After a good month has passed, and the sour taste of blowing a 6 1/2 game lead has been washed away with some good Patron Tequila, I managed to collect my thoughts on the 2010 Padres Season. Many people throughout the baseball world and fans throughout the world had no inkling about the Padres. In fact, down right no one thought the Padres would do a damn thing besides finishing last in the National League West Division. Only a few brave people like Padres’ RP Heath Bell, Bell’s teammates and myself, knew the Padres had an legitimate chance. If you review my 2010 season prediction, I had the Padres coming in second place and potential wild card winner. Oh My ! How so close I came right on target with that prediction.

First, I would like to take my hat off and congratulate the entire Padres baseball team, for a very satisfying and rewarding season of watching old game baseball at Petco Park. This by far of my 22 years of being baseball season ticket holder (Dodgers and Padres) was the most exciting one, only to trail the 1988 Los Angeles Dodgers season. Yes, I was once a Los Angeles Dodger fan and season ticketholder before my job relocation to San Diego. The ties have been severely cut and my loyalty has been with the Padres since the 1998 season. Thanks to Manager Buddy Black, his coaching staff, each and everyone of the Padres. I had a blast going to Petco Park and to Wrigley Field to cheer on the Padres.

Now, the question lies where was the turning point of the season ? Many would agree on the TEN game losing streak. I can not argue with that, but I believe and hear me out. I believe there were three points that were the turning points of the season. I will not bore you with statistics or any numbers, though I will give you facts on what I’d thought were to be crucial points that led to the crashing of the Padres.

1. Monday 16 August 2010 when the Padres failed to sign top pick P Karsten Whitson. This was a crucial blow, since the organization in the past has experienced bad luck with their first round picks. I, believe the bad karma was beginning to set in after this moment.
2. Wednesday 18 August 2010, when Padres’ CF Tony Gywnn Jr. suffers a broken bone in his hand during a swing. I, personally thought Gywnn might have possibly injured it when Tony flat out laid his body for a drive that was drilled between Stairs and himself on the warning track. But, this was the 1st legitimate injury to a key player and the speed was never the same again. Take in point, after the Padres had swept the Cubs in Chicago, they proceeded to lose TWO out of THREE before the TEN game losing streak. As, I said before, the bad karma was settling in.
3. Monday 27 September 2010, when Padres’ 1B Adrian Gonzalez was asked about his feelings of playing in Chicago. Oh god forbid, would anyone answer this question truthfully ! Especially, in a pennant race and your thoughts should be solely focused on the task at hand. But, no no, Adrian provided enough bulletin board material and the Chicago Cubs took it to us, by winning THREE out of FOUR games.

Now, I know many of you are asking where am I going with this ? Well, to be quite frank with you, it appears there was a pattern. All of the above events occurred with or in Chicago and I hope it had nothing to do with Billy the Goat Tavern ! But if I can recall, the  Padres put a huge stinger in the Cubs back in 1984. So I guess with that being said, Payback is a Bitch !

Yup ! It’s that time to close out this post. As usual, here’s a music video by the blues artist Tad Robinson band featuring Alex Shultz, a song tilted “Payback”. Yes Padres Fans, the City of Chicago paid us back BIG TIME !