MLB
Seidler, a third-generation member of the O’Malley household that used to personal the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, was a two-time most cancers survivor.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Padres proprietor Peter Seidler, who spent tons of of tens of millions of {dollars} attempting to convey a long-elusive World Collection championship to San Diego, died on Tuesday, the workforce introduced. He was 63.
A reason behind demise wasn’t disclosed. Seidler, a third-generation member of the O’Malley household that used to personal the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers, was a two-time most cancers survivor. The workforce introduced in mid-September that Seidler had an unspecified medical process in August and wouldn’t be again on the ballpark the remainder of the yr.
The Padres deliberate to open Petco Park on Tuesday afternoon for followers who wished to collect to pay respects.
“As we speak, our love and prayers encircle Peter’s household as they grieve the lack of a rare husband, father, son, brother, uncle and good friend,” Padres CEO Erik Greupner stated in a press release. “Peter was a form and beneficiant man who was dedicated to his spouse, youngsters and prolonged household. He additionally constantly exhibited heartfelt compassion for others, particularly these much less lucky.
“His impression on the town of San Diego and the baseball world shall be felt for generations,” Greupner stated. “His beneficiant spirit is now firmly embedded within the material of the Padres. Though he was our Chairman and proprietor, Peter was at his core a Padres fan. He shall be dearly missed.”
Seidler was a part of a bunch that bought the Padres in 2012, and he purchased out Ron Fowler’s majority stake in November 2020. Seidler additionally purchased Rawlings Sporting Items Firm Inc. along with MLB in 2018.
It was with Seidler’s blessing that the Padres boosted their payroll to about $258 million on opening day, third-highest within the majors, after making a stirring run to the NL Championship Collection the earlier fall. The Padres underwhelmed many of the season regardless of having a star-studded lineup and missed the playoffs.
Seidler shrugged off questions on whether or not the Padres’ huge spending on gamers like Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts was sustainable and talked about how badly he needed a championship parade for a metropolis that has by no means had one.
“Do I consider our parade goes to be on land or on water or on each?” he stated. “Placing an ideal and profitable workforce on the sphere in San Diego yr after yr is sustainable.”
Seidler scoffed on the notion that San Diego was a small market. He seen it as a novel metropolis the place the Padres had been the one main professional sports activities franchise after the Chargers left for Los Angeles in 2017. Followers packed Petco Park final yr, the place the Padres set a franchise attendance document of three,232,310 in 79 video games, together with 59 sellouts. The Padres had been the house workforce in two video games in opposition to San Francisco in Mexico Metropolis.
“I’m deeply saddened by the information of Peter’s passing,” Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred stated in a press release from Arlington, Texas, the place Main League Baseball house owners are holding league conferences this week. “Peter grew up in a baseball household, and his love of the sport was evident all through his life. He was obsessed with proudly owning the Padres and bringing the followers of San Diego a workforce through which they might all the time take satisfaction.”
Machado was a private favourite of Seidler, and the slugger obtained a brand new $350 million, 11-year deal final spring coaching regardless of saying he would choose out of the unique $300 million deal he signed in 2019.
The Padres gave Bogaerts a $280 million, 11-year deal final December. In 2021, the Padres signed Fernando Tatis Jr. to a $340 million, 14-year deal. They traded for younger star Juan Soto on the deadline in 2022.
Seidler’s demise comes at a essential time for the franchise. The Padres are closing in on hiring a supervisor to switch Bob Melvin, who left for San Francisco final month after clashing with common supervisor A.J. Preller. The Padres are also debating whether or not to maintain or commerce Soto, who’s underneath management for only one extra season.
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