When Cubs Come to Town
Tue, May 22, 2007
by Geoff Young
The Cubs spent nearly $300 million this past winter on free agents, brought in a high-profile manager, and put the club on the market. Somehow I doubt anyone was hoping for a sub-.500 record in MLB’s weakest division a quarter of the way through the season.
Ex-Padre Derrek Lee is back and hitting again, though the homers aren’t there (Terrmel Sledge has more). Alfonso Soriano has been okay, but that’s hardly the standard by which a guy like Soriano should be measured. He was the marquee name in the free-agent market, and he’s hitting .288/.335/.471. For comparison, Jose Cruz Jr. is hitting .280/.348/.483. A lot can happen still, but how can the Cubs and their fans not be a little disappointed in what they’ve seen so far? Outside of Lee and Aramis Ramirez, the offense has been lackluster.
On the pitching side, newcomers Ted Lilly and Jason Marquis have worked out better than anyone had a right to expect. Lefty Rich Hill finally is developing into the front-line starter that his minor-league record hinted at for years. The bad news is that rotation mainstay Carlos Zambrano has gone from whifferific to tatertastic in the blink of an eye, and the fifth spot is a perpetually revolving door. The bullpen? A 3-11 record and 4.16 ERA doesn’t get it done.
To be clear, the Padres offense isn’t exactly setting the world (or even a small shed) on fire in May. Only Geoff Blum (.368/.400/.684 in 19 AB) and Kevin Kouzmanoff (.324/.396/.514 in 37 AB) have an OPS over 800. As a team, they’re hitting .231/.308/.361 for the month, which sounds terrible until you realize that opponents are hitting .220/.273/.306.
The Padres aren’t having the monster May that we’ve grown accustomed to (and perhaps dependent upon) over the past couple of seasons, but with an 11-7 record and a Pythagorean winning percentage of .675 for the month, it’s hard to complain too vigorously. If one theme has remained constant for the Padres so far, it’s that despite not playing as well as we believe these guys are capable of playing, they are holding ground.
Even if you don’t believe this team is better than they’ve shown, you’re looking at an 88-win season. That’s the same total as 2006 and a shade more than the 85 wins I predicted for 2007.
The problem, as we’ve acknowledged, is that the NL West keeps improving and 85-88 wins no longer guarantees anything. The Dodgers are coming back to earth, as we figured they would, but don’t expect them to go away in the foreseeable future. Same with the Diamondbacks, who still concern me the most. They’re young and they don’t know how good they can be. That is unsettling, to say the least…
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.
AAA
Paul McAnulty: 1 AB, 1 R, 1 H, 0 RBI; 4 BB - for Lynch…
Luis Cruz: 5 AB, 2 R, 3 H, 3 RBI; 2 2B, HR, SO
AA
No games scheduled
High-A
No games scheduled
Low-A
Stephen Faris: 6.0 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 SO, 0 HR
Commentary:
Faris now has 9 strikeouts in 24 IP. Alrighty then…
* * *
[Ed note: This week, Peter is profiling the top pitchers available in the 2007 draft. He'll cover nine per day. Enjoy!]
Draft Preview: College Pitchers
The following are a collection of collegiate pitchers who are draft-eligible. I compiled the list based on Baseball America’s top 50 collegians. BA’s top 50 list is copyrighted, so I removed the ranking order; players are listed alphabetically. Stats are through games of May 20, 2007.
LHP James Adkins (Tennessee)
3.01 ERA, 6-7 in 113.2 IP, 103 H, 52 R, 38 ER, 42 BB, 128 SO, 11 HR, .241 BAA
One of the Baseball America writers once said (paraphrasing), “Stuff is more important than production, but stuff without production is worrisome.” Adkins’ strikeout rate is quite nice and his walk rate is solid as well. He’s even decent with his hits-allowed total. However, he’s allowing quite a few unearned runs and his home-run rate is high. Is shoddy defense getting the best of Adkins, or is he allowing runs to score after a random miscue in the field? If the scouting department is comfortable with the unearned runs and thinks Adkins will be helped by leaving aluminum bats behind, Adkins is someone I wouldn’t mind to see on the Padres draft list.
RHP Jake Arrieta (Texas Christian)
3.36 ERA, 8-3 in 85.2 IP, 84 H, 40 R, 32 ER, 46 BB, 83 SO, 4 HR, .253 BAA
Arrieta’s walk rate is too high, his hit rate is only acceptable, and while he has only given up four homers, he has given up 19 doubles. It might be a function of aluminum bats, but teams are making solid contact against the right-hander. There are other options.
