Padres’ Early Starts Something Worth Remembering

Bits and pieces . . .

Is everyone forgetting that the 1991 Padres won seven of their first 10 games and led the National League West by 1 1/2 games? Those Padres were in first place as late as May 8.

This, however, is a better team.

Does the best-of-13 series to determine who will defend America’s Cup favor Dennis Conner or Bill Koch?

A longer series lessens the likelihood of an upset, meaning the best boat would win. Koch obviously has the best boat or, in his case, boats.

Conner and his crew, though, are masters at coaxing speed out of Stars & Stripes. The longer they race, the more competitive they seem to get.

Koch has to be wishing this was maybe a best-of-three series.

How in the world do you figure the Sockers winning the regular-season championship and then drawing their smallest home crowds of the season for the first two playoff games?

It has to be enough to make the Anciras wonder why they bothered rescuing this troubled franchise.

It would probably be wise to start the season earlier so the playoffs are finished before baseball comes along to cut into fans’ dollars and the media’s coverage.

Craig Lefferts has to feel a lot better with his second start (and first victory) behind him.

That’s a major difference between being a starter and a reliever. A reliever doesn’t have to wait almost a week to redeem himself after a bad outing.

Speaking of home crowds and bad outings, the Padres have been involved in three home openers . . . Cincinnati’s, San Francisco’s and theirs.

The home team lost all three.

So much for pomp and pageantry and large crowds being inspiring.

Thomas Day should be getting a thank you note from Jerry Tarkanian any day now.

Let’s not get so worked up about Jose Melendez that we start a campaign to get him out of the bullpen and into the starting rotation.

He belongs in the bullpen.

Melendez’s delivery is such that he can fool hitters, particularly right-handers, once through the lineup . . . max. Let ‘em get another look and he will lose effectiveness.

Last year’s numbers: 3.90 earned run average as a starter and 2.35 in relief.

End of discussion.

It’s amazing how many people I have heard say that they hope Dennis Conner beats Bill Koch so San Diego will not lose the Cup.

Let me see how clearly I can say this . . .

If Koch beats Conner, America-3 will represent the San Diego Yacht Club in the America’s Cup races. The Cup will stay in San Diego as long as the American entry successfully defends it.

Personally speaking, I sure would hate to lose it. Life just wouldn’t be the same without it. Wrong.

On the night of the Padres’ home opener, Charger Coach Bobby Ross walked unrecognized from the practice field at the southwest corner of the parking lot to the stadium.

This might have been an ego-bruising experience, but Ross is a down-to-earth guy who really doesn’t seem to have an ego to bruise.

Wednesday night’s lottery ticket worth $3.08 million was purchased in Coronado.

Don’t tell me it was bought by Sir Michael Fay . . .

I’m still awaiting word on the recruits Tony Fuller is bringing to San Diego State’s basketball program. The prospect of playing home games at diminutive Peterson Gym on campus is certain to be awe-inspiring.

Wasn’t Hoover High School’s gym available?

No sooner had Darrin Jackson been assured that he was the Padre center fielder, in spite of the acquisition of Gary Pettis, and there was Pettis starting in center field Thursday afternoon in San Francisco.

And how much did 23-year-old Gary Sheffield really need to be rested 10 days into the season?

Manager Greg Riddoch was probably right, though, to give Tim Teufel a few swings. It will pay off in the long run, which is what a baseball season is all about.

Of all the coaches/managers in town, only one would surely be recognized if he walked into a crowded public place.

Ron Newman.