I’m knee-deep in book stuff and there isn’t much going on right now, so this will be brief. Speaking of the book, I’ve just finished the second chapter. Although I already have some folks doing a critical reading, I could use more volunteers. I know this is a tricky time of year, but if you’re interested and available (it’s about 65 pages), drop me a line.
To the bullet points:
- Is this Marcus Giles thing taking forever, or what? Um, only since November 2002, if not longer. Brian Hiro at the North County Times is reporting that Giles will be signed this week. After waiting 4 years, I’ll believe it when it happens.
- I’m trying to stay focused on the Padres, but LaDainian Tomlinson is making it extremely difficult. He’s playing at a level that the overwhelming majority of athletes never touch, let alone sustain. I used to be a huge Chargers fan back in the Air Coryell era and up through the Super Bowl, but they kind of lost me when they fired Bobby Ross. I still follow the team and I’m thrilled to see them doing so well, but I’m more of a bandwagon guy these days. Sorry, but I have to be honest about that. Tomlinson is such a pleasure to watch, though. I’ll pay him the highest compliment I can: I wish he played baseball.
- We visited the Museum of Making Music this weekend. It’s in Carlsbad, and for a nominal fee, you can take a walk through musical history. They’ve got player pianos, mandolins, guitars, ancient synthesizers (think Emerson, Lake, and Palmer), all kinds of horns, and even a theremin (you can play one in the interactive area). Be forewarned: there are some sweet vintage instruments that, if you’re a music geek like me, could lead to serious drooling.
That’s all for now. The book calls…
49 Comments
Why is it that baseball seems to be a ‘blog’ sport and that football seems to be a ‘message board’ sport? I don’t even know of a real Charger blog aside from RC’s
LT is amazing.
I am not a Charger fan, but they are the best team in football right now. Good to see them doing well.
it’s a little weird being in NY hearing about the Chargers as often as the Jets in the local media.
PF … thanks for the link to the Bill James interview in yesterday’s comments … can never get enough Bill James!
Anyone else find Brian Hiro’s article weird today…he says that Giles is expected to sign, then later on he says that he accepted the Padres offer after spurning the Mets…
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/12/18/sports/professional/padres/121706210948.txt
Nice new header, Geoff. It’s the web, gotta keep it fresh.
Since moving away from SD in ‘84, my brother (“Marsh” on the board) and I have been the biggest vagabond Charger/Padre fans you can find. This past couple years have really made all that loyalty to sad teams pay off. Is this the golden age of SD sports? Could be. Consider, in the last 3 years:
– 2 NL West titles, 2 AFC West titles
– Hoffman sets all time saves record
– LT sets numerous all time records
– Chargers: 33-13, with two games left, over three years (.717)
– Padres: 257-229 (.528)
Over time, the Pads have had their years, the Bolts have had theirs, but have we ever had such success at the same time? I can’t recall, I know the ‘84 WS team coincided with the end of the Fouts era, a 6-10 record in ‘83 and a 7-9 record in ‘84.
the Charger girls won 1st place on that show on the NFL network and didn’t Jimmy Johnson win the NEXTEL cup?
That line of thoughts stops at Aztec football. But USD football did very well and Aztec basketball is doing well right now. Yes, the stars maybe aliegning.
1: http://boltz4eva.blogspot.com/
San Diego Super Chargers starts playing when you visit it, though.
RE: 6
For a while I wanted to start what I called the “Misery Index” to see if I could create a quantitative measure of a metro-region’s relative suffering. The logic was stack up all the professional programs and major college programs, estimate the allegiances (eg: LA: USC vs UCLA), and set scores. You get points for making the playoffs, winning playoff games/series, etc.
I was pretty certain SD would have the worst score, so top score of the Misery Index, up until recently. I get tired of all the talk of the quality of Boston, Chicago or New York fans. True, probably a bigger portion of the population follows the sports than SD (the beach does distract a lot of our base), but questioned “had they really suffered like a die-hard SD fan” (I am equally intense about both the Bolts and Pads). I had trouble thinking of perenial failing franchises:
Tampa D-Rays; well Tampa Bucs won a Superbowl, so that blows them from contention.
Detroit was up there until recently with both the Lions and Tigers sucking, but then the Pistons and Red Wings won championships.
