The season is over. Thank goodness for that.
The Padres played brutal baseball for most of 2008, and fans were in a pretty sour mood all year. Unfortunately I let the negativity get to me more than I should have.
I suppose it’s safe to admit this now, because I no longer feel it’s likely to happen, but on multiple occasions throughout the summer, I came within hours of pulling the plug on Ducksnorts for good. My wife talked me down each time, and for that I owe her many thanks. So do you if you enjoy this site at all.
Going forward, I’m developing strategies to help me better survive next season and keep me from reaching the point where I dread visiting my own blog. One such strategy is to back off every now and then. I’m putting that into practice immediately; posting will be lighter this winter than it has been in the past.
This doesn’t mean I’ll be sitting around doing nothing. I’ve got several projects in the works, most of which cannot be revealed yet because these things are in a constant state of flux and I have no way of knowing which ones will come to fruition and which will fall by the wayside. Whatever the case, I’ll keep you posted as I learn more.
One thing that will be happening is the Ducksnorts 2009 Baseball Annual. I’ve started working on it, and this will be my primary focus in the coming months. I’ll provide weekly updates on the book’s status in this space. Beyond that, I’ll try to pop in once or twice a week with other stuff, but really, this is shaping up to be a busy “off-season” for me, so I make no promises.
I will continue to publish several times each week at Baseball Digest Daily and every other Thursday at Hardball Times. If I’m not here, I’ll be there; feel free to join me.
Thanks again for hanging with me this season. Yeah, it was miserable (though not as bad as the new “Knight Rider”), but we survived. Eat your vegetables, wash behind your ears, and we’ll see you when we see you…
Good luck with the annual, Geoff. Look forward to hearing about it as it progresses this winter. Thanks for your efforts.
Geoff,
Glad you didn’t pull the plug. This was a brutal season. The only thing worse than the on-field happenings was the constant nagging suspicion that this organization has no real commitment to winning and that there is no end in sight to the mediocrity.
The fact that you stuck it out and continued to document it, rain or shine, is impressive. Hats off to you. You are a true fan – the Padres org truly doesn’t deserve you.
GY … *thanks* (again) for hangin’ in, and puttin’ up, with us! And thanks to your wife, as well!
The end of summer is always sad … spring seems so far away … but how sweet it will be when it comes ’round again … see you in Peoria? I expect I’ll be there!
OT … this can’t be good news …
Lohse agrees to $41 million, 4-year deal
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=AnTyzhFooesmC7QFAjolgFY5nYcB?slug=ap-cardinals-lohse&prov=ap&type=lgns
… if the Padres had done that, I know I’d be joining a chorus of folks screaming loudly … but that, I suppose, is the state of the market today …
Yeah Geoff, thanks for not ending all this for us. I’m sure it’s a big pain in the @$$ sometimes to keep this thing going but we all do appreciate it. This season has been rough. This is probably my first post in over 2 months just for the fact that I couldn’t stand watching or talking or thinking about how bad this team was and how dysfunctional the end of the season seemed.
Here is to hoping we can land Grant Green! My man crush is almost full blown. I also like the idea of Dustin Ackley if he can really play outfield but a SS with Longoria and Tulowitzki comparisons really gets me going!
See you guys around!
Thanks for the blog!
Yeah, thanks Geoff for putting up with our many “write before you truly think” posts. The new post system (delayed and vetted) as it is far more cerebral.
Talk on Mike and Mike Show on ESPN RADIO is that Peavy is likely to be traded. Guest Steve Phillips said that the Padres should be able to get 4 to 5 players for Peavy.
OT … this “tribute to Brad Ausmus” is a RIOT!
http://mlb.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?mid=200809303574749
This is very interesting …
http://blog.seattlepi.nwsource.com/baseball/archives/150094.asp?source=rss
DePodesta, Towers won’t get permission to talk to M’s
The list of names the Mariners want to look at as they search for a new general manager is shrinking already, and the club is scarcely 24 hours into the formal process.
Sandy Alderson, the president of the Padres, told the P-I in an email Tuesday that two of the men the Mariners might have interest in, Paul DePodesta and Kevin Towers, are out.
”Neither would be available to another club,” Alderson said.
Seattle president chuck Armstrong is in the midst of calling big league clubs and asking for permission to talk to candidates under contract elsewhere. If the permission is denied, as with the two Padres executives, Armstrong simply has to look elsewhere.
