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The Padres limped home from Milwaukee in an 0-2 hole following back-to-back gut wrenching losses. Sounds bad. Might be bad. But is there room for optimism? MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell joined the showy to unpack two agonizing losses to the Brewers, from the bizarre “backyard rules” ending in Game 1 to Mason Miller’s blown save in Game 2. We looked at what actually went wrong, what went right, and whether the Padres can realistically pull themselves out of this hole. One thing is clear: Petco Park matters now more than ever. The Padres have fed off their home crowd all season, and with their season on the line, they’re going to need that energy to find a way back into this series. We also dug deeper into the Mason Miller storyline. Was he tipping pitches? Was it simply a matter of command? Miller and the Padres are taking a close look at everything, while trying not to let a suddenly noisy storyline become another distraction at the worst possible time. How did the team handle this situation, given the terrible timing and what will Craig Stammen do in a similar situation, should the Padres need six outs from Mason Miller? Can this team really win three straight? Padres in FIVE? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Tuesday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) October is (almost) here, and the Padres are hosting the Cubs in a rematch of last year’s NL Wild Card matchup. Here’s our Padres-Cubs playoff preview, which started with MLB.Com’s AJ Cassavell offering thoughts on the 26-man roster. The biggest surprise on that roster? Joe Musgrove. He hasn’t pitched in a big league game since October 2024, which was the last time the Padres hosted playoff baseball. What do we make of this decision and perhaps more importantly, what does putting Musgrove on the roster mean for everyone else? Could Robbie Ray eventually find himself in the bullpen? How does Musgrove’s inclusion change the way the Padres can deploy their relievers? Is he being saved for a possibe extra-inning situation? Is this purely for baseball reasons or does Joe also provide an emotional lift heading into Game One? Nobody really knows but we talk through the possibilities. We also get into Ethan Salas, the 20-year-old catching phenom sure to make his postseason debut. The Padres are carrying three catchers and we discussed the numerous ways Craig Stammen might use them in the series. Then we’re joined by NBC/Peacock broadcaster Dave Flemming, who will be calling the series alongside Mark Grant and Jim Deshaies. Dave gives us a look at the Cubs, including the differences between the two clubs and how Craig Counsell might navigate his bullpen, which is in complete contrast to how we expect the Padres to use theirs. That bullpen comparison gets particularly interesting. The Padres spent much of the regular season operating with defined roles. Counsell, meanwhile, has a long history of mixing and matching in the playoffs and may have fewer reservations about using his relievers in unconventional spots. Does that experience give Counsell an edge when the game gets weird or was “pitching chaos” enough of a crash course for the Padres freshman skipper. And then there’s Petco Park. Flemming calls it “the biggest cauldron in MLB.” What does that actually mean once the first pitch is thrown? How much can the atmosphere influence a playoff game particularly when every pitch matters exponentially more than regular season games? We also looked at the September paths these teams took to get here. The Padres went 18-6 down the stretch. The Cubs went 11-13, which is why the games are at Petco Park. Chicago also had to fly around the country in the final week of the season, while Mother Nature made a mess of their schedule. Does any of that matter now? Padres. Cubs. Again. LFGSD. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Wedneday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) Padres fans have spoken and the internet produced a rare and deserved win. Jesse Agler, Tony Gwynn Jr., Bob Scanlan and producer Dave Marcus were recently named the best MLB radio booth by a recent online survey of baseball fans. Jesse talked about the recognition and what it means to have that kind of connection with Padres fans plus the expectations of performance at every level of the Padres organization. Then we got into the on-field product. Tuesday night against the Dodgers was a complete about-face from the Padres recent run and added a little more drama to the NL Wild Card race. The Friars are still in an excellent position for October baseball but everyone agrees you’d like to leave Los Angeles with your ticket punched, however it might happen. Jesse also talked about the Manny Machado that fans don’t always get to see - the relentlessly competitive version who understands the clock is ticking and is increasingly driven by the idea of winning now. What does that look like behind the scenes and what does Manny talk about when there aren’t 10 microphones in his face? We also revisit the trade deadline, where the Padres somehow managed to make moves that felt both absolutely necessary and a little underwhelming. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Monday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) The Padres enter the final week of the regular season with a magic number of two (combo of SD wins / AZ losses) and, of course, up next is the Los Angeles Dodgers. It’s not Tuesday but we are joined by MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell to talk about the biggest questions of this final week, including: What is the plan for Michael King? Do you pitch him Tuesday and set him up for the postseason, only using him if you’re in a win-or-go-home game on Sunday against the D’Backs? Or, if home-field advantage is still in play on the final day, should you let him pitch? We had some different ideas on this one. Then there’s the Dodgers series. How much should we actually care? The Padres have won 12 of 13 but they’ve done it against a collection of teams that aren’t world-beaters. Would taking the series prove this recent run is legit? Or are we, once again, going to short-circuit if the Padres crash out against the Dodgers? We also discussed Craig Stammen’s rookie managerial season as he closes in on 90 wins. What’s it been like covering Stammen in his first year as a big-league manager and how different is he from his predecessor, who walked away from the role due to the emotional and mental toll it took to have this level of success in Major League Baseball? The Padres appear to be headed back to the postseason with their fourth manager in seven years. Has that ever happened before? In the most exciting moment of this podcast, all three of us scroll through our phones simultaneously to research this. Stay tuned for the answer. Plus, San Diego FC went into Messi’s house and came away with a huge road draw against Inter Miami. Could that result give SDFC the boost it needs for the final stretch? The Azul y Chrome went 5-2-2 in their final nine games of 2025 with Anders Dreyer bagging eight goals and three assists over that span. Was his first multi-goal game of 2026 a sign of things to come? Fingers crossed. Also, congrats to Anders and goalkeeper CJ Dos Santos to making the MLS Team of the Matchday. Dos Santos had six saves against Miami, with four coming against Messi and the other two on Luis Suarez shots. Big time performance from both. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Monday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) The Padres are rolling. A sweep of the Giants and a seven-game winning streak has created some breathing room in the NL Wild Card race and the Padres are a season-high 13 games over .500. We talked about the current standings (below) and asked a question that seemed far-fetched 10 days ago: Can the Padres catch the Phillies or Cubs? We went through the remaining schedule for each team and built hypothetical scenarios that could - I said in italics could - result in the Padres hosting a Wild Card series. But next - the Rockies. LoDo. Altitude. Rocky Mountain Oysters. The Padres are also running all over everybody. San Diego ranks second in MLB in stolen bases, with Fernando Tatis Jr., Jackson Merrill and Xander Bogaerts leading the charge. All three have set new career highs with Merrill going from ONE swipe in 2025 to 26 and counting. As for the pitching. After a series of close, stressful games in San Francisco, how much is left in the bullpen as the Padres head to Colorado with no off-day? Will the rotation and relief corps hold up if these games continue to come down to the final innings? The Giants series already forced San Diego to piece together the back end of the series finale with some less-used relievers. The Rockies have lost seven straight but we know how things go at Coors Field. We also talked about one of the great mysteries of San Diego sports: Why does San Diego State consistently have such a terrible-looking passing game? Different coaches, different quarterbacks, same phenomenon. It was a rough performance over the weekend at UCLA and an all-too-familiar looking box score. San Diego FC had a miserable week, capped by a 5-0 home loss to Philadelphia. Now the questions are being asked if this is a sinking ship or whether SDFC should feel pretty fortunate to still be sitting in the final playoff position in the West. Philadelphia has shown how quickly things can change. Last year’s Supporters Shield winning team started the season 1-10-4 (W-L-D) and are now the hottest team in Major League Soccer. Can San Diego pull off a similar turnaround? Up next: Lionel Messi and Inter Miami. And finally, the big question: Does any of this really matter? We considered the possibility that AI could destroy mankind within a few years, as some have speculated. So there’s that. At least our weather is back to normal. