IGD: Padres vs Cardinals (27 Jul 2005)
Wed, Jul 27, 2005
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Jake Peavy (8-4, 3.42 ERA) vs Jason Marquis (9-7, 3.88 ERA)
I’m tired of analyzing stuff. I’ll be out at the game tonight. Later…
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July 27, 2005 at 7:25 am
In defense of EY last night, it was a very difficult read. I was at the game with a good view of the ball and I couldn’t tell whether it was going to be caught or not either. I think he did the best he could. Not so much a baserunning error as a bad break.
July 27, 2005 at 7:28 am
Hang in there Duckman, they’ll get better.
July 27, 2005 at 8:11 am
I will not be negative.
I will not be negative.
I will not be negative.
July 27, 2005 at 9:02 am
Talking around the office this morning, we don’t have a bad lineup. We just have not had any clutch hitting in two months. 3,4,5 batters have struggled mightly.
I think Nevin should be moved way down to 7 or 8. Nady should bat 4th.
Ro, L, G, Na, K, Ra, Ne, Gr
July 27, 2005 at 10:07 am
Vinay Kumar’s take on the recent moves (THT):
http://www.hardballtimes.com/m.....san-diego/
July 27, 2005 at 1:01 pm
Geoff, hope you don’t mind a shill for BP …
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July 27, 2005 at 1:03 pm
Hmmm, can’t say I believe this …
BP STAT OF THE DAY
Top 5 NL Offenses, by Equivalent Average (EqA)
Team, EqR, EqA
Cincinnati Reds, 471.4, .272
Florida Marlins, 454.7, .272
San Diego Padres, 461.3, .268
Chicago Cubs, 445.9, .266
Los Angeles Dodgers, 421.5, .261
… what am I missing???
July 27, 2005 at 4:05 pm
What you are missing is that in the month of May, the Padres offense was AWESOME. Lately it has been anemic but May is still holding the avg up.
I was scanning over old boxscores looking for a hint as to whats DIFFERENT?
The only thing I can find is that during that period…Giles and Klesko were switched in the batting order…ie: Klesko, Nevin, Giles…
Suddenly Nevin and Klesko starting hitting and Giles starting being our top RBI guy. He had 11 rbi in the St Louis series alone.
I know it doesnt make much sense to have your top obp guy batting 5th, but I think he is the top obp guy because he is feared and pitched very carefully. With Giles behind Nevin and Klesko the opposing pitchers are forced to GO AFTER Nevin and Klesko or face Giles in an rbi situation. Consequently Nevin and Klesko get better pitches to hit and start providing Giles with rbi situations anyway.
Does that make any sense to anyone beside me?
July 27, 2005 at 4:12 pm
I think I will ask the same question over at fanstop. I know most of the guys will come here anyway, but just in case. I really would like to know what some others think of this situation?
July 27, 2005 at 4:40 pm
It is always darkest before the dawn…; Actually it is darkest whenever the moon is not out, and that varies. I just moved, losing my MLB cable package so am left to reading after the game. I will subscribe to MLB TV at the start of the month.
We had 10 hits, a few doubles in that, and six walks the bulk of that in the first six innings. Most of the time that will yield a lot more than 2 runs. We are getting unlucky on top of everything else.
So, as bad as they have been, I still take a 3 game lead in late July.
But, just imagine if you had Nady’s AB’s in Nevin’s spot? Would have gotten more than 2 runs presumably.
And I don’t get mad at Nevin, unless he bullied Bochy to put him in the line up. If he is doing stupid things, not listening to coaches, not doing BP, etc, OK. But just getting old and suddenly not hitting is his fault.
Who’s fault? Bochy continually writing him in the line up card and having a #8 OPS hitting in the #4 spot. That you can control.
I cannot stand Bochy, except for his handling of pitchers.
July 27, 2005 at 4:43 pm
Hank,
I never bought that whole line of reasoning. If a pitcher doesn’t want to face Giles with guys on base wouldn’t he try harder to get Nevin and Klesko out? I understand that he doesn’t want to walk them and would be in the strike zone, but pitching in a manner that allows the hitter to be more effective seems counterproductive.
