Unlike the previous two positions, second base will be the wild card for the Padres last year. After the failure of Marcus Giles to secure the position last year and having to rely on the now-departed Geoff Blum, SD went out and signed Tadahito Iguchi for 2008.
A quick refresher on Iguchi - he spent last year with the White Sox and the Phillies - hitting .267/.347/.400 combined with 9 HR and 43 RBI. His HR total was half of what it was the year before despite moving from one hitter-friendly park to another. Those expecting his HR numbers to bounce will be sadly disappointed as he has lost some of his power due to his age (he is now 33) and the rest will go due to his new home park (like we need to repeatedly bring this up but what the heck).
Good news for us is that Iguchi is not known as being a power hitter anyway. What we should see from Iguchi this year are numbers similar to last year, which will also include a handful of stolen bases. The numbers won't blow anyone away but at least with Iguchi we have a pretty good idea of what we are getting.
The main part of this deal though is the fact that his presence allows Matt Antonelli another year to prepare for what should be a solid major league career. If that extra year really makes a difference, I am okay with Iguchi keeping the seat warm.
Showing posts with label Philadelphia Phillies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Philadelphia Phillies. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Friday, September 28, 2007
True playoff excitement
While listening to ESPN Radio on my drive home last night, an interesting scenario was brought up. Apparently, if the Pads, D-hacks, Mets, Phils and Rockies all finish the season with the same record, it would extend the season until Oct. 4 because it would take that long to play enough games to sort out the mess. Now that's what I call playoff fever!
Another big win for SD on Thursday (of course every win is huge at this point) but the best part was that Jack Cassel went a whole 4 2/3 in his start. Amazingly he only gave up two runs before he was pulled but it seems like when Cassel starts, it's more of a bullpen start. Hopefully there is only one more of those in our immediate future.
With the final three games also in Milwaukee, this will be the series that defines the season. The Pads have maintained their lead in the wild card up to this point but that is no guarantee as we are facing a Brewers squad that is also fighting desperately to keep its playoff aspirations alive. Should make for a tough end to the season but as the saying goes: "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." Hopefully we're strong enough to survive this.
Another big win for SD on Thursday (of course every win is huge at this point) but the best part was that Jack Cassel went a whole 4 2/3 in his start. Amazingly he only gave up two runs before he was pulled but it seems like when Cassel starts, it's more of a bullpen start. Hopefully there is only one more of those in our immediate future.
With the final three games also in Milwaukee, this will be the series that defines the season. The Pads have maintained their lead in the wild card up to this point but that is no guarantee as we are facing a Brewers squad that is also fighting desperately to keep its playoff aspirations alive. Should make for a tough end to the season but as the saying goes: "What doesn't kill you only makes you stronger." Hopefully we're strong enough to survive this.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
The pack has finally caught up
Wow, it's time to get off this runaway train before it hits a burning building.
What seemed like an almost sure thing in July and even August has become a possibility as the Pads are no longer solely on top in the NL wild card race. What happened to this team that was at one point a trendy pick by writers to be in the World Series? Is there one moment this season that set the stage for the collapse that has taken place since?
Despite the late struggles of the rotation, the Pads are still the best in the NL in terms of pitching. They are the only team with a collective ERA under 4.00 (3.63) and have compiled 20 shut outs this season. Offensively SD is towards the bottom of the league but runs have been coming a lot easier lately - and so are the losses.
The talent on this team now, I feel, is a lot better than what we started the season off with but it doesn't seem to have made a huge impact. Did Chris Young's injury really affect the race that much? I don't want to say our season has come down to one player's oblique but things haven't been the same, with Young or the team, since that injury occurred.
Kevin Towers released David Wells because he was too taxing on the pen but look at what's happened since then. Not only have the Pads been able to find a successful No. 5 starter but Justin Germano has been ineffective too. It makes me feel like if Boomer was still here at least we wouldn't be worried about two starters making it to the second. We could be comfortable until the fourth.
But the struggles are related to more than just the pitching staff. I would say Milton Bradley's constant health battles have also kept the team inconsistent. I still think this was a great pickup (yes, even after he blew up and Bud Black had to put on a WWE clinic to restrain him, injuring him in the process) but if he could have stayed on the field the Pads may still have a small cushion in the wild card. But again, one injury does not a team's struggles make.
SD seemed to make it through two month's of Adrian Gonzalez struggling but what about the fact that Josh Bard, Marcus Giles, Michael Barrett and a third outfielder have not been every day players like we need. I'm not bagging on Bard, he has played far better than I think we've expected, but Barrett was brought in so we wouldn't have to use Bard every day and Giles can't keep Geoff Blum off the field.
Looking at this club, it seems that injuries and season-long slumps - along with stellar play by a young Arizona club that wasn't supposed to contend this year - have finally caught up to the Padres and unless some real playoff magic happens, they could be at home in October for the first time since 2004.
I'm not one to loose faith in my team but right now it's hard to fight the urge to say 2007 was fun while it lasted, let's hope 2008 is finally the year. So instead let's start praying for a playoff miracle.
