first pitch: 4:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Mike Thompson (2-1, 3.50 ERA) vs Zach Duke (3-6, 4.27 ERA)
Useless but true: No NL batters struck out more times (33) in the month of May than Mike Cameron. I don’t care what he hits; I’ll take his defense any day of the week.
There are three positions where traditional baseball purists would say defense tops offense in priority…catcher, shortstop and center field. I agree that Cameron’s overall play means his strikeouts are less of a worry. Even though I HATE strikeouts. I have always felt they were inexcusable, and this from a guy who struck out far too much in his own playing days.
Cameron’s defense makes everyone else better and means Giles and Roberts don’t have to work as hard, something especially important to the fragile Roberts. It also gives us what I consider to be the best defense in Padre history.
Geoff…I know you don’t control the “Google ads”, as I have them on a different blog myself…but “Thinkblue.com” ??? A “Dodger Fan Rewards Club”???
Ouch.
just to make this point
the three numbers together are avg/obp/slg
Barfield hitting 2nd: 55PA .296/.321/.500 10runs 3 SB 14 K
hitting 8th: 104PA .250/.280/.330 14runs 4 SB 16 K
Cameron hitting 2nd: 142 PA .250/.331/.313 18 runs 5 SB 40 K
just to add to the argument Barfield should hit higher.. and cameron hasn’t produced as much.
Ben Johnson with HR #5 … Cust with HR #11 … for Portland yesterday … http://tinyurl.com/g3uef … note: Brower got the save!
Cubs right-hander Mark Prior will make his second rehab start for the Class A Peoria Chiefs on Saturday against the Fort Wayne Wizards … http://tinyurl.com/fz7jj
I vote for Cameron lower. He is in a bad funk; not just K’s but just creating outs. He did have some deep drives recently, but not enough to keep him at 2nd.
I have another concern, among many: I know he is young, but Greene needs days off. I can’t remember the last day he sat. I guess Blum can play short, but we don’t really have a back up SS. I am afraid he will wear down, or, if he gets injured, what will we do? Some preparation would be good.
Let’s try to get another win tonight. Not to jinx us, but we have won 5 of 7, after that horrid run losing 7 of 9.
another rain delay?
Yahoo says … THE START OF THE GAME IS BEING DELAYED DUE TO RAIN … anyone there with details / odds of getting game in?
Padres currently have a large day/night split … 15-5 during day games vs 14-20 at night … might it mean anthing?
rain delay. Hey Padre Mike (also known as irrational fan) is running in the rock and roll marathon tomorrow here in SD, so wish him good luck and good luck to any other ducksnorters running tomorrow!! Its gonna be hot.
Go Padres!
Another reason I’m an NL fan … I’d forgotten this ’til I looked at the “expanded standings” … NL doesn’t have any turf fields! Toronto, Tampa Bay, and Minnesota are the only ones left! The world will be better when they are *ALL* gone … and it will be better when MLB plays more *day* games (especially on Saturdays and Holidays … there’s just *NO* excuse for MLB to play on Saturday nights and/or holiday-Monday nights).
PM/IR – yes, good luck tomorrow in R&R … a good friend of mine ran it last year … pace yourself!
Stanford just sent Texas (National #3 seed) into the loser’s bracket of it’s Regional … beating it 12-8 … in this game, Stanford roughed up Kyle McCoullouch, a pitcher the Padres may draft (@ #17) in the upcoming draft.
… uh, check that spelling … it’s Kyle McCulloch (at least according to http://www.ncaasports.com/baseball/mens).
I know we’ve got a college baseball thing going here so I’ll say since my school (Marist) is a MAAC school… Manhattan beat Nebraska (#6 national seed I think) 4-1 on Friday.
the kid who shut them down, Senior Chris Cody, supposedly has a really good changeup and used that to strike out 7. I wouldn’t mind seeing the Padres taking a flyer on this lefty arm. Even though he threw 142 pitches in this CG, he pitched to a 1.42 ERA this year….
One MAAC pitcher who has made the Padres roster Scott Cassidy (LeMoyne). Nebraska was also eliminated today by USF.
Ry – I don’t see any buzz for Chris Cody at minorleagueball.com nor at baseballamerica.com … though a CG victory over Nebraska will get him some looks, I’m sure … but seniors usually play their senior year because they aren’t pro-prospects after their junior year … so I’d wager he doesn’t go in the first 10 rounds of the upcoming draft … having a ‘really good changeup’ is something that more & more teams (ex. Padres) are liking.
D-Backs (over Atlanta), Giants (over Mets), and Dogs (over Philly) already have W’s today … when the NL Worst turn into a beast???
LM- a lefty with a good change who manages to pitch the game of his life v. nebraska and is a senior is worth taking a flyer on.. I didn’t mean it to say he’s gonna go high. though he was MAAC pitcher of the year and also honored as a Louisville Slugger 2nd team All-American.
Nevin with a HR for Cubs today …
Ry – I’ve put in a nomination for you for Cody over at the mock draft at minorleagueball.com
k. mock drafting in MLB? that’s tough stuff.
