Fortunately for the Padres, one team that has not yet played better than them, at least not consistently, is the Reds, who entered Monday having lost two straight. The Padres begin their series with the Giants on Monday tied with the Reds for that second wild card spot with the Cardinals a game behind. The Padres play the Cardinals in St. Louis next week, followed by the Giants, Dodgers, Braves, and Giants — a nightmare schedule for a team feeling its best, let alone struggling to rediscover the swagger that made it great.