Wednesday, May 31, 2006

A No No, I Didn't Know

Chris Young nearly pitched a No No last night against the pesky Rockies. The Padres won the game 2-0 and Young pitched the no no into the 8th inning and the place was rocking.

Padre Mike turned on the TV in the 8th and was happy to see Chris still in the game and the Padres with a 2-run lead. Then a Rocky gets a hit into right field and everyone gets real depressed.

PM was like, why? Then I realize, being the sharp dude I am, that the hit I saw was the first hit against Young in the game.

Oh well. Sorry to jinx it for you, Chris.

Day Game
Day game today and I wish I was there because its sunny and nice. But, we corporate monkeys will have to watch via Gameday and talk via Ducks IGD.

Important Game Because...
1. Put us three games over 500 before we hit the road to Pitts and Mik.

2. End of the first two months of BB and an important assessment point for the Pads. Three games above 500 would be nice.

3. Currently tied with the Rocks and we need to move ahead of them.

4. Clay needs to prove that he can be consistent.

5. Winning makes Padre Mike feel better.

6. We want to stay in the Hunt. 3.5 back isn't too bad and Az can't continue to play so well, but we don't want to get too far back.

7. Keeping the Mo into the day off at home is always great.

8. We deserve to win because we are nice people and this is a nice town.

Go Padres!

Padre Mike

Tuesday, May 30, 2006

Padres Punked by Rocks

The Rockies own the Padres at Petco. IOWs, the pads are the their bitches, their doormats, their red-headed step child, their mangy flea-bitten mutts, their Kansas City Royals.

5-0 the Rocks are at Petco and I doubt the Pads even made a showing in half those games. I know they didn't show up for last's drubbing. Be nice to win one.

Great Cardinal Series
And after taking two out of three from the Redbirds and playing some fun and tight baseball. Sunday's game had to be the funest all year with 10 runs scored, unless you love a pitcher's duel, which it certainly wasn't.

Albert got his dinger, but so did Josh Bard (2) and AG.

Well, lets see if we can win one tonight.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

PS: Busy week for Padre Mike as he gets ready to run the Rock and Roll Marathon Sunday. IOWs, light posting.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Padres Loose Again

The Atl killed us last night with three home runs against Chris Young in the first three innings and various other offensive wonders that the Padres can only dream about. Apparently, the Atl love to play at Petco.

Young had a rough outing, curveball was not working, thumb cold, whatever.

Padres are now tied for the basement with the Giants and merely a single game above 500.

Padre Mike Breaks it Down
Roberts: Cold, when he gets on the Padres invariably score.

Cameron and Giles: Cold but they can't carry a team with at least some help.

Piazza: Warming with hits last night and his average is climbing, but there are eight other batters.

Castilla: Ice cold and over the hill. Low average and a coupla errors last night, although only one recorded, 3rd base has to be productive.

Josh: Hitting well but his fielding reflects the fact that he is a rookie.

Gonzales: Confused at the plate, continues to flash the leather but, like third, 1st base must be more productive at the plate.

Green: Strikes out too much yet leads the team in RBIs and HRs, which indicates the entire problem with the offense, your skinny, blond SS is your HR bomber and RBI leader. Go figure.

Summary: Piazza and Josh are the only guys hitting right now. Roberts, Giles, and Cammy are cold but will get hot. Gonzalas is struggling, Greene is an enigma, and Vinny is way past his prime.

All this spells the second worst batting avg in the NL West just ahead of the lowly Cubs.

Day Off
Time to regroup because the Cards are coming to town and they are a club that don't mess around.

It will be fun to see Albert, who has to constantly defend himself against steroid allegations despite the fact that he is probably clean...thank you Bonds and others.

We would have liked to enter the day off with a win like we did going into Seattle last week, but what can you do.

I think when the Padre bats heat up, we will start to win more games, but the Petco Curse has definitely returned.

Time to think small ball again, fellas, Petco ball.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Padres Loose Again

The Atl killed us last night with three home runs against Chris Young in the first three innings and various other offensive wonders that the Padres can only dream about. Apparently, the Atl love to play at Petco.

Young had a rough outing, curveball was not working, thumb cold, whatever.

Padres are now tied for the basement with the Giants and merely a single game above 500.

Padre Mike Breaks it Down
Roberts: Cold, when he gets on the Padres invariably score.

Cameron and Giles: Cold but they can't carry a team with at least some help.

Piazza: Warming with hits last night and his average is climbing, but there are eight other batters.

Castilla: Ice cold and over the hill. Low average and a coupla errors last night, although only one recorded, 3rd base has to be productive.

