This story was excerpted from AJ Cassavell’s Padres Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
SAN DIEGO -- I have a request. From now on, every time the Padres hold a press conference at the Petco Park auditorium, the subjects of that press conference must enter the room to a song they wrote.
Hey, if the owners of the team can do it …
Monday’s introductory press conference for Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano was high-energy from the start. As the room filled, the auditorium speakers began to play “We All In,” a lively track written and sung by Jones, declaring the ambitions of the new owners.
As the song ended, Jones and Feliciano entered the room and took the dais, then spent nearly an hour laying out their vision. The sale was finalized Friday, but Monday marked their arrival -- and it was quite an introduction.
Here are some of the highlights and key moments from Monday’s presser:
Bringing the good vibes
Jones and Feliciano aren’t afraid to be bold in their aspirations. By now, you’ve surely seen the clip of Jones declaring, “We’re gonna win -- win it all!”
She brought that same level of energy throughout the entire press conference -- whether speaking about her goal to bring the franchise its first World Series or to build the Padres’ presence in the community.
“We need all of you,” Jones said by way of a closing statement, “to be believers in the infinite possibility.”
As for the song, Jones is a longtime singer-songwriter. She said it came together in the week leading up to their introduction. There’s even part of it inspired by Fernando Tatis Jr.’s brilliant home run robbery last week at Citi Field. There’s a Spanish version of the song, too, titled “¡Vamos!”
“We are all in for the Padres, all in for San Diego, all in for the Baja community,” Jones said. “It was a natural extension. What are sports? Do people like to be entertained? Do people like to be amused? Do people like to feel something? That’s part of what the Padres have done. It helps move people. That’s part of what music does, too.”
Plans for the roster and spending
This was an introductory press conference for the ages -- easily my favorite since I began covering the Padres more than a decade ago. (These things tend to be scripted and buttoned up. This one was upbeat and legitimately interesting. Heck yeah.)
Still, introductory press conferences -- whether they’re introducing new players, new managers or new owners -- are rarely worth much. It’s about the actions that follow.
“We have been blessed with a team in a city that is supporting us in a way that is allowing us to invest back in that team, in that stadium, in that city," Feliciano said. "We're committed to doing that. We are going to live within our means. That can mean different things in different years. But we want to win.
“We're going to continue to support that goal in many different ways. That means that at some points, we will be aggressive. But we're always going to do it while keeping the long-term health of the team in mind. Those are things that we're going to balance."
The Padres are in the midst of the most successful era in their history. They’re on the verge of a fifth straight winning season and are aiming for a third straight trip to the playoffs -- which would mark the first time in franchise history. Now … about that elusive first World Series.
“I can't think of a better fit for where we need to go as an organization," said CEO Erik Greupner. "We've accomplished a lot. Obviously we have not yet accomplished our ultimate goal. And I think to take us there, there's no better match than José and Kwanza.”
Feliciano vs. Mason Miller
It was last November that the Seidler family announced they would explore a potential sale of the Padres. Jones and Feliciano showed interest from the start.
At some point during Spring Training, the Padres hosted them at their complex in Peoria, Ariz. While general manager A.J. Preller was giving a tour of the team’s technologies, they joked about stepping in the batter’s box against Mason Miller.
Then, Feliciano did it.
The Trajekt machine can mimic any pitcher’s delivery and pitch characteristics. So Feliciano squared off against Miller’s 96 mph changeup. On the fourth pitch, Feliciano made contact, hitting it back in the direction of the mound.
Jones retold the story and even joked that that swing was probably the difference-maker in their bid to buy the Padres.
“He’s one of the only guys in the world that can make contact off [Miller],” Preller said with a laugh. “That was fun, all part of a fun visit. … You could see the enthusiasm and the genuineness and the thirst to win.”
Introductions
The Padres announced the sale in May, but until the transaction was finalized, Jones and Feliciano remained at arm’s length. They’d met a few of the players and staff briefly. But Monday was their first chance for a full-scale introduction.
After their press conference, the next stop was the clubhouse. They entered to “We All In” and walked off to “¡Vamos!” Jones delivered the same line she delivered at the press conference: “Yo soy la madre … de los Padres!” Clearly, they made an impression.
“I love the energy that they bring,” said Manny Machado. “I love how excited they always are, watching the games, and how passionate they are about it. So I think, you know, those are all great things to have as ownership, and to see that as the player, I think it's gonna be exciting.”
After their trip to the clubhouse, Jones and Feliciano took to the field. It was easy to see what the moment meant to them. Feliciano, a native of Puerto Rico, wore No. 21 to honor Roberto Clemente and gushed about his on-field and off-field legacy. Just before batting practice, Feliciano took the mound and mimicked a windup. He and Jones then took selfies on the foul line.
“Today is a dream come true,” Feliciano said. “It’s an amazing day for us. We’re very grateful. Very honored to be here with you. And to celebrate today as the newest members of the Padres family.”