RHP Andrew Brackman (North Carolina State)
3.81 ERA, 6-4 in 78.0 IP, 78 H, 41 R, 33 ER, 37 BB, 74 SO, 7 HR, .264 BAA
Brackman was considered a top pick coming out of high school but with his firm commitment to N.C. State he slid to the 36th round. He’s considered a top 10 pick, but his statistics worry me. Against college competition he should be allowing fewer hits, fewer home runs, and fewer walks. If he was more dominant or if we could surmise that he the aluminum bats hurt him or possibly he is just little wild… However, when we combine the three, I get scared.
Brackman will be long gone when the Padres pick at 23, but I have a feeling he could be the biggest bust in the draft.
[Ed note: The 6'10" Brackman played forward for the basketball team in his first two years at N.C. State. See also Brackman's scouting report at MiLB.com.]
LHP Brett Cecil (Maryland)
3.32 ERA, 5-6 in 62.1 IP, 62 H, 28 R, 23 ER, 19 BB, 62 SO, 3 HR, .270 BAA
The 2007 draft is deep in two things:
- high school talent, and
- collegiate left-handed pitching.
Cecil is one of the top lefties in the draft (well, one of the top lefties not named David Price). His statistical profile doesn’t “wow” me, nor does it scare me. In a world where you need both stat guys and scouts, we’ll leave Cecil to the scouts.
RHP Sam Demel (Texas Christian)
2.17 ERA, 6-1 in 45.2 IP, 31 H, 16 R, 11 ER, 15 BB, 67 SO, 0 HR, .187 BAA
Sam Demel has faced 185 batters this season; only 49 have reached base. And of the 31 that have reached base via hit, only three of them have hit extra-base hits (all doubles). Demel’s strikeout total is sick, his walk rate is reasonable, his hit rate is fantastic… If the Padres are interested in a fast-moving collegiate closer, Demel would make my target list…
LHP Ross Detwiler (Missouri State)
2.09 ERA, 4-4 in 86.0 IP, 60 H, 28 R, 20 ER, 34 BB, 108 SO, 6 HR, .192 BAA
Unlike Brackman, Detwiler has a low hit rate, a low walk rate, but his HR total is tad high. Thus, again, unlike Brackman, Detwiler’s HR total is less offensive and because of the low walk & hit rates, it is likely the aluminum bats causing the high-ish HR total. Detwiler is also a likely top 10 pick and in my mind a safer bet than Brackman.
[Ed note: See also Detwiler's scouting report at MiLB.com and a QA&A with Detwiler at Scout.com.]
1B/LHP Sean Doolittle (Virginia)
2.63 ERA, 7-3 in 68.1 IP, 62 H, 26 R, 20 ER, 18 BB, 54 SO, 2 HR, .245 BAA
There are certainly guys have averaged less than a strikeout per inning in college who have had success in professional baseball, but with so many other options on this list, Doolittle’s (relative) lack of strikeouts would likely cause me to pass on him.
RHP Barry Enright (Pepperdine)
1.73 ERA, 12-4 in 125.0 IP, 110 H, 32 R, 24 ER, 13 BB, 85 SO, .238 BAA
I could write the same thing about Enright that I wrote about Doolittle… Not that he won’t be a decent player, but there are better options.
RHP Joshua Fields (Georgia)
4.46 ERA, 1-6 in 38.1 IP, 34 H, 25 R, 19 ER, 24 BB, 45 SO, 3 HR, .243 BAA
Fields is a Top 50 collegian (so he should be drafted in the top three rounds), but his production doesn’t fall in line with what we should expect to see out of player with his tools.
There you have it. Thanks, Peter! Jake Peavy and Rich Hill lock horns tonight in the opener against the Cubs. IGD at 6 p.m. PT. Go Padres!
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 22, 2007 at 8:00 am
I believe Rob Neyer or someone at ESPN posted stats showing that the Cubs and Brewers have nearly identical run differentials. The Cubs will be there in the end, particularly if their starting pitching holds up.