Josh: Hitting well but his fielding reflects the fact that he is a rookie.

Gonzales: Confused at the plate, continues to flash the leather but, like third, 1st base must be more productive at the plate.

Green: Strikes out too much yet leads the team in RBIs and HRs, which indicates the entire problem with the offense, your skinny, blond SS is your HR bomber and RBI leader. Go figure.

Summary: Piazza and Josh are the only guys hitting right now. Roberts, Giles, and Cammy are cold but will get hot. Gonzalas is struggling, Greene is an enigma, and Vinny is way past his prime.

All this spells the second worst batting avg in the NL West just ahead of the lowly Cubs.

Day Off
Time to regroup because the Cards are coming to town and they are a club that don't mess around.

It will be fun to see Albert, who has to constantly defend himself against steroid allegations despite the fact that he is probably clean...thank you Bonds and others.

We would have liked to enter the day off with a win like we did going into Seattle last week, but what can you do.

I think when the Padre bats heat up, we will start to win more games, but the Petco Curse has definitely returned.

Time to think small ball again, fellas, Petco ball.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Padres Loose Again

The Atl killed us last night with three home runs against Chris Young in the first three innings and various other offensive wonders that the Padres can only dream about. Apparently, the Atl love to play at Petco.

Young had a rough outing, curveball was not working, thumb cold, whatever.

Padres are now tied for the basement with the Giants and merely a single game above 500.

Padre Mike Breaks it Down
Roberts: Cold, when he gets on the Padres invariably score.

Cameron and Giles: Cold but they can't carry a team with at least some help.

Piazza: Warming with hits last night and his average is climbing, but there are eight other batters.

Castilla: Ice cold and over the hill. Low average and a coupla errors last night, although only one recorded, 3rd base has to be productive.

Josh: Hitting well but his fielding reflects the fact that he is a rookie.

Gonzales: Confused at the plate, continues to flash the leather but, like third, 1st base must be more productive at the plate.

Green: Strikes out too much yet leads the team in RBIs and HRs, which indicates the entire problem with the offense, your skinny, blond SS is your HR bomber and RBI leader. Go figure.

Summary: Piazza and Josh are the only guys hitting right now. Roberts, Giles, and Cammy are cold but will get hot. Gonzalas is struggling, Greene is an enigma, and Vinny is way past his prime.

All this spells the second worst batting avg in the NL West just ahead of the lowly Cubs.

Day Off
Time to regroup because the Cards are coming to town and they are a club that don't mess around.

It will be fun to see Albert, who has to constantly defend himself against steroid allegations despite the fact that he is probably clean...thank you Bonds and others.

We would have liked to enter the day off with a win like we did going into Seattle last week, but what can you do.

I think when the Padre bats heat up, we will start to win more games, but the Petco Curse has definitely returned.

Time to think small ball again, fellas, Petco ball.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Padres Beat Braves

Mike Thompson, the 25 year old minor league vet called up when the 38 year old Major League vet, Woody, got hurt, threw a second quality start despite a positively anemic Padre offense of two hits compared to his last outing in Az when the Padres got 9 runs before the rookie even took the mound.

Thompson has become the Padres new stopper, that dominating pitcher who through sheer force of his will, ends losing streaks and puts the team on his back in hard times. Heh.

Petco Curse
The PC has returned as Padre hitters struggle to make contact, struggle to get hitter's counts, struggle to hit dingers, struggle, struggle, struggle.

If things don't change soon, I'm gonna bring back the witch doctor.

And guess who is coming to town? Mr. 23 homers (as of last night) himself, Albert and his Cardinal crew, a real good ball club by any stretch. So tonight would be a good night to lift the PC and start hitting again.

Basement Talk
Looks like the Dodgers are now the surging team in the NL West, having won 5 in a row and climbing from the basement into second place. The Padres are in the basement 2.5 games back. Is that really a basement? You want basement, check out the Pirates, 15 games back of the Cardinals. Or the Marlins, 14 games back of the Reds. Now that's basement time. But the NL West is still up for grabs and it seems right now, the team that gets hot, climbs to the top. Right now its the Dodgers.


Go Padres

Padre Mike

Quips:

1. Chipper Jones (who names their kid chipper?) had a crucial and unlikely error at third base that got the Padres a second un-earned run. That don't happen often.

2. Petco Curse? Well, apparently the Braves pitcher never heard of it, because while the Padres don't know which end of the bat to hold these days, Juan Sosa jacked a BOMB into the left field seats last night to give the Braves their only run. Guys, you hold the skinny part of the bat with your hands and use the fat part to hit the ball with.

