Comments on: What’s on Second? http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html Blogging the San Diego Padres baseball club. Established 1997. Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:46:08 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: mike http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14206 mike Tue, 28 Feb 2006 18:42:22 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14206 I'm really rooting for Barfield. I saw him play in Rancho Cucamonga during his Cal League days, and I was impressed. He was a man among boys. Give him a chance - let him grow. <p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14206">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> I’m really rooting for Barfield. I saw him play in Rancho Cucamonga during his Cal League days, and I was impressed. He was a man among boys. Give him a chance - let him grow.

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]]> By: Nate Colbert http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14205 Nate Colbert Sat, 25 Feb 2006 13:35:55 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14205 Bobby Hill baby, Bobby Hill! He can lead off or bat 2nd, switch hits, has speed, doesn't K often and has a knack for getting on base.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14205">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Bobby Hill baby, Bobby Hill! He can lead off or bat 2nd, switch hits, has speed, doesn’t K often and has a knack for getting on base.

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]]> By: Peter Friberg http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14204 Peter Friberg Thu, 23 Feb 2006 22:20:01 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14204 I wrote last year that I expected Barfield to start the year in AAA but win the big league job before the season ended. Towers/Bochy (I don't remember who) said that Bellhorn was acquired to be, and is, the starting 2B for the season. - The statement doesn't bother me. I think it was made as motivation (for Barfield) more than it being a statement of absolute truth. Barfield IS a potential impact player at 2B. The last thing we want is for the Padres' brain-trust to HAND him the job and let him flop. We WANT him to break the doors off their hinges and TAKE the freakin' job.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14204">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> I wrote last year that I expected Barfield to start the year in AAA but win the big league job before the season ended.

Towers/Bochy (I don’t remember who) said that Bellhorn was acquired to be, and is, the starting 2B for the season. - The statement doesn’t bother me. I think it was made as motivation (for Barfield) more than it being a statement of absolute truth.

Barfield IS a potential impact player at 2B. The last thing we want is for the Padres’ brain-trust to HAND him the job and let him flop. We WANT him to break the doors off their hinges and TAKE the freakin’ job.

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]]> By: Mitch http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14203 Mitch Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:46:30 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14203 As a red sox fan who's seen some Bellhorn, he needs his plate approach reworked a little. His uppercut swing does miss a lot of pitches but he takes too many pitches and racks up a lot of backwards K's. After an awful 2003, he was maybe the 4th most productove hitter for the 2004 Sox and then turned into a black hole in 2005, so the Padres could luck out like the 2004 Sox did. Or Barfield could turn out better. Bellhorn does turn a mean DP though.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14203">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> As a red sox fan who’s seen some Bellhorn, he needs his plate approach reworked a little. His uppercut swing does miss a lot of pitches but he takes too many pitches and racks up a lot of backwards K’s. After an awful 2003, he was maybe the 4th most productove hitter for the 2004 Sox and then turned into a black hole in 2005, so the Padres could luck out like the 2004 Sox did. Or Barfield could turn out better. Bellhorn does turn a mean DP though.

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]]> By: Hunter http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14202 Hunter Thu, 23 Feb 2006 18:37:41 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14202 You don't want Mark Bellhorn as your everyday guy. He was great for the Red Sox in 2004 but that was a total fluke. He made the line-up because Pokey Reese had to switch from second to shortstop when Nomar was injurred. He overperformed, but he's really a journeyman type of guy. He's a good guy to have on the bench though, while breaking in a new guy. He does have good OBP, he knows the pitches that he can't hit (there are plenty) and lays off of them, and if he gets on a power streak it's worth starting him. His strike-outs, however, are mighty, mighty ugly. I mean just aesthetically not pleasing.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14202">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> You don’t want Mark Bellhorn as your everyday guy. He was great for the Red Sox in 2004 but that was a total fluke. He made the line-up because Pokey Reese had to switch from second to shortstop when Nomar was injurred. He overperformed, but he’s really a journeyman type of guy. He’s a good guy to have on the bench though, while breaking in a new guy. He does have good OBP, he knows the pitches that he can’t hit (there are plenty) and lays off of them, and if he gets on a power streak it’s worth starting him.

