by Geoff Young on Sep 25, 2006
I haven’t offered much analysis on Trevor Hoffman’s record-breaking achievement but there’s a good reason. I can’t offer anything cogent right now. The best I can give you is, “wow!” and share photos. I’m sure I’ll have more to say at some point, but for now I’m just going to point you to other folks. Let’s enjoy the moment a bit longer, then turn our attention to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Before I forget: All remaining road games will be televised on the giant screen facing the Park at the Park. Admission is free. “The Natural” will be shown following Saturday night’s game.
Also, Greg Rybarczyk at Hit Tracker is looking for some help on the Russell Branyan home run on Sunday. I know it travelled 453 feet but Greg is looking for a description of precisely where the ball landed. I’ll check TiVo tonight, but maybe someone else can help? If so, let us know — email Greg, email me, leave comments, whatever.
On to the links. I haven’t finished reading all these yet, just trying to get the word out:
North County Times
Padres.com
- Colleagues salute Hoffman’s exploits (Barry Bloom)
- ‘Trevor Time’ reaches immortality (Barry Bloom)
- Hoffman makes history as Friars sweep (Amanda Branam)
- Hoffman remains dependable for Friars (Amanda Branam)
San Diego Union-Tribune
Blogs
And, of course, we’ve got photos here and T-shirts here.
National Coverage
None that I can find, beyond the Associated Press feed that’s filtering through various outlets. A lot of folks have dropped the ball on this one. Sadly, Hoffman and the San Diego Padres aren’t exactly media darlings so the record takes second stage to HOT! HOT! HOT! items such as Nomar Garciaparra’s walk-off grand slam against the Diamondbacks, or the Tigers clinching their first playoff appearance in 19 years. Apparently we need a little perspective out here in San Diego, where some people think setting a big-league record trumps hitting a home run or clinching a playoff spot.
Anyway, I can’t even give it a good whine. I’ve come to expect this sort of treatment from the national sports media, which is why I don’t pay much attention to them. Of course, living in San Diego, that’s a luxury I can afford. I feel bad for fans around the country who have to suffer through truckloads of irrelevant garbage just to get a tiny morsel of Padres news.
So hang out here and celebrate. Read stories, look at pictures, buy shirts, let Greg know if you have any info on the Branyan homer. And then forget about all that when tonight’s game begins at 5:10 p.m. PT because there’s still work to be done. Go to Petco Park to watch it on the big screen or join us here for the IGD. Rock on!
by Geoff Young on Sep 24, 2006
Okay, folks; we’ve got T-shirts. Grab ‘em while they’re hot…
by Geoff Young on Sep 24, 2006
San Diego Padres closer Trevor Hoffman notched career save #479 at Petco Park on Sunday, sealing a second straight 2-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates and passing Lee Smith as the all-time saves leader in Major League history. As we did yesterday when Hoffman tied the record, we’ll let the photos do the talking. Big thanks to Ducksnorts reader LaMar for the tickets, and congratulations, Trevor!
Update: I’ve posted more photos at Flickr.
by Geoff Young on Sep 24, 2006
first pitch: 1:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Clay Hensley (10-11, 3.81 ERA) vs Marty McLeary (1-0, 4.76 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
buy tickets
Trevor Hoffman ties Lee Smith for the all-time big-league saves record (rumor has it even ESPN woke up for that one). Jake Peavy ties Andy Benes for the franchise record with his 15th double-digit-strikeout game. Josh Barfield hits another game winning homer (you know Barfield’s got your back). The Padres tie last year’s victory mark with eight games remaining. The Dodgers lose to Arizona.
Whew, I’m exhausted. But it’s a good exhausted, you know?
Padres go for the sweep this afternoon against the Pirates. Former Friar Marty McLeary makes his first big-league start, while Clay Hensley toes the slab for San Diego. Hensley sports a 2.72 ERA over 72 2/3 innings since the All-Star break, allowing just three home runs during that stretch.
I’ll be out at Petco Park once again, hoping that today’s isn’t the final home game of the season. I don’t know about you, but I’m not ready for this to end just yet. Go Padres!
by Geoff Young on Sep 23, 2006
Sometimes a story just tells itself…
by Geoff Young on Sep 23, 2006
first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Jake Peavy (9-14, 4.25 ERA) vs Zach Duke (10-13, 4.49 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
buy tickets
Joe Freakin’ Randa? You’ve got to be kidding me. Even when he’s not donning a Padres uniform he hurts us.
On the bright side, the Pads won the game in convincing fashion. Still, it would’ve been sweet to see Chris Young hurl the first no-hitter in team history. Just about everyone in our section was on their feet for the final two innings. Good times.
