first pitch: 12:10 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Darrell May (1-2, 5.40 ERA) vs Jeff Weaver (6-7, 4.75)
previews: ESPN | CBS | Padres.com
I love it when Hee Seop Choi comes to the plate at Dodger Stadium and the crowd starts chanting “Beat LA.”
Very odd game Tuesday night. Pads won, 8-3, but it was a lot more interesting than it needed to be. Brian Lawrence threw another gem, taking a shutout into the eighth. Some spectacular defense up the middle from Khalil Greene and Damian Jackson. And a play in the bottom of the eighth in which two Dodgers scored on a wild pitch by Rudy Seanez.
Leading the Charge
Numbers. Analysis. Because if I don’t do it every once in a while, I could lose my geek cred.
Elevated from last night’s comments. Stats are through Tuesday’s game. With the usual caveats about team-dependent stats, check out who’s leading the charge.
| Name | AB/R | Name | AB/RBI | Name | AB/HR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian Giles | 5.57 | Xavier Nady | 5.21 | Xavier Nady | 16.22 |
| D. Jackson | 5.75 | Phil Nevin | 5.47 | Ryan Klesko | 19.31 |
| Xavier Nady | 5.88 | Robert Fick | 5.50 | Mark Sweeney | 23.75 |
| Robert Fick | 6.08 | Brian Giles | 6.65 | Phil Nevin | 28.56 |
| Ryan Klesko | 6.67 | Ryan Klesko | 6.97 | Brian Giles | 29.56 |
| Mark Loretta | 6.70 | R. Hernandez | 7.15 | D. Jackson | 30.00 |
| Dave Roberts | 6.73 | Mark Sweeney | 7.31 | Dave Roberts | 33.67 |
| Mark Sweeney | 8.04 | Dave Roberts | 7.77 | R. Hernandez | 33.71 |
| Khalil Greene | 8.18 | Khalil Greene | 7.85 | Robert Fick | 38.50 |
| Geoff Blum | 8.27 | D. Jackson | 9.23 | Geoff Blum | 45.25 |
| Phil Nevin | 8.57 | Geoff Blum | 10.06 | Khalil Greene | 51.00 |
| R. Hernandez | 9.08 | Miguel Ojeda | 11.00 | S. Burroughs | 224.00 |
| Miguel Ojeda | 11.00 | Mark Loretta | 12.31 | Miguel Ojeda | inf |
| S. Burroughs | 12.22 | S. Burroughs | 16.00 | Mark Loretta | inf |
(Courtesy ESPN.)
Third Base? I Don’t Know
Xavier Nady is making the third base question a bit problematic. With Sean Burroughs being third from the bottom in ISO among 169 big-league qualifiers, the Padres aren’t getting any production out of the hot corner position.
Nady, of course, played third base in college. The trouble, as I understand it, is that Bruce Bochy has concerns about Nady’s defense. I can respect that, really, because he hasn’t seen regular action at third in several years. But Burroughs is dragging the offense down and in Tuesday night’s contest against the Dodgers, he botched a couple routine throws. If he isn’t adding value on defense, then why is he in there?
I like Burroughs, and I’m not suggesting that Nady is the answer. But right now Burroughs is struggling big time. Why not at least give Nady a shot at third when Dave Roberts and Phil Nevin return? What possible harm could come of it? If it doesn’t work out, then try something else.
Free Agent Checkup
Over at Dodger Thoughts they’re looking at the early returns on this past winter’s free agent crop (methodology – see comment #180). No Padres were represented over there, so I took the liberty of throwing a little something together (stats are through Monday’s game):
Hitters
| Name | $M | OPS | G | WARP | WARP Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geoff Blum | 0.575 | 672 | 54 | 1.3 | 0.37 |
| Robert Fick | 0.400 | 868 | 32 | 0.9 | 0.53 |
| Damian Jackson | 0.320 | 732 | 48 | 1.3 | 0.37 |
| Mark Sweeney | 0.580 | 867 | 62 | 1.1 | 0.43 |
Pitchers
| Name | $M | ERA | IP | WARP | WARP Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chris Hammond | 0.750 | 1.64 | 38.3 | 2.4 | 0.20 |
| Dennys Reyes | 0.550 | 4.08 | 35.3 | 0.6 | 0.79 |
| Rudy Seanez | 0.550 | 2.34 | 34.7 | 1.8 | 0.26 |
| Woody Williams | 3.000 | 4.24 | 68.0 | 1.8 | 0.26 |
(Stats courtesy Baseball Prospectus; salary info courtesy Hardball Dollars.)
