The Padres are feeling purrfectly feline.
San Diego introduced its new home run celebration to the masses this week, bringing a black panther statue — named “Feisty Tom” — into the dugout for a game against Miami.
The result: a 10-3 win at loanDepot Park on Wednesday.
San Diego Padres’ Manny Machado, center, poses with teammate Blake Snell and a panther statue after hitting a home run.AP Photo“We were trying to bring a new spark in the clubhouse, and Feisty Tom seemed to have a little bit of that in him,” pitcher Mike Clevinger said, per MLB.com.
There’s still plenty of mystery surrounding Feisty Tom, even if the Padres aren’t prepared to ask too many questions yet.
“I don’t even know where it came from, it just showed up one day,” said Jake Cronenworth, who posed with the statue after hitting a grand slam on Wednesday.
According to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the statue showed up at Manny Machado’s birthday party and then made its way into the clubhouse. And like Cronenworth, no one is entirely sure who brought it out to the dugout. But some pointed fingers at pitcher Sean Manaea, who is credited with naming the rally cat.
“First name that came to my head,” he said. “Usually, that’s how I name things, you know, comes from the heart. [Cats, they] like to be secretive at times, and today he just wanted to smell the fresh Miami air.”
Reliever Robert Suarez has been tabbed as Feisty Tom’s handler, even if he isn’t totally convinced of any magic the statue may contain.
Feisty Tom got some attention when Jake Cronenworth picked him up to celebrate a grand slam.Getty Images“I don’t really believe in luck,” Suarez told the media through an interpreter. “But you know, if the other guys think it brings us good luck, then I will make sure to take care of it.”
