Look on the mound ... It's bird, it's a plane, it's Chris Young.
The month of May has been good for Young. Before Wednesday's seven inning, seven K, four hit, one walk win against the Pirates, Young's numbers have been superb. He has given up no more than two runs in his six May starts, giving up 24 hits and 13 walks while striking out 39.
Between Young and Jake Peavy, the Padres have a very solid one-two tandem and they could be one of the best by season's end.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Shipwrecked
The problem with David Wells' performance wasn't the fact that he gave up two runs - it was the fact he lasted only five innings while putting nine runners on base and making only 67 pitches.
I know I have mentioned this before but I will again mention it again - Wells is valuable as a teacher for the younger guys on staff, but he may no longer be starting material. And with Kevin Towers dead set on keeping more pitchers than he needs on his roster, a solution needs to be found for when Clay Hensley comes off the DL. Justin Germano is not going anywhere and it makes no sense that if Hensley is being developed as a starter to send him back to the pen, so the solution seems to be sending down Justin Hampson or Kevin Cameron and finding a spot for Hensley.
Again, I propose the solution of moving Wells to the pen and making him the No.1 option for if or when Hensley or Germano gets in trouble and needs to come out early. It keeps Wells on staff in a position that he can still tutor the younglings, it keeps the younglings in the starting rotation and it gets one of our unused relievers some playing time, even if it is at a lower level.
It also seems to give the Friars the best chance to win. The Padres have lost 4 of the last 6 Wells has started and they can't afford to lose games to the lowly Bucs, especially when the Los Angeles Dodgers are in front in the NL West.
I know I have mentioned this before but I will again mention it again - Wells is valuable as a teacher for the younger guys on staff, but he may no longer be starting material. And with Kevin Towers dead set on keeping more pitchers than he needs on his roster, a solution needs to be found for when Clay Hensley comes off the DL. Justin Germano is not going anywhere and it makes no sense that if Hensley is being developed as a starter to send him back to the pen, so the solution seems to be sending down Justin Hampson or Kevin Cameron and finding a spot for Hensley.
Again, I propose the solution of moving Wells to the pen and making him the No.1 option for if or when Hensley or Germano gets in trouble and needs to come out early. It keeps Wells on staff in a position that he can still tutor the younglings, it keeps the younglings in the starting rotation and it gets one of our unused relievers some playing time, even if it is at a lower level.
It also seems to give the Friars the best chance to win. The Padres have lost 4 of the last 6 Wells has started and they can't afford to lose games to the lowly Bucs, especially when the Los Angeles Dodgers are in front in the NL West.
Monday, May 28, 2007
Baseball Tonight
Just saw the highlights from Sunday's game on Baseball Tonight and two things stuck out:
1. Loved John Kruk's comment about Tony Gwynn Jr. striking out, saying "his daddy never did that." Classic. Just another reason why there will never be another Tony Gwynn.
2. They interviewed Jake Peavy after they showed the highlights and I loved Jake's comments about the team not having any superstars. During the highlight of the Red Sox game before, a graphic was then shown comparing the combo David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez and the combo of Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell. Peavy said the team has no guys like the Sox's duos, but that they have scrappy guys, praised Adrian Gonzalez's reaction of the bunt DP and said Gonzalez will eventually be a super star.
You've got to love when the Padres can get some pub for great play like in Sunday's game.
1. Loved John Kruk's comment about Tony Gwynn Jr. striking out, saying "his daddy never did that." Classic. Just another reason why there will never be another Tony Gwynn.
2. They interviewed Jake Peavy after they showed the highlights and I loved Jake's comments about the team not having any superstars. During the highlight of the Red Sox game before, a graphic was then shown comparing the combo David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez and the combo of Kevin Youkilis and Mike Lowell. Peavy said the team has no guys like the Sox's duos, but that they have scrappy guys, praised Adrian Gonzalez's reaction of the bunt DP and said Gonzalez will eventually be a super star.
You've got to love when the Padres can get some pub for great play like in Sunday's game.
Sunday, May 27, 2007
How sweep it is
They finally did it, the Padres picked up their first series sweep of the season ... and they did it against one of the hottest teams in the early going.
As Padres fans it's got to make us feel good that this team has what it takes to derail a hot Brewers team that has now lost five in a row. And now the Padres are tied for the second best record in the NL and have a share of the NL West lead.
The best part of Sunday's win had to be another masterful performance by Jake Peavy. And while it is still really early in the season, each start like this is helping Peavy build his case for the Cy Young. But what is even more impressive is Peavy's batting stats this year. He's now got a .231 average, better than four of his teammates in the starting lineup. Too bad they don't offer a hitting crown for pitchers because Peavy could win that too.
After a day off the Padres travel to Pittsburgh before heading to my neck of the woods this weekend, meaning I will finally get a chance to see them up close. Let's hope they can keep this streak going and pick up another series sweep.
As Padres fans it's got to make us feel good that this team has what it takes to derail a hot Brewers team that has now lost five in a row. And now the Padres are tied for the second best record in the NL and have a share of the NL West lead.
The best part of Sunday's win had to be another masterful performance by Jake Peavy. And while it is still really early in the season, each start like this is helping Peavy build his case for the Cy Young. But what is even more impressive is Peavy's batting stats this year. He's now got a .231 average, better than four of his teammates in the starting lineup. Too bad they don't offer a hitting crown for pitchers because Peavy could win that too.
After a day off the Padres travel to Pittsburgh before heading to my neck of the woods this weekend, meaning I will finally get a chance to see them up close. Let's hope they can keep this streak going and pick up another series sweep.