As Richard pointed out, the Devil Rays paid the fewest marginal dollars per marginal win last year, so take the above with the appropriate buckets of salt. Still, gotta love that bench and bullpen. I know I do. 
Okay, enough of the numbers. Let’s play some ball. Time to take advantage of the general indifference that is the NL West. A series win at Dodger Stadium would help. Go Pads!
“Final” numbers against D-May: .455/.455/.636, 6.4 RC, 4 RS
Whatever Bochy does, we get to watch it for two more years, thanks to his rececnt contract extension.
Darrell May is just fine his first two times through the lineup or so. Just take him out after that. Why wait until he blows it to make a move?
I agree that they just try to use May and Redding for four innings each or something like that. We may have a good starter between the two.
In Bochy’s defense, his strength is managing people. That’s the No. 1 and maybe only reason some consider him a good or even very good manager.
Maybe they should let him hang around and be pleasant and let somebody competent do the in-game management and fill out the batting orders…
Padre batters through five: .235/.300/.294, 1.5 RC, 1 RS
Dodger batters through five: .417/.440/.583, 6.1 RC, 4 RS
Silver Lining: We should be losing by five, not three.
They’re charging you a dollar per vote for the 26th man of the all-star team…
By text message, that is.
I wouldn’t have a problem with that, Richard. One thing I hope happens is that Alderson will run the team from the top, mandate various things, because as you and others say, Bochy is just middle management. And because I think Bochy is a good guy and wants to stay in San Diego, I think he may receptive to that sort of thing.
I like the way that’s phrased. That would probably be the best scenario.
If they want to charge that much, I want to play in the All-Star Game.
Giles is battling a little… and he hooks one just foul down the right field line.
What is the Padres record vs. the Dodgers this season, Richard?
DMay 2005:
as starter: 6.75 ERA
as reliever: 3.52 ERA
inning 1-3: .231/.310/.359
inning 4-6: .392/.421/.843
DMay past 3 years:
as starter: 4.77 ERA
as reliever: 5.82 ERA
inning 1-3: .277/.325/.484
inning 4-6: .272/.325/.524
seems like this year is just a small-sample fluke.
Back-to-back walks. Fantastic plate appearance by Giles. That was just really great.
Good stuff, Eric.
Ugly AB by Fick.
Looking up the record…
perhaps being a spot-starter this year has prevented him from having the stamina for more than 3-4 innings.
ESPN says 4-7 if I”m reading it right.
Another crappy strike call by the ump. We don’t need any help sucking.
dangit I missed Giles’ AB compiling those numbers. In-Game-Discussion is preventing me from watching.
Interleague play and the Dodgers have been our Krptonite.
Damn Fick. Two walks to open the inning. Then, Weaver starts him 1-0. What’s he do? He grounds into a double play on the next pitch. What the hell is that?
I misspelled that. Damn.
A .364 W% against the only other good team in your division is unfortunate.
Redding: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 1 K, 0 HR
That should read 1.3 IP…
Teddy Ballgame would not have done that.
I’m sure Weaver can’t believe his luck.
Dodgers have only met the Padres when they are struggling. I wouldn’t think much of it.
even Redding and May have good days every now and then. Thank God.
That’s it for Redding. New kid is on deck.
Now it’s Burroughs.
Eric, you wouldn’t consider the Dodgers to be struggling at this time?
How are we still in this game?
No friggin’ way.
Agree with Richard. Presuming this score holds, the Dodgers will have won just 5 of their last 16 — all five wins (in seven games) against San Diego. You don’t think 5-11 (plus no Gagne, Bradley, etc.) is struggling?
No friggin’ way…
hm. you guys are right.
Last Dodger win vs. Anyone Besides The Padres? June 12.
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