IGD: Padres vs Astros (3 Aug 06)

first pitch: 12:35 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Clay Hensley (6-8, 4.46 ERA) vs Matt Albers (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
buy tickets

I guess now we know why last year Bruce Bochy wouldn’t stick a guy at third who hadn’t played the position in a while. Todd Walker went 1-for-3 at the plate in his first Padres start, and 2-for-4 in the field. Just a guess here, but I’m thinking we already had guys in the organization who could do that.

On the bright side, second baseman Josh Barfield was named NL Rookie of the Month for July. Barfield hit .400/.435/.590 during the month and was second in the NL (to Philadelphia’s Chase Utley) in hits with 40. Congratulations!

Afternoon game today. Padres try to avoid the sweep against the Astros and potentially falling back out of first place.

220 Responses »

  1. KRS1…according to Baseball-Reference, Gomez has a higher career Range Factor and a higher fielding %…

    And according to Towers (on 1090 last week) we have a 1yr option on Cameron for 2007 and we are going to pick it up…

  2. I bet Eaton goes to Seattle. Good pitcher’s park and he’s from there. We’ll see. I agree, though, if Cameron were 4 yrs. younger, I’d be all for getting him an extension, but I’m wary of aging outfielders. I am however, also wary of outfielders who are unproven and have a habit of commiting felony acts of hit and run on their shortstops (Ben Johnson and Thermal Sledge).

    FYI…17 runners left on today by our boys.

  3. I agree with you Steve. I have seen enough of Cameron to want to see him get an extension.

  4. I would rather have Cameron than any of those options this year. Keep in mind the Twins are probably going to pick up Tori Hunter’s $12 million option so don’t count on him to be out there.

  5. Cameron for 2 years is arright…you just gotta consider, the longer your investment, the bigger the risk. I wouldn’t commit to $15/3yrs when I could have him for just $7m/1yr, and he’ll likely command more than $15/3 anyway if he were FA. He’ll be 35 after the 2007 season, a good time to get younger. FA isn’t the only way to acquire players.

  6. FF good point about Eaton and Seattle, I think Eaton still feels an attachment to the pads and may come to SD if the match the money, I just dont think the pads will poney up the cash.

  7. Mike Piazza loves pinch hitting. I know this to be true. He likes the Western Metal Supply Company building, as well.

  8. rephrase: Free Agency is one of the worst ways to acquire players.

  9. for the baseball fans out there…

    ESPN 890 in Boston is reporting that the Red Sox have acquired Javy Lopez from the Baltimore Orioles…

  10. one of the announcers from an opposing team recently suggested that Gonzalez will win a batting title someday.

  11. Good get for them…if it were three years ago.

  12. I saw something about that on ESPN this morn. Thats good for the bosox, we all know how Mirabellie does as a full time starter.

  13. Who went to Baltimore?

  14. it does not say

  15. Have not announced who Baltimore got…yet

  16. If it was a major leauger im sure it would have said

  17. Kind of interesting. If Boston hadn’t been passed in the standings in the last few days by NY, the Yankees would have been in position to block the waiver claim by Boston. Timing, as they say, is everything.

  18. good point ff

  19. Thats why i dont think KT will get anything done via the waivers, who in the west will allow it?

  20. I hope they didn’t give up Willy Mo Pena I have a feeling that guy is going to be a stud in a year or two.

  21. I think they would give up crisp or nixon before willy

  22. It could also be that the Red Sox simply acquired his contract, as not many other teams would really be looking to pick up a 3 million dollar 2 month rental catcher. They may not have even had to give anything up for Javy.

  23. According to the boxscore online we’ve only left 9 on base today…

  24. I dont think the orials would help someone within the division for free, they know they would have had the sox by the short and curlies.

  25. 3 million being 1/3 of his 9 million due. No, at best they sent someone like Abe Alvarez to Baltimore. There is absolutely no way they sent a player from their current roster to Baltimore. Prospects, if anything.

  26. I agree it was a prospect I just dont think he was free.

  27. Baltimore might help out the sox (at the expense of NY and Steinbrenner) for a wad of cash about 3 mil large.

  28. So…will Adkins be warming up to start the ninth behind Trevor or wait until a couple guys get on?

  29. Can I make more people mad today??? I am getting fiesty…

    Flan is such a nice guy…even like his music…but he is SO BRUTAL as a play-by-play guy…please, Channel 4/XX/Pads, keep him on the pregame and postgame, but find someone else in the booth during the game!!!

  30. Haha FF that got a good laugh outta me!

  31. I like flan for color but not for play-by-play

  32. FF with a 3 run lead no, with a one run lead yes.

  33. I like Flan, but if you will get rid of Ted with him in a package deal, I will take it.

  34. I’m not a Ted fan.

  35. I think Flan is doing a decent job on the games…but I do like him more on the pregame show… That said..i’d rather have flan doing the games than someone like Rick Monday..or Rick Sutcliffe..

  36. Ted’s cool. Flan should only be used as a desert.

  37. Coronado Mike

    I totally agree outside of Matt V. an Mark Grant I hate all the Pad’s broadcasters. They are so brutal to listen to it’s stupid. It sucks to say but Jerry Coleman… it’s time to go buddy. And Leitner and Flan are awful!

  38. I love the Matty V, Mud Cat and Gwynn nights.

  39. one down two to go

  40. It is fun to listen to Mud/Matt…and even Fat Tony.

    I would take Big Red Sut over Flan any day, but I would also rather hit myself in the head with a hammer than to listen to either of them…

  41. Ted is great, y’all are crazy. Mud can be annoying, but hilarious.

  42. WE WIN…WE WIN…

  43. I like how Ted mentioned that Hell’s Bells is truly unique to San Diego. No other player/team has that sort of thing.

  44. Ballgame. Sweet. Adios all.

  45. except the rangers

  46. The reaction and style is def unique…

    The Yanks seem to think the Enter Sandman when Mariano comes in is cool, but Hells Bells is great…

  47. Just about every other team has that sort of thing. Not sure what Ted’s talking about.