What a difference a year makes
The Padres held a party at the ballpark while beating the crap out of the Rockies, and it was the opposite of what happened at this time last year.
Let’s travel back in time for a minute.
Just about a year ago, the day of the 2021 MLB trade deadline, the San Diego Padres were smarting. Not only did they not get Max Scherzer or Trea Turner, but both players went to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Also, while they came close to finding a trade partner for Eric Hosmer, he remained on the team.
The Padres left the trade deadline with not much to show for it. Adam Frazier was added a few days before, while Daniel Hudson and Jake Marisnick were the consolation prize for missing out on Scherzer and Turner.
Most importantly, the whole world knew that the Padres were trying to dump Hosmer and he was not happy about it. There are even conspiracy theories that state that Hosmer and his agent, Scott Boras, worked to sink the Scherzer/Turner deal for the Padres as retribution for trying to trade the much-maligned first baseman.
Still, the Padres had plugged some holes. And they were set to take on the not-very-good Colorado Rockies at home after the deadline had passed. They still had their eyes squarely set on making the playoffs and making noise once they got there.
The game did not go very well for them. Ryan Weathers gave up 4 runs in the top of the 1st inning, pitching on a broken ankle. Then Fernando Tatis had to leave the game after sliding into third base and injuring his shoulder in the bottom of the 1st inning. Weathers gave up 4 more runs in the 4th inning, at which point the Padres were down 8-0 and the game was pretty much over.
The Padres had missed all of their targets and goals at the deadline, got stomped by the Rockies at home, and lost their best player for quite some time. It was a sign of things to come.
Now, fast-forward to 2022. The Padres got all of their targets and accomplished all of their goals. They improved the offense by leaps and bounds by adding Juan Soto, Josh Bell and Brandon Drury. They added the best closer in baseball in Josh Hader. Oh, and Fernando Tatis Jr. looks as though he’s going to be back sooner rather than later.
Last night, in the debut game for Soto, Bell and Drury, things went pretty much the opposite of how they went last year. Yes, the Padres were again at home and, yes, they were again playing the hated Rockies. But this time it was the Padres taking a 5-0 lead in the 1st inning and a 9-1 lead by the 5th inning (that they would eventually hold onto for a 9-1 win).
What a difference a year makes.
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