Updating Steve and Andy’s Bets

Since my arrival at ESPN El Paso in May of 2008, I have engaged Steve in a few wagers.  It started with a lunch bet in the Summer of 2008.  I didn't think Manny Ramirez would be traded from Boston, and Steve was sure he would be traded.  Man-Ram was traded to the Dodgers, and I was town a plate of tacos.

We took it easy until 2012.  In 2010 Portland, Oregon decided it was giving up on minor league baseball in lieu of Major League Soccer.  The Triple-A Portland Beavers were up for sale, and there was much local speculation El Paso could be in the running for the club.

Our hopes were temporarily dashed when Padres owner Jeff Moorad bought the team with the hopes of a suitable facility being built in the San Diego suburb of Escondido.  When plans for the Escondido stadium stagnated,  the team temporarily moved to Tucson becoming the Tucson Padres.

By early 2012 it was apparent the Escondido stadium was not going to be built.  That development really fueled speculation that El Paso had a real chance to land the Tucson team.  The big question was, where would the team play?

That led to bet number two between Steve and me.  This time the stakes were bigger than lunch.  Steve was convinced a downtown ballpark would be built to house the team while I said no way.  Steve bet me the princely sum of $100 that a fully functional downtown ballpark would be operating in downtown El Paso by 2015.  I easily accepted and now regret that decision (sort of).

Whether he knew it or not, Steve had a tremendous ace up his sleeve.  Some heavy hitting El Paso businessmen had been working to secure the Portland Beavers franchise since they were first put on the market in 2010.  As long as the Pacific Coast League accepts El Paso, it looks like Steve will be $100 richer in the year 2014.  I must admit, this is $100 I will happily cough up as I believe a downtown ballpark will be the catalyst to revitalize downtown El Paso.

Bet number three seems destined to go down to the wire.  At the start of the 2012 baseball season I said Padres' pitcher Clayton Richard would have more wins and a lower ERA than the once highly touted Edinson Volquez.

The terms of this bet are simple:  either Richard or Volquez must have more wins and a lower ERA at the end of season for one of us to win.  The Stakes, another lunch bet.

As we approach the All Star Game and the middle of the season it is incredibly close.  Richard has 6 wins and a 3.64 ERA.  Volquez has 5 wins and 3.68 ERA.

Since I have always been on the losing side of the ledger it would be nice to come out a winner for once.  Let's go Clayton Richard!