| time: | 5:05 p.m. PT |
| tv: | 4SD |
| sp: | Jack Cassel (1-1, 4.00) vs Yovani Gallardo (9-4, 3.59) |
| pre: | Padres.com, B-R.com |
Is there anything you wouldn’t do to get either Prince Fielder or Ryan Braun in your lineup? On the bright side, Yovani Gallardo is Milwaukee’s only good pitcher. If the Padres can steal one Thursday night…
190 Comments
Just thought I’d throw this out there to answer a few remaining questions about potential tie-breakers:
With New York’s big lead gone following nine losses in 13 games, the commissioner’s office held flips Thursday in case the Mets wind up in a tie for the wild-card lead. The Mets would host Arizona and San Diego, and they would play at Colorado.
New York began Thursday at 87-71, one game ahead of Philadelphia in the NL East. San Diego also was 87-71, one game in front of the Phillies and Rockies (both 86-72) in the wild-card race.
Arizona (89-70), which boosted its NL West lead with an 8-0 win at Pittsburgh on Thursday, went 0-4 in wild-card coin flips and also would be on the road at Colorado, Philadelphia and San Diego.
Flips held Sept. 7 determined that the Mets would be at the Phillies if they tie for the NL East. In the NL West, Colorado and San Diego would be at Arizona, and Colorado would be at San Diego.
In the wild-card race, Philadelphia would be at Colorado and San Diego, and the Padres would be at Colorado.
If there is a tie in the NL Central, Milwaukee would play at the Chicago Cubs.
You know whats scary… He may be there only good pitcher, but we tend to hit the good ones and sleep on the bad ones.
Phillies up 4-0 early on the Braves and Smoltz..
Phil on the clubhouse with a win, now its putt for dough time for the Padres. Guess we are facing a good pitcher, lets gets some hits and score some runs. I hope the Nationals aren’t mailing it in like the fricking Dodgers, Christ almighty.
So for Az Col, I guess we route like hell for the rocks to end the season with a 13-game win streak.
Scratch that last post, and I have not had my first beer. Phils are winning 4-0 over braves, but that Philly bullpen likes to play with matches.
6-0 Phillies in the 3rd… Smoltz is getting rocked
The damn Rockies don’t even lose coin flips anymore
Um Nats just got done sweeping the Mets
4: The Nats played hard all weekend, I highly doubt they are mailing it in
#1: Thanks for clearing that up. There was a little confussion last night over that.
Ugly start to the evening for the offense. We’ve got to win tonite, especially with AZ already winning and Philly absolutely pounding the Braves.
Hmm, the FSN announcers seem to think highly of Khalil.
FSN announcers…which ones? Come on I already gave up, I’ll even carry the pitchfork if KG is traded
13: Alright, I’ll abide by a truce. I watch all my games on MLB.TV, so its the FSN Wisconsin crew.
Okay, so I’m hoping for a big A-gon series. Let’s get three homers and 9 RBI…. oh well, not this at bat…
That totally should have been an out.
Wow theres the pattented Braun defense and FSN in Mil. just said Greene runs well hahaha.
17: It’s not like he’s pulling a trailer.
15: Adrian needs to get it going quickly.
Cripes. Up 2-0 in the count and Bardo strikes out.
Gallardo is looing like Cy Young tonight. Geesh!
If they could do 2 things offensively I think it might be helpful:
A) Do NOT swing at fastball’s which are eye level
B) Do NOT swing at changeups which are landing within 2 inches of home plate
I think we are a slightly better team then the Brewers so, we should win. But after the top of the third, its back to Silent L.
21: Like T. Gwynn always says about the change: if it’s low let it go, if it’s high let it fly.
Hairston should have caught that ball.
Hairston took an interesting route to that fly ball off the bat of Fielder.
Why were they bunting here? Ned Yost must be calling the shots from the clubhouse.
So let me get this straight… their #5 hitter was just given the bunt sign twice… IN THE SECOND INNING?!?!?
Whats the problem with channel 4!!!!
Thank God Fielder is slow. It’s gonna take some serious doing to get Fielder over without them being legitimate knocks.
