IGD: Padres @ Giants (5 Apr 07)
Thu, Apr 5, 2007
by Geoff Young
first pitch: 7:15 p.m. PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Clay Hensley (11-12, 3.71 ERA) vs Matt Morris (10-15, 4.98 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com
Sweep? Sure, that’d be nice.
. . .
Marcus Giles has swung at 58% of the pitches he’s seen over the Padres’ first two games this year. It’s a small sample, but for his career, he’s at 49%. He draws his share of walks, but that’s an extremely aggressive approach for a leadoff batter. Nineteen players registered 500 or more plate appearances in the #1 spot last year. The only guy who hacked at a higher percentage of pitches seen than Giles also knocked 46 home runs:
| Name | SwgA% | P/PA | OBP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alfonso Soriano | 50 | 3.90 | .351 |
| Marcus Giles | 48 | 3.88 | .341 |
| Jose Reyes | 48 | 3.61 | .354 |
| Randy Winn | 48 | 3.49 | .324 |
| Brian Roberts | 46 | 3.84 | .347 |
| Juan Pierre | 46 | 3.48 | .330 |
| Ichiro Suzuki | 44 | 3.73 | .370 |
| Gary Matthews Jr. | 44 | 3.71 | .371 |
| Curtis Granderson | 43 | 4.08 | .335 |
| Grady Sizemore | 43 | 4.01 | .375 |
| Hanley Ramirez | 43 | 4.00 | .353 |
| David Eckstein | 43 | 3.75 | .350 |
| Johnny Damon | 42 | 4.09 | .359 |
| Chone Figgins | 42 | 3.88 | .336 |
| Rafael Furcal | 41 | 3.84 | .369 |
| Jimmy Rollins | 41 | 3.70 | .334 |
| Dave Roberts | 40 | 3.95 | .360 |
| David DeJesus | 40 | 3.67 | .364 |
| Scott Podsednik | 38 | 4.08 | .330 | Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference.com |
If it works for Giles, then who am I to argue? Still, this is a fascinating approach to batting leadoff and something that bears watching throughout the season.
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.
April 5, 2007 at 6:57 pm
Good work, Geoff. I am worried about Giles’ approach leading off, though it certainly worked out last night. I wonder if Rettenmund saw something in Cain’s method of pitching that would be best attacked by going after those first pitch fastballs.
On a completely separate side note that has nothing to do with Padres baseball but really infuriated me: Jeter just slapped a single into the 5.5 hole that Zobrist (the Rays’ SS) fielded but had no chance to throw and get Jeter at first. Yankees announcer says, “Only one man in baseball can make that play, and he’s the one that hit it.” So it’s not just San Francisco announcers that are ridiculously biased cheerleaders for their star players.
April 5, 2007 at 7:06 pm
I don’t see any reason to worry about Marcus’ approach being as his brother follows him in the lineup and regularly works deep into counts.
April 5, 2007 at 7:08 pm
1: Wow. Jeter’s one of the worst fielding shortstops in baseball. That’s just ridiculous.
April 5, 2007 at 7:15 pm
Woohoo! I have Jon Miller as the announcer on the MLB feed.
April 5, 2007 at 7:18 pm
Great discipline by Giles.
April 5, 2007 at 7:21 pm
Question for everyone - Hensley is starting tonight in the 3rd spot in the rotation, and Maddux tomorrow night in the 4th spot for the home opener. A buddy of mine asked why. I wasn’t sure, but I guessed it was because Black wanted to give Maddux the glory of the home opener start, and maybe because Hensley had earned the #3 spot over Maddux.
Does anyone know differently?
April 5, 2007 at 7:25 pm
4: Are you serious? Jon Miller is one of my absolute least favorite announcers ever ever ever.
I’ve put the Giants announcers on mute and opened up another window with gameday audio for Ted to do the announcing.
There’s a ten second delay but that’s not nearly as annoying as having to listen to Jon Miller explain in agonizing detail every single insignificant thing.
April 5, 2007 at 7:27 pm
DR battling here…exact opposite of NOG. Not saying better or whatever, but exact opposite…
April 5, 2007 at 7:27 pm
pesky doc
April 5, 2007 at 7:29 pm
7: I enjoy how professional Miller is. He’s got a great voice and calls the action.
April 5, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Boooooooooo!!!!
April 5, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Channel 4 just ran a graphic listing the Padre pitchers off of whom Bonds has homered. All *fifty* of them. I had to laugh.