Strange Brew
Two games against the team with the best record in the bigs and two wins for the Padres. So while this team has been maddeningly inconsistent and unable to sweep a series, at least we got two from the Brew Crew at home.
And with Jake Peavy scheduled to take the hill Sunday, we will either be treated to a 16 K no decision the Padres eventually lose in extra innings or we will actually sweep a series tomorrow.
Justin Germano pitched a good game and continues to make his case for remaining in the starting rotation while the pen once again made things interesting. It seems Doug Brocail could be in trouble of losing his effectiveness. After giving up only seven hits in April, he has already given up six hits in his last four appearances and this time he got touched up for three runs.
It seems San Diego has the same problem with Cla Meredith. After being a mystery to hitters in April and giving up no runs, Meredith has given up nine runs in nine innings pitched in May.
Hopefully these types of outings don't become the norm, but I think it is something to keep an eye on since the team prides itself on having one of, it not the, best pens in the league.
And with Jake Peavy scheduled to take the hill Sunday, we will either be treated to a 16 K no decision the Padres eventually lose in extra innings or we will actually sweep a series tomorrow.
Justin Germano pitched a good game and continues to make his case for remaining in the starting rotation while the pen once again made things interesting. It seems Doug Brocail could be in trouble of losing his effectiveness. After giving up only seven hits in April, he has already given up six hits in his last four appearances and this time he got touched up for three runs.
It seems San Diego has the same problem with Cla Meredith. After being a mystery to hitters in April and giving up no runs, Meredith has given up nine runs in nine innings pitched in May.
Hopefully these types of outings don't become the norm, but I think it is something to keep an eye on since the team prides itself on having one of, it not the, best pens in the league.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Flashback Friday: Trevor Hoffman
As Trevor Hoffman closes in on save No. 500 (he had 495 before Friday's game), I thought it would be fun to take a look at his first save, the one of the two he had as a member of the Florida Marlins, back on April 29, 1993.
As he has done so many times since then, Hoffman entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with the Marlins clinging to a one-run lead over the Braves. Atlanta had the top of its order up and Hoffman got off to a somewhat rocky start (apparently he has made his saves interesting since the beginning) by walking leadoff hitter Otis Nixon. But in true Hoffman form, he locked down the game, getting Jeff Blauser out on a sacrifice bunt that moved Nixon to second and then getting both Terry Pendleton and David Justice to fly out to left in consecutive at bats.
Hoffman saved the game for Luis Aquino and after picking up one more save and a 2-2 record he was traded to San Diego with Andres Beruman and Jose Martinez for and Gary Sheffield and Rich Rodriguez. While Beruman and Martinez did little for the Padres, the trade still came out somewhat even as San Diego got its closer for the next 13 (not including the season he missed due to injury) while Sheffield helped the Marlins win a World Series. Granted, I would take a World Series title over a solid closer, but Sheffield was not going to get us there.
As he has done so many times since then, Hoffman entered the game in the bottom of the ninth with the Marlins clinging to a one-run lead over the Braves. Atlanta had the top of its order up and Hoffman got off to a somewhat rocky start (apparently he has made his saves interesting since the beginning) by walking leadoff hitter Otis Nixon. But in true Hoffman form, he locked down the game, getting Jeff Blauser out on a sacrifice bunt that moved Nixon to second and then getting both Terry Pendleton and David Justice to fly out to left in consecutive at bats.
Hoffman saved the game for Luis Aquino and after picking up one more save and a 2-2 record he was traded to San Diego with Andres Beruman and Jose Martinez for and Gary Sheffield and Rich Rodriguez. While Beruman and Martinez did little for the Padres, the trade still came out somewhat even as San Diego got its closer for the next 13 (not including the season he missed due to injury) while Sheffield helped the Marlins win a World Series. Granted, I would take a World Series title over a solid closer, but Sheffield was not going to get us there.
Do the Peavy
Chris Young tried his hardest to do a good Jake Peavy impersonation last night and for the first three innings it was spot on. Of Young's 10 K's last night, six of them came in the first three innings as he kept the Cubs off the base paths.
Unfortunately, in a 1-1 game, Bud Black left reliever Cla Meredith in a little too long and the Cubs scored two more runs in the 9th to win 3-1. I know that as a former pitcher Black knows what it feels like to be pulled when you feel like you can get out of jam, but for two consecutive nights, he left his pitchers in a little long in tight situations. He got lucky with David Wells Wednesday, but no so much with Meredith on Thursday.
One of the great things about the Padres playing the Cubs, Braves, Nationals and every few years the Orioles is that living in the DC area, I can actually watch those games when those teams televise the games. On Wednesday, the Cubs announcers were talking about why most managers seem to be former catchers and how a lot of former pitchers have a tough time as a manager and this series proved why.
The most difficult decision has to be when do you pull a pitcher and if you have been in the situation yourself, you are more likely to let him work out of his own jam. Now I'm not criticizing Black or his managing - he does have us at 25-21 despite an inconsistent offense and a terrific pen - but not everyone comes through in tense situations and in a tight game you have to have a quick hook. Meredith was great in the eighth, Heath Bell probably should have pitched the entire ninth.
But hopefully Meredith learned something from this and will not get rattled so easily next time. Our pen, no matter how great it is, will not come through every time but if it can learn as the season goes, we should be able to avoid losses like Thursday's.
Unfortunately, in a 1-1 game, Bud Black left reliever Cla Meredith in a little too long and the Cubs scored two more runs in the 9th to win 3-1. I know that as a former pitcher Black knows what it feels like to be pulled when you feel like you can get out of jam, but for two consecutive nights, he left his pitchers in a little long in tight situations. He got lucky with David Wells Wednesday, but no so much with Meredith on Thursday.
