| time: | 1:05 p.m. PT |
| tv: | 4SD |
| sp: | Justin Germano (7-7, 4.25) vs Chad Billingsley (9-4, 3.50) |
| pre: | Padres.com, B-R.com |
Offense in the National League has been steadily climbing throughout the season, from 4.42 runs per game in April and May, to a high of 4.98 in August. The Padres, meanwhile, have been all over the place, hitting rock bottom in July, when they scored only 3.69 runs per game (while everyone else was scoring 4.84), before coming back with their strongest month yet in August.
Is the team peaking at the right time, or was last month an aberration? Whatever the case, the club’s recent performance, if not cause for crazed enthusiasm, at least gives us reason to remain cautiously optimistic as the finish line approaches…
40 Comments
Jake was just phenomenal last nite. Barring any major disasters, he should have the Cy Young all but locked up at this point. Hopefully we can continue to give him some run support, and he’ll be able to be the first pitcher in a long time to win the triple crown in his league.
I’m hoping we see more good stuff from Germano today. He’s been pitching much better recently, and we’ll need a good outing from him against Billingsley. I also hope, that unlike earlier this season when we ran out the B-squad in this exact same situation (won the first two games, set up for a Billingsley/Germano showdown on the Sunday), that Black goes for the kill and KOs the Dodgers in the West.
I’ll be at the game today. They’ve lost the last five I’ve gone to, but there’s no better time to turn it around then today. I’ll have Trevor Greene (my monkey from Build-A-Bear decked out in a Padres home uni) there for luck.
Go Pads! Experience first place!
I have a feeling that Myrow, Clark, Stansberry (at SS), Sledge, Ensberg and Barrett will all be starting today
And I dont know if I would disagree with it, today will be very hot and Buddy will rest his starters for the next three games against AZ in AZ.
I don’t have a problem with any of that except for Sledge, he sucks. It seems the only thing he’s good for is a late game PH and misplaying fly balls.
We still have two open spots on the 40-man.
I’d love to see Bocachica back, as well as LaForest, Hensley and maybe Stauffer.
I’d be content with those guys as late season ammunition to help keep everyone fresh.
Any word on Hairston yet?
I Think Clark Ensberg and Barrett will start, doubtful on Stansberry, Sledge and Myrow
The Laforest move was a tough one for the Padres to make- Barrett is more proven but Laforest has a lot of lightening in that bat and this far Barrett seems to (temporarily ?) lost his power stroke.
Laforest has to clear waivers, if I were an American League team I would take a shot at this him.
On another note, will Sledge be on the playoff roster as our first pinch hitter in the late innings ? Say it ain’t so…
This may be a bigtime pipedream or cinderella story, but I would love to see Myrow to have a big pinch hit or two here in Sept. and replace Sledge (who comes up with a mysterious rib cage or hand injury) on the post season roster.
Rob Mackowiak is hurting and will need off season surgery. Hairston ? Who knows with a rib cage injury if he will make it back. So, KT’s bench strengthening talents need to again be put to the test. Could we not get a waiver pickup and then justify a playoff spot with an injury ?
Phillies in another dogfight today with FLA. If the Pads get a semi-comfortable lead or cushion or even clinch the NL Wild Card race, but yet are close to AZ in the Division Race in late September, I say f*** the Division Crown and rest the veterans. The playoffs are what we want in the very winnable NL race for the World Series.
Why is there no Pre-Game show on today?
Well at least we have Matty back and Tony without that dumbf*ck Mud.
As a vet, I can’t express how much I love these uniforms.
Doesn’t look like a good start for Germano, but it’s nice to be able to sit down and watch a game again!
Nice DP. Scary 1st inning. I just hope Germano can step up.
DBacks Webb all of sudden walking batters, seems all of sudden off his game —great news !!!
Please don’t strand a lead-off double….
Gameday is showing the first pitch to Billingsley to be on the ground…called strike.
Strange.
We need to do something about Billingsley…
*sigh* bad outing. I so don’t want to see them just give this one away.
On a positive note, Rocks up 4-2 in the 5th.
Hate to see Dodgers scoring like this in our park
Go Rox. We’re giving this one away.
And Thatcher was so close to escaping…
One of my favorite youtube videos that really sums up how I feel right now:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SLbFDMplZDs
Stealing someone’s thought process from Thursday night – three runs an inning is all I ask for…
need one to start…c’mon Brian
Nice to see the fellas making the Dogs work here
Bleh! Not going to be our day today….
Rox need to hold off DBacks for two more innings.
I take full responisbility for this one. Sixth consecutive game that they’ve lost when I’ve attended.
I’ve got four games left this year. They can’t possibly lose all of those, right?
30 – Quick! Lleave the stadium….
Michael Barret curse continues. KT, give this guy his full, unconditional release, now!!!
Be patient with Hairston, let him recover fully and then move him in (mid Sept) to replace Termel Sledge. Perfect. O.k, I’ll be patient and not bash Sledge. It’s hard to do this now but I will be disciplined.
32: Are you suggesting he’s calling terrible pitches? Or he’s not contributing with the bat? Or he’s just plain cursed?
I was at the game this afternoon. Brutal effort. On a positive note, Arizona lost so we head to Phoenix still percentage points ahead of the Snakes. Should be a fun series out there…
For once, you have to feel sorry for Germano. With any sort of offense, he doesn’t get pinned with the loss.
Meanwhile, HVC might be coming back to earth….
Pads 5 games ahead (75-61) of last years pace (70-66) at this same time last year. Needless to say, they are in pretty good shape to get a ticket to the dance again this year.
13-13 finish this year gets them another 88 win season (2006). A 90 win season will take a 15-11 finish which should get them in If they finish out like last year and go out with the ungodly 18-8, again then they finish the season with 93 wins.
Positive vibe JP……I like that. I missed the game while at the beach. I forgot today was Sunday and was expecting to come home for a 7:05 start. ANyway……we lost but we have been playing great ball of late. Can you smell the playoffs?
I assume that since McAnulty is still on the 40-man that we’ll see him when Portland’s season is done … he had 3 hits tonight …
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_02_freaaa_poraaa_1
Sogard with HR #2 for Ft Wayne tonight …
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?sid=milb&t=g_box&gid=2007_09_02_ftwafx_swmafx_1