April 5, 2007 at 7:32 pm
That ball is out if it’s ten feet to the left. I didn’t even think Bonds put a good swing on it…the wind is blowing out to right, indeed.
April 5, 2007 at 7:36 pm
You think Barry’s helmet is the only one personalized because it’s the only one he can squueze that melon of a head into?
April 5, 2007 at 7:37 pm
Man, Hensley’s got the problem of finishing guys off now too.
April 5, 2007 at 7:39 pm
well, that was, what, 60 pitches?
April 5, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Did Hombre bat third yesterday too?
April 5, 2007 at 7:41 pm
Doc killing us tonight. Nice catch
April 5, 2007 at 7:43 pm
thought that one was gone…damn wind
April 5, 2007 at 7:45 pm
Is Klesko just trying to fit in with the Giants?
April 5, 2007 at 7:47 pm
Hensley with 29 pitches in the first? Yikes.
Storm opener broadcast:
http://www.cash1700.com/index......p;Itemid=4
Antonelli is playing second base.
April 5, 2007 at 7:56 pm
It’s frustrating to see Giles swinging when he takes hacks like he has this at bat, at pitches he can’t drive.
April 5, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Yup. Making Morris look like it’s his glory days so far. Need to start making him work.
April 5, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Sledge looks shaky out there.
April 5, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Great inning. That’ll solve some pitch count woes.
April 5, 2007 at 7:59 pm
Very nice quick inning. Time to do some damage now guys.
April 5, 2007 at 8:00 pm
I have to say I’m impressed by the caliber of tunes Ch. 4 is using as they go to commercial. Some quality rock n’ roll during the last couple of games - U2’s “I Will Follow” being the most recent example.
April 5, 2007 at 8:01 pm
OG is lookin especially orange-y tonight
April 5, 2007 at 8:03 pm
Aflac question for you outta towners: Who did Flannery get his first career hit off of?
April 5, 2007 at 8:04 pm
Bartolo Colon is pitching against the Storm tonight. Jered Weaver gets the start tomorrow.
LaForest with a homer for Portland.
April 5, 2007 at 8:04 pm
There’s a base knock. Thank you Hombre.
April 5, 2007 at 8:12 pm
Sledge has to take charge on that ball.
April 5, 2007 at 8:12 pm
How is Sledge such a bad fielder? The guy doesn’t appear to be terribly slow and he’s always been an outfielder
April 5, 2007 at 8:13 pm
Boy that was ugly. The Sledge-Kouz-Greene bermuda triangle.
April 5, 2007 at 8:13 pm
and to think most of the Giants fans I know were very excited to have Molina, that guy looks beat up already
April 5, 2007 at 8:15 pm
Anybody else yelling at Sledge not to injure Greene or Kouzmanof? I mean anything goes down out there and suddenly we have Blum as an everyday player again
April 5, 2007 at 8:16 pm
there it is KG!!!
April 5, 2007 at 8:16 pm
33: Seeming like bad instincts/jumps thus far. LF in SF might be a tough place to get a good read on a ball, but it seems Barry “no knees” bonds was able to get to OG’s ball last night, so Sledge should be able to the same…
April 5, 2007 at 8:18 pm
Kouz has got to get him to 3B there
April 5, 2007 at 8:18 pm
We’re going to waste KG’s double, aren’t we?
April 5, 2007 at 8:18 pm
kouz is struggling a wee bit… hate to see him swing early in the count and end up grounding out to SS.. rule of thumb there is unless you can drive it, then hit it to the right side to advance the runner… given that he was probably thinking that he was going to drive that ball, you have to think that he is going to start having confidence issues…
April 5, 2007 at 8:19 pm
39: He gets him to third, though, and they pitch around Sledge to get to Hensley. Hensley makes the second out, and we still need a hit to get him home.
April 5, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Hey Hensley said that he was going to out hit Peavy this year
April 5, 2007 at 8:19 pm
he ripped that!
April 5, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Hensley’s like, screw you, I’ll do it myself. Nice.
April 5, 2007 at 8:20 pm
hensley has such a nice swing!
April 5, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Hensley, help yo’self out brutha!
April 5, 2007 at 8:20 pm
WHAT THE HECK? WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? That was awesome.