One of the great things about the Padres playing the Cubs, Braves, Nationals and every few years the Orioles is that living in the DC area, I can actually watch those games when those teams televise the games. On Wednesday, the Cubs announcers were talking about why most managers seem to be former catchers and how a lot of former pitchers have a tough time as a manager and this series proved why.
The most difficult decision has to be when do you pull a pitcher and if you have been in the situation yourself, you are more likely to let him work out of his own jam. Now I'm not criticizing Black or his managing - he does have us at 25-21 despite an inconsistent offense and a terrific pen - but not everyone comes through in tense situations and in a tight game you have to have a quick hook. Meredith was great in the eighth, Heath Bell probably should have pitched the entire ninth.
But hopefully Meredith learned something from this and will not get rattled so easily next time. Our pen, no matter how great it is, will not come through every time but if it can learn as the season goes, we should be able to avoid losses like Thursday's.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Kooz comes through
Welcome to San Diego Kevin Kouzmanoff.
Fans finally got to see the reason why Kevin Towers gave up Josh Barfield as Kouzmanoff won Wednesday's game with a two-run home run in the eighth inning. David Wells pitched another beauty, even though the Padres were down by one most of the game. Wells held Chicago to only one run, giving Kouzmanoff the chance to come through in the clutch.
With Kouzmanoff and Mike Cameron coming through in the clutch now, we fans should feel confident that San Diego is ready to defend its NL West crown.
Fans finally got to see the reason why Kevin Towers gave up Josh Barfield as Kouzmanoff won Wednesday's game with a two-run home run in the eighth inning. David Wells pitched another beauty, even though the Padres were down by one most of the game. Wells held Chicago to only one run, giving Kouzmanoff the chance to come through in the clutch.
With Kouzmanoff and Mike Cameron coming through in the clutch now, we fans should feel confident that San Diego is ready to defend its NL West crown.
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
A good problem
I was reading Nick Canepa's column this morning on the Clay Hensley/Justin Germano situation and it got me thinking. Kevin Towers said both would remain on the roster when Hensley comes back from the DL but he probably would lose his spot in the rotation.
Now Hensley will probably take the roster spot of Kevin Cameron but why does that mean he has to fill his spot in the pen? Now this may be blasphemous but couldn't David Wells go to the pen instead? I know Wells is coming off a gem where he pitched 8 innings and gave up only 1 earned run, but look at his other starts this year.
In 45 innings he has given up 56 hits? That seems a little excessive. Now Hensley hasn't been any better this year but at least his excuse is injury and not age.
And with Hensley getting his career going and Wells winding his down, maybe the Padres could get more for their money but letting Hensley fill the No. 5 starter role. Wells would be valuable in long relief when Hensley, Germano or even Greg Maddux has an off game and needs to come out early and the rotation would get some consistency for the next couple of years is both of the young guys were able to battle through this situation.
Ultimately I trust whatever decision Towers makes - after all when it comes to pitching he has built a reputation as being one of, if not the, best - but this scenario could certainly make for an interesting summer.
Now Hensley will probably take the roster spot of Kevin Cameron but why does that mean he has to fill his spot in the pen? Now this may be blasphemous but couldn't David Wells go to the pen instead? I know Wells is coming off a gem where he pitched 8 innings and gave up only 1 earned run, but look at his other starts this year.
Last 10 Games:
 | ||||||||||
| ||||||||||
| DATE | OPP | W | L | ERA | SV | IP | H | ER | BB | SO |
| APR 07 | COL | 0 | 0 | 2.70 | 0 | 6.2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| APR 13 | @LAD | 0 | 1 | 7.00 | 0 | 2.1 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 1 |
| APR 18 | ARI | 0 | 0 | 5.06 | 0 | 7.0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 4 |
| APR 24 | @ARI | 1 | 0 | 6.00 | 0 | 5.0 | 8 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| APR 29 | LAD | 0 | 0 | 6.23 | 0 | 5.0 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| MAY 05 | @FLA | 0 | 0 | 6.03 | 0 | 5.1 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 1 |
| MAY 10 | @ATL | 0 | 1 | 6.32 | 0 | 5.2 | 7 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
| MAY 15 | CIN | 0 | 0 | 5.40 | 0 | 8.0 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 5 |
| ||||||||||
| Totals | 1 | 2 | 5.40 | 0 | 45.0 | 56 | 27 | 11 | 24 | |
In 45 innings he has given up 56 hits? That seems a little excessive. Now Hensley hasn't been any better this year but at least his excuse is injury and not age.
And with Hensley getting his career going and Wells winding his down, maybe the Padres could get more for their money but letting Hensley fill the No. 5 starter role. Wells would be valuable in long relief when Hensley, Germano or even Greg Maddux has an off game and needs to come out early and the rotation would get some consistency for the next couple of years is both of the young guys were able to battle through this situation.
Ultimately I trust whatever decision Towers makes - after all when it comes to pitching he has built a reputation as being one of, if not the, best - but this scenario could certainly make for an interesting summer.
Finding consistency
Thanks to struggling Adrian Gonzalez, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Mike Cameron, the Padres opened their series with the Cubs with a 5-1 win at home. The trio each had a home run off of Cubs pitcher Rich Hill - Cameron had two - and helped the Padres jump out to an early lead.
Jake Peavy then went into cruise control and kept the Cubs at bay, even though he only struck out a pedestrian six batters by his standards. It was also nice to see the Padres hit four home runs in a single game at Petco, considering people use words like "cavernous" and "pitcher's park" to describe it.
It's also great to see the guys five games above .500 now and have now won four of their last five. Game two against the Cubs will feature David Wells against Ted Lilly. I have a feeling the first one to seven runs will win this one.