May 22, 2007 at 9:01 am
So how can we get more hitting? With just a little more hitting, someone to protect Adrian maybe, the pads could get to 90 wins. Should we give up pitching for a little hitting? Germono is pitching well, is there a trade there. And would a hitter want o come to Petco and who would it be, a left-fielder probably. Agree, the pads seems about the same as last year, but the NLW is a little better so 85 wins might not cut it and the wildcard looks like it’ll come out of the East, so we got to win outright. REACTION!
May 22, 2007 at 9:01 am
Whatever happned to Hacksaw?
May 22, 2007 at 9:26 am
I think the thing that makes the most sense is to move Linebrink if they can find a substancial upgrade for the offense. With the bullpen looking very good and Germano capable of falling into the rotation and being more effective then Thompson was last year-the pitching staff should be all set.
The problem is that they don’t have a huge hole in the lineup if Kouz and Cameron continue their paths back to career norms….where does the upgrade come from? Left field?
May 22, 2007 at 9:26 am
OT: I need to do a quick software upgrade. Will be back up and running by 9:45 a.m. PT. Thanks…
May 22, 2007 at 9:37 am
And we’re back. Sorry ’bout that…
May 22, 2007 at 10:08 am
Re: 3
He ditched the moustache and glasses and now works as a Moe Howard impersonator.
May 22, 2007 at 10:19 am
#7: Nice. Someone needs to hang a star on that one…
May 22, 2007 at 10:55 am
Storm of Love
http://www.baseballamerica.com.....63949.html
Huffman, Blanks, & Cooper gettin’ love on BA Prospect Hot Sheet
May 22, 2007 at 11:45 am
I can’t imagine Germano would last longer in the rotation than this weekend. Although, given Clay Hensley’s earlier problem, I’d rather have him be the long man for a few innings before reinserting him into the starting rotation.
The hitting will come around once the weather is warmer, I think.
OTOH, the club can’t be hitting on/off all the time like so far. The bullpen is not going to hold up this well all season. It’ll be nice to go on a tear a little, like a week of averaging 7 runs/game and let the pitchers relax a little. Maybe with a 1-0 win in the middle of that.
Rumors of Giambi to Angels of LA of Anaheim running amok in NYC (where else?).
Why don’t they talk to the Padres for PMac? He can hit. Really! It’ll be cool to see Cust vs. PMac in the AL West race.
May 22, 2007 at 12:14 pm
PF … thanks for the McAnulty love … I noticed!
2 … before we go trading some pitching for some hitting (which I’m not averse to) … I’d like to see McAnulty get 100 ABs in LF … and/or Stansberry get some of the Blum/Robles playing time …
I don’t think we do enough whining about OG’s production … I think we all resonably expected some rebound in production … ‘05 OPS = .905 … ‘06 OPS = .771 … expecting .850ish in ‘07 … getting .694 so far … and that was .732 in April down to .630 in May … this is getting serious …
9 … thanks for the link to BA PHS … did you notice the “Blast from the Past”? JJ Furmaniak … who is my nomiee for the PTBNL from the A’s for Cust
May 22, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Whitney @ pdxbeavers.com posted this update last night …
Stansberry is currently out with an injured hand. He got jammed by a ground ball. He shouldn’t be out too much longer.
May 22, 2007 at 12:24 pm
Speaking of trades:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....index.html
This is one person’s wish list and I doubt it will happen, but I sure wouldn’t mind seeing the Dodgers part with Andy LaRoche to bring in Scott Rolen.
May 22, 2007 at 12:55 pm
The Cubs are one of two teams in the NL that have been better than the Padres to this point in the season (the other being the Mets).
May 22, 2007 at 12:55 pm
13: That would be spectacular.
May 22, 2007 at 12:58 pm
#13: Ditto.
May 22, 2007 at 1:02 pm
OG has been playing with what sounds like a fairly serious bone bruise on his knee since the Chicago series. I’m not saying that accounts for all his problems but it certainly can’t be helping matters.
If Giles continues to decline and Cameron leaves we’re looking at having to replace our entire outfield next year. We need more than P Mac, Sledge and Cruz.
May 22, 2007 at 1:21 pm
I think we worry a little too much around here. The Padres are the best team in the NL West and could be in first place by the end of the night. The pitching is both strong and deep in not only the bullpen but the rotation. The black holes that were Cameron and Kouzmanoff have started be productive.
The low minors are looking relatively promising which is a huge step up from where they were just a few years ago. And we have a bunch of picks early in the upcoming draft.
