first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Brian Lawrence (5-10, 4.21 ERA) Pedro Astacio (2-9, 5.84 ERA) vs Luke Hudson (1-5, 8.83 ERA)
preview: Padres.com
I keep trying to come up with a good angle for this one that isn’t too negative, and I’m struggling. Bitter and angry may work when you’re young, but as you get older it just becomes pathetic. Children point and laugh, adults walk by with their heads down. The occasional dog passes and barks, or worse. And the birds. Don’t even get me started on the birds.
So we won’t go there. Instead, we’ll straddle the line between Pollyanna and Andy Rooney. And we’ll keep the message simple:
Sometimes it’s hard to love this team, but we do. We cannot help ourselves.
Other Stuff
- Remain calm, all is well (U-T). “The Padres say there is no reason to panic.” Really? That’s not what my Magic-8 Ball says.
- Oh, doctor: Jerry Coleman headed for Marine Corps, baseball halls of fame this weekend. “I never, ever regretted being in the service,” said Coleman, whose colleagues in the media still call him “Colonel.” “People say, ‘Well, it ruined your baseball career.’ So what? That’s not important. Really.” Gotta love him.
- Padres acquire catching help from Pirates (NC Times). A little more on the acquisition of David Ross. Also, the Padres are looking for pitching help before Sunday’s nonwaiver trade deadline. No names mentioned.
- Eaton on Eaton (Padres.com). Right-hander set to pitch a simulated game on Saturday at Petco. Here’s hoping he can simulate health.
I voted for Pedro. Will he lead the Padres to victory tonight? Magic-8 Ball says: “As I see it, yes.”
You are now entering the Twilight Zone. Don’t be alarmed.
BTW, Hernandez has let down this team completely. You know his agent told him to have the surgery now so that he can enter free agency as non-damaged goods. What about the f—ing team H?
Never liked that hairdo anyway.
I’m off to play 18 … then head over to see Josh Geer pitch for Eugene tonight … Go Ems!
Did anyone notice that Cesar Ramos had a very strong start in his debut with Ft Wayne. 7 shutout innings, no walks..
Semper Fi, Colonel!
Hernandez probably did the right thing. Management wants you to give your all for the team but then when you cant produce they drop you like an old pair of socks.
Its a business, the decision is his. Its a decision that could effect his whole future. I sure hope he made the right one. It certainly wasnt the right one for the team.
I don’t know the details of the Hernandez thing, but annoys me is that he did a DL stint, it kept hurting, THEN goes to surgery. Couldn’t someone have checked for the tear at the start of DL, rather than waiting 2-3 weeks? That annoys me.
Oddly, I remain very optimistic about this team. It has frustrated me, but the areas of greatest frustration:
Nevin’s playing time: upper management seems to have intervention to get Bochy into “Veteran’s Anonymous” (VA). We’ll see how his program of recovery proceeds, but there is hope. BETTER
Production at 3B. Not Bochy’s fault (except in not playing Nady). Randa is an upgrade. BETTER
Loretta’s huge loss in power: OPS down from .900s to .high .600s. Not good. I do wonder if he was on the juice. We’ll see how that develops. UNCHANGED
Hernandez’s injuries and lackluster offense. Traded for Ross. Decent catcher; that will help. BETTER
Greene’s offensive struggles. OPS down from low .800s to .600s. Makes Bay getting the award looking a bit justified (Bay OPS in .900s). This I can handle, if it were our only problem. Like to see him heat it up. UNCHANGED, GETTING SLIGHTLY BETTER
Eaton’s injury. The Eaton on Eaton thing is encouraging. GETTING BETTER
Klesko’s selective impatience. As an example, the game that we won against StL. Marquis walks Giles to load the bases and Klesko is hacking a pitch 1. Ok, if it is a fat, fat pitch that anyone in AA or higher would slam, but he dribbles it to the pitcher. It looks like he always trying to jack one. Just be patient, drive the ball. He is OBP stays OK, but I wish he would be more selective. UNCHANGED.
Roberts playing time despite a horrid slump. Maybe this will be part of Bochy’s VA program, but I am not very optimistic. STAYING BAD
So, some of the major issues seem to be getting better, or, at least, have a chance of getting better even if they are unchanged. So, I am kind of optimistic.
But, all this optimism needs to be channeled to some wins, starting tonight.
Go Padres!
Do we even know what he was offered? If the Padres weren’t willing to show him they were committed to him then how can they expect him to commit to the team? I like Ramon but if the price is 4 years at $10 million or more per year then I would let him walk too.
I would like to second the emotion to demand that the Padres suck less. Preferably, a lot less. But for now I’d settle for substantially less.
Sickels on Padres farm system (via Fanstop):
http://www.minorleagueball.com/story/2005/7/29/145559/957
Rumor: Nevin for Chan Ho Park
http://www.dfw.com/mld/dfw/sports/baseball/12259104.htm
Supposedly working out finances. Park has been pulled from tonight’s start against the Jays.
Just heard about that. Scary.
It’s done. Just heard Nevin on 1090. He’s flying out to Toronto first thing tomorrow morning.
Also, I’m hearing that B-Law will start tonight.
Uh-oh. I think Lawrence is gonna get hit tonight… his pitches are all waist high so far… Fick should lay down on his belly to catch him so BLaw gets the point.
“Loretta’s huge loss in power: OPS down from .900s to .high .600s. Not good. I do wonder if he was on the juice.”
Come on jay, that’s just silly. Sure Loretta opened the year stone cold, no extra base power whatsoever. But to imply it was due to a lack of performance enhancing drugs is silly at best and slanderous at worst. Loretta’s increase in slugging was not due to drugs, nor to a huge HR spike. He simply was afforded the opportunity to be an everyday player in a couple of pretty good parks for a guy with gap power. Even last year when he spiked his slg. by 54 points, he only increased his HR’s by 3; it was the increase in 2B which drove it (going from 28 to 47).
After a great 2003 and a career 2004, it was practically inevitable, especially considering his age, he would come back toward his norm this season. With health he should give solid production the remainder of the year.
Crap. We’re going to lose AGAIN.
Hey Pat, I think you mean libelous.
Heck if I know what I meant. Thanks Richard.
Dammit, Pat, don’t put up with that shit from Richard!