IGD: Padres @ Giants (9 Sep 06)
Sat, Sep 9, 2006
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 1:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: David Wells (2-3, 4.58 ERA) vs Jason Schmidt (11-8, 3.39 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
buy tickets
The Padres try to bounce back Saturday afternoon from a “borderline embarrassing” defeat in the opener of a three-game set at San Francisco. David Wells makes his second start wearing #21 for the Pads. He’ll go up against right-hander Jason Schmidt. If it’s any comfort, Schmidt has been mortal (5-3, 4.62 ERA in 62.1 IP) since the All-Star break.
Don’t fall asleep now, folks, we’re in a pennant race!
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 9, 2006 at 11:44 am
Okay, I had to take a deep breath after last night’s game, chanting my new mantra, “You couldn’t expect them to win every game.”
I’m hoping the Pads are chanting a new mantra, though, “You have to get more than two hits to win a game.”
Go, Boomer!
September 9, 2006 at 1:02 pm
A big chance today. Dodgers lost and need to send a message to the Giants that they don’t get to walk all over us. We have had some luck againt Schmidt, so let’s hope that continues. I would take a win, any kind of win with such glee, but just imagine how good a decisive victory would feel. Go Pads.
September 9, 2006 at 1:12 pm
Anyone out there able to watch the game on extra innings?
September 9, 2006 at 1:28 pm
Roberts and Cameron both not in the starting lineup?
September 9, 2006 at 1:41 pm
roberts is starting and playing cf.
September 9, 2006 at 1:42 pm
Just got back from Indian buffet on Black Mtn. Road. Good stuff. Looks like we need runs again.
September 9, 2006 at 1:49 pm
damn you, geoff young, now i’m craving garlic nan and navratan korma!
September 9, 2006 at 2:03 pm
I just don’t get why Giles is in the lineup instead of Cameron. How exactly is Giles our “most needed in the line-up everyday” outfielder? It can’t be his pathetic arm or his paltry power and this isn’t Petco, so you can’t even argue on the basis of some intangible outfielding skill due to being accustomed to the outfield’s “quirky” layout… so, what gives? At what point do the conspiracy theorists amongst us begin tracking Giles’ late night visits to the Bochy and Towers households? I think I remember there being a lot of Giles support in previous posts on this board - somebody please offer an explanation of his value in the lineup everyday? And, please consider the opportunity cost of Sledge (ripping the ball the past two months) and Johnson (outfielder of the future, moments of brilliance) being used infrequently and at the expense of Roberts (spark-plug, most consistent hitter) and Cameron (best CF in the game?) riding the pine.
September 9, 2006 at 2:09 pm
Bochy said on the radio that he wanted to rest Cameron today. Wells isn’t fooling anyone. Sigh.
September 9, 2006 at 2:12 pm
You Harvard boys are soooo smart. But I agree. Why is Giles the “iron man”?
September 9, 2006 at 2:13 pm
Bochy needs to rest Giles for about 3 weeks.
September 9, 2006 at 2:18 pm
freakin’ pathetic
September 9, 2006 at 2:22 pm
what is it about the freaking Giants lately?
September 9, 2006 at 2:29 pm
does anyone else find it depressing Barry Bonds has more homeruns than anyone on our team? I mean, even at like 85 years old he still outperforms everyone on the Pads. Ugh.
September 9, 2006 at 2:30 pm
Nice debut for Cust, singling on the first pitch he sees in a Padres uni. Mark Grant is pushing for the Pads to look at Pedro Feliz, who will be a free agent this winter. Sorry, but I can’t get behind that career .290 OBP of his.
September 9, 2006 at 2:32 pm
Bonds also has more “help” than anyone on our team.
