Strange series up at Dodger Stadium over the weekend. I expected tighter contests. Instead, one team’s starting pitcher failed to show up in each of the three games. Unfortunately for the Padres, it was their guy in two of those three.
Sunday evening’s victim, Chris Young, never looked comfortable and needed 84 pitches to record just six outs. Anthony breaks down Young’s start over at Friar Watch — not for the squeamish. We’ve grown spoiled watching Young pitch, and it’s really weird when he just implodes.
On the bright side, Jake Peavy pitched another gem on Saturday, Crudge appears to be solid in left field, and I think the Padres may have found something in Kevin Cameron. The latter did a fantastic job of keeping the Friars in the game on Sunday.
Next up, the Padres head to Chicago for a two-game engagement with the Cubs. Clay Hensley and Jason Marquis hook up in Monday night’s opener, with Greg Maddux returning home to face Wade Miller on Tuesday. Here’s hoping the guys get back on track in the Windy City.
by Peter Friberg
You will not see all the notable performances from the night before, but you will see the notable performances from those who are actually prospects.
Friday, April 13, 2007
AAA
Cesar Carrillo: 3.0 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 3 BB, 1 SO, 2 HR
AA
Will Venable: 3 AB, 0 R, 2 H, 1 RBI
High-A
David Freese: 3 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 0 RBI; SO
Low-A
Drew Miller: 5.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR
Commentary:
You gotta wonder about the elbow and the psyche…
Saturday, April 14, 2007
AAA
Justin Germano: 7.0 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, O HR — Blast from the past!
AA
Will Venable: 3 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 0 RBI; 2B, 2 BB
Chase Headley: 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 1 RBI; BB, SO
Cesar Ramos: 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 0 HR
High-A
David Freese: 2 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 RBI; 2B, 3 BB
Low-A
Postponed
Commentary:
I’m still not excited about Ramos as prospect, and the biggest reason is that his success so far has come almost completely without strikeouts (115 K in 204 career minor league IP). One 8-strikeout game doesn’t change my mind, but that “8″ jumped out at me.
David Freese will turn 24 on April 28. Last year in Short-Season Eugene and even in Low-A Fort Wayne he was accurately considered old for his league. However, his minor league career spans only 80 games and he’s making short work of his third level. He won’t be in Lake Elsinore long.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
AAA
Tim Stauffer: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 0 SO, O HR
AA
Will Venable: 5 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 0 RBI; SO
High-A
Manny Ayala: 7.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 8 SO, 1 HR
Low-A
Ernesto Frieri: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR
Commentary:
Stauffer’s done. 12.79 ERA so far.
Manny Ayala is not a top prospect; yet. But I have high hopes for him. I’m watching him closely. [Ed note: Ayala's fastball wasn't overpowering on Sunday -- it sat in the high-80s -- but he did a nice job of changing speeds and keeping hitters off-balance.]
Frieri could be interesting as a reliever.
As always, thanks to Peter for providing the dirt on Padres’ minor leaguers. That’s all for now. We’ll have the IGD up and running around 4 p.m. PT. Go Padres!
I expected tighter games as well, win or loss, the padres just didn’t play well and last night clearly were star struck by the national spotlight of an important night. Once again, the Padres show the nation they are not ready for prime time. So let us return the Kansas City Royal-esque obscurity of the weak NL West, and the sleepy little navy town somewhere south of Los Angeles. Just one game, I know, but more than that, a wasted op to show the nation that the Padres are a pretty good little team and even more importantly to show the players themselves that they can preform on a big stage. Maybe we are the Royals of the West.
If any ducksnorters are making their way to the game tonight, come by Murphy’s before heading into the friendly confines and throw back a few with some SD transplants. We’d love to see you! Go Friars!
Obviously it’s still early but all of our wins have come against the two worst teams in the division and a broken down Jason Schmidt. Chicago figures to be pretty weak this year, we need to win both games.
Our team is shaping up pretty nicely (good starting, good relief, generally good D, occasional offensive bursts), but a few things continue to bug me.
KG: I love the 6 doubles, 1 triple, 2 HR (.292 ISO), but not the 1BB and .245 OBP; won’t work.
Cameron: OK, some spring rust, but I would have more patience if I saw ANY attempt to hit the ball to the right side when the ball is pitched on the outside. He had a weak grounder to 2B yesterday, but that was because he got jammed on an inside pitch.
Kouz…can hit fastballs, just fine. It’s his performance against all the other pitches that worries me. I would enjoy Black easing him into the roll more than he is doing now, giving him time to adjust to major league non-fastballs, meaning more PT for Branyan.
I am glad to see the flexibility allowed the players to find their swing (it seems that both NOG and KG are natural “free swingers”), but our team OBP is 305, 15th of 16 in NL. Our slugging of 391 is worth 7th, an accomplishment given Petco, but more disciplined ABs would make me happy and should be in line with the team philosophy.
Bud: more Branyan PT, move Cameron down in the order until he gets his swing.
In case anyone noticed, we have a strong division (ex-SF), so need our team to be playing at their potential (and no injuries, but harder to control) to pull this off again.
Also, I know CY was off yesterday, but 5 SB’s against us? It was embarrasing. Not sure how much was CY vs. Bowen, but I felt like any player on either team (including LaForest) could have run against us and made it.
3: Who of merit (other than us) have the Dodgers beat? The same can be said of the D’backs. Yes we lost the series, but we lost it in what I would consider an anamoly of a situation (our 2 starters getting roughed up so badly). I’m not saying our starters will never get hit, but I’m expecting more what happened to Maddux in the home opener, and less 2-3 inning performances.
If we had played four games against the Nationals, we’d probably be in first place to.
BP article (subscription req’d) today gives opening day payrolls for all teams, and ’06 and ’05 numbers as well.
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6106
Padres:
’07 = $58,235,567
’06 = $69,896,141
’05 = $63,290,833
So… what’s up? Stashing cash for all those draft picks coming up? Seems like deadline deal money should also be available.
Also, IIRC, Geoff pegged that number pretty close recently and some Padres FO guy took exception. Congrats, Geoff, you done won the smackdown!
In the Baseball America Prospect Report, they call Manny Ayala, “Padres’ Sleeper.” I called it first!
For the first time i have to question Black. With Hensley on the mound he starts Blum and Branyan at SS and 3b. Not our best defense.