Dude, what’s the name of that one taco shop we used to eat at on Convoy?
One game out of first with 13 remaining? I’d say that’s a good place to be. Just bullet points today:
- Congrats to Jack Cassel on picking up his first big-league victory on Monday night. He scared the heck out of me on several occasions (only when he was pitching), but he got the job done.
- Khalil Greene hit his 23rd homer of the season and just missed his 24th. Greene crushed a ball to dead center in the fifth that probably would have left any other ballpark.
- The Pirates batted a kid named Nyjer Morgan in the leadoff spot. It looks like he patterns his game after the Dodgers’ Juan Pierre, just slapping everything the other way and hoping the money will follow. Twice he was forced at second on the front end of a double play. Both times he got right on top of Geoff Blum, who easily brushed him aside and completed the turn. Not that Morgan needed to go Carlos Ruiz on us or anything, but all the speed in the world can’t help if you’re not going to put a body in the way.
- Heath Bell is a freakin’ horse. I’d assumed that after working three straight days, Bell would be unavailable. He promptly threw eight pitches — all strikes — for a perfect eighth inning. Silly me.
- Twenty team shutouts in a single season? So basically one in four Padres victories involves the opposition scoring zero runs? Wow.
by Peter Friberg
You will not see the PPR.
This is my last installment of the PPR at Ducksnorts. Geoff Young and I talked and, as for baseball writing, we need to go our separate ways. We are still friends and I will continue to contribute to his site in the “comments” section. Will I resume writing on my blog? I don’t know. I have several irons in the fire and saving the hour-plus I spent nightly on the PPR will help towards those other ends.
I will finish putting together my Top 25 Padres Prospects but after that I will use the off-season to determine if I will write regularly during the 2008 season. I do know I will always keep up-to-date with Padres and baseball management, but this trip has concluded.
Geoff, you are the best in the business and your quality readership, of which I am one, is because of you. Keep up the great work. It was an honor to be associated with you and your site.
AA
Texas League Champions!
High-A
San Jose 7, Lake Elsinore 1 (San Jose wins Cal League Championship, 3-2)
Josh Alley: 4 AB, 1 R, 2 H, 1 RBI; HR, SO – had LE’s only hits
Commentary:
Think about this: Lake Elsinore had enough talent that they handed Matt Antonelli, Chad Huffman, Manny Ayala, and Wade LeBlanc to San Antonio — and those four helped lead the Missions to their league championship and guys who were left behind still came within one game of their league championship.
Congrats to the San Antonio Missions and Lake Elsinore Storm on great seasons.
Thanks, Peter. I agree that the Missions and Storm both can be proud of their achievements in ’07. Here’s hoping the big club will reap the rewards of their talent before long.
Thanks also for the terrific contributions you’ve made to Ducksnorts throughout the year. The honor and pleasure have been mine. I look forward to reading more of your insights here in the comments and wherever else they may surface.
Now I’m getting verklempt. Talk amongst yourselves…
44 … I think you answered your own question, Didi, by not knowing if there’s a better option … the list of candidates isn’t a long one … and so if it’s not obvious, then going with Brocail can’t be that big of a mistake.
There’s a reason these scrap-heap bullpen guys were on the scrap-heap …
#49 Let’s look at the raw numbers. Why isn’t he the guy? His WHIP is amazing, his BAA is good. He has stepped up and pitched well lately, so well, that his numbers over the past 45 days ago are as good as anyone’s in the league.
The grim reaper is circling perilously close to Dodgerville. Guys like Tony Gywnn, who as of two days ago, was still picking the perpetual favorites, the LA Dodgers to land a playoff berth . NOW they are on the cusp of being out of this thing. Today, they looked lethargic loss in their against the Rox to fall 3.5 back with a dozen to play. I predict a Dodger loss in game #2 of their dbl header and a Padres win which would push the LAD back to 4.5. Of course, the so called experts will still say that they have a chance…..then when they are eliminated in 2007, will pick them to win the NL West in 2008.
Phily up on Cards 1-0 after 1st …
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=270918124
Mets’ Alou just got PR’d for …
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=270918120
… whassup?
40 … Dogs @ Rox Game 2 has started …
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=270918327
… hmmm, Boomer pitching in Coors Field … tasty!
First three batters v. Wells: Inf. single, double, double.
However, that only makes the score LA 3, Col 2, no outs, bottom 1st.
Wells quickly gave up that three spot. 3-3 bottom of the 1st, 1 out, and runners on second and third. This is the D Wells we all came to love…maybe love isn’t the right word :/
Looks like the real David Wells is back.
Cannot believe that DC blew by the Mets again, rocking John Maine for 8 runs.