September 9, 2006 at 2:34 pm
wow - what a shock! Giles grounded out to second. Someone needs to tie his shoelaces together so he can’t continue to overstride. Sersiouly, this is worse than Willie-Mays-Hays popping it up into the batting cage during Spring Training in ‘Major League’. I’d suggest that he do push-ups for every grounder to second base, but I’m afraid his stubby little arms would eventually cease to touch the ground when he’s laying down. And, sense I’m officially “off the Giles-wagon”, I think it’s fair to say that no grown man should ever, ever have a f’n bleached skate-or-die hair cut. Duuuuuude has me like tooootally bumbed out man…
September 9, 2006 at 2:35 pm
wow - what a shock! Giles grounded out to second. Someone needs to tie his shoelaces together so he can’t continue to overstride. Sersiouly, this is worse than Willie-Mays-Hays popping it up into the batting cage during Spring Training in ‘Major League’. I’d suggest that he do push-ups for every grounder to second base, but I’m afraid his stubby little arms would eventually cease to touch the ground when he’s laying down. And, since I’m officially “off the Giles-wagon”, I think it’s fair to say that no grown man should ever, ever have a f’n bleached skate-or-die hair cut. Duuuuuude has me like tooootally bumbed out man…
September 9, 2006 at 2:36 pm
okay - sorry about that, err, I was trying to correct my spelling of the word “since”… yup, I’m a dumbass. I think it’s time for Bochy to sit me.
September 9, 2006 at 2:37 pm
Marsh - were you watching the game yesterday? Giles hit the ball hard in three straight plate appearances; one ball was crushed to the wall. On the other hand, his hair is hideous.
September 9, 2006 at 2:37 pm
not to mention my spelling of “bummed”.. yikes…
September 9, 2006 at 2:39 pm
Marsh is right, especially re: hair
September 9, 2006 at 2:41 pm
Nah, I couldn’t see the game yesterday. I guess I’m still thinking back to a posting a while back someone had on giles’s spray chart. Maybe Geoff remembers where that post is? Thing is, his tendency to hit to second base is almost as strong as his haircut is bad. And, besides, I’m tired of Giles teasing us with hits when games don’t seem to matter. Oh, and yes, I know that when we win, his batting average is much higher than when we lose. Still, that’s a pretty f’d up statistic with far too many variables affecting one another to possibly conlude any like “Giles is clutch”.
September 9, 2006 at 2:41 pm
Nice heads-up baseball by Gonzo to drop down the bunt.
September 9, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Terrmel Sledge, baby!
September 9, 2006 at 2:42 pm
OMG, he killed that pitch. Hit it out to the deepest part of the park.
September 9, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Good job by Bochy starting Giles instead of Sledge
September 9, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Okay, what’s the over/under on how many games until Sledge’s next start? given Bochy’s recent trends, I have the line at 6 games…. Oh, and, of course Giles will be starting all of the next five and the sixth as well.
September 9, 2006 at 2:47 pm
Yes, I agree Giles does hit way too many balls to second base, and it does happen even when he’s hitting the ball well. Maybe he could hit right handed, because the 5.5 hole is a lot bigger than the 3.5 one.
In fairness to Sledge (but not good fairness), he had struck out his previous two at bats.
September 9, 2006 at 2:48 pm
never mind
September 9, 2006 at 2:51 pm
Damn tha Schmidt.. only at 88 pitches or else he would have been yanked after Blum’s single. Good thing we’ve got Armando Benitez working for us in their bullpen. I wonder how much we’re paying him? Let’s hope Sledge get’s another AB against him….
September 9, 2006 at 2:54 pm
good break for us - if Winn stays in the basebath, then Adrian probably breaks his collar bone or tears his rotator cuff or something like that…
September 9, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Meredith ties Randy Jones for the Padres’ all-time scoreless innings mark at 30.
September 9, 2006 at 2:57 pm
Man, that Giles sure stinks.
September 9, 2006 at 2:58 pm
His hair is still hideous.
September 9, 2006 at 2:58 pm
I love Brian Giles! Bochy’s right, that guy is the man! And, his haircut - I mean, that is totally about to catch on… Let’s see, its 6:00 here in Beantown, I wonder if I can find a salon that give me the “giles-makeover”….
