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Coming On Like a Hurricane

by Geoff Young on Jan 14, 2011 (20) Comments

In the wake of Trevor Hoffman’s recent retirement announcement, I thought we’d go dancing in the dark, walking through the park and reminiscing. Or we could just skip all that and head straight for the rolling thunder and pouring rain…

One-Hit Wonders: Jim McAndrew to Colt Morton

by Geoff Young on Jan 13, 2011 (3) Comments

This is Part 9 of a 13-part series examining the 65 men who have collected exactly one hit as a member of the San Diego Padres. The current installment features a man who pitched one game for the original Padres, the father of a former big-league pitcher, a key member of the ’98 National League [...]

Brain Dump: Stuff in the Works

by Geoff Young on Jan 12, 2011 (5) Comments

If I don’t share these with you, I risk not committing. Here are things I’m working on and hoping to publish at Ducksnorts or elsewhere over the next, oh, couple months or so…

Padres Top 20 Prospects for 2011

by Geoff Young on Jan 11, 2011 (27) Comments

I hate prospect lists because they imply a level of certainty that doesn’t exist. That said, the process of creating such a list helps clarify where an organization’s strengths and weaknesses lie. Besides, other people love them and I am nothing if not a man of the people.

I Almost Prayed in Albuquerque: Isotope Stadium’s Cruel Glow

by Geoff Young on Jan 10, 2011 (2) Comments

In Summer 2007, I drove from San Diego to Cooperstown for Tony Gwynn’s induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame. This is the final installment of a nine-part series covering the first day of my journey. After weaving a path across the heart and several limbs of Albuquerque, I found the hotel around 9 p.m. [...]

Friday Links (7 Jan 11)

by Geoff Young on Jan 07, 2011 (9) Comments

Looking for Hall of Fame links? There were so many, they got their own space. For everything else, please press “0″ or hold for the next available operator…

One-Hit Wonders: Frankie Libran to Darrell May

by Geoff Young on Jan 06, 2011 (2) Comments

This is Part 8 of a 13-part series examining the 65 men who have collected exactly one hit as a member of the San Diego Padres. The current installment features a weak-hitting shortstop, three journeyman pitchers, and former big-league manager.

Hall of Fame Links

by Geoff Young on Jan 05, 2011 (7) Comments

Congrats to Roberto Alomar and Bert Blyleven for making the cut. Barry Larkin is getting there, while Tim Raines and Alan Trammell continue to lag. Trammell in particular concerns me, and I suspect he will follow his former double play partner, Lou Whitaker, into hoping for help from the Veterans Committee. But enough of my [...]

Me, Elsewhere: Tossed in Translation

by Geoff Young on Jan 05, 2011 (0) Comments

My latest at Hardball Times revisits an earlier article about a toy introduced by Bill James back in the ’80s that translates a hitter’s line into a pitching line. Why would you do this? Well, because it’s fun. The new article focuses on 2010 performances and features “matched pairs” of hitters and pitchers. Among these [...]

Hall of Fame and Off-Season Moves

by Geoff Young on Jan 04, 2011 (4) Comments

Two of my colleagues/friends at Hardball Times have penned articles that should be of interest to Padres fans. First up, Myron Logan examines Jed Hoyer’s moves this winter. Myron’s thoughts pretty much mirror my own, and his discussion of Adrian Gonzalez is spot on: With only one year left on his team-friendly deal (he’ll make [...]