first pitch: 5:10 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Tim Stauffer (1-2, 3.93 ERA) vs Carlos Silva (5-3, 3.15 ERA)
previews: CBS | Padres.com
Wow, Silva has walked just 4 batters in 80 innings this year! And he’s striking out fewer than three batters per 9 innings. Bizarre.
Okay, my wife is “anxious” to leave the hotel room, so you’ll have to provide the rest of the analysis today. Here’s hoping Minnesota is kinder to the Padres than was Detroit.
Quick Hits
- Padres’ quiet bats drive Bochy batty (U-T). We’re right there with ya, buddy. BTW, there is an intriguing right-handed option languishing at the end of your bench.
- Peter at San Diego Spotlight will be on “Outta Left Field” sometime next week. Blogs will take over the world.
- Eaton injury not as bad as thought (U-T). Strained flexor tendon in right middle finger might cause him to miss a start.
- So You Can Remind Me That I Was Wrong (Friar Faithful). Richard lets us know where he stands in regard to various ideas currently being bandied about. Tony Womack? I wasn’t aware that was even an option. Sweet Kerry Robinson, what could Womack possibly have to offer the Padres? Maybe someone can talk Enzo Hernandez out of retirement.
- Eugene Emeralds 2005 roster (Scout.com). Several 2005 draftees will be there, including supplemental first-rounder Cesar Ramos.
Game over.
Too late.
I thought it was over. And with Ford on third, it probably is.
TOTALLY Nevin’s fault.
Reyes sucks.
How about trade Nady for a relief pitcher who’s better than Reyes?
Reyes should be cut tomorrow. I am sure they are blinded by his ERA.
I honestly don’t blame Nevin for anything. Is it his fault he’s not any good? No. It’s Bochy’s fault that he is put in a position where he is set up to fail.
Stauffer continues to struggle mightily in the first inning. He’s made seven starts this year. His line in the first inning reads:
7IP-10H-8R-8ER-3BB-1K
(Plus one home run to Felipe Lopez and two hit batsmen in his debut May 11 at Cincy)
1st Inning ERA = 10.29
1st Inning H/9 = 12.86
1st Inning K/9 = 1.29
1st Inning WHIP = 2.14 (2HBP)
Otherwise, his line reads:
34-2/3IP-30H-11R-11ER-12BB-25K
ERA = 2.86
H/9 = 7.79
K/9 = 6.49
WHIP = 1.21
Stauffer has averaged 96.7 pitches per start, but that average includes more than one-quarter of those pitches, 24.9, in the first inning.
Stauffer’s first-inning pitch counts, with total pitches-strikes-balls:
May 11, @ Cincinnati, 27-14-13
May 16, v. Atlanta, 30-16-14
May 22, @ Seattle, 12- 7- 5
May 28, @ San Francis 19- 8-11
June 2, v. Chic Cubs 30-17-13
June 11, v. Chic Sox 21-19- 2
June 17, @ Minnesota 35-21-14
Total 174-102-72
In short, Bochy and the Padres pitching coach have to figure out how to get Stauffer out of the box sharper. The kid keeps pitching from behind and spending one-quarter of his effort just to record the first three outs.
What a terrible way to lose a game.
Why isn’t Hoffman in? This is a high leverage situation isn’t? Or is Bochy conceding the game? Doesn’t matter, Twins score as I type.
Nicely done, Iced.
I am really tired of Bruce Bochy and his inept management.
Pathetic. There goes our best shot at winning a game this series since we have to look at Radke and Santana the next two days running Lawrence and May out there to oppose them. 0-6 road trip here we come.
Kid makes it through a 35-pitch first inning, guts it out for five, and leaves with a 4-3 lead.
Then the bats go silent.
And the pen pisses it away!
Your odds of scoring with a man on second and one out are lower than your odds of scoring with a man on first and none out. This should be common knowledge.
Also, why has Aki taken Linebrink’s job? Linebrink has better stuff and doesn’t get flustered like Aki does.
Iced: What Richard said; very nice analysis of Stauffer.
