1998 San Diego Padres season

1998  San Diego Padres
National League Champions National League West Champions
League	National League
Division	West
Ballpark	Qualcomm Stadium
City	San Diego, California
Record	98–64 (.605)
Divisional place	1st
Owners	John Moores
General managers	Kevin Towers
Managers	Bruce Bochy
Television	KUSI-TV 4SD (Mark Grant, Mel Proctor, Rick Sutcliffe)
Radio	KFMB (AM) (Jerry Coleman, Ted Leitner, Bob Chandler)
←  1997 Seasons 1999  →

The 1998 San Diego Padres season was the 30th season in franchise history. The Padres won the National League championship and advanced to the World Series for the second time in franchise history.

San Diego featured five All-Stars: pitchers Andy Ashby, Kevin Brown, and Trevor Hoffman, and outfielders Tony Gwynn and Greg Vaughn. Brown and Hoffman were two of the premier pitchers in baseball for 1998. Brown led the staff in wins, earned run average, and strikeouts, and he also finished in the league's top five in each category. Hoffman saved 53 games and was voted the NL Rolaids Relief Man Award for best closer in the league. Ashby was the team's number two starter with 17 wins.

The Padres offense was led by Vaughn, who had the greatest season of his career in 1998. He ended up winning both the Comeback Player of the Year Award and the Silver Slugger Award. And in a season headlined by sluggers Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, Vaughn was matching them in home runs before finishing with 50 (compared to 70 for McGwire and 66 for Sosa). Former MVP Ken Caminiti was second on the team in home runs and runs batted in. Gwynn had a .321 batting average.

In the regular season, San Diego won the NL Western Division. Their 98–64 record was third-best in the National League, behind the Houston Astros and the Atlanta Braves. Facing those teams in the NLDS and NLCS respectively, The Padres defeated both teams 3-1 and 4-2 to win their second NL pennant. The Padres were swept in the World Series by the New York Yankees.

Offseason

• November 26, 1997: Jorge Velandia was traded by the San Diego Padres with Doug Bochtler to the Oakland Athletics for David Newhan and Don Wengert. ^[1]
• December 15, 1997: Derrek Lee was traded by the San Diego Padres with Steve Hoff (minors) and Rafael Medina to the Florida Marlins for Kevin Brown. ^[2]

Regular season

Opening Day starters

Player	Pos
Quilvio Veras	2B
Steve Finley	CF
Tony Gwynn	RF
Ken Caminiti	3B
Greg Vaughn	LF
Wally Joyner	1B
Carlos Hernández	C
Chris Gomez	SS
Kevin Brown	P

Season standings

v t e NL West	W	L	Pct.	GB	Home	Road
San Diego Padres	98	64	0.605	—	54–27	44–37
San Francisco Giants	89	74	0.546	9½	49–32	40–42
Los Angeles Dodgers	83	79	0.512	15	48–33	35–46
Colorado Rockies	77	85	0.475	21	42–39	35–46
Arizona Diamondbacks	65	97	0.401	33	34–47	31–50

Game Log

1998 game log: 98–64 (Home: 54–27; Away: 44–37)
March/April: 19–7 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record Streak
May: 16–14 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record Streak
June: 18–9 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record Streak
July: 18–8 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record Streak
August: 18–11 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record Streak
September: 9–15 (Home: 0–0; Away: 0–0) # Date Opponent Score Win Loss Save Attendance Record Streak

