first pitch: 5:35 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4
matchup: Brian Lawrence (7-15, 4.83 ERA) vs Sunny Kim (5-2, 4.57 ERA)
preview: Padres.com
magic number: 9
Who do I have to sleep with to get some Padres coverage now that football has started? Last night on local TV, I could watch a painfully detailed breakdown of the Chargers’ loss followed by an “oh yeah, the Padres won.” I expect that from ESPN, where everyone was too busy tripping on Barry Bonds‘ homer against the Dodgers to note that his Giants aren’t gaining any ground in the NL West. But how come we can’t get at least a little enthusiasm here in town for the Padres? Sure, they’re a .500 club but they’re going to the playoffs.
Instead we get about three-quarters of the front page of Monday’s U-T sports section devoted to the Chargers and how at 0-2, and with 14 games remaining, it’s going to be a “hard road to reach playoffs.” The Pads, who also have 14 games remaining and who mounted another great comeback on Sunday to win the brief homestand against the Nationals, are pushed to the bottom of the page, alongside boat racing.
Yes, I said boat racing.
It’s September and the hometown baseball team is on a collision course with the postseason for the first time since 1998, and all we hear about is football and boat racing? Look, I’ve got nothing against those fine sports, but what’s even on the line there?
I like the Chargers, have since the early Dan Fouts days when the crowd would boo him and call for James Harris, but it’s the middle of September. The Padres’ magic number is in single digits. The Chargers still have 14 games to right the ship. Almost 90% of their schedule has yet to be played. The Pads have 14 games to seal the deal. Please, let’s get our priorities straight, shall we?
Anyway.
Monday night’s game is a rematch of the September 8 contest at Petco. Neither starter figured in the decision that night, although both Lawrence (7 IP, 4 H, 2 ER) and Kim (6 IP, 6 H, 2 ER) pitched well. Pads won the game on a Robert Fick double in the 10th.
Other Stuff
- Pads are in danger of finishing the season without a single 20-homer guy for the first time since 1994, when Phil Plantier led the club with 18 bombs. That was a strike year; the last time the Friars didn’t have anyone reach 20 homers over a full season was 1988, when Carmelo Martinez topped out at 18. Interestingly, the Padres finished 83-78 that year, under Larry Bowa and Jack McKeon.
- Fuson called on to overhaul farm system (U-T). Lost in the winning is this move. Scout Grady Fuson’s role will expand, giving him “a more significant role both in player development and scouting,” according to GM Kevin Towers. Fuson, you will recall, is the man who drafted Jeremy Bonderman, Eric Chavez, Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, and Barry Zito, among others, for the Oakland A’s.
- Indians GM Shapiro had a plan, and now he’s getting lucky (U-T). Chris Jenkins dissects baseball’s biggest surprise of 2005. If you want to know how to win on a budget, obviously the A’s are a good place to start. But what the Indians have done this year, and how they’ve done it, is remarkable. More money is always nice but you don’t want to count on it. Spending smarter is something anyone can do, regardless of how much money they have.
Remember: No boat racing today, just baseball. Go Pads!
BA on the farm system.
The Padres rank very low. Surprisingly, The Cardinals lower.
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/features/050329orgsfree.html
This is a team with a sense for the dramatic. Three out of the last 4 games prove that the Padres are getting tougher and really want to win.
Go Padres! Let’s beat them Rox.
I think becuase its nearly a forgone conclusion that the Pads are going to win. Sports writers are tired of writing about the Padres anyway, since Spring Training. Beisde, the Chargers are supposed to be a first rate team this year so they get more ink. The Padres just played another mistake prone game and won.
Anyway, Duck, I’m with you, Chargers smargers…Go Padres!
Going to the game next Monday with the family. Could be a clincher. Hey where should I park down there, getting there are 4:30?
Enjoy the game, PM.
I usually park at the Convention Center.
It’s $10 if there is only Padres’ game and $8 if the convention has other things going.
It’s closer walk to the park than you think and not hard to get in and out of downtown.
Let’s hope the Padres play better games and win.
I haven’t listened to it yet, but apparently Ted Leitner got on BP Radio …
This week, Will and Brad head into the last weeks of the season by heading west. Ted Leitner, the voice of the San Diego Padres, talks about why this team is a success and how they think they will fare in the playoffs.
http://radio.baseballprospectus.com
… HEY, since when did Ted Leitner become “the” voice of the Padres???? That’s not right, is it??? Jerry’s still “the” voice, no?
Imagine if the Chargers were 7-7 and still in the playoff hunt…the UT would be all over it. Anyway, I moved here 10 years ago and I love the Padres and don’t really care about the Bolts, mostly because I can’t get excited about seeing Alex Spanos win at ANYTHING.
Giles and Greene with solo shots in the second to get things started. Keep it going, boys…
Coors & the BOB. Not a bad roadtrip to try to get the hitters outta their funk.
Maybe not so much of the 2-out 2-run singles to guys with career sub-400 OPS…
K Greeene baby!!! Wooo-hoooo! Hopefully Trevor will close it out in the bottom of the ninth . . .
“Put me in, coach, I’m ready to play…”
Khalil career stats at Coors Field BEFORE tonight in 78 PAs: .368/.449/.838(!). Eight of 29 career HRs at Coors, again BEFORE tonight.
Yes, that’s AVG/OBP/SLG, for an OPS of 1287. Somewhat higher now.
Updated: .384/.458/.918 in 83 PAs for a Coors OPS of 1376. Any reason why Greenie shouldn’t bat 3rd or 4th every game they play at Coors?
A word on the Charger coverage thing from someone who wrote about BOTH games last night…the Chargers play once a week…I would expect the Monday paper to be more about them. Now, I personally would have run the Pads as a banner at the top…but I also am aware that the UT has an editiorial “format” for the front page of the Monday sports section during football season and most likely are loath to deviate from it. That said, I was at the Padre game and wrote about the Chargers from highlights and stats…
Yeah, Rich, I was just being cranky. I’d like to see a little more “buzz” around the Pads right now. The team has been to the playoffs three times in 35 years and now that they’re actually doing something, they aren’t getting much love even in their own town. Kinda bugs me.
It bothers me to see that the Padres can give up a 2 run lead in the 8th inning, especially when SF had already lost. Is this the type of team that can win in the postseason? I think they have to get that stomp on the throat when they’re down mentality before I’ll expect anything from them against the Cards or Braves. That said, Go Pads!!
It bothers me to see that the Padres can give up a 2 run lead in the 8th inning, especially when SF had already lost. Is this the type of team that can win in the postseason? I think they have to get that stomp on the throat when they’re down mentality before I’ll expect anything from them against the Cards or Braves. That said, Go Pads!!