinic for fans and Ross will offer pitching instruction.

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Players, along with owners Ron Fowler and Peter Seidler, executives Mike Dee, Josh Byrnes and A.J. Hinch, manager Bud Black and broadcasters will take part in forums discussing their various roles.

Also scheduled is the annual team garage sale, in which fans can purchase game-worn jerseys and batting helmets. Proceeds go to the Padres Foundation.

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From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., fans who visit the statue of Jerry Coleman can record their favorite memories of the team broadcaster, Yankees star and Marine aviator who died last month. The tributes will be played throughout the upcoming baseball season.

Finalists for the public address announcer's job will perform throughout the day. Later, fans can vote online for their favorite candidate.

The free event begins at 8:30 a.m. for Padres Platinum, Gold and Blue members. Doors will open to the general public at 10 a.m. at Petco Park, 100 Park Blvd. Parking will be free at the lots around the ballpark, and the Padres Parkade.

The Padres pitchers and catchers are scheduled to report to their Peoria, Ariz., spring training site Thursday. The rest of the players are due Feb. 18, with the first full-squad workout set for the next day.

The exhibition schedule opens Feb. 27 against the Seattle Mariners.

—City News Service


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