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IGD: Padres vs Cardinals (19 May 08)

Monday, May 19, 2008
by Geoff Young

Padres (16-29) vs Cards (26-20) Wil Ledezma vs Todd Wellemeyer 7:05 p.m. PT Channel 4SD AM 1090, FM 105.7, XM 187 MLB, B-R It is difficult to remain optimistic when there is no obvious reason for hope. Even if I continue to believe that the Padres' true level of ability is 85 wins, that gives them 61 wins the rest of the way, which puts them at 77-85 to end the season. Obviously that doesn't fit anyone's definition of a contender. Assuming the Padres continue on their present course (or even improve some) and finish with their first sub-.500 record in ...

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Posted in In-Game Discussion | 69 Comments »

Padres Release Edmonds, Shuffle Deck Chairs

Saturday, May 10, 2008
by Geoff Young

So much for Jim Edmonds. Ducksnorts readers projected him to hit .255/.338/.418, with the most pessimistic of us pegging his OPS at a limp 645. Sadly, the former All-Star didn't even come close to those meager numbers, finishing his Padres career at .178/.265/.233 in 103 plate appearances and, more importantly, looking lost in center field. Edmonds has been released, and his spot on the roster taken by Jody Gerut, who presumably will see most of the action in center field. This is a gutsy move considering that Gerut has 26 big-league games under his belt ...

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Posted in Roster Notes | 38 Comments »

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The Shape of Things to Come

Wednesday, May 7, 2008
by Geoff Young

Top of the ninth, two on, one out. Adrian Gonzalez steps to the plate. Braves manager Bobby Cox summons ex-Padre Royce Ring, who promptly hangs a breaking ball. Gonzalez swats it high and deep down the right-field line. He, catcher Brian McCann, and plate umpire Wally Bell all watch as it sails into the Atlanta night... just foul for strike one. Ring proceeds to fan Gonzalez. After a pitching change, Kevin Kouzmanoff lofts a harmless fly ball to center, into the waiting glove of another ex-Padre, Mark Kotsay. Game over. The Padres lose again. That's the season in a nutshell so far. The Padres play poorly, and then, when they get opportunity, it fizzles... or misses by a few feet, whatever. I'm not prepared to ...

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Posted in Game Recaps, Roster Notes | 161 Comments »

Padres Farm Report (4 May 08)

Sunday, May 4, 2008
by Geoff Young

Brian Giles should have one more hit to his credit this season. Not that it affected the outcome, but Alfredo Amezaga absolutely didn't catch Giles' soft liner in the top of the eighth. Also, what a strange game for Paul McAnulty: hit by a pitch, thrown out trying to advance on a popup to third base, lost his glove while chasing down a foul fly ball to left, almost hit in the on-deck circle by a drive off the bat of Josh Bard... Triple-A -- Portland 6, New Orleans 1 Matt Antonelli: 1-for-4 Jody Gerut: 2-for-3, 2B, BB Chase Headley: 0-for-3, BB Brian Myrow: 2-for-4, HR Chip Ambres (CF): 1-for-3, 2B, BB Craig Stansberry (SS): 1-for-3, E Shawn Estes: 7 IP, 4 H, ...

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Posted in Minors | 13 Comments »

Gee, I Still Don’t Understand Sample Size

Wednesday, April 30, 2008
by Geoff Young

The Padres need to go out and get more hitters. I know this is true because I keep hearing it. I also know it's a complete load of garbage. What they really need is for the hitters they already have to start performing up to their capabilities. Padres Hitters: 2008, 2007, Career 20082007Career AgePAOPS+PAOPS+PAOPS+ Statistics are courtesy of Baseball-Reference and are through games of April 29, 2008. Josh Bard309554443107136499 Adrian Gonzalez261161267201251673119 Tadahito Iguchi331166453392185796 Kevin Kouzmanoff261236453410971898 Khalil Greene2811657659100233599 Scott Hairston2891922949478586 Jim Edmonds387736411887384132 Brian Giles371141165521097043139 Paul McAnulty276298434914977 The only guy who might be playing over his head is McAnulty. But we don't really know because we've never gotten the opportunity to see what P-Mac is capable of doing at the big-league level over extended periods of ...

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Posted in Baseball | 113 Comments »

Monkeys on Roller Skates

Thursday, April 24, 2008
by Geoff Young

Thanks to reader Lance for hooking us up with seats two rows behind the visitors dugout on Wednesday night. First time I've been anywhere near that close at Petco Park, and it's a whole different experience. For a guy like me who lives in nosebleed, just, wow. Also, belated welcome to all the folks at Gaslamp Ball who came over and hung with us while GLB was unavailable. Good to see so many familiar names as I browsed through the IGD.The national story will be that Trevor Hoffman blew a save. Hooray for the media. Here are some other stories that won't get as much play: Brian Giles struck out ...

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Posted in Game Recaps | 73 Comments »

Padres Farm Report (8 Apr 08)

Tuesday, April 8, 2008
by Geoff Young

Tom Krasovic at the U-T reports that Michael Barrett has been placed on the 15-day disabled list (h/t Baseball in Fort Wayne) due to a "strained throwing elbow" suffered during Monday afternoon's 8-4 win over the Giants. Much is unknown at this point, but it doesn't sound good. Meanwhile, Colt Morton will come up from Double-A San Antonio to replace Barrett on the big-league roster. Josh Bard is expected to see most of the playing time at catcher in Barrett's absence. Triple-A -- Portland 9, Sacramento 1 Matt Antonelli: 0-for-3, 2 BB Craig Stansberry (3B): 2-for-4, 2 2B, BB Chase Headley (LF): ...

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Posted in Minors, Roster Notes | 21 Comments »