San Diego Padres today

March 26, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres announced yesterday that it would give free tickets to first responders and victims of the wildfires in San Diego County last October for this Friday's Spring Training Contest (March 28) at Petco Park between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Padres. Players will wear ballcaps from first responder agencies and organizations. 1,500 families that qualify for the tickets can still pick them up from their local long-term assistance centers. Pre-game activities will be devoted to the more than 35 organizations that assisted in relief efforts. Included are local fire agencies, law enforcement agencies, the U.S. Red Cross,  the U.S. Border Patrol and various animal help agencies; on Tuesday the Padres announced that the team has exercised manager Bud Black's contract option for the 2009 season. Black led the 2007 Padres to an 89-74 record, the squad's best record since 1998. Black's winning percentage of .546 was the best for a first-year "skipper" in the majors since 2003. Black is the 16th Padres manager; also on Tuesday the Padres optioned three more players to Triple-A Portland and three others were assigned to minor league camp. Infielders Byron Myrow, Oscar Robles and Craig Stansberry were optioned to Portland while RHP Adam Bass, LHP Shawn Estes and OF Chip Ambres were reassigned to the Beavers. As of today that leaves the major league squad with 32 players in camp including 30 from the 40-man roster and two non-roster invitees; Jake Peavy gets his final start of Spring Training today against the Texas Rangers at 1:05 p.m. PDT (Double XX SportsRadio AM 1090 & FM 105.7) live from Peoria...Ah the last days of Spring Training...