Carlin could be on other end of doubleheader this year

On August 27 the Lake Elsinore Storm will play at Petco Park as part of a doubleheader following a San Diego Padres game earlier that day.

In 2004 when the Storm played their annual game in San Diego, Luke Carlin was Lake Elsinore’s catcher. This year he is playing his home games in Petco Park for the Padres.

“It’s everything I expected and more. It’s a dream come true,” Carlin said of reaching the major leagues. “If you can picture trying to do something since you were five years old and you finally get to do it 20 years later, that’s what it feels like.”

The 27-year-old Carlin was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2002 but was released, and the Padres signed him in 2003. Carlin split 2004 between Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne and hit .262 in 37 games with the Storm that year. One of those games was the annual doubleheader which was his first game at Petco Park.

“It seemed so far away at that point,” Carlin said of eventually playing in the majors. “You’re still kind of chasing the dream, but you don’t realize how close you are at that point.”

Despite the geographical proximity of Lake Elsinore and San Diego, the two cities are a stark contrast to Carlin, who was born in Maryland, attended high school in Quebec, and played collegiate ball at Northeastern University in Massachusetts.

“Lake Elsinore’s in the desert. We’re right on the beach,” he said. “Lake Elsinore’s nothing like San Diego.”

It took Carlin three and a half years to play his next game at Petco Park. “It’s about a year later than how I would have liked,” he said.

Carlin hoped to spend one year at each minor league level. Instead he spent two seasons at Class AAA. “I’m not complaining. It’s just the way it works sometimes,” he said.

Carlin spent 2005 with Mobile while playing in a Portland uniform in 2006 and 2007. He began 2008 with Portland, but on May 9 the Padres optioned Colt Morton, another catcher who once played with the Storm, to Class AA San Antonio and purchased Carlin’s contract from Portland.

Carlin had hit .387 in his 11 games with Portland in 2008, compiling three home runs, 11 runs batted in, eight runs scored, and 15 walks.

Carlin made his major league debut with the Padres May 10 and was behind the plate when Greg Maddux won his 350th major league game. His first major league hit was a double the following day.

Carlin’s first appearance at Petco Park was during the Storm’s game against Stockton. This year the Storm will host the Inland Empire 66ers at Petco Park after the Padres host the Arizona Diamondbacks.

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