In-Game Discussion: Padres @ Dodgers
by Geoff Young on Apr 17, 2005
first pitch: 1:10 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Tim Redding vs Jeff Weaver
Pads dropped Saturday night’s game, 8-3. The usual culprits: sloppy defense, poor clutch hitting. And now the club has lost shortstop Khalil Greene to a broken right ring finger. Of all the guys the Pads couldn’t afford to lose…
Anyway, today the two teams wrap up their three-game series at Dodger Stadium. The Padres look to #5 starter Redding to help avoid a sweep. Not exactly the position they wanted to be in, but there it is.
In limited action, the current Dodger batters have hit .297/.422/.568 over 37 at-bats against Redding. J.D. Drew and Hee Seop Choi each have a homer. For the Padres, Phil Nevin hit .329/.392/.657 against LA in 2004. He hasn’t done much against anyone so far this year. Now would be a good time to start.
I’ll be at Elsinore, watching Dave Roberts, among others. Feel free to hang out and chat; I’ll check in when I get home.
In-Game Discussion: Padres @ Dodgers
by Geoff Young on Apr 16, 2005
So there’s your first shutout of the year. Three hits and a walk against Derek Lowe, another lackluster performance from Woody Williams. Tonight’s matchup looks a little better for the Pads.
first pitch: 7:10 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Adam Eaton vs Scott Erickson
I’ll be honest: Prior to this series, I didn’t realize Erickson was still pitching in the big leagues. After throwing a total of 27 innings over the past two years, Erickson served up 6 runs in his first start of 2005. It’s commendable that he’s trying to keep his career going, but Erickson hasn’t been even marginally effective since the late-’90s. At age 37, a comeback doesn’t seem likely.
Pads are hitting .264/.361/.463 against right-handers this season. Brian Giles (.357/.522/1.000), Xavier Nady (.423/.464/.808), and Ramon Hernandez (.400/.500/.650) lead the way. Sean Burroughs (.250/.318/.300) and Phil Nevin (.045/.087/.045) pull up the rear.
Eaton likes pitching against LA, sporting an 8-2 lifetime record against the Dodgers, with a 2.43 ERA. At Dodger Stadium, he is 4-0 with a 1.11 ERA over eight career starts.
Talk it up, y’all!
In-Game Discussion: Padres @ Dodgers
by Geoff Young on Apr 15, 2005
first pitch: 7:40 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Woody Williams vs Derek Lowe
ESPN still has Elmer Dessens listed as tonight’s starter for Los Angeles (sorry, the team in Anaheim doesn’t get that name in my book), but the U-T has Lowe, so we’ll go with him. Among Dodger regulars, Jeff Kent has had the most success against Williams, hitting .371/.488/.743 over 35 at-bats. That’s a pretty good sample, and these are two guys who’ve been around a while. I think it’s safe to say that Kent owns Williams. On the other side, Lowe has spent his career in the AL and doesn’t have much of a history against current Padres, who have hit him to the tune of .333/.373/.396 over 48 at-bats. Stealth power source Geoff Blum has the only homer.
Couple of good signs: The Padres are outhomering the opposition, 13 to 6. They’re also outwalking them, 54 to 27.
Former Friar farmhand Buddy Carlyle has resurfaced with the Dodgers. Many moons ago, I had this to say about him: “I really thought Carlyle was going to be what Brian Lawrence has become. I have no idea where he is right now, but he’s only 24 years old, and I still half-expect him to surface in North America at some point and pitch in the big-leagues again.”
Speaking of Roberts, I forgot to mention he went 2 for 4 against San Jose in Saturday night’s game.
Things may turn around, but early trends look like another .500-ish season. Greene and Young both out. The core power trio of Loretta, Giles, Klesko and Nevin looks like they’re aging. Loretta has started to look good again, same with Klesko. Giles gives you good at bats, but not quite the same as we traded for. And Nevin. The last time I checked, he had an OPS of .610 and chewed up a ton of at bats. Pushing him down in the order makes sense; I would push him to the bench against RHP until he gets his swing back. Of if he gets it back.
Why Garcia? I did not get to see Blum’s glovework, but you put him at short and have Burroughs at third (against a RHP), and you have a stronger line up. Instead you get Garcia with 2nd and 3rd and one out strike out without seeing a strike his whole at bat. 5 down and low sliders, all out of the strike zone. The could have been Burroughs at bat, and I am guessing a much better at bat.
Glad to Phil get a hit. I am watching this on Tivo as I work, so am making my comments in belated bursts.
3 Home Runs by the Dodgers. Redding is getting hammered. Dodger fans chant: Padres suck. They certainly have this weekend.
what a depressing weekend. Thank God I was busy with other things. dang.
what a depressing weekend. Thank God I was busy with other things. dang.
Jay – I got a chuckle at your reference to Loretta, Giles, Klesko and Nevin as the power “trio” … those 4 may hit as many as other’s 3