IGD: Padres @ Phillies (26 Aug 07)

Game #129
time: 10:35 a.m. PT
tv: 4SD
sp: Tim Stauffer (0-0, 17.18) vs Kyle Kendrick (6-3, 4.06)
pre: Padres.com, SI.com, B-R.com

Four things:

  1. Glad to see Doug Brocail take care of business with Carlos Ruiz. Plunking the punk in the hip won’t hasten Marcus Giles‘ return from the DL, but it’s good to know that guys have each other’s backs. And Ruiz is still an idiot.
  2. Craig Stansberry, recalled from Triple-A Portland, whacked the first pitch he saw in the big leagues just over the outstretched glove of Philadelphia second baseman Tadahito Iguchi for a single. Stansberry was batting for Rob Mackowiak, who had been announced for Brocail but who was lifted when lefty J.C. Romero entered for the Phillies with one on and two out in the seventh. Congrats to Stansberry, who also becomes the first ever big-league player born in Saudi Arabia.
  3. Milton Bradley is a unique talent and a unique individual. His style of play is infectious, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t have any concerns. The home run he hit on a 3-0 fastball from Tom Gordon in the eighth to tie the game went halfway up the second deck. There are no bonus points for distance, but that was impressive. Chirping at fans who had been heckling him from behind the plate afterwards… Look, I can’t remember a guy (and maybe I’m missing someone) who has put on a Padres uniform in the past 15-20 years who would’ve done something like that. Randy Myers? Not a hitter, but he’s the only player I can think of that might have been as intense as Bradley appears to be. I guess I’m just hoping Bradley can keep his energy channeled on the right things, because we sure do need him. Still, how can you not love this quote about his exchange with fans behind the plate?

    They’re telling me I’m no good, I’m telling them I am that good. It feels good to come through and help this team win.

    I mean, it’s a bit obnoxious, but the man has a point. He is that good.

  4. Citizens Bank Park is fun, in a Coors Field kind of way, but I would hate to see my team play half its games there. Brett Myers was at least half right in claiming that the two homers he served up in the ninth were “just pop ups.” Kevin Kouzmanoff‘s looked legit to me, but how did the ball Terrmel Sledge hit even come close? Judging from the type of swing he took and the trajectory of the ball, I’m guessing it doesn’t reach the warning track at Petco. Hey, we’ll take it.

Whatever the outcome of Sunday’s game, the Padres have won consecutive road series against playoff contenders and they’ve done it with lots of hitting. Can they keep it going and get the sweep in Philly behind Tim Stauffer? The matchup would appear to favor the home team, but after seeing Sledge’s pop up clear the left field fence on Saturday, I’m not ruling out anything.

Go Padres!

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95 Responses »

  1. Well I’m sticking around and seeing this game through. Not because I think we have a shot to win, not because I want to keep tabs on our offense, and not even because of a love for the game.

    It’s because I simply can’t wait to hear more Steve Quis stories about Tuffy the Toro.

  2. #49: Good point. I didn’t think about that. OK, rock & roll.

  3. What you think a 5 run deficit in the T-4 in this ballpark is insurmountable ?

  4. Mini rally forming…

  5. Nice clutch AB by Sledge. That looks pretty painful though.

  6. This is where our bats need to get hot.

  7. I’ve always wanted to see Stauffer do well, given the integrety he showed fessing to the shoulder injury. It just isn’t likely going to happen, at least not here.

  8. Damnit Adrian!

    That’s a freaking sac fly!

  9. LaForest sucks as well and now Stauffer is up with bases loades and 2 outs. Of course we can’t score one run. GRRRRRRRR.

  10. 59: Dude, that was not Pete’s fault. The 2-0 pitch was a joke, and when Kendrick went right back there on the 2-1, LaForest had to go after it. Crap umpiring in that AB.

  11. G’day all. I’m turning her off today.

  12. I see that the top of the fourth was a clear signal that Bud is content to go home 4-2. Bases loaded, a great opportunity to get back in the game, and he sends Stauffer up there to finish off the inning. I guess he didn’t want to burn through the bullpen before the key games against the division. Still what’s the difference between Ledezma with no outs and Ledezma in relief of Stauffer with one out and another run added to the Phillies tally?

  13. OK, let me get this straight. We are going to sacrifice this game to go after the DBs. Is it going to work?

  14. Now it’s a fucking laugher. Anybody else wanna stand up for Stauffer?

  15. A poorly umpired game all the way through.

    I can’t fault Black for not burning any arm when we don’t score with the bases loaded and no outs. Pull as many regulars as we can. Mac in LF, Ensberg at 1b, Stansberry at SS.