September 9, 2006 at 3:01 pm
Schmidt is done. Battle of the bullpens. Advantage us. This would be such a heartbreaker for the Giants.
September 9, 2006 at 3:02 pm
always loved that Giles dude!
September 9, 2006 at 3:02 pm
Manny running for Walker…is he really any faster than TW?
September 9, 2006 at 3:03 pm
Why is Bard bunting if he’s hitting cleanup?!?!?!?! And now Manny Alexander? If it goes extra innings and Geoff Blum and/or Manny Alexander hit in a key situation, I am going to kill Bochy.
September 9, 2006 at 3:03 pm
Gonzalez is pulling out on his front foot. Anyone else notice that? He’s trying to emulate his new mentor Giles, I think…
September 9, 2006 at 3:03 pm
And he bunted when your next two hitters are lefties going against a lefty pitcher?
September 9, 2006 at 3:05 pm
Yeah - the closest Manny Alexander has been to “clutch” was standing on deck when Barfield went yard the other night. On the other hand, Blum has a pretty decent “home run in the world series” notch on his belt…
September 9, 2006 at 3:08 pm
Cameron hits for Sledge, guy who just mashed one last time up
September 9, 2006 at 3:12 pm
Okay, Cla Meredith has gotten the win in each of his last three appearances. If he pulls out the win today as well, the at some point we have to start making absurd “r.o.y.” and team m.v.p. comments. Hell, if this were the Yankees or Red Sox, we’d be listening to John Kruk tell us that he should be considered for the Cy Young award….
September 9, 2006 at 3:12 pm
okay, here comes the change-up to blum…
September 9, 2006 at 3:13 pm
well, you almost have to give him credit for putting the bat on that thing… except, every person in the stadium knew a change up was coming….
September 9, 2006 at 3:13 pm
speaking of not wanting Blum up in a key spot….
now 1 for 18 in September
September 9, 2006 at 3:15 pm
Wait - that was Sledge that was hit for? Yup, that’s pretty much par for the course…. We also won’t see Sledge for another 6 games…
September 9, 2006 at 3:16 pm
Ladies and gentlemen, Cla Meredith is your new record holder for consecutive scoreless innings by a Padres pitcher.
September 9, 2006 at 3:22 pm
Barfield to lead off…unless Bochy pinch hits Bellhorn for him
September 9, 2006 at 3:23 pm
wow, cla, new padres all-time record - nice.
September 9, 2006 at 3:34 pm
Great inning from Linebrink. That’s the best he’s looked in a very long time.
September 9, 2006 at 3:35 pm
Liney - returning to the scene of his worst performance (and worst luck) of the year… 1-2-3 innning this time!
September 9, 2006 at 3:38 pm
letting out a deep breath… freakin’ Finley kills us too much in big-time situations like that. still angry, Steve?
September 9, 2006 at 3:45 pm
Re: Blum and Alexander.
It’s not like we’ve got much choice between the two. Mark Bellhorn at short? I can’t put that on Bochy, except for telling Blum not to take the bat off his shoulder or to lean into one ala Engelberg. The pitcher could drop-kick a ball to him and he wouldn’t lay off it. I won a World Series game, *****!
My nerves? Wracked. Get some runs in the to of the 11th, if we get that far, so Bonds doesn’t have a chance to beat us.
September 9, 2006 at 3:45 pm
I love that running catch Cameron does to end the inning.
As Mud would say, let’s get some points!
September 9, 2006 at 3:51 pm
Cameron: The DP on the fist pitch not so loveable.
September 9, 2006 at 3:52 pm
Yeah, especially because it wasted a rare Blum hit.
September 9, 2006 at 3:53 pm
I guess Bochy shoulda had Cameron bunt.
September 9, 2006 at 3:54 pm
i DON’T LIKE THIS MATCHUP! CAN WE GET CLA MEREDITH BACK IN? A la the Little League re-entry rule??
September 9, 2006 at 3:56 pm
re: 61
and I’m having trouble controlling THE VOLUME OF MY VOICE!!!
