first pitch: 6:40 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Adam Eaton (6-1, 3.35 ERA) vs Russ Ortiz (4-2, 5.11 ERA)
preview: Padres.com
Padres finally lost a series in May, dropping two of three to the Mariners in Seattle. The offense sputtered badly in the last two games and looks to get back on track in the desert.
AB BA OBP SLG
Eaton vs current Diamondbacks 159 .283 .363 .465
Ortiz vs current Padres 206 .248 .342 .359
Big damage from Luis Gonzalez (.370/.469/.815 in 27 AB), Royce Clayton (.455/.600/.636 in 11 AB), and Alex Cintron (.353/.421/.647 in 17 AB). Eaton has pretty well neutralized Shawn Green (.205/.250/.341 in 44 AB) over the years. Overall, opponents are hitting .259/.316/.448 (think Matt LeCroy) against Eaton on the season, but just .228/.286/.281 with RISP (weaker version of Rey Ordonez).
On the other side, Ortiz is struggling with Arizona in the early going but getting some wins despite poor numbers. He’s averaging fewer than six innings per start, striking out just 3.83 batters per 9 innings, and allowing the opposition to hit .305/.386/.465 against him. Lefties have put up alarming numbers (.374/.442/.551). Padres having the most success against Ortiz are Brian Giles (.429/.636/.500 in 14 AB) and Sean Burroughs (.455/.500/.545 in 11 AB). Dave Roberts (.143/.217/.143 in 21 AB) hasn’t done much, so maybe they’ll unleash their secret weapon, Xavier Nady. Then again, maybe not.
Yeah that is why I was hesitant to nitpick. You can’t argue with the results this year, but there are times when the tighter curve looks really good, and times where it goes up there flat. I still don’t think he has good control of his cutter though.
Bruce, while the old curve certainly LOOKED impressive, it couldn’t be thrown when behind in the count for fear of not getting the call. Hitters pretty much took it, got ahead in the count, and waited for the fastball. Eaton’s fatball is good, but it ain’t THAT good.
Man, I am so glad Klesko is healthy this year.
When Ryno is swinging well, it is a rare time when violence can look so beautiful.
And Giles promptly bails out Ortiz. It’s up to Nevin.
I hear ya Lance, like Geoff said, you can’t really complain about the his performance so far, he has been consistantly solid.
Am I missing something here? Why are we being so aggressive against a guy who can’t find the plate? We should be blowing them out by now.
Let’s see if Eaton can get through the sixth quickly.
Did I say “fatball”????
I meant “fastball.”
And yeah, yeah, yeah, we all love Klesko. But couldn’t we have shaken a tree, waited for the next Geronimo Berroa to fall out, and saved a lot of money?!?!
Last I checked, Nady is pretty cheap.
Gotta leave the office and head home, fellas. Go Padres!!!
Exactly, Geoff.
Eaton is certainly staying on the edge..
See ya, Lance.
It’s ridiculous that the game is this close.
Pads catch a break on that squibber down the third base line off the bat of Tracy. Foul ball.
I don’t know why I’m so tough on Eaton, but I’m disappointed in his outing again. He leaves with a 4-1 lead–you’d think I wouldn’t complain.
Lance checks out, I check in.
Jason Schmidt just balked in a run and is really laboring in the 5th. Now a Sac Fly to make it 5-3, Giants.
I shoulda quit when I was ahead. 4-2, and now I’m REALLY leaving!
This is painful.
If Arizona ends up winning this game, it will be a nice microcosm to their season.
No Hammond (lefty) to face Gonzalez?
I still haven’t left, and I’m getting more pissed every second.
We should kick the D-Backs’ collective ass.
There is something about the BOB that brings out the worst in the Padres.
No Hammond to face Green?
Seanez at least keeps the lead. Let’s get those two runs back.
The third inning says it all: 13 balls, 4 strikes, no runs. Magadan might want to have a little sit-down with some guys after this one.
The two inherited runners that Seanez allowed to score were his first two all year. In 18 appearances.
Seanez has been awesome.
Needless to say, I don’t feel comfortable with this one-run lead. I am not optimistic about a rally in the 8th with a PH, Roberts and Blum coming up.
Grant is giving Ortiz way too much credit for “making pitches when he had to.”
Fick is hitting it out of the yard.
That is beautiful Bob Fick! He has come up with some big hits. 5-3 Padres.
Koplove left that one way out over the plate. And his night is done.
dude, what’s up with Robert Fick? Does he ever make an out?
our bench rules
I really like what KT and co. have done with the bench and bullpen this year. Those are two of the best areas for a team operating on a tight budget to try and make improvements.
Padres and Mets are tied with most hits off the bench this year: 22.
Yeah KT did a great job with the bench and pen.
Damn, that’s a nice at-bat by Roberts. He’s hung a lot tougher against lefties than I’d expected.
Geoff,
Sorry to change the topic here (briefly) but have you seen what Phil Spector looks like lately?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20050524/ap_on_en_mu/phil_spector
I still cannot fathom why Bochy asks players, who never bunt and most likely can’t bunt very well, to in fact bunt.
Brian, I sure have. Pretty scary. My favorite Spector story is #41:
http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/timdelisle.html
Nice I ask for the runs back and I shall receive. 6-3 on the RBI double by Giles.
Thanks, Bruce. I didn’t want to be the one to say it but that’s exactly what I was thinking. Either teach them how to bunt or don’t call the play.
Giles comes through, making it academic this time.
Gonzalez still can’t throw.
Ah somebody stop them before they use up all of their clutch hitting for the year in one inning. But where was this hitting earlier in the game?
The pitches that Giles and Nevin hit (very hard, I might add) looked like pretty good pitches to me–at the knees or even lower. This makes up for the earlier sins against Ortiz.
I knew Phil Spector was a wacko but wow! At least it was kosher wine. ;>)
Thank goodness for insurance runs.
Not a good start to the eigth for Otsuka.
There’s no way Craig Counsell can keep this up all year.