Welcome James Shields!

I think this just about does it! The Padres have most likely made their final deal of the offseason on Wednesday, signing James Shields to a 4-year, $75 million deal with an option for a fifth year. Shields was very influential last year with the Kansas City Royals in helping them reach the postseason and eventually the world series. He also did the same for the Rays back in 2008; a team that fell to the Phillies that year. He entered the offseason as one of the most sought after free agents on the market. However, as time went on, the price decreased with each passing week. This allowed the Padres and captain A.J. Preller to swoop in and grab him. Shields, apparently, was debating between two teams: the Padres and the Cubs. The Cubs would have been a nice team because he knows their new manager, Joe Maddon. Something else he also mentioned in his welcoming news conference was that he wants to win now and he feels like the Padres and Cubs are poised to do just that. The advantage with the Padres was the fact that he moved to Rancho Santa Fe about a year ago. Rancho Santa Fe is only about a 35-40 minute drive from Petco park. (It is also the place in San Diego county with the wealthiest residents.) He also liked Bud Black and how Black gets the respect of every player who plays for him. I have been seeing some low expectations for the Padres this year from so-called "experts" on ESPN and elsewhere. One thing that convinces me that the Padres are going to have an breakout year is the fact that Bud Black has done some pretty amazing things for some mediocre teams. Take last year, for example. The Padres as a team hit an anemic .172 in the month of June -- the lowest single month mark of any team ever. They also were in the bottom of the majors in many offensive categories by the end of the year. Yet Black was able to use his magic and squander 77 wins out of that team. Now that the Padres' offense has been rebuilt, I believe that they may reach the stars and beyond. Let's prove those doubters wrong, Padres fans! Speaking of the fans, I heard Dick Enberg say that the Padres have already sold more tickets in a week than they have all last year. I don't necessarily believe that, but the statistic I hear floating around (from the San Diego UT) is that the Padres have increased ticket sales by 63% this year already. There is a buzz around San Diego that hasn't been seen in my lifetime since the Padres went to the postseason in 2006 where they were defeated by the eventual world champion Cardinals for the second straight year. Pitchers and catchers report Thursday! Then the first full-squad workout is set for the 25th!

The NBA is mostly the same, except that it is time for the all-star game! The festivities kicked off tonight with the celebrity all-star game featuring people like Mone Davis, Kevin Hart, Chris Mullin, Common, and Michael Rappaport. Many experts say (and I agree) that the NBA all-star game is a joke just like the NHL all-star game. But it still is entertaining. Plus, it gives many players some much-needed rest before the final two-month push to the playoffs in April.

With spring training approaching, expect some links to some videos. It is an exciting time to be a baseball fan as we head through the dog-days of February. Spring training games will begin in the first week of March. Hopefully the Padres stay healthy heading into the team's important two-week get-to-know-you period. Again, Black is a mastermind at doing just that. Until next week, happy Valentine's day!