first pitch: 12:35 p.m., PT
television: none
matchup: Jake Peavy (4-8, 4.50 ERA) vs Dan Haren (6-6, 3.56 ERA)
preview: Padres.com
Quasi-random observations from Wednesday night’s 8-1 victory over the A’s:
- Mike Cameron is on fire. After hitting just one homer in his first 142 at-bats with the Padres, he’s knocked eight in his last 91 at-bats. And unlike some of his teammates, Cameron seems to have no trouble hitting at Petco Park, with six of his home runs coming there.
- Adrian Gonzalez has quickly become one of my favorite players to watch. I love his instincts and footwork at first base. He is so smooth and almost always exactly in the right position. On the other side, I like the way he’s made adjustments throughout the season as opposing pitchers start to figure him out. Gonzalez started the season hitting everything into the gaps, particularly left-center. Pitchers began busting him with fastballs inside. Gonzalez responded by turning on said fastballs and sending several of them into the seats. Now they’re mixing it up a little more and his answer is to spray balls all over the field, to the tune of four singles Wednesday night. Gonzalez is not a guy who will blow you away with any one aspect of his game, but the more you watch him, the more you realize that the kid really knows what he’s doing out there.
- When is the last time the Padres had a guy who runs the bases as aggressively as Josh Barfield? I’m thinking maybe Eric Owens. Yeah, probably Owens. That play in the fourth where Barfield scored from second on a wild pitch was just awesome. He puts so much pressure on the defense. Seems like he is always ready to take the extra base if needed. Barfield also put on a clinic at second base on Wednesday. I remember watching him at Elsinore a few years ago and thinking that he had terrific atheticism but looked a little stiff at times in the field. I still see the athleticism but the stiffness appears to be gone. Barfield is a legit big-league second baseman. It’s not even a question anymore.
- The ball Mike Piazza hit out in the fifth was just crushed. His follow through on the swing is beautiful. I love what he brings to this ballclub. And I love the way Bruce Bochy pulls him out of games whenever he can — that should pay dividends come September. Of course, having not one but two capable understudies makes it easier for Bochy to rest the veteran. No, Piazza isn’t the player he once was, but who cares?
- Clay Hensley needed a strong game. The one run in seven innings is great, but what I like are the zero walks and the 99 pitches thrown.
- Good to see Brian Sweeney and Scott Cassidy get some solid work in. Cassidy was so strong in the early going before contracting a nasty case of gopheritis; it’d be great if he could straighten himself out in low-leverage situations and become a viable setup option again.
- Speaking of Sweeney, he fanned the first batter he faced on Wednesday, striking out pinch-hitter Mike Rouse to open the eighth inning. That was Sweeney’s first punchout in over a month, since he struck out Atlanta’s Matt Diaz to end the fourth inning in a May 24 loss.
- Speaking of pinch-hitters, when Doug Clark singled on an 0-2 offering from Hensley in the fifth, it marked the first pinch hit of the season for the A’s. They had been 0-for-17, with three walks, prior to Clark’s single.
- I still can’t get used to seeing Mark Kotsay in an A’s uniform. Cameron’s presence this year has helped ease the pain. A lot.
- Bottom of the eighth was brought to you by Rod Serling. First, A’s reliever Chad Gaudin balked Geoff Blum to second. Gaudin tried a pickoff move to first but nobody was covering the bag and so he had to abort. I can’t imagine why first baseman Dan Johnson wasn’t holding Blum on, unless it had something to do with the fact that Blum hasn’t attempted a steal all year and the Padres were leading by seven runs. Isn’t there an “unwritten rule book” somewhere that’s supposed to cover stuff like that?
- The other great moment in the eighth came when lefty Scott Sauerbeck replaced Gaudin with two out and Brian Giles stepping to the plate. Hey, anything to keep that ninth run from scoring. Tony LaRussa left Oakland when? Then again, that might help explain why Gaudin was trying to hold Blum close at first. I dunno. My head hurts.
Pads go for the sweep Thursday afternoon. No television for this one — too bad, should be a great pitching matchup. Go Padres!
Padres tie it up!
Yeay! Go Go Gonzales!
It looked like Cameron got picked off at 1st and took off to 2nd and somehow, Dan Johnson missed the throw or something.