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Thursday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) San Diego weather has officially become offensive. Even my television is sweating. Seriously. On the Padres off-day, we talked about the disgusting heat and humidity before getting into Craig Stammen’s bizarre brain cramp that accidentally ended Walker Buehler’s outing in the Padres’ finale against the Nats. We laughed about Buehler’s quirky personality and his even quirkier answers afterward, but also wondered: How big of a deal is it that a Major League manager made that kind of glaring & very public mistake? Does it reflect poorly on Stammen or was it just one very human and inconsequential one-off on a 99-degree afternoon? Then we turned our attention to San Diego FC’s awful performance against San Jose on Wednesday night. The Azul y Chrome have lost back-to-back matches, which has halted their upward climb in the Western Conference standings. What will it take to get into the postseason with 10 games remaining and how will they get the ship righted by Sunday when they host the Philadelphia Union, who are the hottest team in MLS? Also, head coach Mikey Varas apologized to the fans afterward, which raised an interesting question: How often do you hear a professional coach actually apologize for the way his team played? Was Varas’ apology meaningful and refreshing in a world of combative and arrogant coaches or did it not land well? Time will tell us. And finally, there was an NFL game on Wednesday night. That was news to one of us - you’ll never guess who! - while Marty is searching for a Netflix password so she can watch the Niners and Rams play in Australia. Also tossed in a Serie Del Ray update, as the Tijuana Toros won on Wednesday night to split the first two games of the best-of-seven series with Olmecas de Tabasco. Former Padre Franchy Cordero hit a grand slam in the 13-2 win. LFGTJ! (h/t Nate Abaurrea) This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Tuesday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) It’s Tuesday and that means we are joined by MLB.com’s AJ Cassavell. We talked about Nick Pivetta’s return to the Padres and how the box score sure looked encouraging, but do the underlying numbers tell a different story? Are our lying eyes deceiving us again? We also look at the bigger picture for the starting rotation and how Craig Stammen might navigate the rest of the regular season with Casey Mize & Robbie Ray underperforming while Randy Vazquez and Walker Buehler make their cases for big moments down the stretch and into October . Also, Luis Campusano’s weekend agains the Yankees stole some of the spotlight from top prospect Ethan Salas after Salas’ much-anticipated MLB debut. So who is the starting catcher for the Padres? And finally, we zoom out to the future of baseball: MLB expansion. If the league adds more teams, which cities would we most like to see get a franchise? As Jeff Passan reported today, MLB has SIX cities circled for potential expansion franchises. Which would we like to see added and how would we realign Major League Baseball’s divisions in the future? There’s also the Serie Del Rey starting in Tijuana tonight, where I’m headed. I think AJ would rather sweat in TJ than the Petco Pressbox but duty calls with 18 games remaining. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Tuesday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) The Padres have called up 20-year-old catcher Ethan Salas, and the timing couldn’t be more interesting. Salas joins the Padres in Cincinnati as the club begins its stretch run, with the Pads battling on the daily for a playoff spot while managing fatigue and injuries. AJ Cassavell of MLB.com joins us from Cincinnati (or Kentucky) to analyze AJ Preller’s decision. Is this the right time to put a young catcher in the middle of a playoff race? What are the risks of exposing Salas to the big leagues now, and how does AJ expect him to be used? Salas gives the Padres another left-handed bat at a time when they don’t have Gavin Sheets and have lost Luis Rengifo for the season. Salas could be a potential pinch-hitting weapon and the positional flexibility allows Crain Stammen to use Campusano at DH. But what about the catching? Salas has played 24 games in AAA El Paso, with only 17 appearances behind the plate. Is he ready for the world of PitchCom and ABS (modern technology that isn’t used in Double A)? We are about to find out. Should we believe his numbers in the PCL or San Antonio? Marty was also generous enough to save :60 seconds for some thoughts on Luca Bombino's farewell video to the City of San Diego. Bombino’s transfer became official on Tuesday and he was already in the matchday squad for Stoke City. Fare thee well to a class act and good luck on the next chapter, Luca. