In-Game Discussion: Padres @ Mariners (22 May 2005)
Sun, May 22, 2005
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 1:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Tim Stauffer (1-0, 3.46 ERA) vs Aaron Sele (2-4, 5.62 ERA)
The Padres saw their latest winning streak end at eight, as Brian Lawrence’s struggles away from Petco continued. The Friars had numerous chances to put the hurt on Seattle starter Gil Meche, who struggled with his command much of the night, but didn’t get it done.
The recent hot streak has masked the fact that San Diego is getting almost no production out of the corner infield spots. Neither Phil Nevin (.248/.281/.406) nor Sean Burroughs (.271/.342/.301) is contributing much at the plate. Nevin’s 38 strikeouts against 9 walks is particularly troubling, as are Burroughs’ two extra base hits in 133 at-bats (Robert Fick has as many XBH in just 11 AB).
Of the 180 players in the big leagues who currently qualify (3.1 PA per game team has played), only four - Victor Martinez, Aaron Boone, Jason Kendall, Cristian Guzman - have a lower slugging percentage than Burroughs. Of the bottom 15 qualifiers in slugging percentage, only Burroughs and Tony Womack (.281/.329/.320) aren’t dragged down by a sub-.240 batting average. With Dave Roberts now in the leadoff slot, it would be good to see Burroughs stop hitting like Womack and start driving the ball into the gaps every once in a while.
Pads look to win the series at Seattle Sunday afternoon. Stauffer makes his third big-league start, while Sele apparently is still kicking.
AB BA OBP SLG
Sele vs current Padres 107 .299 .347 .402
Most of the guys who have faced Sele much aren’t doing real well against him: Roberts (.250/.273/.250 in 20 AB), Fick (.235/.316/.235 in 17 AB), Ramon Hernandez (.118/.167/.118 in 17 AB), Brian Giles (.154/.154/.154 in 13 AB). The one exception is Damian Jackson (.500/.533/.917 in 12 AB), so today might be a good day to get him in the lineup, perhaps at second base. Ryan Klesko has the lone homer. Nevin also has had some success in limited opportunities. Right-handers are hitting .373/.462/.507 against Sele this year. As is often the case, a patient approach would appear to be in order.
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
May 22, 2005 at 1:08 pm
Sweeney with a one-out single. Sele sucks. Padres need to jump on him early and not let him get comfortable.
May 22, 2005 at 1:09 pm
Klesko lets him off the hook immediately by grounding into a double-play on the first pitch.
May 22, 2005 at 1:11 pm
Three batters, three outs, five pitches. One loss and patience at the plate is over? That’s something to watch for.
May 22, 2005 at 1:12 pm
Nice start by Stauffer. Three pitches = broken bat 4-3.
May 22, 2005 at 1:13 pm
Nice play by Phil. Seven pitches, two outs. I don’t like how he’s falling behind guys, though. And just like that he’s ahead of Beltre.
May 22, 2005 at 1:15 pm
Twelve pitches. No runs in the first against Stauffer. Game’s in the bag, right?
May 22, 2005 at 1:15 pm
Well Stauffer just got his first 1-2-3 first inning. So at least we have that to smile about. It looked like he was getting squeezed a little bit on the outer part of the plate IMO.
May 22, 2005 at 1:17 pm
How are you, Richard? Nothing to add to the conversation. Just checking in.
May 22, 2005 at 1:17 pm
Going back to your comment about loss of patience. I am also worried that they will want to bounce back today and get things going again. Put that together with Sele’s bad numbers and that may spell overagressiveness and overconfidence.
May 22, 2005 at 1:18 pm
Hey, Brian. Things are good on this end. Giles worked the count to 3-2 before striking out. Maybe we got ahead of ourselves there, Bruce?
May 22, 2005 at 1:19 pm
After just watching an Aaron Sele 86mph pitch on the outside part of the plate get called for a strike, I am convinced that this ump is going to make the rookie Stauffer earn that part of the plate. Stauffer threw closer pitches than this pitch by Sele.
May 22, 2005 at 1:20 pm
Sele’s outside corner has been much more generous than Stauffer’s. Good call on that.
May 22, 2005 at 1:20 pm
Maybe, but the one person I have faith to work the count no matter what is Giles.
May 22, 2005 at 1:20 pm
Nevin hit that ball pretty hard, but Beltre was playing on the line.
May 22, 2005 at 1:21 pm
At least Nevin made him work to get him out.
May 22, 2005 at 1:21 pm
Nevin can’t get a break. He hit one at the opposite foul line last night and it was taken away.
May 22, 2005 at 1:22 pm
The Mariners need to score to win. The announcers are recycling their bad material.
May 22, 2005 at 1:22 pm
Ump is not letting Sele have the outside on that curve.
May 22, 2005 at 1:22 pm
Sele threw more pitches to Giles than he threw in the first inning.
May 22, 2005 at 1:23 pm
Maybe Kevin Kelley had a rough night and it’s a little early to be calling an accurate strike zone.
May 22, 2005 at 1:24 pm
Hey we have the old-timers back this afternoon. But I am sure they will have to leave mid-game to go get the early bird.
