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Nine losses in a row. A 2-13 record in their last 15 games. These are tough times for the San Diego Padres, and their fans, but it seems all too predictable when you compare this season to 2010.
2013 Padres
On June 22, the San Diego Padres were one of the hottest teams in baseball. They had won nine of their last 11 games and were in second place in the NL West, trailing the Arizona Diamondbacks by 2.5 games.
Today, the Padres are the coldest team in baseball. They have lost 13 of their last 15, including nine straight losses, and are now in last place in the division.
2010 San Diego Padres
On Aug. 26, 2010, the San Diego Padres were one of the hottest teams in baseball. They had won 13 of their last 16 and were in first place in the NL West, with a comfortable 6.5-game lead of 6.5 over the second-place team.
By Sept. 5, 2010, the Padres were one of the coldest teams in baseball. They had lost 10 straight games and their first-place lead went from comfortable to slim. The Padres fought for first place for a few more weeks, their lead never getting beyond 1.5 games, before collapsing completely against the Chicago Cubs and eventually losing the division to the San Francisco Giants.
A Not-So-Fun Rerun
The 2013 season has seemed like deja vu for the entire NL West division. Just like in 2010, each team is hovering around a .500 winning percentage and any team could end up winning the division. If this year is anything like that one, the winner will be decided in the last week of the season.
The Padres’ long losing streak in 2010 ultimately cost them a chance at the playoffs. Bud Black, who has yet to make the playoffs since taking over as manager in 2007, is hoping that this time the losing streak came early enough for the team to redeem itself in the second half of the season.
A repeat of 2012?
Despite losing 10 of their last 15 games, the 2012 San Diego Padres had a 42-33 record after the All-Star break. That’s pretty good, and a similar performance after this season’s break would help the team finish with a winning percentage near .500.
The players who pushed the 2012 Padres to be a winning ball club — including Chase Headley, Kyle Blanks and Everth Cabrera — have been either underperforming, playing with an injury or missing from the lineup because of an injury during this latest losing streak. Hopefully the All-Star break gives them enough time to get healthy and back to their previous form so that San Diego can make a late-season run at Black’s first playoff appearance. If they can’t, it may cost Black his job.