first pitch: 12:05 p.m., PT
television: none
matchup: Chan Ho Park (0-0, 5.59 ERA) vs Zach Day (1-1, 7.45 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com
So I’m sitting here trying to think of something to say about today’s rubber match between the Padres and Rockies at Coors Field. I’m having trouble coming up with a theme — maybe a string of related events which, when tied together, lead to greater insights — so I end up constructing pompous sentences like this one.
I could talk about the Padres’ inability to get a hit with runners in scoring position. I could talk about the baffling early season park factors of Coors Field and Petco Park. Or maybe Clay Hensley’s solid start despite coming down with food poisoning over the weekend. Or the Brian Giles play at the plate that I missed because I couldn’t hold out for dinner any longer and didn’t feel like cooking. Or the continued strong work by the bullpen. Or the fact that a victory today means the Padres finish the nine-game road trip with a winning record.
Or I could punt and throw out some song lyrics, but what would they say? Maybe something with “park” in the title. Or “Wednesday.” I found two songs called “Wednesday” — one by Tori Amos, the other by Jimmy Eat World. I can get behind both artists, but I don’t know either tune real well. And besides, I’d rather quote obscure Poi Dog Pondering songs.
So where does that leave us? I guess the best thing is to come clean and admit I’ve got nothing. Now back to you…
Funny, today I feel particularly bloated with stuff to say, most of it meaningless, but I hear man, when the wells dry, writings tough. Really helps when you sit like a lump all night and watch the entire game, mixed with a little Daily Show and the Corbert Report, of course.
Giles clearly was reverting to his linebacker days, Mike might be warming, Khalil seems clueless, lot of pitching changes, Ben trying hard to stay up, Bellhorn, fat and sloppy, all signifying a lose.
Check out the Denver Post for Kent’s threat regarding Giles, maybe that will inspire some words.
http://www.denverpost.com/rockies/ci_3725292
PS if some will tell me how to make the link live, I’d be grateful.
I meant loss not lose and I guess the link works. Cool.
Olivo with HR #2 … I know, I know, we need to quite former-Padre-scoreboard watching … but …
Don’t quit. It’s fun. Look Adam Eaton and Brian Lawrence are still injured. See? Fun…
Top o’ 1st starts out dandy …
- D. Roberts walked
- D. Roberts stole second
- J. Barfield singled to left, D. Roberts score
… 1-0 Padres!
OK, here’s some more former-Padre-scoreboard watching … 2 SBs by Padres today against Ojeda
With this pitching matchup I will get excited when we hit a double digit lead.
Padres have yet to record an out in top o’ 1st …
- J. Barfield stole second
- B. Giles walked
- V. Castilla singled to shortstop, J. Barfield scored, B. Giles to second
… 2-0 Padres!
We’re gettin’ there … 3-0 Padres …
- K. Greene singled to center, B. Giles scored, V. Castilla to third
What a riot … Yahoo’s box score … http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=260419127 … shows Castilla @ Catcher … presumably because he’s batting #4
4-0 …
- R. Bowen walked, K. Greene to second
- B. Johnson singled to center, V. Castilla scored, K. Greene out at home, R. Bowen to second
Tempting to send up a PH for Park here
But if it’s only Bellhorn, I suppose Chan Ho’s just as good ….
Seeing 32 pitching in top o’ 1st is a good thing …
Pitches-strikes – Z Day 32-14.
Ground balls-fly balls – Z Day 1-0.
Batters faced – Z Day 9.
… 4-0 Padres.
I am watching it on MLB TV and it has the Rockies broadcast; was KG out? They did not show enough replays to tell but it looked like he got a foot under the tag; also, was he running all out?
OK; we HAVE to execute run-downs. This is the major leagues, not little league.
Jay – please explain for the MLB.tv-deprived!
I liked the way CHP rallied; gives up a lead off double; then has his infield kill an out; line drive sac fly to Helton, then DP. I will take 4-1.
The run down: sharp grounder to AG; he throws to third to catch the runner at second half way between 2nd and 3rd; Vinny is running towards the runner and tosses it to KG, who drops it, so runner makes it to 3rd, and runner safe at first. Rockie announcers said that Castilla threw it too soon, meaning that KG was going to have to rush it to throw him out at 3rd, so partly Castilla’s fault.