3. Jerry Coleman is back for the home stand and he's sounding great and even a little frisky. I wish Ted would not patronize him. I'm sure he doesn't do it on purpose, but it sounds like it on the radio. Go Jerry.

Monday, May 22, 2006

Ms Sweep Padres

Well, we got swept by the Ms. We played poorly, pitched even worse and got beat by a forth place American League team.

We are now just two games above 500 and in 4th place, two games out of first in the NL West. Standings here.

And It Don't Get Any Easier

The next 9 games see the Atl and St. Louis at home, followed by the Rockies in Coors Field. It could get real ugly if the Pads don't tighten the damned defense and start playing Petco Ball again.

True Pad Fans

But in the finest sense of being a true Padre fan, when the team is loosing, me and my family are doing something else is this activity-driven town. How bout a 15 mile run around Mission Bay. Then a nice breakfast at home with the kids, some coffee and the Sunday paper. Then a trip to the Y for some tennis and swim in the pool while mom works out. Add to that some progress on the home improvement project of installing a new closet in the MB and then dinner at Souplanation. Then it was home for the usual Sunday night chores of homework, trash, baths and a movie.

Padres, we don't need no stinking Padres.

And believe me folks, that was nothing in this town on a Sunday. The Padres will have to play a lot better to compete with San Diego on a Sunday.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Quips
1. Boy, did it rain last night or what. Left the damned skylight open in the bathroom, came in about 4 am, naked, bathroom was all wet, I'm trying to close the skylight, can't see because the bathroom light is blinding me, but finally got it closed. Wow, rain in May, stays mainly in the plain.

2. Could we really lose the Chargers? I think so, if a deal can't be struck by Dec. Padres got Petco right in the nick of time.

Sunday, May 21, 2006

M's Win Again

One word: Unearned runs. That means guys get on base without earning their way on base with a hit. Walks, errors, balks, interference, etc. Padre had 3 from the start of May until the Az series. Now we have a lot in the last two games.

We are not as good as we thought.

Oh well.

Padre Mike

Quips

1. Nice right cross by the Cubs catcher. He did it to fire up his struggling team, of course.

2. Bond pulls even with the Babe. Its an accomplishment he should be proud of. Too bad he's one of baseballs bad boys.

Saturday, May 20, 2006

Padres Bully Fails to Hold Ms

well, the bloom is off the May rose and the Padres are quickly returning to earth and the reality that they are a dull, mediocre team with a porous bullpen, hapless hitters, mistake-prom rookies, cracky old vets, and a once decent defense gone completely south.

No really, folks, that is how the Padres played last night's game against the Ms. If anything came out of this game, it that the bullpen ain't making it. Oh well.

Flan Flan, the Color Man

Not sure about Tim Flannery as a play by play guy, I he is a GREAT color man. He gives us tons of baseball insights that Ted could never do.

For instance, last night, an M batter is up against Cassidy (I think). Flan explains how the pitcher was tricked by the batter, who showed bunt, so the pither grooved a fastball down the middle, but the batter drilled it for a solid single and an RBI.

His play by play is, as a coupla years, still herky jerky, but love to hear his insights in the game.

Go Padres!

Padre Mike

Quips
1. Not sure about flan as a play by play guy, I he GREAT as a color man. He gives us tons of baseball insights that Ted could never do. For instance, last night, an M batter is up against Cassidy (I think). Flan explains how the pitcher was tricked by the batter, who showed bunt, so the pither grooved a fastball down the middle, but the batter drilled it for a solid single and an RBI.

Friday, May 19, 2006

No Stats, Please

As an English major who barely, and I mean by a whisker, passed college stats, I naturally avoid them like a construction site porta-potty. But I do love the Baseball Standings.

The standings are basic, kinda like 1+1=2 to BB stat heads, but for guys like me, they tell us all we need to know about our team and the league.

Lets see, what can we surmise from the standings: Here is the extended standings from CNN/SI

  • Padres in first by .5 game over the Az and in first place.

  • Seattle, the team we play over the weekend, ain't doing so hot at 17-25, last in the Amer League West.

  • Every team in the NL West is playing above .500, so much for a crappy division.

  • Pads at home are 10-12, but 13-6 on the road. This represents the poor, poor start. But I think we have turned the corner on Petco. The curse may be gone.

  • Pads are 7-3 in the last 10 games. Good stuff.

  • Pads are 9-1 against the NL Central. Seven of those wins are from the Cubs.

  • Pads are 13-3 in day games, 10-15 for night games. Must be that Petco plays better during the day. Are you listening Sandy?

  • The Giants (21-20) are in the NL West basement, but just two games behind the Padres and tied with the Dodgers.

