SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Padres already had the best ballpark food in the National League, but this spring, they decided to kick things up a notch. A mini donut stand showed up down the first base line, and several concession stands now sell replica Western Metal Supply Co. buildings filled with banana pudding and nilla wafers.

The dessert is the greatest addition to Major League Baseball since the pitch clock, and judging by how many Padres and Giants fans were carrying it around over the last four days, it might singlehandedly cover the next $300 million contract that Padres executive A.J. Preller decides to hand out.

In just about every way -- ballpark atmosphere, food, scoreboard graphics -- the Padres are ahead of the curve. Giants employees can feel it when they visit a ballpark

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