IGD: Padres @ Nationals (5 Aug 2005)
Fri, Aug 5, 2005
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 4:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Pedro Astacio (2-10, 6.06 ERA) vs Livan Hernandez (13-4, 3.27 ERA)
preview: Padres.com
Did you notice Adam Eaton doing his Astacio impression in the ninth inning of Thursday’s game? Maybe Eaton figures that’s his best shot at getting back into the rotation.
As for today, I’m trying to figure out whether Astacio vs Hernandez is more of a mismatch than Darrell May vs Johan Santana. It’s a tough call. Santana can completely shut down a team, so I guess I’d go with that one. But Hernandez just keeps rolling.
How did the Pads end up with Astacio in their rotation, anyway? And how come it’s okay for Eaton to learn how to work out of the bullpen on the fly but not for Xavier Nady to play third base? And how come I can’t stop thinking about these things?
Three games with the Nats. Should be fun. Check out the other side of the story over at Oleanders and Morning Glories, Harper Gordek’s excellent blog on all things Washington baseball. And be grateful the Pads don’t have to face John Patterson. 
Linkorama
- No catching help in Padres’ system (NC Times). This one’s a little old but still relevant. John Maffei looks at the Friars long-term catching situation, as well as other items of note from around the minors.
- Padres were Washington bound for ‘74 (NC Times). Maffei comes up with another winner. From the article: “The Topps Company, the nation’s largest baseball card manufacturer, was so convinced the Padres were moving that Series 1 of the company’s 1974 set had Padres players listed as ‘Washington - Nat’l Lea.’”
- Early returns positive on trade for catcher Olivo (U-T). Well, he’s certainly contributing more than Miguel Ojeda was this year.
- Moneyball (Flynn Files). Among teams that rank 16-20 in payroll, the Padres are middle of the pack in terms of on-field success. How ’bout those Cleveland Indians.
- Circle the Wagons: Running the Bases Part II (Hardball Times). Interesting look at the effect of parks on baserunning tendencies. Also, I like any stat that rates Damian Jackson first over the past five years.
- Conversation with Paul McAnulty (PDX Beavers). Jonathan talks to the sweet-swinging lefty from Oxnard. On his approach at the plate: “Hit the ball hard. See it and hit it.” On playing pro baseball: “I get to play a game for a living. A lot of people lose sight of that. I mean this is just awesome.” Actually, the entire interview is awesome. McAnulty seems like he’s got a good head on his shoulders. And we know he can swing the lumber.
- Klesko sidelined by back (Padres.com). Lefty slugger expects to be back in the lineup in a few days. Also, Pirates manager Lloyd McClendon becomes the latest to “freak out” over Akinori Otsuka’s delivery. Get over it already. Seriously, let it go.
- Turning Human Stress into Productivity, Baseball Style (Management by Baseball). I’m not even going to attempt to summarize this. I’ll just say that MBB is one of my favorite blogs, and I’m never disappointed in what Jeff Angus has to say. Read it.
- Prospect Retro: Roberto Petagine (Minor League Ball). John Sickels looks at former Padre Petagine, who after a six-year stint in Japan has resurfaced with the Red Sox. Petagine has a cult following, of the sort that, say, Tim Hyers was never able to cultivate. Good for Petagine.
- NL Worst (The Mirl). Friend of Ducksnorts and all-around solid dude Ed Barnes (you read the interview, didn’t you?) has posted an article detailing exactly how pitiful the NL West has become. Ed notes that poor play throughout the division dampened deadline deals and concludes that it’s up for grabs… assuming anyone wants it.
There you have it. Memo to Washington: Fear the Astacio!
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
August 5, 2005 at 9:31 am
Check out this rumor that Jonathan found @ USA Today … http://www.pdxbeavers.com/foru.....amp;t=2125 … Burroughs for Borchard!
I saw Borchard when he playing for Stanford … and he was A MAN … in other words, he looked like a future Carlos Beltran! Well, it hasn’t worked out that way … but can/might??? I’d like to think so … I’m a HUGE Joe Borchard fan, still!