On a more general note, you know what’s really irritating? The Giants are only 7 1/2 games out of first place. They should be completely out of it by now. This could still end up being a four-team race.
I’m going to the bathroom to down a bottle of rubbing alcohol.
If you need only one run it makes sense to sac bunt with a runner on second and none out, but in almost no other situation. Also, the only time you need only one run is when it is the bottom of the 9th, bottom of the 10th, etc.
Rules for Sacrifice bunting: If you don’t have a runner on second, don’t bunt. If you aren’t in the bottom of the ninth, tenth, etc. don’t bunt. If the game isn’t tied, don’t bunt.
Richard, that’s why I mentioned that the Twins would be hitting again in my earlier comment.
I hate one-run strategies, except in the bot. of the ninth, tenth…
As Earl Weaver said, “If you play for one run, that’s all you’ll get.”
Stauffer stays 1-2, with four no decisions, and a 4.10 ERA.
Overall, San Diego is 4-3 when Stauffer pitches. Besides tonight’s loss to the Twins, they were shutout, 5-0 at Seattle May 22 and 5-0 at the Cubs June 2.
And the Padres offense keeps failing to perform when this kid is on the hill.
Seven starts, and San Diego scored 23 runs for him, an average of 2.86 per game.
Even worse, the Padres scored just 12 runs when he’s been on the hill and 11 after he’s left the game.
On the bright side (if you can call it that), Nevin, Klesko & Co. scored four runs when Stauffer was out there – one more run than the three they had scored when he was still in the game in his prior five outings COMBINED!
Other than the team being inept offensively at most of the positions, I just don’t understand them. They are so Jeckyl and Hyde. They are either on or they just completely blow. They got the cushion they needed after their last road trip and then took two out of three from MIL. Since Peavy got bombed in that last game of the MIL series it has all been downhill. I am beginning to think that watching their ace get bombed took away all of their confidence. Moores’ comments didn’t help either, not that the players would even criticize the owner.
All in all this team is generally passive and has a fragile ego, like their two big “stars” Nevin and Klesko.
Union-Trib’s been complaining the Pads’ fifth starter can’t win games since Valdez left.
Might want to ask Phil, Ryan, Sean and the guys to score a few runs when Stauffer’s on the hill.
Just a thought.
Next, I’ll expect Duke Cunningham to sell his house for a legal price…and then where will I be?
36 and 31.
We continue our march to .500.
The price was legal, IC. Let’s not drag politics into this site.
When you stick to baseball, you’re comments are as good (or better) than anyone’s.
My final comment for the night will warm Richard’s heart. Think about it, this team embodies the casual attitude of Bruce Bochy. The guy has no obvious fire, only argues close calls reluctantly, and very rarely takes the team to task. He was never really involved with a winning team on a frequent basis since he was a career Padre for the most part. Things have always been too comfortable in the Padres clubhouse for my liking.
Bochy’s contract situation should be put on hold indefinitely.
I meant ethical, not legal.
Besides, I’d rather chat about Duke Snider than some John Wayne neverbe type on a round trip from SD to DC to Club Fed anyway. Politics is boring. The swing-and-a-miss brigade.
Wait a minute! That’s who Nevin reminds me of! A politician. All rhetoric and excuses…and NO PRODUCTION!
Chuckle
Anyone know where to get a pitch-by-pitch breakdown of tonight’s game BESIDES ESPN. Their pitch total for Stauffer and pitch by pitch breakdowns don’t match. I’ve checked the p by p three times. Only 97 pitches vs. 99 total on the box. I’m a strike and a ball short.
I think 84 wins could realistically win the West this year.
MLB.com’s GameDay.
Thanks Richard. Checking now
Brilliant response, IC. You seem to share my disdain for career politicians and snivelling ballplayers.
You oughtta have a blog of your own.
Or you could latch onto somebody else’s. That’s what I did.
I’m pretty sure that if the Padres can win 50 of their next 95 games, they can win the West.
Richard, that may be, so.
And if they’re rolling like May come playoff-time, maybe we celebrate a World Series Championship.
God help me, I’d probably explode from the sheer joy.