Padres 100 Countdown Continues with Bip Roberts, Gene Tenace
The two versatile players were crowd favorites
By Bill Center
My countdown of the top 100 contributors to the Padres over their first 48 seasons continues today with one of the club’s top Rule 5 draft picks and one of the club’s first major free agent signees.
Infielder-outfielder Bip Roberts played six positions in two tours with the Padres after originally joining the club on Dec. 10, 1985 as a Rule 5 draft pick.
Catcher-first baseman Gene Tenace signed a six-year, $2.475 million free agent contract with the Padres on Dec. 14, 1976. Right-handed reliever Rollie Fingers also joined the Padres as a free agent on the same day.
94. Catcher-first baseman Gene Tenace
The signing of Oakland A’s free agents Tenace and Fingers on the same day in 1976 triggered a major change of direction for the Padres. Until Dec. 14, 1976, owner Ray Kroc had not been active in the free agent market. Although Tenace did not repeat his All-Star play ads a member of the Padres, he became a key member of the offense. Over four seasons with the Padres, Tenace hit only .237, but he drew 423 walks (against 384 hits) and still has the highest career on-base percentage (.403) in Padres’ history. Tenace led the National League with 125 walks in 1977 and never drew fewer than 97. Tenace also had 69 doubles, 68 homers, 239 RBIs and 233 runs scored in 573 games as a Padre. To fans, the arrival of Tenace and Fingers also represented a new chapter in Padres history. On Dec. 8, 1980, Tenace and Fingers plus pitcher Bob Shirley were traded to the St. Louis Cardinals for catcher Terry Kennedy and six minor league players.
93. Infielder-outfielder Bip Roberts
Clearly, Leon “Bip” Roberts enjoyed playing in San Diego. Not only was he a Rule 5 draft pick from Pittsburgh on Dec. 10, 1985, Roberts signed with the Padres as a free agent after both the 1994 and 1995 seasons. And the Padres twice traded Roberts, getting reliever Randy Myers from Cincinnati for him on Dec. 8, 1991, and first baseman Wally Joyner from Kansas City on Dec. 21, 1995. The 5-foot-7, 150-pound Roberts batted .298 in 667 games with the Padres over seven seasons. He had 98 doubles, 21 triples and 20 homers plus 148 steals with 169 RBIs and 378 runs scored. Roberts had a .361 on-base percentage as a Padre while playing all three outfield positions as well as second, third and short. Roberts’ hustle made him a fan favorite. Roberts’ .298 career batting average is the third-highest among all qualifying hitters. He also ranks fourth on the Padres’ all-time list of stolen base leaders. His best seasons with the Padres were 1990 (.309 with 104 runs scored in 149 games and was named the Padres’ Most Valuable Player) and 1994 (.320 with a .387 on-base percentage).
The list thus far:
93. INF-OF Bip Roberts
94. C-1B Gene Tenace
95. 3B Graig Nettles
96. RHP Chris Young
97. RHP Scott Linebrink
98. CF Mike Cameron
99. C Chris Cannizzaro
100. SS Chris Gomez
