You’re not going to believe this, but other teams think having a blog like this is a good idea.

Yesterday I talked to Dave Oster, the president of the Lake Elsinore Storm (Advanced-A Padres), and they’re thinking about launching a Lake Elsinore-y version of The Watson Files. So in the near future, we could have the start of a Padres Affiliate Blog Network. We talked about having guest entries from one another, updating Fort Wayne readers on how our alums are doing, profiling TinCaps who get promoted to Lake Elsinore so the Storm fans know what they’re getting, etc. The possibilities are as close to endless as possibilities get.

I’m not really into self-examination for the purpose of patting myself on the back, but the conversation got me thinking about how this whole blog thing started, how it’s changed and what exactly I’m trying to do.

Well, self, I’m glad you asked. This thing started back in the winter of 2008-09 when our offices were still over at Memorial Stadium, our computers were outdated and the “blog” was really just a really long article on the old TinCaps website. Michael Limmer thought it would be a good idea for me to share (in blog form) the Parkview Field construction progress, some of the fun stuff we were planning as a team, thoughts as a Fort Wayne newcomer and whatever else I wanted to write about. At that point, I thought blogs were just a lame way for any idiot to pretend he was a journalist and I would just be adding to the noise in the media which is already too prevalent.

Since then, I’ve learned that the medium of blogging isn’t necessarily lame. Like a lot of other new media, it’s only as good as the person/organization writing it. There’s good and bad and we have to wade through the garbage to find the good stuff.

So what is it that I’d say I’m doing here? I hadn’t really thought much about it before yesterday, but I guess I’m trying to cut through a lot of the junk that’s out there, inform, entertain and generally post things that I enjoy reading myself. If it helps me be a better broadcaster, if it makes it easier for you to be a knowledgeable fan, if the Dave Hutte stories remind you of your buddy from college who was a little out-there, even if it just helps you waste your lunch break watching INXS videos, that’s what I’m going for. You’re probably not going to be interested in every single thing on here, but if it’s concise enough, you can find the things you ARE interested in, and everybody wins.

And, at the end of it all, hopefully it has you thinking about the TinCaps and baseball as a whole (and life in general) in a positive, educated and realistic way. So, really, you’re being slowly brainwashed. Joke’s on you.

Is there anything I’m doing too much? Not enough? Let me know in the comments or via e-mail – dan.watson@tincaps.com.

Random thoughts:

• Baseball America released its Top 100 Prospects list. Former TinCaps RHP Simon Castro is No. 58. Enjoy.
• The Padres are holding what a lot of other teams call an accelerated development camp for some of their higher-end prospects. Lots of former TinCaps in there: LHP Jose  De Paula, RHP Adys Portillo, RHP Jerry Sullivan, RHP Matt Lollis, C Jason Hagerty, INFs Jeudy Valdez, Jonathan Galvez, Jedd Gyorko and Edinson Rincon, OFs Rymer Liriano, Rico Noel and Everett Williams. Also of note, former TinCaps OF Yefri Carvajal is making the conversion to become a pitcher. I’d say most of the players who aren’t former TinCaps will be playing here soon.
• Bud Black hasn’t announced his Opening Day starter yet. I’m surprised how many teams have. The way the schedule sets up, they may not need a fifth starter until two weeks into the season.
• The Padres will probably have some new leaders step up in the clubhouse this year. So you’re saying you want winners? Orlando Hudson is a veteran who’s been to the playoffs.
• When you’re a hitter taking your first live batting practice of the spring, facing the Padres’ pitching staff isn’t exactly what your ego needs.
• Padres SS Everth Cabrera will probably start the season at Triple-A after a rough 2010. He got extra at-bats in winter ball this off-season, which could help.
• Fort Wayne alum RHP Joakim Soria, now the Royals’ closer, wants people to stop calling him by one of the great nicknames in baseball: “The Mexicutioner.” With what’s going on in Mexico, you understand why.
• The Blue Jays’ new manager told his team to stay off Twitter. But he didn’t ban it.
• On the same day the Commissioner’s Office told Hank Steinbrenner to shut up about revenue sharing, the New York Post tells him to shove it when it comes to calling out his own employees.
• Someone is making a documentary about Giants OF Andres Torres dealing with ADHD.
• Giants closer Brian Wilson hung out with former fake-Indians closer Charlie Sheen. And all Giants fans cringed.
• The Braves are enjoying the bargain years with OF Jason Heyward. They’d better, because his price will go up if he comes anywhere close to realizing his potential.
• Former MWLer Jacob Turner impressed the Tigers with a bullpen session.
• Indians prospects are playing an awkward waiting game.
• The Red Sox met with umpires. This is the kind of thing that needs to happen for umpire-player relations to improve – too often, the two sides are only talking in the heat of the moment, which tends to not be the best time.
• The Red Sox might be watching you, which is creepy. All I know is, you don’t want to be outside GM Theo Epstein’s circle of trust.
• White Sox GM Kenny Williams says spending $30 million a year on anyone is “asinine.” Even if that player is Albert Pujols. And yes, he means it. And yes, he’s probably looking at you, Cubs.
• Brewers RHP Zack Greinke says he wouldn’t be playing in the major leagues if he wasn’t trying to be the best in the world.
• Bryce Harper wants to make his pro debut in the big leagues. Good goal, but no chance. If he’s as good as everyone thinks he is, he’ll get there soon enough.
• Sounds like Cardinals RHP Adam Wainwright’s elbow blew out. If you’ve been following closely, you know he’s had a problem with an elbow ligament for years, but it hadn’t gotten serious… until today.
• Peter Gammons talks about the distractions people face in spring training. Personally, I don’t think “distractions” actually distract athletes as much as we want to believe. It’s stuff we talk about and ask them about, but in my experience, guys aren’t sitting around in the clubhouse talking about the Dodgers’ ownership situation or whatever other topic is big at that moment. And I can’t imagine it’s on their minds when they’re trying to hit 98 mph heat.
• “Moneyball” is a fluid concept about making the most of undervalued assets. It’s really not all that different from good stock trading.
• If you’re still whining about the Adrian Gonzalez trade, this story might be for you. The point: It stinks to lose your favorite player, but you’re really cheering more for the team to win than any one player, aren’t you?
• I’m walking dogs after work today. I’m so excited, I’m about to lose control and I think I like it.

Musical guest… Lenny Kravitz!

Take care!

DW