IGD: Padres vs Giants (4 Aug 07)
Sat, Aug 4, 2007
by Geoff Young
| time: | 7:05 p.m. PT |
| tv: | 4SD |
| sp: | Clay Hensley (1-3, 6.49) vs Patrick Misch (0-1, 4.91) |
| pre: | Padres.com, SI.com |
What I listened to while driving from San Diego to Cooperstown and back:
- Nickel Creek, This Side
- New Pornographers, Twin Cinema
- Incubus, A Crow Left of the Murder
- Peggy Coolidge, Spirituals in Sunshine and Shadow
- Jason Falkner, Author Unknown
- Jimmy Eat World, Bleed American
- Jeff Buckley, Grace
- Rush, Snakes and Arrows
- Mozart, Symphony No. 25 in G Minor
- Hapa, Maui
- Cocteau Twins, Heaven or Las Vegas
- Morcheeba, Big Calm
- Andy Summers, Peggy’s Blue Skylight
- Tom Waits, Heart of Saturday Night
- Neko Case, Fox Confessor Brings the Flood
- k.d lang, Ingenue
- Cowboy Bebop soundtrack
- Mozart, Symphony No. 40 in G Minor
- Heavy Vegetable, Frisbie
- Elliot Smith, Roman Candle
- Wilco, A.M.
- White Stripes, Elephant
- Tragically Hip, Live Between Us
- Thievery Corporation, The Cosmic Game
- Lots and lots and lots of NPR
Clay Hensley makes his first start for the Padres since May 2 against Washington. Wouldn’t it be nice if he could provide the club with a shot in the arm the way Justin Germano did when Hensley landed on the DL back in May.
Also, someone is chasing a record in this game. I haven’t heard much about it, so I can’t confirm, but it might have to do with home runs? 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.
August 4, 2007 at 6:23 pm
what, no mingus?
Glad to hear you’re back safe — that run-in with a big rig sounds pretty scary.
August 4, 2007 at 6:29 pm
Thanks, bud. Actually, the Andy Summers CD (#13) is nothing but Mingus covers. Good stuff…
August 4, 2007 at 6:33 pm
Welcome back Geoff. It must have been your HOF mojo that helped Hairstan last night. Wooohooo!
August 4, 2007 at 6:37 pm
If Bonds plays tonight, more than likely he won’t tommorow. He doesn’t play day games following a night game.
August 4, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Bradley and OG are on the bench to start the game tonight. Hairston gets the start in left and leads off against the lefty Misch. For some reason, Blum still gets the start even though we are facing a lefty. He’s even hitting seventh, with Mackowiak 8th. The fact that Hairston is leading off and Mackowiak is batting 8th suggests that Black understands platoon splits, yet he goes and runs Blum out there against the lefty instead of NOG. No entiendo.
August 4, 2007 at 6:46 pm
I hope we see some more of ‘737′ tonight. That guy was smokin last night!
August 4, 2007 at 6:46 pm
Welcome back, GY. I wrote once that you needed to come back to write a post to talk us away from the edge, but we’ve won two since then. Good to have you back.
August 4, 2007 at 6:55 pm
5: Bud seems to like the “hot bat” idea, though he will only go one game at a time; Blum has been hitting well; somehow that might carry over to right side;
in case anyone is interested, this is my analysis supporting why I am in no way cheering for Bonds to tie and/or pass the record; a pet peeve of mine is that I have not seen much by the BP crowd trying to see what the data says about Bonds pursuit of the record
http://www.stokes-analysis.com/BondsCheater7.html
Either Bonds and Palmeiro agedparticularly well, or something very fishy was going on.
I am nervous about Clay vs. Barry. Maybe the good Clay shows up, but if the bad one does, it is going to be hard to watch all the hype if he goes yard
August 4, 2007 at 7:01 pm
If Clay is off his game tonight, pitch out to Bonds. I wish Jake was starting tonight.
August 4, 2007 at 7:01 pm
I guess we are learning a little about Black’s preference to playing experienced vets in lieu of rookies. The future is now. Someone asked me the other day, in a rather brusque way ” You don’t really believe Ensberg was acquired to be the starting 3B, do you?” . I believe that, despite what the front office says, that yes, Ensberg is now the starting third baseman.
August 4, 2007 at 7:07 pm
#3: Thanks, Rick.
#7: Thanks, LaMar. I noticed that and addressed it in a post this morning:
http://ducksnorts.com/blog/200.....-home.html
On another note, and at the risk of straining a muscle patting myself on the back, the NL West is now in the exact order that I predicted before the season started.
August 4, 2007 at 7:08 pm
As long as we win, I’m fine with Bonds getting the home run here.
August 4, 2007 at 7:09 pm
Geoff, how soon can we expect to see your HOF pics posted on the site?
