On this week’s Bleav in San Diego Baseball, Alex Miniak and three-time All-Star Heath Bell react to the Padres’ early playoff exit at Wrigley Field. With raw emotion and candid reflection, they break down what went wrong against the Cubs, from the struggles of the team’s biggest bats to the impact of losing Laureano’s hot bat at the worst possible time.

The duo give credit to the pitching staff and defense for keeping the series close, while acknowledging that the offense just couldn’t deliver on the road — a theme that lingered all season. They also discuss the controversial strike call on Xander Bogaerts, and why the Cubs may have the momentum to advance further.

Despite the disappointment, Alex and Heath emphasize the bigger picture: four postseason trips in six years, back-to-back 90-win seasons, and a fan base that continues to show up in record numbers. With trades and core pieces in place for the future, they close the episode looking ahead to the offseason, hot stove chatter, and why the Padres’ window to win it all is still wide open.

Chapters:

00:00 - Emotional Reflections on the Season
00:37 - Great Showing By the Friar Faithful at the Watch Parties
02:07 - Heath Bell's Take on NL Wild Card Series and the Season
05:56 - Did the Cubs Beat Us? Or Did the Padres Beat Themselves?
07:27 - We Really Missed Ramón Laureano...
08:10 - Padres Pitching and Defense Were Solid
09:57 - Jeremiah Estrada Handles a Tough Task at Wrigley
11:39 - The "Strike Three" Call on Xander Bogaerts
13:19 - How Far Will the Cubs Go?
14:32 - What About the AL Side of the Bracket?
16:01 - What We'll Cover This Offseason!

The playoffs might be over for our Padres, but the pod continues all year long! Follow on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and iHeart! Get bonus content on our Substack! And check us out on the socials at Instagram, X, and TikTok!

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