Search results for ‘trevor hoffman

Me, Elsewhere: Thanks for All the Runs

My latest at Hardball Times examines pitchers that succeeded despite not pitching very well. Our pal Ismael Valdez, who once inspired some wretched poetry, appears on this list. For grins, here are the five lowest ERA+ of Padres pitchers who qualified for the ERA title and finished with a winning record: Kevin Jarvis, 2001: 12-11, [...]

Friday Links (22 Jan 10)

Link sat alone in a boggy marsh, totally motionless except for her heart… Most veteran Padre on the club since 1969 (Gaslamp Ball). Fun list from jbox that might or might not benefit from my understanding what the heck he’s trying to do. Brothers in Baseball (Baseball Daily Digest). Another year, another set of Padres [...]

Death of a Gunslinger

As you doubtless know by now, the Padres have fired GM Kevin Towers. It’s taken me so long to write about this because it is difficult for me to articulate my feelings. His departure hits me harder than those of Bruce Bochy, Trevor Hoffman, Sandy Alderson, or Jake Peavy. Towers was the primary architect of [...]

Youngsters and Salary Dumps

We’ve been tracking a few key young players since the All-Star break using Modified Box Scores (explanation). Let’s see how these kids are doing as measured by more conventional metrics. Bear in mind that we’re talking about 31 games, a tiny sample. First, the Padres as a team: Padres Offense, First and Second Half   [...]

I Am Sure I Am Not Sure (I Think)

The world is in a constant state of flux. All that we know with any degree of certainty is that what holds true today may or may not hold true tomorrow... The Padres have been awful this year. I have witnessed it personally and had others confirm the fact for me as well... That's why I feel guilty enjoying this team. I want to hate, but I can't do it.

Is Life Ever Good Enough?

I use baseball to mark the passage of time. The memory of specific events helps keep me grounded in a world that often makes less sense than I’d like it to make (forgive the fact that I grew up rooting for the Dodgers): 1981 — Fernandomania; Rick Monday’s homer off Steve Rogers in Montreal 1988 [...]

To Sweep and To Be Swept

Sunlight glimmers off the bay like sweat, like flashbulbs, a disco ball, coins from a slot machine, dice rolling, neon signs. Patterns of light moving impossibly fast, not moving at all. Stare long enough, it all becomes one. Time and meaning are lost, like the days themselves, swept out to sea. The Padres had Monday [...]

Eight Sliders Sliding

Got my coffee. Got my Neko Case. Like when I drove from Asheville to Durham en route to Cooperstown for Tony Gwynn’s Hall of Fame induction. So many trees. I miss the road. * * * Jody Gerut rocks the ’69 uni Stupid game Tuesday night at PhoneCo. Top of the fourth, Kevin Kouzmanoff bangs [...]

The Ride Is All We Have

Opening Day. An affirmation of spring, life, and all that is good in the world. Moments of perfection will carry us through difficult times. There is no other way. Baseball is my pulse, my clock, my book of days. Seasons all run together. I was in high school discovering Roto, now I’m a month shy [...]

Rapid Revolution

What fascinates me is how quickly it all happened. The Padres lost their 99th game of the season on September 28, and a little more than four months later, everything had changed. Sure, Petco Park is still here, as are Kevin Towers and Bud Black. Adrian Gonzalez hasn’t left, nor has Jake Peavy (though not [...]