Yellow, green and white streamers decorated a hotel ballroom Sunday night in suburban Dallas. Balloons flanked a table holding individually wrapped chocolate cupcakes. A familiar tune rang out.
“Happy birthday to you …” sang Padres reliever Pierce Johnson as his wife, Kristina, held their son Breck, smiling under an oversized yellow Padres hat and celebrating his first birthday. Socially distanced and singing along were most of Johnson’s teammates, including Mike Clevinger with one of his daughters and the families of Garrett Richards and Craig Stammen. A short time before, they had all picked up personally wrapped meals to eat in their rooms before convening in the common area to celebrate safely.
Such is life in the baseball bubble.
Twenty wives and girlfriends and 30 children descended upon Texas on Saturday in a Delta charter of their own — the players would come later — bringing enough luggage to last a month, as well as strollers, baby seats, rhinestones, candles and wine. Lots of wine.
“The flight was absolute chaos, if you can just imagine,” said Hannah Garcia, wife of Padres infielder Greg Garcia, laughing. “We are such a tribe though. Everybody just wants success for you. If you have a kid crying, everyone just wants to be helpful and kind.”
National League Divisional Series
When Major League Baseball decided on a postseason playoff bubble, allowing significant others and children to go through the quarantine process and stay in Texas, not everyone was immediately sold.
“We made our decision at 9 p.m. the night before,” said Hannah, who has a 2-year-old daughter, Olivia. “I totally had reservations, traveling to Texas with a toddler and being in a hotel where it’s so different because of the pandemic. It’s not like a free-for-all where kids can play everywhere.”
She and Greg talked it over — “He looked at me and said, ‘You gotta go with me, you gotta be part of this’ ” — before packing and boarding a flight at noon the next day.
Living in the postseason bubble means not being able to leave the hotel grounds except to go to ballgames. Wives, girlfriends and family must wear badges at all times. Rooms are cleaned only if a call is made to the front desk and the space is empty. There are regularly sanitized common areas, like a ballroom-turned-rec-room with televisions, a Ping-Pong table, billiards and lounge seating; a tent that houses arcade games and a mini-bowling lane; and an art-and-crafts area as well as plenty of grass, as the resort is on a golf course.
The gym is off limits, but a socially distanced “Madres workout” outside is OK. Restaurants are closed. Each meal is picked up individually, wrapped in boxes and brown paper bags — food like chicken tenders, salads, sandwiches — for less delivery. Traditional room service is a thing of the past and no outside food delivery is allowed. You can order from Amazon, but your package will have to be sanitized before it’s dropped off. Masks, daily testing and social distancing are required.
As opponents in the National League Divisional Series, the Dodgers and Padres share the same hotel, but each team has its own common areas, with the one mutual space being the pool (where masks are on unless swimming). When the women and children do leave the hotel to go to the ballpark, they board enough buses to be socially distanced.
“I think the biggest challenge is feeling like you can’t leave,” said Stammen’s wife, Audrey. “But I think that because it’s the playoffs, everything is exciting for us. I haven’t personally been to the playoffs before; Craig went in 2014, but I didn’t meet him until 2015. So the excitement level trumps everything for me.”
For those with children, it means trying to get the kids out of the room as much as possible, saying goodbye to routines and also patiently explaining that they (hopefully) won’t be going home for a while.
“I couldn’t imagine not being with Greg in these moments,” Hannah Garcia said. “And telling Olivia that Daddy made it to the playoffs and we didn’t go. You just get gritty and make the best of it. What a great reason to be a little tired or a little frustrated that your kid doesn’t want to eat the hotel food or something. It’s so worth it.
“My mother-in-law always says chaos and love, and I think that’s the best way to sum up what we’re doing,” she added. “It’s chaos but there’s just so much love and going around.”
There are other hurdles, like navigating food allergies and late start times for the games, but the hope is to stay in the bubble until the end of October.