If anything I think it would be harder to get a hit because the pitcher would be bearing down. For instance, if you’re facing the Cardinals and it’s two outs with Pujols on deck wouldn’t you try like hell to get the batter out so you don’t have to face Pujols with a man on?
July 27, 2005 at 5:20 pm
Yes, you are correct. they would try harder to get someone out so they dont have to face Giles with men on base. That means they have to pitch to them!!!
right now, they dont care if they walk nevin, or Klesko… there is nobody behind them to drive in runs. so they bang the corners and dont give in to the hitters because they would rather walk them than give them something to hit.
I dont know if I am saying this correctly..
with Giles batting 3rd, like he has in june and july, they dont mind walking him because he is the best hitter. with runners on, they would be forced to pitch to him.
with giles batting 5th, they certainly dont want to walk Klesko and Nevin with Giles coming up. So if they get behind, they are forced to come in with a pitch instead of another slider on the outside corner that probably isnt a strike.
July 27, 2005 at 6:36 pm
Burroughs is 2 for 3 with a walk in Portland, now.
July 27, 2005 at 6:43 pm
This just moved:
SAN DIEGO (AP) — The slumping San Diego Padres got another jolt of bad news on Wednesday when catcher Ramon Hernandez decided to have surgery on his injured left wrist.
Hernandez sought a second opinion from a specialist in Los Angeles, who confirmed that he has a small cartilage tear. Surgery is scheduled for Friday and Hernandez is expected to be out for three to six weeks.
“It’s a blow to the ballclub to lose your catcher,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He’s done such a great job. But you’ve got to move forward. We’ve been through a lot this year. A lot of clubs have. That’s all we can do at this point.”
July 27, 2005 at 7:02 pm
A thought: the NL West is not “lose-able” this year. If you believe that as I do, all this recent slide has done is screw teams like the Dodgers and D’Backs by making it nearly impossible for them to act as “sellers” at the deadline. So, at least there’s that.
July 27, 2005 at 7:17 pm
I cannot see the game. What happened on the Pujols steal?
July 27, 2005 at 7:26 pm
Come on, Nady, make that catch.
July 27, 2005 at 7:49 pm
Hey, hey! First and second (Peavy with a single) and Loretta at the plate. I smell a rally.
July 27, 2005 at 7:51 pm
Yes! Line drive base hit to left with the runners in motion. Peavy scores, first and second with one out and Giles comeing to the plate. Go Padres!
July 27, 2005 at 7:51 pm
That’s what we needed — Peavy in the lineup.
July 27, 2005 at 7:51 pm
Make that runners at the corners. Let’s go Giles.
July 27, 2005 at 7:52 pm
could we get a lead here?
July 27, 2005 at 7:52 pm
I heard that Kevin! Peavy is a stud. Just don’t ask him to bunt.
July 27, 2005 at 7:54 pm
Bases loaded. Huh, Giles drew a walk. Imagine that. Let’s go Ryno!
July 27, 2005 at 7:56 pm
George, it would seem the answer to your question is, No. Klesko, first pitch swinging, bounces weakly to Marquis who started the 1-2-3 DP. Crud.
July 27, 2005 at 8:20 pm
Peavy leads off the next inning, that’s what we need.
July 27, 2005 at 9:08 pm
The “appeal to first” that Giles was called out on earlier in the game may be the worst call of the year.
July 27, 2005 at 9:44 pm
Padres remain a healthy three games up in the NL West.
July 27, 2005 at 10:15 pm
That’s the kind of win that will turn the season around, baby!
July 27, 2005 at 10:58 pm
I still don’t think the season needed turning around…
All you can guarantee yourself is the division. That’s already been done in my view.
After that, it’s a crapshoot, anyway.
July 27, 2005 at 11:10 pm
I think the division is far from guaranteed at this point. Heckuva game tonight, though.