  • Rockies are one game back. Its a tight race in May.

  • The Detroit Tigers (remember them) are 27-13 (best in the bigs) with the White Sock close behind at 26-14. Little perspective never hurts.


See boys and girls, baseball stats can be fun.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Quips
1. 11-1 in the fifth on Wed night in Phoenix, got a phone call from my sister in Portland. Got off the phone and it was 14-10, Wha happened?

2. Missed a few days out of sheer blogger depression. Blogger depression occurs when you know nobody reads your stuff and you think, "why bother." Bloggers who can overcome the deadly disease of Blogger Depressive Syndrome (BDS), learn to accept the utter futility of their ramblings. I'm feeling better now.

3. Greene an all-star, why not, except that no has ever heard of the guy outside SD and All-star games are mainly East Coast players.

4. Love Safeco Field, ain't never been there, but they tell me its nice. Lets see a little Petco Ball at Safeco.

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

Shoulda Woulda Coulda

Pads 5, Snakes 6 (10)
That was a game the Padres should have won. Second basemen Josh Barfield pretty much wrecked a quality start by CHP with an error and some fumblin bumblin at second base.

Linebrink wrcecked everything too by gaving up a HR in the eighth to tie the game, then Barfield again blow it in the 10th when a ball bounced over his glove into center to score the winning run.

Snakes 6, Padres 5. Barfield 0. Linebrink 0. Padre fan 0. CHP ripped off.

Last night saw the Padres of last year, except for the Linebrink homerun part. IOWs, bad defense. In the second or third inning, Barfield personally gave the Snakes two extra outs and they made us pay with 4 runs.

Errors kill momentum, kill rallies, kill winning streaks, kill pitcher-confidence, kill seasons, and drive managers, GMs, fans, and players crazy. Barfield is a rookie and he needs a rest today.

Tonight's Battle
Tonight is an important battle for first place.

The Snakes are .5 games back.
The Snakes have also won four straight from the Padres. We don't want to be the Cubs to the Snakes.

So this is a statement game.

Are we good? Do we deserve the swagger? Is the league-leading fielding percentage a May fluke? Is our improved hitting just another pink bat?

Or, are we just a ordinary team in a weak division like all the ESPN guys think?

Luckily, we have Jake the Snake (killer?) going tonight.

Now listen up you other eight scrubs, I want perfect defense and discipline at the plate. Methodically wear down their guy all night long.

Pads must support their stud in this National League West Statement Game Smack Down!

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Quips
1. I hear the Snakes farm system is rated number 1. Hear that Sandy, Better get to work.

2. Linebrink giving up dingers is alarming. Last year, a 4-5 lead was a cold steal, masterlock, lock cinch in the eighth. Linebrink threw one too many fastballs. Somebody talk to him.

3. Dear Mr. Padre baseball catcher, in the future always throw the ball to first on a third strike in the dirt even if the umpire indicates out.

Monday, May 15, 2006

Season Sweep of the Cubs

Wow, killed the Cubs again Sunday. Nice Mother's Day gift for all the Madres who traveled to the game.

Padres have won 5 in a row and are in sole position of first place. Here are the standings. Nice, huh?

Next up, the Snakes and these are important games in the standings because the Snakes are just a game and half back. Here is the UT preview.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Quips
1. The pink bats made very little difference so shame on players too macho to use one. In fact, I could barely tell the difference on TV, but then according to Mrs. Padre Mike, I'm a little color blind.

2. Funny how the Padre power guy is our ragamuffin, blond-headed shortstop with da quick hands. Khalil's up to 8. Maybe he can give Mike and Brian a few tips.

Sunday, May 14, 2006

That is a Piazza!

Well, nothing is as much fun as a 3-run home run in the top of the ninth to win the game for the good guys and that is exactly what Mike did for the Padres in the frendly confines of Wriggly Field yesteraday against the struggling cubs.

That was fun.

Happy Mother's Day

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Friday, May 12, 2006

This Is Fun - Pads Beat Brew Crew - Win Series

The Padres played the final frame of a three game set with the Brew Crew in an afternoon game, winning 8-5 behind a stellar start from Peavy who threw 7 shutout innings and the continued success of small ball approach from the Padre offense.

Clearly the Padres have shed the slow start of April and, like the hungry caterpillar, have emerged in the month of May into the team they are going to be for the season, a team with good pitching, small-ball offense, great defense, and a team that seems hungry.

Areas of Improvement
Two areas have seen big improvements this year:

1. Defense - We just completed an errorless home stand, and have the best fielding percentage in the majors.

2. Learning to play in Petco - IOWs, small ball, Petco Ball.

Breaking it Down
Padre Mike attempts to do some stats (never again).