April 5, 2007 at 8:20 pm
re 42: that is a lot of “if’s”
April 5, 2007 at 8:20 pm
hahaha NOG goes up there to hack there’s no doubt about that
April 5, 2007 at 8:20 pm
“I’ll tell you what, Barry Bonds has the worst arm of anyone in the National League and he just proved it again.” -Jerry Coleman
April 5, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Coleman and Leittner hate Bonds with a passion
April 5, 2007 at 8:22 pm
I think Leitner, if he were Tony Soprano, would have Bonds killed before he breaks Aaron’s record
April 5, 2007 at 8:23 pm
52: Yes. I’m definitely a lot happier listening to Ted and Jerry on the delayed audio and watching the game on mute.
April 5, 2007 at 8:25 pm
Hmmm…weak grounder to 2nd in an important situation from OG. Boy is that unusual. Unusual like the sun rising in the east. Bleh.
April 5, 2007 at 8:25 pm
53: It’s funny about Leitner… I was invited to my first Bruins game a few weeks ago and I kept thinking, “nono, I hate hockey.” Then I started thinking do I really hate hockey? Or have I just heard Ted Leitner say fifty billion times that he hates hockey?
April 5, 2007 at 8:27 pm
51: Um, I’d propose that Doc has the worst arm in the No-Cal padres outfield, but I might be wrong…
55: you got that right my brother (literally); but, i hate that we’re already bagging on Superglow like that!
April 5, 2007 at 8:28 pm
re 57: It’s the continuation of a theme with me
April 5, 2007 at 8:28 pm
Kouz!! Nice play rook!
April 5, 2007 at 8:29 pm
58: you’re forgetting that I started that theme last year during the penant race when we were playing the giants at phoneco park. remember, it was the game Seanez blew, and I was making fun of (1) superglow’s hair and (2) superglows propensity to ground out to second in clutch situations… ?
April 5, 2007 at 8:31 pm
re 61: you’re right. And when you’re right, you’re right. Especially about OG and the 4 hole
April 5, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Hensley, I would suggest not walking the two hitters in front of Bonds on 8 pitches.
April 5, 2007 at 8:33 pm
What’s up with Bard’s throwing? It’s like he watched Piazza a little too closely last year.
April 5, 2007 at 8:33 pm
egad, this is not good!
April 5, 2007 at 8:34 pm
i kinda think you put bonds on in this situation…
April 5, 2007 at 8:35 pm
62: pitchers are not helping him….
April 5, 2007 at 8:35 pm
The ump is squeezing Hensley.
April 5, 2007 at 8:36 pm
67: agreed. looks like Black is letting him know it, too
April 5, 2007 at 8:37 pm
This is ridiculous.
April 5, 2007 at 8:38 pm
crapburgers!
April 5, 2007 at 8:38 pm
The home plate umpire is responsible for that. Durham saw no less than six strikes on that at bat.
April 5, 2007 at 8:38 pm
“First, I’m going to soil myself. Then, I’ll regroup and come up with a new plan”
April 5, 2007 at 8:39 pm
How bad are these calls? Gamecast hasn’t shown a pitch out of the zone yet, but I don’t know how accurate that is.
April 5, 2007 at 8:39 pm
WTF? Guys can’t talk out there?
April 5, 2007 at 8:39 pm
That’s Greene’s ball!!!!! Check his digits…
April 5, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Yeah, the plate umpire has been brutal. This is pretty much all on him.
April 5, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Oh god, that was like a montage scene from the first half of Major League…
April 5, 2007 at 8:41 pm
Walking Roberts on 4 pitches with two outs (without help from the umpire) was pretty brutal.
April 5, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Well, i guess Hensley will be available on waivers in my fantasy league tomorrow.
April 5, 2007 at 8:42 pm
Greene’s mouth closed the whole time in that replay. After three years of Greene always being involved in those, I think we know who needs to work on something. I love Khalil…but c’mon! If you don’t call him off, Kouz has to assume it’s his ball.
Frustration and a half. All starting with the ump squeezing Clay.
April 5, 2007 at 8:43 pm
The Giants announcers are pretending that the pop up to left was a hit.
April 5, 2007 at 8:44 pm
Technically, it is. By rule, you can’t call an error on a ball that isn’t touched.
April 5, 2007 at 8:45 pm
79 - at least you didn’t start him tonight…
April 5, 2007 at 8:47 pm
82: I’m not positive, but I thought that there was a caveat that allowed for scorekeepers discretion in the case of balls that definitely should have been caught…
April 5, 2007 at 8:47 pm
That whole inning is on the home plate umpire. No way that inning should have gone past Bonds.