His strike-outs, however, are mighty, mighty ugly. I mean just aesthetically not pleasing.

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]]> By: Jonah Keri http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14201 Jonah Keri Thu, 23 Feb 2006 13:33:18 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14201 Geoff, could you please wing me your e-mail addy (couldn't find it on the site) or drop me an e-mail? Want to pick your brain about letting other Pads fans know, if possible. Thanks!<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14201">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Geoff, could you please wing me your e-mail addy (couldn’t find it on the site) or drop me an e-mail? Want to pick your brain about letting other Pads fans know, if possible. Thanks!

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]]> By: Nick G. http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14200 Nick G. Thu, 23 Feb 2006 12:44:34 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14200 Jesse -- great story about Ordonez. I was not sorry to see him go -- saw him plenty of times playing for the Mets, and he was a turd. A prima donna turd. Re: Bellhorn. I'm not so on board with the clutch thing. He was 4 for 31 before games 6 & 7 of the ALCS -- and it was ugly, too. I think with him, it's kind of all or nothing. I agree that he provides some value . . . but definitely off the bench.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14200">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Jesse — great story about Ordonez. I was not sorry to see him go — saw him plenty of times playing for the Mets, and he was a turd. A prima donna turd.

Re: Bellhorn. I’m not so on board with the clutch thing. He was 4 for 31 before games 6 & 7 of the ALCS — and it was ugly, too. I think with him, it’s kind of all or nothing. I agree that he provides some value . . . but definitely off the bench.

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]]> By: Geoff Young http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14199 Geoff Young Thu, 23 Feb 2006 12:30:38 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14199 Eric, there may be truth in this. Part of the problem is that Bochy hasn't been given a great deal of young talent on the hitting side that has been able to produce right away. It will be interesting to see if Fuson's drafts help change this. I wonder if this also relates back to the "getting everyone on the same page" in terms of organizational philosophy, etc. Just because Bochy has demonstrated an aversion to youngsters in the past, doesn't mean he hasn't had a good reason for doing so. ;-)<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14199">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Eric, there may be truth in this. Part of the problem is that Bochy hasn’t been given a great deal of young talent on the hitting side that has been able to produce right away. It will be interesting to see if Fuson’s drafts help change this. I wonder if this also relates back to the “getting everyone on the same page” in terms of organizational philosophy, etc.

Just because Bochy has demonstrated an aversion to youngsters in the past, doesn’t mean he hasn’t had a good reason for doing so. ;-)

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]]> By: Eric http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14198 Eric Thu, 23 Feb 2006 11:52:11 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14198 I think Bochy is misunderstood. He doesn't have a consistent aversion for youngsters or preference for vets. He just likes who he likes. Fans like us prefer youngsters, so his even-ness or randomness make him feel on the opposite end of the spectrum from our point of view.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14198">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> I think Bochy is misunderstood. He doesn’t have a consistent aversion for youngsters or preference for vets. He just likes who he likes. Fans like us prefer youngsters, so his even-ness or randomness make him feel on the opposite end of the spectrum from our point of view.

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]]> By: Geoff Young http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html/comment-page-1#comment-14197 Geoff Young Thu, 23 Feb 2006 11:32:10 +0000 http://ducksnorts.com/blog/2006/02/whats-on-second.html#comment-14197 Jonah: No problem, thanks for the heads-up! Jesse: Again, no problem. I think another factor working in Barfield's favor in terms of maturity level is that his dad played in the big leagues. Then again, that was the theory with Burroughs so who knows.<p class="top-comments">Current score: <span class="top-comments-karma" id="karma-14197">0</span> <small>(to vote for this comment, please visit the site)</small></p> Jonah: No problem, thanks for the heads-up!

Jesse: Again, no problem. I think another factor working in Barfield’s favor in terms of maturity level is that his dad played in the big leagues. Then again, that was the theory with Burroughs so who knows.

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