My Not-So-Unrealistic Wish for San Diego

And an early but not-so-premature eulogy for the Dodgers

I have a dream for San Diego.

It’s hopeful, it’s triumphant, and it’s likely to anger superstitious natives. After attending last night’s Padres victory over the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS, my dream became that much clearer.

The 47,743 cheering, chanting, and towel-waving fans from the game are a part of it. Their collective energy surpassed the levels of excitement I witnessed during the 2022 NLCS vs. the Phillies. It’s like the city of San Diego finally believes it can have nice things (other than the weather and beaches). The Friar Faithful is finally worthy.

This Padres team has instilled a confidence and swagger in an erstwhile defeatist fan base, told not too long ago by the NFL that it wasn’t good enough. This year feels different. This team was built to win right now. It was built to win nine more games this month.

Yes, Padres fans, I know; you’ve been hurt before. You’ve had the rug pulled out from under you, you’ve been swindled by a grifter masquerading as an owner, you’ve been sold rebrands, new colors, old colors, and bigger scoreboards. Well, good news: The only misdirection these days comes via Manny Machado’s astute baserunning.

It’s okay to believe. That’s the first part of my dream: I want you to believe.

This team is different. The mantra many years ago was to play meaningful games in September. In retrospect, it feels more like a PR move than a baseball philosophy; it protected an underfunded team that didn’t expect to compete consistently. A meaningful September managed expectations when the calendar gave way to an empty October.

In Game 3 of the 2005 NLDS, an overmatched Padres team returned home after losing the first two games of the series to the Cardinals. In the second inning of that game — the first playoff game ever at Petco Park — David Eckstein pulled a 2-0 fastball down the left-field line, sending it over the fence for a two-run homer. Eckstein was the pesky leadoff hitter. His job was to grind out at-bats and set the table for Jim Edmonds, Albert Pujols, and Larry Walker. Nobody expected the early blow would come from him.

Well, that round-tripper took the air out of Petco Park. The collective spirit of a pessimistic crowd headed to the exits. The season officially ended a couple hours later.

Last night in the top of the first, Mookie Betts drove an off-speed pitch from Michael King to the same spot that Eckstein found exactly 19 years earlier to the day. Nobody flinched. Two innings later, the Padres answered with six runs. Meaningful games in September? These Padres expect to play meaningful games in October — late October.

I expect these Padres to be playing until the very end. That’s my dream for the organization, the fans, and the city. They’ve waited long enough. Their time is now.

Beat LA? Maybe LA will beat itself first

The most critical player for the Dodgers is not on the active roster. No one should be surprised he isn’t.

Tyler Glasnow was acquired via trade this past offseason and immediately signed to a five-year, $136 million extension. Glasnow’s stuff is undeniable. So is his medical history, which includes elbow surgery in 2021 and a variety of other maladies that have plagued him almost annually.

Last year he threw a career-high 120 innings, not including one start in the playoffs. This season, he had topped that mark by the end of July. When Glasnow landed on the injured list for the first time this year just before the All-Star Break, I thought the Dodgers would slow-play his return in an attempt to limit his regular-season innings. A balky lower back was exactly the injury that could be used to protect his arm. How many times did the Dodgers front office really think he could take the ball?

In a move that felt short-sighted even at the time, Glasnow spent only 15 days on the shelf. After his 22nd start, there was elbow discomfort. After his 22nd start, there were no more.

I incorrectly assumed that when LA signed Glasnow, it was with October in mind: Surely, there would be a plan that involved carefully pacing his regular-season workload so the pitcher would still be fresh (and healthy) in the postseason. A team that is built to fulfill World Series ambitions wouldn’t ride their $27M-a-year frontline starter for regular season bulk, would they? How could they? Did plans change as organizational pitching injuries and ineffectiveness mounted? Did someone forget about the human element?

The Dodgers are one starter shy of lining up with the Padres in this series. Glasnow is that starter. In his absence, a desperate-yet-still-potent mix of relievers will try to quiet San Diego tonight.

Los Angeles is left cramming for answers to a test they’ve taken many times already. I expect they’ll have to repeat it again next year. Not everyone will be welcomed back.

The Padres are the team of the moment. I want to see San Diego win a World Series. I want the city to raise that banner. I want the fans to know they are champions.

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