IGD: Padres @ Rockies (1 Oct 07)

Game #163
time: 4:37 p.m. PT
tv: TBS
sp: Jake Peavy (19-6, 2.36) vs Josh Fogg (10-9, 4.79)
pre: Padres.com, B-R.com

Analyze this one however you’d like; it’s one game, and anything can happen. That is my greatest fear and also my greatest hope. Go Padres!

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1,031 Responses »

  1. 1000 … BING AGAIN!!! :-)

  2. 995: No need for individual glory… at DS, it’s all about the team.

  3. 1002 … oh … well, then, nevermind …

  4. 998: Ya offensively Khalil had trouble, I was hoping for a big game from him in Coors. Instead he had 5 LOB…

  5. Man I am still upset, I was ready to book a hotel for a weekend in the Gaslamp, instead I have to wait for my refund and it probably wont include the “processing fee”

  6. I’m thinking that Hoffman should retire this year.
    I love the guy and what he’s done for the Padres over the year but I can’t possibly go through this again next year, thinking of when he’s going to completely lose it.
    It’s one thing to think like that about Doug Brocail, who was key tonight, but it’s hard to think of Hoffman as a ticking bomb next season.

    Of course, this is after tonight’s game. Tomorrow, I reserve the right to change my mind. For now, I think the Padres should just buy out his contract and make Heath Bell the closer next year, rather than later when Bell isn’t as good like what happened to Linebrink who gave the Padres some of the best relieve seasons.

  7. While we’re burying people, I’m going to take one last shot at Corey Brock, the Padres “beat writer” at mlb.com … the last thing he wrote before the game today was classic Corey …

    If the Padres lose, their season is over.

    … thanks for that insight, Corey. I’ve just never felt like I got my money’s worth from that guy … he posted about once a month on his “blog” … and he never responded to any tough questions posted in the comments … c’mon, Corey, bring it, dude!

  8. 998.

    I think Trevor was influenced by what happened Saturday. And honestly, he shouldn’t have been. Obviously, Anthony knows Trevor better than almost any other hitter in the league. But it is hard to remember that in the heat of the moment.

    I also remember thinking after the first couple pitches that Hoffy was getting squeezed… but at least that is excusable as a judgment call. I am completely convinced that Tim McClellan knew exactly what he was doing. No one will ever be able to prove it… but no one can ever prove to me that he didn’t either.

    I’m furious. Sure, we might have lost anyway and Hoffy looked bad. But to lose that way…

    I take nothing away from the Rockies. They played their hearts out. Not their fault. But in his private moments over beers later, Matt will tell Todd…

    “Dude. I never touched the plate.”

  9. 984:

    On 9/1 we led the Dodges 7-0 after 5. Pull Jake. Save 2 innings.

    On 9/11 we led the Dodgers 6-1 after 5. Pull Jake. Save 2 innings.

    On 9/26 we led the hapless Giants 8-2 after 5. Pull Jake. Save 2 innings.

    That’s nearly 15% of the innings he threw in September, and doesn’t even get into the stupid decision to start him on short rest in a game that wasn’t crucial.

    Relievers and starters are both human, with the same physiology. I assume you lift if you play ball. Put 225 on the bar and bench it once. Then do 10 reps. Which do you recover from faster? The relievers come back sooner because their bodies are asked to do less and therefore recover more.

  10. Good night, y’all, have no idea who I’ll root for (maybe Cleveland?) or even if I’ll watch much of the playoffs… oh, hell, of course I will. Lick my wounds tomorrow, ready for baseball again Wednesday. Minus the emotional turmoil.

  11. 1002: There is no “I” in Ducksnorts…

  12. 1009: Was supposed to refer to 994.

  13. My first choice in remaining teams is the Angels.

    I like the idea of rooting for Cleveland. Or even Philadelphia. Or the Cubs. I mean, 100 years!

    But despite the fact that her are some exciting young players on both teams, I can’t root for the Rox or D’backs.

  14. 1011 … BING! :-)

    1012 … you gotta go to http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/index.jsp?c_id=col to see the “Carroll’s game-winning sac fly” video … Rich, do *NOT* watch this video tonight … take a deep breath … and hit the hay … the sun will come out tomorrow …

    1014 … I can root for the Rox in the post-season … why not? I’ve been a Todd Helton fan ever since the Padres drafted him …

  15. Rockies game story at mlb.com has a few gems in it …

    – In addition, there was a familiar feel to Hoffman (4-5) not succeeding at Coors. He came into the game with 20 saves but also a 1-3 record with a 5.23 ERA in 31 total appearances.

  16. 1016 … and this one …

    The game also featured a hit that, replays showed, should have been a home run but was not called as such. The Rockies led, 6-5, in the seventh when Garrett Atkins’ drive hit a chair beyond the yellow home-run line and behind the clear wall. However, second-base umpire Tim Tschida said it hit the padded yellow part of the wall.

    Incredibly, it’s the fourth such time a Rockies homer was lost on a disputed call. They won games in Cincinnati and St. Louis despite the calls and lost one in Philadelphia.

    But now they can take their argument for instant replay to the playoffs.

    … Yo, who wants to accept the Rox arguement for instant replay????

