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.
The issue is you don’t really ever want to stick Nevin behind the plate. If Fick is your only backup catcher, you greatly diminish his utility as a pinch-htting option. If you do that, you take away most of Fick’s value as a player.
Definitely. Nevin has not hit righties at all this season.
I see value in removing from Bochy the option of playing Ojeda.
Politte vs RHB: .140/.179/.220
If you could guarantee Bochy wouldn’t ever start Ojeda and only use him when you need to rest Ramon in-game following the burning of Fick as a pinch-hitter, I might be in favor of keeping him on the roster.
Why is Phil batting for himself?
Nevin’s strikezone judgment at the moment is abysmal.
There could well be value in that, Richard, but there needs to be a viable alternative in its place. Bobby Scales isn’t it.
Nevin: can’t play him, can’t trade him. Sigh.
How about Eric Young when he gets back?
Bochy needs the roles for his players clearly defined. Otherwise he gets extremely confused.
Who could have ever foreseen Nevin striking out? If only someone had suggested PH’ing for him. If only.
Nevin, Nevin, Nevin. I am at a loss for words right now.
If Stauffer gets tagged with a loss and it looks like he will, that will be a travesty. I place the blame squarely on Bochy. Is that fair? Yes.
New look for Linebrink.
Chicago’s 5th hit of the night there.
Geoff sums up Nevin about as well as you can right now. Placing this loss on Bochy is just appropriate as assigning blame to him when he uses his normal “OMG, the opposition is starting a lefty, I must put all righties in the lineup no matter how bad!” approach.
I just don’t get what he’s trying to do. How do you bat DJ leadoff? How do you bat Nevin ahead of Klesko, Blum and Nady? How do you justify using Ojeda as a pinch-hitter? How do you let Nevin bat for himself when they bring in the right-handed reliever? How?
He probably didn’t want to ruffle Nevin’s fragile ego. *sarcasm on* That is what he does best, manage the players.
Damnit. Damnit!
HE’S OUT!!! WOW!
That’s an incredible recovery by Ramon to get Konerko. And I’m not sure they actually got him.
Maybe Bochy should resign so he can dedicate himself full time to running for mayor.
That play was the same as Nevin getting thrown out at third last night, foot touched the bag as soon as he was tagged up high.
Klesko, Ramon, Burroughs to start the ninth. Their numbers from 7th inning on:
Klesko: .246/.386/.596
Ramon: .329/.359/.466
Burroughs: .236/.358/.236
If anyone can get on, Nady bats. He is .231/.322/.519 in those situations.
Who threw that home? It was a horrible throw.
So Richard, is it safe to say you’re not a big fan of Bruce Bochy?
Khalil made the throw. He was well into left field.
Ramon has hit RHP better than LHP this year. Hell of an AB by Klesko.
There goes our best hope.
I just don’t want to see a weak fly to left from Burroughs to end it.
I had always given him the benefit of the doubt going into this year. This year I’ve paid more attention to the decisions he has made. I’m not impressed.
I’d like to see Sean turn on one…
SWEET, nice one Ramon!!!!
DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG! DONG!
Okay, Burroughs can hit his weak-ass fly ball now. That was clutch by Ramon!
Lance is at the game.
Maybe Nady will end it.
See, that’s a base hit. But if Sean pulls the ball even once in a while, the left fielder isn’t playing so close to the line and he’s on second.
If they can win this game in spite of Bochy’s idiocy and Buerhle’s brilliance, it would be incredible.
Geoff, there you go, Sean put it the only place where they couldn’t get it. Still pathetic swing.
What the hell?
I wonder what Jeff Brantley thinks about Ozzie Guillen’s use of his closer tonight.
Where’s Nady?
Bochy, I hate you.
Bochy has so much faith in Nady, that he pulls him at the first opportunity for matchup reasons! And there isn’t even a runner in scoring position.
Nice running by Burroughs. Heckuva throw by Dye.
Good hitting by Bob Fick.
Great, now Giles has to play CF if we go to extra innings. It makes NO SENSE.
Is there anyone you’d rather have up than Sweeney right now?