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Monday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) The Padres’ miserable weekend in St. Petersburg ended in a sweep at the hands of the Rays, and it felt like everything that could go wrong, did. The Padres played poorly, blew leads, lost Luis Rengifo to a knee injury and somehow found itself on the wrong side of some truly bizarre baseball. Oh, and they also woke up in Cincinnati on Monday, percentage points behind the Diamondbacks for the final Wild Card spot. Thankfully, we have Bob Scanlan on today’s podcast to talk us through the costly weekend, from Tatis’s ejection to Samad Taylor’s bizarre collision with the wall, where a game-ending, would-be catch turned into a game-tying two-run homer. Locally this past weekend, there was a very satisfying San Diego soccer story to discuss. San Diego FC took down the LA Galaxy 3-1 at Snapdragon Stadium, even after going down a man in the 50th minute, making it another memorable night in the young rivalry. SDFC is now 3-0 against their closest geographic rivals and, of course, there was the return of Hirving Lozano, this time wearing Galaxy colors and scoring against his former club. Thanks for reading Section 1904! This post is public so feel free to share it. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Friday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here) After dropping two games to the lowly Mets, the Padres return home for a homestand against the Twins & Pirates. Many are saying this is the biggest homestead of the season. Ok, nobody is actually saying that but the Padres are hosting two teams that are under .500 and do have a 40-24 records against such teams. Take care of business. One of the lingering questions surrounding the team is happening in AAA: Is it time to bring up phenom Ethan Salas? The Padres’ top prospect has made an impressive transition to El Paso, raising the question of whether a September call-up could give San Diego another weapon for the stretch run and perhaps a preview of what’s to come in 2027. But does this idea make any sense? Also, with the Padres set to introduce their new ownership group at Monday’s press conference, we welcomed The Athletic’s Chelsea correspondent Liam Twomey for some firsthand perspective on José E. Feliciano, Clearlake Capital and what San Diego might expect from its new ownership group. MLB owners have approved the $3.9 billion sale, with Feliciano and Kwanza Jones leading the new group and - as Dennis Lin of The Athletic reported - Feliciano’s partner at Clearlake, Behdad Eghbali, will be part of the new group. Liam gives us the backstory on Feliciano and Clearlake, and explains the complicated ownership dynamic at Chelsea - where Clearlake is the majority stakeholder and current Dodgers owners Mark Walter and Todd Boehly are part of the same ownership group. Walter has, uh, been in the news recently. We also get Liam’s perspective on how Chelsea’s ownership has been perceived in London, the tensions that have developed inside the club and what could ultimately happen with Walter amid reports that he and Boehly are discussing a sale of their Chelsea stakes to Clearlake. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

This is Wednesday’s “Coach’s Conversation” with SDFC Head Coach Mikey Varas. Mikey talked about the “bravery” it took to play against LAFC and for San Diego FC in general, including a Brené Brown reference that I did not understand in the moment. We also talked about the unprecedented squad depth and the depth of leadership with Anibal Godoy and Jeppe Tverskov. This interwiew will air on AM 760 and the IHeartRadio app at 7pm, with kickoff scheduled for 7:40. Adrian Garcia Marquez and I will call all the action and invite you to join the local broadcast of tonight’s Western Conference matchup. SDFC is looking for its first back-to-back league wins since March 1st & 7th. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Friday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here Back when we had a radio show, Scott Lewis from Voice of San Diego was a regular guest whenever we needed a real news person to explain the intersection of sports and politics, whether it was “the battle for Mission Valley” or trying to understand CEQA and why it was standing in the way of a new arena in the Midway area. Scott was always there for us. During the pandemic, Scott joined us every week as we all tried to figure out how to function with COVID hanging over everything. It made perfect sense, since Scott and his team at Voice of San Diego were following all of the local and national press conferences, and we always enjoyed having him on. It was educational. Somewhere along the way, a listener dubbed the segment “The Liberal Circle Jerk,” and the name sarcastically stuck. (Forgive me for not remembering exactly why, although I always found it hilarious that the basic things we were discussing somehow earned the “liberal” label. But… que sera, sera.) On this episode, Scott joins us to talk about the Padres sale and what new ownership is facing with its Petco Park deal, along with its other interactions with the city of San Diego. Scott also explains the one thing he’d like to see happen before the old guard fully vacates, and how a Voice of San Diego investigation into fraud at the ballpark left San Diego softball leagues dreaming of a $3.5 million payday. Of course, we also talked about evil palm trees, parking at Balboa Park, and whether we should be terrified about El Niño this fall and winter. