IGD: Padres vs Rockies (10 May 08)
Sat, May 10, 2008
by Geoff Young
Padres (12-24) vs Rockies (15-21)
Greg Maddux vs Ubaldo Jimenez
7:05 p.m. PT
Channel 4SD
AM 1090, FM 105.7, XM 188
MLB, B-R
The bad news is that we are putting on a lousy show for you. I apologize for it. I’m disgusted with it. This is the most stupid baseball playing I’ve ever seen!
– Ray Kroc, speaking over the public address system at the Padres 1974 home opener, as recounted on page 185 of his autobiography, Grinding It Out.
Picking up where last year's version left off, the Ducksnorts 2008 Baseball Annual provides in-depth analysis of and commentary on the San Diego Padres. Get your copy today.
May 10, 2008 at 6:39 pm
Rusch is gone. Carlin in the line-up. Gerut is batting 1st.
May 10, 2008 at 6:42 pm
What d’ya say guys…Can we talk Mark Cuban into buying this team?
May 10, 2008 at 6:42 pm
For Mad Dog’s benefit, I hope Joe West isn’t behind the plate tonight.
May 10, 2008 at 6:44 pm
A Padres Fan’s Favorite Lament…
3 hits in a row. 3 hits in a row. Why can’t we get 3 hits in a row? It’s a long, long season so give me the reason we can’t get 3 hits in a row.
Anyone else remember it?
May 10, 2008 at 6:46 pm
#4@LoyalSufferer: I must have been either living in Chicago (as a Cubs fan) or in the military for that one.
Today, a die hard Padres fan.
May 10, 2008 at 6:58 pm
I really hope Mad Dog gets his 350th tonight. I’d hate to see it happen on the road.
May 10, 2008 at 7:00 pm
#6@Turbine Dude:
Yeah….this team needs something good to happen and fast. Good luck Mad Dog.
This is th 1st game I’ve been able to watch in a week.
May 10, 2008 at 7:05 pm
#7@Oside Jon: Welcome back, Jon.
May 10, 2008 at 7:11 pm
Not a fan of hitting Giles and Gonzalez back to back. Too easy to bring in a LOOGY to get both of them without facing a righty.
May 10, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Does every ground ball have to be turned into a double play?
May 10, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Also, hitting Giles third gives him way too many opportunities for him to ground into a double play.
May 10, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Re: Yesterday’s discussion on lineups (Kevin).
Wow! Bud actually shuffled the lineup and moved AGon into the 4 spot ( maybe he read my suggestion)! I guess he didn’t read where it’s been proven, though, that this makes no difference in the outcome of a game. I’d prefer Iguchi, Giles, Kouz, AGon, but I guess I can’t complain when the lineup makes no difference, anyway.
May 10, 2008 at 7:17 pm
#12@Koo: I was behind that experiment (see yesterdays blog). We’ll see what happens.
May 10, 2008 at 7:19 pm
Padre-killer Andrew Miller with a nice game again today for the last place — Oops, I mean 1st place — Marlins.
May 10, 2008 at 7:20 pm
Carlin really has a wierd ’squat’. But it seems to work for him.
May 10, 2008 at 7:20 pm
#12@Koo: Since the organization starting with Alderson is very into sabremetrics, they probably already know it does not make a difference.
May 10, 2008 at 7:21 pm
OT: Where the hell is LynchMob? Haven’t seen him in here in about 3 weeks.
May 10, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Hmm I actualyy like tonights lineup, I see what your saying Ben B about the Loogy but that will only be one time through the line up and I think Giles offers the only protection this team has for A-gon.
May 10, 2008 at 7:34 pm
That was a wicked nasty slider.
May 10, 2008 at 7:35 pm
And a wicked nasty curve ball to follow for strike 2
May 10, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Joe West needs to talk to Jenny Craig.
May 10, 2008 at 7:40 pm
The fewer pitches Maddox has to throw means the longer he can stay in the game and the less chance our relievers will f*ck this up.
May 10, 2008 at 7:42 pm
#22@Turbine Dude: Can’t win 0-0.
May 10, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Jody has now been Petcoized.
May 10, 2008 at 7:45 pm
#23@Field39: Agreed. Need a couple of runs (hey, I’m a glass half full kinda guy).
