IGD: Padres @ Giants (10 Sep 06)
Sun, Sep 10, 2006
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 5:05 p.m., PT
television: ESPN
matchup: Woody Williams (7-5, 3.91 ERA) vs Matt Morris (10-12, 4.54 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
buy tickets
A possible solution to the steroid problem in baseball would be to allow each team to field one player who can do absolutely anything to his body. Everyone else would have to be clean, but there would always be one RoboPlayer™ on the roster. Then, everything is out in the open and all teams are playing by the same rules. We’d still have to figure out a way to explain the presence of RoboPlayer to children, because some of them might want to be that guy, and who among us would wish that for our kids?
Well, except for the desperately poor folks, of course.
In unrelated news, the Padres try to avoid being swept by the Giants in San Francisco on Sunday evening. Game will be televised nationally, which means good exposure for the Pads at the cost of ignorant commentary from folks who don’t really know who we are. Enjoy…
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.
September 10, 2006 at 1:52 pm
Geoff, Geoff, Geoff… Dude, I hope that was sarcasm…
“Well, except for the desperately poor folks, of course.”
Remember Barry didn’t do all that to his body until he was already rich. Frequently it’s the people who want to keep their income that resort to illegal measure not those trying to get rich in the first place.
September 10, 2006 at 2:00 pm
Ready for the 7th in a row?
We got your number, baby!!!
September 10, 2006 at 2:03 pm
PF: The only part of my post that is remotely serious is the final paragraph.
AG: That’s great; now tell your team to stop rolling over and playing dead for the Dodgers.
September 10, 2006 at 2:27 pm
GY: I guess we all have our demons. I just wish ours weren’t @#$@#$ freakin’ dodgers. But I’m going to go out on a limb and predict that the dodgers will fall to third in the NL west, and the Giants and Padres will take the division and wildcard respectively.
September 10, 2006 at 4:24 pm
Dogs won big. Marlins beat the Philly’s. We need a win tonight.
September 10, 2006 at 5:12 pm
Speaking of commentary - Joe Morgan just squawked about Giles hitting 2 and Walker hitting 3. Said the Pads are “Giles’ team”.
September 10, 2006 at 5:14 pm
How I long for Steve Quis….
Has anyone been able to get the 1090 streaming audio to work?
September 10, 2006 at 5:17 pm
Anthony - if you mean MLB radio, I use it pretty frequently and the stream doesn’t always load on the first try. Using a different browser sometimes did the trick.
September 10, 2006 at 5:25 pm
I was trying to listen from the 1090 site but I think it’s disabled during games. I’m too cheap to fork over the $7.95 for MLB Gameday.
Funny, Joe Morgan doesn’t bother me on other games but I just can’t take him during a Padres game.
Great, the HD feed is about 2 seconds behind the radio. Oh well, that’s what the mute button is for.
September 10, 2006 at 5:29 pm
Damn I’m liking the giants’ pitching lately.
September 10, 2006 at 5:34 pm
Stupid sun.
September 10, 2006 at 5:36 pm
Funny how they talk all game about the sun but they don’t mention that the reason it’s so bad is the game started two hours early to accommodate ESPN.
September 10, 2006 at 5:38 pm
We are just not hitting. You can tell when its going bad when Cameron tries to bunt his way on. Pitchers are pressing because there is no offence. And I wish to f***ing hell Paul Bunyon would take that f***ing sun glasses off!!! What’s he trying to do, look cool on Castro Street?
As my old friend Squidward would say: rage, frustration humiliation…on National TV.
September 10, 2006 at 5:39 pm
Things I think about during a game…
“I wonder what Boch’s winning % is with facial hair vs. without…”
I have problems…
September 10, 2006 at 5:40 pm
Good point Anthony…
And good play by Branyan.
September 10, 2006 at 5:40 pm
Who is Paul Bunyon?
September 10, 2006 at 5:48 pm
See, Joe! Giles works as a #2 hitter! Take that!
September 10, 2006 at 5:49 pm
And that’s why Walker is in the 3-spot!
Pardon me while i refresh http://www.firejoemorgan.com...
September 10, 2006 at 5:53 pm
Joe Morgan has long been in my cross hairs…I can’t stand his constant funky love of Bonds and Griffy…
It feels like Ahmad Rashad and his love affair with Jordan.