Jake Peavy then went into cruise control and kept the Cubs at bay, even though he only struck out a pedestrian six batters by his standards. It was also nice to see the Padres hit four home runs in a single game at Petco, considering people use words like "cavernous" and "pitcher's park" to describe it.
It's also great to see the guys five games above .500 now and have now won four of their last five. Game two against the Cubs will feature David Wells against Ted Lilly. I have a feeling the first one to seven runs will win this one.
Monday, May 21, 2007
East Coast bias
So I'm looking through the baseball box scores in my Washington Post this morning and noticed one glaring omission, the box and recap from the San Diego-Seattle game. With two pages devoted to baseball, you'd think it would be hard to miss a game.
Now normally when the Padres play on the West Coast, their box scores don't make it into the Post the next morning as the game begins only an hour before deadline, but yesterday's game was an afternoon game and last night's Subway Series game made it in.
So those of you wondering if there is an East Coast bias, here's one more piece of ammo to back those claims. Go Padres!
Now normally when the Padres play on the West Coast, their box scores don't make it into the Post the next morning as the game begins only an hour before deadline, but yesterday's game was an afternoon game and last night's Subway Series game made it in.
So those of you wondering if there is an East Coast bias, here's one more piece of ammo to back those claims. Go Padres!
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Hail to the (real) Kings
I have to say I was pretty nervous when I saw we were facing King Felix Hernandez today - and putting Justin Germano on the mound opposite him. But despite Trevor Hoffman's attempt to make the game more interesting late, the Friars won the game and took the series.
Except for Greg Maddux's shellacking Saturday, it was nice to see the Padres offense all get going. Kevin Kouzmanoff brought his average up after a 3-for-3 night Saturday (even though it dropped a little bit Sunday) and it appears Adrian Gonzalez also found his stroke Sunday and broke out of his slump.
And after a day off on Monday, the Padres should find more success with Jake Peavy taking the mound Tuesday against the Cubs.
Except for Greg Maddux's shellacking Saturday, it was nice to see the Padres offense all get going. Kevin Kouzmanoff brought his average up after a 3-for-3 night Saturday (even though it dropped a little bit Sunday) and it appears Adrian Gonzalez also found his stroke Sunday and broke out of his slump.
And after a day off on Monday, the Padres should find more success with Jake Peavy taking the mound Tuesday against the Cubs.
Friday, May 18, 2007
Flashback Friday: Boomer
This week's flashback features one of the most quoted individuals in recent memory, David Wells. We all know Boomer tells it like it is, especially when a reporter is around, but lets take a look back at his first game - back when he was a Toronto Blue Jay - on June 30, 1987.
Wells made his first appearance against legendary New York Yankees, the team he would later pitch a combined four years for in two different tours. In not only his first appearance but his first start, Wells gave up four runs in four innings pitched, along with nine hits, two walks and three wild pitches. His outing was cut short in the fifth inning after giving up consecutive singles to Don Mattingly and former Padre Dave Winfield. Wells gave up one run in the first, two in the second and was charged with Mattingly's run in the fifth.
In 18 games that year, Wells finished with a 4-3 record while posting a 3.99 ERA and striking out 32 in 29 1/3 innings pitched. The next season Wells pitched 64 1/3 innings in 41 appearances, posting a 3-5 record with a 4.62 ERA. Wells settled into his starters' role in 1989 and for his career he has a 231-150 record with a 4.09 ERA and 2,143 K's. Wells has had two separate stints in Toronto, New York and San Diego and has also pitched for the Tigers, Reds, Orioles, White Sox and Red Sox. In 1998, Wells pitched a perfect game against the Twins - and later claimed he was hung over and half drunk from the night before- and was the 1998 ALCS MVP.
He has won World Series rings with Toronto (1992) and New York (1998).
This season Wells is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA, having given up 56 hits and 11 walks while striking out 24. But his last start was solid - despite a loss - and hopefully Wells has enough left in him to continue to be counted on as a solid No. 5 starter.
Game and career information was obtained from www.baseball-reference.com.
Wells made his first appearance against legendary New York Yankees, the team he would later pitch a combined four years for in two different tours. In not only his first appearance but his first start, Wells gave up four runs in four innings pitched, along with nine hits, two walks and three wild pitches. His outing was cut short in the fifth inning after giving up consecutive singles to Don Mattingly and former Padre Dave Winfield. Wells gave up one run in the first, two in the second and was charged with Mattingly's run in the fifth.
In 18 games that year, Wells finished with a 4-3 record while posting a 3.99 ERA and striking out 32 in 29 1/3 innings pitched. The next season Wells pitched 64 1/3 innings in 41 appearances, posting a 3-5 record with a 4.62 ERA. Wells settled into his starters' role in 1989 and for his career he has a 231-150 record with a 4.09 ERA and 2,143 K's. Wells has had two separate stints in Toronto, New York and San Diego and has also pitched for the Tigers, Reds, Orioles, White Sox and Red Sox. In 1998, Wells pitched a perfect game against the Twins - and later claimed he was hung over and half drunk from the night before- and was the 1998 ALCS MVP.
He has won World Series rings with Toronto (1992) and New York (1998).
This season Wells is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA, having given up 56 hits and 11 walks while striking out 24. But his last start was solid - despite a loss - and hopefully Wells has enough left in him to continue to be counted on as a solid No. 5 starter.
Game and career information was obtained from www.baseball-reference.com.
Quick thoughts
Just a couple of quick thoughts from the Reds series.
