| time: | 1:10 p.m. PT |
| tv: | 4SD |
| sp: | Justin Germano (5-1, 2.67) vs Chad Billingsley (4-0, 4.01) |
| pre: | Padres.com, SI.com |
I’ve got no real angle for this one other than a sweep would be nice. The Padres have won seven straight road series and are 24-17 away from Petco Park this season. They also have the best run differential (+82) in the National League through June. Only the Detroit Tigers (+85) are better in MLB.
Did I mention a sweep? Yeah, that’d be good. Welcome to July, and go Padres!
I was going to ask if anyone was up for a 5-run rally, but then I saw B(l)um was up. Wouldn’t want to pinch hit for him, now would we? He got a hit last night.
101: The bus is idling in the parking lot. Blum’s doing his job getting the boys back home on time.
Really, why not give Giles a crack there?
Relating to doubts about the Bradley acqusition:
Can someone explain to me the effect of chemistry? I know it’s not quantifiable, but I have no idea how chemistry could possibly make a team better or worse. How does chemistry manifest itself on the field in real results?
I think bad chemistry leads to unhappy players and guys who don’t hustle and are unwilling to play hard on the field. It’s a problem this team hasn’t seen in ages, and one that I don’t think Bradley will cause.
Happy people perform better and work as a team better.
They should just all swing over to Disneyland with Bradley on the way home. That always made me happier as a kid.
I think the Bradley trade is smart, as long as it doesn’t keep Towers from looking into more trades. If MB is a problem, we get rid of him with little lost. If not, he’s a clear improvement both offensively and defensively over Crudge.
Tony LaRussa selected six relievers instead of naming Chris Young to the All-Star team. And none of the closers were added to satisfy the every team rule.
I just spent a bunch of time voting for Chris… felt like I should although I do feel it is futile.
I especially don’t understand the selections of Fuentes and Wagner over Young. Wags has a great ERA, sure. But he has less than two thirds of the saves the NL leader does.
On the positive side, it seems like LaRussa picked a bunch of guys he knows will be available to pitch. Since my team could end up being the beneficiary of an NL win come October… I approve of trying to win.
But I’m getting awful sick of San Diego always having a player that you can argue is the biggest snub.
My brother has a theory that Brian Fuentes and his 4+ ERA made the team because LaRussa wanted another lefty reliever. I bet he’s spot on.
Also, Matty V mentioned that Penny was going to get the start again, but that isn’t on the Internet. Was he wrong, or more informed?
It would be great for LaRussa to have to actually justify a few of his choices. I find it especially interesting that both Peavy and Hoffman made the team via the player vote, LaRussa did not actually select a single Padre to the team himself.
Sheets over Young?
Smoltz over Young?
Brian Fuentes over Young?
Hamels over Young?
At this point I guess I’m just at a loss over how the 3rd best pitcher in the NL gets left off the team.
Maybe because Young made Pujols look bad last year?
It could be something not sinister. LaRussa has said he’d always take the great closer over the great SP, which makes him far less of a genius than his fans claim. I don’t mind Young getting the rest. I wouldn’t mind Peavy getting it, either. The healthier those two are, the more likely Black is to manage the NL squad next year.
Did anyone catch Bud Black’s Bochyesque Sunday lineup today? Branyan, Blum, and Bocachica? No wonder we didn’t score any runs.
re 110……..I don’t think it is sinister(not sure how an all star selection ever could be, unless we’re talking about 12 year olds) but there should be an expectation that the manager takes, say at least the 3 best pitchers in the league if they are making a 11 man staff.
109, you could make the argument that Sheets, Smoltz and Hamels are better than CY. I am not saying they are or arent, but they are definitely all deserving. I dont get Brian Fuentes at all
111. I really dont think Buddy wanted to win this game.
re 113: Go ahead and make the argument then…..I can’t think of a good one. I guess they pitch deeper into games then CY, but they haven’t been close to as effective.
As much as I like Hamels(another RB alum) he shouldn’t be close to the all star team.
I just voted about 15 times for Young.
re 103: No one can explain the effect of chemistry.
Random question: Since the start of the 2003 season, one player with 1500 or more PAs has had a lower OBP and SLG than Geoff Blum. Name him…
117: I’m going with Neifi Perez.
Garrett Anderson?
#118: Guess I need to make these a little harder, huh?
#119: Not quite:
Blum: .238/.286/.357
Anderson: .294/.326/.464
Guys we are overlooking the fact that Geoff Blum is a WORLD SERIES HERO.
re: 111
perhaps a chance to look at all three pending the coming decision when MB comes off the DL?
122: Not a bad theory.
I thiink y’all are experiencing a little too much Padres paranoia. I know we get dissed a lot by the east coast media and the baseball establishment in general, but as deserving as CY is, I think it’s perfectly understandable he was left out.
Frankly, I think it’s a much better gesture to include Trevor in the season in which he became the first closer to have 500 saves, and he’s pitching great as well. Jake certainly has the name and recognition, not to mention a better, more established track record than CY. And really it’s not reasonable for one team to have three pitchers representing it when there are a limited number of roster spaces.
CY will have plenty of opportunitites in the future to be there and Trevor is at the end of his career. I think LaRussa made the right choice in this case, but I can understand how y’all think he was asleep at the wheel.
115: I dunno, I’d se Hamels his been just as effective as CY, he wins games and striked out alot of guys. I think CY should be there too but i cant make an argument that the guys who went shouldnt be there, except for Fuentes. But as Pat said. 3 pitchers from one team would had been a stretch.