| time: | 4:05 p.m. PT |
| tv: | 4SD, ESPN |
| sp: | David Wells (5-7, 5.18) vs Braden Looper (8-9, 5.23) |
| pre: | Padres.com, SI.com |
I would totally rip on Cardinals starter Braden Looper here, but the truth is, David Wells has been even worse. Looper actually has decent numbers at home (3.51 ERA, .251/.309/.374). He also gets lit up pretty well after 50 pitches (.333/.392/.527), which raises the question of why he’s not in the bullpen, where he’s been all his career, but I digress.
Wells? I dunno, it’s probably the plate umpire’s fault. Go Padres!
wow Looper is hitting 8th for the Cards thats got to hurt Myles ego
La Russa has done this for a couple of games in a row now, and apparently it’s not about how bad of a hitter Miles is (even though he’s awful), it’s about getting another person on base in front of the top of the order.
Re: 2 wow he has lost it, ive never been a La Russa fan now I really think he has taken his strive to be a baseball genius to the point of stupidity.
Check out the Baseball Musings roster construction engine and it does present a lot of lineup with the pitcher at #8 spot. Of course, it also bat Pujols #1 quite a bit.
http://tinyurl.com/2sh5vj
And this is if, all pitchers hit like Peavy.
Interestingly, Khalil should not hit higher than #6.
http://tinyurl.com/37jl9b
And if Jenga is healthy, #2 is his spot.
http://tinyurl.com/2mj4k3
Interesting pre-game radio note that Barrett isn’t starting after feeling woozy from a foul ball off his mask yesterday.
Also, only three umpires tonite. Let’s hope Boomer doesn’t lose it too soon…
7: Normally there are six umpires? If that’s correct, then Wells should last twice as long as he normally does before getting kicked out because there are half as many umpires to get mad at.
In The Book, I believe they came to the conclusion that hitting the pitcher 8th might actually be optimal strategy (although the gain would be tiny). I’d have to go check the chapter to make sure. Anyway, it’s interesting that Mitchel Lichtman, one of the authors, used to consult for the Cards.
Even though we went 1,2,3 there, we made Looper throw a bunch of pitches. Nice job workin the count boys.
Looper has a 5.23 ERA. Shouldn’t they be trying to hit against him for as many innings as possible?
Actually, in the first game of a four game series, it makes sense to want to get to the bullpen early.
Viva El Hombre!
Should be able to do both against Looper, score and run up the pitch count.
No good reason not to win 3 against these guys. Other then Pujols, are they even starting anyone we’d actually want on the roster?
Looper threw 46 pitches to the first 8 batters. Wells, of course, made an out on the first pitch, but that’s still a pretty impressive job of working the count.
Why doesn’t someone tell Wells to go up there and not swing until he has two strikes on him?
Against lefty:
with NOG
http://tinyurl.com/38g5eo
with Silent L
http://tinyurl.com/2rxc9k
Against righty:
with NOG
http://tinyurl.com/ypto6h
with Silent L
http://tinyurl.com/2bojzs
Was Shakespeare trying to throw the runner out when the error happened?
Welcome to bizzaro world again, Blum scorching hot….even flipping his bat after going deep.
16 – yes, the throw was high and right of Blum…who just went yard! Blummer stays hot!
And Blum hits his second home run of the season. If he keeps up his torrid post-ASB pace for another moment, his rate stats will approach league average.
19: Moment? Wow, that doesn’t look anything like “month.” I meant to type “month.”
I see “in play, run(s)” next to Blum’s name on Gameday, and I’m thinking, ok, single, two errors, Bard chugs around the bases and scores. I was completely unprepared for something like this. Way to go, Blum.
Man, if Blum keeps this up he could become faintly audible L.
Without adjusting for park or position, Blum’s almost 9.5 runs above replacement with the bat now (that’s good for 10th on the club sandwiched between Cruz and Sledge).
Matty V better be careful those fans in St. Louis seem to think the arch is as important as the Eiffel Tower, or Big Ben.
24: What’d he say? I watch the game muted with music on.
Well, he still can’t field his position.
Blum muffs that ball after going deep. Let’s hope that doesn’t hurt us.
Crap. This inning isn’t shaping up well.
27: Well, it cost us.
If not for Blum, there’d be two outs and a runner on second. Instead there are runners on first and third with not outs and one run in.
Count on Blum to give up more runs in the field than he drives in with the bat even in a game where he hits a two run home run.
Damnit Boomer. We spot you a three-run lead and you cough it right back up.
David Wells – past his prime.
Jesus Christ. 7 runs, no freaking outs. Well done Boomer. Way to stick to your trend line.
33: Boomer was cost two outs by his second baseman in that inning.
The first five singles I was willing to write off as tough luck…the sixth single and the home run, not so much. Boomer might be finished, for good.
Can we just DFA Wells yet? Seriously. We can’t ever get 5 in a row because he comes up every 5 starts.
When the Padres pitchers give it up, they sure do give it up quickly.
Wow, talk about things getting out of control. This looks like Little League.
Uh …
God, I hate the smirking punch & judy princess Miles.
Whew, made it with only 10 runs scored. OUCH!
This was just embarrassing
That last inning was a train wreck!
DFA Boomer… please
45: I agree, also Thompson should never be in a Padre uniform again.
The good news is that tonight looks like vintage Agon at the plate… it will be nice having him back in full force over the coming weeks…
46: Ya I dont know who thought it was a good idea for him to be in the major leagues again.
That was a truly sickening inning. We really really really need to rethink David Wells as a starter (or a member of the staff) from here on out. He’s hurt us big time lately, and as someone else has said, we can’t win five in a row since he pitches every fifth day.
I guess on the bright side, it was unlikely that the Cards would lose 9 in a row. Now we can win the other three.