SAN DIEGO -- Travis Jankowski was standing in the on-deck circle Tuesday at First Tennessee Park in Nashville, Tenn., preparing to lead off the game for Triple-A El Paso when fate intervened.
"[Manager] Jamie Quirk walked out in front of me as I was headed to home plate and said, 'I can't let you play today,'" Jankowski said. "I was like, 'What do you mean that you can't let me play today?' He said, 'You're heading up to San Diego.'"
Jankowski shot Quirk a dirty look.
"I said, 'Dude ... now is not the time to joke right now,'" Jankowski said, sitting in the dugout of Petco Park on Wednesday morning, wearing a Padres uniform for the first time.