  17. Oh, we’re past 1000 now? OK, time to go home … ‘night all … it’s been real … and it’s been fun … you know the punch line …

  18. I just wanted to say this before I call it a night.

    being thwarted by Tony Gwynn’s son,
    one strike away.

    losing a key player in one of the most bizarre umpire incidents ever.

    losing the division to one of the most pythagoreically lucky teams ever,
    by one game.

    losing the wild card to one of the greatest stretch runs (14-1!) ever,
    by one game, by one run, on a questionable call.

    That’s one cruel and ironic run of bad luck, I’d say.

    I can laugh it off. good night

  19. Just checked in after that sucker punch to the stomach.

    There is nothing wrong with Hoffman. To suggest he should retire is the reactionary crap that usually comes out of New York or Philly. He had a fine season.

    Hoffman didn’t get it done, because of Barrett’s pitch calling or because of something else. But when you save 89 percent of games, the 11 percent have to come sometime.

    More importantly, the Padres got screwed not once, but twice in the final week by umpires. Bradley’s season ended because of one, and the Padres’ season ended because of tonight’s call.

    Both calls were egregious.

    With catchers who block the plate well, umpires shouldn’t be cowering behind the catcher when it’s time to make the call. They should be on the third base side in good position.

    Then they shouldn’t f— it up.

  20. 1009: Thats 6 innings not 8, you have to then assume we still win these games and in my opinion, it really wouldnt make that much of a difference. Starters and relievers are both human sure, but comparing the pre-start routine and 8 innings from a starting pitcher to 1 inning from a reliever doesnt work for me.

    1014: I grew up in Orange County. I dont know if there are many fans that are more fairweather or annoying than Angels fans.

    RE: TREVOR… did anyone see his interview… he said the only thing going home can be blamed on is his performance, and how that is his burden to carry. Trevor is still a class act, he will be back next year. The padres just need to use him differently (ie. 2-3 run leads, only in the 9th in a tie game so he doesnt get up 3 or 4 times, mostly at home). He is still resonably effective, but this game was sad, he didnt have it and should had let Buddy know right away.

  21. 1017: Thanks for saving me some typing LM, my wife has been making that point to me for the last hour and just convinced me to share with all….

    I know that Umps secretly try to “even” these things out, but geez what a time to do it.

  22. 1022: If the umps thought they made the wrong call on the HR they would had overturned it after they met. I dont think they were trying to even things out I think McCellen just wanted to end it and fell to the peer pressure. kind of rediculous when 2 teams are playing thier asses off for a playoff spot.

  23. 1022, 1023: I think he missed the call.

    He shouldn’t be given an out for doing that. Evening things out, going home — I don’t think those things enter an umpire’s mind.

  24. Hoffman shouldn’t be used in less high leverage situations, because he really isn’t used in high leverage situations.

    Heath Bell is the better pitcher and he pitches in more high leverage situations. Just like Cla Meredith last season and Scott Linebrink before him, Bell pitches in tougher situations.

    The modern role of the close is fairly low stress. Hoffman, for example, never pitches more than an inning.

    Hoffman is quite a bit more than “resonably effective.” His save percentage this season was .857. For his career, it’s .893.

    He blew seven saves this season, just like in four previous years. No one said he should change roles then.

    This is why reasoned people, some in them in baseball management positions, don’t make decisions right after the season ends. Especially the same night.

  25. 1021: I said almost 8, which it is if you add in some half-innings elsewhere. But it’s not 8, true. It is nearly 15% of his workload for the month, which is substantial. It’s also nearly 15% innings shaved off the high end of his fatigue curve, since those pitches were at the end of a game.

    Unfortunately, your opinion contravenes proven physiological and kinesiological fact. A greater volume and/or intensity of work in a given period reduces the work you’re capable of doing in the rest of that period.

    Of course you assume you’re going to win those games. They’re bad offenses and we had a big lead more than halfway through, with a reinforced bullpen. That’s exactly when you take the calculated decision to preserve your best starting pitcher.

    Starters and relievers have different routines because they’re asking their bodies to do different things. What does a starter do when he’s a little more sore than normal between starts? He SKIPS a bullpen, he REDUCES his work in order to have more available in the start.

    It’s entirely possible they could have rested Peavy more, not rushed him into action against AZ, and we’d still have missed the playoffs. We just didn’t do everything in our power to preserve his ability to dominate games.

  26. It coming up on 12 hours later…

    … and Matt Holliday still hasn’t touched home plate.

    If he had called it right away, I wouldn’t be bitter. It’s the fact that he thought about it. It’s not as bad as My Pet Goat or anything. I mean, there were plenty of chances for us to win that game. But a tight zone to start a thirteenth inning and then that delay speak volumes to me.

  27. Re: 1027 you dont know if he came back on the field after everyone left and touched the plate.

  28. Classic ballgame last night. We choked it away -errr honestly Trevor choked it away. He knows it. Bummer. This game will go down in history. The Padres were better than this — I thought. So frustrating. Here’s to a good offseason. Towers has a lot of work ahead of him. We could end up in 4th place next year. We ended in 3rd this year.

  29. 1019 … thanks for the summary, Eric … yikes!

  30. Oh god that was painful to re-read…Why did I do that???