IGD: Padres @ Nationals (8 Jul 06)
Sat, Jul 8, 2006
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 4:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Chris Young (7-4, 3.13 ERA) vs Pedro Astacio (1-0, 1.80 ERA)
preview: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
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You know what’s kind of freaking me out these days? All the kids wearing Iron Maiden shirts. Or Led Zeppelin. Geez, I’m not even old enough to really remember Zeppelin — unless you count In Through the Out Door, and why would you do that?
So, the Padres survived another game Friday night that they should have dominated. Hey, a win’s a win and I’ll take it anytime, but someone seriously needs to explain to these guys that good teams put their opponents away when they have the chance. That means not hacking first pitch with the bases loaded and grounding back to the pitcher. That means no strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double plays with runners at the corners and one out.
I’m tired of complaining about Vinny Castilla, but the dude add absolutely no value. I don’t care if swinging at everything worked for him in the past, it’s not working for him now. I’m reduced to advocating for a guy who has twice as many strikeouts as hits this year and making stupid T-shirts. I’ll be honest — neither of those is real satisfying, but a guy’s gotta do something, right?
Right?
Okay, enough of that. The Padres are alone in first place with two games remaining before the All-Star break so we’ve got that going for us. We’ve also got Chris Young on the mound tonight. And although he isn’t the tallest pitcher in the big leagues, he might be the hardest working:
2006 MLB Leaders, P/PA (through June 7)
- Chris Young, 4.11
- Orlando Hernandez, 4.09
- Gil Meche, 4.06
- Matt Cain, 4.06
- Jake Peavy, 4.02
This is nothing new. Young did the same thing last year:
2005 MLB Leaders, P/PA
- Chris Young, 4.09
- Noah Lowry, 4.05
- Mark Prior, 4.03
- Scott Kazmir, 4.03
- Jason Schmidt, 4.03
I don’t know that that’s necessarily the kind of title you want to defend, but there it is.
On the flip side, the Nationals counter with ex-Padre Pedro Astacio. One of the most pleasant surprises in San Diego last year has, as is his custom, spent most of this season on the disabled list. Tonight marks Astacio’s second start of the year.
Good times in D.C. Go Padres!
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
July 8, 2006 at 1:35 pm
Hey GY
We should set up a lemonade stand outside of Petco so that we can help the Padres afford Huff at the deadline, because we know the Moores wont crack open his wallet to get him.
July 8, 2006 at 1:38 pm
Dude, that is a great idea! Now we just need to commandeer a lemon tree for the cause.
July 8, 2006 at 3:34 pm
Nice game for the Portland Beavers yesterday … http://tinyurl.com/zs2zn … W for Stauffer (7 IP, 1 ER) … Knott with 4 XBH, Sledge with HR #10, McAnulty 2-for-5 …
July 8, 2006 at 3:36 pm
Jamison with Save #19 for the Storm last night … is he a prospect at all?
July 8, 2006 at 3:54 pm
Lynch
I hope so if he’s in A ball right now he may be ready when trevor hangs em up.
July 8, 2006 at 4:18 pm
Nice to see C.Y. get a lead courtesy of Mike Cameron. I hope that Cameron is starting to get hot again…I’m with you two on the lemonade idea, and I’ve even got a lemon tree in the front yard. When do the Padres get home and what time do you want to start the sale?
July 8, 2006 at 4:19 pm
CY gives it right back on a belt high fastball to Soriano and I’m not sure if it has come down yet.
Still looks like all the lights aren’t on at the stadium..
July 8, 2006 at 6:00 pm
How nice is it to see a few Padres with double digit home runs before the All-Star break? I cannot remember the last time that happened.
July 8, 2006 at 6:35 pm
If that HR by Bellhorn buys him another start tomorrow, then it will have been MUCH more than just-another-2-run-HR
July 8, 2006 at 6:39 pm
The Padres have four guys with double digit home runs through today. The last time the Padres had at least four guys with double digit home runs through the 8th of July? 2000.
Ryan Klesko (19), Phil Nevin (18), Bret Boone (16), Al Martin (10), Ruben Rivera (10), and Ed Sprague (10).
July 8, 2006 at 6:42 pm
Before that you have to go back to 1993. Fred McGriff (18), Phil Plantier (13), Derek Bell (13) & Gary Sheffield (10).
July 8, 2006 at 6:46 pm
Dave was safe.
July 8, 2006 at 6:48 pm
2006, 2000 and 1993 appear to be the only times they’ve managed four guys with double digit home runs through July 8th.
July 8, 2006 at 8:07 pm
wow, Al MArtin and Ed Sprague, huh? Whatever happened to, indeed.
July 9, 2006 at 12:59 am
Solid effort Saturday night. Nice job by Adkins in the seventh to get out of CY’s jam.
LM: Jamison isn’t listed among BA’s Top 30 prospects, FWIW.
Richard: Thanks for running the numbers. That is very surprising to me. You’d think it would’ve happened more often.
July 9, 2006 at 7:10 am
re:closing prospects
In general closers in the low minors aren’t prospects. The real closer prospects start out as starters, to get innings and experience, and generally don’t move to the pen until tripleA or the Majors. Low-minors closers usually have a trick pitch, or, more likely, a very good off-speed pitch or deceptive delivery. Or they’re old for their league.