SAN DIEGO -- Garth Brooks is trading in his cowboy hat for a baseball cap. The Oklahoma country singer will join the boys of summer and suit up at San Diego Padres training camp in Peoria, Ariz. "I'm coming down there to play ball," Brooks said today from Los Angeles during a conference call in which he was introduced as "the newest San Diego Padres outfielder -- Garth Brooks." "I'm excited. I'm nervous. I'm scared. You know, it's going to be neat," the switch-hitting Brooks said. "I want to be a 10th man, a utility man." Brooks, 37, appeared as a pinch runner for the Padres last March during an exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs. It's a fantasy for the "Unanswered Prayer" singer, who was a four-sport schoolboy star in Yukon, Okla., and earned a track and field scholarship to Oklahoma State, where he threw the javelin. He left behind his life as a jock when he graduated in 1985 -- with a degree in advertising. Brooks was asked if heading to spring training was a publicity stunt. "For me, it's totally serious," he said. "I don't need the publicity. . . . I'm going to go down there to live out my dream and the dream of 99 percent of the other guys out there." As he often does, Brooks spoke in the plural: "We're going to take it extremely serious." Padres owner John Moores said earlier it was no secret that Brooks longed to play professional baseball. "He had indicated through channels that he was interested in going to spring training," Moores said, adding, "I think that would add a dimension to the game." Some regard the move as a vehicle designed to shore up support for a publicly funded new stadium. The team badly needs community goodwill after failing to keep the core of last season's championship team, said Diane Dixon, one of the leaders of an unsuccessful campaign last year against public funding. "I see this as damage control, grasping for straws in an attempt to manipulate the fans to get what they want, which is a new stadium at the taxpayers' expense," Dixon said. "I don't think he's going to mend the hearts of the Padres' fans -- unless he can really play baseball." Where the spring training invitation leads is anyone's guess. If Brooks is a bust, he certainly won't have to go hunting for another job. He's sold almost as many albums as Elvis and the Beatles, and makes millions selling out concert dates across the globe. But he has taken the year off from touring. If he shows he can play, he likely would be sent to a minor league club to live out his dream. Several recent developments pointed to Brooks' involvement in baseball. He and several baseball stars, including some Padres players, recently announced formation of the Teach 'Em All: Teammates for Kids" foundation to benefit children's charities. There was talk that Brooks would make a cameo appearance with the Padres at spring training like he did last year, and one of the Padres' vice presidents is now head of the foundation. With the controversial trade of slugger Greg Vaughn still fresh in the minds of fans, the Padres likely will make it clear Brooks isn't going to be paid. In lieu of a salary, the Padres are expected to make a donation to his foundation, with assurances that some will be spent in San Diego. A fling in camp might allow Brooks the chance to develop relationships with ballplayers so his foundation will flourish. "All I ever heard was that he wanted to play baseball," Moores said. "I understand he routinely takes batting practice at home. He's got an athletic build and a big pair of wheels." "Maybe he can make it work -- he obviously knows the Michael Jordan story. Obviously, it would be very hard. If Garth makes it, I'll try to do it myself," Moores joked. "I'm sure he knows this is a tough row to hoe. Everybody's got to follow their dreams." Jordan tried baseball after his first retirement from the Chicago Bulls, but struggled as a member of the Birmingham Barons and went back to basketball. Brooks spent two days working out with the Padres last spring, and even got into a game as a pinch runner. Brooks, who sings of "Friends in Low Places," was almost picked off twice, diving back into the bag once. He hugged the umpire after he was called safe on what appeared to be a generous call. Finally, he was forced out in a double play. "He was nicely received by the ballclub," Moores said. "The players liked the hell out of him." As long as he's with the big-league club, he'll merely be the third musician in camp, albeit the most-recognized. Third base coach Tim Flannery recently released his third CD, and pitcher Mark Langston, who's friends with Bruce Hornsby, plays guitar in his own band. Copyright 1998 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