1. I would have thought this a couple of years ago but based on performance this season, who would have thought Greg Maddux and David Wells would have solid outings while Jake Peavy would need some help? Granted, Wells didn't win his outing either, and the Padres lost that game, but he actually held down the fort pretty well. Maybe this old part of the rotation will be able to hold its own for one more year after all.
2. After slow starts it's nice to see Mike Cameron and Kevin Kouzmanoff starting to get comfortable at the plate, but how depressing is it to go 3-for-3 and only raise your batting average to .163. A couple more games like that and he may actually get his average north of the Mendoza Line.
3. While Cameron and Kouzmanoff heat up, Adrian Gonzalez is cooling off. Gonzalez was 1-for-13 during the Reds series with no RBIs and no HRs. May has been a tough month in general for Gonzalez as he has only added 3 HRs and 6 RBIs to his solid April totals while hitting a sparse .211.
The Mariners and Miguel Batista are up next. Batista is 3-3 this year but his ERA is a nice 6.98 - well at least it's nice for the Padres who might be able to get some runs Friday.
1. I would have thought this a couple of years ago but based on performance this season, who would have thought Greg Maddux and David Wells would have solid outings while Jake Peavy would need some help? Granted, Wells didn't win his outing either, and the Padres lost that game, but he actually held down the fort pretty well. Maybe this old part of the rotation will be able to hold its own for one more year after all.
2. After slow starts it's nice to see Mike Cameron and Kevin Kouzmanoff starting to get comfortable at the plate, but how depressing is it to go 3-for-3 and only raise your batting average to .163. A couple more games like that and he may actually get his average north of the Mendoza Line.
3. While Cameron and Kouzmanoff heat up, Adrian Gonzalez is cooling off. Gonzalez was 1-for-13 during the Reds series with no RBIs and no HRs. May has been a tough month in general for Gonzalez as he has only added 3 HRs and 6 RBIs to his solid April totals while hitting a sparse .211.
The Mariners and Miguel Batista are up next. Batista is 3-3 this year but his ERA is a nice 6.98 - well at least it's nice for the Padres who might be able to get some runs Friday.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Maddux shines
Just when I thought Greg Maddux was struggling to find something left, he comes out and pitches a beauty of a game - going the distance and giving up one run in the ninth when the game was already over.
A lot had been made about the recent over use of the bullpen and nothing is better at solving that problem than having your No. 4 starter go all nine innings. Now if David Wells could follow that up with a gem of his own, the entire team might find some consistency and be able to build some momentum.
But here come the big but - every time the Padres have had a stretch like this reality has come crashing down. So here's to defying recent history and finally meeting expectations.
A lot had been made about the recent over use of the bullpen and nothing is better at solving that problem than having your No. 4 starter go all nine innings. Now if David Wells could follow that up with a gem of his own, the entire team might find some consistency and be able to build some momentum.
But here come the big but - every time the Padres have had a stretch like this reality has come crashing down. So here's to defying recent history and finally meeting expectations.
Monday, May 14, 2007
The (non) Weekend Update
So I've been a little lax this weekend in posting my thoughts, I am sure many out there are disappointed ... and more probably didn't even notice.
Jake Peavy has to be the best pitcher in baseball right now and if he had gotten the proper support in that no decision against the Diamondbacks where he struck out 16 there probably would be a number of stories detailing his life history on ESPN since they like to jump on what's hot. We knew he was good, even when he struggled last year, but I don't think any of us expected his season to go this way this early.
And it's nice to know that when a starting pitcher goes down, a guy like Justin Germano is hanging around in Portland ready for his next shot. After giving up only one run in his first start against Atlanta, Germano pitched seven innings of shut out ball on Sunday - which is huge considering Greg Maddux, David Wells and Clay Hensley have been so unpredictable. That trio has been very up-and-down and so to see Germano see pretty steady in his first two starts says a lot.
It was also nice to see the bullpen not have to work so hard against the Cardinals as they had to against the Braves. And three games at Cincinnati should not be too taxing either.
The only other thing I loved about the weekend series was retro night. Gaslampball.com has some great pictures from retro night (go check them out) but the only image you need to see is this one I found of Peavy.
Got to love the yellow and brown uni's. Now let's beat those Reds.
Jake Peavy has to be the best pitcher in baseball right now and if he had gotten the proper support in that no decision against the Diamondbacks where he struck out 16 there probably would be a number of stories detailing his life history on ESPN since they like to jump on what's hot. We knew he was good, even when he struggled last year, but I don't think any of us expected his season to go this way this early.
And it's nice to know that when a starting pitcher goes down, a guy like Justin Germano is hanging around in Portland ready for his next shot. After giving up only one run in his first start against Atlanta, Germano pitched seven innings of shut out ball on Sunday - which is huge considering Greg Maddux, David Wells and Clay Hensley have been so unpredictable. That trio has been very up-and-down and so to see Germano see pretty steady in his first two starts says a lot.
It was also nice to see the bullpen not have to work so hard against the Cardinals as they had to against the Braves. And three games at Cincinnati should not be too taxing either.
The only other thing I loved about the weekend series was retro night. Gaslampball.com has some great pictures from retro night (go check them out) but the only image you need to see is this one I found of Peavy.
Got to love the yellow and brown uni's. Now let's beat those Reds.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Flashback Friday: Greg Maddux
I'm tired of complaining about the latest losing streak so I thought I would introduce a regular segment that looks back at the beginnings of some of the more "seasoned" veterans on the team (Note: I realize this post finally made it up after the Padres won Friday night but I did start this before the game).
Inspired by Wednesday's matchup between two future Hall-of-Famers, I decided to look back to the first appearance of Greg Maddux back on September 2, 1986 when his Chicago Cubs lost to the Houston Astros 8-7 in 18 innings.
