24 Mar 2019 - Tour of Petco Park - San Diego Padres Stadium

24 Mar 2019

This morning we again took the Green Line trolley and headed downtown to the Gaslamp Station to tour Petco Park, home of the San Diego Padres major league baseball team. 

Thousands of parking spots here at the SDCCU stadium where the MTS trolley station is.

On the weekends, the Green Line is basically empty this far out.

We sure enjoy riding this 'trolley'.  It is fast and easy and beats the heck out of trying to navigate through the streets of San Diego with a one ton dually pickup not to mention trying to find somewhere to park!  It is also much cheaper.  The tickets are $1.25 one-way per person, so $5 for both of us.  With fuel being between $3.50 and $4.00 a gallon here, it does not take much city driving to burn through $5 worth of diesel!

The first time Doreen and I rode the Green Line we did not know what we were doing and it reminded me of an adventure in Japan with SMSgt Rusty Burson, great friend, baseball fanatic, and one of the Airmen deployed over there with me.  He and I took off one weekend on the Japanese train system in search of Japanese baseball cards.  We had no idea where we were going and we could not read any of the signs.  We also could not understand a word the conductor was saying!  What a hoot!  We laughed so hard, but yet we finally found the elusive Japanese baseball card-o's!  

So we arrived at Petco Park a bit early, as planned, and walked all the way around the ballpark.  From street signs to flags, this is Padres territory.  The picture of Manny Machado, the high-powered third baseman and shortstop recently acquired from the Dodgers,  is everywhere.

Several tributes to the Padre's former broadcaster, player, Major League Hall of Famer and World War II & Korean War US Marine aviator can be found around the ball park 

 Of course the street down third base side of the stadium is named after 'Mr Padre', Tony Gwinn and his stature is prominently displayed in the 'Park at the Park', the grassy park area outside the outfield yet inside the park confines. 

The area is beautiful as is the ball park.  As we circled the park while we were waiting for the tour to start, we found ourselves in the Park at the Park.  Although still a charge to watch the game from here, it is very family friendly.  The grass is lush and manicured.  There is a concession area just for the patrons here.  The statue of Tony Gwinn is right in the middle.  There is also a playground area when the younger kids get bored. 

A view of the ballpark from the 'Park in the Park'

 We continued on around and waited near the third base entrance for the tour to start.

 Soon our tour guide showed up and got us under way.  We entered the "breezeway", and opening in the stadium that leads from Tony Gwinn Drive all the way into the infield area.  It is used to haul equipment in for events such as concerts.  One wall of the breezeway is brick and is actually part of the old Western Metal Supply Company building. 

Our tour guide with us in the breezeway.

The old Western Metal Supply Company building forms the left side of the breezeway.

These old doors are part of the original building,

 We headed down the tunnel area under the stadium and entered the visitor's clubhouse!

Inside the visitor's clubhouse

Opening day the Padre's play the San Francisco Giants, and they are labeling the lockers accordingly.
This one is Buster Posey's locker.

The clubhouse is equipped with foosball table, guitars for the player's to play and other amenities.

Jeff Samardzija's locker.  Jeff is a pitcher for the Giants but he used to be a Chicago Cub.

Computers and video monitors to study the other team's players and tactics.

Part of the shower area we were not allowed.

From the club house we proceeded down the ramp and into the visitor's dugout.  There is not much there but a bench, a place for their equipment and some phones.  

 

Just outside the dugout they were painting the logo's and labels on the field
. in preparation for opening day on Thursday.

 

This is the Western Metal Supply Company on the third base side. 
The yellow pole is the left field foul pole. 

Home plate area

A view of the press boxes and announcers areas 

The Lexus seats.  If you are a Lexus Home Plate Club member, you get the best seats, all the food and drink you want,
and many other amenities.  Membership starts about $250,000 per year

The entrance to the Lexus Home Plate Club

Beautiful Lexus bar area

Lexus Club decorated with hand-paintings of famous Padres players

Lexus Club members also get to watch the Padres in their indoor batting cage

Dining area of the Lexus Club, all inclusive

Another tribute to Col Jerry Coleman

 

 

A fantastic view from the broadcaster's 

50th Anniversary of the San Diego Padres - 1969 to 2019

The Anheuser-Busch bar in Petco Park

A beautiful flag made from 1144 baseballs!

  A couple honors areas, one inside the Padre's Museum in Petco Park and the other outside.. 

Tony Gwinn's 1987 Golden Glove award.

Petco Park is one of the nicest baseball parks we have visited.  We are looking forward to attending opening day on Thursday and watching the San Diego Padres host the San Francisco Giants!

After the tour we made our way to the Old Spaghetti Factory for lunch and said goodbye to the Gaslamp Quarter for today.  We will be back on Thursday for opening day!    

 So heading to the Green Line after lunch, we passed many people renting these scooters.  $1.00 to start then $0.15/minute.  They are very popular here.

We headed back on the Green Line to the SDCCU Station and then drove to the RV Park.  Doreen finished up the afternoon with a couple loads of laundry.

Tomorrow we may drive down to the San Diego Naval Base and visit the commissary and Naval Exchange (NEX) to restock on food and supplies.