first pitch: 7:05 p.m. PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Greg Maddux (0-1, 6.75 ERA) vs Noah Lowry (0-1, 1.29 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com
The Padres go for their third straight series win to start the season Wednesday night. Greg Maddux gets the start. Maddux has allowed eight homers to Barry Bonds over the years — that’s more than to any player except Luis Gonzalez (10). Most of those came early in their respective careers, with the last being a two-run blast in the sixth inning of a May 1, 1998, contest at Turner Field. Since 1999, Bonds is just 5-for-28 against Maddux. All five hits are singles.
On the other side, only one current member of the Padres has homered against Noah Lowry. That would be Geoff Blum. The good news about Lowry is that he was terrible away from PhoneCo last year. This doesn’t appear to a fluke either:
| PA | BA | OBP | SLG | IP | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | ||||||
| Home | 208 | .255 | .295 | .393 | 52.1 | 3.10 |
| Road | 175 | .263 | .333 | .449 | 39.2 | 4.76 |
| 2005 | ||||||
| Home | 486 | .242 | .300 | .348 | 117.1 | 3.30 |
| Road | 389 | .257 | .346 | .425 | 87.1 | 4.43 |
| 2006 | ||||||
| Home | 420 | .245 | .314 | .384 | 102.1 | 3.61 |
| Road | 269 | .316 | .371 | .557 | 57 | 6.79 |
| Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference. | ||||||
Is it coincidence that Lowry has started eight more games at home over the past three seasons than on the road? I’m thinking not. He’s always enjoyed success at PhoneCo, but last year, someone turned his suckitude up to eleven away from there. Lowry also had all kinds of problems in the third inning in 2006 (.387/.444/.632), but he’d never exhibited any similar tendencies in the past, so we probably can file that under “J” for “just one of those things.”
I will be out at the ballpark this evening, so talk amongst yourselves and be excellent. Go Padres!
Robbed by the Doc again.
Wow, that was the definition of a circus catch
It’s ok…Crudge is relatively new to this park and didn’t realize that’s the one place you don’t want to hit a deep ball.
Wow, the look of pain in Cruz’s eyes. We’re here for you Jose. Come cry on our shoulder.
Doc’s gonna get hurt. He can’t do that all year. Love the guy, though… even when he’s killing us.
Damn! Nice catch…
Maddux is at 75
105 – no doubt. He will have to push to make 100 games playing CF all year long. Especially like that.
Am I being too critical in saying that he didn’t take the best route to that ball?
hmmmmm…wonder if Maddux called that on himself. He’s smart enough, he’ll do that… and his ego doesn’t get in the way at this point in his career.
The Claw! Thank you Theo. *grin*
Is is just me, or does Maddux always look like he just woke up and someone asked him to pitch and he said ‘OK, why not.’
Just got back from the Round Rock Omaha game. Great ballpark in Round Rock. Semi-Padre relevant match-up in the 9th. Miguel Ascencio vs. Graham Koonce. (Koonce walked)
111: yeah….pretty much
Was that 7 or 8 pitches?
Wow… Claw looks awesome again
is it possible that cla got better this year?
108: His nickname is no longer “doc”, it’s now “magellan”….
Koonce sighting… excellent.
Go, P-Mac, Go!
Nice for his first hit of the season.
116: Well, let’s wait till we start playing some teams with some better hitters. But I can’t wait to watch him. I really think at this point he’s my favorite padre. I hope we keep him around a while.
McCrudge with the double!!! Sweeeeet.
why didn’t we double switch the pitcher’s spot? I guess b/c we would end up with P-Mac (not to be confused with P-Riv) up first regardless? And, I suppose this keeps Cruz in left field, which seems to be a good thing..
118: He already had 3 HRs this season, maybe he makes the bigs finally, given that he is in the KC organization
Matty is currently explaining exactly why I mostly wear blue dress shirts…
What did he say about the shirts?
124: And why is that? I’m not listening to the game
122: You just gave me an icecream brain freeze.
127: sorry about that… too much wine with dinnner.
Matty spilled coffee on himself in the booth… and as a thoroughly old-school guy, can I tell everyone here exactly how much I love to see the old “get ‘em over, get ‘em in”?
ironic: OG gets his first RBI of the year on a weak grounder to 2nd… only, it works b/c the infield was in…
123: Will be 31 in May; his ship has probably sailed. But the guy did deserve a shot. Would be great if he got it.
129: Why don’t you wear coffee colored shirts? or, maybe a overwhelming do-do brown? that way you’re totally covered….
Did Molina just say a dirty word?
Rich, you played in the early ’80s. Is that correct?
Why do we put Linebrink in? Isn’t the lead big enough now to give it to some other dude?
Did anyone hear Alderson on the radio today? I like the way he’s willing to discuss umpires bluntly. Flat out calling calls wrong.
Reds now up 3-1 on D’backs in the 8th on Josh Hamilton’s HR. Scoreboard watching in April… I now call myself out for lameness.
no, dude…whoah! age me here. I’m 41. who told you my history?
Man, balls are just dying out there tonight. Locals: is the wind blowing in or…?
Matty mentioned the relief “formula.” Ugh. I hope that’s not the case this year.
I dont get it, it seems like the Pads never have a hard time getting balls out of the park at Home????
137: I’ve had a spreadsheet since opening day tracking our Magic Number for eliminating each team in the division.
156, 155, 154, 152 currently.
it is a cool night out there tonight. Adrian just crushed that ball
Sorry, I clicked on your name and it took me to a google thing and you have the same name as a guy that was drafted by the GB Packers in ’81.
Seemed like Bonds and The Crudge crushed theirs too, but nothing
139: At least we’re out-homering the opposition to start the year.
142: I love it.
Alright OG!
Uh-oh. Doc again.
133- yeah, that hurts! Molina had his hand completely out of harms way…and the ball found it.
re:134 – my last year playing ball was ’92. and the reason I feel B-Mo’s pain is cause that was my position… which means my knees FEEL like I played in the 80′s, because they are ten years older than the rest of me.