Record vs. opponents

1998 National League record v t e Sources:
Team	ARI	ATL	CHC	CIN	COL	FLA	HOU	LAD	MIL	MON	NYM	PHI	PIT	SD	SF	STL	AL
Arizona	—	1–8	5–7	4–5	6–6	6–2	4–5	4–8	6–3	2–7	4–5	2–7	6–3	3–9	5–7	2–7	5–8
Atlanta	8–1	—	3–6	7–2	5–3	7–5	4–5	8–1	7–2	6–6	9–3	8–4	7–2	5–4	7–2	6–3	9–7
Chicago	7–5	6–3	—	6–5	7–2	7–2	4–7	4–5	6–6	7–2	4–5	3–6	8–3	5–4	7–3	4–7	5–8
Cincinnati	5–4	2–7	5–6	—	4–5	9–0	3–8	5–4	6–5	8–1	3–6	4–5	5–7	1–11	2–7	8–3	7-6
Colorado	6–6	3–5	2–7	5–4	—	6–3	6–5	6–6	4–7	7–2	3–6	5–4	5–4	5–7	7–5	3–6	4–8
Florida	2–6	5–7	2–7	0–9	3–6	—	3–6	4–5	0–9	5–7	5–7	6–6	3–6	4–5	0–9	4–5	8–8
Houston	5–4	5–4	7–4	8–3	5–6	6-3	—	3–6	9–2	7–2	5–4	7–2	9–2	5–4	6–3	5–7	10–4
Los Angeles	8–4	1–8	5–4	4–5	6–6	5–4	6–3	—	5–4	5–4	3–5	5–4	7–5	5–7	6–6	4–5	8–5
Milwaukee	3–6	2–7	6–6	5–6	7–4	9–0	2–9	4–5	—	6–3	1–8	4–5	6–5	3–6	5–4	3–8	8–6
Montreal	7–2	6–6	2–7	1–8	2–7	7–5	2–7	4–5	3–6	—	8–4	5–7	2–7	4–4	3–6	3–6	6–10
New York	5–4	3–9	5–4	6–3	6–3	7–5	4–5	5–3	8–1	4–8	—	8–4	4–5	4–5	4–5	6–3	9–7
Philadelphia	7-2	4–8	6–3	5–4	4–5	6–6	2–7	4–5	5–4	7–5	4–8	—	8–1	1–8	2–6	3–6	7–9
Pittsburgh	3–6	2–7	3–8	7–5	4–5	6–3	2–9	5–7	5–6	7–2	5–4	1–8	—	5–4	2–7	6–5	6–7
San Diego	9–3	4–5	4–5	11–1	7–5	5–4	4–5	7–5	6–3	4–4	5–4	8–1	4–5	—	8–4	6–3	6–7
San Francisco	7–5	2–7	3–7	7–2	5–7	9–0	3–6	6–6	4–5	6–3	5–4	6–2	7–2	4–8	—	7–5	8–5
St. Louis	7–2	3–6	7–4	3–8	6–3	5-4	7–5	5–4	8–3	6–3	3–6	6–3	5–6	3–6	5–7	—	4–9

Notable transactions

• April 8, 1998: Buddy Carlyle was traded by the Cincinnati Reds to the San Diego Padres for Marc Kroon. ^[3]
• June 20, 1998: Jim Leyritz was traded by the Boston Red Sox with Ethan Faggett (minors) to the San Diego Padres for Carlos Reyes, Mandy Romero, and Darío Veras. ^[4]
• August 6, 1998: Randy Myers was traded by the Toronto Blue Jays to the San Diego Padres for Brian Loyd (minors). ^[5]
• August 31, 1998: John Vander Wal was traded by the Colorado Rockies to the San Diego Padres for a player to be named later. The San Diego Padres sent Kevin Burford (minors) (October 29, 1998) to the Colorado Rockies to complete the trade. ^[6]

Roster

1998 San Diego Padres
Roster
Pitchers 43 Andy Ashby 37 Brian Boehringer 27 Kevin Brown 55 Jim Bruske 31 Matt Clement 39 Will Cunnane 50 Joey Hamilton 41 Sterling Hitchcock 51 Trevor Hoffman 32 Marc Kroon 24 Mark Langston 33 Dan Miceli 18 Randy Myers 32 Roberto Ramírez 56 Carlos Reyes 26 Scott Sanders 47 Pete Smith 58 Stan Spencer 49 Ben Van Ryn 36 Donne Wall 26 Don Wengert		Catchers 25 Ben Davis  9 Carlos Hernández 13 Jim Leyritz 20 Greg Myers  3 Mandy Romero Infielders 14 George Arias 21 Ken Caminiti 29 Archi Cianfrocco 17 Ed Giovanola 10 Chris Gomez 22 Wally Joyner 2,3 Andy Sheets  4 Quilvio Veras 25 Eddie Williams		Outfielders 12 Steve Finley 19 Tony Gwynn  7 James Mouton 28 Rubén Rivera  8 Mark Sweeney 44 John Vander Wal 23 Greg Vaughn		Manager 15 Bruce Bochy Coaches 38 Greg Booker (bullpen) 34 Dave Stewart (pitching) 24 Davey Lopes (first base) 11 Tim Flannery (third base)  5 Rob Picciolo (bench) 16 Merv Rettenmund (hitting)

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Pos	Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
C	Carlos Hernández	129	390	102	.262	9	52
1B	Wally Joyner	131	439	131	.298	12	80
2B	Quilvio Veras	138	517	138	.267	6	45
SS	Chris Gomez	145	449	120	.267	4	39
3B	Ken Caminiti	131	452	114	.252	29	82
LF	Greg Vaughn	158	573	156	.272	50	119
CF	Steve Finley	159	619	154	.249	14	67
RF	Tony Gwynn	127	461	148	.321	16	69