NOTE: I'm not good with stats and I'm sure there are a ton of other measures of a team, but this is the best an irrational fan can do. The stats are real but basic.

Here is a quick look at the Padres, Snakes, and the Rocks in the three areas that make you a champion; pitching, defense and hitting, and thier ranking against all teams.

Padres: 5 ERA - 1 FPct - Avg 28
Rocks: 8 ERA - 16 FPct -Avg 8
Snakes: 6 ERA - 5 FPct - Avg 6

Padres are number 1 in defense (FPct), thats great, but at the bottom in hitting, not so great. I think poor team average reflects our bad start and will improve because clearly the Padres offense is playing a lot better.

Its early, so we will have to return to these stats later in the season (maybe not), but its interesting to see the three teams relatively close, especially the Snakes and the Padres.

This info comes from MLB.com:
Pitching
Hitting
Fielding


Early One Today
Its Wrigley Field so that means day-baseball, Ducks IGD, and Gameday for all the corporate keyboarders out there.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Quips
1. I changed my handle (remember CB radios) at Ducks to Irrational Fan as a way to counter all the stats-dudes over there, a fine bunch really. I'd make a stupid comment, and get five comments back contradicting my point backed with a lot of stats that I never heard of. So I decided that I was just irrational about Padre baseball and that would be my place, thus the name.

2. Sutcliffe apologizes for his drunken booth appearance. I guess you gotta do that when you are at the national level, but here in San Diego, we all thought it was, em, cute.

3. Interesting to see Sunday's Major League games and who hits with a pink bat. The bats are part of a awareness campaign about breast cancer on Mothers Day. The question is, who is too macho (and baseball is a manly sport) to use a pink bat on Sunday for a great cause? Enquiring minds want to know.

Thursday, May 11, 2006

One in a Row

Padres beat the Brew Crew last night behind another nice performance from CHP and his catcher, the dude we got for Marybelly, Josh Bard, who had a double and blocked the plate nicely. Of course, two great catches by Giles and Cameron helped, but that's a good outfield does.

Note: If that were Hernandez at the plate, the run would have scored. But I'm not bitter.

Day Game Today
One more home game today before the Pads set out on a nine game roady through Chi town, Phoenix, and Seattle, the latter set signaling the start of interleague play.

Corporate keyboarders get ready for IGD at Ducks and some Gameday at the Padres.com

Game Preview here.

Suttcliff in the Booth
Or was that in the booze. On the TV side, Maddy and Mud seemed happy to have their old broadcast partner in the booth for half an inning last night about the sixth, happy that is until they realized he was snookered to the gills. They asked him as few questions and it became apparent that he could hardly talk, was slurring his speech, and then started in with the I love Mudcat Grant routine.

Apparently, he was hanging out with Bill Murray and channel 4 was more then happy to have him sit at a microphone and talk Padres. Oops. The guy was ripped. Aw, live television, ain't it fun.

Reminds me of the days Howard Cossell used to do Monday Night Football and be three sheets to the wind by halftime.

Mud and Maddy never said goodbye to Sutcliff. Maybe he passed out. Bet he has a headache this morning.

Tough Night in the Bigs
Mark Bellhorn got a start at first last night to give the slumping AG some rest. But Bellhorn didn't make much of the opportunity at the plate. He struck out threes times with men on base and each time was to end the inning. Wow, that's a tough night.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Had to Happen Sometime- A Lose

Padres lost last night to the Brewers in ten innings after Trevor gave up two doubles with two outs. The Padres could not generate anything in the bottom of the 10th.

The lose ends a nine-game win streak that brought the defending National League champs above .500, pulled them out of the cellar into third place, and put a little swagger in their step.

But its a long season and we sure are not gonna win em all.

More Brew Crew tonight as CHP takes the bump for the Padres, who have not had a day off since April 27. The Brewers are a good team and can hit, so they are not to be taken lightly.

Keep the swagger, boys!

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Tuesday, May 09, 2006

9 in a Row!

Wow, Maddux was off a bit last night but the Padres took a methodical (Gywnn-like) approach to hitting him, taking hacks early in the count and looking to drive the ball up the middle. Roberts was hot stealing bases, walking, hitting triples, and even Old Mike started to warm up with two hits and an RBI.

Face it folks, the Padres are a team firing on all cylinders and its great fun.

Brew Crew Come to Town
According to the UT, the Brewers lead the league in HRs. Well, they have come to the right place, because PETCO is near the bottom in HRs allowed. The Brewers were just swept by the Dodgers in LA so they are coming in a little flat like the Cubs.

