The San Diego Padres began play in 1969 baseball odds season as a member of an expansion foursome that included Montreal, Kansas City, and Seattle. Since that time the Padres have constantly struggled to find an identity and to win consistently. The Padres have had numerous different uniforms, logos, and color schemes which are indicative of a MLB betting team that cannot seem to find itself. The Padres started out with a horrendous 52-110 baseball odds season in 1969 but first baseman Nate Colbert would establish himself as a marquee performer for years to come. The team drew an alarming total attendance of just barely over 500,000 in that inaugural baseball odds campaign. The novelty of having major league baseball faded fast in San Diego as the Padres played in front of sparse crowds by their second baseball odds season going 63-99.
MLB betting records of 61-101 and 58-95 followed in the next two baseball odds seasons. In 1972 baseball odds season, however, Colbert hit 5 home runs in a doubleheader at Atlanta which tied Stan Musial’s record. San Diego fell to 62-100 in 1973 baseball odds season and was signed sealed and delivered to move to Washington before McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc saved the franchise. Although they were 60-102 in 1974 Kroc’s public relations boosted attendance to over 1 million for the first time in MLB betting franchise history.
Finally, in 1978 baseball odds season the Padres would have their first winning season as Gaylord Perry won 21 games and the Cy Young Award while Dave Winfield drove in 98 runs and Ozzie Smith dazzled at shortstop. Unfortunately the Padres would not have a winning baseball odds season again until 1984.
Veteran acquisitions Steve Garvey, Craig Nettles, and Goose Gossage joined home grown talent such as Tony Gwynn to finish 92-70 and NL West division champions. San Diego quickly fell 0-2 down to the Cubs in the NLCS before rallying to win three straight at home and make the World Series, where they were overmatched by Detroit, losing in 5 games.
The Padres faded fast and became a losing organization once again until 1996 MLB betting season when they went 91-71, winning the NL West. San Diego was swept by St. Louis in the NLDS. After falling to a losing baseball odds season in 1997 the Padres rebounded with a World Series berth in 1998, losing to the Yankees in a sweep. San Diego would suffer losing baseball odds seasons until moving to Petco Park in 2004, winning the NL weak NL West in 2005 before being swept by St. Louis in the NLDS.