First Cycle In San Diego Padres History Hangs on Appeal

Tommy Medica Is hoping an appeal gives him a slice of Padres history. Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports

An MLB review process could give the San Diego Padres a first in their four-plus decades as a big league club and move Tommy Medica from one crowded group, to rarefied air.

It all hinges on the elusive cycle. A single, double, triple and home run in one game. A feat just shy of common for many big league clubs, but one just shy of exasperating for Padres’ fans.

As Corey Brock of MLB.com first reported, Medica is looking to get retroactive cycle, citing a scoring decision from Wednesday that had him on base via-error on a hard hit ball off the glove of third baseman Martin Prado. Medica would then go on to hit a triple, homer and double making him the 11th Padres’ player to end a game just a single shy of the cycle.

You can put yourself in the scorer’s chair thanks to a couple of different views gathered on the World Wide Web:

Regular Speed Highlight Courtesy of SBNation
Fox Super Slow Motion Highlight Courtesy of gaslampball.com

Gut feeling of the writer, it will stay as an error. As one of the articles surrounding the above video aptly pointed out, that is a play a big league third baseman is expected to make. After all it is the HOT corner.

And to me, that’s just fine. Do we really want to cut corners in pursuit of franchise history?

Or do we want to collectively stand and cheer when Medica singles in the ninth inning someday to complete a no doubt, four-hit, cycle? Or go nuts when Jedd Gyorko hits a walk off shot to win a game AND complete the first cycle? Doesn’t that sound better than recounting to our offspring where we were when we first READ some apologetic CORRECTION from the MLB office?

It will happen, just like a no-hitter. Someone will etch their name in the Padres’ cycle record book. THAT day the single will be clean and, if there is any justice, through the 5.5 hole.