Perhaps this is some revenge for what the Cubs got out of Edmonds this year
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/boxscore?gid=281001116
BTW, the Twins-Sox game yesterday reminded my friend of the Padres’ 163rd game last year.
The difference, it was a pitching duel last night while the Padres-Rox game was not initially. Both games were exciting with one team with fewer power than its opponents and included a play at the plate that affected the results. Both the Padres and the Twins could have sealed the season by winning an extra game in the last 3 games of the season and failed, thus, having to play the additional game and lost.
I wonder if the Twins would be interested in Kouz/Headley since their 3B situation is not good.
re: Peavy, is it the situation similar to the Twins’ Santana last year? Not quite in that Peavy is actually under contract already and the Padres do not have any arms that’s ready to pick up the slack of diminishing starting pitchers if he’s traded. I don’t think the Padres are ready with such a bold move.
BA’s Texas League Top 20 …
http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/prospects/rankings/league-top-20-prospects/2008/266946.html
3. Kyle Blanks
14. Steve Garrison, lhp, San Antonio (Padres)
15. Will Inman, rhp, San Antonio (Padres)
#10@Didi: Yeah — one of the major differences about the Twins 08 vs the Padres 07 is that HOLLIDAY WAS OUT!!!
I’m still a little bitter about that. Not that the Pads would have gone very far, but darnit . . . the ump blew that call.
Seeing Bradley and Cameron go down for the last three weeks last year absolutely ripped my heart out. I really thought they had a chance with those two guys in the lineup.
#6@JP: You know, I really hope Phillips is wrong there. I’d stick with Jake . . guys with his type of stuff don’t come around very often.
If other teams are looking for some value, I’d trade Gonzalez. He is a terrific player, and I’d be sad to see him go, but it’s much harder to find top end pitching than a power-hitting 1b.
And the Dodgers are smashing the Cubbies fans’ dreams of ending the WS drought. Wow. I’m amazed.
See, Padres’ fans. The playoff is a roll of dice.
The Ft Wayne Wizards have changed their name … to the Ft Wayne TinCaps (a reference to the beloved pioneer Johnny Appleseed, who was known for wearing his tin cooking pot upon his head) …
http://padres.scout.com/2/797033.html
… and after reading that article, I gotta believe that the club gave “serious” consideration to changing their name to the “Hoosier Daddies”
#14@LynchMob:
“Hoosier Daddies”!?!
BWAHAHAHHAHA!!!!
You totally slay me…
BTW, that PTBNL from the Dodgers?
Yeah, they are in. What do you think?
http://itmightbedangerous.blogspot.com/2008/09/players-to-be-named.html
A second rounder LHP? Pretty good haul.
I know Padre nation was disappointed in Matt’s play this year. He will be working hard this winter to get his swing back. I’m a little surprised how after one subpar summer Matt has fallen off some people’s radar screen. Padre Nation will be happy with Matt next spring. Hope everyone has a great off season.
Thanks for hosting again this year, Geoff. Although it was a difficult season, I’m already beginning to look forward to spring training again.
I’m hoping that the Peavy trade rumors are just idle speculation. We’d have to get pretty blown away IMO.
I’m all about Grant Green as well. I think that there’s even a decent chance that he falls to us at 3.
#17@Jack from Boston: BTW, thanks for keeping us in touch, Jack! We’re all rooting for Matt!
I’m relieved that this season is over and optimistic about the future. I can’t wait to see the moves and changes over the winter. Thanks for the site, Geoff.
Thanks for everything, Geoff. I don’t post much but I regularly visit your site and appreciate your insight and the discussions that go on in the comments section.
The new Knight Rider is pretty awful, haha.
Thanks, all, for the kind words.
#2@gg: On the bright side, this front office features some of the brightest minds in baseball. As long as that continues to be the case, I like our long-term chances.
#3@LynchMob: Lohse? Yuck. Oh well, at least he’s cheaper than Barry Zito.
#6@JP: Thanks for your contributions. I’m glad you’re enjoying the new commenting system.
#17@Jack from Boston: Thanks for being a part of the community here. Not that Matt needs any extra motivation, but I’ve found in life that sometimes these small setbacks cause me to rededicate myself and turn out to be a harbinger of greater things. I look forward to seeing what Matt does in 2008 and beyond. Best of luck!