29: SHHHHHHHHHH.. that’s a really dangerous thought…. you’ve totally set up the homerun now…
30: Leadoff double is wasted. Let’s hope that only happens to the Brewers tonite, and not us.
28: It’s just the HD feed that’s screwed up. Regular channel 4 should be ok. Cox is working to get 704 fixed asap.
Great time for CH 4 to completely SUCK!!!!!
Oops, I was wrong. They’re saying it’s both 4 and 704.
Lucky bunt for Jack there!
I love “in play, no out.” Especially when (I assume) it was a sac bunt.
Wow, um, nice bunt.
ATL closing the gap, 6-3 bottom 6th.
How many times have we seen bases loaded, no outs and f*ck it up?
Scott Hairston, superhero…
#39: It turned out rather well this time! Way to go Hairston!!!
GameDay’s totally frozen. Tell me that’s The Big Fly!
If you want to see some Kouz-like minor league numbers, Peter Friberg reminded me today what Scott Hairston did in the minors …
http://thebaseballcube.com/players/H/Scott-Hairston.shtml
… superhero, indeed!
HAIR-STON . . . HAIR-STON!!!!
42 … bases clearing double … close ‘nuf, huh?
Four runs notwithstanding, this kid’s got filthy stuff.
LaForest now PH-ing for Philly …
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=270927122
… ah … he GIDP’d … cool!
43: Hairston was consistently a top prospect. In 2003 BA ranked him the 23rd best prospect in the game. He was AZ’s top prospect that year.
Hairston is probably deserving of a DS nickname at this point . . .
46 … so the sooner we knock him out, the better!
Just looking at the box — didn’t realize that Braun’s got 25 errors this year. That’s A LOT.
50 … at least KG ran the count full before K’ing … that’s gotta count for a near-BB, don’t it?
After top of 2nd …
Pitches-strikes – J Cassel 30-18; Y Gallardo 57-37.
Ground balls-fly balls – J Cassel 3-2; Y Gallardo 2-1.
Batters faced – J Cassel 7; Y Gallardo 14.
52 … check that … those pitch counts are after top of 3rd …
49 … I kinda like “superhero” … simple … and to the point!
#43: In his 2003 book, John Sickels compared Hairston to Ellis Burks:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/b/burksel01.shtml
#49: How ’bout ‘Cracker Jack?’
I’m outta town on business and can’t watch the game. Thanks god for Ducksnorts (GY) and Gameday. Go Padres.
54
Oh yeah — that’s good. Really good. I like that a lot!
C’mon Jack, five innings
while I was man crushing on Hairston, Weeks homers.
c’mon Cassell, hang in there
Two of the balls to Weeks looked close. But 1 run in 3 IP is almost the best you could hope for. Black needs to have the quickest of hooks.
Weeks homer went 440 feet…..at least it wasn’t a cheap one…
I think it’s time to get the pen up….seriously Cassell scares the life out of me
relax…we’re going to score a few more here and give Captain Jack some more breathing room…
I guess we’re seeing the negative side effects of having the bats of Fielder and Braun in the lineup.
am i the only one thinking that Jack shouldn’t take the bat off his shoulders here?
PH here? jk … let’s hope Cassel “singles” again
This is where they should pinch hit. You won’t get more than 5 IP out of him anyway
I wish we had a PH here. Go for the juggular.
long weekend series…I don’t think you want to burn out the bullpen when you have a pitcher who has only given up 1 run. I just would’ve told him to not swing at anything to avoid the DP.
67 … i was with ya, MarkO … sigh …
ick GIDP, the WORST thing that could have happened.
73: please knock on wood before we have a repeat of Sunday
Braves are done in the 8th…..they’re down 3..we need a huge comeback from them in the 9th
by the way (doing my best Vin Scully impression) is it just me or does the broadcast just look really dark like all the lights aren’t on or something?
73 … NOT! A run scored! There are several scenarios where a run doesn’t score … so … not a good scenario … but not the worst … up 5-1 … got by Prince and Hart this time thru the lineup … hmmm … up and up …
Sans the solo HR, Jack’s holding up pretty good so far.
OT … hmmm … I just read the game story from the D-backs game today … didn’t realize the rotation shift …
Given an ominous weather forecast, Melvin decided less than an hour before game time to hold back ace Brandon Webb (17-10) and pitch Owings (8-8).
