The damndest Padres’ season ever
Credit: Padres
“This is the damndest season I’ve ever had,” Annie Savoy lamented in Bull Durham, one of the best baseball movies ever made. In this case, Annie referred to the Durham Bulls’ winning streak–and her empty bed. But the San Diego Padres’ 2021 season has real potential to be the damndest season in the history of the franchise. The team has lurched from the sublime to the ridiculous and back again often enough to induce whiplash.
Speaking of whiplash, on Monday, the Padres trailed the Rockies in Colorado until Trent Grisham tied the game with two outs in the top of the ninth. In the bottom of the inning, reliever Daniel Hudson, the only pitcher acquired at the trade deadline, delivered a slider to C.J. Cron that landed in the right-field seats. However, that disappointment couldn’t match Saturday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the worst team in the sport.
In the best-case scenario, the Padres hit bottom that night when an unknown pitcher named Tyler Gilbert no-hit the Padres in his first career start—ever. With his low 90s fastball, Gilbert relied on location and movement. He became the fourth pitcher in the history of Major League Baseball to achieve that feat in his first start, the others being Bobo Holloman (1953), Bumpus Jones (1892), and Theodore Breitenstein (1891). Last year Gilbert worked as an electrician, and the D-Backs picked him up in the Rule-5 draft in the offseason.
For a variety of reasons, this year’s Padres’ should be even better than the group that made it to the playoffs for the first time since 2006 when they were eliminated in the Division Series by the St. Louis Cardinals. In 2020 the team prevailed over the same club in the Wild Card Series 3-1 only to lose to the eventual winners of the World Series, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Injuries prevented pitchers Mike Clevinger and Dinelson Lamet from starting against the Dodgers with predictable results.
No doubt encouraged by the mini playoff run, general manager AJ Preller geared up for this season by adding a triumvirate of starting pitchers–Yu Darvish, Musgrove, and Blake Snell. The team started the year with the deepest rotation in team history with the combination of those three heralded veterans, as well as Chris Paddack and a healthy Lamet. (About the latter, the words healthy and Lamet should no longer be used in the same sentence.)
Currently, Darvish, who gave up six hits and five earned runs in just 2.2 innings on August 12 in Arizona, is nursing a sore back, Chris Paddack an oblique strain, and Lamet a hip infection (a change of pace from his usual forearm issues.)
Even the return of one of the most exciting players in the sport, Fernando Tatis Jr., cannot guarantee success. Released from his third trip to IL, Tatis will have to learn a new position–right field, in the middle of a pennant race. In his first game back on August 15th, he hit two home runs and a single, scored three runs, and put up four RBIs.
Unfortunately, the excitement over the return of Tatis Jr. was dampened by the news that Darvish had indeed been placed on the IL. Unfortunately, the budding superstar can’t put this team on his back and carry it across the finish line.
At this point in this season, Padres fans have to wonder if 2020 was just a fluke in a pandemic-shortened season. Currently, the Padres can rely on one starting pitcher, Musgrove, to show up and give the team a chance. Although he’s had better, slightly better results recently, Snell sports a 4.86 ERA and continues to gift opposing hitters walks. Since late July, heralded prospect Ryan Weathers’ ERA has ballooned from 2.73 to 5.06. At the trade deadline, Preller’s trust in Weathers definitely played a part in his decision not to add another starting pitcher.
In a sure sign of desperation, the Padres recently picked up Jake Arrieta, who had been released by the Chicago Cubs, the fourth place in the Central Division with a record of 52-69. Arrieta no longer resembles the pitcher that won the National League CY Young award in 2015. Version 2.0 has a record of 5-11 and an ERA of 6.88.
Leading up to the season, the Padres had put together an enviable stable of pitching ponies just waiting in the wings, Weathers being one. And what about MacKenzie Gore? The pitcher of the future has become a forgotten man.
Manager Jayce Tingler has acknowledged that the team is “upset, frustrated and embarrassed.” The chances of reaching to playoffs continue to dwindle, as the Padres find themselves 11 games behind the division-leading San Francisco Giants and six behind the Dodgers for the Wild Card.
Despite the addition of the three heralded starting pitchers, Padres had to turn to workhorse Craig Stammen on Sunday to start the game, and another bullpen game has been planned for Tuesday with Matt Strahm.
