IGD: Padres @ Dodgers (17 Sep 06)
Sun, Sep 17, 2006
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 1:10 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Chris Young (10-5, 3.77 ERA) vs Derek Lowe (14-8, 3.77 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
buy tickets
I suck at lyrics. I tried real hard to find something appropriate to the occasion but I think I used up all the good ones I know the last two days. Nobody wants to read lyrics from “Shake Hands with Beef” or “Zaz Turned Blue” right about now, so you’ll need to create your own inspiration.
Or you could look back to Saturday night’s contest, when the Padres displayed some serious offense in beating the Dodgers, 11-2. With the victory, the Friars closed to within 1/2 game of first place and maintained their 1 1/2 game lead over Philly in the wild card.
Sunday afternoon’s affair is about as evenly matched as they come. Both pitchers have identical 3.77 ERAs, although Chris Young and Derek Lowe are getting results in radically different ways. Among 85 big-league pitchers who qualify for an ERA title, Young is the most extreme fly ball pitcher in baseball (0.47 GB/FB ratio), and it’s not even close. Lowe, on the other hand, relies almost exclusively on his infielders, serving up four times as many grounders as fly balls.
Young has struggled (5.25 ERA, 11 HR in 48 IP) since the All-Star break but remains tough on the road. Away from Petco Park, he is 6-0, with a 2.69 ERA over 13 starts. Opponents are hitting just .188/.265/.340 in those games.
So go on, shake hands with beef. And go Padres!
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September 17, 2006 at 11:22 am
LaMar linked to a great article on Trevor in another thread just as I was publishing this one, and I didn’t want it to be missed:
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sp.....ts-marlins
September 17, 2006 at 11:46 am
I feel like I’m cheating on my first love. I’m off to the Charger home opener, but feel like I should be here at home, watching the Pads vs. the Dodgers.
September 17, 2006 at 12:53 pm
No worries, you can always check in when you get home. Meantime, the Astros are making a late charge against Philly. Go ‘Stros.
September 17, 2006 at 1:23 pm
Wasted opportunity there. At least Lowe needed 22 pitches to get through the first. Here’s hoping he doesn’t find a groove like Maddux did the other night.
September 17, 2006 at 1:49 pm
Another crazy strike zone today. Outside off the plate 4-6 inches is a strike, down the middle at the letters is a ball.
September 17, 2006 at 2:22 pm
I’m watching the Chargers and just keeping an eye on the Pads…I mean, there is only one Bolt game a week…I don’t feel guilty.
I won’t say what is going on at the Q though. Someone might be Tivo’ing it like I am the Padre game…
September 17, 2006 at 2:28 pm
Steve Quis might be just a little annoying (the Vonage home run call the other night was the silliest thing I’ve ever heard on an MLB broadcast) but the Jerry Springer line about the security guard was pretty good.
September 17, 2006 at 2:43 pm
Adventures At Third, starring Russell Branyan
September 17, 2006 at 2:43 pm
Just checkin’ in … thru 5 full … 0-0 …
Pitches-strikes - C Young 91-54; D Lowe 81-56.
Ground balls-fly balls - C Young 5-6; D Lowe 6-1.
Batters faced - C Young 21; D Lowe 20.
September 17, 2006 at 2:44 pm
Yeah, that Branyan play was a little too interesting. Agreed about the Quis home run call and the Springer line today. And what the heck was that security guard doing anyway? Shouldn’t he have run the other way to avoid running into Drew in fair territory on a ball in play? That would’ve been real hard to explain.
September 17, 2006 at 2:49 pm
Branyan. Wow. Nice job staying back on that one.
September 17, 2006 at 2:49 pm
Russell Branyan!
September 17, 2006 at 2:51 pm
I’d forgotten that Grady Little was the Padres’ bullpen coach in 1996.
September 17, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Multi-tasking w/ Bolts on the big screen, mlb.tv on the laptop! And I live in Kansas. What a world…
Alright, let’s see if we can play heisman with the Dodgers’ batters!
September 17, 2006 at 2:59 pm
I love what CY has done for us this season, but his inefficiency can be tough to take sometimes. It’s a struggle just to get him through the sixth inning.
September 17, 2006 at 3:06 pm
P-Mac hits for CY, flies out. CY’s road unbeaten streak reaches 24 games. Meredith will work the seventh.
September 17, 2006 at 3:07 pm
Do you start the 7th with Cla, or go with another guy with Cla ready to come in as soon as there’s a baserunner?
September 17, 2006 at 3:09 pm
That was probably the best play I’ve ever seen by a ballboy.
Clayton: Cla was the only guy up in the ‘pen, so he’ll start the inning.
September 17, 2006 at 3:10 pm
I know, I’m just questioning the strategy. Not that you want to mess around with a 1-run lead, so I’m probably just an idiot.
September 17, 2006 at 3:14 pm
There goes that
September 17, 2006 at 3:14 pm
Gotcha. And now it’s academic, as Meredith’s streak is over at 34. Great run, now let’s bounce back and take this thing.
September 17, 2006 at 3:43 pm
great inning by Liney
September 17, 2006 at 3:43 pm
Okay, Linebrink has officially looked very good the past couple times out there. He gave up a leadoff knock to Kent after falling behind in the count, 2-0, but finished strong. Good to see.
