Comments on: Playoff IGD: Padres vs Cardinals (3 Oct 06)

By: The Fathers

The Fathers — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 13:48:14 +0000

Re 637: Johnson WAS a postseason option, but he would have had to replace Greene or Klesko on the roster, at least that is what the note says. So that clarifies things for me.

On the other hand, using my 20/20 Hindsight Glasses, the team probably should have released Bellhorn on August 26 instead of sending Ben Johnson down. Problem retroactively solved.

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By: Masticiore317

Masticiore317 — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 12:46:04 +0000

The good news is we still only need to win 3 to take the series. I would have also preferred Klesko vs. the lefty in that situation. Maybe the pitcher gives him a little more respect and he can make something happen. 630 - Walker looked like he was really hustling right out of the box, to me.

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By: Nick G.

Nick G. — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:56:09 +0000

‘morning everyone! Today’s a new day!!! I was up at 4 AM ET attending to the needs of two unhappy three-month olds. Since I’m up, decided to read the paper:

Johnson was NOT an option for the postseason roster. When the Pads acquired Branyan, he took BJ’s spot, essentially:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/.....notes.html

That makes me feel a little better about Bellhorn on the roster. Not much, but a little.

Bright spots from yesterday:

Doc Roberts
Brian Giles
Seanez looked pretty good, I thought
CHP did OK — good to see him back

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By: BigKTfan

BigKTfan — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 08:42:36 +0000

re: 634

Maybe Bochy was just using Bellhorn as a defense mechanism against the bad feelings associated with possible defeat. “We’re already losing, and if I send a good hitter up to the plate and he fails I’ll feel even worse, so why not just let Bellhorn strike out, instead?” You may be on to something PM.

Let’s just hope and pray that for Game 2 Bochy and a few more of the posters are a bit more pragmatic and logical; then we’ll all feel better. (Or at least I will.)

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By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 05:31:07 +0000

I’m actually still feeling optimistic. I’ll take our #2 and #3 starters over the Cards starters any day. Hell, I’d take Woody and Clay over their #1 and #2. We saw what a (relatively) healthy and motivated Wells can give us and I think Young is going to come up huge in game 3. The only thing that worries me is Weaver seems like he could pitch 7 innings of shutout ball just as easily as he could get shelled.

Any word on Edmonds condition? That seemed like a pretty violent blow to the head for a guy with concussion problems.

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By: PM

PM — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 04:47:59 +0000

Defeatism is a psychological defence mechanism agaiinst the bad feelings associated with possible defeat. Nothng wrong with it. Sounds like your defense mechanism is pragmatism and logic.

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By: BigKTfan

BigKTfan — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 04:31:09 +0000

I don’t mind a bit of realism, but silly comments like “Fire Bochy!” for using Bellhorn as a pinch-hitter and “The game’s over. Better luck tomorrow” in the fifth inning (still half a game to play) are simply defeatist, show a lack of insight and offer little in the way of productive commentary.

If Bellhorn hits an HR everyone says Bochy is a genius.
If Bellhorn or Walker get hits, it’s a new ballgame — so, no, the game wasn’t over. My point is that one move by the manager — who just so happens to talk to and watch these guys take BP on a daily basis — doesn’t tell us much. We’d be better off to focus on the Padres amazing season and all the things Bochy did to get the club to the playoffsand refrain from whining until we’ve played AT LEAST 2 games. Yeah, yeah, you were just venting…

As for the GM holding a grudge, let’s not forget Nevin’s one-finger salute to KT in front of a packed stadium — because the fences were too far back! Waaa! Bring the fences in or I’m going to flip you off! And as for Mirabelli, just based on his “It’s all about my happiness — screw the team!” attitude, KT had good reason for wanting to trade him to the Yankees. Those two instances were rare for KT, and his grudges were justifiable.

By the way, anybody read Simmons’ running commentary on ESPN about the “Quadruple A” playoffs? What an as#s!

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By: Ryguy

Ryguy — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 04:01:04 +0000

I agree 630, start Greene at short.. even if he can’t hit for a lick he’s at least going to give that defense we need because the Cards hit a lot on the ground. Blum isn’t a great fielding SS and without Manny alexander on the postseason roster (thanks Mark Bellhorn) we don’t really have an adequate defensive replacement. Belliard fields well give him credit on that one.

and the Cards did get a lot of good bounces.. things will change in game two for sure.

the wait is what kills

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By: LynchMob

LynchMob — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 04:00:09 +0000

There’s some winter ball action underway … http://www.hawaiiwinterbasebal....._10-1.html

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By: Anthony

Anthony — Wed, 04 Oct 2006 03:50:27 +0000

Wow, great commentary guys. A few thoughts from the game:
What happened to Peavy? He started off gangbusters and then fell apart. Yeah he gave up a few cheap hits but I don’t buy the luck/bad defense argument. He wasn’t striking out anyone. That’s one thing the pitcher most definitely has control over and he just wasn’t making guys miss. Are we going to find out he was hurt again and didn’t tell anybody? If he’s supposed to be a number one starter he needs to start coming up big in these situations.

I was amazed Blum didn’t come anywhere near the Pujols single. That’s a play Khalil absolutely makes. I don’t blame Bochy for starting Blum but damn, Blummer has to at least get close enough to dive. I’d lean towards starting Greenie next game. Even if he doesn’t hit he at least makes plays when he’s in there.

When we found out Bellhorn would be on the roster I think we all knew that Bochy would use him at the absolute worst possible time. I would much rather see Klesko against a lefty in that situation. Hell, I’d rather see Woody Williams in that situation. Oh well, maybe Bellhorn can find some redemption later one.

Does Seanez look smaller this year? Last year he always reminded me of a bull, imposing and aggressive. This year he looks like he shrunk, his uniform seems baggy and he looks like a guy who has no confidence. Kudos to Rudy and CHP for avoiding the shelling I expected, I really thought they would cough up some runs there.

The Belliard play on Walker was good but how slow is Walker to not beat that out? I thought it was a sure hit when Belliard went down.

As much as I absolutely hate the recent trend towards using the word “luck” in baseball I have to say the luck was on the Cards side today. They had several cheap hits, the Pujols foul could just as easily have been caught and the Cards just made more borderline plays.

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