June 9 Doubleheader Meetup Reminder
Mon, May 28, 2007
by Geoff Young
In case you missed it, we’ll be meeting up for the June 9 doubleheader at Petco Park. We’ve got about 20 folks confirmed, and a few tickets are still available. Here’s the dirt:
Date: Saturday, June 9, 2007
Time: 2:30 p.m. PT
Place: duh
Price: $17 per person
For the first game (High-A Lake Elsinore Storm vs San Jose Giants), we’ll have field-level seats. For the nightcap (Padres vs Mariners), we’ll be in Section 301.
Oh yeah, we also get a “Padres Welcome Ducksnorts” message on the auxiliary scoreboard. Sweet! 
Anyway, if you’re interested and available, please drop me a line. First-come, first-served, etc.
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, May 25, 2007
AAA
Pete Laforest: 3 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 2 RBI; 2 HR, BB, SO
Clay Hensley: 4.0 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR - distracted?
AA
Luis Cruz: 4 AB, 0 R, 1 H, O RBI; SO - demoted to AA
High-A
Chad Huffman: 4 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 0 RBI
Kyle Blanks: 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 2 RBI; 2B
Low-A
R.J. Rodriguez: 0.0 IP, 5 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 2 HR - yikes!
Commentary:
Kevin Kouzmanoff has the following splits (after Friday’s game):
April: .113/171/.183
May: .367/.426/.714
Nice!
I can’t help but wonder if Hensley’s disappointment in not having a starting slot waiting for him in San Diego contributed to Friday’s rough outing.
[Ed note: I sure hope not!]
Fort Wayne is a half game below .500 (23-34) but it seems worse than that. There are a few guys to watch on the roster but virtually everyone of note is struggling.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
AAA
Jared Wells: 3.1 IP, 9 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 2 SO, 1 HR
Royce Ring: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR
AA
Cesar Ramos: 5.0 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR
Jonathan Ellis: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 SO, 0 HR
High-A
Matt Antonelli: 6 AB, 3 R, 2 H, 2 RBI; 2 HR, SB
David Freese: 5 AB, 2 H, 3 H, 2 RBI; HR, SO
Chad Huffman: 3 AB, 2 R, 3 H, 2 RBI; 2 2B, CS, 2 HBP
Nic Crosta: 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 4 RBI; HR (GS)
Low-A
Cedric Hunter: 5 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 1 RBI; 3B, 2 SO
Rayner Conteras: 4 AB, 0 R, 3 H, 1 RBI; BB, CS
Kyler Burke: 4 AB, 0 R, 0 H, 0 RBI; BB, SO
Pablo Menchaca: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 SO, 0 HR
Commentary:
Jared Wells has a 0.00 ERA as a reliever. Granted, it’s a small sample size (2 G, 2 IP), but it is better than his 7.25 ERA as a starter (6.94 overall).
[Ed note: The Baseball America Prospect Handbook 2007 says that Wells "has the stuff to pitch at the back of a big league rotation, but without a consistent changeup, he profiles better as a reliever."]
2011 Starting Position Players:
C unknown
1B Adrian Gonzalez
2B Matt Antonelli
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff
SS Khalil Greene or other
LF *
CF unknown
RF *
* Chase Headley, Chad Huffman, and David Freese (among others) are all vying for those “corner bat” positions (Kyle Blanks is one of the “among others” but he is probably relegated to 1B or DH).
Kyler Burke needs to be sent back down to extended…
Sunday, May 25, 2007
AAA
Pete Laforest: 4 AB, 2 R, 2 H, 5 RBI; 2 HR, BB, SO
Tim Stauffer: 5.0 IP, 8 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 4 SO, 0 HR
AA
Chase Headley: 4 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 2 RBI; HR, 3 SO
Joshua Geer: 7.0 IP, 10 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 7 SO, 0 HR
High-A
Matt Antonelli: 4 AB, 0 R, 1 H, 1 RBI; BB, CS
Chad Huffman: 3 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 5 RBI; 2B, HR
Wade Leblanc: 6.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 6 SO, 0 HR
Low-A
Cedric Hunter: 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 0 RBI
Nathaniel Culp: 6.0 IP, 11 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 0 BB, 0 SO, 1 HR - yuck!
Commentary:
This is Pete Laforest’s world; we are just living in it — four home runs over the weekend.
Chase’s first-inning homer was off Nick Adenhart — one of the best pitchers in the minors.
Cedric might be turning things around, he’s 4 for his last 9, but he still has a sub-700 OPS…
Thanks, Peter! Off-day for Padres on Monday, then they’ll play three in Pittsburgh.
And, once again, we’ve got the June 9 doubleheader meetup at Petco Park. Let me know if you can make it. We’d love to see you there!
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.
May 28, 2007 at 9:36 am
I know it’s way early / premature to worry about this … but … I heard on guy on XX yesterday mention that the Padres play 17 straight days after the All-Star break without an off day … yow … brilliant idea to schedule an off-day on the first day after the All-Star break? … or wait, did the All-Star break become 4 days? Did I miss an announcement?
Anyway, that’s a tangent … what I got on here to ask is this … is it important for Jake to pitch in the All-Star game? … or is it more important for him to rest and be ready for that 2nd-half that starts with 17-straight games?
