San Diego Padres powered by Peter Seidler's memory

As 47,705 fans erupted in euphoria at Petco Park on Wednesday night, it was hard to think of anything other than one man and his vision.

Peter Seidler built this.

When catcher Kyle Higashioka made the final save in the San Diego Padres' 5-4 victory over the Atlanta Braves, completing a win in their National League wild-card series, America's Finest City exploded with joy. A little less than a year ago, San Diego was enveloped in grief, mourning the loss of the Padres' beloved owner, who died at age 63. His memory and mission were with the team as it struggled to a 93-69 record, then dispatched the Braves and secured a date with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series.

Although Seidler has been gone since November, this team embodies his plan for the franchise. All season long, huge crowds cheered a brave Padres team charging down the stretch. With their late owner's initials engraved on a heart-shaped patch on each player's jersey, the Padres played in honor of his memory. Manager Mike Shildt says Seidler is and always will be a part of what they do.

“It’s in our fabric,” said Sheldt. “It’s in the structure of the clubhouse, the structure of the organization. Rightly so. Peter is with us in spirit and he is with us in his legacy of what he left us to uphold.”

Seidler wasn't just about winning. He made it a point to build a bond with fans. In doing so, he not only strengthened the Padres as an organization, but also saved San Diego as a sports city.

After the NFL's Chargers left for Los Angeles in 2017, San Diego's days as a premier sports city appeared to be over. The heart of the city's sports scene had been ripped out by an owner named Dean Spanos, who was notoriously cheap. Seidler, who became co-owner in 12 and increased his involvement with the team until he became chairman in 1920, stepped in to fill the void.

As the rare billionaire who realized he couldn't take his money with him, Seidler spent big to build a winner for San Diego. He awarded nine-figure contracts to Manny Machado (twice), Eric Hosmer, Fernando Tatis Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. He approved several major blockbuster trades in the relentless pursuit of a championship. Most importantly, he delivered an exciting product that fans wanted to see. For Seidler, being a franchise in a small market was a mindset and not a real constraint.

The results spoke for themselves, as the Padres became competitors and experienced a rapid increase in their number of participants. After breaking through on the field in 2022 by defeating the Dodgers and participating in their first NL Championship Series since 1998, the franchise broke its attendance record in 2023, welcoming 3.27 million fans through the turnstiles. They surpassed that number this season with 3.33 million fans, good for third-best in Major League Baseball. That's what Seidler envisioned: a competitive team playing in front of a packed crowd in downtown San Diego.

In addition to spending on his franchise, Seidler cultivated relationships with his players and his city that transcended sports. Through the Lucky Duck Foundation, he was instrumental in curbing the area's homeless epidemic, donated generously to local organizations, and seemed to genuinely care about improving the lives of others.

“He set the bar so high, but he also showed how it's done, which is about caring for each other and loving each other,” Shildt said. “Being part of the community and just being a special person.”

When asked where Seidler’s memory of that season was in his mind, Tatis said, “He’s right at the front. Me and Peter definitely had a relationship, something that probably no one knew. What he asked for the city and the love he felt.” For all of us it was unconditional.

Seidler never stopped thinking about winning. He vowed to bring San Diego its first major sports championship and pushed for it until his death. Already in spring training before the 2023 season, Seidler said: “Our full intention is to be all there at the end, and as we have discussed, a year from now, the baseball gods will soon smile on the San Diego Padres and we will have a parade. “.”

The 2024 version of Seidler's franchise rebuild has the chance to make this a reality. The Padres know who and what they are playing for.

“We definitely do that for him and we definitely put more pressure on him,” Tatis said.

The memory of the Padres' beloved owner continues to loom large in the eyes of the Padres and the city. In a beautiful symmetry, Seidler once dreamed of winning a championship for San Diego. Now the Padres and their fans want to get one for him.

This Padres team wants more than just wins. It is driven by the desire to live up to Seidler's ideals and win the championship he so desperately wanted.

They are one step closer to realizing his dream and bringing a parade to San Diego.