Maddux, a 20-year-old end of season call up, actually entered the game as a pinch runner in the bottom of the 17th for catcher Jody Davis - moving to pitcher at the top of the 18th. After getting Craig Reynolds to groundout to second to lead off the inning Maddux gave up the game-winning run to Billy Hatcher on a home run. Maddux settled down and got the last two outs but the damage had been done. Maddux picked up the loss and ended the game with an ERA of 9.00. Quite the forgettable beginning.
By the way, one other player from that game is still active, current Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer, who started for Chicago and faced off against Nolan Ryan. Future MLB manages Davey Lopes, Phil Garner and Terry Francona all were players in that game and current Padres outfield Jose Cruz Jr's father was in the outfield for the Astros.
Maddux finished his shortened '86 season 2-4 with a 5.52 ERA and '87 wasn't much better (6-14, 5.61). But in his second full season he turned things around, going 18-8 with a 3.18 ERA and after 21 seasons (plus seven appearances in 2007), Maddux is 335-205 with a 3.07 lifetime ERA and 3,195 strikeouts in 4,658 innings pitched - future Hall of Fame numbers.
Not bad for a guy who was 8-18 in his first 36 games.
(One final note: Game and career information was obtained from baseball-reference.com.)
Inspired by Wednesday's matchup between two future Hall-of-Famers, I decided to look back to the first appearance of Greg Maddux back on September 2, 1986 when his Chicago Cubs lost to the Houston Astros 8-7 in 18 innings.
Maddux, a 20-year-old end of season call up, actually entered the game as a pinch runner in the bottom of the 17th for catcher Jody Davis - moving to pitcher at the top of the 18th. After getting Craig Reynolds to groundout to second to lead off the inning Maddux gave up the game-winning run to Billy Hatcher on a home run. Maddux settled down and got the last two outs but the damage had been done. Maddux picked up the loss and ended the game with an ERA of 9.00. Quite the forgettable beginning.
By the way, one other player from that game is still active, current Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer, who started for Chicago and faced off against Nolan Ryan. Future MLB manages Davey Lopes, Phil Garner and Terry Francona all were players in that game and current Padres outfield Jose Cruz Jr's father was in the outfield for the Astros.
Maddux finished his shortened '86 season 2-4 with a 5.52 ERA and '87 wasn't much better (6-14, 5.61). But in his second full season he turned things around, going 18-8 with a 3.18 ERA and after 21 seasons (plus seven appearances in 2007), Maddux is 335-205 with a 3.07 lifetime ERA and 3,195 strikeouts in 4,658 innings pitched - future Hall of Fame numbers.
Not bad for a guy who was 8-18 in his first 36 games.
(One final note: Game and career information was obtained from baseball-reference.com.)
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Great outing wasted
What more is there to say then I can't believe the pen blew up again. From what I saw on Baseball Tonight and Sportscenter, Greg Maddux did everything he could to help his cause - including picking up his first base hit of the season and throwing some nasty pitches - but the pen gave up the lead late. Which is a shame considering the Padres got to John Smoltz enough to let Maddux leave with the lead.
This second straight loss is depressing and I don't really know what else to say other than lets not make it three in a row.
This second straight loss is depressing and I don't really know what else to say other than lets not make it three in a row.
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Consistency, anyone?
Why is it that every time the Padres seem to be headed in the right direction they have a game like Tuesday's? They had the lead before the reliable - at least this season - Heath Bell gave up not one, but two runs and the lead in the eighth and the Braves won 3-2.
The saddest thing about the loss? Mike Cameron actually hit a ball. And not only did he hit it, but he hit it out for his first home run this season. The Friars also got a solid performance from Triple A call-up Justin Germano, which could have easily been a disaster.
I still think the Padres will put this thing together and really get on a role but these one run losses are tough to swallow AND tough to figure out.
The saddest thing about the loss? Mike Cameron actually hit a ball. And not only did he hit it, but he hit it out for his first home run this season. The Friars also got a solid performance from Triple A call-up Justin Germano, which could have easily been a disaster.
I still think the Padres will put this thing together and really get on a role but these one run losses are tough to swallow AND tough to figure out.
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Young, pen handle Braves
Chris Young had another strong outing on Monday, giving up two run in six innings. But the bigger point has to be the fact that Scott Linebrink actually kept everything inside the park and quiet.
I have seen it written many times among the many blogs, but Heath Bell has been a great addition and the fact the Mets said they didn't have a spot for him is just ludicrous - and I'm not talking about the rapper. Bell has been lights out and anyone who can't use him must be playing something other than baseball.
Trevor Hoffman continues to close in on save 500, now only nine away. But what impresses me the most is how Hoffman has not flamed out like more than 2/3 of the guys who have ever been a closer in this league. I was reading the Washington Post on Sunday and they actually had some pretty interesting stats on closers and guys who have saved more than 30 games more than two years in a row - there aren't many. In fact, if Hoffman hadn't gotten injured a couple of years ago, he would have an active streak of 12 straight seasons dating back to 1995.
Now that I have rambled long enough, I will wrap up by saying the Padres have a strong pen and it should be the key to the season. It is already helping them win games they need to - like Monday's win against Atlanta - and except for the occasional struggle, the case could be made the best collection of relievers are assembled in sunny San Diego.
I have seen it written many times among the many blogs, but Heath Bell has been a great addition and the fact the Mets said they didn't have a spot for him is just ludicrous - and I'm not talking about the rapper. Bell has been lights out and anyone who can't use him must be playing something other than baseball.