August 4, 2007 at 7:13 pm
Clay had Doc’s # with that 3rd strike.
August 4, 2007 at 7:14 pm
OK, Clay is making a statment. ‘I want to be a starter!’
August 4, 2007 at 7:15 pm
737 with a nice grab in right. Wow.
August 4, 2007 at 7:15 pm
It’s very weird to be rooting for the Dodgers, but that is what I am doing tonight. So, gulp, go Dodgers and go Derek Lowe.
Ok, apparently I’m not doing a good job really rooting for the Dodgers, because I didn’t feel much sorrow when Eric Byrnes just homered to put the D-Backs up 2-0.
August 4, 2007 at 7:19 pm
736 left to go!!!!!!!!!!
August 4, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Whoa, Hairston has homered in three straight at-bats.
August 4, 2007 at 7:20 pm
Man, Scott Hairston. Why on earth did we acquire him again? I mean, clearly Branyan would be more useful to us. The guy cannot hit at all.
August 4, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Is anybody else’s Cox4 HD ******** up? Or is just mine?
August 4, 2007 at 7:27 pm
What about Branyan’s OPS dude !
August 4, 2007 at 7:29 pm
22: Oh, it’s still solid.
August 4, 2007 at 7:31 pm
Well, there it is.
August 4, 2007 at 7:35 pm
#24: What, last place?
August 4, 2007 at 7:35 pm
More impressive than giving up a home run to Barry Bonds: walking Pedro Feliz.
August 4, 2007 at 7:37 pm
I’ve just said all the curse words I know and my wife is telling me to be quiet. I am sooo pissed to see this happen in our backyard. The steroid junkie just crapped on our beautiful ballpark.
August 4, 2007 at 7:39 pm
Not so happy about that…sheesh. I was thinking how great it was I could watch the game since it’s on ESPN2 out east. Now I’m not so sure.
Hairston really crushed his at least.
August 4, 2007 at 7:44 pm
im watchin on espn2 in ohio, heading home tomorrow. I wish the record hadnt come off us, but no biggie. The padres did an appropriate agknowledgment, and its over. Clay left that vall up andthats what happens. Im just more pissed about the blown lead.
August 4, 2007 at 7:44 pm
The three strikeouts for Misch in that inning came on 9 pitches. Not so great.
August 4, 2007 at 7:57 pm
Hairston you bum. Only a single?
August 4, 2007 at 8:10 pm
That was a disappointing inning.
August 4, 2007 at 8:12 pm
K.Greene’s offensive numbers over the last 3 years (all with same number of at bats) are almost exactly the same. Wonder if he will ever turn the corner offensively.
August 4, 2007 at 8:13 pm
This Misch guy is maddeningly slow paced. My goodness.
August 4, 2007 at 8:21 pm
Might be expected, but Shawn Estes got roughed up tonight at Portland. Also, catcher Colt Morton (AA) continued his torrid hitting at San Antonio.
August 4, 2007 at 8:32 pm
I don’t know, I don’t really care what Bonds does anymore. I just want us to win the game.
It was kind of funny to see Selig standing there with his hands in his pockets. He also declined ESPN’s request to be interviewed in the booth.
August 4, 2007 at 8:33 pm
It’s nice to see Clay pitching pretty well.
August 4, 2007 at 8:39 pm
He’ll have to do it in SF.
August 4, 2007 at 8:43 pm
I guess Clay was outta gas. Seemed like he was struggling vs. lefties anyway so far tonight.
August 4, 2007 at 8:48 pm
It was a good decision to go get Hensley and bring in the lefty. Gameday said Hensley lost about 4 mph on his fastball from the first inning to the fifth.
I’m somewhat surprised Black didn’t go to Ledezma there, because I had read he was going to go several tonight to get stretched out to maybe start eventually.
August 4, 2007 at 8:51 pm
Great shot of the fan who caught 755, Adam Hughes. Reading his lips was pretty entertaining. Also, kudos to his buddies with the * signs.
August 4, 2007 at 8:52 pm
Attaboy, Cammy!
August 4, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Er, um. That’s terrible baserunning.
August 4, 2007 at 8:55 pm
Well that really sucked.
August 4, 2007 at 9:00 pm
43: Second that. What was Cameron doing there?
August 4, 2007 at 9:01 pm
Another great shot, the Boycott Barry blindfold.
August 4, 2007 at 9:07 pm
welcome back, Geoff! Glad to hear you’re OK, andthanks for the playlist.
August 4, 2007 at 9:17 pm
Can we go back and re-assign Hairston’s homer to this situation?
August 4, 2007 at 9:20 pm
Well, people have been clamoring for Cameron to get some non-mop up duty.
August 4, 2007 at 9:32 pm
Did Hairston get hurt? I just saw NOG is in at second and Blum is in left now.