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

Player	G	AB	H	Avg.	HR	RBI
Andy Sheets	88	194	47	.242	7	29
Mark Sweeney	122	192	45	.234	2	15
Rubén Rivera	95	172	36	.209	6	29
Greg Myers	69	171	42	.246	4	20
Jim Leyritz	62	143	38	.266	4	18
Ed Giovanola	92	139	32	.230	1	9
Archi Cianfrocco	40	72	9	.125	1	5
James Mouton	55	63	12	.190	0	7
George Arias	20	36	7	.194	1	4
Eddie Williams	17	28	4	.143	0	3
John Vander Wal	20	25	6	.240	0	0
Mandy Romero	6	9	0	.000	0	0
Ben Davis	1	1	0	.000	0	0

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Kevin Brown	36	257.0	18	7	2.38	257
Andy Ashby	33	226.2	17	9	3.34	151
Joey Hamilton	34	217.1	13	13	4.27	147
Sterling Hitchcock	39	176.1	9	7	3.93	158
Mark Langston	22	81.1	4	6	5.86	56
Stan Spencer	6	30.2	1	0	4.70	31

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	IP	W	L	ERA	SO
Pete Smith	10	43.1	3	2	4.78	36
Matt Clement	4	13.2	2	0	4.61	13

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

Player	G	W	L	SV	ERA	SO
Trevor Hoffman	66	4	2	53	1.48	86
Dan Miceli	67	10	5	2	3.22	70
Brian Boehringer	56	5	2	0	4.36	67
Donne Wall	46	5	4	1	2.43	56
Scott Sanders	23	3	1	0	4.11	26
Roberto Ramírez	21	1	0	0	6.14	17
Carlos Reyes	22	2	2	1	3.58	24
Randy Myers	21	1	3	0	6.28	9
Don Wengert	10	0	0	1	5.93	5
Ben Van Ryn	6	0	1	0	10.13	1
Jim Bruske	4	0	0	0	3.86	4
Will Cunnane	3	0	0	0	6.00	1
Marc Kroon	2	0	0	0	0.00	2

League honors

All-Stars

• Andy Ashby
• Kevin Brown
• Tony Gwynn, starter
• Trevor Hoffman
• Greg Vaughn

Awards

• Rolaids Relief Award: Trevor Hoffman
• Comeback Player of the Year Award: Greg Vaughn
• Silver Slugger Award: Greg Vaughn (OF)

Statistical leaders

Kevin Brown

• #2 ERA (2.38)
• #2 Strikeouts (257)
• #2 WHIP (1.07)
• #2 Innings Pitched (257)
• #4 Wins (18)
• #4 Complete Games (7)

Tony Gwynn

• #1 At-Bats Per Strikeout (25.6)

Trevor Hoffman

• #1 Saves (53)

Greg Vaughn

• #3 Home runs (50)
• #5 Slugging percentage (.597)
• #5 Total Bases (342)

National League Division Series

Main article: 1998 National League Division Series

Houston Astros vs. San Diego Padres

San Diego wins the series, 3-1

Game	Home	Score	Visitor	Score	Date	Series
1	Houston	1	San Diego	2	September 29	1-0 (SD)
2	Houston	5	San Diego	4	October 1	1-1
3	San Diego	2	Houston	1	October 3	2-1 (SD)
4	San Diego	6	Houston	1	October 4	3-1 (SD)

National League Championship Series

Main article: 1998 National League Championship Series

Game	Date	Visitor	Score	Home	Score	Record (SD-Atl)	Attendance
1	October 7	San Diego	3	Atlanta	2	1-0	42,117
2	October 8	San Diego	3	Atlanta	0	2-0	43,083
3	October 10	Atlanta	1	San Diego	4	3-0	62,779
4	October 11	Atlanta	8	San Diego	3	3-1	65,042
5	October 12	Atlanta	7	San Diego	6	3-2	58,988
6	October 14	San Diego	5	Atlanta	0	4-2	50,988
San Diego wins series 4–2 and advances to the World Series

World Series

Main article: 1998 World Series

Game 1

October 17, 1998, at Yankee Stadium in New York City

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
San Diego	0	0	2	0	3	0	0	1	0	6	8	1
New York	0	2	0	0	0	0	7	0	X	9	9	1
WP: David Wells (1-0)   LP: Donne Wall (0-1)   Sv: Mariano Rivera (1) Home runs: SD: Greg Vaughn 2 (2), Tony Gwynn (1) NYY: Chuck Knoblauch (1), Tino Martinez (1)

