first pitch: 1:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Adam Eaton (7-1, 3.49 ERA) vs Jason Schmidt (3-1, 4.79 ERA)
previews: ESPN | CBS | SI | Padres.com
Just got in from Vegas; thanks to Jay for posting the key pitcher-batter matchups in yesterday’s comments. Here they are:
Good: (AB/BA/OBP/SLG/OPS) Sweeney: 20/.350/.458/.750/1.208 Hernandez: 15/.400/.526/.867/1.393 Jackson: 13/.308/.438/.615/1.053 Blum: 13/.231/.286/.538/.824
Ugly: Nevin: 20/.200/.261/.250/.511 Klesko: 41/.171/.286/.317/.603 Giles: 27/.074/.324/.222/.547
Good: Bonds (who cares, but his OPS is 1.227) Alou 16/.375/.412/.813/1.224 Tucker 8/.500/.500/.625/1.125 Durham 16/.250/.400/.688/1.088 Alfonzo 20/.300/.391/.600/.991 Snow 21/.286/.348/.524/.872
Ugly: Vizquel OPS with 6 AB .250; Marquis Grissom (out) has an OPS .274 in 28 AB's
Jay also had this commentary to offer, and I think it’s spot on: “I know it is asking for way, way too much, but today looks like a day to see Nady, Sweeney in there (I say give Nady a go if your big guns are so bad against Schmidt).”
The good news is, Sweeney and Jackson in are in today’s lineup. The bad news? Giles and Klesko play, Nady sits.
X Factor
Xavier Nady started in left field Saturday. Batting seventh, he singled in four at-bats. He also drove in the tying run in the seventh on what should have been an infield hit; unfortunately first base umpire C.B. Bucknor missed the call at first, so it was just an RBI ground out. Nady had one other nice at-bat; in the fourth, after falling behind 0-2, he worked the count full before flying to the warning track in left.
Pads have already clinched their second straight series win on the road against a division rival and a winning record on the road trip. Today they go for the sweep against one of the tougher right-handers in baseball.
I’d rather give him 3/27 than 4/32.
Alderson has previously expressed his disdain for long-term contracts.
Here’s an interesting snip from an email I get which has a focus on roto …
PIT OF Jason Bay has been a great power source, with 11 HR so far, but in the past two weeks he has been in a tailspin, hitting only .153 and dropping his BA from .317 to .279. He began to pull out of his slump the past two nights with a couple of homers and a 3 for 6 performance. The bad news in Bay’s numbers is that he is hitting only .231 against right-handed pitching. And his hit rate of 27% against right-handed pitching matches his full-season hit rate of 28% at AAA Indianapolis in 2003, so this may not be
bad luck.
Pitching stats thru 6 full … 6-3 Padres …
Pitches-strikes – A Eaton 104-70; J Schmidt 106-63; J Brower 26-13.
Ground balls-fly balls – A Eaton 7-7; J Schmidt 5-7; J Brower 2-1.
Batters faced – A Eaton 25; J Schmidt 25; J Brower 8.
He’ll be 32 on Opening Day of the fourth year. Is that age really scary? He could still get it done.
Hermey: 2 for 4
Will we see Nady to PH for Eaton?
Ramon’s peak was age 27.
He will be younger than Giles, Nevin and Klesko are now.
A lot of well-struck balls by the Friars today.
Catcher is the most demanding position. 1B, LF & RF are the three least demanding positions.
Nope, it’s Miguel Ojeda.
That is best year so far. And that is the peak for most players. But his best season may turn out to be this season.
There’s that whole catchers age poorly argument, and if Ramon declines quickly by his fourth year, he could be making 4-6 million more than his production could warrant, and that’s assuming he is worth 8-10/annually to begin with.
Richard, I think I’d be okay with 3/$27 for Ramon. That’s still a tad high, but I’m more concerned about the years than the dollars.
I think it’s too early to get worried about Hernandez’ age … so I think $ will be more of a factor than years … so I still think he’s gone … the Padres’ aren’t going to give him “market value” (ie. he’ll be able to get more $ elsewhere) … and that’s not necessarily bad … it certainly wasn’t bad for the Padres to let David Wells get “market value” elsewhere this year.
Seems like we might lose both Hernandez & Giles to “market value” … of the 2, right now I think Ramon would be the harder to replace …
Which he isn’t.
Catchers are always harder to replace. Of the 8 position players on a field, usually 6 of them are more than capable of playing right field.
Not a great outing by Eaton, but he battled and finished strong. Thinking back to the HBP to Matheny (and to a few other pitches), does it seem like Adam is working the inner half more this year?
Matty’s going on about that annoying Giant fan, again. heh
I agree that those other positions are more demanding, but he will be 1-2 years younger than those other three. If he was a year older, I would probably say no way to a fourth year. But I think he’s right on that border.
Perhaps Bochy is “saving” Nady in case a more important/valuable AB comes along in the 8th or 9th? OK, I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt … this time. Free the X-man!
Padres have stolen four of four against Matheny today (Jackson, then slid off the base, though).
Sorry, I meant those other positions are less demanding.
One thing I like about Roberts is that even though he doesn’t have the greatest OBP, he does make guys work. This is a nice at-bat against Eyre.
It’s debatable. Ten pitch AB by Roberts? Nice.
That logo is not the Swinging Padre. It’s the Swinging Friar. Idiot Giants announcers.
.360 is a pretty good OBP.
This may be a 200 comment discussion. And with fluff comments like this, I’m sure of it.
Let’s see if Rudy can K the side again.
Considering Roberts OBP coming into the season, I thought I would be “happy” with .350 and 50 steals. He’s not stealing a bunch of bases, but that slugging is better than the steals.
I would have been happy with .340. Damn, there’s a hit.
You da fluff, Richard
Giants announcers just compared the Padres bullpen to the Nasty Boys of the 1990 Reds. Not sure if they were talking about three specific relievers for the Padres. But then again, I’ve been calling them idiots all day. But their point was that after the sixth inning, it’s over.
You’re right, .360 OBP is solid. I was thinking more of his career OBP coming into the season (.335). Roberts has been a *much* tougher out than I’d expected.
Not a good start to the bottom half of the 7th.
Uh-oh. I’m thinking of missed opportunities earlier in the game now.
What do you expect from the pen today … Seanez + Linebrink + Hoffy?
… or Seanez + Hammonds + Hoffy?
Damn.
Death by paper cuts.
Get Seanez out.
I’m thinking maybe, Seanez, Hammond, Linebrink, Hoffy.
Here comes Hammond.
Giants have now pulled within one, those 10 LOB are coming back to bite us in the behind. In comes Hammond.
Giants have now pulled within one, those 10 LOB are coming back to bite us in the behind. In comes Hammond.
Giants’ announcers yesterday refered to Linebrink as “a closer waiting to happen” … hmmm, is he Hoffy’s heir-apparent? Sounds right to me. At the start of the year, I thought it’d be Brad Baker (who currently has 14 saves for AAA Portland, but poor ERA, etc) … Linebrink seems to have the credentials …
Is Craig Lefferts available?
I’ve never seen anyone run back to home plate.
Nice that we still have Nady available to PH
And Nevin, for that matter …