Trevor Hoffman continues to close in on save 500, now only nine away. But what impresses me the most is how Hoffman has not flamed out like more than 2/3 of the guys who have ever been a closer in this league. I was reading the Washington Post on Sunday and they actually had some pretty interesting stats on closers and guys who have saved more than 30 games more than two years in a row - there aren't many. In fact, if Hoffman hadn't gotten injured a couple of years ago, he would have an active streak of 12 straight seasons dating back to 1995.
Now that I have rambled long enough, I will wrap up by saying the Padres have a strong pen and it should be the key to the season. It is already helping them win games they need to - like Monday's win against Atlanta - and except for the occasional struggle, the case could be made the best collection of relievers are assembled in sunny San Diego.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Domination
Finally, the Padres make use of a 10 K day by Jake Peavy. Who would have guessed the Friars could lose 16 and 10 K games before finally taking down the Fish on Sunday on Peavy's third straight double-digit strike out performance.
This has got to be one of the great runs - at least by a Padres pitcher - in a long time and it's performances like these are keeping the Padres in the NL West race early on. It was also nice to see Cla Meredith bounce back after his tough performance Saturday, and if the starters and pen can keep things going, this may be a team that can find some postseason success.
The pieces seem to be here, the only problem is they haven't all been clicking at the same time. It's a good thing this is happening early this season though so that maybe by September they will figure out how to put it all together.
Let's hope Chris Young can keep this thing going against the Braves tomorrow.
This has got to be one of the great runs - at least by a Padres pitcher - in a long time and it's performances like these are keeping the Padres in the NL West race early on. It was also nice to see Cla Meredith bounce back after his tough performance Saturday, and if the starters and pen can keep things going, this may be a team that can find some postseason success.
The pieces seem to be here, the only problem is they haven't all been clicking at the same time. It's a good thing this is happening early this season though so that maybe by September they will figure out how to put it all together.
Let's hope Chris Young can keep this thing going against the Braves tomorrow.
Money's worth
Is it me or do the Padres seem to give fans more than they pay for at least once a week? At least this time they came out on top in the 12-inning affair down in Florida.
But this can't be good. We've already seen Kevin Towers send Justin Hampson down to Portland while his tired arm recover. And we've seen him recall Hampson four days later to fill the hole Clay Hensley left with his groin injury. We've also seen the bullpen go from stellar in April to average in May because of all of the innings those guys have had to throw between early exits and extra innings.
If the Padres are going to contend this year, they desperately need their pen to come through. But if every guy in the pen is going out every night to throw two innings because the Padres can't put anyone away in nine, the season will get very long, very fast.
But if there's one thing the pen can count on Sunday, it's that most of the guys will get to rest their tired arms as ace Jake Peavy takes the mound to close out the series against the Fish.
But this can't be good. We've already seen Kevin Towers send Justin Hampson down to Portland while his tired arm recover. And we've seen him recall Hampson four days later to fill the hole Clay Hensley left with his groin injury. We've also seen the bullpen go from stellar in April to average in May because of all of the innings those guys have had to throw between early exits and extra innings.
If the Padres are going to contend this year, they desperately need their pen to come through. But if every guy in the pen is going out every night to throw two innings because the Padres can't put anyone away in nine, the season will get very long, very fast.
But if there's one thing the pen can count on Sunday, it's that most of the guys will get to rest their tired arms as ace Jake Peavy takes the mound to close out the series against the Fish.
Saturday, May 5, 2007
Linebrink's turn
I thought we had another win in the bag, and then Scott Linebrink took the mound. Normally Linebrink seems to be pretty reliable but he gave up back-to-back home runs? How often does that happen when you are in a position to close out the game?
Before that the Friars learned Clay Hensley would be shelved for awhile so now we have a potential hole in the rotation - if you don't count David Wells' erratic starts this year. But one positive from today ... Mike Cameron had a huge triple that should have been the game winner. It's May and so hopefully with the warm weather Cameron's and Kevin Kouzmanoff's bats will heat up.
Now we just need to get to Sergio Mitre tomorrow, but don't let the 0-2 record fool you, his ERA is under 4.00 and the Marlins seem to have a penchant for putting up runs. That in itself is amazing since most of these guys were rookies last year.
Before that the Friars learned Clay Hensley would be shelved for awhile so now we have a potential hole in the rotation - if you don't count David Wells' erratic starts this year. But one positive from today ... Mike Cameron had a huge triple that should have been the game winner. It's May and so hopefully with the warm weather Cameron's and Kevin Kouzmanoff's bats will heat up.
Now we just need to get to Sergio Mitre tomorrow, but don't let the 0-2 record fool you, his ERA is under 4.00 and the Marlins seem to have a penchant for putting up runs. That in itself is amazing since most of these guys were rookies last year.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Quiet off day
Only two things to say on this off day.
1. I have added links to other blogs and Padres sites. One to definitely check out is at Ducksnorts, where I was involved in a roundtable discussion with other Padres bloggers and writers. We discussed the good, bad and ugly of the first month of the season.
2. According to Padres.com writer Corey Brock, Kevin Kouzmanoff is sticking around a while at third, even though Russell Branyan is back. Rumor was Kooz would be shipped off to Portland allowing Branyan to take over but apparently Kevin Towers and Bud Black are willing to ride out his slow start. I have been critical of Kouzmanoff in the early going but he looked like he was starting to get the hang of things against the Nationals and hopefully he can keep it going. Although, he was getting it together against the Nationals' staff, which doesn't exactly have the most dominating pitchers. But you have to turn your confidence on somewhere and the Nats seem like a good team to do that against.
Greg Maddux squares off against Dontrelle Willis and the Marlins tomorrow in what could be a good pitchers dual if Maddux can hit his spots.
