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.
Sweeney with a one-out single. Sele sucks. Padres need to jump on him early and not let him get comfortable.
Klesko lets him off the hook immediately by grounding into a double-play on the first pitch.
Three batters, three outs, five pitches. One loss and patience at the plate is over? That’s something to watch for.
Nice start by Stauffer. Three pitches = broken bat 4-3.
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.
Twelve pitches. No runs in the first against Stauffer. Game’s in the bag, right?
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.
How are you, Richard? Nothing to add to the conversation. Just checking in.
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.
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?
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.
Sele’s outside corner has been much more generous than Stauffer’s. Good call on that.
Maybe, but the one person I have faith to work the count no matter what is Giles.
Nevin hit that ball pretty hard, but Beltre was playing on the line.
At least Nevin made him work to get him out.
Nevin can’t get a break. He hit one at the opposite foul line last night and it was taken away.
The Mariners need to score to win. The announcers are recycling their bad material.
Ump is not letting Sele have the outside on that curve.
Sele threw more pitches to Giles than he threw in the first inning.
Maybe Kevin Kelley had a rough night and it’s a little early to be calling an accurate strike zone.
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.
That curve from Stauffer just hung. Lucky it didn’t leave the park.
0-2 to Ibanez following the double.
Boone trades places with Sexson. Stauffer needs to hold them to one run this inning.
2-0, Mariners.
Pretty good play by Blum to get the lead runner.
*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?
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?
Stauffer walks the number nine hitter. Crap.
He has no range to speak of.
So you’re saying ‘limited’ range is a generous description?
He struck out Suzuki, though.
Yeah Blum’s range seems to be of the take a few steps and fall down approach.
Pads looking very weak at the plate at the moment.
Speaking of Blum’s bad range at second. He does look better at short. Why has Bochy flip-flopped DJ and Blum?
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.
And what does Nady have to do to get a start these days?
I’ve been waiting for someone to ask about Nady. RH hitters have a .373 average vs. Sele this year.
Nevin Burroughs and Roberts could have all sat on the bench today, preferably in that order.
Stauffer’s curve today is the best I have see in his three starts.
I think Nady could play second as well as Blum.
Burroughs based on what we saw two years ago, could play second better than Blum.
Davey Lopes, right now, could play second better than Blum.
How ’bout Jerry Coleman? He’s only 81.
That was embarassing. Ibanez is a slug.
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.
For day games, sure.
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.
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.
Anyone else concerned that 4 of Seattle’s 6 hits off Stauffer are for extra bases?