The Padres have had three consecutive winning seasons for the first time ever. They’ve won the division (and made the playoffs) in two consecutive seasons for the first time ever. And on top of that, they should continue all three streaks this year. In ‘04, we lost 98 damn games.
Things are good right now.
May 22, 2007 at 1:28 pm
OG’s eye is still intact, just not his power. There was a bunch of talk about a power rebound this year for him. Why is that? Unless he is popping HGH, I see no reason to expect his power to do anything except decline. I hope he can focus on his OBP, let his power drift down. If he has .400 OBP, he can get to upper 700s OPS with 350-380 power. That is all I think we can hope for.
On the third order standings, Cubs are in first place in the NL Central, so a team not to be taken likely.
I have not heard much made about it, but we need to be honest about it: interleague screws up division races and the Padres are massive beneficiares of it. I forgot where I saw it, but the Padres have the weakest non-division schedule in the division. In this division, with 3 to 5 very close teams (I cannot decide on SF or DEN), that could be the difference.
May 22, 2007 at 1:33 pm
I think the farm system has to be a success over the past two drafts which is a huge improvement from before Fuson was here. If they can sign Latos and then don’t go signability with all their early picks then the system could be at least middle of the road by this time next year.
The easiest way to improve the team still looks like finding an every day corner outfielder allowing OG to sit against LHP in favor of Cruz.
May 22, 2007 at 1:34 pm
I kind of think we will trade Germano. His BABIP is very low (also some Padres relievers: Cameron, Brocail). I would take Hensley’s season over Germano’s hot streak. If we could get a solid RH utility infielder, that would be great.
May 22, 2007 at 1:41 pm
20: The problem is that even with his good starts, Germano is not that big of a trade bait. Hensley, on the other hand, will draw more interest.
As for a solid utility infielder, there’s Oscar Robles on the bench even if he is a LH. I don’t think a solid RH will add much if Blum is still around. Cut Blum, replace him with a RH and platoon with Oscar as utility guys, now that might work.
May 22, 2007 at 1:47 pm
18.
Richard,
I think I kinda like the fact that we worry a little too much here. I think a lot of us or at least myself worry about being nothing more than average. The last 3 season yeah technically we had winning records but I don’t consider being just over .500 as really doing anything special. Winning the west and getting laughed out of the playoffs the last 2 years is like being the the smartest Hilton sister or being the best looking VanGundy brother. In short… It’s not a huge achievement. It’s awesome to see the organization making strides and it’s really nice to see some of our prospects being mentioned in the BA hot sheet like they were this week. With that said it’s pretty obvious right now that we are not an elite team though. I have a really hard time seeing this team in the same league as the Red Sox or some of the other elite teams. I think people are talking and “worrying” because it’s obvious and we all just want to be able to have a real chance compete for a championship. Yes things could be a lot worse we know all about it but it’s not like we are all set to win the series and until we are I doubt you are going to find many fans without an opinion on what the team may or may not need.
May 22, 2007 at 1:49 pm
It just goes to show you can spend all the money in the world and it won’t guarantee you to get to the playoffs. The Cubs I would personally say have under acheived and they need to get on the ball and play like a team that wants to team. They’ve had the stigma of the “loveable losers” and it’s time to break that.
I just can’t get over that. It takes time to get the team used to each other. If they can play as a team, they could perhaps pick up the pace after the All Star Break and at least get a wild card spot.
May 22, 2007 at 1:56 pm
23: The Padres lost to a team they were better than in the playoffs. A best of five series is more about luck than anything.
May 22, 2007 at 2:06 pm
18 … amen … things are *GOOD* … and they can be better!
re: “black holes” … yes, it’s good that Cameron and KK are productive … but clearly not OG and Sledge and Cruz (and probably others) are in their own “black holes” … enough to “worry about” …
re: “low minors” … LE is good … FTW is not so good, enough to “worry about” …
For me, “worry” is what this blog is all about … it’s my passion … and it’s clearly the passion of this community … and it’s fun
May 22, 2007 at 2:07 pm
25.
I think the Cards were a beat-able team but I wouldn’t say the Padres were a better team.
May 22, 2007 at 2:14 pm
The Cards were the 8th best team in the playoffs and just got hot.
May 22, 2007 at 2:20 pm
The Cards were the inferior team in that series, and were one of the worst teams, 2005 Padres notwithstanding, to ever be in the playoffs. They just got hot at the right time.
I go with Richard on this one.
