The headlines tell it all. 'The Friar Faithful Frustrated". "The Padres Goose Cooked."
Yes, the goose that became the mascot for Padre fans goes back into the freezer for now. Once again it’s wait until next year.
Despite being frustrated though, most Padre fans are saying they are proud of what the team accomplished this year.
The Padres got farther than a lot of other teams that might not have if they had been dealt the baseball cards they were handed in 2022.
Their best player, and maybe the most individually talented star in all of baseball, Fernando Tatis Jr was injured and was suspended for using a banned drug, betraying his teammates and really ticking off some of them.
The Padres of 2022 also had to deal with a manager who was sidelined for a while during the season after having sudden prostate surgery. Bob Melvin came back healthy, but it had at least temporary impact on the leadership of the team.
And having lost most of the games they played against the dreaded Dodgers who were juggernauts, winning more games than any other team by far, they were expected to get blown out by L-A in the post season divisional series.
But they did beat the Dodgers, stunning L-A fans and exhilarating Padre fans everywhere and gaining respect as a team that never gives up.
And that’s the team that should be even better next season, that starts in just four months. Plenty of time for the goose to get warmed up.
(Photo Getty Images)