What seemed like an almost sure thing in July and even August has become a possibility as the Pads are no longer solely on top in the NL wild card race. What happened to this team that was at one point a trendy pick by writers to be in the World Series? Is there one moment this season that set the stage for the collapse that has taken place since?
Despite the late struggles of the rotation, the Pads are still the best in the NL in terms of pitching. They are the only team with a collective ERA under 4.00 (3.63) and have compiled 20 shut outs this season. Offensively SD is towards the bottom of the league but runs have been coming a lot easier lately - and so are the losses.
The talent on this team now, I feel, is a lot better than what we started the season off with but it doesn't seem to have made a huge impact. Did Chris Young's injury really affect the race that much? I don't want to say our season has come down to one player's oblique but things haven't been the same, with Young or the team, since that injury occurred.
Kevin Towers released David Wells because he was too taxing on the pen but look at what's happened since then. Not only have the Pads been able to find a successful No. 5 starter but Justin Germano has been ineffective too. It makes me feel like if Boomer was still here at least we wouldn't be worried about two starters making it to the second. We could be comfortable until the fourth.
But the struggles are related to more than just the pitching staff. I would say Milton Bradley's constant health battles have also kept the team inconsistent. I still think this was a great pickup (yes, even after he blew up and Bud Black had to put on a WWE clinic to restrain him, injuring him in the process) but if he could have stayed on the field the Pads may still have a small cushion in the wild card. But again, one injury does not a team's struggles make.
SD seemed to make it through two month's of Adrian Gonzalez struggling but what about the fact that Josh Bard, Marcus Giles, Michael Barrett and a third outfielder have not been every day players like we need. I'm not bagging on Bard, he has played far better than I think we've expected, but Barrett was brought in so we wouldn't have to use Bard every day and Giles can't keep Geoff Blum off the field.
Looking at this club, it seems that injuries and season-long slumps - along with stellar play by a young Arizona club that wasn't supposed to contend this year - have finally caught up to the Padres and unless some real playoff magic happens, they could be at home in October for the first time since 2004.
I'm not one to loose faith in my team but right now it's hard to fight the urge to say 2007 was fun while it lasted, let's hope 2008 is finally the year. So instead let's start praying for a playoff miracle.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
An official apology
So I just realized that I have been hard on the guys lately. I ragged on them when they blew a game against the Mets earlier this week and even when they beat them the next night I was still critical.
I don't want this to come across as an excuse (but it sounds like one anyway) but with all of the changes that have been going on in my life lately I feel like I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been to the bigger picture. I didn't realize the Pads took 2 of 3 from NY while increasing their lead in the Wild Card race.
Last night's drubbing added even more padding to securing a playoff spot and from the looks of it, it seems Milton Bradley's return to the lineup has helped out guys like Adrian Gonzalez.
I won't apologize for the comments I have made about the pitching because I still think we need more consistency all around at the moment but I will say I shouldn't be so hard on these guys are they have gotten things going in the right direction. Another drubbing of the Phillies would be great, but it hasn't been Clay Hensley's year so who knows what the outcome will be.
I don't want this to come across as an excuse (but it sounds like one anyway) but with all of the changes that have been going on in my life lately I feel like I wasn't paying as much attention as I should have been to the bigger picture. I didn't realize the Pads took 2 of 3 from NY while increasing their lead in the Wild Card race.
Last night's drubbing added even more padding to securing a playoff spot and from the looks of it, it seems Milton Bradley's return to the lineup has helped out guys like Adrian Gonzalez.
I won't apologize for the comments I have made about the pitching because I still think we need more consistency all around at the moment but I will say I shouldn't be so hard on these guys are they have gotten things going in the right direction. Another drubbing of the Phillies would be great, but it hasn't been Clay Hensley's year so who knows what the outcome will be.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
30 runs and more struggles for the pen
I don't make it a point to often talk about non-Padres affiliated news but I had one thing to say about Texas beating Baltimore 30-3 Wednesday. I think the thing I am most surprised about is that Texas reliever Wes Littleton actually picked up a save in the process by entering it when the score was 14-3 and pitching the last three innings in which the Rangers scored 16 runs. Needless to say the game was already out of hand but I guess save rules are save rules. This type of outing only strengthens the argument for those who think saves are a worthless stat. As far as the Orioles are concerned, too bad there isn't a 10-run rule like in little league.
In Padres news, Trevor Hoffman has officially hit a slump after blowing another save and the pen seems to be in almost a full tailspin. Heath Bell eventually picked up the save after Adrian Gonzalez homered in the top of the 10th but these kinds of outings are not good. Granted we got to Billy Wagner before the Mets got to Hoffman and both closers have struggled in this series but it seems that if the Padres continue to ball like this heading into the playoffs they could have another first round exit.
Hopefully leaving the glitz and glamor of the Big Apple for Philly will turn things back to normal for pen. It will be a matchup of ancient ones as Greg Maddux takes on Jamie Moyer. Fire up the time machine.