September 17, 2006 at 3:45 pm
I read a stat somewhere that of all of the relief pitchers in the league (or maybe the NL), Linebrink has pitched against the toughest batters, OPS wise.
September 17, 2006 at 3:45 pm
if that’s true, that’s impressive
September 17, 2006 at 3:46 pm
I believe it was over on the UT board, in one of “Aztec Backer’s” stat threads. Interesting stuff.
September 17, 2006 at 3:50 pm
Why hit Sledge for Linebrink…why not use Piazza or are we saving him for a rainy day or something?
September 17, 2006 at 3:51 pm
why let Blum hit, with all the bats we have on the bench? Khalil in the game now (running), so he can play ss in the bottom half
September 17, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Blum with the good eye…little somethin’ starting here (shhhh…knock on wood!)
September 17, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Someone nudge Bochy and mention that it’s the 9th inning and Piazza is sitting on the bench and hasn’t played today..
September 17, 2006 at 3:53 pm
I mean of course you let Sledge hit in that situation…
September 17, 2006 at 3:53 pm
Sledge!
September 17, 2006 at 3:53 pm
SLEDGEHAMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 17, 2006 at 3:54 pm
OK, Hoffy, let’s ring the bells and put this one away
September 17, 2006 at 3:55 pm
awesome
September 17, 2006 at 3:55 pm
2nd and 3rd, one out…suicide squeeze here to get the insurance run?
September 17, 2006 at 3:55 pm
Giles up with bases loaded, one out. I love the fact that the Dodgers had to run through all their lefties yesterday.
September 17, 2006 at 3:56 pm
Paging Mr. Hoffman…..Mr. Trevor Hoffman….
September 17, 2006 at 3:59 pm
Damn, that was sick slider from Broxton.
September 17, 2006 at 3:59 pm
That curve ball was just nasty…
September 17, 2006 at 4:02 pm
Lets finish it off now…
September 17, 2006 at 4:02 pm
who’s coming up?
September 17, 2006 at 4:03 pm
(playing Hells Bells on mp3 on the laptop)
September 17, 2006 at 4:03 pm
one pitch, one out - love it
September 17, 2006 at 4:03 pm
One pitch, one out. Nomar is up.
September 17, 2006 at 4:04 pm
Stu, I said the EXACT same words
September 17, 2006 at 4:04 pm
Death.
September 17, 2006 at 4:04 pm
in the bad omens department, Titans score to snap Chargers shutout streak
September 17, 2006 at 4:05 pm
Vin Scully is trying to put the hex on Trevor by bringing up every blown save he’s ever had…
September 17, 2006 at 4:05 pm
Nomar is 1-for-4 career against Hoffy. On deck, Furcal is 0-for-3.
September 17, 2006 at 4:06 pm
K — Taxes.
September 17, 2006 at 4:06 pm
Trevor blows away Nomar with an 84 mph fastball up in the zone. That’s an unreal pitch for a guy with no velocity. Must frustrate the heck out of hitters.
September 17, 2006 at 4:08 pm
somebody shoot the jerk in the Robinson jersey behind home plate
September 17, 2006 at 4:08 pm
somebody eject the idiot behind the screen
September 17, 2006 at 4:08 pm
Another two-out walk. Lofton is 3-for-6 with a homer and two walks career against Hoffman.
September 17, 2006 at 4:09 pm
Hoffy seemed to be treating furcal with kid gloves
September 17, 2006 at 4:09 pm
wow - stike one was a bit up in the zone
September 17, 2006 at 4:10 pm
It’s ok, ball one was a bit right in the zone.
September 17, 2006 at 4:11 pm
my god…. are they trying to kill me
September 17, 2006 at 4:11 pm
this is one of the pictures I have trouble with..
link: http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yi.....lad201.jpg
how can he do that?
September 17, 2006 at 4:12 pm
HELL YES, BABY
September 17, 2006 at 4:12 pm
ballgame.
September 17, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Dodgers lead Philly by a game in the wild card.
September 17, 2006 at 4:12 pm
Hoffman.
First place.
September 17, 2006 at 4:13 pm
True greatness!!!
September 17, 2006 at 4:13 pm
Hoffman: 475 saves.
September 17, 2006 at 4:14 pm
maybe it’s just on the small-screen view via mlb.tv, but I had visions of a game-tying double when that ball left Lofton’s bat
September 17, 2006 at 4:16 pm
vintage Trevor - get the save while raising our heart rates
September 17, 2006 at 4:16 pm
jeepers…that was quite a finish…. Great win for the boys… now lets have Jake shut them down tomorrow night….
September 17, 2006 at 5:19 pm
What a great sports day in San Diego!
September 17, 2006 at 6:36 pm
re: #60 … thanks for the pic! How can he do that, you ask? Well, he is 6′10″!
September 17, 2006 at 11:52 pm
Good call, I knew it was going to come down to bullpens.
Edge: Padres
Welcome back to first, boys.
September 18, 2006 at 6:19 am
Back to the heady level of +8 over .500…the air up here is so thin…can’t breathe…
Correct me if I’m wrong, but we have only been +8 once all year - right at the ASB, after winning a bunch in a row going into it. We immediately lost coming out and haven’t been back to +8 since. A win today would REALLY get us into what, for the Padres, is nose-bleed territory.
C’mon Jake! Let’s close it out strong!!