May 10, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Jimenez looking good so far, let’s hope it turns out like the last time he pitched against the Padres. He was awesome for the first four innings and the wheels just came off in the 5th:
http://www.baseball-reference......4150.shtml
May 10, 2008 at 7:50 pm
Should walk Helton and go after Atkins.
May 10, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Re: M. Prior
Theoretical: I saw Maddux-Prior in a 1-0 spring training duel (rained out in the 6th) the year before last. Maddux had unbelievable movement on his pitches (not to mention a flawless and effortless motion) for a little, pot-bellied guy. Prior looked equally good. Although it was early in spring training — he hadn’t had time yet to injure himself — his stuff was superb.
So, the theoretical is this: If Prior came back with great stuff and pitched out this season with no injuries, would any poster (forget about KT and Alderson, for the moment) be open to signing him to a 3-year, $27 million deal? 2 years at 20 million?
My point is that if Prior has pitches well, he is not going to sign a 1-year deal. He’ll command a 2-year deal on the open market somewhere, and the best I see the Pads willing to give him is an incentive-laden D. Wells-type 2 -year deal (which he’ll never accept).
So, at this point, the ideal situation for the Pads (and their fans) would be for Prior to pitch like an ace for two months and then to trade him to a contender for a prospect.
May 10, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I would love to see the Pads go after the Cubs Rich Hill (currently demoted to AAA), by the way. I’ve seen him close up and the guy has Cy Young stuff if he ever learns to be consistent in his form and gains a little more control over his location. I’d do a Pads top prospect (Inman, Latos) plus a mid-level prospect for Hill in a second. I think Hill would thrive at Petco.
May 10, 2008 at 7:52 pm
#25@Turbine Dude: I have lost my ability to suspend disbelief.
May 10, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Man this is very boring soo far!!! I love boring baseball but I’ve seen this game like 300 times over the last 4 years. Negative enough? Oh well…..I still want us to win. How about some action???????????
May 10, 2008 at 7:58 pm
I know I don’t talk here a lot anymore but a notable transaction is once good for 2years LHP from the Jays Gustavo Chacin got DFA’ed.. is he worth more of a flyer than Sean Henn??
May 10, 2008 at 7:59 pm
Gooch with a big time stolen base!
May 10, 2008 at 7:59 pm
C. Quentin with #9 for ChiSox and J. Vazquez pitching well again. At least the D’Backs don’t have those two anymore. (They got C. Young in the Vasquez deal).
May 10, 2008 at 8:04 pm
This situation is where Kouz should be batting with AGon on deck to protect him.
May 10, 2008 at 8:08 pm
Thank you AGONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 10, 2008 at 8:08 pm
See Kevin, it’s all about shuffling the lineup! (lol)
May 10, 2008 at 8:09 pm
Hey, the Padres scored runs first tonight.
El Hombre came through. EE-haah.
May 10, 2008 at 8:10 pm
#35@Koo: Yeah, that would have worked better.
I don’t believe that lineups DON’T matter; you want your best hitters to get the most ABs. But several smart people have looked at “protection” and found that it doesn’t really exist. Hitters are who they are. Kouzmanoff is a worse hitter than Gonzalez unless they’re facing LHP. It doesn’t matter if you throw Kouzmanoff nothing but fastballs, he’s still going to be the worse hitter of the two and the hitter who should get fewer chances.
May 10, 2008 at 8:11 pm
OG should get a lot of credit for a terrific at-bat.
May 10, 2008 at 8:12 pm
Stealing bases and scoring runs at home….what the hell is going on tonight?
May 10, 2008 at 8:14 pm
Re 39: AGon would have had a salami if Kouz had been in the 3 spot.
May 10, 2008 at 8:15 pm
This is a trick I learned in the dark days of 2002-03 to maintain my mental equilibrium; I’m going to bed while the Padres are leading. From now until I wake up, the Padres have won. Hopefully that will be true after I wake up as well.
May 10, 2008 at 8:15 pm
That was our first three run inning in two weeks. Our last was the second inning on April 26th.