Khalil and Kouz need to work out a buddy system for fly-balls, whcih should basically consist of the following:
If Khalil can get to it, let him catch it.
April 5, 2007 at 8:48 pm
Someone may have covered this already, but the game is not on the MLB Extra Innings package tonight. Why?
April 5, 2007 at 8:48 pm
The unpire must think the plate is one from the Franklin Mint. Finally, it’s over. But nless we come back, I have my angle for tonights story. Just horrible. Absolutely ridiculous. I’d have been in trouble if I was in Shakespeare’s spot.
April 5, 2007 at 8:50 pm
By the way, I’d like to add that I’m glad to see Bud chirping at the umpire about those horrendous calls.
I don’t blame Clay for putting a ball up there that got grooved, because he clearly couldn’t throw it anywhere else.
April 5, 2007 at 8:52 pm
I smell a rally in the late innings…Boch has to go to that pen sometime, and it’s going to bite him in the arse.
April 5, 2007 at 8:52 pm
re: 85. The only way Kouz can tell that Greene is there is to look…which requires him to take his eye off the ball. Ifyou hear nothing, you stay camped. You keep your eye on the ball. Kouz is far from the first. Dave Roberts and Khalil had issues last year… Burroughs and Khalil…see a pattern? And like I said, Greene’s mouth was shut throughout the replay. He should be yelling.
April 5, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Another double for Khalil. Chance for Kouz to get his.
April 5, 2007 at 8:54 pm
Good, good. Keep working Morris, get him out and let’s get to that soft pen!
April 5, 2007 at 8:54 pm
86, I called and moaned, and after some investigating DirecTV tells me it’s been blacked out in California (at least, and maybe nationwide) by the Giants ownership. It makes perfect sense since I know dozens of people in the San Fernando Valley who drive the 5 1/2 hours to San Francisco on a weeknight to catch a game. Television down here is KILLING Giants ticket sales.
April 5, 2007 at 8:55 pm
84: If it’s there, I’ve never heard of it being used. I’ve seen guys get a double on a sky ball that landed behind the mound untouched. But I’d have to look to be absolutely sure that it is hard-written instead of a long-standing standard interpretation.
April 5, 2007 at 8:58 pm
I still think we have a shot if we can get into the ‘pen.
My fiance thinks that since we already won the series, the Padres might have to lose tonite so that they can sweep the opening series.
At either rate, I cannot wait for tomorrow nite. I’ll be making the 2 hour drive home to see us own the Rox.
April 5, 2007 at 8:59 pm
re: 93
I’m in D.C.
April 5, 2007 at 9:00 pm
Amazing. The Giants have some retarded policy.
April 5, 2007 at 9:01 pm
96: Amazing. The Giants have some retarded policy.
April 5, 2007 at 9:02 pm
ERRORS
10.13
An error shall be charged for each misplay (fumble, muff or wild throw) which prolongs the time at bat of a batter or which prolongs the life of a runner, or which permits a runner to advance one or more bases.
NOTE (1) Slow handling of the ball which does not involve mechanical misplay shall not be construed as an error.
NOTE (2) It is not necessary that the fielder touch the ball to be charged with an error. If a ground ball goes through a fielder’s legs or a pop fly falls untouched and in the scorer’s judgment the fielder could have handled the ball with ordinary effort, an error shall be charged.
NOTE (3) Mental mistakes or misjudgments are not to be scored as errors unless specifically covered in the rules.
April 5, 2007 at 9:03 pm
based on notes two and three, it would seem the standard interpretation would be that those balls are mental mistakes…and certainly a collision would be so ruled.
April 5, 2007 at 9:10 pm
From 0-2 to walk. Orange is in.
April 5, 2007 at 9:13 pm
99: They left out the part where the scorer can blatantly ignore the rules if it favors the home team.
April 5, 2007 at 9:13 pm
this ump is killing me
April 5, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Good work calling that a strike consistently, blue.
April 5, 2007 at 9:13 pm
Way to ring up Adrian on a pitch you wouldn’t give to Hensely. Really classy home-plate.
April 5, 2007 at 9:14 pm
re: 102
That’s one of the reason fielding percentages are higher and higher. The home team scorer is not willing to give errors on borderline plays.