Hairston brothers reunited as Padres teammates

One Hairston brother simply wasn't enough for the San Diego Padres.

In the span of three days in January, the Padres reacquired Scott Hairston and then added free agent Jerry Hairston Jr., members of one of only three families to have three generations play big league baseball.

It was totally coincidental.

Having shipped Scott Hairston to Oakland last summer, the Padres reacquired him on Jan. 16 for third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff. Hairston has hit well in spacious Petco Park and can play all three outfield positions.

That was on a Saturday. The following Monday, the Padres signed Jerry Hairston Jr., one of the game's best utilitymen. He was coming off a World Series victory with the New York Yankees.

``It's just weird how everything worked out,'' Scott Hairston said during spring training. ``We just realized how lucky we are to get the opportunity.''

New Padres general manager Jed Hoyer had been talking with Jerry Hairston Jr. for several weeks, and Scott had been telling his older brother that he would enjoy playing in San Diego.

``I was very aware that the Padres were interested in him. What I wasn't aware of was that the Padres wanted to bring me back. That was the surprise,'' Scott Hairston said.

``Obviously we didn't see that coming,'' Jerry Hairston said. ``I was going to sign with them anyway, and then they go ahead and trade for Scott, and that was definitely icing on the cake.''

Because Jerry is four years older than Scott, they were never teammates in Little League or high school. The first time they played on the same team in organized ball was for Mexico in the World Baseball Classic last year. The Hairstons were born in the U.S. but were eligible to play for Mexico because their mother, Esperanza, was born and raised there.

In their first game together, and with their parents in the stands, they each homered in an exhibition game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

``We've always missed the opportunity to play together on the same team,'' Scott said. ``We had a lot of fun in the WBC last year. It's different. It's nice being on the same team. It's something we haven't gotten used to yet, just being around each other all the time. We're usually on the phone a lot. Now we're in the same clubhouse. We don't talk on the phone nearly as much as we used to because we see each other.''

Nor do the brothers, who live about 45 minutes from each other in the Phoenix area in the offseason, have to check boxscores from other games anymore.

``It's great. It's really cool to see him on an everyday basis, how he goes about his business,'' Jerry said. ``Scott's a little more quiet and intense than I am. That's not to say that I'm not intense. I'm very intense. But I'm more talkative. I think we'll complement each other pretty well.''

It'll be easier on their parents, who live in Tucson. The Padres open the season Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

``They love it,'' Scott Hairston said. ``They're excited to come out and watch opening day, and watching the same game on TV is going to be something different. Usually they'd have to get the MLB package and channel surf back and forth to the games. Now they can sit and watch the same one.''

Hoyer said it was ``pretty random'' that both Hairstons ended up with the Padres.

``It really did happen sort of by accident,'' Hoyer said. ``We were talking to Jerry the entire winter and we were hoping to sign Jerry, then all of a sudden the deal for Scott came up.

``You can tell they get along well in the clubhouse,'' Hoyer said. ``They're happy to be together. I'm glad they can finally play together with us.''

The Hairstons join the Boones and Bells as MLB's only three-generation families. Their grandfather, Sam, played in the Negro Leagues and then played in four games for the Chicago White Sox in 1951. Their father, Jerry, played for the White Sox and Pittsburgh Pirates from 1973-89. Their uncle, John, played briefly for the Chicago Cubs in 1969.

Jerry Hairston Jr. was traded from Cincinnati to the Yankees on July 31. He said it was special becoming the first member of his extended family to win the World Series.

``I feel like I was really, truly blessed to have that experience,'' he said. ``It's something my grandfather never got, an opportunity to play in the World Series; obviously my dad didn't, either. That's the one thing that was a big deal for me. Not just to play in the World Series, but to win it, because you never know. It could be your last opportunity, your only opportunity, so you really want to capitalize. I'm so fortunate we did it.''

The Hairstons aren't the only Padres whose dads played in the big leagues. Tony Gwynn Jr.'s dad played his entire Hall of Fame career with the Padres, and Will Venable's father, Max, played for four teams in a 12-year career.

Growing up in a baseball family certainly gave the Hairstons an edge.

``I think the biggest advantage is you're not in awe of anything,'' Jerry Jr. said. ``Obviously being around a clubhouse all your life, you kind of know what to expect. That being said, you've still got to go through it as a player. Little League, high school, you're always the marked man in the lineup. Everybody knows your dad played. It doesn't matter who your dad is, when you're up in the box, that's you. You've got to prove yourself. Because if you don't get the job done, bottom line, you're not going to be around.''

Jerry Hairston Jr. made his big league debut with Baltimore in 1998. Scott made his with Arizona in 2004.

The Hairstons are the seventh set of brothers to play for the Padres, the fifth as teammates.