The Diamondbacks then assured themselves of holding at least a one-game division lead when they open a three-game series Friday at Colorado with Webb on the mound.
… interesting decision … it does push out Webb’s availability for a tie-breaker game … hmmm …
Some good at bats that inning. Kouz crushed his, and Hairston and Adrian just missed very hittable pitches.
Thru top of 5th …
Pitches-strikes – J Cassel 57-38; Y Gallardo 92-57.
Ground balls-fly balls – J Cassel 6-5; Y Gallardo 5-3.
Batters faced – J Cassel 15; Y Gallardo 22.
Mets down 3-0 and down to 2 outs left in 9th …
GO CARDS!
Time to get the pen up!
82 … Mets lose … wow … shutout by Joel Piniero …
84 … a bit jumpy, aren’t ya? Ya, me too!
6-4 Philly…9th inning
Francouer starts the 9th with a solo shot … now 6-4 …
I’d be ready to pull Cassel right now. A HBP and walk against the two worst hitters in the lineup, with a 4 run lead is basically inexcusable.
I gotta say that I am really happy with Jack Cassel, even if he is related to a Patriot.
Let’s get two, guys.
87/88 … Andruw makes out #1 …
Braves have the tying run at the plate in the 9th with 1 out…
OK, OK Buddy time to take out the 2nd worst pitcher on your staff when its a game you have to win
92 … Braves get tie-ing run to the plate … and it’s PH’er Yunel Escobar … I don’t know if that’s a good thing, or not …
93 … agree … 100% … bully time!
94 … Braves down to last out … lead-off hitter Kelly Johnson …
95 … so, who’s comin’ in?
Cla has been throwing gas on these sort of fires all year – let’s hope he can get out of this one—-get the LEFTY !!!!!
Thatcher’s turn …
99 … gotcha! whew …
Unless its mop up work, I’d rather not see Cla for the next three days.
Think Thatcher’s good for 1 more IP? He seems to be the man right now … then Brocail in 7th … Bell in 8th … you-know-who in 9th …
And we’re into the Brewer pen … McClung relieved Y. Gallardo … this guy oughta be hit-able …
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/players/7108
… knock on wood …
96 … Phils win …
Cla is going to be might useful against these guys because of the number of HR’s they hit, his GB tendencies help negate that a ton.
I’m glad BB seems to have learned that Cla really should only be facing RHH….you know like the opposite of a Loogie….Roogie?
Mets end the season (Sun) against DTRAIN. DTRAIN in NYC -think he might step it up for this one ?
To top it off, FLA is playing decent ball now, having just swept the Cubs.
Prediction : Phillies will win the East. The Mets won’t even make the playoffs.
107 … you think that’s goin’ on out a limb?
#105 Yes, you’re probably right. In the past, last year when he was unconscious and most of this year , Cla has usually been in for more than just a couple of batters –facing both sides rhh and lhh .but now.if BB uses Cla in spots-it makes sense for Cla to face RHH’s in crucial situations.
Anyone think the guys still want Linebrink back? Hard to believe the Brewers would give up Thatcher, let alone sending Inman along with him.
VERY nice inning by Thatcher … his ERA is now at 0.95 … let him go another inning? 8-9-1 due up for Brewers in 7th … just a thought …
This ump is not giving the strike at the knees today.
105: You know what’s really funny is that Meredith has actually been slightly worse against righties this year, but it’s all an illusion. He’s has great strikeout numbers against righties, doesn’t give up any power to them, and doesn’t walk them. But they’re hitting like .400 on balls in play. That’s pretty much just complete luck. So that was a long way of saying that yes, Meredith should be primarily utilized as a ROOGY. A Thatcher-Meredith platoon is a good idea.
110 … sweet observation, Mark … sweet …
108 … here I’ll go out on a limb … Franklin Morales doesn’t give up a hit to the Dogs (and I mean *DOGS*) tonight …
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=270927119
#108 Loved to read this note. NO ! When I receive this sort of brushback pitch I know that I stupidly stated the obvious–but lets face it –listening to the East Coast ESPN radio in the morning, they hardly ever talk about the Padres and only talk Mets-Phillies for the division over and over again to the point of nausea – I am hyperfocused on Mets elimination which clouds my perception. sorry
Hmmm, Brady Clark is 3-for-3 tonight (OBP-wise) … he’s not bad …
So, riddle me this … WHY OH WHY is Oscar a PH’er for the Padres in September??? Is there no room on the roster for Paul McAnulty???