“We definitely want to be here as long as possible, no matter how hard it gets,” said Audrey, who has two children under the age of 3. “We’re not missing any games. The kids will enjoy it or go crazy and fall asleep. I’m sure there will be challenges but we’re so excited and grateful to be part of it. “
While quarantining last week, Kristina Johnson went on Amazon and ordered party decorations, figuring they’d either have a birthday in the car for Breck while driving home to Denver or one in Texas if the team advanced. It was the latter. She sent a text to the women to in celebrating Breck’s birthday after dinner if they wished and most of the team showed up.
“I think we all really quickly figured out we’re going to be a makeshift family for as long as we’re going to ride this out,” she said.
Living in the bubble is one thing. Getting there was another. Aided by Michaelene Courtis, manager of baseball istration for the Padres and TJ Lasita, director of player and staff services, the women navigated the restrictions and procedures. Those pregnant and some with small children were allowed to quarantine at home, meaning no one could come inside and they couldn’t leave. They tested daily for COVID-19, giving the kit to their significant other to bring back to the ballpark or in some instances, mailing it directly to a lab.
The other women quarantined at a hotel in San Diego while the team was on the road for the last regular-season series, only seeing one another in ing in the hallways or spending socially distanced time at the pool. Because housekeeping was frowned upon, a large ballroom housed extra sheets, toiletries and essentials so the women could re-stock when necessary.
“It was just the girls and it was so cool to get to know everybody,” said Kacie McDonnell, Eric Hosmer’s girlfriend, noting all the new players on the team. “These hotels are amazing, the staff is amazing, the Padres organization is amazing. We’re with all of our girlfriends. We’re in this to win this.”
McDonnell moved herself and Hosmer out of their rented house in Coronado and into the bubble, bringing seven suitcases (plus two “wine suitcases”) since no one could go home between the regular season and postseason. She also brought a heat press, used to transfer rhinestones to garments (more on that later) that she ended up giving away to a front desk employee who was a crafter — “It was too heavy to bring on the plane,” she said — and sent herself flowers to both hotels to make the rooms feel more bright and homey.
“Girls brought candles,” she said. “Adrián Morejón’s wife got everyone face masks and bath bombs.”
Also packed in each of the women’s suitcases were The Outfits.
Organized by McDonnell, each postseason game will be branded by matching themed outfits worn by the women. Tuesday is track suits rhinestoned with players’ names and numbers (hence the heat press) and three-foot tall Fatheads of every player on the team that will be raised and waved ad libitum.
“Kacie is the ultimate playoff gear coordinator,” Hannah Garcia said. “We are decked out and it’s incredible.”
Said McDonnell: “My goal is to make everyone laugh, to have fun, to be together and have a party. … It’s an obnoxious gold track suit. We’re going to look like giant golden bananas.”
She wouldn’t divulge all the Madres’ secrets, but said there would be a cheerleader night and a more “sophisticated” night. The women also have matching one-piece bathing suits that say “Madres” across the chest.
“Going over the top with the outfits gives us something to pour our energy into,” McDonnell said. “I think the guys get a kick out of us just being pageant moms, needing more rhinestones. We’re crazy and we’re having so much fun with it.
“We will never compensate for the fans. That’s the heartbeat, the lifeline for the Padres. But if we can be the extension of them, if we’re what’s representing the fan base, all bets are off. We’re going as crazy as crazy can be. “
Not everyone could make the trip. Ashlee Yates is home in Arizona with her husband, Kirby, who is on the injured list, although a cardboard cutout of her will sit alongside the women at games (his cardboard cutout is in the bullpen). Matt Strahm’s wife, Megan, is also home, expecting the couple’s first baby in about 10 days. She, too, is tested daily so that when Matt returns home for the birth, he can quickly re the team if necessary.
“Ashlee and Megan have been part of the group for so long and are great people, it definitely feels like something is missing without them here,” Audrey Stammen said. “There are also other wives and girlfriends who weren’t able to make it into the bubble for a variety of reasons, so it’s also hard for them.”
For the ladies who are there, you’ll see them and boy, will you hear them. Without fans in the NLDS, they plan to make their presence known.
“This seems like the longest and shortest season at the same time,” McDonnell said. “And this is the perfect matchup. Southern California has to be freaking out, busting at the seams. What more could you want?
“We’re juiced. We’re totally jazzed. We are ready for this. This is the Madres’ moment.”
