first pitch: 12:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Dewon Brazelton (1-8, 7.61 ERA) vs Greg Maddux (13-15, 4.24 ERA)
The Padres’ final exhibition game of the spring sees the surprising #4 starter Brazelton go up against Future Hall of Famer Maddux at Cashman Field in Las Vegas. Adrian Gonzalez, taking over for the injured Ryan Klesko at first base, looked good Friday night, lining a double and two sharp singles (one off the wall in right field) against Cubs left-hander Sean Marshall.
Now, news that Mike Cameron may start the year on the DL due to a strained left oblique muscle has the Friars again calling on their farm system for potential replacements. Word is that Terrmel Sledge would get the start in left, with Dave Roberts moving back to center, and Ben Johnson making the club as a reserve rather than heading back to Triple-A Portland.
Also, in the fifth inning of Friday night’s contest, Ducksnorts got a shout out from the Channel 4 team for our blog entry responding to Matt Vasgersian’s question about whether Steve Garvey’s number should be retired as a member of the Padres. Much appreciated, gentlemen.
Vasgersian and color commentator Mark Grant followed up by asking whether, in retrospect, the Padres should have made the trade that sent Derrek Lee to the Florida Marlins for Kevin Brown before the 1998 season. Feel free to discuss; not to take anything away from Lee, but remember that without Brown the Padres don’t reach the World Series, and without reaching the World Series, they probably don’t get Petco Park built.
Back to today’s spring finale, about the only thing on the line in terms of rosters is the last spot in the bullpen. As far as I can tell, this has become a battle between Scott Cassidy and Brian Sweeney. Pretty exciting stuff.
Enough of my blabbing. Enjoy the game, and come Monday, they start counting. Go Padres!
In doing some Padres’ research, I came across this interesting web page … http://members.tripod.com/bb_catchers/catchers/ushcatch.htm … just fyi …
a different FYI…
I don’t know if anyone saw this story in Deadspin … On tidbits on the Padres.. I found it to be funny.
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“4. When They Say ‘Stay In School,’ They Mean You. Pitcher Shawn Estes, an active member of the San Diego area “Stay in School†program, turned down a scholarship offer from Stanford University to sign with the Mariners in 1991.”
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they also want to know what the reception will be when Bonds comes up.. e-mail them if you want.
YA, i wonder how many guys from that 1991 class have made 21+million dollars so far?
Good news from Portland … Stauffer pitched well last night … check out pdxbeavers.com for more details …
Fans were treated to a solid performance from Beavers starter Tim Stauffer. Stauffer allowed 5 singles, no walks and one run to the Mariners’ starting nine, and was lifted from the contest due to the rain delay after 3 1/3 innings.
Stauffer held the top-4 hitters in the Mariners lineup (Ichiro, Jose Lopez, Raul Ibanez and Roberto Petagine) to a combined 0-8.
Also from pdxbeavers.com … Third baseman Corey Smith has been released by the Padres … I s’pose Justin Leone was going to play 3B at Portland … dunno about Mobile … nor how Corey was doing in ST … I saw him takin’ BP in early March and he look’d good to me … seems like with Castilla as our starter, we’d want to have some minor-league depth @ 3B … but not-my-job-man!
Yikes – more proof that the Reds are BAD …
Reds signed LHP Darrell May to a minor league contract.
I read someting in the UT I think that said that smith requested his release when he found out that Leone would be the AAA 3B.
I think Leone got Skrewed by the pads, he had a great spring but yet EY, Blumer and Belhorn made the roster when they all were far less productive in the field and at the plate. The pads will never be a consesten team as along as they play favorites with guys who just aren’t productive.
Steve, I think that playing favorites will change by August and it will have to by 2007… word is Chase Headley is the Mobile 3Bman. .. Leone had a good spring but sometimes spring training judges only how hard you can turn on a straight fastball.
If I could go back in a time machine, I’d trade Lee for Brown all day, any day! One of the greatest Friar trades ever, even with D Lee being the stud he is now
Why?
Because even with D Lee today, the Padres don’t make the World Series, don’t get a new stadium. It was all about Kevin Brown back in 1998. From personal experience, in ’98 I had just moved to San Franciso to go to SFSU and the Padres were coming to town. I took the bus to Candlestick to make sure I saw Brown pitch. And he didn’t disappoint. After a 1-0 complete game victory, I knew we were playoff bound.
Though it may be unpopular in San Diego, I still say, “Thank you, Kevin Brown.”
Where is Kevin Brown.. if we keep trying to bring back Andy Ashby.. shouldn’t we try Brown once?
D Jones – amen! KB’s ’98 season was VERY valuable.
I agree…The Padres have to make that trade..even though Brown hosed us and left to go “closer to his home in Georgia” which is apparently LA..who knew LA was closer to Georgia than San Diego. I agree that without Brown..we don’t go to the Series and without the Series, no Petco..and no Petco means the Padres are probably the Washington Nationals right now..