114: The Dodgers couldn’t score off of Josh Fogg last night. I don’t know how much you actually are going out on a limb there.
Braun with error #2 … yikes … brick-o-rama …
117 … my point precisely
115 … bring it, JP … bring it … it’s *always* worth stating the obvious …
I’m not too keen on Robles ever batting for us.
Hairston…
Superhero time!
I think they only used Robles there because he is probably the best bunter they have on the bench and that they don’t care about losing…..by the way I am starting to really, really like Hairston
bases loaded, no outs, right?
Loaiza survived the first inning against the Rockies without any baserunners.
My son calls Hairston “Shrek.”
120 … Well said, 317 … well said … and I/we mean *EVER*!!!
122 … oh ya, Superhero!!!
KG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Mijo with a SF … not the crushing blow I was hoping for … but not a GIDP either … c’mon KG!
KG!!!
How close was Hombre’s sac fly to going out?
Braun might not be able to field third base, but he’s got some crazy hops. I can’t believe he even got up to touch that hit by Khalil.
128 … ya, now *that*s what I’m talkin’ about!!!
Count me on the “KG is better than average” side of the fence
Robles is more clutch than you think. At least he has one decent MLB year of service -2005-400 pa’s under his belt. The guy is also scrappy as hell – I like dudes like that.
Brewers bullpen, say hello to gas can. They are as advertised.
Hey, cool TG jr. Very cool!
130: A foot or two shy of the track. Well hit, but you could tell off the bat he didn’t get enough of it.
Brewers elimination tomorrow –would that not be a good thing for the Pads. Wouldn’t the Brewers naturally then take it down a notch ?
133 … everybody is more clutch than I think … because I don’t think *anybody* is clutch … so I prefer players with talent/skill … it just seems sad to me that BB thinks that Robles was the available player with the most skill … I disagree … but then again, I don’t know much about the value of “scrappy” …
So, I guess Brocail didn’t see what Weeks did to Cassel’s 3-2 fastball earlier.
Brocail, the strike zone is thataway.
136 … unless it relaxes them … if the errors and 0-for’s tonight were due to being tense … well … I don’t believe that … I’m more inclined to agree with you, JP … and maybe not “take it down a notch”, but just “not take it up a notch” … aw, let’s just eliminate ‘em and see what happens!
Tell me about KK’s error … which ended up costing a run …
Ha! Lynch, your bold prediction has been disproven! The Dodgers have a hit.
BB needs to go on-line to E*surance because his policy is needs reviewing.
142 … prolly a 50-hopper thru the 5.5 hole … Go Dogs! Did I say that? Yuck … oh ya, it’s OK now … whew …
139 … seems to be Brocail is finding the strike zone just fine … perhaps too fine …
Nevin was saying on 1090 that a team with nothing to loose is more dangerous then a team in the chase. Nerves tighten everyone up.
Fielder with 50 dingers, yikes.
146: That must be why we had such a stellar record against competitive teams from 99-03. Wait…….
4 fine words …
Fielder struck out swinging
149 … you might say that was “Justin time” … you think I’m the first one with that line?
#150: LM, first, probably except for that headline in the SD Union Trib that used it with Germano. But, other than that, you’re good.
Great to see Scotty out there. I’m guessing that Brewer fans feel the same way that I feel now when Brocail goes out. Wait! I don’t think that’s a good thing.
148 … that’d be an interesting study … during games at the end of Sept (say last week or 10 days) between teams that are “1 still in the hunt” vs “1 eliminated” … does the winning % of either team change compared to the previous 152 games? It’d be fun to access to a database that could provide the answer to that question …
B(l)um singles off Linebrink … just brutal … sweetly brutal …
Bunting with a 4 run lead, in front of a pinch hitter with a really low likelihood of singling but a relatively decent chance at drawing a walk or getting an extra base hit? And we give away another out (even though Hardy missed the tag).