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While other teams loaded up at the trade deadline, Preller valued his remaining prospects too much to let them go. Unfortunately, the Los Angeles Dodgers pulled off a coup at the time, adding three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer and All-Star shortstop Trea Turner (the former Padres’ farmhand). The Padres will have to go head to head with both in the nine games remaining against the Dodgers this season.
On a positive note—at least the Padres didn’t add starting pitcher Trevor Bauer… Instead, the Dodgers picked him up—and put him down almost immediately. The 2020 Cy-Young award winner for the National League is currently under investigation for felony assault.
Baseball has been a part of Diane’s life since her father played professionally (mostly at the minor league level). She has written for a number of publications and concentrated on companion animal welfare. She welcomes the opportunity to write about the sport she loves. Diane shares her home with her husband and a house full of rescued animals.
Great article. Thank you for writing this. It seems very few dare criticize this debacle, let alone say that the emperor has no clothes.
I doubt the team is “upset, frustrated, and embarrassed.” They have no shame. They are grown men who have no pride. And they simply don’t care about winning. If they did then we would see huge changes, people being called out and butts kicked, etc. But we see … nothing but the same old pathetic rec-league effort.
If they had ANY leadership at all (looking at Hosmer, Preller, Tingler, etc) then Grisham would not hotdog every single play, Tatis and Machado would run hard (especially balls hit to the wall), Nola would play over Hosmer, they would be punished for bad attitudes and bad play, etc.
And because this has not happened, the “leadership” has progressively enabled this to get worse and worse each day. And here we are, going from a 99% chance of making the playoffs, to missing out altogether (unless something radical happens).
Hi T,
I’m glad you liked the article. However, I’m really disappointed that I felt the need to write it. The season started with so much excitement and hope…
From all I’ve read and heard, I don’t think this is a matter of chemistry or pride or leadership. Instead, it’s a lack of execution in every facet of the game except relief pitching. It’s unfathomable that a team with this much talent could be this lousy.
It’s also incredibly bad luck that the Giants would defy all the pundits and be seemingly unstoppable.
Thanks for reading and venting!
Diane
Good article Diane, as always. I’m sorry you had to write it as well. While last year was frustrating to reach the playoffs just to do so without pitching, this year might be the most frustrating ever. E.V.E.R.
I agree with T and his assessments. Hot dog in center, an ass in left, and mr. inconsistent in right. Manny plays like he’s above effort and hustles when he’s in the mood. Mr error is now playing center field. Maybe he can be more accurate with a 300 ft throw than he can 100 ft to first. It’s good to have Nola back. A lack of offense from our catching position has cost us all year. I still like Hosmer. I know I’m in the minority but I think he gives effort. Don’t get me started on “no position” Profar. THAT was money poorly spent.
“Let the boys play”… we’re still waiting for them to play. I understand slumps but this is ridiculous. The Giants surprising everyone has little to do with the Padres play. When we go into AZ and cannot beat a team that bad… tells you how truly bad we are.
Tingler failed at the deadline. As much as he gets criticized for overpaying on trades, he couldn’t pull off ANY starting pitching? We needed a huge infusion and I think not getting any real help demoralized the team to accompany their ineptness.
I’m sad we will not reach the playoffs after being arguably picked as the second best team in baseball before the season started. This team had this city in their hands. I’m wondering if the same will be said after this incredibly disappointing season. They’ll always be my Padres as they have been since 1969. Just chalk this season up to another typical Padre season.
Hello Tony,
So you’ve been a fan for a very long time too… I grew up with the Dodgers, and we lived in Oakland for a while, so I was shocked by the level of baseball played in San Diego. Sure there have been some high points, but they’ve been few and far between. After 2020, this year looked so promising…
I too am very disappointed that Preller didn’t add a pitcher or two at the deadline and find the moves he made confusing. This team does have “this city in their hands.” Fans are filling Petco Park, hungry for winning baseball. Ownership has given him more leeway by far than any other general manager in team history. And now the Dodgers come to town–bringing Scherzer and Turner…
Thanks as always for reading and commenting,
Diane
I always like your comments, keep up the good work.
I, too, have been a fan since 69. It’s been a long, painful road……..