Visiting Petco Park in San Diego During the Off-Season
After walking a good 10,000 steps on the route from Balboa Park to Petco Park, the home of the San Diego Padres, I finally arrived. Since it was early January, the sunshine was clear and warm, but the area around the stadium felt pretty deserted because it was the off-season. After wandering around San Diego for a few days, I get the feeling there isn't much to see here besides the natural scenery and sports. It's a shame I didn't come during the regular season around April or May, as I would have been able to catch a baseball game.
Walking along the exterior of the stadium, the large electronic displays and signs caught my eye. From Fernando Tatis Jr. to other familiar faces I know from watching Major League Baseball, huge banners were hanging up. I was secretly a bit disappointed not to see Ha-seong Kim in the most prominent spot, but I was glad to at least spot a large photo of him on a window as I turned the corner.
Unfortunately, since it was the off-season, the stadium was firmly closed and I couldn't see inside, so I headed to the team store to do some window shopping for jerseys. The store is located on the first floor of an old red brick building labeled Western Metal Supply Co. I admired the exterior, which connects naturally to the ballpark, and walked through the entrance.
Inside the store, various apparel and merchandise were neatly displayed. I was browsing and touching a few things when my jaw dropped at the price tag on a jersey. Even factoring in the exchange rate, it was easily more than two to three times the price of a Korean pro baseball uniform. If you're a traveler who hasn't budgeted generously, you should think carefully before shopping for merch here.
Seeing Ha-seong Kim's number 7 jersey hanging on one side, I seriously considered buying one as a souvenir. However, after checking the steep price again, I rationalized it to myself by thinking, "He's a backup anyway, so he'll probably get traded soon," closed my wallet, and left the store. It was a quiet visit to Petco Park where I only got to look at jerseys, but next time I definitely want to come during the season and watch a baseball game in person.
