IGD: Padres vs Cardinals (19 May 08)
Mon, May 19, 2008
by Geoff Young
Padres (16-29) vs Cards (26-20)
Wil Ledezma vs Todd Wellemeyer
7:05 p.m. PT
Channel 4SD
AM 1090, FM 105.7, XM 187
MLB, B-R
It is difficult to remain optimistic when there is no obvious reason for hope. Even if I continue to believe that the Padres’ true level of ability is 85 wins, that gives them 61 wins the rest of the way, which puts them at 77-85 to end the season. Obviously that doesn’t fit anyone’s definition of a contender.
Assuming the Padres continue on their present course (or even improve some) and finish with their first sub-.500 record in the Petco Park era, management will have some difficult questions on its hands: Which kids are ready, and when do we give them a shot? Which veterans might have some value to teams that have an eye toward post-season play (hint: it’s a pretty short list)? And the most important, from a systemic standpoint: How did we so badly misjudge this team’s capabilities, and what lessons can we learn from the experience?
Some problems are obvious, especially in hindsight. But others are not so easy to answer. Here’s an excerpt from an interview I did with Larry Borowsky at Viva El Birdos:
I can’t accept that Josh Bard and Khalil Greene, who are (or should be) in their primes, are this bad. I don’t see any reason for Greene to hit like Jeff Blauser or Jay Bell at age 27 and Rey Ordonez at age 28. There’s just no room for that in my view of the way things work in this world.
As Bjork once said (when she was still with the Sugarcubes), “This wasn’t supposed to happen.”
So it’s the middle of May, and already I’m thinking about how challenging the coming winter will be. I shouldn’t be thinking about these things so early in the season, but the team is giving me precious little choice.
Meanwhile, tonight’s scheduled starter, Jake Peavy, is out with a sore elbow. Quoth The Franchise:
It’s not normal soreness, which is why we’re going to have it looked at. It’s been about for three or four starts now that I’ve felt a little something. It’s sore all the time.
Ledezma makes his second start of the season Monday night in Peavy’s place. I honestly am good with any on-field outcome so long as Peavy is healthy. The Padres could lose 20-0 tonight, and if Peavy’s MRI shows no structural damage, I’ll call it a victory. That’s how bad the season has gotten.
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May 19, 2008 at 6:36 pm
Lester with the no hitter!!!
May 19, 2008 at 6:40 pm
CF Gerut
2B Iguchi
RF Giles
1B Gonzalez
3B Kouz
SS Khalil
LF Hairston
C Bard
P Ledezma
May 19, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Thoughts about the SP match-up?
Wellemeyer has been worse on the road, but mainly victimized via the HR. Petco should help with that. Advantage STL.
Ledezma, in limited duty, has been OK, but poor control. In the interview, the STL guy said they have been very patient this year. Advantage STL.
I think SD at home is pretty even with STL on the road, but Petco helps Wellemeyer a lot more than Ledezma (who has only given up 1 HR), so thinking STL has the edge. Hope not, but that is my “analysis”.
Other thoughts on the match up?
May 19, 2008 at 6:54 pm
#3@jay: Well, STL has to have the matchup advantage if you’re just looking at starting pitchers. Wellemeyer has been OK, but has been in the rotation all year. Coming off bullpen duty, Ledezma is probably lucky to go 5 even if he pitches strikes.
May 19, 2008 at 6:57 pm
#3@jay: I think we are going to get our proverbial clocks cleaned tonight.
May 19, 2008 at 7:01 pm
I think Ledezma will be effective for 4.
May 19, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Scotty helping the Card’s cause.
May 19, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Friggin’ Hairston.
May 19, 2008 at 7:17 pm
How frustrating is it when your own moron fan reaches over the fence to interfere with a fielder? ugh.
May 19, 2008 at 7:17 pm
Seriously, was that not the Padres season in a nutshell right there? Play an out into a two run homerun on an 0-2 pitch thrown right down the middle.
May 19, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Khalil walked, everybody drink.
May 19, 2008 at 7:42 pm
#11@Geoff Young: I’ve been drinking constantly just trying to forget how bad this season has been so far!
May 19, 2008 at 7:42 pm
#11@Geoff Young: Not much risk of a DUI, playing that game.
May 19, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Edmonds doesn’t make the catch Jody just made.
