first pitch: 4:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Brian Lawrence (6-12, 4.80 ERA) vs Jason Vargas (3-0, 2.38 ERA)
preview: ESPN | Padres.com
If the Marlins played in the NL West, they would be 3 games ahead of the Padres. In terms of wins and losses, the gap between the Fish and the Friars is the same as that between the Friars and the D’backs.
The Padres will be without the services of Khalil Greene for the next few weeks. Greene broke his toe in Sunday afternoon’s loss to the Phillies. Wilson Valdez has been recalled from Portland to take Greene’s spot on the roster. Valdez doesn’t hit much, doesn’t walk much, doesn’t have any power. Presumably he’s a good defender. Damian Jackson will get most of the starts at shortstop in Greene’s absence.
For the lowdown on the Marlins, check out episode 2 of Ducksnorts Radio. For good convo, hang out and start yappin’.
Go Pads!
Links
- August Update: BA Top 10 Padre Prospects (San Diego Spotlight). Peter Friberg revisits Baseball America‘s Top 10 Padres prospects, including the departed Travis Chick and Justin Germano, and the red hot Josh Barfield.
- Padres reliever gives up go-ahead runs in ninth inning (NC Times). It would be interesting to see Trevor Hoffman‘s splits in save vs non-save situations this year. Anybody have those?
- Hensley learns to slow down (NC Times). Brian Hiro spotlights rookie pitcher Clay Hensley, who credits Portland Beavers pitching coach Gary Lance for adjusting his mechanics to create more movement on his pitches. I’d still like to see him get a shot at the rotation, but I’m happy he’s contributing.
- Sub-.500 club retains favored role (U-T). I just have to give Tom Krasovic props for citing Baseball Prospectus.
- BayBears’ bats batter Biscuits (Mobile Register). First off, great headline. Second, Padres’ first-round pick Cesar Carrillo gave up one run on three hits over seven innings, striking out eight at home against Birmingham. Double-A isn’t proving to be much of a challenge for Carrillo: 24.2 IP, 19 H, 7 BB, 27 SO, 2.92 ERA in four starts.
- Chris Oxspring named Pitcher of the week in PCL (Scout.com). Oxspring is 28 years old but he knows how to pitch. Another guy I wouldn’t mind see getting a shot at some point down the stretch.
For all of his flaws as a hitter, Valdez is indeed outstanding defensively. The guy has tremendous range and is exceptional around the bag turning the double play. If he could maintain a .340 OBP, I think he could have a long ML career – but I don’t have much confidence he could do that.
As for Oxspring, he throws four pitches for strikes and he’s been very consistent this year, which had been the knock on him coming into the season. I expect he’ll get a September promo.
Nice piece below on Nady btw. Good analysis.
One other thing – if you’re interested in a little extra detail on Adam Eaton’s start in Portland last night, we have it on our site.
Thanks, Jonathan. I figured that must be the case with Valdez. I’m pulling for Oxspring. My wife and I usually sit behind home plate at Elsinore, with the scouts and pitchers charting. Oxspring was one of the nicest guys we ever encountered back there. Even when he was busy charting, he could always find time to talk to young kids who approached him.
Also, here’s a direct link to the Eaton rehab report over at PDX Beavers:
http://www.pdxbeavers.com/comments.php?id=548&category=1
I’d really like to see Oxpring up here.
He can’t be worse than Chan Ho Park, can’t he?
Four pitches with command. Bring him up.
Bench Chan Ho, already.
Don’t know if we have any Will Carrol’s around here, but if we do, do you have anything reassuring to say about our young SS? I’m thinking doom & gloom here. Three broken bones in just two seasons. The word “brittle” and the phrase “injury prone” keep running through my mind. Any thoughts?
I finally got up to see the Portland Beavers … they played a DH on Sat vs Colorado Springs (Rox AAA affiliate) … first game was 6-0 with Oxspring throwing a shutout … looked good … a couple of real hitters in that lineup (Baker, Shealy) that Oxspring was able to keep in check.
Beavers scored on a Barfield HR in 1st … which he just flicked out … looked like an awkward / out-front swing … but it BOMB’d over the high left-field wall out of the park … cool!
Burroughs hit a 5-hopper to the RCF wall for a couple of RsBI … Knott had a triple and double …
2nd game was pretty much a waste … only run that scored came in on a throwing error … Beavers won 1-0 … only bright spot was seeing new Beavers’ closer Scott Cassidy pitch a good 7th …
Valdez played SS in game 2 and flashed a quick / strong arm … and no bat …
File under “Things Could Be Worse”:
http://www.all-baseball.com/transactionguy/archives/020199.html
Mariners option Wiki Gonzalez to Tacoma, recall Miguel Ojeda from Tacoma. Been there, done that.
LM, thanks for the Beavers recap. The thing about Barfield is, he gets his bat through the zone in a hurry. At least he did when he was at Elsinore.