Until the White Sox WS, Chicago could make a case. Bulls have sucked, the Cubs have not done much and I really don’t know hockey, but I doubt they are that good. But that is like a 5 year run of lameness; the Chargers and Padres would have decade-long runs of mediocrity. Quit your whining.
Seattle is probably the closest. Until last season, the Seahawks never quite got it together, the Mariners generally suck and the Sonics have not been good for a while.
So, Seattle might be the closest in terms of suffering. But you never hear about it, but instead it is the Boston “heartbreak”. Sorry my language, but f%ck you. I will take getting close but not quite a lot more than never even close. Some argue that it is worse, but those are the ones almost winning the championship. I still get a glow thinking about 1996 season and the Padres got swept by the Cardinals in the playoffs.
So, the dual success of the Bolts and Chargers is very, very sweet. Don’t know how long it will last, but man do I thank the powers that be that the Pads have smart management. It gives us success and gives us hope for the future. So I am savoring this, a bit fearful that it will end, but savoring it nonetheless.
XX Sports is reporting that NOG has signed a 1-Year deal…
SAN DIEGO (AP) – Free agent second baseman Marcus Giles and the San Diego Padres were closing in on a deal that would allow him to play with his older brother, Brian, on their hometown team.
“We’re putting in a lot of time and effort to get a deal done,” Giles’ agent, Joe Bick, said by phone from Cincinnati on Monday.
Bick declined to divulge details.
Yeay, we got NOG.
Nice new banner, Geoff.
That makes this team almost complete…We still need a LF to be a potentially dominant team…
Give me Pat the Bat for Linebrink and I will be totally happy!!!
14.
Totally agree! We are a LF away from looking really good and I think that I’d actually be alright with giving Sledge a chance to win the job in ST if nobody (ie. The Reds, The Sox or The Phils don’t want Linebrink).
Appropos of nothing,
Isn’t B-Law a free agent? If he’s healthy would the Pads be interested in bringing him back? He’d make a nice 4th\5th starter.
Didn’t BLaw got a surgery already? I’m not sure he’ll be ready by ST. I think it’ll be alright if he can start AAA and get his groove back.
The Padres can afford to wait until the new year before deciding on LF. Remember, Zito hasn’t even signed yet.
BALTIMORE (AP) – Infielder Chris Gomez stayed with the Baltimore Orioles agreeing Monday to an $850,000, one-year contract.
#16
I think Lawrence would be worth taking a flyer on. But I’d rather see SD take a shot at Park or Wells as a veteran free-agent type. I don’t think Lawrence will ever pitch in the majors again, truthfully, but he was pretty decent there, for a few years.
DavidB over at pdxbeavers.com posted these notes …
Chris Oxspring-R- Brewers Dec. 15 – 8:00 pm et
Brewers signed RHP Chris Oxspring to a minor league contract and invited him to spring training.
Oxspring is back in the U.S. after going 4-3 with a 5.12 ERA in 77 1/3 innings for the Hanshin Tigers last season. The 29-year-old has below average stuff for a right-hander, but he could eat innings if necessary. He’ll likely begin the season in the rotation at Triple-A Nashville.
____________________________________
Dennis Tankersley-S- Tigers Dec. 16 – 12:54 am et
Tigers signed RHP Dennis Tankersley to a minor league contract.
My understanding on Lawrence is that he has labrum issues. That is generally a career ender or at least VERY difficult to come back from. Since he was already so marginal in terms of velocity, I wouldn’t count on him ever being a big league pitcher again. My .02 anyway.
Good news on the NOG front!
Richard, this is for you:
From Lyle Spencer’s mailbag feature:
Spencer: I do share your concerns about the defense. It appears to be downgraded at three positions, at least. I don’t see how they can expect to replace the range and athleticism of Josh Barfield at second and Dave Roberts in left.
22: DR, I can understand. He was a damn good left fielder. But Barfield? It’s beyond me.
From the Union Trib this morning:
“The Chargers stores at Qualcomm Stadium offer leather recliners in Chargers blue & gold with lightning-bolt logo for $1,600. A handful have recently sold, spokesman Scott Marshall said. ”
OK – Richard? Was that you?
No word on sales of powder-blue leather Chargers jackets.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/padres/20061219-9999-1s19padres.html
NOG signed!
Sweet! I say we bat OG and NOG 1 and 2.
Great news — 2b is set now.
