It’s not the space cowboy, the gangster of love, or even Maurice. It’s just links…
- 50 stolen bases and .500 slugging (Baseball-Reference). Former Padres Tony Gwynn and Rickey Henderson appear on this list, as does arguably the most talented baseball player I’ve ever seen, Eric Davis. Also, how great was Cesar Cedeno, doing it at age 21 and 22… in the Astrodome!
- Splitting Rickey Henderson in Two (FanGraphs). Speaking of Henderson, here’s yet another demonstration of his greatness… not that Rickey would split Rickey into two on behalf of Rickey.
- Card Corner: Jim Perry (Hardball Times). Perry never pitched for the Padres, although his brother, Gaylord, won a Cy Young Award in San Diego.
- Jays On Verge Of Signing Roberto Osuna (Mop-Up Duty). Holy smokes, the nephew of former Padres right-hander Antonio Osuna is pitching in the Mexican League… at age 15.
- Gambling at the Hall of Fame: Part One (Seamheads). This is a rather bizzare tale… lengthy, too (see also Part 2 and Part 3)
- Tucson Padres: Rizzo finds quick fix (Arizona Daily Star). Quoth the would-be first baseman of the future and current PCL Player of the Week: “I feel like they fixed me. I started standing up taller and actually started swinging normal again.”
- Texas Rangers taking stand against the wave (ESPN). Much respect for Mike Adams’ new team.
- Nelson W. Wolff Municipal Stadium (Stadium Journey). Speaking of the Lone Star State, Paul Derrick reviews the home of the Padres Double-A affiliate in San Antonio, a venue I enjoyed while visiting a decade ago.
- Bell surprised to not be traded at Deadline (Padres.com). Heath Bell discusses his future with the Padres.
- Cooperstown in/out lines (Hardball Times). Chris Jaffe, as he is wont to do, offers good food for thought… this time on Hall of Fame worthiness. Former Padres players Goose Gossage, Fred McGriff, and Steve Garvey all get mentions, as does former bench coach Ted Simmons and San Diego native Alan Trammell.
- Hall of Fame Pitchers and the Little Known Hitters Who Loved Them (Seamheads). Former Padres first baseman Randy Bass went 7-for-11 with a homer against Phil Niekro. If only there were more knuckleballers in the big leagues… Bass might not have become big in Japan.
Nice little article on the organization’s hitting coaches working with Rizzo and getting his swing back in shape. Hopefully he’ll keep doing whatever he’s been doing the last several games. I hope he’s not going up there swinging for the fences every time, though. Doubles into the gap would be just fine by me.
“Mind the gap” should be the organization’s hitting philosophy motto.
http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=MLB&id=279&line=336016&spln=1
Moseley done for the year.
I didnt play ball past t-ball, so I don’t know know if it’s a mental thing or what, but the team’s situational hitting – especially with a runner at third and less than two out – has got to improve. If the hitting coaches should do anything it’s work on that. This year has been pathetic in that regard, as evidenced yesterday with two such situations in consecutive innings, zero RBI and multiple strikeouts. The exception being Jesus Hobbs-Guzman of course
It’s not just situational hitting, Dave, it’s ALL their ABs. Some effort has to be made to purge the “work the count” mentality Sandy Alderson left behind. That works only with experienced, veteran hitters who know their hitting zone and won’t swing at ball four with a full count.
Wally Joyner was probably right to teach our young hitters to go ater hittable pitches early in the count. When the get to 3 and 2, they’re fed high fastballs to foul off, and then a ball low and away the kids (and some veterans) can’t keep from swinging at. You can see the pattern pitchers are using, but Padres hitters don’t. Rightys kept feeding Rizzo inside pitches that were balls and he kept swing at them. Venable is still an easy out low and inside with two strikes.
I don’t know if Bud or Balsley want to tell their hitters how their pitchers get batters out, but Bud should at least try the late Dick Williams’ method of urging his hitters to be aggressive early in the count and try to make solid contact. Instead of “work the count”, the mantra should be “put the ball in play”.