News
TWIB to honor Padres' all-time team
San Diego legends to be featured for club's 40th anniversary
By Rhett Bollinger / MLB.com
08/14/09 9:09 AM ET
With the San Diego Padres celebrating their 40th Major League season this year, FOX's This Week in Baseball will take on the fun and challenging task of creating the club's all-time team in this week's episode airing this Saturday at 3 p.m. ET. TWIB studied the rosters of every Padres team and came up with the top player at every position on the diamond as well as three pitchers. Benito Santiago gets the nod at catcher, Nate Colbert is at first base, Mark Loretta is at second, former MVP Ken Caminiti starts at third, Garry Templeton mans shortstop while Hall of Famers Tony Gwynn and Dave Winfield join Steve Finley in the outfield. The rotation includes former Cy Young Award winners Jake Peavy and Randy Jones while the all-time leader in saves, Trevor Hoffman, is set to be the club's closer. It's sure to be an exciting segment as TWIB interviewed several of the players on the list and compiled video and stats for all the players during their Padres career. "It's a fast-paced piece because it's getting in a lot of guys with sounds and calls with relevant stats too," TWIB lead producer Matt Anderton said. "So it'll be fast and lively and set to music. It's basically profiling these guys, who we determined were the all-time Padres lineup." Next, TWIB takes a look at the Padres' current closer, Heath Bell, who replaced Hoffman this season. But Bell has shined in his new role as he currently leads the National League in saves. "Bell's having a great season even though replacing Trevor Hoffman is a monumental task," Anderton said. "He's handling it very well. And he's a great guy." Bell also talks to TWIB about his secret to losing weight last off-season when he played a video game with his children called Wii Fit, which allows gamers to exercise using a balance pad that comes with the game. Next up, TWIB announces the winners of two awards as White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle was named the Pepsi Clutch Performer for July after throwing a perfect game on July 23 while Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols was named the winner of the Roberto Clemente Award for 2008. Pujols won the award because of his charity work as the Roberto Clemente Award honors the player that "best exemplifies the game of baseball, sportsmanship, community involvement and the individual's contribution to his team", as voted on by baseball fans and members of the media. "We show great elements of his charity work with his golf tournament and his work with kids with down syndrome," Anderton said. "And we talk to him and his wife about his work." TWIB can be seen on video board in stadiums, as well as internationally in Australia, Canada, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Japan, Latin America, Middle East, The Netherlands, Antilles, Nicaragua, Panama and Taiwan. Viewers can e-mail the show at twib@mlb.com, and can check out the Web site, TWIB.com, for original blogs and bonus footage. There will also be a re-airing of the show on MLB Network at 12:30 p.m. ET on Sunday. Here are some of the other segments TWIB will feature in its half-hour show this Saturday: Holiday Inn "Win on the Road" will focus on the team with the longest current road winning streak -- in this case, the Padres, who won five straight games away from Petco Park. The XM "Call of the Week" focuses on the Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki, who hit for the cycle on Monday against the Cubs. The State Farm "Big League Blast" features Angels slugger Vladimir Guerrero's 400th career home run that came Monday against the Rays. The Gillette "Rookie of the Month" segment will focus on the Diamondbacks' Trent Oeltjen, who homered in his first career game on Aug. 6 against the Pirates. "How 'Bout That" will show the top plays and bloopers from the previous week.Rhett Bollinger is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
