The overhauled Padres have been provided two excellent means of bonding this week: playing Bruce Bochy Jersey their biggest rivals back to back, and gum.

Both elements collided Thursday in the ninth inning of their home opener,a 1-0, 12-inning lo s to the Giants.

MORE: | |

The gum belonged to Giants outfielder Angel Pagan. Actually, he was trying to discard it after a pitch by closer Craig Kimbrel. It wound up at the feet of Padres catcher Derek Norris.

Norris didnt appreciate that, and he let Pagan know it.

"I don't know what the piece of gum thrown at my feet is. Pat Burrell Jersey It's just kind of strange. I've never really seen that before. Hopefully we settled it then and there," Norris said, .

Pagan said pine tar on his hands me sed up his aim. He he didnt do anything wrong and said Norris overreacted.

Kimbrel, who has been a Padre for all of Johnny Cueto Jersey five days, took Norris side. He brushed back Pagan with a 97 mphfastball on the next pitch.

Just being a good teammate.

Norris noticed.

"I respect him a lot more now. Not that I didn't before," he said, per UT San Diego.

Pagan responded by hitting a triple and then loudly celebrating after he slid intothird base. He and Kimbrel stared at each other at the end of the inning.

Angel Pagan was fired up after winning his at-bat in the ninth inning. Dereck Rodriguez Jersey (Dennis Poroy/Getty Images)

Norris called Pagan a dhead

Fun stuff. The stuff of rivalries.

You could tell both teams wanted it real bad, Giants reliever George Kontos, who got the win, told the Chronicle. This division (the NL West) is going to be a dogfight.

The Padres were coming off a season-opening series in LA against the Dodgers, where they lost two of three. They have three more against the Giants this weekend.

Norris already had little love for the Giants after playing against them the past three seasons with the A's. Ditto right fielder Matt Kemp, who was a Dodger Chris Shaw Jersey for nine seasons. Left fielder Justin Andrew McCutchen Jersey Upton saw the Giants plenty when he was with the Diamondbacks.

Right-hander James Shields' hopes for a ring were crushedwhen the Giants beat the Royals in last years World Series. Kimbrel and the Braves fell to the Giants in the 2010 NLDS.

Those five newcomers can sell their teammates on further disliking the reigning champs, which in turn will give this band of strangers a really good reasonto stick together.