Could be worse though…he could be Sut.
September 10, 2006 at 5:56 pm
4 runs in the 3rd inning…who is this team?
September 10, 2006 at 5:58 pm
That looked like a curve to Branyan but because he hit it, Morgan says it’s a change up.
A 4 run inning? As Jerry Seinfeld would say, who are these people?
September 10, 2006 at 6:02 pm
I take it all back, love this team. Paul Bunyon is the nik for Branyon.
September 10, 2006 at 6:08 pm
Gotta find a way to get Woody’s bat in the lineup more often
September 10, 2006 at 6:11 pm
He played short in college, right?
September 10, 2006 at 6:27 pm
Once again I am late due to stuffing my face full of Asian food. Better news this time, I see.
September 10, 2006 at 6:33 pm
Blum with the slowest triple I’ve ever seen
September 10, 2006 at 6:35 pm
“Lumbering” into 3rd? I hate ESPN announcers. If anyone’s going to abuse Blum, it’s us. We’ve earned it.
September 10, 2006 at 6:36 pm
Woody pwns the Giants! Hometown fans are booing. Ah, now this is more like it.
September 10, 2006 at 6:58 pm
Joe Morgan and Bonds must be going out or something.
I like Morgan’s technical analysis — it’s when he offers his opinion on something that I can’t stand him.
September 10, 2006 at 6:58 pm
I like how they’re totally ignoring the bomb that Gonzo just hit and talking instead about Ryan Howard.
September 10, 2006 at 6:59 pm
And now we have a random split screen featuring Bonds on the left and Woody Williams on the right. M&M continue to talk about Howard, despite the fact that he is playing for neither team. Good stuff.
September 10, 2006 at 7:00 pm
I’m confused. Does Ryan Howard play for us or for the Giants?
September 10, 2006 at 7:04 pm
At least they’re giving props to Williams. He looks great tonight.
September 10, 2006 at 7:04 pm
Now they’re totally fired up because Bonds is up. If he knocks one out of the yard, it’ll pull the Giants to within 5 runs of the Padres.
September 10, 2006 at 7:05 pm
Strike two.
September 10, 2006 at 7:07 pm
And we have a Cla sighting in the bullpen
September 10, 2006 at 7:09 pm
Argh - now that’s a cheap run.
September 10, 2006 at 7:09 pm
If he hits it it’s a double
September 10, 2006 at 7:09 pm
Yep, that was garbage.
September 10, 2006 at 7:10 pm
Durham got all of that one.
September 10, 2006 at 7:11 pm
Why pull Woody when he’s only thrown 94 pitches?
September 10, 2006 at 7:16 pm
A balk? I didn’t see it.
September 10, 2006 at 7:17 pm
8 pitches, 3 outs. Believe it.
September 10, 2006 at 7:19 pm
In 137.1 professional innings the Claw has allowed 7 homeruns, 6 with Pawtucket last year and one with Boston. What a great pickup by KT and what a stupid move by Boston. They’ve had bullpen problems all year but they let Meredith get away because he gave up one homer in Boston and had his confidence shaken.
September 10, 2006 at 7:24 pm
#42: M&M didn’t see the balk either.
#44: The Red Sox are funny that way. It’s the same reason they let Bard get away. We’ll take it.
September 10, 2006 at 7:26 pm
Oh good, another Ryan Howard update.
September 10, 2006 at 7:28 pm
When do they tell us what Ryan Howard had for breakfast today?
September 10, 2006 at 7:29 pm
Seriously, what the hell is the Ryan Howard talk about? He’s like the second best player on a team that’s 2 games out of the Wild Card.
September 10, 2006 at 7:29 pm
WTF is Morgan talking about with heroes and eliminating suspicion about steroids? I think eliminating suspicion pretty much will come with elimination of steroid use. This is some of the most ridiculous commentary on anything I’ve heard in a while.
September 10, 2006 at 7:30 pm
#47: Howard had Chase Utley for breakfast.
September 10, 2006 at 7:32 pm
I couldn’t hear most of what they were saying…I was busy trying to jam the remote into my ear to make the sound of these two stop…
September 10, 2006 at 7:33 pm
Someone should also remind Jon Miller that Trevor doesn’t pitch a lot with a 4 run lead..