In Game 1, Kevin Brown took the hill for the Padres and he was opposed by Yankee ace and ALCS MVP David Wells. The Yankees began the scoring in the 2nd inning, when rookie Ricky Ledée laced a 2-run double into the right field corner with the bases loaded. Wells was battered hard for the only time in the postseason beginning with the 3rd when Greg Vaughn homered to right-center with a man aboard tying the game up at 2 runs apiece. In the 5th, Tony Gwynn smashed a 2-run shot off the facing of the upper deck and that was followed up immediately by Vaughn's second dinger of the night. Trailing 5–2, the Yanks made their comeback in the 7th. Jorge Posada singled and Ledee walked ending the night for Brown. It turned out to be a bad move by Padres manager Bruce Bochy. New York took advantage of the Padres bullpen with a 3-run homer by Chuck Knoblauch that tied the game at 5. Later in the inning, a 2-2 count call by home plate umpire Rich Garcia was decisive. Mark Langston's pitch was shown on television replays to be a strike, which Rich Garcia called a ball. Tino Martinez took advantage of Garcia's call and on the next pitch sent a grand slam into the upper deck making it a 9–5 lead. The Padres score only one more run as the Yankees won game one, 9–6.

Game 2

October 18, 1998, at Yankee Stadium in New York City

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
San Diego	0	0	0	0	1	0	0	2	0	3	10	1
New York	3	3	1	0	2	0	0	0	X	9	16	0
WP: Orlando Hernández (1-0)   LP: Andy Ashby (0-1) Home runs: SD: None NYY: Bernie Williams (1), Jorge Posada (1)

In Game 2, the Bombers took a big early lead, thanks to a dreadful outing by San Diego starter Andy Ashby. Bernie Williams and Jorge Posada hit home runs to assist the Yankees on offense. New York started Cuban import, Orlando Hernández, who was outstanding.

Game 3

October 20, 1998, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	3	0	5	9	1
San Diego	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	1	0	4	7	1
WP: Ramiro Mendoza (1-0)   LP: Trevor Hoffman (0-1)   Sv: Mariano Rivera (2) Home runs: NYY: Scott Brosius 2 (2) SD: None

With the Yankees up 2–0, they sent David Cone to the mound to face former Yankee pitcher, Sterling Hitchcock, the MVP of the NLCS. Both teams were kept off the scoreboard until the bottom of the 6th when Hitchcock himself led off the inning with a single off Cone. He and Qulivio Veras both scored two batters later when Tony Gwynn shot a double down the line past Tino Martinez at first base. Gwynn also scored in the inning to give San Diego a 3–0 lead. However, a half inning later the Yanks jumped on Hitchcock for two runs beginning with a home run to left-center by Scott Brosius. The second run came in after Shane Spencer doubled and scored on an error by Ken Caminiti. In the 8th, the call was made to Trevor Hoffman after Randy Myers walked Paul O'Neill to open the inning. Hoffman then walked Tino Martinez before Scott Brosius tagged a three-run blast over the fence in dead center. With a 5–3 lead, the Yankees wrapped up the victory when Mariano Rivera picked up the save in the 9th to end it.

Game 4

October 21, 1998, at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California

Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
New York	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	2	0	3	9	0
San Diego	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	7	0
WP: Andy Pettitte (1-0)   LP: Kevin Brown (0-1)   Sv: Mariano Rivera (3)

New York's Andy Pettitte outpitched San Diego's Kevin Brown with 71⁄3 strong innings for the 3-0 Yankees victory, giving the Bombers their 24th title. Though New York's reliever Jeff Nelson allowed the Padres to load the bases, Mariano Rivera came in to end the threat by getting Jim Leyritz, known for his clutch postseason homers with San Diego, to fly out. Rivera added another scoreless inning for the save.

Farm system

See also: Minor League Baseball

Level	Team	League	Manager
AAA	Las Vegas Stars	Pacific Coast League	Jerry Royster
AA	Mobile BayBears	Southern League	Mike Ramsey
A	Rancho Cucamonga Quakes	California League	Carlos Lezcano
A	Clinton LumberKings	Midwest League	Tom LeVasseur
Rookie	AZL Padres	Arizona League	Randy Whisler
Rookie	Idaho Falls Braves	Pioneer League	Don Werner

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Mobile, Idaho Falls ^[7]

References

1. "Jorge Velandia Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
2. "Derrek Lee Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
3. "Buddy Carlyle Statistics and History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved July 31, 2012.
4. Jim Leyritz Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
5. Randy Myers Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
6. John Vander Wal Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
7. Johnson, Lloyd, and Wolff, Miles, ed., The Encyclopedia of Minor League Baseball, 3rd edition. Durham, North Carolina: Baseball America, 2007

External links

• 1998 San Diego Padres at Baseball Reference
• 1998 San Diego Padres at Baseball Almanac