  16. I’m out.

  17. Of course the other risk by letting Stauffer take one for the team is that his confidence is shattered forever. I am not sure I agree with this move. Ledezma is as fresh as can be –we not let someone with a little more experience –”take one for the team”

  18. Yeah, lets give the vets a rest now. No break for a long time and 2 hours out of the humidity. This might be a blessing in the long run.

  19. 67: I don’t much care. Stauffer’s future is as a middle reliever on a non-contending team or as a rotation mainstay somewhere in AAA.

    It’s not that I dislike Stauffer, but if the choice is between Stauffer’s confidence and having Ledezma or anyone else fresh for even one key at-bat versus the DBax, I go for option 2. If we weren’t so shy of position players or it was closer to the 8th inning I’d put Blum on the mound.

  20. 70: I don’t understand Bradley even hitting here, unless he asked Black not to take him out before his last at-bat. Nothing good can come of letting the key guys stay in, and Bradley is as key as we’ve got.

  21. Staufer + Ledezma = Phillies taking a shot at that 30 run record.

  22. #69 You’re probably right on this one. Stauffer is no longer anything close to a prospect- my heart just sank when I saw Cla warming up so yes, maybe it was alright to sacrifice Stauffer and get 4 innings out of him no matter what.

    Ledezma is not a major leaguer now either. No use saving him for future key at bats. I don’t see any reason to keep him on a post season roster.

  23. I wish I was still in SD….

  24. Lately I have been praying nightly that T.Sledge is not on the post season roster. He has zero bat control and rarely walks – no speed and sub par defensively.

    I cringed last night when his routine fly ball got out of Citizen’s last night. That homerun guaranteed him another 30 at bats down the stretch. If Hairston is not ready, bring up Brady Clark !

  25. #57: Yeah, it’s sad. Stauffer pitched reasonably well for us at times in ’05 but never was able to build on that initial success. He might kick around a while longer, but I don’t think this is what anyone imagined when the Padres drafted him. Too bad.

    #69: I’m with you, TW. The series has been won; no use burning up arms that could help against Arizona this coming week. Now everyone except Hampson and possibly Meredith should be ready on Monday. With luck, Peavy will go fairly deep and give those two a breather. Black is setting up his pitching staff for the showdown. I’ve got no problem with that at all.

    Great road trip. I think this team may have opened some eyes back east.

  26. #74: I agree about Sledge. Get rid of him.

  27. #74: The only current Padre with at least 100 PA who has more unintentional walks per plate appearance than Sledge is Milton Bradley:

    Bradley: .139
    Sledge: .112
    OG: .107
    Bard: .099
    Cameron: .098
    NOG: .089
    Blum: .085
    Adrian: .084
    Kouz: .055
    KG: .045
    Barrett: .010

    His defense is terrible and he has trouble making consistent contact, but Sledge actually does draw walks.

  28. #77 I stand to be corrected. His (Sledge) OBP is certainly not terrible and there may not be a better option at Portland. Brady Clark has hardly been setting the world on fire over the last 2+ years at the mlb level and regardless of whether they were cheapies or not, he delivered a big homer last night and doubled off lefty Wagner in a big game.

    It would be a huge boost to get a healthy Hairston back and we will bide our time and I guess I could lay off Sledge.

  29. A little sequence & distribution analysis ala S.Baxamusa of THT.

    Sledge % Padres %
    BB 23 434
    batting 8 6 26 54 12
    4 pitch walks 10 43 104 24
    2 out walks 12 52 166 38
    2 out rsp 8 35 76 18
    -2,-3 7 30 65 15

  30. Sorry this came out so twisted. #77 I come to the conclusion that Sledge’s BB total is less impressive than the raw stat would indicate. Do you agree? Somewhat?

  31. sorry if you guys talked about this alreadu but since the padres sent down hensley and they cant recall him for 8 days who are they going to start in hs spot of the rotation?

  32. #80: Hard to say. Depends on what Sledge would have done in those PAs had he not walked (unknowable) and how his distro compares to those of other Padres hitters (which you’ve already hinted at with team totals). It is probably true that some of those walks in the #8 hole were of the “unintentional intentional” variety.

    #81: I have been wondering the same thing. No inside information here, but my best guess, based on simple process of elimination, would be Jack Cassel.