Game Preview: Union-Trib and Joundal-Sentinal.

The Standings
Like I said yesterday, this 9-game win streak is great but its only served to make up for a lousy start. We are still in third place 1.5 behind Snakes and 2.5 behind the Rocks who just keep winning.

Road record is 9-4.

Home record is 8-11. A swept of the Brewers and our home record is a mere 500. That is how bad our start was.

Standings are here.

Petco Curse v Petco Ball
We here at PM International are getting ready to retire the Petco Curse. I guess that witch doctor knew what he was doing, although I been feeling a little cold lately. A better word for the type of offense needed here is Petco Ball, a phrase coined by a UT sports writer.

Roberts, doing a post game interview last night, made reference to the Padres "proving that they can hit at Petco," or something like that. Its a small ball park, hit and run, steal bases, singles up the middle, pressure the defense and pitcher Park, have a plan at the plate Park, only smart hitters need apply Park.

In the long run, Petco is gonna make the Padres better situational hitters where ever they play. The learning curve has been steep, but I think we have turned the corner.

Small ball v Long Ball
As noted the Brewers have the most HRs in the bigs (47 as a team). But this is Petco where we play Petco Ball, which is small ball to the max. So this series is gonna be interesting because it pits long ball against small ball.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Quips
1. PM was dead wrong about last's game being boring. Its was completely the opposite. PM regrets the error.

2. Tony Gywnn was in the house last night. I wonder if the Padres invite him over from SDSU whenever Maddux is pitching. Tony hit like .429 against Maddux. Must know something.

3. Come to think of it, Petco would be the perfect park for a hitter like Tony. Maybe he should tag team with Mags as hitting coach.

Monday, May 08, 2006

8 in a Row

Cool and yesterday's game actually had some hitting from both the Cubs and Padres. But ESPN still could care less. And Woody pitched 8 innings giving the bullpen some rest.

Positives
1. We now know Khalil can hit, too bad there are not more day games of the schedule.

2. Padres are now 1 game above .500

3. Padres are a game closer to a .500 record at home (7-11) . If we win out on this home stand (runs tonight through Wed, the last three again Mil), we could have a .500 home record.

4. Padres find a catcher who can hit-Bohen.

5. The sun finally came out at Petco yesterday afternoon and it looked great. Wish I was there, but I can't afford $130 to take my family to the game.

Note to tourists: San Diego has sun all year round, except for May and June.

6. I just saved a ton on $$$ on my car insurance.

Negatives
1. Piazza aint' hitting, yet.

2. Greg "the phoenix" Maddox goes for the cubs tonight-Translation: low scoring, boring game.

3. My Blog is still screwed up, but having viewed my latest hit counter results, no one is reading it anyway.

4. The Rockies are playing out of their heads (19-13) and lead the NL West.

Tonight's Game
Maddox (5-1), you may have heard of him (Christ, he's my age, 40) battles Chris Young, he of the cold thumb. Cubs are still not hitting at all in their current slide and Maddox is sure to flummox the Pads in a night game of Petco. Bring your coats and a New Yorker or two. I predict the return of Petco Ball, big time. Could be wrong though. Lets get number 9.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Sunday, May 07, 2006

Padres Win Again in Extra Innings

Well, its dull to watch, but at least we are winning.

Quick Hits
1. Love the throwback uniforms, very cool.
2. Padres at .500.
3. Petco makes hitting slumps worse-ask the cubs.
4. The UT is calling it Petco Ball. I still like the Petco Curse.
5. Love the pie in the face act during the post game interview of Bowen last night. Slow motion replay reveals that Jake threw a perfect strike.
6. June gloom and thus the heavy, moist air lasts until mid July. That is a lot of one-run games.

Day Game Today
Woody heads to the bump today against the Cubs who probably can't wait to get out of town, but noooo, one more game tomorrow.

Go Padres

Padres Mike

PS
The blog is still messed up. Sorry. Hopefully repairs will be made this week.

Saturday, May 06, 2006

Crap!

Accidently blew away my blogspot template. For the blogspotters out there, you'll understand what a true PITA this is. It will take some time create all the helpful links again.

Nothing I like better then stairing at tiny HTML code all morning.

Padres almost to .500

In the meantime, the Padres are just a single game from having a .500 record. Cool. Added bonus, we have leap-frogged the Dodgers and Giants in the standings to a tie for third.

Salaries
Ran across the Padre 2006 salary list.

Christ, does CHP really make 15 mil this year? Barfield, AG, Hensley, Johnson, Cassidy are all around 350k. Cheap.

