From the Izidoro residence in Mission Valley – I can’t stand Padres road trips. I feel like every time the Friars hit the road; something wild happens, they lose their juice, or it ends in disaster. Chicago in the freezing cold with winds keeping everything in the yard… sure; a minor-league stadium in Sacramento that can’t keep anything in the yard…why not?

Add in the fact that Jackson Merrill hits the IL with a hamstring strain, Jake Cronenworth is dealing with cramps, and Fernando Tatis Jr. tweaks his shoulder, I feel like the whole Padres team is feeling like Jimmy Bullard after winning the series against the A’s. (see below)

Jimmy Bullard – Get me out of this shit hole pic.twitter.com/sn7FQroiUE

— PJ (@PJ25246872) October 31, 2023

When you consider the fact that the Padres went from playing some of the most well-rounded baseball in the league to some of the worst in a matter of a week, the fact they came away from this road trip 3-3 should be celebrate in the clubhouse and among the fanbase.

My Biggest Takeaways

THE GOOD

This team fights until the end – That comeback win against the Cubbies was phenomenal; the Padres had no business winning that game against a very hot Cubs team, and yet they did, and they can now celebrate being the first MLB team to 10 wins because of it.

The hot corners heat up – Manny was already hot from the opening home stand, but Luis Arraez announces his presence with authority. Arraez bats .423 & Machado hits .280 on the road trip. Manny’s numbers are dragged down by an 0-4 performance against the Cubs; but outside of his raw numbers, his hits have been extremely timely. Manny continues to have the presence at the dish that suggests he will come up with “the” hit in that moment that the Padres need. Meanwhile, Arraez is back; four straight multi-hit games (2/3, 4/5, 2/4, 3/5) reinsures us all that he still is the exact same Luis Arraez we have known to love.

The Bad

Walks on Walks on Walks – For a rotation that has shown some real promise, these walks could be an Achilles heel if this week wasn’t just an outlier.

Vasquez vs. Cubs – 4.2 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 5 BB, 2 K

Pivetta vs. Cubs -3.0 IP, 6 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Hart vs. Cubs – 0.2 IP, 2 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 0 K

King vs. A’s – 5.2 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

Cease vs. A’s – 4.O IP, 9 H, 9 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Vasquez vs. A’s – 5.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K

20 BB over 23 IP is not ideal, but it’s not exactly terrible…take away Michael King’s performance vs. the A’s and it’s 18 BB over 17.1 IP. (see below)

It’s Lonely at the Top

Friars are the first team to 10 wins this season (what?), sit in 1st in the NL West (what?), 1st in the National League (what?), and have the best record in the Major Leagues despite two teams playing more games than they have so far (what?).

And that’s the bottom line, but not because Stone Cold said so, look for yourself:

As much as I can’t stand our NL West rivals, mainly the Dodgers but screw all of them if we’re being honest, I do kind of enjoy the standings looking like this. I’d love nothing more than to see the Dodgers have an 0-14 record at this point in the season, but we have to be honest with ourselves that they are going to be a winning ballclub for as long as they spend the way they do. I also don’t appreciate another team like the Giants or Diamondbacks throwing their hat into the ring to make it a three-horse race, but it also does make things pretty exciting. There are legit 4 Postseason worthy ballclubs in the NL West this season, though it most likely won’t shake out that way come October.

We are set up for a Wild Wild West type of season, and I am hear for it. Just as long as the Rockies know their place, oh look who’s next on the schedule. The always pesky for no reason Colorado Rockies and Chicago Cubs come to town for this next six-game homestand.

Bring them on, and bring on the aloha shirts that Mudcat will surely not fit into. Expect a podcast on the off day.

Cheers