August 5, 2005 at 9:54 am
Stauffer tagged @ Portland yesterday
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.....a_orhaaa_1
August 5, 2005 at 12:37 pm
IIRC, one of youse guyse out there has a BP Premium subscription … what does Will Carroll say about Eaton today?
from my BP email:
Under The Knife
Good Stuff
by Will Carroll
Will nods to the work of one of his favorite writers…but notes a pet peeve as well. Updates on Manny Ramirez, Adam Eaton and Russ Ortiz close out the week.
http://www.baseballprospectus......cleid=4306
August 5, 2005 at 2:22 pm
Update: Woody Williams to start; Astacio pushed back a day.
August 5, 2005 at 4:03 pm
The Padres scored 31 runs in the Pirates series after scoring 28 in the previous 13 games.
August 5, 2005 at 4:18 pm
Bitter, party of one: Why would Nationals games be blacked out in North Carolina? Is this part of the pissing contest between Angelos and the Nationals? Or does someone really think the D.C./Baltimore market extends six hours south? MLBtv or Angeles or Bud Selig needs to provide some fucking answers. This is a sick joke.
OK, I just checked the blackout regions on MLBtv, and yes, the Nationals are blacked out here. (But I left the first paragraph of this rant, because it’s still worthy.) Insane. Just insane. All the idiots here are Braves fans, anyway. The Nationals and baseball shouldn’t flatter themselves just because they are the closest team to this area geographically.
Some of use just want to watch the Padres. Is that so wrong?
August 5, 2005 at 4:20 pm
The Orioles are blacked out here too. Angelos, get a life. Nobody cares about your shit team. And Palmeiro sucks!
August 5, 2005 at 4:33 pm
LM,
WC on AE: “It worked for Curt Schilling, so the Cubs have high hopes for Kerry Wood. The Padres, however, are worried that their experiment of shifting a starter to the pen might not be as successful. Adam Eaton made his first appearance from the pen and while he threw a scoreless inning, he was in pain afterwards and there was visible swelling. The rest of Eaton’s season is now in doubt. The Padres will wait until the weekend to make a determination about his status. This gives them time to consider all the options, including watching the waiver wire closely.”
August 5, 2005 at 4:45 pm
great play Giles…
crap
August 5, 2005 at 4:51 pm
So that’s what it looks like to have a 3B who can hit for extra bases
August 5, 2005 at 5:01 pm
Can Livan Hernandez take a little more time between pitches.. I can’t quite get an entire book read between pitches, I just need another minute or two…
August 5, 2005 at 5:07 pm
How do you walk Guzman! As recently as last week, his OPS was below 500 (in over 300 PA). Disgusting.
August 5, 2005 at 5:19 pm
Donde estan los Dongs?
August 5, 2005 at 5:43 pm
I am watching intermittently on MLB TV (fortunately SF is not in the DC market, yet). The ump is driving me nuts. Lots of very borderline strikes for Hernandez, same pitch is a ball for Williams. Either the placement of CF camera skews it (noticing Hernandez getting the left side, while Williams is not getting the right side), but it is awful.
I like our offense, but we should be up more than 4-2.
August 5, 2005 at 5:54 pm
Sigh. I can’t believe guys like Guzman and Bennett are beating us.
August 5, 2005 at 5:56 pm
little late to be closing the barn door after the horses already gone..
August 5, 2005 at 5:58 pm
Ladies and gentlemen, we have our first double switch of the game here in the fifth.
August 5, 2005 at 6:03 pm
although its the first, it wont be the last.
August 5, 2005 at 6:03 pm
Why Hernandez still pitching?
August 5, 2005 at 6:05 pm
there is trouble..never leave giles to get that run in…
disgusting that Greene is already replaced by Jackson at shortstop
August 5, 2005 at 6:05 pm
Just got home, but how is it that EY is playing left over X? And hitting third again? Fortunately for the Pads, Livan was charitable tonight. Unfortunately for the Pads, they have left a small fleet on the basepaths again.