CHP gets by on 10 pitches …
Pitches-strikes – C Park 10-6; Z Day 32-14.
Ground balls-fly balls – C Park 3-1; Z Day 1-0.
Batters faced – C Park 4; Z Day 9.
… but does give up a 2B and a run … 4-1 after 1 full … not a 10-run lead … so stay tuned!
I hope Vinny gets to feelin’ “at home” today …
Is this game on tv anywhere. I have the DirecTV package, but I can’t find it.
2 IP, 2 DP’s for the Padres. I will take it. CHP does not have very good stuff, but mixes up pitches pretty well. He is clearly missing on certain pitches (like inside fastballs), but kind of hanging tough. They showed his stats: 2BB/11K, good ERA but very high BAA (.310). Interesting numbers and I hope they last. I cam watching on MLB TV which has FSN, which normally is part of the baseball package.
Bases loaded, no outs = 1 run. Not great, but better than last night’s yielding no runs. It does make me a bit nervous; the out at the plate in the first and GIDP with the bases loaded in the 3rd. Leaving too many runs on ground.
Well, that’s a terrific rally. Maybe Johnson scorched the ball and the Rockies turned a great DP, but with Day struggling it’s not such a bad idea to take a pitch.
What’s going on at Yahoo this year? Seems like they only let me refresh there a limited # of times, then I get an error web page??? Whatever … I just go to cbssportsline.com or baseballdirect.com …
Bochy missed another opportunity to PH for CHP …
Yeah, I would think it would have the game. But it doesn’t. Anyway, I’m glad the Padres are doing well.
Foot on the throat. Do we push down or step off?
Draft picks were announced, we have 4 selections out of the first 61, chance for a good draft….
Nady watch 0-3 2Ks 1 GIDP
I expect we can excuse that bad day by Nady since Glavine was giving lots of the Braves a bad day. 8 innings and 4 hits but lost anyway.
Bases empty HR to Miggy and then gets Helton to fly out to shallow right with the bases loaded, followed by another fly out. Keeps it 8-2 through 5. I assume Bochy wanted to give CHP the win, or in position to do so, and, this time, the loyalty seems to have paid off. Their pen must be tougher than Day, so in Denver this is still a game. Let’s get some more.
Interesting to see how the Petco native treat Nady tomorrow. Probably well I would guess.
Padres should sweep the leg.
not mention last night burned the bullpen pretty good, CHP need two more innings and we need more runs.
good point Mike. CHP really needs to get at least one more(and hopefully 2) inning.
In Kahlil’s defense, the first two “strikes” of his AB seemed high to me. A nice two run knock would have been very, very nice. So…; still a game.
Ahhh Coors Field. It looks like we will soon be able to look at our batting averages with pride again.
If we score again, we I think we will win easily. If we don’t, I have a very bad feeling about it.
Well, Giles got his payback for that slide yesterday.
Hopefully it doesnt start a melee
Good JOB CHP, that really helped. Might be uot for the eighth. Would love another run or two. Did hoffy pitch last night?
Giles hit by a ptich. Was it retribution for last night. The Rocky coach threatened such in the DP this morning. What an asshole.
AG is a mchine. Thats what you get for plunking Giles. Comes around an scores. Hope he took a nice long look into the rocky dugout….after he crossed the plate.
Maybe we will bring in Braz so Hoffman can get a save..:-)
What a great way to leave Colorado. Banging out 16 hits (so far) and 10 runs. And without HR’s. But I would hope for this after leaving 9 men in scoring position last night. There is good news. At least we aren’t in KC (2-11) ouch…
Let’s close it out right here…
OK, I am feeling pretty confident. And now we really can bring in Braz…
Something for Braz to build on. A good 9th would help wash away the taste of those two bad starts.
Good news: He lowered his ERA by more than 3 runs.
Bad news: It is still over 20
GREAT AB for Barfield. He doesn’t give at-bats away. What a stud. they better leave him in the 2 hole for now.
Wondering if maybe we should put Piazza lower in the order.
Roberts
Barfield
Giles
Cameron
AGon
Piazza
Castilla
Greene