first pitch: 6:40 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Jake Peavy (4-0, 2.29 ERA) vs Brandon Webb (6-0, 3.32 ERA)
previews: ESPN | CBS | SI | Padres.com
Now that was an ugly game. Nobody really deserved to win it, but the Snakes hung on to reclaim first place in the NL West.
Who do you blame in a 12-11 loss? Well, this was pretty much a team effort. Poor starting pitching, poor relief pitching, overaggressiveness at the plate where a baserunner or even a ball hit solidly into play could have made a difference, questionable bench substitutions. This one had it all.
One interesting outcome of the loss is Akinori Otsuka has been bumped from the primary setup role. The reason I say “interesting” is that we’ve talked in numerous In-Game Discussions about the slavish obssession with a set bullpen pecking order. (This is less a complaint with Bruce Bochy than with what has become the status quo in MLB, for those wondering.) The fact that Scott Linebrink will assume what had been Otsuka’s role shouldn’t really be much of an issue. Nor should it preclude the likes of Chris Hammond and Rudy Seanez from working the eighth if needed.
But I digress. Thursday night sees the staff aces square off against each other yet again. Their previous matchups this season:
23 Apr @ Ari
IP H R ER HR BB SO
Peavy 7.0 4 1 1 0 1 8
Webb 8.0 5 1 1 0 1 5
29 Apr @ SD
IP H R ER HR BB SO
Peavy 8.0 6 3 3 1 1 7
Webb 6.0 12 4 4 1 2 3
With luck, Peavy can stay true to form and give the Pads 7+ innings to help rest an overworked bullpen.
AB BA OBP SLG
Peavy vs current Diamondbacks 148 .257 .309 .480
Webb vs current Padres 156 .224 .267 .295
Luis Gonzalez (.458/.519/1.000 in 24 AB) absolutely owns Peavy. Alex Cintron (.286/.412/.643 in 14 AB) and Craig Counsell (.308/.438/.615 in 13 AB) have done very well also. What’s up with Counsell this year, anyway? He’s always been a pest, but now he’s almost impossible to get out.
You know the story with Webb; he abuses most everyone in the lineup. He also is much tougher earlier in games than late:
Inn. 1-3: .151/.225/.194 Inn. 4-6: .327/.365/.495 Inn. 7-9: .359/.372/.590
Padres batters lead the NL with 173 unintentional walks; they’re second with 31 stolen bases (at a respectable 74% rate).
X Factor
Xavier Nady started in center field Wednesday night. Batting seventh, he went 2 for 3 with 2 RBI before being removed for Damian Jackson as part of a double switch in the fifth. The decision to remove a key hitter in the middle innings of a tie game was “interesting” and was one of the many reasons this loss was a true team effort. I keep expecting to see Kerry Robinson called up from Portland any moment.
And in the awkward segue department, I’ll be in Vegas tonight and for the next few days, so chat away without me. I’ll check in when I can (i.e., when I’m not downing Heinekens at the Golden Nugget Sports Book).
Let’s take this series, shall we?
I would have “demoted” Aki several weeks ago, but last night there was really no better option. Reyes is worse, Hammond was unavailable, and though Falkenborg looked great last night, but who coulda predicted that? I would have put in Hoffy for two innings.
Hoffy for two is an interesting idea, but it’s worth noting that he’s worked a second inning just twice in 82 appearances since his surgery (both coming last September):
http://tinyurl.com/azyrx
To go back even further, he’s done it just 17 times since 2001 (and most of those were *in* 2001):
http://tinyurl.com/duwcy
2001: 11 times/62 appearances
2002: 5/61
2003+: 2/82
Not since June 25, 2002, had Hoffman come in to start a second inning of work the day after he had pitched. In fact, as best I can tell, he’s only done that three times since 2001 (May 21, 2001; April 22, 2001).
Apologies if this is getting overly esoteric but David Pinto’s database rocks and I can’t help myself!
Not to nitpick what is another great matchup, but we D-Back fans wouldn’t call Brandon Webb our “ace” — Javier Vazquez is. Webb’s had a really good season thus far, but Vazquez has been every bit as good. Webb-Peavy is the better storyline, but Vazquez-Peavy would be the matchup of the two best pitchers in the NL West this year thus far.
Snake alert!
There are definitely macro-arguments against using Hoffman for 2 innings. He may not have the longevity to break the save record if he were used for 2 innings more often throughout his career. Even though we acknowledge that the save stat is mostly bogus, statistical milestones have PR benefits that arguably outweigh the benefits of beating the D’backs in a given day. Hoffy in the Hall would be a major coup.
I still don’t understand how Hammond can be unavailable after throwing ten pitches last night. Is warming up in the bullpen really that taxing for him?
Geoff’s helpful post shows that Hoffman is no longer a two inning pitcher – he is not conditioned to do it regularly, and Hoffy himself acknowledges that he has only so many bullets left in his gun.
On Hammond, he is an older pitcher nursing a hamstring issue. He doesn’t fit the profile of a pitcher than can pitch back-to-back-to-back games on a regular basis.
Also, sometimes, people with more information (than the stats that Richard and most of us like to use), such as the trainers, the pitching coach, and the manager, have to make availability decisions based on things we cannot find in statistics. In Hammond’s case, this is almost certainly why he was not available yesterday.