September 10, 2006 at 7:33 pm
re: 48 … this just in … Ryan Howard is good … *VERY* good! I’m not watching nor listening to the M&M babble … but I will say this: what Ryan Howard is doing is worth raving about. 2nd best player on the Phillies? Dudes the best player in MLB, right now!
September 10, 2006 at 7:33 pm
“We’re getting into Trevor Hoffman territory now.” Not to be a hater, but if they were paying more attention to the game than to Howard, they’d realize this won’t be a save situation for the Pads in the ninth. C’mon, guys; get your heads in the game.
September 10, 2006 at 7:34 pm
Ryan Howard is not in the top 5 in MLB.
September 10, 2006 at 7:35 pm
Turns out Bochy said he was gonna use Hoffy save situation or no.
September 10, 2006 at 7:36 pm
Ryan Howard Ryan Howard, is he on Sunday Night baseball?
September 10, 2006 at 7:36 pm
That God they managed to keep up the Ryan Howard banter even after the break. Is that the ability to focus or Obsessive Compulsive Behavior?
September 10, 2006 at 7:36 pm
Thanks, Richard. That probably is something they should have mentioned before the break.
And now back to Howard/steroids talk as Giles drives in a run.
September 10, 2006 at 7:37 pm
I dunno, but they still haven’t acknowledged Giles’ RBI double.
September 10, 2006 at 7:37 pm
It is fun, though, watching Bonds chase down doubles in the gap.
September 10, 2006 at 7:37 pm
Has there even been any steroid rumors about Howard? I haven’t heard any. He’s just a big guy who hits home runs, like Ortiz.
September 10, 2006 at 7:38 pm
Good lord….my ears are bleeding from this….. these two clowns are killing this game and the football game has John Madden going down on the Manning family… I should’ve gone into broadcasting..
September 10, 2006 at 7:38 pm
this game is big for the wild card lead to stretch it to 2.5 over the Giants who are in 2nd in the WC hunt. I thought a .500 record on this trip would be huge in taking the wild card.
Giant killer Terrmel Sledge sighting.
September 10, 2006 at 7:39 pm
You know if Morgan and Miller just wanted to broadcast the game about Ryan Howard, they should have just told ESPN radio to simulcast their radio call on ESPN.
September 10, 2006 at 7:39 pm
It’ll be a cold day in hell before I defend Joe Morgan, but this is kinda odd from Jon Miller, I usually find him to be a pretty insightful and informed PBP guy.
September 10, 2006 at 7:41 pm
I agree with Nick. I like Miller. This is insane, though. Howard has been the sixth best hitter in the Majors (3rd in the NL) before park effects are taken into account. That’s an accomplishment, sure, but is it so great that they should talk about him during a game in which he doesn’t even appear? I don’t get it at all.
September 10, 2006 at 7:41 pm
Jon Miller usually is pretty good…but this is just stupid now…
September 10, 2006 at 7:42 pm
At least they’re talking about the Padres now.
September 10, 2006 at 7:42 pm
Is there a Phillies game on ESPN this week? Or maybe it’s because Philly is the closest team to the ESPN studios that’s involved in this race.
September 10, 2006 at 7:44 pm
The funny thing is that they are completely ignoring the game at this point.. Gonzalez had seen two pitches before they even mentioned his name..
September 10, 2006 at 7:46 pm
Hi guys. Just wanted to let you all know that I’m awesome. And I don’t do steriods, Joe Morgan says so.
September 10, 2006 at 7:46 pm
Gonzalez has to be hating this park.
September 10, 2006 at 7:46 pm
Thanks for stopping by Ryan…
September 10, 2006 at 7:47 pm
Ugh, that’s embarrassing. Even Bonds would’ve gotten a double out of that one.
September 10, 2006 at 7:48 pm
What does Adrian have to do to get a ball out of this park?
September 10, 2006 at 7:48 pm
re: 55 … Richard, what’s your criteria? I’ll ammend my statement to “best hitter in MLB, right now” … good cases can be made for Hafner and Pujols also, obviously … Howard’s August OPS was 1.214 … so far in Sept it’s 1.997 … Hafner had a great August also (1.339), but now he’s done with a hand injury … Prince Albert’s just steady-as-she-goes (’cept for an injury-riddled June) …
September 10, 2006 at 7:48 pm
See Barry’s trainer
September 10, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Yeah, I’m a big Miller fan normally and I don’t dislike Morgan nearly as much as a lot of folks do, but they’ve totally dropped the ball tonight. On the bright side, we’re pounding the snot out of the Giants. Can’t stop Manny Alexander, baby!