Boy — base salary of $3.25 million — that would be the San Diego discount! Hopefully, he reaches the incentives that bring him up to $4.25 million.
Peavy, Zito, Young, Maddax, CHP, Hensely these are a few of my favorite things…when the dog bites, when the bee stings when, I’m feeling bad, I simply remember we got 30 million and and having Zito would make me feel glad.
Make him an offer Keven. That texas ranger ballpark is a pitcher killer, ask CHP.
NOG and OG. How long before Matty V picks up on this in the TV broadcasts?
Question for those of you with more detailed financial data than me – how much of our “$30MM warchest” have we actually spent in terms of ‘07 payroll? Seems to me we’ve had some adds/drops that may be evening out, but I’m not clear enough on the details. I think we have improved the team a bit overall (loss of Dave R. still stings to me), and may have done so so far in a budget-neutral way.
That would leave big bucks for Zito, if we decide to go there (something tells me SA won’t…the kind of salary BZ will command will not pass his red-face test)
Re: 29
Maddux $10 mil
NOG $3.25 mil
Branyan $1 Mil
Blum $ 0.9 mil
Walker $ 3 mil
Cruz $ 0.65 mil
Brocail $0.5 mil
Cameron cancels himself out from last year
all of the others cancel out with guys lost/traded
so $23.8 mil
Fantastic! NOG should really help us. I think he’s primed for a solid season, and being in SD can’t hurt either.
oops i mean $ 19.3 mil
GY, when you want a break from writing the book, you could update the links in the Padre Farm section. No more Mobile for us!
Re: 28 and 29…Please no Zito…please, please, please…okay good, it looks like my wish will come true.
The $$$ he will command, the years we would have to committ and his declining numbers all add up to a bad signing.
Might get a year or two of good, but for $15-17 per year, he better be great and I think those days are behind him.
Phew! Caught a break: Werth reaches agreement w/ Phillies
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/sports/16271347.htm
Could be a double-bonus for the Pads…does this make Burrell more moveable?
I’m pretty happy about the NOG signing I just hope that he doesn’t start taking the twice a week trip to the tanning salon with his big bro or we might have a nickname problem.
re 36 – he could theoretically use a different brand of tanning “supplement” and become less Orange and more Ruddy or Burnt Umber
ROG? BOG?
sorry, that’d be RG or BUG
I would rather get Rios, if he’s available, than Burrell.
#34: I doubt Zito will be coming to SD. You are right about his declining years being more expensive than his peak years. But isn’t most baseball contract like that. Still, I wouldn’t mind having Zito for a couple of years. Definitely not the 5-6 years he and his agent are seeking.
#32: thanks for the breakdown. That leave a nice change for dealing from now until the season starts. I read that Melky Cabrera is on the trading block for the Yankees. KT had dealt with them before, I wonder what they’d want for him.
#33: Thanks, TW; got it!
FYI, I’m working on a NOG post right now. Should have something up by about 8:30 a.m. PT.
#35: If signing Werth makes Burrell more expendable, then the Phillies are missing a key concept and I hope the Padres are able to deal with them early and often.
#35: I don’t see why the Phillies should move Burrell. He’s a nice player. High OBP, SLG, low BA last season. In his worst season he’s a better player than Werth. Glad the Padres didn’t get Werth. I hope KT is knocking on Gillick’s door for a deal with Burrell.
#40: I’m not sold on Alex Rios. He might be younger than Burrell but I don’t think he is as good.
Just curious… Has anyone ever figured out what OG is trying to do with his hair? He looks like hes going for like a 1920’s “Flapper” look. It almost looks like a helmet of some sort. Anyways just wondering it’s easily the weirdest hair in baseball.
45 – I dunno, Gagne has some strange hair too. And Bartolo Colon looks like he has lasagne on his head sometimes.
23: I decided to post the entire sentence, but the point was about Barfield.
We also lost Piazza’s production. Who’s going to pick that up? Paging Khalil Greene.
I’m not a big Burrell fan, I think he’s overrated. Rios to me is a five tool guy that’s 25 and he started to put it all together last year. In my mind, he’s a better fit for PETCO. He’s got some speed and some pop, and he’s solid defensively.
48: Rios costs us a young starter and maybe more, and we only have 4 legitimate major league starters now. Burrell might cost us almost nothing, but his contract looks nice compared to some that were handed out this year. Gillick could have changed his mind on how necessary it is to get rid of him.