I’m with you regarding Aki’s “demotion”…..when you don’t record an out and you’ve faced several batters the night before, Boch has to be questioning whether Aki has the hot hand right now. He obviously doesn’t after last night’s showing. So, forget the set bullpen lineup….go with the guy who is pitching well. Give Aki the spots where he has less pressure and build his confidence back up.
I’m with you regarding Aki’s “demotion”…..when you don’t record an out and you’ve faced several batters the night before, Boch has to be questioning whether Aki has the hot hand right now. He obviously doesn’t after last night’s showing. So, forget the set bullpen lineup….go with the guy who is pitching well. Give Aki the spots where he has less pressure and build his confidence back up.
From today’s Daily Dish …
Lake Elsinore first baseman Michael Johnson had surgery Tuesday to remove the hook of the hamate bone in his right hand. “(The doctor) said it went really good,” Johnson told the North County Times. “It was everything he expected, which is good.” Johnson, the Padres’ second-rounder out of Clemson in 2002, is expected to miss four-to-six weeks. He was having his best season as a pro, batting .308-.381-.624 with eight home runs and 34 RBIs.
That’s too bad about Michael Johnson. He had gotten off to such a good start (even by Cal League standards) that I was looking forward to seeing him promoted finally to Mobile. Now he will get passed by Valenzuela Jr most likely.
What a surprise. Nevin over-matched by a RHP. Like to U2 Sunday Bloody Sunday, “How long must we make this post?” (instead “sing this song”). And, OK, give Burroughs a rest, but Blum? Yes, Nady is RHP, but his splits are actually higher against RHP. So you have Damian in at second base, RHP, against a RHP
RHB, that is Damian, not a RHP. Nice BB, though.
Roberts is big time
DRob got a good result on a bad decision to hack away.
Nice rope by Blum…too bad right at Green
I agree about Roberts…it paid off but why the hell was he swinging 2-0??
Nice rope by Blum…too bad right at Green
Blum swung 2-0 also…ultimately his result wasn’t bad either.
Alright Giles, HR, 3-0 Pads. I like the way this one has started.
nice sweet swing Brian Giles
Crack-a-toa!
nice start to the 3rd inning…lets see us put this one away early..
sorry..4th inning..
Royce Clayton reminds me of Prince from Chappelle’s show
Hernandez hitting streak: 13 games. 43 to go.
I’m impressed by DJ’s AB’s against Webb today.
nice look for the clown in the pool with the leather hat..
Peavy is SUHWEEET. pleasure to watch.
Eric…you aren’t kidding…the guy just brings it every time out.
I agree Eric. Other than Kevin Brown, I can’t recall a pitcher like Peavy ever pitching for the team. I hope they lock him up LOOOONG term, but that is going to be costly at some point if he keeps this up. Tonight he’s just rolling and doesn’t even need the strikeouts. Hopefully the DHacks will keep pounding into the ground.
It doesn’t matter what he costs…he needs to be signed long term. Pitchers like this don’t come around that often.
5 innings, 51 pitches. I smell complete game.
we need to pile up some insurance runs so that Bochy won’t be tempted to give Hoffman the 9th.
ah, I don’t care either way, really, as long as we win.
Jake is locked up through 2008 with a club option for 2009.
Jake Peavy has never had a complete game.
http://www.padresnation.com/players/jakepeavy.html — this page has Peavy’s contract info and the article on his extension from March 4.
Sean Burroughs has a sore quadriceps and will sit out two to five games.
a 6-pitch inning. SSUUUHHHWWWWEeeeeeeeeeeeet
10 groundball outs for Peavy through 5 2/3… I think it will do some good for Sean to take a break. Might allow Nady to get a start or two at third. Although the way he’s playing tonight, Blum will probably start every game Sean sits.
I think that’s 56 pitches through six, right?
Here are the latest Padres notes from The Associated Press: Akinori Otsuka is out as the setup man for the time being. The 33-year-old former Japanese League closer went 7-2 in relief for San Diego last year, but his 2005 record dipped to 1-3 after blowing a save in the eighth inning Wednesday night — his second straight appearance in Phoenix in which he failed to get an out. Manager Bruce Bochy said Otsuka will see action in the sixth or seventh innings. “He’ll come out of this and get back to where he was,” Bochy said. “His stuff is as good as it ever was. He’s throwing 92 (mph). His problem is location right now.” Akinori said he looks on his recent scuffles as a growth experience. … 3B Sean Burroughs has a sore quadriceps and will sit out two to five games. Geoff Blum, who started the last two games at second after Mark Loretta went on the DL, replaced him at third. … RHP Woody Williams, out with a strained left oblique since May 2, threw 40 pitches for the second time in three days, using his fastball and changeup, and felt good afterward. Bochy said Williams would throw 50 pitches Saturday at San Francisco, another 50 during a simulated game Tuesday, do side work June 2 and make a minor league rehabilitation start June 5.
57 pitches Kevin.
CRUSHED IT. A towering HR from Ryno. 6-0 Pads. Good morning, good afternoon, and good night (hopefully).
We have officially dominated Brandon Webb. That was very satisfying.
Hot Bat!
Did Ryno get all of that one or what?
I think that ball is still going. This game is indeed most satisfying to watch.
actually, he did not do his “hot bat” release on that…why? that had to feel as good as it sounded. I wonder if he worried about it going foul?