This was the worst year of John Moores’ 14-year ownership of the San Diego Padres. It began with Moores’ wife of 44 years, Becky, filing for divorce and went downhill the rest of the year until the Padres finished in last place with 99 losses, their worst season under Moores.

The divorce, which a baseball official described as “a messy divorce,” will eventually be settled, most likely in court, but there’s no guarantee what will happen to the Padres. They are headed for more perilous times. The divorce, for which Becky Moores filed claiming irreconcilable differences, is a major part of the reason.

“It’s having some impact,” said Sandy Alderson, the chief executive officer. “Four or five months ago I wouldn’t have expected it to have any impact.” Could the divorce affect the ownership of the team? “I think it could affect ownership. It could lead to a partial sale. We’ll have to wait and see. As a result of what’s happening, it could.”

John and Becky Moores, who were married in 1963 after having met in history class in high school in Texas, have already engaged in a dispute over use of the ownership box at Petco Park. California is a community property state, meaning each spouse is entitled to half of a couple’s assets acquired and income earned during a marriage.

Keep reading...

As Thanksgiving dinners go, it was probably the most memorable. But it was memorable not for the quality of the meal or the guests. I didn’t eat dinner that Thanksgiving, and I’m not sure who the guests were. That’s because I never saw them.

Thanksgiving 1976. It was a day like most other days. I was working. I wasn’t supposed to be working, but because that was the first year of free agency I felt I should make some calls to check up on possible developments. The calls paid off because I learned that George Steinbrenner was close to signing Reggie Jackson.

Keep reading...

The previous column on this Web site said that Greg Maddux had retired. The report, as it turns out, was premature. However, by the end of the week, it might not be.

“I haven’t officially decided yet,” Maddux said in a telephone interview Monday, “but I will do so very shortly. I’ll try to figure it out in the next couple days.”

Maddux didn’t say if he was leaning one way or the other, but earlier this month he told the Review-Journal in his hometown, Las Vegas, “I’m thinking more about not playing than playing.” And during the Monday interview his tone suggested that he would retire after 22 years.

Keep reading...