Friar Territory: a San Diego Padres podcast

Was this Matt Waldron's last start for the Padres? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discussed Lucas Giolito's impending arrival to the Padres rotation and what decisions are ahead. The two then welcome in Padres closer Mason Miller, who details how he became involved in filming an epic Star Wars commercial for the upcoming "Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu" movie. Mason discussed how he got invo...

The Padres have been able to take advantage of the second easiest strength of schedule in baseball but it's about to change. Marty Caswell and Darren Smith look ahead at the upcoming road trip versus the Milwaukee Brewers and Seattle Mariners and the pressure on the offense to finally get going. The duo break down Manny Machado's comments on the offense, his visible frustration and candor and why...

Michael King was brilliant in his start versus the Cardinals but the Padres offense fell victim again to yet another quality start. Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discussed Craig Stammen's decisions in the 2-1 loss, why Nick Castellanos was starting in right field and how much defense he's willing to sacrifice. We hear from Craig Stammen on the lineup decisions and why he wanted Castellanos' bat i...

The San Diego Padres are shaking things up. Darren Smith and Marty Caswell break down Craig Stammen shaking up the Padres lineup, the message it sends to Fernando Tatis and why they're not waiting for guys to. just figure it out. The duo then discuss Sung-Mun Song's instant spark to the Padres, the concussion symptoms that forced Jake Cronenworth to the injured list. Was the apparent injury the re...

The San Diego Padres have finally snapped a four-game skid, thanks to an impressive debut from Griffin Canning and the "Bogey special." Darren Smith and Marty Caswell break down the biggest takeaways from the disappointing 2-4 homestand versus the Chicago White Sox and Cubs. Why would the Padres give Fernando Tatis an off-day during the team's skid? The duo listen to comments from Manny Machado on...

The San Diego Padres start May baseball by welcoming in a familiar face, White Sox manager Will Venable. Darren Smith, Marty Caswell, and Heath Bell discuss the intangibles that Venable displayed when he played for the Padres and why he appears to be an up and manager on the rise in Major League Baseball. Heath describes the kind of leadership and thirst for learning while they were teammates and...

The new Padres owners were seen in a suite in Mexico City during the series versus the Arizona Diamondbacks. When can we expect to see them at Petco Park? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell are joined by The Athletic's Dennis Lin from the press box at Petco Park to discuss the vibe in Mexico City, what we know about Jose E. Feliciano and Kwanza Jones, and how close they are to adding more partners to...

What did we learn about the Padres after their roadtrip to Colorado and Mexico City? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discuss a wild series in Mexico City, some good signs from Manny Machado, a rare meltdown by the Padres bullpen, and if any roster changes could be ahead when the team returns home. The two also discuss the first public sighting of the new ownership group led by Jose E. Feliciano and...

Another Padres series win, another incredible Padres comeback. Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discuss the latest heroics by Gavin Sheets versus the Rockies, and why Xander Bogaerts is the one guy they want at the plate during a rally. What's the buzz going to be like in Mexico City, and will we perhaps see or hear from someone in Padres ownership? Marty and Darren are joined by The Wall Street Jou...

How much better are the Padres after the surprising signing of Lucas Giolito? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell are joined by former All-Star closer Heath Bell to discuss Giolito's signing, how long it will take him to get caught up to speed, and how he fits the team's rotation. There are plenty of teams that were looking for starting pitching so why were the Padres right fit? Heath discusses what go...

Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discuss the biggest storylines of the week ahead of the Padres series at the Colorado Rockies and Mexico City. The duo discuss the Padres incredible offensive numbers at Coors Field and Mexico City, what it means for the team's offense and the wear it puts on the pitching staff. Marty and Darren address the concerns to the already thin rotation, Walker Buehler's numb...

Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discuss billionaire Jose Feliciano's agreement to buy the Padres for a record $3.9 billion dollars. Darren breaks down what we know about the owner of Chelsea, if he'll be a hands-on owner and the timing of the news coming out. The show welcomes in Kyle Glaser to discuss the pending ownership change, why the Padres are receiving such a sum and how it'll be perceived...

The San Diego Padres have now won six straight games but the news is tempered by ace pitcher Nick Pivetta landing on the injured list with elbow inflammation. Marty Caswell, Darren Smith and Heath Bell discuss Craig Stammen's comments on his injury. Heath explains why Pivetta is going to miss at least 4-6 weeks, if not more. The show then discusses how much Pivetta's possible opt-out at the end of...