May 10, 2008 at 8:16 pm
#42@Koo: Sure. It’s not like Kouz has ever grounded into a DP against a RHP or anything. Or just struck out or popped out. Then they walk Hombre and the next hitter grounds into a DP>
May 10, 2008 at 8:17 pm
#43@Tom Waits: Easy to do when your 3 hours ahead of the game.
That was a great inning it was exactly what this jaded Padres fan needed!
May 10, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Late….but heard from the hallway….A-GONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAALLLLLL
May 10, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Thru top of 5th …
Pitches-strikes - U Jimenez 76-45; G Maddux 58-39.
Ground balls-fly balls - U Jimenez 3-2; G Maddux 7-7.
Batters faced - U Jimenez 17; G Maddux 18.
… a master at work, indeed!
#17@Turbine Dude: Yo! Been buried … and won’t be online for long tonight either … check out these pics from last Sunday @ Lake Elsinore taken by a MadFriars subscriber …
http://www.flickr.com/photos/d.....893877448/
May 10, 2008 at 8:28 pm
wow thats where speed can help you…
May 10, 2008 at 8:29 pm
Re 45: Selective hitter, runners on the corner with O outs. Kouz gets ahead in the count, sits dead red, put Giles in motion. That’s the way to play the game and have a big inning (something the Pads have been terribly lacking), my friend. Besides, if there is no such thing as protection, why wouldn’t they pitch to AGon with 2 outs? Not that I’m complaining about the 3-run bomb…
May 10, 2008 at 8:37 pm
#50@Koo: What do you mean exactly?
May 10, 2008 at 8:38 pm
#43@Tom Waits: 2003 Padres also started 12-24.
Worst Padre start in history after 36 games was Bowa’s ‘87 squad which started at 8-29; another bad one was ‘94 squad at 10-26.
May 10, 2008 at 8:39 pm
wow Giles is stealing bags tonight, makes me feel a little better about Bards CS %
May 10, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Willy Taveras is really trying to pad his defensive stats by taking every single ball to the outfield.
May 10, 2008 at 8:46 pm
Seems like a quick hook for Maddux, getting pulled after only 68 pitches. If the bullpen was better I wouldn’t worry so much but the way the pen has been pitching I’d like to see Maddux left in a little longer.
May 10, 2008 at 8:51 pm
#55@Schlom: yeah but I feel good with bell at home and I will be holding onto my seat tightly when Trevor comes in in the 9th.
May 10, 2008 at 8:51 pm
#55@Schlom: They could have let him go one more. 80 pitches is his 100.
May 10, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Worked out well with Meredith. Hopefully Bell and Trevor can close the deal.
May 10, 2008 at 8:55 pm
#58@Schlom: Meredith had fire in his eye tonight. He looked like the Meredith of August/Sept. 2006..
May 10, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Scotty with a nice steal and Jody getting lucky. He went on that.
May 10, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Paul DePodesta has started a blog at http://itmightbedangerous.blogspot.com/
Based on the questions Corey Brock gets in his email, I’m scared for DePo.
May 10, 2008 at 9:16 pm
Bell appears to have his velocity back. According to Gameday, he was hitting 96-98 against Holliday, right about where he was last year.
May 10, 2008 at 9:18 pm
#61@Dex: THANKS … looks like comments are moderated … so it’s not that “dangerous”
May 10, 2008 at 9:22 pm
…. BREAKING NEWS… Angry God Denies Padres Fans Prayers for Insurance Run… BREAKING NEWS… Again.
May 10, 2008 at 9:23 pm
Trevor Time. Cross your fingers.
May 10, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Why is Hoffman in for these high-leverage situations still? A lead-off walk with a 1-run lead. Danger.
May 10, 2008 at 9:26 pm
I used to be relieved when we got to this point in a game. Now I cringe.
May 10, 2008 at 9:27 pm
#63@LynchMob: If he gets 20 questions that say “So, what exactly do you do?” He’s gotta answer one of them, right?
May 10, 2008 at 9:27 pm
Mark Prior had a setback. Probably gone for 2008….
May 10, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Trevor is 100% in May … so far!
May 10, 2008 at 9:29 pm
OMG!!!!!!!!! We actually won a game!!!!!!! WoooooooHoooooo!!!!!!!!
May 10, 2008 at 9:29 pm
Yowza!!
