Padres Editorial: An Alternative Future for the End of 2015

The Padres saw their season go sideways early and could not recover. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports

I Admit: The Dream Is Over

With the Padres losing 3 of 4 to the Dodgers this past weekend – I at last concede that the Padres will not make a late season run for the playoffs. I know most made this conclusion months ago but the Padres had been showing flashes of solid baseball in recent months that left me still clinging against the odds.  I looked at the favorable remaining schedule against opponents above them – including a good portion against the division leader Dodgers and saw a glimmer of hope. Now, while I still think they can finish at .500 for the first time since 2010 that will be it. Hopefully they can finish above the Diamondbacks.

All that to say – what if the Padres had been able to make a late season run? The collapse of the Dodgers would not be the biggest or even most dramatic in history – though likely the Padres making a run like that would be one of the bigger runs.

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The beauty of baseball and it’s 162 game season is that it allows teams to change course and make runs like the Padres could have made this season. After all, if you don’t believe in your team to do the impossible, why believe at all? Look at Ohio State in college football winning 3 playoff games with a third string quarterback. Look at the New York Football Giants getting hot at the right time for their two Super Bowl runs and defeating the perfect New England Patriots once!

Yes, I’ll take my irrational logic and believe more than the players themselves. As proof, I’ll take a look at a few hot runs and big collapses in recent memory, including the 2007 Rockies, 2007 Phillies(Mets Collapse), the Cardinals in 2011(Braves collapse), and the Rays of 2011(Red Sox collapse). I was hoping the Padres could add another chapter – but now I finally admit it won’t happen…until next year that is.

Next: 2007 Rockies Recap