I’m actually ambivalent on this right now … leaning towards advocating Jake not playing in the ASG …
May 28, 2007 at 9:37 am
It can’t be surprising that the Mets, Padres, A’s, and Cubs have some of the best defenses in baseball, but who would have thought that the Blue Jays, Yankees, and White Sox are right there too?
http://www.baseballprospectus......cid=204024
May 28, 2007 at 9:45 am
#1: No ambivalence here. Give Jake the honor of being selected but not the ball. Let someone else “earn” home-field advantage for the NL in Mr. Selig’s “meaningful” exhibition game.
May 28, 2007 at 10:04 am
3: I hope that’s the route they go with. I would say there’s no chance of Jake giving up the ball given his competitive nature, but maybe last year’s experience in playing extra games will keep him off the mound. Please?
Let Brad Penny start and win home-field advantage for the Padres.
May 28, 2007 at 10:54 am
Hey Geoff, I’m assuming we’ll just do will call for the tickets?
May 28, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Jake had the 4th highest BA of the starters yesterday-an oddity at this time of the year,I’d say. Seems to work. Hopefully I’ll get my hitting fix at the Lake today.
May 28, 2007 at 3:43 pm
6 … so far, so good, Malcolm … Storm up 7-0 after 3 innings … that’s a decent hitting fix
http://www.minorleaguebaseball.....a_lesafa_1
May 28, 2007 at 3:44 pm
Cedric with an HR (#2 on season) + 2 singles … http://www.minorleaguebaseball.....p;did=milb … for naught as Aaron Breit gets HAMMERED …
May 28, 2007 at 3:48 pm
The AAA Portland Beavers show a bit of life today … http://www.minorleaguebaseball.....p;did=milb … Vince Sinisi’s 2 doubles lead the way … looks like, at .324/.379/.508, he’s putting himself in a position to be able to contribute at the major-league level … he could use a few more BBs, but his Ks are pretty low … his other drawback at this time is that he’s LH.
May 28, 2007 at 3:49 pm
9 … check that … *3* doubles today for Sinisi …
May 28, 2007 at 5:21 pm
7 … did you stick around for Antonelli’s solo-shot (HR #8) in the bottom of the 8th? Nicer cap’er for the day!
May 28, 2007 at 5:50 pm
Sign of the times for the Padres’ offense: Jake Peavy is fifth on the team in VORP. A non-regular starter (Russell Branyan) is fourth. So we basically have three starters that aren’t black holes at this time.
May 28, 2007 at 6:03 pm
On the bright side, Jake would be fifth on the Dodgers in offensive VORP too.
May 28, 2007 at 7:38 pm
Don’t look now but Jack Cust is 0-for-his-last-5-games … a span of 16 ABs (he has drawn 4 BBs over that span) … his OPS is still 1.071 … but his BA is down to .231 … just tryin’ not to feel so bad about it, I s’pose …
May 28, 2007 at 7:43 pm
OT … I really barely care about the AL … but this is kinda fun …
The Yankees fell 13 1/2 games back of AL East-leading Boston, their biggest deficit since August 1995, and have lost four straight and eight of 11. They dropped a season-high seven games under .500 and are tied with Tampa Bay for last in the AL East at 21-28.
… oh, my! But why do I have the feeling that we’re being set up for “the biggest comeback since the Red Sox were down 3-0 in the 2004 ALCS”?
May 28, 2007 at 8:31 pm
#11 Wouldnt miss it. His previous AB drive was maybe 5 feet short of that. The CF’er staggered under it for the catch. Both were dead center projected extraordinarily high. Strange old custom at LE: they pass around a hat for dollars after a player homers. Somehow I dont think Antonelli is going to need the $ in a couple years.
May 28, 2007 at 8:37 pm
#16: “Pass the hat” is pretty standard at any minor-league ballpark. The local boosters will do that after a player hits a home run or a pitcher strikes out the side. Sounds like a fun game tonight…
May 28, 2007 at 9:05 pm
17 … they don’t do it in Eugene or Salem (NW League) or Portland (PCL) or Stockton (Cal League) … it’s my understanding that it’s a tradition in the Texas league … and I’ve witnessed it in Amarillo, back when they had a team (Padres AA, many moons ago, ex. TG went thru there) … and most of the guys hitting the HR’s do need the cash (my guess is that Antonelli doesn’t even need the cash now … he surely got a hefty signing bonus for being a 1st rounder)
May 28, 2007 at 9:44 pm
#18: I stand corrected. Could have sworn I’d seen it throughout the Cal League…
May 28, 2007 at 9:57 pm
Lot’s of fun. 3rd row just to the left of the plate looking into Storm dugout. Missed Blanks and Bubba Bell (no joke) who leads the league in HRS and has a 1.134 OPS.
May 29, 2007 at 4:47 am
UT’s reporting that Boomer will get his next two starts on the road as scheduled. Let’s hope his home/road split is just an anomaly thanks to early season small sample size. Or that everyone else packed their bats for the trip.
May 29, 2007 at 8:42 am
So I wonder why Bud pulled Jake ahead of Wells in the rotation (last week)? I like that he did … I just wish he’d do it again … where “it” means not be a slave to the 5-man rotation … which he’s obviously not … but today seems like a good day to skip Wells … simple … valuable …
May 29, 2007 at 9:53 am
The Pirates seem like a good match-up for Wells. Let him soak up some innings against the weaker-hitting clubs.
Someone tell me why we’re carrying 12 pitchers when Hampson and Cameron don’t even need to come to the park? Not like we could use a RH bat on the bench or anything.