It’s the Matchup Towers Dreamed of in Spring

While his players celebrated their National League pennant Wednesday and gave thoughts to playing the New York Yankees in the World Series, Padre General Manager Kevin Towers recalled having predicted this matchup when the Padres and Yankees played to an 8-8 exhibition-game tie in San Diego on the eve of the ’98 season.

“I remember telling [Yankee General Manager] Brian Cashman that maybe we’d face each other in the World Series and find out then who’s best,” Towers said. “It’s David vs. Goliath. We’ll see if we can slay the giant.”

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As the champagne flowed in the Padre clubhouse, Dave Stewart couldn’t resist a dig at Houston Astro outfielder Carl Everett, who had predicted that the Astros would eliminate San Diego in the division series.

“He claimed we were a bunch of beat-up old guys,” Stewart said. “Well, we’re still standing and Carl Everett is home watching.”

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A playoff veteran, Stewart called the six-game NL championship series one of the best he has seen: “It was kind of like Ping-Pong the way it went back and forth.”

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Two days ago the Padres put 90,000 tickets, priced between $40 and $150, on sale for Games 3, 4 and 5 of the World Series at Qualcomm Stadium. The ticket windows then opened at 6:30 p.m. and produced a line that circled the stadium 1 1/2 times, PR director Glen Geffner said. The windows stayed open until 4 a.m. Wednesday; the entire line, which purchased a total of 85,000 tickets, was serviced.

The remaining 5,000 were sold later Wednesday.