first pitch: 4:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Adam Eaton (9-1, 3.18 ERA) vs Mike Maroth (4-7, 4.54 ERA)
previews: CBS | Padres.com
Jake Peavy got part of the way out of his mini-funk Tuesday night but his defense let him down and the Padres’ June swoon continues, as the club is now 3-9 during the month. Fortunately, the only starter to record a win for the Friars in June goes Wednesday. Eaton has become the Pads’ stopper this year and the club will be counting on him to turn things around against the Tigers tonight. Of course, the club had better do its part to help him do just that. Note that in this context, shoddy fielding and poor clutch hitting do not constitute help.
The Padres have been outscored, 58-30, so far in June. Ryan Klesko (.303/.395/.424) is the only regular with an OPS over 800 during the month. Amusingly, Eaton has the highest OPS (1600), albeit in just 5 at-bats. Guys who are struggling at the plate include Geoff Blum (.231/.268/.256), Khalil Greene (.222/.222/.267), Dave Roberts (.200/.273/.200), and Damian Jackson (.174/.167/.174). As a whole, the team is hitting just .231/.283/.325 in June and scoring 2.5 runs per contest.
For the Tigers, Maroth is most famous for losing 21 games in 2003, but as are most 20-game losers, he’s a pretty decent pitcher. He’s around the plate, gets hit some, and doesn’t strike out a lot of guys. Basically a left-handed Brian Lawrence. He also has a severe home/road split this year:
AB BA OBP SLG ERA
Home 167 .335 .374 .497 6.20
Road 142 .225 .286 .401 2.79
Then again, last year Maroth’s ERA at home was over two runs lower than on the road, so this probably speaks more to the volatility of small sample sizes than to any actual tendency.
The one other thing I noticed about Maroth is that he is not one of those pitchers that gets tougher as the game progresses. He’s a guy you can get to the second or third time through the lineup:
Inn AB BA OBP SLG 1-3 141 .220 .277 .284 4-6 140 .343 .383 .607 7-9 28 .321 .333 .536
Breaking it down even further (and I’m taking some educated guesses on the plate appearances here because the exact numbers are not available; these should be very close):
#Pit AB BA OBP SLG 1-60 185 .249 .299 .308 61+ 124 .339 .378 .669
Of the 11 home runs Maroth has surrendered this season, 10 have come after the 60th pitch. The numbers from 2004 aren’t quite as extreme, but he was tougher to hit early than late last year as well.
Here’s hoping the Padre bats wake up tonight and do some damage. As I’ve said before, runs would be nice.
The Nevin error was HUGE.
And 2 HBP.
They picked off Logan at first and he got to second.
I’m watching the Rangers game, now.
This team is the opposite of last month!
Kyle Davies is getting destroyed.
I am over this team! They don’t care!
Chris. Calm down.
Richard is starting a Nevin for Hideki Matsui bandwagon.
I don’t see how Matsui will fulfill our need for an iron-gloved would-be slugger who can whiff three times a game. Losing Nevin would create such a void.
We could get some drunk fat guys from a softball team to play this good!
I’d take a bucket of balls, but I think the Yankees would insist on giving up a bucket of balls being paid eight million dollars.
Hey, I’m a drunk fat guy. I’ll sign for the MLB minimum. And, like Dave Roberts, I am a Winning MACHINE!
Sorry, I was so pumped last month. I bought season tickets last year and was let down big time so I passed this year. I was thinking about buying season tickets this year, but forget it.
Eaton’s line is finally finished: 2.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 2 K
May has allowed two base runners in 0.2 IP.
It could be worse. We could be the Braves right now.
I’m all for it. As long as you don’t make any virus excuses!
You were disappointed by last season? What’s wrong with you?
I miss the complete lack of annoying bandwagon fans we had from 2000-2003.
Nevin called out looking. Ramon grounds out on a 2-0 pitch.
Giles did the same on a 1-0 pitch.
I was disappointed because they had one great month last year then quit the next month just like this year. They ended up short a few games of making the playoffs because of the slump they went into.
Maroth has a career 4.43 DT Translated ERA…
Did you watch any of the games from 2000-03?
Like I have been saying they all swing for the fences. They do great when they work on the fundamentals, take a strike, and then put the ball in play.
Darrell hasn’t been bad as a reliever with a 3.36 ERA.
Yeah, I was also there in 98, I think it was, when they won the pennant and went to the fall classic.
3.63, rather. And that was going into today.
You went to games from 2000-2003, then?
Lance, I think the padres should trade for you. What do you do for a living, and can Klesko take your place.
yeah
Klesko? Chris, Klesko has been the team’s second best hitter after Giles.
I know. Just really frustrated.
Hernandez just grounded out after the Padres’ first 3-ball count of the night. Either Maroth has been great, or the Padres have been really impatient.
I’m a better fielder than Klesko, but they would definitely have to get rid of Nevin, as he and I are similar right-handed batters (strikeout-prone complainers). You need balance in the line-up.
There’s no way in hell Klesko could do my job, BTW.
Farm Report: According to a poster to the discussion board at pdxbeavers.com, Kerry Robinson “exercised an ‘out clause’ in his contract today and took a release.”
I know GY was down on K-Rob, but I felt he was a good player to have a AAA … that he was still improving enough that he could possibly provide some short-term help … eh, not worth sweatin’ over …
More ABs for Hyzdu now … a guy I think is worse than K-Rob … meaning I think the Beavers will win fewer games without him … and I think that hurts the Padres (ie. I think there’s value in having a winning team at all levels in the minors … I want Barfield to be used to winning ball games, for example).