May 19, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Why would you pitch out 1-0 to a guy with 12 homers at the plate and a guy with control problems on the mound?
May 19, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Ledezma’s AAA all the way.
May 19, 2008 at 8:02 pm
Nice. All three runs for the Cards are scored by the Padres.
For those of you not watching on 4SD, Henn is up in the pen. (rthyme) not intented.
May 19, 2008 at 8:02 pm
I am beginning to think, that there is a large gap between Jake Peavy and Will Ledezma.
May 19, 2008 at 8:06 pm
After 3 innings Ledezma’s huffing and puffing like he’s thrown 100 pitches. On the last out he recorded (groundout to Green) , he almost blew the play by deflection when he threw his body at the ball in sort of half contorted lunge.
May 19, 2008 at 8:06 pm
#18@Field39: You can’t get there from here.
May 19, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Nice at-bat by Iguchi. Runs would be good here.
May 19, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Nice DBL for Gooch there.
May 19, 2008 at 8:16 pm
OK, that sure did suck.
May 19, 2008 at 8:17 pm
That’s the problem with Petco Park. It’s so small even a guy like Cesar Izturis can go yard.
May 19, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Kouz had made two outs on two pitches, tonight. Isn’t that special.
May 19, 2008 at 8:30 pm
Oh great…PMac is in the game. Albert on unknown roids?
May 19, 2008 at 8:31 pm
That ball was crushed!!!
May 19, 2008 at 8:34 pm
Even the camera men are drinking to forget.
May 19, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Martini night here………..
May 19, 2008 at 8:45 pm
#29@Oside Jon: Rootbrewskis for Danny, eh?
May 19, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Geez, even when they score a run, it turns out ugly.
May 19, 2008 at 8:50 pm
#30@Turbine Dude:
Milk actually…but good idea for this Friday!!
Giles makes another baserunning mistake (my opinion)
May 19, 2008 at 8:54 pm
I doubt Ledezma will ever be a decent MLB pitcher. I wish it was like last year when he was the worst pitcher in the bullpen though.
May 19, 2008 at 8:55 pm
#33@Zagz: Same goes for Germano.
When is Hensley going to be healthy enough to pitch? Would rather see him out there than Ledezma/Germano.
May 19, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Pujols with the highest OBP this year, why even pitch to him?
May 19, 2008 at 8:57 pm
And I’m still watching this game because…?
Win or lose, I just love baseball…
May 19, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Ohhhhhh…..should I just go to sleep? Early morning meeting…..I’m fading here…..
May 19, 2008 at 9:01 pm
#37@Oside Jon: I also have a 6 AM meeting with my boss tommorow.
May 19, 2008 at 9:04 pm
#36@Turbine Dude: I keep thinking that if they can come back from a big deficit and win, it good get them on track. Yes, I am well grounded in reality.
May 19, 2008 at 9:05 pm
#38@Turbine Dude:
I gotta be in Banning at 8AM. Ouch
May 19, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Again another shattered Maple bat.
May 19, 2008 at 9:06 pm
#39@Field39:
Ha ha. It’s nights like these I go to sleep and hear they won tomorrow. I like your positive thinking. =)
Odds? 25-1
May 19, 2008 at 9:07 pm
#40@Oside Jon: Where is Banning?
May 19, 2008 at 9:09 pm
I feel this could be a long, long season, although my wife just said we should buy tickets for Friday. Having gone to hardly any games this year I thought, “Great idea!!!”.
Go to Pokez or whatever for dinner, then head to the bpark for some (hopefully) entertainment.
May 19, 2008 at 9:12 pm
#43@Turbine Dude:
Banning is in Riverside County. Out on the 60 and 10 freeways. Conducting underground storage tank training for the County of Riverside and some San Bernardino people. Hot as hell. Worse than Lake Elsinore as far as baseball is concerned.
May 19, 2008 at 9:15 pm
#45@Oside Jon: Good luck my friend. Better you than me!
May 19, 2008 at 9:24 pm
See post #35.
May 19, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Albert again……loves Petco today.
May 19, 2008 at 9:30 pm
#46@Turbine Dude:
Yes.
May 19, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Can it get any worse?
May 19, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Thanks GY.
May 19, 2008 at 9:34 pm
Wow…..the site comments just got cleaned up like a nice winter storm washes the trash out to sea.
Moving on….
