first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Tim Stauffer (1-2, 4.55 ERA) vs Mark Buehrle (7-1, 3.15 ERA)
previews: ESPN | CBS | Padres.com
Same old story Friday night: Padres had chances but couldn’t take advantage of them. When you’re playing a good team like the White Sox, that’s not a recipe for success. On the bright side, we did come home with some sweet Aki T-shirts. They look great, but don’t change the fact that the Dodgers and Diamondbacks both have crept back to within 2 1/2 games of first place in the NL West.
Again, with the interleague contest, it’s tough to break down the matchups so I won’t. Instead, with the draft still on my mind, and with former Padre first-rounder Dustin Hermanson getting the save Friday against his old uniform, I thought I’d take a quick look back at the 1995 draft.
In the latest issue of Baseball America, they re-examine some drafts from the past and try to figure out how things would have played out if we knew then what we know now. You may recall that in 1995, the Friars tabbed Pennsylvania high school catcher Ben Davis with their first pick (second overall). Unfortunately, aside from a few brief stretches here and there, Davis hasn’t had much big-league success and has managed to work his way back down the minor leagues.
Baseball America suggests that if they had it do over again, the Padres would take Kerry Wood (who went #4 to the Cubs) with that pick but I’m not so sure. BA has the Angels taking Todd Helton first overall. This would have left San Diego to choose from – in addition to Wood – the likes of Roy Halladay, Matt Morris, and Sean Casey. But there was another player out there I’m pretty sure I would have taken (with the benefit of knowledge nobody had at the time, of course), the guy Kansas City ended up grabbing in the second round, Carlos Beltran.
No disrespect to Wood, who when healthy has been a pretty good (and occassionally brilliant) pitcher, but I’m not convinced he would even be the second pitcher taken in that draft, let alone the second player. Still, he would have been a fair shake better than Davis. And of course, Beltran has been better than both. Ah, the wisdom of hindsight.
Speaking of the draft, the U-T is reporting that the Padres have agreed to terms with LHP Cesar Ramos. The 35th pick overall, taken as compensation for the Red Sox signing David Wells (thank you!) will receive a bonus of $950k. Word is, Ramos may end up at Elsinore later this summer.
Speaking of Cesars, Peter has posted an interview with this year’s first-round pick, RHP Cesar Carrillo. Check it out.
And in other Padre blog news, regular Ducksnorts reader and commenter Lance (DONG!!! DONG!!! DONG!!! DONG!!! DONG!!!) has joined up with Richard over at Friar Faithful. Go over and say hey when you have a chance.
Finally, to those of you who may have discovered Ducksnorts via Channel 4′s Outta Left Field, welcome aboard! Good to see you joining us during the games (as well as before and after!). Despite the recent struggles, this remains a very good Padre team. And if you look around MLB at what some other ballclubs are putting out on the field, I think you’ll agree that we can be pretty proud of the guys who call Petco home. They’re not perfect, but they’re pretty darned good, and they will turn things around again. And when they do, we can welcome even more folks who suddenly become interested in talking about the Padres. 
I have no problem with people jumping on the bandwagon, dig? I just want to make sure that once they’re on, they stick around awhile. A win tonight against the White Sox couldn’t hurt. Let’s do it.
Thanks Geoff. I wasn’t paying attention to his last AB.
Full count to Iguchi… Struck him out!
Grab some bench. Eat that, Hawk!
Yeah, that fastball is running in to the right-handers.
Ten in a row, baby! Believe it!
Filth. Stauffer just struck out the side.
My goodness, tonight is almost as good as watching Peavy pitch.
6.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 6 K, 72 Pitches (52 Strikes)
Yes, Sullivan said that. I put that link up. Who knows? Only the great Dave Roberts.
73 (55), rather.
They should use him to pinch-run at least. DR being in the game is like an auto-win.
The Hawk admitted that Stauffer has the best curve control tonight that the Sox have seen all year.
Between this park, our very good pitching, our slumping lineup and injuries and the good pitching we are facing, these games are straight form the 1960s.
Where did that pitch to DJ miss?
Nice AB from DJ.
Base hit for the guy I don’t ever want to see leadoff again.
Thinking of Eaton, here are the game scores of his first 13 starts last year vs this year in descending order:
2005 2004
73 72
67 63
62 62
58 62
56 60
55 56
53 52
53 48
47 45
44 36
43 23
41 22
40 21
An explanation of game scores is here:
http://longgandhi.com/formulas.html
Note the lack of really bad games this year.
That’s quite a pickoff move.
DJ better watch it.
Why swing at that?
No way Greene should have swung 2-0.
Nice deke by Rowand.
Nady should be up now. Not Nevin.
Oh here comes Nevin. He won’t get a call here this AB. Let’s hope Buerhle makes a mistake.
Nope.
Can you imagine how many RBI Nevin would have this year if he were actually hitting a lick?
I’m so tired of crappy lineups that put easy outs in important situations.
Richard, you are throwing heat tonight.
Even though they’re facing a lefty, Nevin should still be fifth or lower with the way he’s swinging.
Chicago White Sox who lead the AL in fielding win shares at their position: Konerko, Uribe, Rowand.
Ozzie Guillen baseball. Guillen was in the Padres system until they traded him for LaMarr Hoyt.
Burroughs is the only Padre to lead the NL in fielding win shares at his position.
Nice recovery from that 3-0 count against Konerko.
Breaking balls 2-1 and 3-2 to Dye for strikes. Stauffer is getting it done. Kid knows how to pitch.
109 of his 225 at-bats have come with men on. 65 of them with RISP.
He should have 46 RBI’s based on his slugging percentage and the rate at which there are men on for his AB’s. (Phil has 42)
Who’s that Richard? Nevin?
Yes, Nevin.
Typical AB from Burroughs. Just horrible.
Stauffer’s line: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 7 K, 92 Pitches (65 Strikes)
He should be done if Nady continues the inning.
Ojeda should not be the pinch-hitter should that occur. Ojeda is the only hitter on the Padres with negative win shares.
Apparently after his stint resting/healing, Sean now is complaining of a neck problem. Is he ever going to be healthy, much less ever not going to have an injury to explain his crap performance?
That includes Adam Hyzdu and Jesse Garcia
Stauffer was brilliant. He threw 92 pitches, and 91 of them were real good.
Even if Ojeda gets on, Damian Jackson is next up. How do you get in situations like that? Crappy lineups.
I’d rather see Woody if you are going to insist on a righty, even Eaton.
Man, I thought Ojeda had that one. Got under it.
I hope they don’t extend Bochy’s contract.
Stauffer has better numbers than Ojeda.
The players have played well enough to win. Bochy has managed to put them in a position to fail.