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Friday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here.. The Padres keep rolling, taking two of three from Cleveland and extending their streak to seven straight series without a loss. The Pads haven’t dropped a series since they were in Atlanta from July 21–23. Up next, it’s the Mets, Twins & Pirates, seemingly setting up the schedule nicely for a team that’s finding its stride and is 39-22 against sub .500 teams. Some specific topics from the weekend include Luis Rengifo’s immediate impact since arriving in San Diego, Luis Campusano finally making the most of his opportunities, Craig Stammen not managing like it’s game seven and wondering why the organization won’t trust Randy Vazquez after consecutive good starts. We also took a stroll down memory lane, talking about former Padres manager Andy Green - now with the Mets - including those truly unfortunate blue Padres uniforms. Plus, a great story about Craig Stammen reaching out to Green after he was fired from the Padres. And San Diego FC kicked off “Revenge Week” in style, knocking off LAFC in a huge Saturday night victory at BMO. SDFC allowed a goal in the 14th minute of stoppage time last time the two Southern California rivals played so turnabout was fair play in Los Angeles when Anders Dreyer scored in the 89th minute to take all three points on the road. Up next: San Diego FC travels to Providence Park to face the Portland Timers, the return match of an April meeting when SDFC allowed the game winning goal in the 6th minute of injury time. Following that, the Colorado Rapids come to Snapdragon Stadium in a rematch of a game SDFC lost in the 5th minute of stoppage time at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park on July 22nd. Sensing a theme? This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Friday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here. The Padres keep winning. This team went on a run before the MLB Trade Deadline and has kept the throttle open, sweeping the best team in baseball before a well deserved off-day and trip to Cleveland. We talked about the sweep, improved pitching and Robbie Ray’s remarkable hair. All the important analysis you were looking for. How has this happened and do we dare dream of how far this club might go? Is it crazy to think the Padres can overtake the Cubs for the top wildcard spot or - gasp - even challenge the Dodgers for the NL West? We also discussed the interestingly timed story about hitting coach Steven Souza Jr from the Union Tribune's Kevin Acee. The AceMan gave us plenty to digest, from the “blind leading the blind” to tepid endorsements and, most importantly, does it even matter who gets credit for the Padres offensive turnaround? We also set the stage for a rather massive matchup between San Diego FC and LAFC (you can listen to the call at 7pm on 760am or the IHeartRadio app) and what to expect from SDFC’s new Designated Player Elias Achouri, who will debut at BMO Stadium. There’s also some House of the Dragon chatter WITH SPOILERS. One of us seemed to enjoy the series finale more than the other. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com

(This is the audio-only podcast version of Tuesday’s MartyTimeTV / Section 1904 joint venture. You can find and subscribe to this podcast on Apple and Spotify and right here on Substack by clicking the button below. To watch this episode on YouTube, click here. It’s time for Tuesday’s With AJ, our occasionally regularly scheduled conversation with MLB.Com’s AJ Cassavell. This week, we talked about the Padres recent run of form and the surging Jackson Merrill, two things that feel very connected. The Padres have won three straight and suddenly look like a team that expects to win. We get nerdy about run differential and the recent surge and ask why Merrill has been so good since the All Star break. It’s also noteworthy that Freddy Fermín has quietly become such a difference-maker behind the plate and with the bat. Plus, we chatted about the physical and psychological toll injuries take on athletes, especially pitchers, as Joe Musgrove continues to look more like himself on the mound and in the clubhouse while the curious case of Nick Pivetta remains impossible to figure out. We also dive into the Ethan Salas question: What scenario would motivate the Padres to call up their catching phenom and what would be the pros and cons of such a decision? And finally, Tik Tok’s newest influencer, AJ Cassavell, drops a hot take about Iced Coffee that you won’t forget. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit dsmithshow.substack.com