With the Padres on another quest to be mathematically eliminated from the playoffs before the All Star break, I was wondering if it would be possible to figure out the last time they had a better than .500 win/loss record. I believe you’d have to go back to 1998 to find the last time they finished a season that way, but I mean even for a day … an hour for god’s sake! If they won the first game of the season (thus making themselves 1-0) that would do the trick, but I can’t remember when that last happened. Is there any way to work this out?
:: chuckle ::
My cubemate saw my Padres 30th year anniversary lunch bag on my desk today and asked me if I was going to burn it.
Not following their progress this season, I wasn’t sure why. He mentioned that the team is on pace to lose 110 games this season. That number rang a bell - isn’t that what the Yankees won that one season that they majorly kicked ass (moreso than usual, anyway)?
Come on, you baseball Dopers, I know you’re out there. Help Greg out.
And please, be gentle. Do not laugh at us too hard. 
The Padres were 98-64 in 1998: an impressive record for any team, and far and away the Padres’ best season.
Other seasons they’ve been over .500:
1996: 91-71
1992: 82-80
1991: 84-78
1989: 89-73
1988: 83-78
1985: 83-79
1984: 92-70
1978: 84-78
That’s nine seasons out of 34; ouch. In both 1982 and 1983, they were at exactly .500, or 81-81. Team’s all-time record (1969 through 2002): 2460-2921, or .457.
For the more detailed stats you’re looking for, you’ll have to find someone more diligent than I. The above came from an absolutely indispensable site for baseball fans:
The site administrators have been saying for several years that they’re going to add specific game stats and even specific-player-in-specific-game stats, but it hasn’t happened yet. Since they seem to be doing it more as a labor of love than anything else, I consider it forgivable.
The Pads were 7-6 on Monday April 15, 2002. They were also 8-7, 12-10, etc. etc. up to a peak at 17-14. The last day they were above .500 was May 8, at 18-17. You know the rest.
Wow, four winning seasons in the nineties! What was I complaining about? However, Jimmy’s link provides exactly the information I needed. His reading was slightly off though, I think. It seems we slugged our way back out of the hole, and on May 16, 2001 briefly held ourselves proudly above .500, at 21-20, before eventually dropping like stone through the rest of May … and June … and July wasn’t really that good either. That means the Padres have only been at or below .500 for less than a year. (And counting.)
Thanks guys! I knew you’d come through for me! By the way, can you field and bat?
Oops … May 16, 2002 that is. I see that we were 7-7 on April 15, this year, but never got above that. Since then we’ve won 5 and lost 17!
On the other hand, the Dodgers aren’t having the greatest season either. That’s understandable though, because they’re owned by Rupert Murdoch. They don’t have a left-fielder at all, and the center-fielder has to play halfway towards right. Then they tell the batters, “You decide!”