The Biggest Contract In San Diego Padres History (Is Not Fernando Tatis Jr.’s)

ESPN Daily

ESPN

Sports

4.6 • 3.9K Ratings

🗓️ 5 March 2021

⏱️ 29 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Fernando Tatis Jr.’s massive 14-year, 340 million dollar deal with the Padres shattered MLB records. But it’s actually not the most important signing of the Padres this offseason. That belongs to Matt LaChappa, who signed with the team again in February, just as he has every year for more than a quarter-century. It’s a baseball story unlike any other: LaChappa is the longest tenured player in Padres history, despite never playing in a major league game. In 1996, LaChappa was a pitcher with San Diego’s minor league affiliate, when he suffered a heart attack while warming up in the bullpen. LaChappa survived, was left permanently disabled and in need of round-the-clock and costly medical care. Ever since, every offseason, the Padres have honored their commitment to Matt and his family by signing him a basic minor league contract, allowing Matt to remain on the team’s health insurance. In a sport where money and loyalty between players and clubs are constantly put to the test, Chris Connelly joins the show to tell a very different kind of baseball story Then, Pablo shares his excitement (or lack thereof) for this weekend’s NBA All-Star festivities. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	So, Chris, two weeks ago now, the San Diego Padres signed their shortstop, Fernando Tatis Jr.,
0:13.0	to the longest deal in baseball history.
0:16.0	Fourteen years, $340 million, which is also the richest contract in Padres history.
0:25.4	What were your thoughts when you heard about these contractual records being broken?
0:31.3	Well, my first thought was that he and the Padres talked about it being a statue contract,
0:37.3	that his hope is that someday there it being a statue contract.
0:43.3	His hope is that someday there'll be a statue outside Petco, where he stands along inside the late Tony Gwyn and Trevor Hoffman, who currently have statues.
0:48.5	Chris Connolly is a reporter for ESPN.
0:52.0	But what I really thought was, as great as this contract is, it's still not the most significant
0:59.0	or the longest contract in the history of the Padres franchise.
1:05.0	Because the most important contract in a sense signed this off-season was signed by a player
1:10.0	that most people have probably never heard of. And his name is Matt La Chapa. You think about a business like Major League
1:18.5	Baseball where loyalty is put to the test and there's free agency and the negotiations are so
1:25.4	ruthless. Amid all that, the story of Matt La Chapa is a really different kind of baseball story.
1:34.6	I hope Tatis gets that statue someday, but even if he signs another contract that's just as long as the one he just signed,
1:43.5	it won't be as long as the commitment that
1:46.2	the Padres have made to Matt La Chapa. And his story is a remarkable one.
2:08.6	Nearly 30 years ago, the San Diego Padres signed a dream prospect, a local kid, a dominating lefty with an A-plus curveball and a slick move to first base.
2:14.6	His name was Matt La Chapa. A lot has changed over the last three decades,
2:22.0	but the story of Matt La Chapa and the Padres has endured. Today, a baseball story unlike any
2:30.8	other, and one I promise you won't soon forget.
2:35.6	I'm Pablo Torre. It's Friday, March 5th.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from ESPN, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of ESPN and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.