May 22, 2005 at 1:25 pm
That curve from Stauffer just hung. Lucky it didn’t leave the park.
May 22, 2005 at 1:25 pm
0-2 to Ibanez following the double.
May 22, 2005 at 1:27 pm
Boone trades places with Sexson. Stauffer needs to hold them to one run this inning.
May 22, 2005 at 1:29 pm
2-0, Mariners.
May 22, 2005 at 1:31 pm
Pretty good play by Blum to get the lead runner.
May 22, 2005 at 1:31 pm
*Sigh* Even though Blum got the lead runner, we need Loretta back big time. Blum needs to get out of the middle infield. I can’t help but think he is going to cost us at some point if he keeps starting at second. Anyone know why Greene isn’t playing today?
May 22, 2005 at 1:32 pm
Does Blum have as limited a range as the guys on the radio say? Should he have at least gotten to the ball that got through to score the second run?
May 22, 2005 at 1:33 pm
Stauffer walks the number nine hitter. Crap.
May 22, 2005 at 1:34 pm
He has no range to speak of.
May 22, 2005 at 1:34 pm
So you’re saying ‘limited’ range is a generous description?
May 22, 2005 at 1:35 pm
He struck out Suzuki, though.
May 22, 2005 at 1:35 pm
Yeah Blum’s range seems to be of the take a few steps and fall down approach.
May 22, 2005 at 1:38 pm
Pads looking very weak at the plate at the moment.
May 22, 2005 at 1:39 pm
Speaking of Blum’s bad range at second. He does look better at short. Why has Bochy flip-flopped DJ and Blum?
May 22, 2005 at 1:41 pm
Bochy does a lot of things I can’t begin to explain. I don’t mean to attack his decision-making. I just can’t follow what his logic must be.
May 22, 2005 at 1:41 pm
And what does Nady have to do to get a start these days?
May 22, 2005 at 1:47 pm
I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about Nady. RH hitters have a .373 average vs. Sele this year.
May 22, 2005 at 1:50 pm
Nevin Burroughs and Roberts could have all sat on the bench today, preferably in that order.
May 22, 2005 at 1:50 pm
Stauffer’s curve today is the best I have see in his three starts.
May 22, 2005 at 1:51 pm
I think Nady could play second as well as Blum.
May 22, 2005 at 1:53 pm
Burroughs based on what we saw two years ago, could play second better than Blum.
May 22, 2005 at 1:56 pm
Davey Lopes, right now, could play second better than Blum.
May 22, 2005 at 1:59 pm
How ’bout Jerry Coleman? He’s only 81.
May 22, 2005 at 2:00 pm
That was embarassing. Ibanez is a slug.
May 22, 2005 at 2:01 pm
Stauffer definitely needs to work ahead, not that isn’t true of most if not all pitchers. But left handers do seem to sit on that sinker when he gets behind in the count.
May 22, 2005 at 2:02 pm
For day games, sure.
May 22, 2005 at 2:14 pm
Sele is just having no problems with the Pads today. I think the Pads tendency to go to sleep against inferior pitchers is my biggest pet peeve with this club right now.
May 22, 2005 at 2:19 pm
Nasty change-up there to Beltre to even the count at 1-1. I think it is one of the few times I have seen him throw the change today.
May 22, 2005 at 2:33 pm
Anyone else concerned that 4 of Seattle’s 6 hits off Stauffer are for extra bases?
May 22, 2005 at 2:39 pm
We’re not even up at the moment but I’ve been sitting on a comment for awhile now… Is it just me, or does Dave Roberts the inside-pitch equivelent of Derek Jeter or what?
*Derek Jeter nearly always FALLS across the plate on an outside pitch as if to say, I wanted to swing at that pitch, but it was SO far outside… - And the umps give him the call.
Roberts, on the other hand, will jump upright on pitches on the inside corner (not up and in - on the corner).
UGH! - Com’on Timmy! Though so far I’m more dissapointed with the hitters than Stauffer’s performance - though he does need to throw strikes.
May 22, 2005 at 2:40 pm
Mariners chase Stauffer with two out in the sixth. Two runners still on at first and second. Stauffer was alright today, but his teammates gave him no offense obviously.
May 22, 2005 at 2:42 pm
Stauffer was behind on a lot of batters today, too many.
May 22, 2005 at 2:46 pm
Home plate ump now looks like he wants to go get an early dinner, expanding the strike zone for Sele.
May 22, 2005 at 2:47 pm
Another easy inning for Sele. This is pathetic.
May 22, 2005 at 2:56 pm
6 of Seattle’s 9 hits now for extra bases. 5-0 Mariners.
May 22, 2005 at 3:06 pm
I said it before, and I will say it again: pathetic. 8 shutout innings for Sele who has retired 10 in a row. I have had enough, time to go run some errands. Later.
May 22, 2005 at 3:07 pm
I’m in an AL-only roto-keeper league and have Reed on my team. It’s a rebuilding league for me so I could somewhat care less about his performance. But would he just stop this against us!