September 10, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Howard has become overhyped, and I’m not even watching this game.
He will probably win the NL MVP award, but I would go with Carlos Beltran right now.
September 10, 2006 at 7:48 pm
Pile On!
September 10, 2006 at 7:49 pm
Hafner, Pujols, Ramirez, Beltran and Dye have all hit better than Howard this season. And that’s cutting it off at guys with at least 500 PA already.
September 10, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Bonds is due to lead off the bottom of the ninth, with a chance to cut the lead to 10-3. Dude is clutch, he’ll probably hit one out here.
September 10, 2006 at 7:50 pm
re: 77 … sorry, probably not the best time for me to want to talk about Ryan Howard
September 10, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Where’s that Giants fan that was here earlier talking about the Giants pitching??
September 10, 2006 at 7:51 pm
Carlos Beltran is the OBVIOUS NL MVP as things stand.
September 10, 2006 at 7:52 pm
Btw, my “criteria” is wOBA because it’s the best rate stat available.
September 10, 2006 at 7:52 pm
I’m going to throw out the possibility that the guys in the truck are telling M&M to play up the Howard angle, b/c the game is out of hand and they need a good story to talk about…much like NBC has beaten the Peyton/Eli matchup into the ground the past week. Just a thought.
Awesome catch by Gonzalez.
September 10, 2006 at 7:54 pm
That’s exactly what I was thinking, Stu. Gotta keep those east coast viewers from turning off the tv and going to bed.
September 10, 2006 at 7:54 pm
The two major things that MVP voters and MVP talkers still ignore are park effects and fielding. Howard “loses” big on those two counts, and Beltran “wins” big on those two counts.
September 10, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Nice to have a Pads BLOW OUT on national TV.
BTW, can anyone give me a Ryan Howard update? I’ve only got the ESPN Gamecast at work here in Japan. Thanks in advance.
September 10, 2006 at 7:55 pm
I would think all that talk would’ve put people to sleep on the east coast… speaking of that..how many east coasters are going to see the Charger game tomorrow night since it starts at 10:30 est..
September 10, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Most MVP voters don’t deserve to vote.
September 10, 2006 at 7:55 pm
What’s up with the radar gun? Brocail at 96mph? I thought he was low 90s guy.
September 10, 2006 at 7:55 pm
re: 82 … so, Richard, it’s sounding like you’re using a park-adjusted stat? Got a link to that?
(I’ll be stun’d if M&M didn’t already say this … but at the ASB, RH’s OPS was .923 … now it’s 1.094 … that’s all I’m trying to emphasize)
September 10, 2006 at 7:56 pm
I think Miller and Morgan have been doing this long enough — not doing this well, mind you — but they have been doing this long enough that I don’t think anyone tells them what to talk about.
September 10, 2006 at 7:57 pm
The chant of “Let’s Go Giants” is kind of cute, but kind of sad.
September 10, 2006 at 7:58 pm
I agree, Richard. Buster Olney, who is a good writer but doesn’t pay much attention to the new stats (new, meaning of the past 25 years), said the MVP race in the NL is over. He, of course, said he was that guy in Philly.
September 10, 2006 at 7:58 pm
GY… LOL…
September 10, 2006 at 7:58 pm
wOBA is not park adjusted. I don’t have my spreadsheets set up to do park adjustments. And no link. The formula is:
(.72*UBB+.75*HBP+.9*1B+.92*ROE+1.24*2B+1.56*3B+1.95*HR)/PA
It’s the most accurate measure of a player’s production at the plate.
September 10, 2006 at 7:58 pm
Also, RH’s Home/Away OPS = 1.073 / 1.114 … so the road OPS tells me he can’t get too ding’d by a park-adjusted stat … right?
September 10, 2006 at 7:59 pm
Re: 96. Very true (and I’m a big fan of Miller myself, indifferent at best on Morgan), but I’d bet money that the production crew had a list of things to talk about during the broadcast, and Howard is high on that list. Like LM said, what Howard has done is quite impressive.
On that note - ballgame.
September 10, 2006 at 8:00 pm