On Your Mark . . . Loretta and Sweeney Provide Some Punch for the Padres

Mark Sweeney

By Johnny McDonald

Two players who have made indelible marks for the San Diego Padres on and off the field just happen to be named Mark: Loretta and Sweeney.

They fielded an assortment of questions from baseball fans at the Hall of Champions’ monthly Sports at Lunch.

They commended manager Bruce Bochy for his handling of an injured team, interleague play, education and crowd support.

“Bruce Bochy is a player’s manager,” said Sweeney, a reserve who is one of the majors’ premier pinch hitters. “Like any other job, you just want a boss to let you do your job. And do it the right way. He gives us an opportunity to be ourselves.”

Mark Loretta

Loretta said he and Sweeney are unique because they are only two of 12 players in the majors with a college degree. Loretta went to Northwestern University and Sweeney to the University of Maine.

The two credited their parents in insisting that education come before baseball and said they got good guidance from them.

“I love baseball but it’s not my whole life,” Sweeney said.

Loretta, last year’s All Star second baseman, has been on the disabled list since May 15 with ligament damage to his left thumb. He injured it on a head-first slide into first but was to be back in the lineup after the All-Star break.

When asked about baseball highlights, he referred to his Little League days, particularly when he hit a deciding home run in a championship game. As for Sweeney, it was his first day in the St. Louis Cardinals locker room and seeing his name on the back of the uniform.

Then they remarked about the crowds in Petco Park.

“At Qualcomm Stadium, you could have 40,000 people there, but it wasn’t the same feeling as Petco Park,” Loretta said. “The excitement of the fans pushes you. The crowd sound there is motivating.”

Loretta said his background is in business, while Sweeney, who has spent 11 years in baseball, wants to get behind a microphone some day.

They split on opinions about interleague play. Loretta thinks it is good; Sweeney believes it detracts from the World Series when the American League truly faces the National League.

Although used as a designated hitter against A teams, Sweeney felt it takes away from the strategy, particularly in how long to use a pitcher.

“As for pinch hitting, it’s discouraging when you don’t succeed but very exciting when you do,” he said. “Tough job to do, but it has been my job almost all my entire career. I have no choice other than do the best I can in a brief moment of intensity.”

“Hard part is when you fail and sit on the bench, not being able to go out on the field.”

“(Petco Park is) definitely a pitcher’s ball park,” Loretta said. “Philadelphia, Houston, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh are hitters’ ball parks. Pitchers hate ’em. Lot of room in the outfield.”

Sweeney said some guys don’t need weights and are just naturally good at baseball. “To me, I think its strange that they don’t,” he added. “Baseball is hard on the body with nagging injuries.”

The Padres encourage players to get out in the community. “Other clubs may only use a star player,” Sweeney said. “Here, it’s everybody. We are an intregral part of our community.”