Will Carroll on Greene:
Khalil Greene heads back to the DL as his bad luck continued Sunday. Greene dove for a ball and ended up jamming his toe into the turf, breaking his big toe. He’s expected to miss two to three weeks and may lose a bit of speed and range when he returns. It’s an injury like this–something that is not only unpreventable but seemingly random–that decides races.
Richard – thanks for the WC comments.
> BP’s STAT OF THE DAY
>
> Top 5 NL Third Basemen, by Value Over Replacement Player (VORP)
>
> Player, Team, EqA, VORP
>
> Morgan Ensberg, HOU, .321, 55.9
> Aramis Ramirez, CHN, .305, 45.6
> David Wright, NYN, .301, 43.5
> Troy Glaus, ARI, .287, 30.2
> Joe Randa, CIN, .287, 27.6
… ya, but what about the Joe Randa on the Padres???
Geoff -
A bit of the info you asked for on Hoffman: In 32 games with a save on the line, Hoffman has a 2.01 ERA; Hoffman’s ERA in the other nine games is 8.68.
And as a bonus, a look at Phil Nevin’s first 2+ weeks in Texas:
14 G
57 AB
10 R
13 H
4 2B
1 HR
4 RBI
3 BB
13 K
.279 OB
.351 Slg
.228 BAvg
Thanks, Brian. Those are pretty alarming splits for Trevor. Interesting about Nevin, but not too surprising. He’ll run into a few at Arlington but so far he’s been completely shut down on the road.
You may not know how right you are! Nevin slugs .609 at home, .176 on the road.
Valdez starting at shortstop:
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=250816128
Which Brian Lawrence will we get today?
Which Nady? 3 LOBs already
Early answer to Brian G’s question … not the “good Lawrence” … bottom of 1st went like this …
- J. Pierre grounded out to shortstop
- L. Castillo walked
- M. Cabrera singled to center, L. Castillo to third
- C. Delgado grounded into fielder’s choice, L. Castillo out at home, M. Cabrera to second
- J. Encarnacion singled to center, M. Cabrera scored, C. Delgado to second
- P. Lo Duca lined out to right
Thought you guys might get a smile from a quote in Monday’s North County Times from 12 yr-old Rancho Buena Vista Little Leaguer Nathan Lewis after his team won the Western Regional to clinch a berth in the Little League World Series:
“I’m so excited, and I can’t even believe it. This has been a dream since I was 8 years old.”
I sent the quote in to BP – hopefully it will show in their “This Week in Quotes” column next Monday.
You should have seen that kid when he was six. He had no direction. He had no goals. All he did was eat candy and watch cartoons. Then he found baseball — and a dream.
ATLANTA (AP) — Horacio Ramirez’s banishment to the bullpen didn’t last long.
Ramirez (10-7) will be on the mound Sunday for the Atlanta Braves when they host the San Diego Padres — his first start since Aug. 9.
Castillo looks to be hurt.
LOL
Kevin, that is the funniest thing I’ve read in a long time. (Not the stuff about Ramirez or Castillo.)
Thanks, man, I needed that.
About the 6 yr old, I mean. Not Castillo.
Here’s something to play with if you’re bored:
http://www.fangraphs.com/
Just found it via Baseball Musings. Looks promising.
Thanks. Remember to tip your waitress.
Rally caps on?
Dammit, Kevin! I’M the funny one around here!!!
(At least in a drunken buffoon sort of way.)
Unlike the Forty Year Old Virgin, we are gonna score.
A lead! A lead! On a XBH! An XBH!
Leaving the office, and will be holding you guys responsible for bringing this one home. Good luck!
When’s the last time Bochy squeezed in a run? Now would seem to be a good time.
Wow… 113 pitches in 5 innings???
The Marlins announcers were just anticipating a squeeze.
I think Roberts should be bunting 2 or 3 times a game.
Flannery actually said, “A ground ball to second base allowed two runs to score. That’s how you play the game.”
I wonder how many runs a home run would have “allowed” to score?
Well, that is how Flannery played the game. Maybe that’s why he’s not coaching anymore.
A double switch and Nady’s still in the game … be still my heart!
Double switch — take a drink!
Way OT … a Shane Victorino sighting … @ BA’s PHS …
20. Shane Victorino, of, Phillies (Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre)
A two-time major league Rule 5 pick, Victorino has been a terror at the top of the Red Barons lineup, batting .364 since July 1 with 38 runs in 42 games while hitting the rare minor league quadruple-double (23 doubles, 12 triples, 18 home runs, 16 stolen bases).
Mark Grant just said “ducksnort.” woo *cough*
RBI walk. You don’t need hits to score runs.
We need one of them two runs allowed walks.
One out (Death).
1 run in. Not good.
Two outs (taxes).
324th career save for Hoffman.
Change is good. Three outs (Hoffman).
He ties Franco for second on the all-time saves list.