"Hi, I was part of a starting Padres double-play combo. Nice to meet you."

With the recent improved play of Jeudy Valdez and Jonathan Galvez - the primary double-play combo this season for the Padres High-A affiliate Lake Elsinore Storm - it got me thinking about Padres double-play combos of the past.

So, without further ado, I present to you a list of Padres starting double-play combos from 1969 to present day. Note: this list has not been edited or manipulated in any way. Special effects have not been used to pretty up this list. These actually were the primary double-play combos (in terms of games played at 2B and SS) for each Padres team.

1969: Jose Arcia and Tommy Dean
1970: Dave Campbell and Tommy Dean
1971: Don Mason and Enzo Hernandez
1972: Derrel Thomas and Enzo Hernandez
1973: Rich Morales and Derrel Thomas
1974: Derrel Thomas and Enzo Hernandez
1975: Tito Fuentes and Enzo Hernandez
1976: Tito Fuentes and Enzo Hernandez
1977: Mike Champion and Bill Almon
1978: Fernando Gonzalez and Ozzie Smith
1979: Fernando Gonzalez and Ozzie Smith
1980: Dave Cash and Ozzie Smith
1981: Juan Bonilla and Ozzie Smith
1982: Tim Flannery and Garry Templeton
1983: Juan Bonilla and Garry Templeton
1984: Alan Wiggins and Garry Templeton
1985: Tim Flannery and Garry Templeton
1986: Tim Flannery and Garry Templeton
1987: Tim Flannery and Garry Templeton
1988: Roberto Alomar and Garry Templeton
1989: Roberto Alomar and Garry Templeton
1990: Roberto Alomar and Garry Templeton
1991: Bip Roberts and Tony Fernandez
1992: Kurt Stillwell and Tony Fernandez
1993: Jeff Gardner and Ricky Gutierrez
1994: Bip Roberts and Ricky Gutierrez
1995: Jody Reed and Andujar Cedeno
1996: Jody Reed and Chris Gomez
1997: Quilvio Veras and Chris Gomez
1998: Quilvio Veras and Chris Gomez
1999: Quilvio Veras and Damian Jackson
2000: Bret Boone and Damian Jackson
2001: Damian Jackson and D'Angelo Jimenez
2002: Ramon Vazquez and Deivi Cruz
2003: Mark Loretta and Ramon Vazquez
2004: Mark Loretta and Khalil Greene
2005: Mark Loretta and Khalil Greene
2006: Josh Barfield and Khalil Greene
2007: Marcus Giles and Khalil Greene
2008: Tadahito Iguchi and Khalil Greene
2009: David Eckstein and Everth Cabrera
2010: David Eckstein and Miguel Tejada
2011: Orlando Hudson and Jason Bartlett

Now, if you were to say, "Hey Ryan, that's a nice list, but what are your top five?" Well, I'd answer like this:

1. Wiggins and Templeton '84 - you can't top the first World Series in team history
2. Loretta and Khalil '04 - the promise of a young Khalil teamed with Loretta's career year
3. Veras and Gomez '98 - bootstrapped because they were part of a World Series team, but still a sneaky solid tandem
4. Gonzalez and Smith '78 - the dp combo on the first winning team in franchise history, one of whom might be the best defensive SS of all time
5. Eckstein and Cabrera '09 - mostly because I wanted to get Eck on this list; if you build a team with a few studs and then toss in Eck at 2B you've got a good chance at a winner

And my five least favorites?

5. Ramon Vazquez and Deivi Cruz '02 - nothing against these guys but I just don't remember them at all
4. Iguchi and Greene '98 - such a disappointing season that spiraled out of control after Trevor blew some early-season saves; also, Iguchi and Khalil were useless
3. Reed and Cedeno '95 - this one is personal; when the Padres acquired Cedeno everyone told me how good he was going to be; thanks, guys
2. Hudson and Bartlett '11 - I'm well past tired of these guys; not that they aren't okay players, but I'd like to see Forsythe and Everth get some ABs immediately
1. Any combo with Enzo Hernandez '71-'71, '74-'76 - I know it's not fair, but when I imagine Enzo's time in San Diego in the 1970s, I picture him cruising around the city, speaking a lot of Spanish, not caring about his peformance on the field, surrounded at all times by a cloud of marijuana smoke; basically I imagine a Cheech and Chong film