September 9, 2006 at 3:57 pm
Around the horn: Alexander to Blum to Bellhorn.
September 9, 2006 at 3:58 pm
Giles gets in Cammy’s way and turns a 2B into a 3B
September 9, 2006 at 3:59 pm
Ugh. Giles is too stubby to get to a ball like that.. I like that Cameron pretty much demanded that he throw the ball in. might as well walk the bases loaded - unless we think there’s someone on the bench that could hurt us when the 9-spot comes up…
September 9, 2006 at 4:00 pm
alright, we need a ground ball pitcher here…. has Hensley done his bullpen yet today??
September 9, 2006 at 4:02 pm
****. Got the grounder and it didn’t matter. So much for that.
September 9, 2006 at 4:02 pm
*(@$&$%(@#&%@($&*#@($&@#($&@#(&$@#($&@#($&#@($&@#($&@#($&@#()$*&@#()$*#@($*@#$
September 9, 2006 at 4:03 pm
Thought we should have brought in Hoffman there. Go down guns blazing at least. Effing Giants. That’s how many L’s in a row?
September 9, 2006 at 4:05 pm
well, so much for the momentum of two walk-offs before setting out on a roadie… pretty good job by Seanez in that last at bat, but getting your tits ripped by Ray F’n Durham is pretty much unacceptable. that dude needs to be dead to Bochy.
September 9, 2006 at 4:07 pm
I agree, bring in Hoffman. Give yourself a a better chance to stay in the game and worry about what to do do when you have the lead when you actually have it. Tough loss though, great performance by the bullpen
September 9, 2006 at 4:07 pm
You can’t bring in Hoffman, it wasn’t a save situation!
It’s a moot point now but I thought the second IBB was questionable. I’d rather face Feliz with the platoon advantage than a lefty pinch hitter. And if the bases aren’t loaded maybe the runner on third isn’t going to run on contact.
September 9, 2006 at 4:13 pm
I don’t mean to be the straight man, but you’re kidding about the save situation right?
September 9, 2006 at 4:18 pm
heh, of course. But I’m sure that’s Bochy’s thinking. He’ll use Trevor in a tie game at home but not on the road because he wants him to come in for the save.
September 9, 2006 at 4:55 pm
And to think, the Pads could have won this game if only Cameron had bunted the runner to second instead of hitting into the DP! (Haven’t we already had this discussion?) Just goes to show that managing from in front of the TV is a little easier than on the bench.
Ben Johnson as trade bait next year? Where will Sledge play if Roberts comes back (not that I think he will)? From what I’ve heard, Sledge isn’t much of an outfielder, so LF (or maybe RF once in a blue moon) is his only position.
September 9, 2006 at 5:39 pm
Cameron is killing us at the plate, what the hades is wrong with him. I think he’s in love with his pretty HR stroke. Give me a team full of the Drs. anytime, although hes struggling too. It gonna be a nail bitter right down to the end. God, we just don’t hit.
September 9, 2006 at 9:41 pm
Some other reasons to hate the Giants:
Their 42-15 stretch against us from 1999 to 2003
Barry Bonds, when translated into Latin means “one who over-induldges in steriods despite incredible talent and gets very feisty if anyone calls him on it”, having more HR’s against us than any other team.
Brantley breaking Santiago’s with an inside fastball in 1989, leading to the Padres losing 19 of their next 21, or close to that bad and never contending again that season.
Jeff Kent and his maliciousness being so good for those years as a Giant.
The Kevin Mitchell-Dravecky-Lefferts for Chris Brown-Mark Davis-Mark Grant trade. Yeah, we got Davis and his Cy Young, but we lost a lot more.
That’s all I can come up with right now, but I will be adding to this list. Now, if we do not make the post season, we can look at our recent 1-9 record against them in the last 10 games. If we are .500 against them, this division is ours.
September 10, 2006 at 9:06 am
Matt Vasgersian is doing the Atlanta-Carolina game on FOX? That is interesting but I just saw him reporting on the pregame show.