# Tough sports stats question ... **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 9, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tough-sports-stats-question/174215 "2003-05-09T22:38:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tough-sports-stats-question/174215/1 "2003-05-09T22:38:17Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![scout1222](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/34f0e0/32.png) [@scout1222](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scout1222)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2003, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tough-sports-stats-question/174215/2 "2003-05-09T23:08:56Z")
:: 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. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jackelope](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@jackelope](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jackelope)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 8:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tough-sports-stats-question/174215/3 "2003-05-10T08:02:22Z")
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: > **[MLB Stats, Scores, History, & Records | Baseball-Reference.com](https://www.baseball-reference.com/)** > > Complete source for baseball history including complete major league player, team, and league stats, awards, records, leaders, rookies and scores. 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. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2003, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tough-sports-stats-question/174215/4 "2003-05-10T16:23:32Z")
[The Pads were 7-6 on Monday April 15, 2002.](http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/schedule?team=sdg&date=20020331) 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. ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tough-sports-stats-question/174215/5 "2003-05-11T06:30:40Z")
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? ---
**Author:** ![Greg\_Charles](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Greg\_Charles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greg_Charles)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2003, 6:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tough-sports-stats-question/174215/6 "2003-05-11T06:37:29Z")
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!”