In Padres news, Trevor Hoffman has officially hit a slump after blowing another save and the pen seems to be in almost a full tailspin. Heath Bell eventually picked up the save after Adrian Gonzalez homered in the top of the 10th but these kinds of outings are not good. Granted we got to Billy Wagner before the Mets got to Hoffman and both closers have struggled in this series but it seems that if the Padres continue to ball like this heading into the playoffs they could have another first round exit.
Hopefully leaving the glitz and glamor of the Big Apple for Philly will turn things back to normal for pen. It will be a matchup of ancient ones as Greg Maddux takes on Jamie Moyer. Fire up the time machine.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Pharewell to the Phils
If there is one thing I bet all Padres fans are united about Monday it's the fact that Philly has left town. SD got thoroughly beat down this weekend and it didn't seem to matter who the Padres threw out there, Philly was going to take advantage.
But I think the thing that boggles my mind the most is how hard Philly hit the ball. I think someone forgot to tell them Petco is a pitcher's park and home runs are hard to come by.
While it is frustrating to lose 3 of 4 to a team like Philly that has had its struggles this season, the good news is SD is heading to hitter-friendly Coors Field to start a three-game set with Colorado. If there is one thing SD needs it's to jump start its offense and if there is one place to get an offense started, it's at Coors.
I have varying reactions of panic online this morning and while it would be easy to say the wheels are falling off, I would tend to think that SD just needs some thin mountain air to get things going again. But if the offense continues to stall upon leaving Colorado, then someone can hit the panic button.
But I think the thing that boggles my mind the most is how hard Philly hit the ball. I think someone forgot to tell them Petco is a pitcher's park and home runs are hard to come by.
While it is frustrating to lose 3 of 4 to a team like Philly that has had its struggles this season, the good news is SD is heading to hitter-friendly Coors Field to start a three-game set with Colorado. If there is one thing SD needs it's to jump start its offense and if there is one place to get an offense started, it's at Coors.
I have varying reactions of panic online this morning and while it would be easy to say the wheels are falling off, I would tend to think that SD just needs some thin mountain air to get things going again. But if the offense continues to stall upon leaving Colorado, then someone can hit the panic button.
Friday, June 8, 2007
Flashback Friday: Justin Germano
Ok, I realize I never got a flashback up last week and I apologize - things get crazy, life happens and it becomes Friday. For this week, I decided to flashback to the not so distant future of 2004, a time when people had just finished watching the first season of the new hit show, The O.C. (ok, when teenagers started watching it) and gas prices were still less than $2.00 a gallon. Oh I remember the days.
Anyways, on May 22 a young pitcher named Justin Germano made his major league debut for the Padres, giving up 4 earned runs in 5 innings while picking up the win, 9-6 over the Phillies. After the Padres had jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, Germano gave up four runs in the third. San Diego then chiseled away at the lead and had retaken it by the time Germano was pulled. Both teams combined for 15 runs and 23 hits and used most of their pens to try and win the game.
Germano would only start four more games and pitch in seven total the rest of the season, finishing with a 8.86 ERA, 16 K's and he gave up 31 hits in 21 1/3 innings. The next season Germano was traded along with pitcher Travis Chick to the Cincinnati Reds for IF Joe Randa.
Germano pitched 6 2/3 innings for the Reds in 2006, finishing 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA and 8 K's. He was then traded to the Phillies at the trade deadline for Rheal Cormier.
The Padres then claimed him off waivers as the Phillies tried to option him to the minors March and after optioning him themselves, the Padres called him up when Clay Hensley went on the DL. Since his call up March 30, Germano is 4-0 with a 1.76 ERA, 10 K's and a 0.81 WHIP.
While it still remains to be see how important of a role he will secure with San Diego, the Padres certainly have brought Germano back into the fold at the right time.
Anyways, on May 22 a young pitcher named Justin Germano made his major league debut for the Padres, giving up 4 earned runs in 5 innings while picking up the win, 9-6 over the Phillies. After the Padres had jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the top of the second, Germano gave up four runs in the third. San Diego then chiseled away at the lead and had retaken it by the time Germano was pulled. Both teams combined for 15 runs and 23 hits and used most of their pens to try and win the game.
Germano would only start four more games and pitch in seven total the rest of the season, finishing with a 8.86 ERA, 16 K's and he gave up 31 hits in 21 1/3 innings. The next season Germano was traded along with pitcher Travis Chick to the Cincinnati Reds for IF Joe Randa.
Germano pitched 6 2/3 innings for the Reds in 2006, finishing 0-1 with a 5.40 ERA and 8 K's. He was then traded to the Phillies at the trade deadline for Rheal Cormier.
The Padres then claimed him off waivers as the Phillies tried to option him to the minors March and after optioning him themselves, the Padres called him up when Clay Hensley went on the DL. Since his call up March 30, Germano is 4-0 with a 1.76 ERA, 10 K's and a 0.81 WHIP.
While it still remains to be see how important of a role he will secure with San Diego, the Padres certainly have brought Germano back into the fold at the right time.
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