2006 regular season:
Offense - even
Padres 102 OPS+
Cardinals 102 OPS+
Pitching - Padres
Padres 109 ERA+
Cardinals 97 ERA+
Defense - Padres
Padres .718 DER
Cardinals .704 DER
May 22, 2007 at 2:22 pm
25: The Cards just got hot at the right time. If that five game series had been a couple weeks earlier when we took 2 of 3 in St. Louis(Thanks Pujols for creaming that ball for the comeback, by the way), we would have won the series. As someone esle said, the playoffs are really a matter of luck more than anything else.
As for our IF/OF reserves, I think it’s well past time to dump Blum and to bring up P-Mac. If OG is hurt, put him on the DL and put P-Mac in left, shifting Crudge to right. Robles and Branyan are more than capable back-up IF, and P-Mac/Sledge make for an OK OF back up.
My biggest concern right now is our catching situation. We got phenomenal production out of our catching platoon last year that we are obviously not getting this year. Even though I think the stolen bases are made to be a bigger deal then they actually are, they are still a concern. As far as I know, we don’t have any steallar catcher prospects in the system, and I’m not sure who’d be willing to part with their backstop. Any chance we can get Theo to take Blum for Kottaras (I have no idea if Kottaras is any good, but I like the idea of hosing Boston with a Blum trade)?
Also, another possible solution for the OG conundrum. Trade him back to Pittsburgh for X.
May 22, 2007 at 2:24 pm
I have a hard time saying a team with Pujols, Rolen, Edmonds and Carpenter just “got hot”. I think their pitching forgot who they were and decided to get hot but when that team clicks I would hate to face that offense. They have been a world series team or an LCS team for like 3 or 4 years straight right? I know last year they didn’t have a great season but I still think they had a better team than we did.
May 22, 2007 at 2:33 pm
31 … I’m with you, KRS1 … I guess I’m thinking that during the season the Cardinals “got cold” …
May 22, 2007 at 2:54 pm
#18: Yep, I’d much rather have the current set of concerns than be stuck contemplating which Bobby Jones sucks less.
#32: A lot of teams “got cold” during the season; the vast majority of them didn’t make the playoffs. The Cardinals were very fortunate not to be among those.
May 22, 2007 at 3:04 pm
31: Jeff Weaver.
May 22, 2007 at 3:12 pm
I just think that a bad season and a bad team are 2 totally different things. They had a bad year and I think we only won like 5 or 6 more games than they did.
May 22, 2007 at 3:16 pm
I think if a team is ‘cold’ for the whole season, they are not very good. Like the Padres of ‘99 that went on a 14-game winning streak, they were not good, just got hot then.
Like KRS1 mentioned, the pitching forgot who they were.
Anybody really thought that going into that series against the Cardinals that the Padres was going to lose? Honestly, people. They got Jeff fricking Weaver winning the playoffs, and the nameless second baseman hitting and fielding balls, and the catcher hitting HRs. If that’s not getting ‘hot’, I don’t know what is. I don’t think the whole world thought the Cardinals would be the WS winner of 2006 other than their fans and even then….
OK, but that was last year. Some of the problem that the Padres had last season is still around, namely hitting with RISP. Pitching and defense is all good but a little bit more hitting and scoring would be nice.
I still take this team over the ones we had in ‘99-’02.
May 22, 2007 at 3:27 pm
Also, the Padres this year are fourth in the Majors and second in the NL in wOBA differential.
May 22, 2007 at 3:30 pm
How many times do you hear “good teams find a way to win”? They did it. They might have overachieved in winning the series and they were lucky to make the playoffs I agree but going into our series with them I didn’t think we were the better team. 2 years ago we were saying “post season is post season” when we made the playoffs 2 games over .500. That doesn’t mean I am saying they were amazing but IMO they were better. We didn’t have a comparable offense IMO and in a 3 game series a couple of decent pitchers is all you need.
May 22, 2007 at 3:32 pm
I meant 5 game series.
May 22, 2007 at 3:42 pm
GY … here’s an idea either for a series of polls or for a competition … for ~10 key Padres, list their current OPS or ERA and simply choose “better” or “worse” if you think they will finish the season with a better OPS (or ERA) or worse … in other words, do you think they will do as well in the last 2/3rds to 3/4ths of the season as they have done in the first 1/4th to 1/3rd?
