By Ashley Mackin | Downtown News

With Spring Training wrapping up and the San Diego Padres preparing for the 2012 baseball season, Padres Manager Bud Black talks about the Padres bullpen, new faces to the team and what he loves about San Diego.

Downtown News: Where do you and other players like to go before and after games in Downtown?

Bub Black: I think players like the Gaslamp, maybe on day games. La Jolla is a nice destination, too or anywhere right up the coast.

DTN: How do you manage to keep the Padres bullpen one of the best in the league?

BB: First of all, we’ve been fortunate to have extremely talented pitchers and a very unselfish group where there are no egos. Everyone’s also known their roles over the years with a tremendous amount of communication between me, our pitching and bullpen [coaches] and bullpen members, on how our bullpen will be run. And our training staff does a tremendous job, keeping our players ready to pitch most every night.

DTN:  You have a large amount of new faces and young talent on this year’s potential roster, how will this change the style of play and what can fans expect from them?

BB: No changes in how we play. We play hard, no matter who’s on our club. And I think our personnel will enable us to do some things on the base paths with speed.

DTN: There are a lot of exciting inter-league games this year, what teams are you looking forward to playing this season?

BB: I always enjoy playing the Angels, with my relationship with Mike [Scioscia] and the coaching staff there, having spent seven years with the organization… I think it’s going to be great to see the American League Champion Rangers in our ballpark.

DTN: As a player and as a manager you have seen a lot of ballparks, but what is it about Petco and the city of San Diego you enjoy most?

BB: I think players will tell you the playing surface is the best in baseball, and Petco is a beautiful ballpark, with the Western Metal Supply Building a tremendous landmark feature to our park as well the skyline view out in center field and Tony [Gwynn’s] statue out there too. And our of course our fans, who are outstanding baseball fans.

DTN:  The Major League is famous for superstitions, what are some of the most creative or elaborate superstitions any Padres have? Do you yourself have any?

BB: I don’t really have superstitions, but I do have some routines. The older I get, the less superstitious I am.

DTN: With all the community support they provide with the Madres, Friars clubs, J.R. Padres, what is it about the Padres fan base that you love?

BB: Their loyalty and passion for the Padres, that continues to grow every year. As a Major League franchise, I think we’re starting to get some generations now built up, and as generations pass there will be a tremendous loyalty to Padres baseball.