What a newsy weekend it was for the San Diego Padres following their four-game sweep over the Colorado Rockies. From the Padres slugging nine home runs in the series, Luis Campusano's five-game hitting streak, Ramon Laureano surging in the leadoff role to losing Jeremiah Estrada with elbow tendonitis, there was no shortage of topics. Marty Caswell and Darren Smith discuss the concerns over Nick Pi...

Does Xander Bogaerts have his swag back? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discuss Xander Bogaerts walk-off grand slam versus the Colorado Rockies, and the type of confidence he's playing with. 13 games in, 13 different lineups for Padres manager Craig Stammen. Marty and Darren discuss the Padres offensive identity and how Manny Machado, who didn't get a day off in 2025 until September, reacted to a...

The San Diego Padres are back to .500 after an encouraging 4-2 road trip at the Red Sox and Pirates, but the biggest question hovering over the team continues to be who the next owner of the team will be. Darren Smith and Marty Caswell are joined by The Athletic's Dennis Lin with the latest on the timeline for a sale, if there's a clear frontrunner and how prospective owners are evaluating the fra...

Are the Padres starting to figure out who they really are? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discussed the biggest takeaways from the Padres first winning series versus the Red Sox, and German Marquez's promising outing versus the Pittsburgh Pirates. Are we starting to see some good signs from the heart of the Padres offense? From Manny Machado's first home run to Fernando Tatis overcoming a terrible...

What have we learned about the Padres after the first homestand of the season? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discuss the 2-4 home stand and the team preparing for their first road trip. Xander Bogaerts will play in front of his former Boston Red Sox fans for the first time since he signed his stunning contract with the Padres. Darren points out that the Padres will see the Pirates top rookie, 19-...

The San Diego Padres avoided a home sweep by the San Francisco Giants but questions still remain about the lineup. Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discussed Craig Stammen's lineup construction and why all the credit goes to bench coach Randy Knorr. The duo then discuss a strong start by Nick Pivetta after a disastrous opening day start, using Mason Miller for a four-out save and why Ramon Laureano...

What did we learn about the San Diego Padres after their 1-2 opening series versus the Detroit Tigers? Marty Caswell and Darren Smith discuss what they liked about ABS , Luis Campusano's big advantage and a terrific performance by Randy Vasquez. The duo then discussed Craig Stammen's bullpen decisions on Friday night versus the Tigers, and why he decided before the game not to use Mason Miller in...

What did we learn about the San Diego Padres after an 8-2 opening pummeling by the Detroit Tigers? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discussed a rough outing by Nick Pivetta, if there's more to his arm fatigue and whether or not he can duplicate his terrific 2025 season. We hear from Xander Bogaerts on why Pivetta just didn't have "it" and moving on from a rough opening day loss. The more things chan...

Marty Caswell and Darren Smith are joined by two San Diego legends to preview the start of the Padres 2026 season. First, Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman joins the show to discuss the team's rotation, the lights-out bullpen, how players are responding to Craig Stammen, a fresh start for Walker Buehler and how much Germán Márquez will benefit pitching away from Coors Field. The trio then...

How optimistic are we about the Padres heading into 2026? Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discuss the end of spring training, and Nick Pivetta finally being named the opening day starter versus the Tigers. The two discuss what to make of Fernando Tatis being back in the leadoff spot and Walker Buehler's rough outing. The show then welcomes back a familiar face! Kyle Glaser joins Friar Territory to...

Darren Smith and Marty Caswell kick off the show by talking to Padres special assistant and former MLB catcher A.J. Ellis. Ellis discusses the challenges of the upcoming season with ABS, working with catchers and why he's so excited for what's to come with Luis Campusano. The trio also discuss the Padres pitching staff, the incredible growth of Randy Vasquez and how much he's gained by working wit...

Padres opening day is in one week! Darren Smith and Marty Caswell discuss the biggest storylines with a handful of games left as Manny Machado and Fernando Tatis return to Peoria. What are we looking for in the Spring Breakout game? Darren and Marty are joined by David Jay of Mad Friars on the state of the Padres farm system, realistic expectations for Ethan Salas, and the top pitching prospects l...