Not only is Jedd Gyorko in San Diego for the first time as a member of the Cardinals, several former St. Louis players are in uniform with the Padres this weekend. Bench coach Mark McGwire hit 220 of his career 583 homers late in his career with the Cardinals, center fielder Jon Jay was drafted by St. Louis in the second round out of Miami in 2006, Rule-5 reliever Luis Perdomo was originally signed by the Cardinals and right-hander Carlos Villanueva was a late-inning reliever for last year’s 100-win team.
Of course, Villanueva is more than used to facing the Cardinals.