I like the article that has shown up in Texas now and will in Chicago soon, This just in: Phil Nevin is washed up.
chan ho ain’t doin that bad.
Game on … anybody out there watching? How does Camy not score on Bellhorn’s “single to right”?
KG makes it moot … K. Greene doubled to deep right, M. Cameron, M. Bellhorn and B. Giles scored … 3-0 Padres … still in top o’ 1.
It’s easy enough not to score there, a scorched ball right at Burnitz who can still throw. I’m guessing that’s what happened, I’m GameDaying it.
Besides, we were hitting Duke hard. No reason to give up an out at home.
Vinny. Oh Vinny. Gonzalez has heated up but he sits for Bellhorn so Vinny can have a shot with his “new” approach.
TW – agree … just interested in the story …
There’s bound to be an interesting story behind this sequence also …
- N. McLouth singled to right
- N. McLouth stole second
- J. Wilson grounded into fielder’s choice, N. McLouth out at second
the third out. finally.
first off that should be an error on Castilla and the runs from there on should be unearned. .. no question about it .. I don’t know how that can be officially scored into a single.
5 runs with 2-outs … ouch … now 5-3 Bucs after 1 full … pitching details …
Pitches-strikes – M Thompson 33-20; Z Duke 28-14.
Ground balls-fly balls – M Thompson 1-2; Z Duke 2-0.
Batters faced – M Thompson 10; Z Duke 7.
those were tough-ish plays for vinny, but if you are not hitting, and you are supposed to play D, what are doing? should have been 0 runs. Frustrating.
thru 2 now …
Pitches-strikes – M Thompson 59-36; Z Duke 38-19.
Ground balls-fly balls – M Thompson 3-3; Z Duke 3-0.
Batters faced – M Thompson 14; Z Duke 10.
Hawaii staves off elimination by eliminating Wright state 5-3. I am not excited about Hawaii’s chances of advancing though, Steven Wright, Hawaii’s ace, is out for the year and shortstop Eli Christenson hurt his elbow.
http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2006/Jun/03/br/br50p.html
Vinnie is supposed to make those plays! No two ways about it. Could be he is taking his ab’s out to the field. It happens, but its a shame for Thompson he didnt deserve 5 earned runs..
USD is up 11-8 on St. Louis (sans-a-Pujols, I presume
thru 7 … giving up all 8 runs in 1 innings (yikes) … http://www.ncaasports.com/baseball/mens/scoreboard/div1
thru 3 … now 6-3 Bucs …
Pitches-strikes – M Thompson 67-43; Z Duke 58-32.
Ground balls-fly balls – M Thompson 5-4; Z Duke 3-2.
Batters faced – M Thompson 18; Z Duke 14.
Oops, USD got up 12-8 … but just cough’d up 4 … St Louis is now tied 12-12 … USD batting in bottom of 8th …
thru 4.5 innings now …
Pitches-strikes – M Thompson 84-53; Z Duke 83-48.
Ground balls-fly balls – M Thompson 7-5; Z Duke 7-3.
Batters faced – M Thompson 23; Z Duke 21.
bout time castilla flashes some decent leather
USD responds with 6 runs in bottom of 8th … now up 18-12!
come on guys, we are runnin out of outs..
Adkins with nice looking results in the 5th & 6th …
Pitches-strikes – M Thompson 84-53; J Adkins 16-14; Z Duke 101-59.
Ground balls-fly balls – M Thompson 7-5; J Adkins 1-5; Z Duke 13-3.
Batters faced – M Thompson 23; J Adkins 6; Z Duke 27.
Jared Wells got mugged tonight. He gave up 5 runs on 10 hits and 5 walks in just 5 innings..as Mobile lost 7-2
Sinisi had a decent night going 3-4..
Make that 7 runs for USD in the bottom of 8th … now final, USD does the survive-thing … beating St. Louis 19-12! Catcher Jordan Abruzzo was 5-for-5 with 3 HRs and 8 RsBI! Boo-ya!
Headley slammed a pair of homers up at Lancaster’s launching pad. Nice to see his bat coming around.
hank – thanks for mentioning Sinisi … he struggled in early going after coming over in the Freddy Guzman trade … but seems to be doing better in last week or so … the other player who came over was pitching Hudgins and he’s 3-0 with Mobile, doing very well!
I would think Hudgins would do well at Mobile. He has significant time at AAA with Texas…He has been doing extremely well tho, not only his record but he hasnt been allowing many hits at all..
Was that Piazza throwing out Castillo trying to steal second?
D-backs take 2 from Atlanta … Giants lose 2nd-game of DH to Mets … Rox get crushed by Marlins … so the NL West is 4-2 so far today …
Mark Teahan’s back up for KC … I was trying to start some rumors of Padres’ interest in trading for him based on his hot-streak at AAA recently
Sikorski’s first inning with the Padres … first in MLB since 2000 (with Texas) …
- B. Sikorski relieved A. Embree
- F. Sanchez grounded out to third
- J. Castillo singled to shallow center
- J. Castillo caught stealing, catcher to second
- R. Paulino singled to center
- R. Doumit hit for R. Hernandez
- R. Doumit struck out swinging