August 4, 2007 at 9:32 pm
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/ne.....;type=lgns
Hensley, who gave up No. 755 to Bonds, had minor league steroid suspension
By BERNIE WILSON, AP Sports Writer
August 5, 2007
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Clay Hensley became an unusual footnote in baseball history when he served up Barry Bonds’ record-tying 755th home run Saturday night.
While Bonds has been shadowed by suspicions of steroid use for several years, which some fans feel has tainted his chase for Hank Aaron’s home run record, Hensley got caught when he was in the minor leagues.
August 4, 2007 at 9:33 pm
50: He did.
August 4, 2007 at 9:33 pm
Hairston fouled a ball off of his foot or ankle in his third at bat.
August 4, 2007 at 9:34 pm
51: Was he still in the Giants organization then? I honestly don’t remember.
August 4, 2007 at 9:35 pm
52: This means Barrett is the only healthy member of the bench remaining. And Blum is actually the only healthy guy that can play left field now. This is really, really bad.
August 4, 2007 at 9:37 pm
Re 54: I think it was just after we traded for him.
August 4, 2007 at 9:40 pm
I am glad (and relieved) that San Diego fans overwhelmingly cheered Bonds tonight.
August 4, 2007 at 9:45 pm
Classy fans and classy city ! I was listening to Sporting News radio a couple of days back and the late nights hosts guaranteed that the San Diego (or LA) fans would litter the field with debris and a cascade of boos would rain down if he hit a blast. Wrong !!
August 4, 2007 at 9:45 pm
With Bonds gone and both NOG and Blum in the game for us, both lineups look really, really ugly.
August 4, 2007 at 9:47 pm
They’re talking about former Padre catcher Brian Johnson now, who apparently talked with George Mitchell as part of his steroids investigation.
August 4, 2007 at 9:47 pm
GY, great to see Andy Summers on your list. Are you going to or have you seen The Police tour? I have a ticket for the concert in Amsterdam on the 14th of next month, a plane ticket from Kuwait to Amsterdam and a hotel reservation; I don’t have much faith and confidence in my management letting me use them without a whole lot of drama though.
August 4, 2007 at 9:52 pm
Re 60: I heard that, and found it quite interesting.
OT: Ensberg is having terrible at-bats today. Apparently Black just handed him the job after the game vs Arizona. I would rather have Kouz in there.
August 4, 2007 at 9:55 pm
62: I hope Black hasn’t decided after roughly 10 plate appearances that Ensberg is his full-time starter at third base.
August 4, 2007 at 10:02 pm
60:
He did, and he did an interview with Jeremy Schap about it.
August 4, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Wow, Jake in to PH. And that brings in a reliever???
August 4, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Anyone understand why Bochy made a pitching change?
August 4, 2007 at 10:06 pm
Bochy, still a slave to the righty vs. righty matchup it seems.
August 4, 2007 at 10:07 pm
OK, that was weird.
August 4, 2007 at 10:09 pm
Uh oh. Ledezma.
August 4, 2007 at 10:10 pm
67: I guess, but that was damn weird.
August 4, 2007 at 10:11 pm
Did he square around to bunt on a 3-1 pitch?
August 4, 2007 at 10:13 pm
Ball 1 to Winn sure was in the strike zone according to Game Day.
August 4, 2007 at 10:14 pm
72: Winn watches three pitches in the strike zone go by, then gets a hit on the fourth pitch.
August 4, 2007 at 10:15 pm
70 - I guess it was more for the matchup vs. NOG. But yeah, definitely weird.
August 4, 2007 at 10:16 pm
Cousins doesn’t like the high strike, huh?
August 4, 2007 at 10:18 pm
Just because a batter acts like the ball was going to hit him doesn’t make that pitch a ball.
August 4, 2007 at 10:28 pm
So who is left on the bench?
Barrett, Bradley and Giles (with Bradley and Giles being unavailable), Germano, Maddux, Meredith and Wells?
I guess Germano and Maddux are the next PH’s?
August 4, 2007 at 10:32 pm
77: That sounds about right. How painful is Cameron getting caught off third now?
August 4, 2007 at 10:41 pm
The Cameron play sucks bad right about now.
I think I’d throw Barrett up before the pitchers, depending on the situation…Blum is still in the game and could come in to catch if necessary (Bard/Barrett injury). At this point, if anyone got hurt someone would be outta position.
August 4, 2007 at 10:45 pm
79: Blum’s really already out of position.
August 4, 2007 at 10:47 pm
That was actually a pretty good PA by Blum if you ignore swinging at that first strike way out of the zone.
August 4, 2007 at 10:49 pm
Gotta be Barrett now…
August 4, 2007 at 10:50 pm
82: Yep. He may not be hitting much better than our pitchers since he got here, but he’s still a significantly better hitter than any of them are.