1. I have added links to other blogs and Padres sites. One to definitely check out is at Ducksnorts, where I was involved in a roundtable discussion with other Padres bloggers and writers. We discussed the good, bad and ugly of the first month of the season.
2. According to Padres.com writer Corey Brock, Kevin Kouzmanoff is sticking around a while at third, even though Russell Branyan is back. Rumor was Kooz would be shipped off to Portland allowing Branyan to take over but apparently Kevin Towers and Bud Black are willing to ride out his slow start. I have been critical of Kouzmanoff in the early going but he looked like he was starting to get the hang of things against the Nationals and hopefully he can keep it going. Although, he was getting it together against the Nationals' staff, which doesn't exactly have the most dominating pitchers. But you have to turn your confidence on somewhere and the Nats seem like a good team to do that against.
Greg Maddux squares off against Dontrelle Willis and the Marlins tomorrow in what could be a good pitchers dual if Maddux can hit his spots.
Thursday, May 3, 2007
More bad luck
Poor Clay Hensley. After struggling at the beginning of the year with a blister on his throwing hand, he left Wednesday's game in the third inning with a groin injury. Could your season start any worse?
Luckily for the Friars, they were able to overcome their early 1-0 deficit and beat the Nationals 7-3, thanks largely to a five-run fourth inning.
It was hard to think the Padres were going to lose this game, especially since they were facing Matt Chico, who demonstrated such command of a pitch earlier this year he made Rick Vaughn's first spring training performance in Major League look like the second coming of Nolan Ryan.
The win prevented the Nationals from winning their first series this year and helped the Padres enter their day off with a two-game winning streak. The Padres will be back to work Friday when future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux faces off against Marlins ace Dontrelle Willis. That should be quite a matchup.
Luckily for the Friars, they were able to overcome their early 1-0 deficit and beat the Nationals 7-3, thanks largely to a five-run fourth inning.
It was hard to think the Padres were going to lose this game, especially since they were facing Matt Chico, who demonstrated such command of a pitch earlier this year he made Rick Vaughn's first spring training performance in Major League look like the second coming of Nolan Ryan.
The win prevented the Nationals from winning their first series this year and helped the Padres enter their day off with a two-game winning streak. The Padres will be back to work Friday when future Hall of Famer Greg Maddux faces off against Marlins ace Dontrelle Willis. That should be quite a matchup.
Wednesday, May 2, 2007
Friars squeeze one out
Not only is it great to see the Padres back in the win column, but it was great to see how they won. The things that impressed me (in no particular order):
1. Kevin Kouzmanoff finally got some luck when Austin Kearns mistimed his jump on Kouzmanoff's hit to the wall in right, giving Kevin a RBI triple. Hopefully this will be a turning point for the rookie and his hitting this year.
2. Have to love the suicide squeeze Oscar Robles laid down to score Kouzmanoff later in the 7th right after the Nationals pulled Shawn Hill.
3. Chris Young had a great performance on the mound, pitching eight solid innings where he gave up only three hits and struck out eight. Young seemed in control all night and if he could pitch that way consistently, he could be almost as dominant as Jake Peavy.
4. It was nice to see Adrian Gonzalez get retribution on Dmitri Young. After Young robbed Gonzalez of a hit Monday and turned it into a double play, Gonzalez came back with the same play Tuesday, catching a shot from Young and doubling off Kearns.
5. And of course it's always good to see Trevor Hoffman get one save closer to 500 for his career, especially when it helps the Padres get back above .500.
1. Kevin Kouzmanoff finally got some luck when Austin Kearns mistimed his jump on Kouzmanoff's hit to the wall in right, giving Kevin a RBI triple. Hopefully this will be a turning point for the rookie and his hitting this year.
2. Have to love the suicide squeeze Oscar Robles laid down to score Kouzmanoff later in the 7th right after the Nationals pulled Shawn Hill.
3. Chris Young had a great performance on the mound, pitching eight solid innings where he gave up only three hits and struck out eight. Young seemed in control all night and if he could pitch that way consistently, he could be almost as dominant as Jake Peavy.
4. It was nice to see Adrian Gonzalez get retribution on Dmitri Young. After Young robbed Gonzalez of a hit Monday and turned it into a double play, Gonzalez came back with the same play Tuesday, catching a shot from Young and doubling off Kearns.
5. And of course it's always good to see Trevor Hoffman get one save closer to 500 for his career, especially when it helps the Padres get back above .500.
Tuesday, May 1, 2007
Another outing wasted
Jake Peavy has 26 strikeouts in his last two games yet he is 0-1. How does that happen, especially when you are facing a Nationals team whose starter is 0-4 with an ERA just under 8?
There is no reason the Padres should have fallen short in Monday's 3-2 loss. Granted the lineup had to be adjusted because of Marcus Giles' injury, but as good as he has been, other players have been generating offense this season and one man should not have that much impact on it.
With Chris Young set to take the mound tomorrow against the only Nats starter not struggling that much this year, Shawn Hill (yes 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA is almost Cy Young worthy out here in DC), the Friars need to get the bats going tomorrow if they want to avoid falling below .500.
I hate losses.
There is no reason the Padres should have fallen short in Monday's 3-2 loss. Granted the lineup had to be adjusted because of Marcus Giles' injury, but as good as he has been, other players have been generating offense this season and one man should not have that much impact on it.
With Chris Young set to take the mound tomorrow against the only Nats starter not struggling that much this year, Shawn Hill (yes 2-2 with a 2.76 ERA is almost Cy Young worthy out here in DC), the Friars need to get the bats going tomorrow if they want to avoid falling below .500.
I hate losses.
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