I’m thrilled that the game is tied, but Yahoo! still shows three outs recorded this inning. WTF?
Gameday description for the Cameron’s out:
Bottom 9TH B:0 S:1 O:1
With Eric Young batting, Mike Cameron picked off and caught stealing 2nd base, Mike Cameron to 2nd. missed catch error by Dan Johnson, assist to Huston Street.
GY, et al –
Padres ninth. Barfield walked on four pitches. Piazza pinch-hitting for B.Sweeney. Piazza walked, Barfield to second. B.Johnson pinch-running for Piazza. Cameron grounded into fielder’s choice, pitcher Street to shortstop Bo.Crosby, Barfield to third, Cameron to first, B.Johnson out. Cameron safe, though caught stealing, on D.Johnson’s error. Eri.Young struck out. B.Giles was intentionally walked. Bard singled to center, Barfield scored, Cameron scored, B.Giles to third.
… so far.
holy
Wow. Dan Johnson is my new favorite player. Thanks for the explanation, folks!
Extra inning, here comes the Padres!
Coming up … free baseball!
God damn I hate putting in Trevor in non-save situations!!!
I’m nervous
EY’s out … Hoffy into #2 slot … Ben Johnson stays in the game in #9 slot, now playing LF …
Oops, forgot about vanilla Mike.
OK wait, I heard thompson was ptiching the firs game of the double-header sat, then woody. May there is another pitcher they are sending down.
Good job, Hoffy. Go Padres!
pm – what’s the problem? play game 1 (thompson pitching) … then send him to AAA and activate woody for game 2!
Maybe they send down Adkins or Cassidy
LM, you cold, man. Brrrrr!!
so would Boch tell Thompson before his start that he was going down, and possibly distract him. Its cold telling him after he has possibly won that he is going down.
“Crying, there’s no cying in baseball, no cying!”
pm … just reality!
It’s actually not uncommon for a player (especially pitchers) to know before a start that they will be sent down after the start … if it’s obvious to us that it should be Thompson, then you can be sure that it’s already obvious to him! No biggie!
Barfield out on the double switch … hmmm …
too bad, I liked the guy and he pitched decent. He may never see the bigs again. Cup of coffee, I beleive they call that.
Hey Steve
Re: Maui
When my wife and I went to Maui three years ago, we stayed in two places:
The Hana Cabana: http://www.hanamaui.net/cabana.php
Wonderful little cottage with aview of the ocean (about a mile away).
We also stayed at The Shores of Maui — a condo place across the street from the beach in Kihei.
Both places were great and very affordable.
Depending on what time of year you go there — you gotta go whale watching. Humpbacks are there from November to April, and it’s pretty spectacular.
damn, I thought the game was over but in a strange ninth, Pads tie. what fun.
I don’t know PM — if he doesn’t hook on here, I’m sure he could be useful elsewhere. There are a lot of teams desparate for pitching.
Embree gettin’ it done.
holy play at the plate
Bunting. With a hot bat. And a guy who doesn’t bunt. Who is followed by a LH hitter facing a LHP.
Terrific.
Bard is our best hitter right now, switch-hitter, I hate the sac bunt, even before it failed. Bochy pisses me off so much sometimes.
And the LH hitter has now grounded into 13 double plays.
Let’s keep this thing going! Get Embree a full 9, eh?
What the heck is going on? A’s pitcher Flores threw 35 pitches and got 11 outs.
Come on, Padres. Go Padres!
Oy Cassidy – new moniker
Geez, he is ALL over the place.
I’m pretty impressed with Khalil’s 0-6 today. Pretty sweet there.
I don’t care if we lose. I’m just glad we hit Kendall at least once in the series.
How do you walk a guy with a 350 OPS (yes, OPS) to force in a run?
My rally hat is on once more… but the rubberband on the propeller is getting worn awful thin.
Ah, crap. Cassidy walked in the run.
Geoff, the answer is you walked him very carefully. Stupid Cassidy.
I was hoping he’ll improve so the Padres can trade him in three weeks.
Crap, Giles GiDPed on a second pitch with 2 runners on. What’s going on here?
I bet Cassidy’s going to AAA.
141 comments … hope that’s not the blog equivalent of a pitch count