May 19, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Nice grab Giles.
May 19, 2008 at 9:46 pm
#44@Oside Jon: So Jon, is it a done deal? Are you going to be at the game Friday? I was contemplating getting tix for this weekend. If so, maybe we could hook up and I could meet you and Danny in person.
May 19, 2008 at 9:50 pm
I went into this season a little less optimistic then some and because of that I believe I am farther along in my misery. I am actually only frustrated as opposed to the anger I felt earlier in the season (earlier? It’s only May). I am now more concerned about corrections that will have to be done to improve for next year. Like GY was saying, this will be a rough winter. I just don’t feel the options seem to be there. This is what I am frightened of now, not each game, although I will not stop watching any.
OT: The comment section tonight was a beautiful reminder of why streakers or fights never get shown on camera. Ignore and they seem to go away
May 19, 2008 at 9:56 pm
#54@Turbine Dude:
I’ll know tomorrow. Gonna make our decision Wednesday. Will let ya know via ducksnorts manana!!!
May 19, 2008 at 9:59 pm
#56@Oside Jon: Right on.
May 19, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Anyone watching postgame? They cut me off on Extra Innings, I want to know what’s up with Peav.
May 19, 2008 at 10:10 pm
#58@Bryan S: Live interview with Black… Saying at least two weeks. MRI was fine. No surgery needed. On DL for 15 days retro-active from Thursday past.
May 19, 2008 at 10:14 pm
Is anyone else a little uneasy about them not giving MRI results for this long and the general cryptic answers (more so than usual) given by Black? This is just weird.
May 19, 2008 at 10:15 pm
I have moved from anger to frustration to acceptance really. They are surprising me with how bad they are. Bad and also bad luck. Its like a cursed season and if Jakes hits the DL, well.
I’m to the point all RS and Yankee fans hate about SD fans, that point of resignation. Where fans throw up their hands and, hey, its SD, a great out door town, lots to do, so the Padres being bad isn’t that big a deal, just like the olden days.
I like the cardinals, a classy org with a lot of history and Albert is a true 5 tool HOF player.
May 19, 2008 at 10:17 pm
The season is cursed indeed.
May 19, 2008 at 11:10 pm
#61@PM: Is Pujols fast?
May 19, 2008 at 11:23 pm
re: Tonight’s drinking.
I had one Miller Lite and two Schiltzs, the beer that made Milwaukee famous.
May 19, 2008 at 11:35 pm
or Schlitz
May 20, 2008 at 3:04 am
Geoff, if a “wholesale” change takes place like Kevin Towers hints is possible, who do you think is first to be moved of the veterans?
As a huge, huge Khalil Greene (even through this present nightmare) what I’m really getting at is, do you think Greene is a possible guy to be shipped out - be it in the eyes of Towers and Co. or by other teams (like the Chicago Cubs like we’ve heard about in months past). I’m almost hoping his offensive woes continue so he becomes untradable. And yes, I know how ridiculous it is to hope that…
May 20, 2008 at 5:11 am
#61 PM; I agree, the Cardinals have always been a great franchise. Looking back to the 1920s, their only decades of mediocrity were the 1950s and 1970s. Like the Yankees and O’Malleys Dodgers, there seems to be a “Cardinal Way” that exists from the front office down to the minor leagues. A great organization.
May 20, 2008 at 6:23 am
#66@Keith in New Jersey: Good question. I think the guys most likely to have value that aren’t part of the core are Maddux, Wolf, and Giles (although we may have to bite the bullet on some salary with him), maybe Khalil. Trading Khalil would be an extremely radical move, though, as there is nobody in the organization who could step in at shortstop. With the others, it’s important that we temper our expectations in terms of possible return. The last time Maddux was traded, he fetched Cesar Izturis.
May 20, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Thank-you Geoff for quelling my fears about losing Greene for the moment. The word radical, and the fact there is not another reliable SS in the organization seemingly, makes me think/hope Greene stays in San Diego which would make me a happy camper. I’m headed to San Diego in early August to catch the Padres-Giants series at Petco. It sure would be nice to see my favorite player in uniform on his home field instead of at Shea Stadium, Yankee Stadium, or the worst place on earth, Citizen Bank Park, where he’s still called “Spicoli” by Phillies fans.
Then again, speaking about radical decisions… Thatcher gets the call-up????????