Yo, Brady … whose idea was that?
155 … Ah … sorry, Brady … doesn’t sound like it was your idea … sigh …
Anyone got a radar gun reading on Heat Bell?
I wonder who pitches the 9th.
158 … 1-2-3, baby … atta boy, Heat!
159 … KG?
161 – I’ll pass on that unless it’s an inside joke I dunno about
158: GameDay had him topped at 94.9 and 95. Looks like he threw several sliders or changes.
ALERT … check out what’s for sale at mlb.com …
http://shop.mlb.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2874209
… YIKES! Don’t worry … it’s not just the Padres … sigh …
Three long outs away from ending this.
Rox up 2-0 off an Atkins homer
162 … the only “inside joke” was in reference to today’s pre-IGD comment thread … seemed like KG was the topic of every post today …
164: I’ll take 3!
166: Make that 3-0 off a Hawpe homer…
Make that 3-0 Rockies after a Hawpe homer.
159/161/162 … uh, Yahoo’s showin’ Heat still in? I guess that’s OK with me … just *not* what I expected! I *love* stickin’ with the hot hand!
Hey,
Anybody watching this game on TV? What did Gwynn Sr. say during Gwynn Jr.s AB there. Anything? Just curious.
Thanks!
Also,
171 – Bell threw only 10 pitches in the 8th, so I can see giving him another inning.
And whatever happened to Germano and K. Cameron. They’ve been AWOL for quite a while…
165 … not so long after all … WAY COOL!!!
Now, let’s get the next three games!!!!!!
GO PADRES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sweet!
Alright…just 3 more.
Thanks LM, I missed that!
Great win tonight, this was definitely the worst matchup of the four for us I think.
173 … dunno the answer … but I, for one, am not worried about it. I’ll bet we see Germano some time this weekend … but I’m hoping we don’t see Cameron … he’s given up runs in 4 of his last 7 outings …
170 … Loaiza only lasted 47 pitches … Dogs into pen … Morales still only given up 1 hit … DOGS!
Don’t know if it’s already been said, but Ben Sheets is not going to start tomorrow. Capuano instead. I hope that is good news.
Meanwhile, I wonder if we are saving Jake to pitch on Sunday if need be, and if not, save him for Game 1.
I’m outta here … going to see Dick Dale … no, really … he’s here in Corvallis, OR *tonight*!
http://www.dickdale.com/dates.html
178
Runs in 4 out of 7 outings? I wasn’t asking about Hoffman…
Nah, just a joke. Hoffman seems recovered from his summer swoon. I was just wondering if Cameron was injured or something. Black started trusting him there, for a minute. I still like relievers who throw hard.
181- I saw him a couple of weeks ago at the Belly Up. Prolly the seventh or eighth time I’ve seen Dale play, and he rawked every time.
Brocail’s ticking time bomb finally went off. Good thing we raised the lead to 7 just before he came in.
146: Boy, am I tired of that cliche. I believe that is in the Analysis Handbook for Old-Timers and Ex-Pros.
172. Tony was dismissed from broadcasting his son’s at bat.
Friar Faithful: who do we root for this weekend? Rox or D-Backs? Really, really tough to say? If Rox had lost tonight, then I would have been all for them crushing the D-Backs tomorrow. But, now I’m not so sure. What if we all cheer hard for the Rox tomorrow, they beat the D-Backs, and we end up losing tomorrow night in Milwaukee? That would be tragic. I can not seem to totally wrap my mind around this one. Maybe root hard for D-Backs tomorrow, while we get a W. Then, root like hell for Rox in the next two, while we finish off the series with two more Ws in Milwaukee to capture the NL West crown. Tough to say….
187: Have to root for the Rockies to win 2 of 3.
Let’s just root for the Padres to win. Then the other stuff doesn’t matter.
Phils beat Nat: Phils have mo and a 14-game winner going tonight
Pads beat Mik: FHOL vs 5-12 guy. Won’t be easy with greg’s back
Az @ Col ?: Tough game to call. Webb v Francis, 2 17-game winners
Fish @ Mets ?: Perez v Kim, mets should win, but they are psyched