August 4, 2007 at 10:52 pm
Wow…the curse of Barrett lives.
August 4, 2007 at 10:53 pm
Wow. That was an ugly, ugly, ugly AB by Barrett.
August 4, 2007 at 10:55 pm
84: So, Masticore… that anything like a manticore?
August 4, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Meredith is sharp tonight.
August 4, 2007 at 10:57 pm
86 - basically…it’s kinda a long story, but more or less yes.
Not sure what’s gonna happen next now. Meredith is our last reliever. I would guess Germano is next in…
August 4, 2007 at 10:58 pm
88: Well, now I’m interested. I guess Germano pitches the 14th if it goes that long (I imagine Cla can go two).
August 4, 2007 at 11:00 pm
Hopefully Giles can actually do something positive leading off the 12th. I won’t hold my breath.
August 4, 2007 at 11:01 pm
If Germano has to pitch (tomorrow’s starter), do we bring someone up for the start?
Mike Thompson pitched on the 1st, so he’d be on short rest. Cassel would be slated to start Sunday for Portland I believe, but he’s not on the roster. This could be interesting.
August 4, 2007 at 11:02 pm
90: I should really disparage Marcus more frequently. Winning run on base now. And he follows up with a stolen base.
August 4, 2007 at 11:03 pm
91: Hopefully Germano doesn’t have to pitch tonight.
August 4, 2007 at 11:03 pm
89 - Agreed on Meredith.
Well, this is a good start at least. Barrett’s not around, so I like our chances to take it here.
August 4, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Sac Bunt… Probably the right play. Hopefully Bard can come through with the sac fly here.
August 4, 2007 at 11:04 pm
Maybe they walk Bard here to play for the DP?
August 4, 2007 at 11:05 pm
95: Okay, hopefully Gonzalez can come through with a sac fly.
August 4, 2007 at 11:06 pm
96 - walk him too, to go after Khalil it seems.
Khalil should be able to get a fly ball and end this…
August 4, 2007 at 11:06 pm
97: Okay, hopefully Greene can come through with a sac fly.
August 4, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Game over!
August 4, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Awesome!!!
August 4, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Nice!
August 4, 2007 at 11:07 pm
Hell of a game by our pen - 7 pitchers, 2 total hits allowed.
August 4, 2007 at 11:08 pm
Way to go Spicolli!!!!!!!!!
August 4, 2007 at 11:08 pm
That was a fun one. I’m glad Germano didn’t have to pitch. And it’s only 11, still plenty of time to go out. Way to go, Greene.
August 4, 2007 at 11:09 pm
105 - yeah, glad Germano was saved…otherwise tomorrow could have been a real mess.
August 4, 2007 at 11:10 pm
Huge props to the ‘pen, to NOG for getting on base and swiping second on a busted hit-and-run, and to Cameron for laying down his first sac since ‘05. Great win.
August 4, 2007 at 11:12 pm
I’m off to bed…a little late here on the East side of the world.
August 4, 2007 at 11:13 pm
Well, we witnessed history as such. I’m not honoring it in my heart to a steroid junkie.
August 4, 2007 at 11:14 pm
I wonder how close Blum was to being waived earlier in the season ? I was one that was calling for his release. Guess I was wrong. He has been a valuable asset for the Pads lately. BTW, I really like Rob Mackowiak (I am surprised at how much running speed he has) and what about the clutch pitching performance of Wilfredo Ledezma ! This team may have turned around and perhaps KT’s moves were the spark.
August 4, 2007 at 11:16 pm
#109 - Well chances are you have been on your feet cheering for many a steroid junkie if are baseball fan. The Padres NL MVP of the 1996 season was the steroid king.
August 4, 2007 at 11:16 pm
I can’t wait for ARod to beat this.
August 4, 2007 at 11:20 pm
Why should Bonds seemingly be the only one that we are disgusted with in terms of steroid use.
August 4, 2007 at 11:21 pm
#111: If you are refering to Ken Caminiti, yes I was. However, that was way before we were aware of the abuse and Ken wasn’t chasing a record.
August 4, 2007 at 11:29 pm
#114 true enough - I think the hatred towards Bonds is more because of his abrasive personality than because of his alleged steroids use.
August 4, 2007 at 11:32 pm
I put Barry Bonds in the same catagory as Pete Rose. Both are great players and both cheated the system.
August 4, 2007 at 11:35 pm
One major difference - I don’t think many have been on the game like Pete Rose but I think many,many players were on the juice and some probably still are.
August 4, 2007 at 11:35 pm
#117 - sorry “bet” on the game like Rose.
August 5, 2007 at 1:41 am
Just back from the game, followed by dinner at Fleming’s. I’m stuffed.
Bonds’ dinger was the only homer I’ve ever been excited to see hit against the Padres. He’s the best player I&