May 10, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Hoffman still has good stuff folks.
May 10, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Whew! I’ll take the win, but 5 hits is not going to win a lot of games going forward. I hope the roster shake-up brings a few more hits and runs. Gerut and Carlin did not do much tonite.
May 10, 2008 at 9:32 pm
Mad Dog finally got his 350th! And, did it at home. Nice.
May 10, 2008 at 9:33 pm
Yes!!!! Win………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….We won!!!!???!!!
More to come!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 10, 2008 at 9:35 pm
How about we rip off 25 straight wins? Go 2007 Colorado Rocky on the rest? Alright…..settle down…………
May 10, 2008 at 9:37 pm
That was nice.
As great as it is, and with no disrespect, I feel like we need a replacement for:
DEATH… TAXES… HOFFMAN!
Something that reflects less certainty… more doubt about its possibility, but hope that it might be. Something like…
HEAVEN… REBATE CHECKS… HOFFMAN!
May 10, 2008 at 9:43 pm
#78@dprat: I’m not a ‘band wagon’ type of person. I still need to see Trevor perform like this about four more times before I’m convinced.
May 10, 2008 at 9:44 pm
K.Greene’s glove work was phenomenal tonight.
May 10, 2008 at 9:45 pm
Will Inman had another good start at San Antonio tonight.
May 10, 2008 at 9:49 pm
#79@Turbine Dude: Exactly my point. I’ll never be convinced again. I’m just trying to express hopefulness tinged with anxiety.
May 10, 2008 at 9:52 pm
#82@dprat: Well, you just expressed my feelings to the head on the nail.
May 10, 2008 at 9:56 pm
#4@LoyalSufferer: I know I’m a little late to the party, but I have to say thanks for the lyrics to that song. I could only remember the first line, and I’ve been walking around singing it for a month!
May 10, 2008 at 10:08 pm
#66@Geoff B: Have you seen the rest of the bullpen? The last two high leverage situations went to Joe Thatcher.
May 10, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Guess a lot of patience is still in order in regards to farm system.
Tom King gets moved up two levels to Portland after hitting .158 at A level Lake Elsinore and 37 year old Shawn Wooten was signed by Portland yesterday. Wooten played on San Antonio (AA) last year and was cut by the Padres in July. This year a 5 for 33 start at AAA level for the Mets farm team in New Orleans resulted in his release.
PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Beavers announced today that infielder Tom King has been transferred to the team from Class A Lake Elsinore.
King, 23, was batting .158 (12-for-76) with two doubles, five walks, four RBIs and eight runs scored in 19 games with the Storm to start the season
May 10, 2008 at 10:09 pm
Maddux: 350 wins.
Hoffman: 530 saves.
May 10, 2008 at 10:12 pm
RHP Greg Reynolds, the Rockies’ first-round pick in the 2006 draft, is expected to make his major league debut as the Rockies’ starter in Sunday afternoon’s series finale. … The Padres had four stolen bases for the first time since Aug. 10 at Cincinnati.
May 10, 2008 at 10:44 pm
Well, tonight was a good night to make my first game attended this year.
May 10, 2008 at 11:45 pm
I think its time for a new poll…
May 11, 2008 at 2:36 am
#50@Koo:
1. Kouz is not a selective hitter. He walks, but not that much. He’s also much weaker against RHP. With no outs and your best hitter coming up, running Giles when you the best XBH threat on the team is in the on-deck circle reduces your chances of a big inning. You’re also making the huge assumption that Kouz necessarily gets ahead in the count.
2. They wouldn’t pitch to Agon because he’s the best hitter in the lineup. How does that contradict the notion that “protection” doesn’t exist? You’re always going to target the weakest possible batter. Whoever hits behind him, Kouz is still Kouz. He still has the same weaknesses and strengths.
The way to have a big inning is to get lots of runners on and have multiple extra-base hits. The best way to do that, my friend, is to have as many good hitters as possible in the lineup. Putting Adrian behind a DP threat like Kouzmanoff doesn’t make Kouzmanoff a better hitter.
May 11, 2008 at 9:53 am
#61@Dex: That’s awesome! Thanks for the heads-up. I’ve added DePo’s blog to the sidebar here and, of course, to PadreBlogs.com.