August 5, 2005 at 6:07 pm
No idea of the X vs. EY. It really looks like I could put on a uniform (I am 39) call myself a veteran and make Nady sit.
August 5, 2005 at 6:07 pm
foul!! FOUL!!
Washington changed pitchers without making a double switch. Isnt that illegal?
August 5, 2005 at 6:08 pm
Hank, I thought you were talking about Woody’s performance tonight. How do you give it 4 RBI to Gary feaking Bennett and Livan?
August 5, 2005 at 6:13 pm
nope, I would have let astacio start and gone for the sweep with williams and peavy in the next two games.
August 5, 2005 at 6:15 pm
speaking of pitching. Clay Hensley seems to be our best option out of the pen. He has really been throwing well since his callup..
now that I have given him the “kiss of death” he will probably get bombed
August 5, 2005 at 6:21 pm
I think Clay should be given a chance to start over Astacio at this point. But I don’t know what has to happen in Bochy’s mind to get Astacio out of the rotation. Apparently Stauffer was so demoralized he got lit up last night.
August 5, 2005 at 6:25 pm
hopefully timmy will get his head back on straight and also regain command of his fastball and be back in the rotation before long.
August 5, 2005 at 6:27 pm
At this rate with Woody, Pedro and the man I like to call Chuck One Duck, we need Timmy to get it back in a hurry.
August 5, 2005 at 6:32 pm
Hensley reminds me of Brian Tollberg with better stuff..
August 5, 2005 at 6:38 pm
Hensley should get a start or three. Nady really, really needs to be in the lineup. His continued absence is inexcusable. Nothing against Mark Sweeney, but I cannot fathom why you would make an everday player of a guy in his mid-30s who is one of the best pinch-hitters in history and relegate a kid who has no experience coming off the bench to a platoon/pinch-hitting role. Why is it okay to protect Nady from playing third base on the grounds that he’s inexperienced there but not from having to pinch hit for the same reason? I wish Bochy would put Nady in positions to succeed. Not that we don’t already gripe about this constantly, but it’s not getting any less frustrating.
August 5, 2005 at 6:40 pm
so much for getting rid of Nevin to open up a spot for Nady..
on a side note: Carrillo going for Mobile today having some command problems of his own. given up 3 hits and 3 walks in 4 innings. trails 3-2 at this point.
barfield hit his 9th homer for Portland, game still in progress
August 5, 2005 at 6:48 pm
matt bush had 2 hits for Ft Wayne, of course every regular had at least one hit as Ekstrom won his 13th game.
August 5, 2005 at 6:50 pm
Okay, so now it’s a tie game. If we go extra innings, we have no Nady and no Khalil. Our right-handed bats off the bench are Olivo and Ross.
Thanks for the updates, Hank. Has anyone noticed how well Barfield has been playing of late?
August 5, 2005 at 6:52 pm
you think Giles could give us the lead?
doubtful..but anything is possible
August 5, 2005 at 6:53 pm
Oh yeah, I am getting a lot of satisfaction out of seeing this after everyone was writing him off because of his poor year at Mobile. Folks still dont believe me of how tough it is to put up good numbers down there and not to worry about the downturn offensively.
August 5, 2005 at 6:57 pm
bruce chen is throwing a 2 hit shutout at texas. san diego boys have both hits.. Gary Mathews and Phil Nevin each have a double.
August 5, 2005 at 7:02 pm
now what we need is sweeney to get on, loretta to move him up and fick to drive him in.
come on Padres, make me look smart
lol
August 5, 2005 at 7:04 pm
thats a good start..yea sweeney(and guzman)
August 5, 2005 at 7:05 pm
staying on with the plan…great..
August 5, 2005 at 7:06 pm
hopefully sweeney won’t get picked off at third
August 5, 2005 at 7:07 pm
Los dongs estan aqui.
August 5, 2005 at 7:08 pm
C’mon, Fick. I’ve typed and copied “DONG!!!”, so I’m ready.
