Search results for ‘heath bell’

Tuesday Links (10 May 11)

by Geoff Young on May 10, 2011 (7) Comments

Seems I’ve fallen behind in my links. Some of these are a little old and might taste funny, but they won’t make you sick or anything…

“Still Kicking” Isn’t Just a Metaphor, It’s Also Annoying

by Geoff Young on May 04, 2011 (12) Comments

The pizza is warm, the beer is cold, and the kids behind you are kicking the back of your seat. Their parents have forgotten to teach them how to behave in public. Mat Latos has forgotten how to throw strikes and walks Andrew McCutchen to lead off the game. Xavier Paul, who didn’t hit enough [...]

Lemontastic

by Geoff Young on Apr 06, 2011 (10) Comments

When we arrived at Petco Park, a little over an hour before first pitch, the Giants were taking batting practice and Heath Bell was signing autographs near the home dugout. Bell signed for 10-15 minutes, with other members of the Padres bullpen joining in as well. Players milled about the field, the grounds crew made [...]

Spring Sluggers

by Geoff Young on Mar 30, 2011 (7) Comments

There has been recent discussion about whether spring training statistics are predictive in some way. John Dewan at ACTA Sports suggests they might be: For the most part, we agree with the common perception that they don’t have value. A bad spring training means nothing. An average spring training tells us nothing. Nevertheless, we did [...]

Your Padres’ No. 3 Hitter Is Not Your Padre’s No. 3 Hitter

by Geoff Young on Mar 24, 2011 (6) Comments

One detail I neglected to mention yesterday is the fact that Orlando Hudson batted third in Saturday’s game against the Cubs. This seemed peculiar to me, but I gave it little thought until I later saw that Bud Black is planning to use Hudson in that spot during the regular season.

Notes from Peoria

by Geoff Young on Mar 07, 2011 (5) Comments

On practice field no. 2, relievers play long toss. Luke Gregerson and Heath Bell are throwing to each other. Chad Qualls is throwing to a left-hander whose name is not visible from here. On other fields, players are working on bunting, fielding, and other skills that might come in handy during the season. It’s 9:30 [...]

BP Kings: Don’t Let J.J. Hardy Ruin Your Draft

by Geoff Young on Feb 26, 2011 (1) Comments

My draft philosophy is weird, and I wouldn’t recommend it. The basic approach is to fill the tough positions first and to go where others aren’t going. I don’t rely on projections (maybe I’ll sneak a quick glance, but not always), and I try not to think too hard about my picks. Each draft takes [...]

Regardless of Venue, Homers Are Hard to Come By in San Diego

by Geoff Young on Feb 23, 2011 (14) Comments

The folks at Gaslamp Ball have a fun article up about polarizing topics for Padres fans. Among the topics is Petco Park’s effect on offense. It’s a legitimate concern, but part of the discussion centers on a fallacy: “Fans used to seeing home runs fly out of a Qualcomm Stadium at an average rate were [...]

I Think I Sprained My Cliche

by Geoff Young on Feb 21, 2011 (11) Comments

Spring training has arrived. Players are preparing to give 110% while staying within themselves. They won’t try to do too much… one day at a time, of course. They’re busy people. It’s all very complicated; just try to stay with them. Here’s a quick rundown of what to look for this spring…

Hungry. Thirsty. Whatever.

by Geoff Young on Feb 14, 2011 (6) Comments

A poet friend and I exchanged Sarah Vaughan tunes on Saturday morning. I served with “Shadow of Your Smile”; he returned with “Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most” — nothing but aces with The Divine One. Her voice and a pot of freshly ground French roast go a long way toward wiping away [...]