SD Padres
- Alias
- San Diego San Diego Padres
- Leagues Played
- MLB 1283 MLB Spring Training 187 MLB Exhibition 91 MLB Futures 2024 1
- Links
- mlb.com/padres Wikipedia
SD Padres v
Wikipedia - San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are an American professional baseball team based in San Diego. The Padres compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The team plays its home games at Petco Park in downtown San Diego. Founded in 1969 as an expansion franchise, the Padres adopted their name from the Pacific Coast League (PCL) team that arrived in San Diego in 1936. The team's name, Spanish for "fathers", refers to the Spanish Franciscan friars who founded Mission San Diego in 1769.
In 1976, Randy Jones achieved the first Cy Young Award for the Padres. In the 1980s, Tony Gwynn became a major star, winning eight National League batting titles. Under manager Dick Williams, the Padres clinched their first NL pennant, losing to the Detroit Tigers in the 1984 World Series. In 1995, Kevin Towers became general manager; under his lead, Ken Caminiti became the first Padres player to win the MVP Award. The Padres achieved their second NL pennant alongside Trevor Hoffman, eventually being swept by the New York Yankees in the 1998 World Series.
The Padres are owned by the estate of Peter Seidler, who owned the team from 2012 until his death in 2023. The team has won two NL pennants, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both years; they are the oldest team that has never won the World Series, along with the Milwaukee Brewers. As of 2024, the Padres have had 18 winning seasons in franchise history. Despite reaching the postseason five times from 2005 to 2024, the team has yet to return to the World Series. From 1969 through 2024, the Padres have an overall record of 4,127–4,717–2 (.467).
History
Pacific Coast League
The Padres adopted their name from the Pacific Coast League team that arrived in San Diego in 1936. This minor league franchise won the PCL title in 1937, led by 18-year-old Ted Williams, the future Hall of Famer who was a native of San Diego.
Major League Baseball
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In 1969, the Padres joined the ranks of Major League Baseball as one of four new expansion teams, along with the Montreal Expos (now the Washington Nationals), the Kansas City Royals, and the Seattle Pilots (now the Milwaukee Brewers). One of its earliest owners was C. Arnholt Smith, a prominent San Diego businessman and former owner of the PCL Padres whose interests included banking, tuna fishing, hotels, real estate and an airline. Despite initial excitement, the guidance of longtime baseball executives, Eddie Leishman and Buzzie Bavasi, as well as a new stadium, the team struggled; the Padres finished in last place in each of its first six seasons in the NL West, losing 100 games or more four times. One of the few bright spots on the team during the early years was first baseman and slugger Nate Colbert, an expansion draftee from the Houston Astros and was the long-time home run leader until 2024, when Manny Machado overtook him.
The team's fortunes gradually improved as they won five National League West titles and reached the World Series twice, in 1984 and in 1998, but lost both times. The Padres' main draw during the 1980s and 1990s was Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn, who won eight league batting titles. They moved into their current stadium, Petco Park, in 2004.
On August 20, 2020, the Padres became the first team in MLB history to hit a grand slam in four consecutive games earning the nickname, "Slam Diego Padres".
Until 2021, the Padres were the last team in MLB that had yet to throw a no-hitter. The record was broken on April 9, 2021, as Joe Musgrove accomplished the feat against the Texas Rangers, finally ending the longest no-hit drought by a team in MLB history. On September 5, 1997, Andy Ashby took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, which was previously the closest that the team had come to achieving this feat. In 2024, first year Padre Dylan Cease threw a no-hitter against the Washington Nationals on July 25th.
On November 14, 2023, Peter Seidler, who owned the Padres since 2012, died at the age of 63.
The SD Padres play their home games at Petco Park, a state-of-the-art stadium located in downtown San Diego. The team's colors are navy blue, white, and sand, and their mascot is a Swinging Friar named "The Swinging Friar."
Over the years, the SD Padres have had their share of successes, including multiple playoff appearances and a National League pennant in 1984. The team has also produced several Hall of Fame players, such as Tony Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman.
The SD Padres are known for their passionate fan base, known as the "Friar Faithful," who show unwavering support for the team through thick and thin. With a talented roster and dedicated coaching staff, the SD Padres continue to strive for success and aim to bring a World Series championship to San Diego.