IGD: Padres vs Mets (10 Aug 2005)
Wed, Aug 10, 2005
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Brian Lawrence (6-11, 4.43 ERA) vs Kris Benson (7-4, 3.72 ERA)
So, of course, Chan Ho Park goes out and outpitches Pedro Martinez. As Kevin asked in last night’s IGD, “Who’s your Padre?”
It’s only one start, but Park surprised the heck out of me. Surprised the Mets, too. Channel 4 had his fastball at 89-94, with good movement. Park would run it inside to lefties and let it tail back to catch the corner of the plate. It’s only one game, but he had much better stuff and command than I’d expected. Finished with eight strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. Works for me.
Martinez couldn’t get anything going all night. The pitch Khalil Greene hit out was something off-speed that just hung and didn’t move at all. Actually, that is a good description of a lot of Pedro’s pitches Tuesday night. Even Park got a good rip in against him. It was like the wrong pitcher was in the wrong body. Peter Friberg has a good recap over at San Diego Spotlight.
Wednesday night features a rematch of Lawrence and Benson, who hooked up on July 19 at Shea Stadium in a game that ended on, of all things, a Chris Woodward home run. We’ve noted that, despite the wide disparity in salaries, these two pitchers have put up similar numbers throughout their respective careers.
We’ll also note there should be a lot of lefties in the lineup for both teams. Right-handed batters have hit .233/.272/.323 against Benson this year, .241/.282/.368 against Lawrence. Lefties have hit .257/.322/.444 and .301/.359/.480, respectively, against the two pitchers. Also, Benson hasn’t been real effective on the road this year: opponents are hitting .275/.333/.515.
Finally, the rest of the NL West lost again, so the Pads are back in front by four games. It’s looking like the Padres want to give away the division a little less than their competitors.
That’s all I’ve got. I’ll be out at the game tonight. Another win would be nice, no?
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August 10, 2005 at 9:19 am
I don’t understand “put Eaton on the DL so he can get 3 starts in the minors” … why not just “send him down to the minors”? why bother with the DL?
August 10, 2005 at 9:22 am
Uh oh, Sean had 4 hits for Portland last night … AND 2 (yes TWO) of them were doubles!!!
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.....a_nozaaa_1
August 10, 2005 at 9:27 am
This link has details about Burroughs’ game yesterday … http://www.pgepark.com/beavers/postGame.shtml .. some amazing juxtapostions … for example, “power-stroke”, “Burroughs” and “hit the ball hard all five times he came to bat” all in the same sentence!!!
Stauffer pitches today … you can listen the game @ http://www.portlandbeavers.com, beginning at 4:40 p.m.
August 10, 2005 at 10:08 am
RE: Eaton and why he wasn’t sent down
“A player who has been in the Major Leagues for parts of three different seasons is out of options, and must clear waivers in order to be sent down beginning with his fourth big league season.”
They would have had to DFA him.
August 10, 2005 at 10:23 am
I believe the reason they DL’ed Eaton was to open up a roster spot for Chris Hammond, who is just coming off the DL.
August 10, 2005 at 12:27 pm
Metstradamus’ take on last night’s game:
http://metstradamus.blogspot.c.....shout.html
Interesting photo of Joe Randa.
August 10, 2005 at 2:33 pm
This isn’t news to us, is it
BP’s STAT OF THE DAY
Top 5 NL Hitters, by Equivalent Average*
Player, Team, EqR, EqA
Derrek Lee, CHN, 101.5, .355
Albert Pujols, SLN, 99.2, .349
Mark Sweeney, SDN, 36.1, .343
Miguel Cabrera, FLO, 94.3, .343
Nick Johnson, WAS, 63.9, .326
August 10, 2005 at 4:16 pm
If you didn’t see the Wright Catch, it’s online @ http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/.....p;c_id=mlb … good stuff!
August 10, 2005 at 4:27 pm
Geoff - This is a couple of days late but: RIP Little Milton
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08.....ilton.html
Saw him about 10 years ago and he was terrific. A master.
August 10, 2005 at 4:28 pm
LM: Thanks for the info on Stauffer and Sweeney. Maybe someone who is listening to the Beavers game tonight can give us an update at some point?
Also, Eaton makes a rehab start tonight for Elsinore. Any updates on his status welcome, of course. Transaction Guy doesn’t like that he’s “getting” to go on rehab:
http://www.all-baseball.com/tr.....20127.html
August 10, 2005 at 4:30 pm
Brian, that is a great loss indeed. Very cool that you got to see him.
August 10, 2005 at 5:51 pm
Wow, I like Transaction Guy … thanks for the link!
August 10, 2005 at 7:09 pm
Olivo: zero stolen base attempts againt him since he joined the Padres.
August 10, 2005 at 7:50 pm
Well, this isn’t going very well at all.
Lawrence ain’t got nuthin.’ At least it seems that way from my perch near the radio.
Sad about Little Milton. I’ll be breakin’ out the Milton vinyl tonight, in tribute.
August 10, 2005 at 7:52 pm
You didn’t know about Transaction Guy?!? C’mon, Howard.
BTW, my Friar Faithful post is up -way too late- for last night’s game.
August 10, 2005 at 9:34 pm
Where did everybody go?!?