Mmm, linkity link links…
- Padres remain a preferred spot for pitchers staging comebacks (U-T). Mark Mulder, Mark Prior, and Matt Clement all have expressed an interest in pitching for the Padres or, failing that, at least wearing the uniform.
- Mark Prior Halloweeen Update. Speaking of Prior, Planet Padres caught up with the right-hander at a local pumpkin patch, of all places.
- Petco Fences Moving In? For those who enjoy the occasional conspiracy theory, Melvin Nieves at Sacrifice Bunt delivers the goods.
- Padres hope their core of young players will help produce a turnaround in 2009 (U-T). I missed this earlier, but Mike Epstein, who studied the Padres hitters in 2008, offers his thoughts: “When I watched their hitters, I just never felt like they went up there with a plan. It seems like they didn’t know who they were with respect to who was hitting behind them — am I considered more of a threat than the guy behind me, or vice versa? I sort of got the feeling they were a little bit caught between here and there.” He also notes their propensity to swing late on 2-0 pitches, which “should never happen.” Epstein likes Kevin Kouzmanoff and can’t figure out Khalil Greene. Join the club, buddy…
- Carrillo is slowed in comeback (U-T). Tom Krasovic reports that Cesar Carrillo has run into some problems with his elbow while pitching in the AFL. In other news, the sun rose today.
More links are available at the Ducksnorts Delicious page, which I update as often as practical.
You can’t even ask those guys to put on the uniform, they’re likely to undo the surgical repairs just by putting their arms through a sleeve. You’d have to use body paint on them before each game.
In all seriousness, for 1M each I’d sign all three. It’s absolutely rolling the dice. Not just rolling them — needing the hard six. But it’s a possible path to competing in 09. Obviously easier if you do that and keep Peavy, but if each pitcher has a 5% chance of being very good next year, that’s a chance (tiny chance) to get some dominant pitching at an affordable price. It’s a much greater chance to have those 3 guys form the Clubhouse Whirlpool and Therapy Club, founded April 1, disbanded September 30, but it’s awfully hard to win when your rotation includes Baek, Banks, etc.
The Cesar Carrillo news is disappointing. I remember watching the guy throw in game in a college world series qualifier against Joba Chamberlain. He was sitting 92-94 with a ton of movement and good secondary stuff. Hearing he is throwing 85-86 well into his rehab speaks for itself.