first pitch: 7:10 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Chris Young (8-4, 3.59 ERA) vs Derek Lowe (7-7, 4.19 ERA)
preview: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
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I’ve got nothing this morning, so we’ll get the IGD fired up a little early today. Thank goodness the Padres didn’t get swept in San Francisco. If there’s anything worse than a Giants fan, it’s a happy Giants fan.
Off to LA for a three-game set with the Dodgers. Reliever Scott Williamson, recently acquired from the Cubs, will be in uniform for the Pads tonight — and not a moment too soon. Picking up a third baseman would a good next step. It seems like we keep hearing the same names but everything is just speculation at this point. I stand by my offer to play the position for food.
As for tonight’s game, we’ve got Chris Young and Derek Lowe on the mound. Lowe has allowed two or more runs in nine consecutive starts. After working six shutout innings against the Phillies on June 1, his ERA stood at 2.68 for the season. Since then, here’s what he’s done:
| IP | H/9 | HR/9 | BB/9 | SO/9 | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 53.2 | 12.41 | 1.01 | 3.19 | 4.86 | 6.37 | |
| Stats courtesy of David Pinto’s Day By Day Database. | ||||||
So either the Padres are catching Lowe at a good time or he’s due for a strong outing. See, I can make any situation ambiguous — it’s a gift.
On the flip side, Young continues to confound by being a much better pitcher away from Petco Park than at the allegedly pitcher-friendly venue:
| IP | H/9 | HR/9 | BB/9 | SO/9 | ERA | BA | OBP | SLG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home | 60.1 | 8.20 | 1.94 | 3.43 | 9.40 | 4.77 | .243 | .323 | .473 |
| Home | 52.1 | 5.85 | 1.03 | 2.75 | 7.39 | 2.24 | .181 | .248 | .314 |
| Stats courtesy of ESPN. | |||||||||
At home, opposing batters hit him about like Jose Valentin (.243/.322/.450 career). On the road, there aren’t really any hitters to compare his opposition stats to — he’s pretty much vintage Pedro Martinez level (without the strikeouts).
Young is an extreme flyball pitcher — nobody over the past 10 years even comes close to his 0.49 groundball/flyball ratio this season — but I still find it hard to believe that he had better success at Ameriquest Field last year (82.2 IP, 4.35 ERA) than he has so far at Petco Park. Last season, Ameriquest was #6 in MLB in park factor for runs at 1.076, while Petco was #30 at 0.803. This season, Petco has been closer to neutral (#23 at 0.935) but it still favors pitchers.
I guess Young didn’t get the memo.
I’m glad Bochy stuck around for a while to chat with Timmons for a while after he was prematurely tossed. What an idiot.
The umpires have gotten really lousy.
Wow. Great hustle.
Barfield is always hustling
And Barfield continues to put pressure on defenses, turning a bloop to shallow center into a hustle double.
At first glance…I thought Barfield was out at 2nd..
Strike zone is a little on the low side tonight. He’s calling them below the knees, but not giving the upper part of the zone.
Welcome to the Josh & Josh show!
That is why you always run it out. I love watching Josh Barfield.
BARD for MVP!!!
Now they don’t like that Barfield didn’t slide.
Nah, Marko, he was safe, the throw was there, but it was behind Nomar, took too long for him to bring it around and to the front corner of the bag. Great hustle, great slide! Mark who?
Bard doesn’t even have 200 PA. I didn’t realize that.
He was safe…but at first glance I thought he was out and we were getting a make up call after the goofy strike call on the non swing. How old is Vin Scully anyways…i’m listening to him ramble on about the line score on the scoreboard because he’s too old to figure out that they don’t have room for 11 innings on the board so the 1st inning isn’t there..
That is a great PA by Roberts.
Vin Scully is 78. I think he’s still best in the business.
“What this game needs is another delay.” – Matty V
Well said.
Yeah, Piazza has gotten most of the plate appearances at catcher. I would bet that Piazza, Bard and Bowen have combined to be the best catcher in the league, especially since the NL is not strong at that position.
He’s good…but I think that makes him tough to listen to is that he’s the only one doing the game. Just listening to one voice for almost 4 hours is a bit much…
Trevor Time.
Padres have the highest OPS from the catching position in the Majors. Also, they have the lowest OPS from the third base position.
They should show that K Zone or whatever they call it after every single pitch.
Say hello to the icky.
K, 4 pitches.
Death. …
Good work, Richard. Who would have thunk catching would be such a strength this season.
Cameron is good.
Taxes. …
man can this team play some defense….rf tonight being the exception
K.
Hoffman.
No. 463.
I forget who the last batter was for the Dodgers, but how do you not even make an attempt to run to first base after the 3rd strike in the dirt?
10 pitches for Hoffman, nine strikes. two strikeouts.
15 saves behind Lee Smith.
He’s on pace for 17 more, so he’ll be going for in the thick of a pennant race.
One thing I’m mad at though, since I’ve been out of anywhere near a tv tonight.. I’m mad that the Padres gave absolutely 0 chance to Justin Leone. They called him up with Sledge only to demote him after the trade for Williamson; I mean I think he merited a 3b start for one of the games considering that’s why you’d bring him up in the first place. Other than that, great win.
Also- I’m not sure if the Padres will move for a 3bman because the market doesn’t seem that accomodating.
Ry – agree that they shoulda given Leone a start or 2 while up … I think he has MLB experience with M’s, so this didn’t deny him his debut … but still … he’s earned a bit o’ PT …
I would bet Leone makes that play at 3B
Note to Bochy:
Blum is not a defensive replacement
Sledge is not a defensive replacement
I would rather burn a pitcher then put those two in, in late innings
Where is Johnson, he should be starting in right and giving Giles a rest.
If the Pads dont get a 3B at the deadline then they have to pull up Leone and see if he can play, belhorn has some value because he has come up with some clutch hits and home runs this year but blum is not doing it with the bat or the glove I dont see why he or EY are still on the team.
I think that if Leone was any good he would have been playing.
Not with Boch as the manager
I don’t know Steve. I would usually be inclined to agree with you but from everything I have heard Leone does not exactly play a golden glove 3rd base and I would much rather have Bellhorn if the decision comes down to offense. So this time I don’t blame Bochy I blame Leone having a outstanding start to the season in AAA but it looks like he has cooled off a lot since his hot start. I don’t know man I mean if you think about it we are really splitting hairs here because this team needs a legit 3rd baseman and neither Leone or Bellhorn or anyone on the team or in the system (as of right now) is the answer if you ask me.
Seeing Leone in 3 games in ST (I know thats a small sample) he had a better bat and a much better glove then blum and belhorn. I have not seen him play in AAA this year, but he could have made either of the plays the blum butchered in the past few nights, but then again I think belhorn would have made both of the plays as well.
I want to see Leone play because the spot is open and he cant do much worse then Blum or Belhorn at the moment and the padres have control of him for a longer time period.
Steve
Johnson is hurt, that’s why Boch hasn’t been putting him in. It should be interesting to see what the Pads do when he comes back.
I know he’s on the DL but I thought they said he would be back in the SF series. They will send Sledge back down when he come back.