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By Joe Manny Hernandez @manny_sportss History:
The San Diego Padres have been a part of Major League Baseball since 1969. During this year major league baseball added three other teams as a part of an expansion process for baseball. Besides the Padres, Major League Baseball also added the Kansas City Royals and Seattle Pilots who are now known as the Milwaukee Brewers and the Montreal Expos, who later became the Washington Nationals. Before the Padres joined the major league brackets the Padres served as a minor league team for the Philadelphia Phillies from 1966 - 1968 and before them the Padres were associated with the Boston Red Sox. When the San Diego Padres first became a professional club they began playing their professional games at Qualcomm Stadium, which is also known as the home to the San Diego Chargers. The Padres played 34 seasons in Qualcomm Stadium, and it wasn't until 2004 where the San Diego Padres made the move to Petco Park. Petco Park opened its doors in 2004 and seats over 40,000 guest. The ballpark is located on 19 Tony Gwynn Drive in Downtown San Diego. Since the opening of Petco Park many writers and analyst consider Petco Park one of the nicest and most welcoming stadiums in baseball. Parking, Entrance and Tickets: Petco Park is located in Downton San Diego and while some may think this makes parking difficult, parking around Petco Park is very simple and efficient. Around the park itself there are multiple structures and parking lots that offer parking from $7 to $15. The parking prices differ based on times. If you would like affordable parking I would recommend to come around two hours before games time and find yourself a good parking spot. This will ensure you get cheap parking and you can enjoy beautiful Downtown San Diego. As for entering the ball park, Petco offers many entrances where people can enter hassle free. Most doors our open for fans to enter, they have standard bag checks and the security are friendly and welcoming. I feel this is a good quality because the good experience starts at the door. As for tickets the Padres offer a vase amount of different tickets for the public. The Padres offer tickets in every price range the cheapest being $20 which great because it allows fans from any economic status to visit Petco Park and enjoy a game. Experience: Overall my experience at Petco Park was great, Petco is a strong family oriented ball park that makes it easy for parents to bring their kids to a game. It offers cheap tickets and activities for the whole family to enjoy. The most amazing thing about this ballpark is the actual recreational park that resides in the back of center field. The Padres created a park in center field where people can purchase tickets for $20 dollars and hang out on the large grassy area. This section of the ball park offers a tiny little league field for kids to enjoy some batting practice while the game is ongoing. It also offers a jungle gym set for the smaller kids to enjoy. I found this amazing on account of the Padres made sure to include the whole family in the experience. But don't be disappointed by this. The Padres also made sure to have something for the older crowds. The Padres choice for beers is amazing, they support local breweries and carry a wide selection of craft and premium beer. Another part I found amazing about Petco Park was the historical presence in the ball park. When Petco Park was built there was building surrounding the area and instead of breaking them all down, the Padres organization decided to interact them into the layout of the ballpark. The most historical building out of them would have to be the Western Metal Supply building in left field. This building has been a part of San Diego history since 1909. When it came down to build Petco Park, the Padres wanted to make sure they keep old San Diego roots involved. They designed this building to be a full working part of the ballpark with seating, bars and restaurants. In a way this shows how loyal the Padres organization is to the city of San Diego and the fans. It shows how they want to persevere tradition and create a sense of community amongst its fans and this is what makes Petco Park one of the top ten ballparks in the majors. Notable Prospects: Manny Margot, Javier Guerra, Hunter Renfroe
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