If you're keeping score at home, it was a pathetic San Diego Padres baseball season. When the highlight of your year is the retirement ceremony for Trevor Hoffman, you know the product on the field was not very good.

From first to worst in the National League West. From 90-wins to 90-plus losses. From bigger budget... to broken promises and a lower payroll. The Friars underachieved on the field, and though 2 million fans walked through the gates of Petco Park, they got undervalue.

San Diego.com does its end-of-season "Report Card" on that (71-91) campaign:

JEFF MOORAD: His mandated budget said the team could not afford to keep slugger Adrian Gonzalez, so he went to Boston, to earn $23 million per season with the Red Sox. In return, the Padres got hope for the future, but little on the field. They started with a budget of $45.6 million and finished somewhere around $42M. A tight dollar budget gave us a nickel and dime offense, and a last place finish. How come I am the only one who questioned the owner spending $16M to buy a Pacific Coast League franchise, rather than add that $16M to the major league payroll. Yes, he's poured money into the farm system, but he has delivered minor league baseball at major league prices. I believe in his blueprint, building thru the farm system. I just don't like what was on he field this year. Grade C

JED HOYER: He had a fabulous rookie season as General Manager. Seven key acquisition rentals, that pushed the team into the pennant race. He suffered a sophomore slump, wasting nearly 8M on bats that did not pan out. Hoyer swung and missed on 5-veteran players. The holes in the roster killed the batting order. Luckily they don't owe any further money to Ryan Ludwick, Brad Hawpe and Jorge Cantu, but they are stuck with another year of Jason Bartlett and Orlando Hudson. Life must be great when you earn $5M and are allowed to hit .250. The trade for Cam Maybin was a steal, Aaron Harang won 14-games & Dustin Moseley pitched well without run support. Jesus Guzman, a career minor leaguer, had a huge .300-season at bat, though he has no glove. But in making 14-off season roster moves, the GM swung and missed a lot in the last place season. Grade C

JASON MC LEOD: He runs the farm system, and his organization did very well. San Antonio won the Texas League playoffs, and at one point the Missions were 50-games over .500, loaded with pitching. Casey Kelly, Joe Weiland and Rob Erlin may be just a year away from pitching at Petco Park. Top draft picks Cory Spagenberg and Jedd Gyrko are hitting their way thru the system. Anthony Rizzo rang up awesome numbers, in the Pacific Coast League, but not in the National League (.141) and needs time. Lake Elsinore won the California League title, and Fort Wayne got to the finals of the Midwest League playoffs. Grade A

BUD BLACK: He has done more with less three years in a row. The Padres played hard, weathered the injuries, and were again dominant on the mound. Black likes teaching young players and seeing them grow. Last year he had tremendous contributions from veterans. This year, virtually no one came to the forefront. Yet they were in lots of close games., but they lost and lost. Grade B

PITCHING: Mat Latos went (9-14), roaring back after a troubled spring. Over his last 104-innings, he struck out 100-batters, and had an ERA of 3.20. He is on the threshold of dominance. Tim Stouffer grew as a pitcher, throwing the most innings of his career, over (180). Aaron Harang rescued his career with 14-wins. Moseley had strong starts and no run support. Clayton Richard lost his season with shoulder surgery, but few have forgotten how he was 14-games a season ago, and he will return. Corey Leubke joined the rotation at midseason and show enormous maturity. Add to that a 5-man deep bullpen, and the young arms on the way, and San Diego should be exceptional on the mound. Grade A

LINEUP: Help wanted signs should be on every street corner. The Padres need bats, some power hitters, and slap-drive hitters. At one point the team was hitting (.188) at Petco Park. Catcher Nick Hundley arrived with power, got hurt, then duplicated it at the end of the season. A keeper, a leader, a tough guy. Chase Headley played a great third base, and had a .300 batting average before breaking a finger. He hit .330 away from home. Cameron Maybin played virtually every inning of every game, hit, hit with some power, and stole bases with flair, though he ran out of gas at the end of the year. How could the Giants, who had first base problems all year, let Jesus Guzman go. San Diego is thankful for his bat, maybe not his glove. The rest of the lineup was spotty, erratic or downright poor. Need help, lots of help. Grade D

BENCH: What bench? Kyle Blanks, coming off elbow surgery, utility man Chris Denorfia, part-time starter Will Venable, all had hot spells, but never established themselves. Aside from three, the rest of the roster were guys filling up roster spots. Grade D

DEFENSE: Chase Healey and Anthony Rizzo have gloves. Maybin gets to lots of stuff in center. The double play combo was spotty. Left and right field were manned, but you must do more than just catch balls. Lack hitting really hurt this team. Grade C

OFF-SEASON: Decisions to be made everywhere. What is the true value of relief ace Heath Bell? Will he stay for $7M, are they willing to go higher, say $9M, or are they going to say goodbye to him as a walk away free agent? In essence, when do you stop dealing players away? Chase Headley is headed to arbitration and likely a $3M contract coming. Do you pick up the $5M option on Aaron Harang?

PHILOSOPHY: Moorad says the payroll will likely be in the $50M range. They have money to use to get a few bats. They will have much more money to use, if they do not bring back Bell, but then they will have a massive hole in the bullpen. Trading young pitching for bats does not make sense yet. Signing the right bats, even if they are rentals, will likely be the road travelled. They just cannot afford to hit any potholes like Hawpe-Cantu-Ludwick.

REPORT CARD: The Padres need to rebuild the roster, and need to rebuild the trust in the community. A new television contract should help increase cash available. They need to get away from the standard joke, the highest paid Padre is broadcaster Dick Enberg. What a difference a year make. They had it going good, they lost it. It will take work to get it back. Final Grade Point Average: C+. Not very rewarding a year after the summer to celebrate. The Padres keep selling us the idea of the beauty of the fans experience, the atmosphere, aura and events at Petco Park on game night. The real fan's experience would be a better team, bigger budget and more wins.