San Diego Padres: The franchise all-time bracket
By Bill Felber
San Diego Padres: The All-Time Bracket
No. 4 vs. 5 seed
The 2010 Padres led the NL West much of the year before losing that lead in mid-September. The team’s fortunes hung until the final weekend when they entered a three-game series with the Giants three games behind. San Diego won the first two games but lost the decisive Sunday contest 3-0 to drop out of both division and post-season contention.
Still, they did wind up with 90 victories.
The Gwynn in the outfield this season was Tony Jr., but he hit only .204. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez led the offense at .298 with 31 homers and 101 RBIs.
Mound duties were shared among four double-digit winners led by Clayton Richard (14-9, 3.75 in 33 starts.)
In the pre-wild card days of 1989, the Padres finished three games behind the Giants. Gwynn hit. 336, first baseman Jack Clark drove in 94 runs and second baseman Roberto Alomar stole 42 bases.
The club lacked a mound ace, Bruce Hurst providing the closest facsimile at 15-11, 2.69 in 33 starts. Mark Davis saved 44 games.
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Game 1: The 2010 club’s 90-72 .556 percentage is one game better than 1989’s 89-73 .549.
Game 2: Since neither team played a post-season game, this one goes into the books as a tie.
Game 3: Here, too, neither club was exceptional. But the 1989 Padres’ 96 OPS+ turns out to have been three points better than the 2010 team’s 93. The series is even.
Game 4: In 2010, the no-name Padres staff accumulated a 108 ERA+. That’s good enough to put away the 1989 team with its 104 ERA+.
Game 5: The 2010 Padres only managed a 35.9 WAR. The 1989 Padres weren’t much better, but their 37.1 team WAR is good enough to even the series again at 2-2 with that Game 2 tie.
Game 6: in 1989, the Padres fielded .976, two points below the league average. The 2010 team fielded .988, five points above the league average.
Game 7: The 1989 Padres had two All-Stars, Gwynn and Alomar. The 2010 club has not yet produced any Hall of Famers, and unless you believe Adrian Gonzalez is destined for Cooperstown there is little prospect that it will.
Game 8: Facing a 3-3 tie and with no more established criteria, we are forced to create a decisive eighth game, All-Stars. The 1989 Padres had three; catcher Benito Santiago, closer Davis and, of course, Gwynn. For the 2010 Padres, only Gonzalez and closer Heath Bell made the team
Result: 1998 in eight games (one tie)