Padre Mike

Six in a Row

The Padres win their 6th in a row (and ESPN is still not paying attention)against the Cubs last night, 1-0 in 11 innings. CHP goes 9 innings, and Josh Barfield knocks in Khalil from 2nd with a line drive up the middle in the bottom of the 11th.

Petco Curse
Not sure I got my money's worth from that witch doctor. A 1-0 game doesn't mean the Petco Curse has been lifted and it doesn't make Petco any easier to hit it. We shall see. Right not its a battle royal between the happy month of May and the Petco curse. Only time will tell which one prevails.

Dull Game
My wife saw the score and immideiately thought of other dull games we have seen at Petco. Not much of a pitchers duel fan, I like at least a little hitting. Then it occured to me that because Petco is the #1 pitchers park in America, it is by default it also hosts some of the dullest games you will ever see. Calling John Moorses.

That is all for now....

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Friday, May 05, 2006

Witch Doctor for Tonight's Game



He's promised to lift the Petco Curse and allow the Padres to get many hits and score many runs.

Never mind what I had to give him.

I feel so cold.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Two Sweeps in a Row

Padres win last night with gutsy pitching from Clay Hensley (who got hit with a broken bat in the 2nd) and a three-run digger from Khalil in the 8th. The win is the fifth in a row, completes two short series sweeps (SF and LA), puts the road record at 9-4, gets us out of the cellar into 4th place, and puts us just two games from a 500 record. Wish we could play on the road all the time.

Coming Home - Da Da Da Dum
Ok, we played great on the road and now we have to play great at, gulp, Petco too. Witch doctors and voodoo practitioners aside, lets keep the Mo going at home and forget that we play in the worst hitters park in baseball.

Tonight, CHP and Zambrono face off as the struggling Cubs come in for a four-game set.

Should be a large crowd tonight as many Cub fans live in SD.
Game preview: UT here.

Cub Bloggers
They are depressed about the recent slump. Here's a few tastes:
Bleedcubbyclue
Thecubreporter


Go Padres

Padre Mike

Thursday, May 04, 2006

Padres Beat LA

Another offensive night and I mean that in a good way as the Padres beat the Dodgers at Chavez Revine 10-5 behind good pitching from Young (cold thumb and all), decent bullpen work, and great hitting that included three home runs (Barfield, Blum, Bellhorn).

Wasn't Too Pleased
I was a little worried in the 4th and 5th inning when the Padres loaded the bases but managed to get out of the 4th with nothing and the 5th with a single run. I thought it was a return to the old ways and the Petco Curse. But the boys broke loose in the 7th and began plating runs in bunches.

Bochy, Let Em Pitch
Bochy took Young out in the sixth inning with two outs, the old 6 2/3 innings in the box score. I hate when a manager does that unless the pitcher is injured. It basically tells the pitcher that whenever he is in trouble the manager is going to save his bacon. I say, let pitchers pitch their way out of an inning and out of trouble. If a pitcher knows Bochy isn't coming with the hook, then the pitcher has to bare down or cough up runs. Chris certainly had one more out in his arm.

What Happened to the Dodgers?
I see the Dodgers have Grady Little as a manager. He's an older gentlemen with greying hair. Seeing him in the dugout last night reminded me of what the Dodgers used to be, a stories, traditional franchise that played good baseball and had a great farm system. Tommy Losortta, the O'Malley family, Vin Scully, Orel, Gibby, Garvey, Murrey, remember them? Now its all changed. The only thing left is the classic Chavez Revine and Dodger blue. Boy, how things have really changed up there.

Break Out the Brooms
Love these two game sets, its easy to get a sweep. The Pad and Dodge go at it again tonight.
Preview here.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Three in a Row

Padres beat SF 5-3 to win 3 in a row, take a short two-game series at Phone Company Park, see Cameron hit his first HR, watch Trevor get is first save in a while, and see the Padre offense start to really warm up. Oh, and Barry hit another HR.

At the Dodgers Tonight-Previews
Hey, this is fun! Now its off for two in LA.
Beat LA, Beat LA.
UT
LA Times

News
Union Trib -Camron's first HR as a Padre and of course, Linebrink's 3-2 pitch to Barry.
North County Times -its all about Barry, and the home town paper too.
Extended Standings -don't look now, really, don't look, but coupla more wins are we are oughta the cellar.
Ducksnorts -reviews a book about management and baseball. Where does the guy get the time.

Deadlines loom, so I'm making it short today.

