IGD: Padres vs Giants (16 Aug 06)

IGD: Padres vs Giants (16 Aug 06)

first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Chan Ho Park (7-7, 4.66) vs Noah Lowry (5-7, 4.12)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
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Nice of the Dodgers to lose a game. They’re not out of reach, of course, but it’s getting close to that point where we’ll need to start focusing on the wild card chase.

Meantime, Tim Sullivan notes some possible clubhouse friction stemming from the third base situation. In all honesty, it would drive me crazy to think that a guy had been fired — regardless of how poorly he was performing — without a plan to replace him.

That said, only 43 games remain on the schedule. If it’s going to happen this year, it has to start now.

I’ll be out at Petco Park tonight, so talk it up and I’ll catch up with you later. Go Padres!

95 Responses »

  1. Their old man (Alou) just kicked our old man (Piazza)’s butt for a run …

  2. Yikes. Hard to blame all of that on Linebrink, but he has certainly been more hittable this season.

  3. Re: Teahen

    Thanks for the Teahen link. I’ll check it out.

    Re: Linebrink

    It’s not like they’re drilling him. As long as he stays away from those longballs, not much we can do about the groundballs that get through. Despite his inadequate performance in recent months, he’ll still be popular in the offseason. Many teams would love to have him as their closer.

  4. Wow … bottom of 8th looks pretty weak on paper …

    - M. Piazza flied out to right
    - A. Gonzalez struck out swinging
    - K. Greene flied out to right

    … bleh …

  5. Trevor looked good. Let’s see if they can pick up the W for him.

  6. Killer Bs coming up: Bellhorn, Barfield, Bard

  7. Re: Linebrink… as I noted in a post the other day, he’s fallen quite a ways from being one of the best relievers in baseball in 2004. He lost about a third of his value (as measured by adjusted runs prevented) in 2005, and at his current rate will lose another third this year. He’s still good, but in a very good Padres pen this year is the 5th best reliever on the team (again by ARP). Unless the Padres make the playoffs and Linebrink pitches impressively in them, Towers may have lost a golden opportunity to cash before the perception catches up to the reality. This off-season I doubt that Linebrink will bring you anything close to a Betemit. (Grumble grumble.)

  8. I think Linebrink would still merit value. a reliever who’s had 3 good seasons can find some value. Heck, Adam Eaton had value to someone, there’s gotta be a team out there that would pay more than expected.

  9. cash in, i meant

  10. After reading that article on Teahen, he might not be available after all. Good article, though.

    I doubt Linebrink has lost 2/3 of his value since 2004. From everything I read, half the league wanted him before the trading deadline, so don’t expect things to change much in the offseason. What we’ll get in return is debatable, but Linebrink and a prospect could bring something nice.

  11. Unbelievable. I thought there was no way the Pads could lose this game. 3 in a row like this? Almost as unlikely as Benitez converting 3 in a row. We need some magic.

  12. Wow, great catch by Johnson. That had double written all over it.

  13. The reason Teahen might be available is because Kansas City has a hot 3B prospect in Alex Gordon. The price for Teahen will be high though; he’s hitting .280 / .358 / .513 with 14 HR.

  14. YEAH. Who said anything about declining stats? :)

  15. Giles has found some power. Hope he’s healthy now.

  16. Oops, I thought the TV graphic said that was Giles. Dumb SF broadcast.

  17. Nice knowing you Dave Roberts.

  18. Kevin – my bad as well (see 64). The Giants’ broadcast did say it was Giles. That’s what I get for not paying attention.

  19. I’m home early tonight. I couldn’t bear to stick around after that Cameron brain fart in the eighth. Totally not Linebrink’s fault. Let’s snatch this one back.

  20. Nice job for several Beavers tonight in 4-3 win @ Las Vegas … http://tinyurl.com/r3fmx … Dewon with 7 IP for the W … Cassidy with the other 2 for Save #7 (ERA = 0.69) … Sledge with a 2-run HR, 3 RsBI total … McAnulty with the other RBI …

  21. Brocail’s goatee is approaching Rod Beck-ian proportions. Looks like a small furry animal…which is all good when he goes 1-2-3.

  22. Nice quiet top of 11th for Brocail …

    - S. Hillenbrand grounded out to third
    - E. Alfonzo struck out looking
    - S. Finley flied out to left

    … 10 pitches … 9 for strikes!

  23. Geoff, I was at the game as well. Cameron’s play in the eigth was inexcusable, I agree.

  24. One more note from the Beavers game … McAnulty @ 3B and Leone @ SS … error-free …

  25. Woulda been a good night to be up at The Diamond … Storm wins 5-3 … Jamison with Save #27 … that should get him bump’d to AA next year, donchathink?

    Headley with a couple of hits and RsBi …

    I’ll throw in a plug for PeterF’s reports … http://padresrundown.blogspot.com … check it out *late* tonight (or early tomorrow morning) … he’ll find some good news down on the farm each day!

  26. Blum can’t get an AB here can he?

    Is there a worse bench player right now??

  27. A K for Blum…huh…go figure

  28. Swinging… on a slider down and in… shocking…

  29. I think the only man slower than Mike Piazza…in the whole world might be either me…or AGon.

  30. … on we go … to the 13th!

  31. Brocail in 2 IP: 16 pitches … 14 for strikes …

  32. CM … no way you’re faster than me … and I’ll bet Lance Richardson is pretty slow too!

  33. uh … it is getting late … I meant “… no way you’re *slower* than me …” … perhaps in more ways than one?

  34. Pretty sure Lance claims to be rather quick.

  35. Letting Embree go that long was an interesting choice.

  36. It wasn’t pinch-hitting with Woody stupid or anything close to that, but I don’t get it.

  37. Hate this move by Bochy! Why bring in a guy who hasn’t pitched w/ bases loaded!

  38. Especially a guy who overthrows!

  39. So much for redemption. Cameron makes the last out. I don’t intend to quit anytime soon, but it’s getting harder to keep pulling for these guys.

  40. Bad news:

    We’re at .500 again, and the can’t-win-on-the-road Giants just took the first three.

    Good news:

    Canseco hits 4 and walks 5 in his pitching debut.

    And Peavy’s going tomorrow.

    Hasta manana.

  41. So, this is what third place feels like. Sigh. Good night, everyone. Maybe tomorrow will be better.

  42. 500, that really hurts. Why the hell can’t we win at home.

  43. Man is it hard to pull for these guys. I believe they are now 0-20 with 2 SF with men in scoring position in this series. Statistically amazing, but painful to watch.

    I hang this on Bochy. Why is Piazza still in the game in 8th, especially after a runner gets on? To give him his AB in the 9th? When the statistical gap between Piazza and Bowen/Bard is not big to warrant him in. So he gets run on, missed throw and Cameron stopped thinking. But no way Bard or Bowen throws the ball into CF. If you 3 catchers, use them. This lack of careful thinking when you are in close race seems worthy of being fired.

    Perhaps there is a lot of stuff away from the field that Bochy does really well, like keep players motivated, etc, but nights like this just seems like he is willing to be very cavalier with outs and runs in tight games. Like Cameron vs. Lidge in the Houston game. Just tossing away outs. He is loyal to players, going to keep them in no matter what the stats say, assuming they are a Proven Veteran.

    I think I need to stop the Tivo and let them go for about 2 weeks and see what it looks like. I hope this helps. Good luck over the next two weeks guys.