Comments on: IGD: Padres vs Giants (5 Aug 07)

By: Richard

Richard — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:05:46 +0000

43: What I said wasn’t an opinion. It was a statement of fact in response to your statement of opinion. How about you do everyone a favor and not pretend that facts and opinions are the same thing.

45: I do believe it was you that suggested you were dealing with fans that aren’t “tuned in” and cited as an example Ben B. who was upset that the Padres released Branyan. I was just responding to your personal attack on Ben by pointing out the irony of a guy who doesn’t know what he’s talking about referencing a guy who does know what he’s talking about as an example of Padre fans not knowing what they’re talking about.

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By: Didi

Didi — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:32:35 +0000

50: Oh, yeah. Akerfelds. He’s done a great job since coming up and getting the best bullpen this year to be that is awesome.

Thanks for the link, Geoff.

BTW, Glavine is in the 300 wins club now. Congratulations to him.
I’m glad that he’s in as it wasn’t quite a sure thing a few years back.
Could he be the last one in? Will be a long while before we find out. The Big Unit is the next closest but he’s on the DL.

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By: Geoff Young

Geoff Young — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:17:35 +0000

#48: This is a fascinating line of inquiry, although small sample sizes and an unwieldy number of variables make it a bit of a challenge to study. J.C. Bradbury did some nice work on the Mazzone Effect a while back:

http://baseballanalysts.com/ar....._eff_1.php

Be sure to follow the various links within his article.

#49: Darrel Akerfelds is our bullpen coach. He came up from Portland in June 2001 to take over for Greg Booker when the latter became pitching coach. Trevor Hoffman, among others, has praised Akerfelds for his work:

http://www.mesastate.edu/info/.....llalum.htm

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By: Didi

Didi — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 17:06:40 +0000

Who is our bullpen coach?
That’s a good theory. Look at Oliver Perez, he got better under Rick Petersen’s tutalage. Now, it could be that Ollie just got more matured, however, the Pirates had him for half a season and couldn’t coax a better performance than the one he gave in Mets uniform.
So, maybe there is something different about those coaches. Just an idea.
Perhaps, the pitching to contact thing was screwing him up.

And, btw, I do hope Linebrink gets his career on track. Nothing would make me happier as he’s done absolutely incredible for the Padres.

As for Scott Hairston, I’m suprised to read he didn’t get any curtain call since I didn’t see any of the game. That was an amazing feat.

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By: jay

jay — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 15:24:02 +0000

I was saying thinking about pitching coaches in a more general way. Balsley generally gets good reputational marks, especially with young pitchers. Given our ERA and solid performance from relatively unknown players (like Bell), you cannot argue for a change, and I don't want one. I was more curious about an analysis that shows how some coaches have been able to consistently resurrect careers. I believe Carpenter in STL was considered a wash-out before Duncan altered his delivery. If this is true, and let's say Maddux rejuvenates Linebrink, it suggests that there are a few people out there who can identify delivery flaws in once useful pitchers and get them good again. That does not say the same guys are good at working with young pitchers, keeping the staff healthy, etc, other things that you want from a pitching coach, but it does argue it would be nice to find one of those guys and get them, even if not as your primary pitching coach.

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By: Geoff Young

Geoff Young — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 13:17:46 +0000

I'm very happy with our pitching coach. Darren Balsley has worked with Jake Peavy since both were in High-A ball, and I think Balsley deserves at least some credit for the success of Heath Bell.

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By: jay

jay — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:18:26 +0000

BTW, part of Milwaukee’s trade for Linebrink was they thought Mike Maddux could fix something in his delivery. Well, he has 6k’s in 4 IP and no runs allwed. Small sample, granted, but he had 25k’s for us in 45 IP. I will be tracking him. As per our discussion about coaching, no one really seems to believe hitting coaches have much influence, but a few pitching coaches really seem to. Duncan in STL has the reputation, Mezzoine and now, apparently, Maddux. If this is true, I want one. Anyone seen analysis of this anywhere?

I am not questioning the trade, because even if Maddux turns him back into what he was, we still would have had the bad Linebrink, not the post-Maddux good one. But if he does resurrect his strike out rate and effectiveness in Milwaukee, that will really make me wonder and about pitch coaching.

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By: JP

JP — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:09:03 +0000

Anyway, lets refrain from the personal attacks. I have my opinions and you have yours.

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By: jay

jay — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:07:36 +0000

We need the Giants in town more often. Sweeps are awesome, period. The bad: we barely beat a bad team every game. The good: we did it with a depleted outfield.

I watch all of my games on Tivo. I have developed a few tendencies:

When we pitch, I watch it at “normal”: fast-forwarding through all the down time, but watch the pitch and and any resulting play at normal speed.

When we hit:
Most of the time, I watch it “normal”

If the game is really on the line and I am nervous, or, I am dissecting the swing/pitch recognition of a hitter, I watch slow mo.

When I get frustrated with the team or with a particular player, I fast-forward through the at bats, hoping something good will happen, but am usually correct in that what I am skipping over is outs.

So, all this said, right now AGon is in the fast-forward camp. Yes his jack in the 11-0 romp was cool (not televised on my package, so missed it), but not sure what is wrong, but he is looking really crappy again. Time for another batting coach. (please understand this was meant as a joke). I am kind of baffled by his slump, because he looks so bad (swinging at bad pitches, late on fastballs, trying to pull outside pitches), but he has been such a consistent, good hitter for us, barring his first month last year and this funk he has been in since mid June to mid July; now it’s back.

Another minor thing: KG really looks uncomfortable, but it really looks like he trying to learn to be more selective. He seems to be going deeper into counts, but has a hard time but I seem to think I see some progress. This may all be in my head. He seems to be able to layoff the true cheese with two strikes, but when it is 3-2, which he seems better at getting to, he gets loose again. I think he needs to get comfortable with taking a third strike from time to time. That might mitigate him expanding the zone.

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By: JP

JP — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 07:04:13 +0000

I have no idea what you just said but I think you're the guy who once said this "Over Branyan’s last 53 AB, he has a .663 OPS which would be “good” for like 81st in the NL among those currently qualifying for the batting title. Just ahead of Juan Pierre and just behind Craig Biggio. Just thought I’d point that out." Brilliant

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