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Tuesday, May 02, 2006

Bean Ball Inspires Padres to Win

Ok, Sunday it was a pitching collapse in the bottom of the ninth to win, last night it was the beaning of Brian Giles in the fourth against the Giants that fired up the team for ten runs and a 10-2 win.

Only question is, how many more bruises can Giles take for the team to keep the bats going. After all, he only has, presumably, two butt cheeks.

Mirabelle Traded
Mirabelle was traded back to the Redsocks. Apparently, he catches Wakefield's knuckleball like no other and wasn't too happy here after we aquired Mike.

The Boston Globe says (registration req):

"How badly did the Red Sox want Mirabelle back? The police escort was ready on the tarmac when he disembarked from his plane at 6:48 p.m. He dressed in the car. He breezed through the clubhouse, put on his equipment, and headed to the field. He caught Wakefield's first pitch to the newly villainized Johnny Damon -- or, as he's known at WROR, ''Juan Damón" -- at 7:13."

Meanwhile we got a catcher named Bard who caught Peavy last night and got a hit. We also saved some $$$ and aquired some pitching.

Ducksnorts has the lowdown.

What They Said
SDUT has some insights into the Mirabelle trade and some interesting numbers when Giles gets plunked.

The SF Chronicle chronicles Wright's deterioration after hitting Giles.

NC Times tells us Peavy hit Bonds on the pinky finger, while Giles got hit in the butt.

ESPN could care less about the Padres but they love Boston.

The Schedule this Week
Not sure what problems schedule makers have when creating the schedule but this is an odd week. The Giant series is only a two-game with a night game followed by a day game today. Maybe they couldn't get 30 hotels rooms for more than one night. Then its down to LA for two night games, then home again (no please not Petco) for a rare four game set with the Cubs that goes Fri - Mon. Huh?

Go Padres

Padre Mike

Monday, May 01, 2006

Another Dull Game, Not!

Well, it was duller then paint drying until the 9th inning when, down by 5 runs (5-0) the Padres rallied back through a combination of a Dodger pitching collapse and the Padres not screwing it up, to tie the game. Then in the 10th, Bellhorn singled in the winning run.

The win ended a terrible five game slide that had the Padres with the five runs in the last five games, worst team betting average in the majors (.226), last in the NL West, and already 5.5 games out of first in a very mediocre division.

So yesterday's improbable pitching implosion by the Dodgers helps. Now, if we could get the Giant's pitching to collapse tonight, we might be onto something.

Sarcasm from the LA Times
Is Steve Springers of the LA Times pissed or what? Look at this nasty quote regarding yesterday's winning celebration:

"After Brian Giles raced across home plate with the winning run, the Padres celebrated in a huge circle around Bellhorn at first base as if they had won the pennant."
"In fact, they had only ended a five-game losing streak and are still at the bottom of the division at 9-15."
"And once the euphoria wears off, the Padres might concede that the victory resulted as much from the Dodger relievers' failure to command their pitches as it did from the Padres' ability to take command of the situation."

True, but ouch!

Second Base Controversy - Bellhorn v. Barfield
Hate to say it, but it looks like Barfield is going to be riding pine for a few days because its apparent that Bellhorn can hit and needs more ABs as the Padres struggle for any offense they can get. That's a shame, because Barfield is fun to watch. But that's the Major Leagues kid.

Petco Curse
From the UT quoting Greene about Saturday's game:

"Greene isn't unhappy about leaving Petco Park. Referring to Saturday's game, he said, "If that game is in 80 percent of the stadiums, we get three or four home runs. I always look at that. Those are no-doubt home runs, and they change the whole feel of the game."

Watch out Khalil, the last guys to make that obveration were bitten by the Petco Curse, as in traded and on the DL.

Petco Tough on Slumps
Petco is the number #1 pitchers park in the majors and that has to make it hard to come out of hitting slumps. Before yesterday's improbable comeback win, The Padres had lost five in a row with an anemic 5 runs. So when the bats on a team go cold, its even tougher at Petco because it favors the pitchers with a huge outfield and heavy, damp air that keeps baseballs from flying out. Opposing teams who come in hitting well may notice a small drop off due to The Curse. But the Padres gotta live with the Curse for 82 games. In short, Petco is tough to hit in already, but when you'll slumping, its even tougher to come out of a slump, as witnessed by that last five games.

Interesting Fact
The Padres are just 4-11 at home. But they are not the only team struggling at the friendly confines after the first month of baseball. Phillies are 5-10, Diamondbacks are 4-6, the Marlins are 2-7 and the worst team with just a single win at RFK out 8 tries (1-7), the Nationals.

So much for home cookin in the month of April.

Go Padres, make it two in a row.

Padre Mike