Steve Garvey Interested in Purchasing the Padres

According to Dan Hayes of North County Times, Steve Garvey, who had also tried to buy the Dodgers, is interested in purchasing his former club.  Dan said:

"Former Padres first baseman Steve Garvey confirmed on Wednesday morning that he wants to put together a group to purchase the Padres, a team majority owner John Moores on Tuesday announced is for sale."

Steve Garvey’s home run in the 1984 NLCS is so famous in San Diego it was cause enough for the team to retire his number.  Although Garvey is more known for his days with the hated Dodgers, he is a fan favorite in San Diego and would make an interesting candidate as the front man for a group to purchase the Padres.

The team needs an owner who is willing to spend money and push this club to success.  Owners who live in the shadows are more easily allowed to ignore the failures of the club, collect revenue sharing checks, and simply exist rather than build a winner.  With a front man like Steve Garvey, who is a public figure, it would be much more difficult to allow the losing to continue.

While it’s not clear how much money the group Garvey will put together will be working with, San Diego needs an ownership group in place that can increase payroll and build a team that’s competitive year-in and year-out.  For too long now, the Padres have been operated by owners who have under-funded the team.  It’s not a matter of making a profit then increasing payroll.  The next ownership group needs to understand greater profit will come AFTER increasing payroll.   Steve Garvey may give the Padres the best shot of seeing this happen.

The list of names interested in the Padres will increase, and maybe more well-known people will want to front the purchase of the club, but for now, Steve Garvey’s group may give San Diego their best shot as owners who are willing to spend and willing to do what it takes to win.  Garvey certainly doesn’t want to embarrass himself.  He doesn’t want to end up like Michael Jordan (not that Jordan’s issue with the Bobcats is necessarily tied to payroll).  If he purchases the Padres, he is too public a figure in southern California to let them flounder like they have.  Owners like John Moores could do so because that’s all he is; an owner.  Steve Garvey is an icon, a brink-of-the-hall-of-fame player, a motivational speaker, and his number is retired in San Diego.

It seems like the perfect fit.  Of course, Garvey will need a group with money to back things up, but unlike Jeff Moorad, Garvey feels right.

What do you think about Steve Garvey as a potential owner of the Padres?

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