This Week in Padre History.

On May 29, 10:26 pm, Hoover <Hoo... DeleteThis @cst.com> wrote:
>
> Eddie Leishmann assemblled the Padre teams which won 3 PCL
> pennants in 6 years  (1962, 1964 and 1967).  Trust me that was
> a very good triple-A league.

The old PCL was a great league indeed. It was the closest thing the
west coast had to major league basball before major league teams
started moving west. The old PCL actually exceeded AAA standards for a
while, and was granted AAAA status by the major leagues, a status the
PCL held until 1958. It was the closest to becoming a 3rd major league
the PCL ever came.
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On May 29, 10:26 pm, Hoover <Hoo....RemoveThis@cst.com> wrote:

> Eddie Leishmann assemblled the Padre teams which won 3 PCL
> pennants in 6 years  (1962, 1964 and 1967).  Trust me that was
> a very good triple-A league.

Did minor league GMs have more power in those days? Nowadays, I don't
think they have much to do with putting teams together; they just get
whatever players the parent club gives them.
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On Fri, 30 May 2008 14:38:35 -0700 (PDT), Seapig
<seapig.DeleteThis@altavista.com> wrote:

>On May 29, 10:26?pm, Hoover <Hoo....DeleteThis@cst.com> wrote:
>
>> Eddie Leishmann assemblled the Padre teams which won 3 PCL
>> pennants in 6 years ?(1962, 1964 and 1967). ?Trust me that was
>> a very good triple-A league.
>
>Did minor league GMs have more power in those days? Nowadays, I don't
>think they have much to do with putting teams together; they just get
>whatever players the parent club gives them.

Leishmann's teams were a combination of prospects being groomed
by the major league affiliate, and ex-MLB and career minor leaguers
signed by the Padres to complete the roster.

San Diego was aligned with the Indians from about 1954-1958, with
the White Sox 1960-1961, Cincinnatti 1962-1965, and the Phillies
1966 to 1968.

The Padres were in a strong bargaining position because San Diego
was a desireable place to live, Westgate Park was a gem, attendance
was among the best in the minors, and Eddie Leishmann's reputation
gave older players a sense of security.

It is no coincidence that 3 consecutive Padre PCL managers went
on to MLB manager slots (Don Heffner, Dave Bristol & Bob Skinner).
All won pennants here, and the Padres' good reputation helped each
of them make the big jump.

It is REGRETTABLE that Arnholt Smith turned away from the brilliant
Leishmann and placed his trust in Mr. Bavasi. To this day, the NL
Padres hold the record for the most consecutive losing seaons by
an expansion team ever (9 in a row, 1969-77).

That would not have happened if the shrewd Eddie Leishmann had
remained at the helm. What had been a great PCL organization be-
came a mess in the NL for a long time.

Hoover
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