August 5, 2005 at 7:10 pm
Nice move by Wilkerson, but Pads still take the lead.
August 5, 2005 at 7:10 pm
Fick comes through.
And now even Loretta is getting thrown out on the bases. It’s like the Padres are drunk on the basepaths.
August 5, 2005 at 7:11 pm
Ducksnorts reference by Dennis Morginno!
August 5, 2005 at 7:11 pm
How can we be this bad running the bases. It is astounding. Glad for the run.
August 5, 2005 at 7:13 pm
Trevor time, one would suppose.
When was his last save? Late May????
August 5, 2005 at 7:14 pm
Great deke job by Wilkerson. Couldn’t stop the run from scoring, though. Let’s make it hold.
August 5, 2005 at 7:14 pm
I don’t know if Mark Loretta fell asleep but Brad Wilkerson deeked him nicely putting his glove up like he was going to catch it, but the ball fell 6-8 feet in front of him.
August 5, 2005 at 7:18 pm
Six runs is about a series’-worth for the Pads. Hopefully we can keep the offense going.
Nearly extra bases for Vidro. Crap.
August 5, 2005 at 7:21 pm
No Kevin? That’s death and taxes by my count.
August 5, 2005 at 7:21 pm
I don’t know what Guillen was swinging at there, but it looked like a high change. Taxes are being paid.
August 5, 2005 at 7:22 pm
That might be the best play Sweeney has made all year.
Nice to take this one.
August 5, 2005 at 7:22 pm
Hoffman.
Nats have lost 12 straight 1-run games after starting the season 24-8 in those contests.
That was a sweet, sweet victory.
August 5, 2005 at 7:23 pm
Padres win! Padres win!
Damn Im smart…lol
August 5, 2005 at 7:24 pm
I’m listening to Ted and Flan, so I didn’t see Sweeney give Bochy an excuse not to play Nady again this season. How good was the play?
Three-and-one on the road trip, with the bats coming alive. It’s starting to remind me of May, when it seemed like they were putting up 8-10 runs on a nightly basis.
August 5, 2005 at 7:29 pm
I know why the Padres are making so many baserunning mistakes…
Its been two months since any of them had any practice at running bases..
August 5, 2005 at 7:35 pm
Sweeney’s play was good, not great. Nady would have made it, Nevin might have. It was more about quick reflexes than lateral movement.
August 5, 2005 at 7:41 pm
OF Brian Giles singled in the fifth inning, meaning he has reached base in 39 of his last 45 games. … OF Ryan Klesko was held out of the lineup for a third straight game with a strained back. He was listed as day to day and the team thinks he could miss all of the weekend series at Washington. … The Padres are the first team to lead a division this late in the season with a losing record since the Texas Rangers were atop the AL West at 52-62 on Aug. 11, 1994 — the day before the strike started.
August 5, 2005 at 7:44 pm
dprat - thanks for the WC update … any local mention of “Eaton’s season is now in doubt”?
August 5, 2005 at 7:47 pm
Burroughs 0-for-4 tonight @ Portland … avg now down to .250 … oh ya, he’s working on his swing … right …
August 5, 2005 at 7:49 pm
Carillo ended up doing OK tonight for Mobile … 6 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 4 BB, 4 Ks … OK, 4 walks is a bit much … but he was able to limit damage and get the W … ASG = All Systems Go!
August 5, 2005 at 8:00 pm
By the way, it may be that my previous posts weren’t as clear as they could have been, because I didn’t mention that I live in North Carolina.
August 5, 2005 at 10:53 pm
Geoff, the reason Sweeney is getting so much PT is because he is the best hitter on the team right now, and he is also doing so much better than Nady against righties that it is worth playing him over Nady. I can’t figure out why Nady is not playing left with Klesko hurt; Young is doing a fine job lately, but he is more of a bench player and has hit more like one than Sweeney has. I have to assume Bochy is going with what he perceives to be the “hot hand”.