Well, it’s October and technically the Padres still aren’t out of the race. Or, if you’re reading this later in the day, maybe they are.

The Pads have already won 22 more games than they did all last year (and they still have three more to go against the worst team in baseball), and they’re the only NL team that had a losing record in 2003 that managed to push themselves above .500 in 2004. They’ve surpassed my preseason prediction of 84 wins (which I actually worried might be overly optimistic). The Padres will end up within shouting distance of the 800 runs forecast by GM Kevin Towers despite getting virtually no production from the key free agent acquisition (Jay Payton) and a whopping nine homers from Ryan Klesko.

The Padres scrapped and battled, and slowly began to believe they could win. Fan support was tremendous, eclipsing the 3 million mark for the first time in club history on the final day. But for all the positives, we are left frustrated and disappointed by a season that could have been so much more. In what looks to be their fifth best season in 35 years of existence, the Padres repeatedly failed to execute in key situations (how often can a team have two runners on base with nobody out and not score?). They made questionable roster decisions (Eddie Oropesa, Jason Szuminski, Kerry Robinson, the #5 starter revolving door, failure to acquire any names bigger than Rich Aurilia and Dave Hansen for the stretch run) and fielded a squad that collectively wasn’t well suited for their new ballpark and who individually seemed all too aware of and frustrated by that fact.

I should be happy, and for the most part I am. This truly has been a great season of Padres baseball, and Petco Park takes advantage of what San Diego has to offer in ways that the Q never could. Every time I step into the ballpark and look out onto the skyline, I am reminded of how blessed I am to call this city–for whatever faults it may have–my home. Corny as it sounds, I do take pride in Petco and the way it shows off our city. And this year, unlike in years past, I have been able to take pride in the Padres as well. Even when they’ve struggled to execute or blamed the new park for their problems, I’ve never doubted their desire to win. That’s not something I’ve always been able to say about some of the recent editions. Then again, it’s hard to get too worked up about these things when you’re routinely losing 90+ games a year.

And this is where more of the frustration sets in. We were close. Real close. A legit fifth starter and a bat or two off the bench close. A prospect for some help down the stretch close. If the Padres could move two talented young players last summer for a proven veteran in a meaningless stretch run, why not again this year when the games actually counted for something? If nothing else, it sends a message that the club is reciprocating the commitment made by fans to get the club into the new park and support a winner. That was the impetus behind acquiring Brian Giles, right? So why nothing this year, when a key player here or there could have made the difference (and generated some additional revenue from a few home playoff games)?

I’ve no doubt Towers and company tried to pull something off, but the fact remains that nothing happened. Key competitors were able to pick up additional talent, but not the Padres. This is far from the only thing that kept the Pads from the playoffs in 2004, and I don’t want to scapegoat the front office, but one wonders what went wrong. And more importantly, how does the brain trust keep that from going wrong again in the future? Maybe they legitimately exhausted every possibility in trying to acquire help down the stretch. If that is the case, then what more can be done the next time the Padres find themselves in a similar position? What other resources are necessary to make something happen? More money? A stronger farm system? Beats me. I just hope these are the types of questions folks are asking themselves right about now and will continue to ask themselves during the off-season. Because the next time the proverbial golden ring is that close, the Padres need to go out and grab it. Momentum from the excitement of a new ballpark will only last so long. At the risk of sounding negative, the Padres are going to be hard-pressed to win 85 games again next year. With a few shrewd moves and some luck, they can do it. But it’s far from a lock. For one thing, they’re not going to sneak up on anyone again. For another, stuff happens.

The Friars made a lot of improvements in 2004, but there are a lot of questions going into next season. Will David Wells return and if not, who will replace him in the rotation? Can Adam Eaton and Sean Burroughs take their games to the next level? Which of the sluggers who can’t really play the field will be back, and what do the Padres do with Xavier Nady if the answer is both? What do they do with Nady anyway?

We’re going to spend a lot of time this off-season analyzing the events of 2004 and how best to learn from those in preparation for 2005. The golden ring is still in sight. The window is still open. New ballpark rhetoric is great, but if you’re not careful, 1998 turns into 1999-2003 real quick and you’re left with a whole lot of nothing. And then folks stop caring about rings and windows, and you have to start all over again. Here’s hoping the Padres can build on what they’ve done this year and keep moving forward in a positive direction.

. . .

Okay, now that I’ve either depressed you or put you to sleep (or both), let’s go out and beat those Diamondbacks to finish on an up note. Get Jake Peavy that ERA title. Go Astros, go Cubs, go Dodgers (yes, get over it; anyone but the Giants).