Padres make it feel like 1998
Finally, it feels like 1998 once again in San Diego.
A fun and dangerous Padres ballclub Friday night advanced in the postseason for the first time since the 1998 club won the National League pennant in Atlanta.
Can these Padres match the ’98 club and reach the World Series?
More on that later, but hold onto this reminder: No one should underestimate a team with Fernando Tatis Jr.
Until Tuesday — when the Padres and Dodgers square off for the first time in a postseason — it’s time for Padres fans to savor a rare playoff victory.
It’s time for San Diego voters to feel even better about Petco Park, which was built mostly with public money after the ’98 squad excited locals.
The Padres had never won a playoff game in the East Village gem, until Thursday night.
Over the past three days, the Padres and Cardinals played three entertaining games that, even with fans absent because of the coronavirus pandemic, recalled the on-field thrills in 1998.
Success in October whets the appetite, and likely contributed to the ballpark measure passing days after the World Series.
Seeing the Padres overcome the Cardinals had to be especially sweet for Padres loyalists who’d witnessed nine consecutive losing seasons until this year. Who’d watched the 2010 team, gritty but short on talent, fade in the final series against a Giants team that would win the World Series. Who’d see former Padres manager Bruce Bochy lead the Giants to three World Series titles.
When these Padres overcame the Cardinals the past two nights, they also paid back local fans who’d grown rather fed up with the Redbirds turning out the lights.
St. Louis had faced the Padres in three other playoff series, winning all three.
“Sweep the Faith” read the Union-Tribune headline after the three-game exit in 1996.
The Cardinals knocked the Padres out of the playoffs in 2005-06, never trailing in the three games at Petco.
Preller’s props
Congratulations to Padres architect A.J. Preller and his evaluation team.
The Padres overcame not having their co-aces in Dinelson Lamet and Mike Clevinger, both sidelined by arm ailments that recently f lared up.
Considering Padres starting pitchers had the best ERA in the big leagues for the month of September — when Lamet was on a roll and Clevinger was rounding into form — it appeared
Preller had assembled a complete roster going into this postseason.
It is still a formidable group, with no glaring weaknesses in the offensive lineup, the bench and the bullpen.
Underscoring the victory Friday, several of Preller’s acquisitions made key contributions.
Relievers Pierce Johnson and Austin Adams, to name two, each stranded multiple runners by striking out a hitter in the middle of the St. Louis lineup.
Preserving a 1-0 lead, catcher Austin Nola, who came over from the Mariners in a summer trade, blocked a pitch that rookie Luis Patiño spiked near home plate.
Jake Cronenworth, the second baseman obtained from the Rays in an offseason trade, hit a home run and made a difficult catch to get an out.
Of course the best of Preller’s acquisitions is Tatis, and once again he came through for the Padres.
Start with his first atbat, when he showed the competitive edge of a veteran.
The umpire ruled a strike though the pitch was too low
Without showing up the ump, Tatis used body language to in effect tell the ump, “We can’t have that, sir.”
He stood up straight in the batter’s box and paused for a few seconds.
Then he earned a walk. Later he made three excellent defensive plays, showing rare body control and explosiveness for someone who is 6-foot-3 and long limbed.
Think of former NFL receiver Randy Moss in his prime. That’s Tatis when he wants to chase down a ball.
Can Tatis lead the Padres past the Dodgers, who deservingly will be favored in the best-of-five series?
The starting pitching is an obvious question mark even Tatis can’t answer.
But the Padres offense is deep and balanced. It isn’t a f luke that this team averages more than five runs per game. San Diego was second in the big leagues in “hard hits” put into play, and outpaced the Cardinals in that category.
Eric Hosmer is part of the impressive hitting depth. The veteran lined a double in the seventh to break a scoreless tie. It was the first time the Padres scored first in the series, and just the second time they scored first in 13 playoff games against St. Louis.
After the lead reached 4-0, it was left to a closer named Trevor (Rosenthal, not Hoffman) to secure the victory. Finally, 1998 didn’t seem so long ago.