first pitch: 7:15 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Jake Peavy (4-9, 4.78 ERA) vs Matt Cain (6-6, 4.90 ERA)
preview: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
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Round 1 in the battle for supremacy in the NL West goes to the Giants, as they dropped the Padres, 9-3, in the opener at Phone Company Park. The two teams meet up again tonight at PhoneCo in a matchup of what should be the future of pitching in this division. Unfortunately, Jake Peavy and Matt Cain both have ERAs hovering right around 5.00.
Peavy is 0-4, with a 5.77 ERA, since June 1. Cain, meantime, has proven difficult to hit this year, particularly by right-handers, who have a .194/.279/.276 line against him. Lefties are doing much better (.241/.349/.452), which suggests to me that he may not change speeds real well. If he ever figures out how to do that, Cain could rank alongside Peavy (assuming a return to his usual dominant self) and Arizona’s Brandon Webb as the class of the division before too long.
Time to get Peavy back on track. Time to get a win.
I’m no scout but something is obviously wrong with Peavy.
Okay. I think it’s legitimate to be concerned about Peavy. What excuse do we use this time? Tendinitis? Insufficient work between starts? Rusty? Flu? Insufficiently warmed up? Not found his groove?
This is so frustrating. What a horrible start to the second half after such a strong finish before the ASBreak. What’s even worse is there are some legitimate questions that are lingering far too long. Stud pitcher? Obviously hurt. Reliable closer? Um…er… At least we have plenty of power hitting…
We might be in first place now, but we have the worst outlook of any team outside of Colorado in the division. If Cain and Lowry get their stuff together, the Giants look really solid. L.A. has a good team and tons of chips to play with at the trading deadline. And Arizona even has a good mesh of young and old, although their SP will catch up with them.
I hate waiting until the very end to pull the trigger on a deadline deal. We are randomly promoting and demoting guys hoping to find absolutely cheap help and a streak of luck rather than paying the price to simply acquire a solid bat or another reliever. We should just do it.
Another thing… if you are going to bring up Termel Sledge to give him a chance, isn’t there a better place in the line-up than 2nd? Why not 8th and move Barfield who has proven his place at the major league level? Instead, it is Sledge who steps up with men on base and promptly strikes out.
They look flat — a lot like last year and in April.
It’s the curse of Vinny! They haven’t looked the same since then. Well that’a convenient excuse, but I think the ASB, along with the two horrible losses on Trevor’s blown saves, have taken all their momentum away. Just imagine had we held on to win that ball game a week ago after being down so big so early in the game, it would have been a nice way to start the second half.
Giants just got Hillenbrand. That’s pretty big.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2526825
I agree, how do KT and Alderson not pull their hair out in frustration? I can’t see any semblance of logic in batting Sledge 2nd. Barfield’s been sitting in the 8 spot while a parade of pathetic has batted before him (Castilla, Bellhorn, Young), give the kid a chance to perform, what more does he have to do to earn it? Bochy’s blunders may not have cost the Padres many games, but they’re damn frustrating to watch. Frankly, without the mustache, I’m just not sure what he brings to the table anymore.
Brocail had his best game. 3 IP, 1 hit, no runs.
Very impressive. Let’s hope he’ll be just as good going forward the season.