What got me thinking about this is Maddux … after his last start, I re-looked at what he did last season with the Dogs … ERAs of 5.94, 6.25, 5.21 in May/June/July … I gotta think that he’ll finish 2007 over 4.14 … perhaps well over …
May 22, 2007 at 3:43 pm
In the 2006 NLDS, Albert Pujols posted an OPS 125 points worse than his season mark. Scott Rolen hit .091. Jim Edmonds posted an OPS 100 points worse than his season mark. The only big name player who played up to his expectations was Chris Carpenter. Their overall hitting was bad during the series; however, the Padres’ hitting was monumentally worse.
The guys who got them were Ronnie Belliard and Jeff Weaver.
Stick with Richard, Peter, Geoff and Phantom.
May 22, 2007 at 3:43 pm
Not to dwell too much on last October’s disappointment, but headed into the series against St. Louis, I had the Cardinals showing an advantage at first base, third base, and shortstop only. When Ronnie Belliard, Yadier Molina, Scott Spiezio, and Jeff Weaver collectively catch fire, you’re pretty much hosed. And I’d be singing the same tune if you replaced those names with, say, Geoff Blum, Rob Bowen, Russell Branyan, and Mike Thompson.
We should have won that series. The only thing that lessens the sting is knowing that even better teams lost to the Cardinals as well. They picked a great month to stop being cold.
May 22, 2007 at 3:45 pm
Re 40: Maddux become a Dodger on July 31. Those numbers were with the Cubs. He was quite effective with the Dodgers.
May 22, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Alright fine, I guess we can agree to disagree then. I’m just saying going into a 5 game series I think I would rather have guys like Pujols, Rolen, Edmonds, Duncan, Carpenter supported by a team who had been to the LCS and the WS the previous 2 years coming off a sub par season than a team with Gonzalez, Piazza, Peavy and Young and everyone else.
May 22, 2007 at 4:18 pm
43 … so in a poll like I described in #40, you’d choose “better”? ie. because he was quite effective with the Dodgers in Aug/Sep, you think he’ll end 2007 with an ERA below 4.14? I’m saying that because of his rough May/June/July (whether with Cubs or Dodgers), I think he’ll have several rough outings (like his last one), which means that he’ll end the season with an ERA > 4.14 …
May 22, 2007 at 4:26 pm
no, I will choose “worse” on the WAG that this is the year he starts to lose it.
If I was going with straight statistical projection I would choose “better”.
May 22, 2007 at 4:29 pm
46 … I’m with ya on that … but that’s more because I think he started to lose it last year (aka ERAs of 5.94, 6.25, 5.21 in May/June/July) …
May 22, 2007 at 4:34 pm
Maddux poll has been posted. Have at it.
May 22, 2007 at 4:58 pm
WC @ BP had these 2 notes today …
Derrek Lee is expected back in the lineup for the Cubs today, but it will be a game-time decision. The neck spasms are something you should keep in mind due to the recurrence risk. … Dave Roberts is already swinging a bat and could be back from elbow surgery in early June.
May 22, 2007 at 5:07 pm
44: I hate that term, “agree to disagree”. That is one of the worst thing to say. You either agree or disagree. I’m okay with either. As you mentioned, you thought they were a better team. I didn’t, I really expected better out of the Padres last October.
I still say that having to choose between Carpenter versus Peavy & Young, I’d rather have the latter.
47: C’mon, LM. You expect Maddux to post those numbers again pitching at Petco? Looking at last year’s numbers, he did very well at Dodgers Stadium, and Wrigley Fields. He got rocked visiting Petco, lasting only 3 and 2/3 innings. Brewers, Mets, Pale Hose and Dbacks owned him last year. I think your prediction of ERA about 4.2 is about right. That’s his numbers the last three seasons. I’d say, he’ll be lower than 4.20.
May 22, 2007 at 5:16 pm
BTW, we are not the only team having troubles with hitting:
http://www.sportsline.com/mlb/story/10190419.
May 22, 2007 at 6:12 pm
OK, after reading the previous posts, it seems I was the only one in this blog that went to work and worked today! LOL
May 22, 2007 at 6:31 pm
OG out of the line-up tonight.
May 22, 2007 at 6:39 pm
Cruz in for OG…
May 22, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Way to go JaKKe against Lee.
May 22, 2007 at 7:26 pm
Nice to see Hill struggling so early in the 1st inning.
May 22, 2007 at 7:28 pm
Hey TD, we’re over here:
http://ducksnorts.com/blog/200.....ay-07.html