Tonight it’s Jake Peavy and Zach Duke in the Padres’ penultimate regular-season home game. Peavy needs three strikeouts to reach 200 for the second straight season. Duke, meantime, has been tough in the second half, sporting a 3.57 ERA over 85 2/3 innings since the All-Star break. His ERA in September is 1.50 over 30 innings.
In other games of note, the Phillies are up on the Marlins, 4-1 in the fourth as of this writing. The Diamondbacks and Dodgers hook up again in LA at 7:10 p.m. PT. Miguel “The Poet” Batista squares off against Brad “3-2-1 Blastoff” Penny in that one.
I’ll be out at Petco Park once again tonight, so you’re on your own for this one. Go Padres!
by Geoff Young on Sep 22, 2006
first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Chris Young (10-5, 3.63 ERA) vs Tom Gorzelanny (2-3, 3.62 ERA)
buy tickets
Running on fumes here. I’ll be out at the park tonight, tomorrow night, and Sunday afternoon. Tonight I’ll be sitting right on top of the Pittsburgh bullpen. Just got a new digital camera; if I can figure out how to work the thing, I should get some good photos.
Pirates played the Dodgers tough (much appreciated) and won’t go quietly here in San Diego. Padres look to extend their lead in the NL West and Trevor Hoffman needs just one more save to tie Lee Smith’s all-time record. Wouldn’t it be awesome if he could tie and break it this weekend, in the final regular-season home games of 2006?
Enjoy the game, talk it up, and go Padres!
by Geoff Young on Sep 22, 2006
This will be brief, as I’m real short on time at the moment:
- The Game of the Century? (Hardball Times). Yes, this was tough to take but I guarantee you’ll never forget it. Dave Studeman at the Hardball Times charts the win probability play by play, with commentary from readers here at Ducksnorts and over at Dodger Thoughts. Very cool. This comment, incidentally, might be the funniest I’ve seen all year, mainly because I could totally see it happening.
- A First! An In-Game Post From Petco (San Diego Spotlight). Rich Campbell gives a firsthand account of Thursday night’s victory over Arizona from the ballpark. Sweet!
- Notes From BA’s AZL Chat (Padres RunDown). Peter Friberg, who is busy at work on his own Padres prospect list, shares some nice comments that Baseball America’s John Manuel made about Cedric Hunter. The names he compares Hunter to are pretty impressive.
- Prospect Retro: Gary Matthews Jr. (Minor League Ball). John Sickels takes a look back at former Padres prospect Matthews, who has found a home (and how!) in Texas.
- Francisco Liriano—Warning signs? (Baseball Think Factory). Frame-by-frame visual analysis of Liriano’s pitching mechanics. Fascinating. I like numbers as much as the next guy, but we need more of this kind of stuff.
Happy Friday, folks. Go Padres!
by Geoff Young on Sep 21, 2006
first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT
television: Channel 4SD
matchup: Woody Williams (9-5, 3.69 ERA) vs Brandon Webb (16-6, 2.92 ERA)
previews: Padres.com | SI.com | ESPN
buy tickets
We had a request for Chicago or Strawberry Alarm Clock lyrics today. I couldn’t find anything appropriate for the occasion, but I did learn that Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Ed King was a founding member of Strawberry Alarm Clock, which I would not have guessed.
Anyway, the Padres were supposed to win the games Brandon Webb isn’t pitching so they wouldn’t have to beat him to take the series. Oh well, I guess now they have to do it the hard way.
What else is new?
by Geoff Young on Sep 21, 2006
What a flat performance Wednesday night at Petco Park. On the bright side, the Dodgers dropped their second straight to the Pirates, so the Padres remain a half game up in the NL West (and in the wild card, ahead of the surging Phillies).
Monday night’s incredible comeback was supposed to be a turning point for the Dodgers, but the thing about turning points is you can’t really identify them until after you’ve reached your destination. Meantime, the race continues.
Speaking of which, Rich Lederer and Bryan Smith were gracious enough to give me a guest spot over at Baseball Analysts. The piece is about — shockingly enough — the NL West. Check it out when you have a moment. Big thanks to Rich and Bryan for having me over to the digs. Sorry ’bout the couch — it’ll clean up easy enough.
I’ve also added this one to the “Geoff’s Other Baseball Writing” page for easy future reference.
The plan: Go visit Baseball Analysts, hang out for a bit; come back here and chat. Eat, drink, be merry. Then make sure you’re back in time for the IGD, which opens up at 6 p.m. PT. This is the one night I won’t be out at Petco Park, so I’ll actually be able to hang with y’all. Woo-hoo!
Gotta go to bed. Is this post done yet?
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