| time: | 9:10 a.m. PT |
| tv: | none |
| sp: | Justin Germano (4-0, 2.75) vs J.P. Howell (1-0, 4.85) |
| pre: | Padres.com, SI.com |
Wake up, fall out of bed, drag a comb across your head. There’s a game on this morning, and the Padres have a chance to take another series.
Nobody likes a four-game losing streak, but a 9-0 win sure makes everything better — at least for a little while. And, hey, both Kevin Cameron and Justin Hampson got into Wednesday night’s game. This reminds me, I may have stumbled onto a way to maximize a 12-man pitching staff:
| G | +/-4 | Pct | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stats are through games of June 13, 2007, and are courtesy of Baseball-Reference. +/-4 represents the games in which a pitcher entered with his club leading or trailing by four runs or more. | |||
| Cameron | 14 | 9 | .643 |
| Hampson | 11 | 7 | .636 |
| Brocail | 26 | 13 | .500 |
| Bell | 31 | 9 | .290 |
| Meredith | 28 | 5 | .179 |
| Hoffman | 27 | 3 | .111 |
| Linebrink | 28 | 3 | .107 |
If the game is out of hand, there’s a decent chance that Cameron or Hampson will get into the game. Of course, this assumes that Doug Brocail is unavailable:
Shoot, I really thought we had that solved. Ah well, perhaps some other day. Go Padres!
Jay Witasik still has a job as a major leaguer? The talent pool is that shallow and we have the bullpen we have?
I respect KT on pitching decisions. A lot.
Kevin Cameron…Bud Black’s human victory cigar.
150: Good, I thought they might give Brocail 2 innings. In april when K-Cam was pitching often his stuff looked electric.
Rays announcers are praising Jay Witasick for his post-season experience with the Yankees. They neglect to mention that he surrendered 12 runs in 5 IP that year.
re: 152 He’s becoming Jeff Lamp in a hat…
“The eggs are getting cool, the butters hardening , the jello’s jiggling and the Lamp is lit…”
#152: Nice. C’mon, Bud; bring in HVC here.
This game wont end
148: None of those things are remotely true. Linebrink has a better GB rate in 2007 than he has in any other season. He’s giving up less than a baserunner per inning. The HR total is disturbing, but he went more than a month (May 5 to June 8 ) without giving one up.
Then again, you like Blum.
when darko milicic was on the pistons i think somebody referred to him as their human victory cigar because his only playing time came for the last 30 seconds of the game when it was well in hand….i think it translates well here for Cameron.
re 148: Again, who cares if you have given up 5 HR when you have only given up 7 total runs. He is not like Boomer in that regard. Also, I don’t know what Linebrink you have been watching this year, but he is throwing more ground balls than usual, and given up well less than a hit an inning. The only concern is the low K rate.
I don’t give up one of my three best relievers unless I get something really good – which I won’t get, because teams don’t give up really good things for setup men.
158: Hey, if you follow an 8 with a parentheses it becomes a smiley face with sunglasses! But not in the Preview!
Blum has actually done better with no one on this year than as a “Rally Extender.”
160: When we traded Witasick to the Yankees, D’Angelo Jimenez was a highly ranked prospect. He just turned out to be an a-hole. Some teams might give up quite a bit for a late-inning bullpen man, the bigger question is if we’d make the move.
Sweet, tomorrow’s a day game too! Another game to listen to at work.
Brocial, end this and send it home.
#151: Yep. KT’s recent track record in assembling a quality bullpen really is amazing.
#158: Just remember that it’s a feature, and not a bug. Also, I fixed yours.
There have been numerous trades I would have been happy to give up Linebrink for, but none of the rumors I’ve heard this season with his name appeal to me. Especially with our bullpen having issues in the last few weeks and Bud refusing to use pitchers 11 and 12.
163: And Saturday and Sunday! Throw in the semi-early CWS games and it’s looking to be a very good weekend for baseball.
#130: Unless there’s a guy on first base. He’s 2-for-27 with 3 BB, 8 SO, and 4 GIDP in those situations (first, first and second, first and third, bases loaded).
With those six scoreless innings, Germano’s ERA drops to 2.35.
Peavy – 1.82
Young – 2.34
Germano – 2.35
None of us expects Germano to keep that up, but considering it is the middle of June, that should make Padre fans smile (8).
And after a brief detour, the Pads win another series.
I meant
First place all by our lonesome! Nice game boys. Way to feast on the relievers.
165: It’s been less than half a season, but Towers might have to build a roster that is less likely to be mishandled. Black can only use the tools you give him, if you trade Linebrink and take away at least one pitcher he considers unfit, then it’s harder for him to waste 2 spots in the pen. He had to do it last year when he took away Bochy’s favorite toys, EY and Vinny.
That said, the time to trade Linebrink or Meredith was over the winter. You seem to get more for a player when every team thinks it still has a chance.
Another series win for the Padres! Can never complain about those.
Hopefully we can continue the dominance of the Cubs that we’ve displayed the past few years. Good series boys.
That victory certainly brightens my day at work.
#172. I agree. At least one of Cameron or Hampson has to go. Not because they’re doing poorly, but because they are not in the slightest bit needed right now with the way Buddy has run his bullpen.
We could claim Brady Clark and bring him to the team, but I kind of like Bochachica’s athleticism and defense better.
Whey! 8 )
Goodie. The boys score more runs and win.
What’s with Kevin Cameron getting another day off in a blowout?
Love the HVC, that’s brilliant.
Wait, that didn’t work. Try again!
I’ve gotta think if anyone goes, it’ll be Hampson. Cameron has to stay on the roster all year, and I don’t think they want to offer him back to the Twins for a pittance.
Hampson still has an active option, so if anyone should go, it’s him.
I still don’t get Buddy’s reticence to throw those two, but whatever.
Didi, Thanks BIG TIME for the re: 54. Khalil’s inability to hit badballs really stands out. Need to do some cross to batting #’s. Peter, look at the wide variance in abilty to hit balls out of the zone. Fathers, check out NOG, he looks about average to me. BTW he’s hitting .382 on pitches 1 or 2, .156 thereafter. 8)8)Also see the terrific “eye” # for Kouz.
OT … I’ve been buried in some things for the past week-or-so … one thing I totally missed was Homer Bailey’s MLB debut … I’m a bit of a “prospect nut” … and MLB debut’s of the high-hype guys is something that interests me … it’s nice to the kid get a W … and a “pie” … http://tinyurl.com/3cd7tz
Lynch, did you get a chance to read about theze guys akademcik creedentials? About the most important stuff I ever learnt was when I was sitting in the dirt——-as a 6 year old batboy for the college team my old man coached. I think GY knows this is just my off beat humor.