The Padres came into the first week of May after suffering a four game sweep at the hands of the NL West leading Los Angeles Dodgers. They were getting ready for two game sets against the Colorado Rockies and Arizona Diamondbacks, needing to get back on track and show the kind of team they were.
That week wouldn't go the way they planned. They split both two game series against Colorado and Arizona then ending the week the way they ended the previous week, suffering a three game sweep at the hands of the Houston Astros.
May 4th: After the Rockies had taken a 5-4 lead in the fourth inning, the Padres would regain the lead in the top half of the fifth thanks to a three run home run off the bat of Scott Hairston. But, after Padres' reliever Edwin Moreno loaded the bases in the seventh, Cla Meredith was brought in and promptly gave up a grand slam home run to Rockies' catcher Chris Ianetta. Padres lose 9-6.
May 5th: Padres held a 1-0 lead for seven innings and it looked like young Padres' right hander Josh Geer was going to pick up his first win of the season, but Rockies' catcher Chris Ianetta would again go deep, hitting a solo shot in the eighth inning to tie the game. It would go into the tenth inning where Brian Giles would hit a walk off RBI double, scoring Edgar Gonzalez from first. Padres win 2-1.
May 6th: Jake Peavy was crusing, having pitched five shutout innings and was striking out everyone in sight, but that didn't last long. D-Backs' right fielder Justin Upton finally got to Peavy in the sixth, lining a two run shot to left center to put Arizona ahead, 2-0. The Padres had their chances to break through against Arizona starter Jon Garland, but four double plays killed any rally they could have put together. Padres lose 3-1.
May 7th: The Padres, down 2-0 going into the home half of the fifth, got two RBI singles from Edgar Gonzalez and Scott Hairston to tie the game, 2-2. Arizona went ahead 3-2 on a sacrifice fly off the bat of Eric Byrnes but San Diego came right back thanks to an RBI double from catcher Nick Hundley to tie the game at 3-3. The Padres loaded the bases in the tenth on a lead double from Kevin Kouzmanoff and walks to Nick Hundley and Chris Burke which brought up David Eckstein who lined a game winning single to right. Padres win 4-3.
May 8th: The Padres got a great pitching performance from Chad Gaudin, giving up just two runs through seven innings, but the Padres' offense never could get anything going against Houston starter Wandy Rodriguez. Padres lose 2-0.
May 9th: The Padres were down 3-1 going into the eighth inning, but thanks to an RBI single from David Eckstein and an RBI double from Chase Headley, the Padres would take a 4-3 lead. That lead didn't last long as the Astros would re-take the lead, and keep it, in the home half of the eighth inning on RBI singles from Carlos Lee and Miguel Tejada. Padres lose 5-4.
May 10th: Happy Mother's Day! Well, I'm sure Josh Geer's mom was hoping for a little better outcome in this one. The young right hander gave up seven runs through just three innings and although the Padres got home runs from Adrian Gonzalez, Jody Gerut and Chase Headley, the Padres just couldn't recover. Padres lose 12-5.
When you look back at every game this past week, you realize how many of those games were winnable, how many of those games the Padres had taken a late lead just to have the bullpen give it right back. The chances to break through against another starter when their own starter was keeping the other team in check, but those timely hits just didn't come. What could have been...never was. Padres end the week at 2-5 and end their 17 game stretch with a record of 4-13.
Showing posts with label Cla Meredith. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cla Meredith. Show all posts
Monday, May 11, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Padres-Astros: Padres Bullpen Unable to Hold Late Lead, Lose to Astros
It's becoming a familiar saying, something Padre fans are becoming a little too used to during the 2009 season. The offense grabs a late lead and it looks like they're going to win a game this team normally wouldn't win, then the bullpen gets a hold of the game and lets it slip away.
Such was the case on Saturday night against the Astros. The Padres took a late 4-3 lead in the eighth inning thanks to an RBI double from Chase Headley, celebrating his 25th birthday last night.
That 4-3 lead was short lived as Cla Meredith, brought into the game for Luke Gregerson, gave up a game tying single to Carlos Lee and, with the bases loaded, fielded a grounder from Miguel Tejada but with Hunter Pence running on contact, Meredith couldn't get a clean hold on the ball to get Pence at the plate, allowing him to score and giving the Astros a 5-4 win.
It was another one of those games where they got good pitching effort from right hander Kevin Correia who gave up just two runs on four hits, striking out four and walking three through his six innings of work, but his offense was only able to put up one run in support. Correia has received a no decision in four of his six starts this season.
The game was scoreless through five innings until David Eckstein broke through against Astros starter Brian Moehler in the top half of the sixth with an RBI double, scoring Correia who had doubled two batters earlier.
The Astros would take the lead in the home half of the sixth, thanks to an RBI single from Carlos Lee and a sacrifice fly from Miguel Tejada, putting the Astros ahead, 2-1.
The very next inning, the Astros would extend that lead to 3-1 on a wild pitch from Padres' reliever Luke Gregerson, scoring Darin Erstad who had doubled earlier.
That's when the Padres' comeback began. Short stop Chris Burke would get a lead double to start the eighth inning off Houston reliever Geoff Geary. Burke would score on an RBI single from David Eckstein to pull the Padres to within a 3-2 score.
Geary would then be relieved by Alberto Arias who got Scott Hairston to strike out. Arias was then pulled in favor of Wesley Wright who gave up a one out single to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. LaTroy Hawkins was then brought in to elleviate the damage, but Chase Headley roped a two run double to right center, scoring Eckstein and Gonzalez to give the Padres a 4-3 lead.
Unfortunately for San Diego, the game would get away from them, leading to their 15th loss in 19 games. These are the types of losses that will lead San Diego to go from "buyers" to "sellers" prior to the trade deadline in July.
The two teams will finish up their three game set from Minute Maid Park in Houston on Sunday afternoon. The Padres will have young right hander Josh Geer (0-0, 3.96), still looking for his first win of the season, on the mound against Astros' ace Roy Oswalt (0-2, 4.26).
Such was the case on Saturday night against the Astros. The Padres took a late 4-3 lead in the eighth inning thanks to an RBI double from Chase Headley, celebrating his 25th birthday last night.
That 4-3 lead was short lived as Cla Meredith, brought into the game for Luke Gregerson, gave up a game tying single to Carlos Lee and, with the bases loaded, fielded a grounder from Miguel Tejada but with Hunter Pence running on contact, Meredith couldn't get a clean hold on the ball to get Pence at the plate, allowing him to score and giving the Astros a 5-4 win.
It was another one of those games where they got good pitching effort from right hander Kevin Correia who gave up just two runs on four hits, striking out four and walking three through his six innings of work, but his offense was only able to put up one run in support. Correia has received a no decision in four of his six starts this season.
The game was scoreless through five innings until David Eckstein broke through against Astros starter Brian Moehler in the top half of the sixth with an RBI double, scoring Correia who had doubled two batters earlier.
The Astros would take the lead in the home half of the sixth, thanks to an RBI single from Carlos Lee and a sacrifice fly from Miguel Tejada, putting the Astros ahead, 2-1.
The very next inning, the Astros would extend that lead to 3-1 on a wild pitch from Padres' reliever Luke Gregerson, scoring Darin Erstad who had doubled earlier.
That's when the Padres' comeback began. Short stop Chris Burke would get a lead double to start the eighth inning off Houston reliever Geoff Geary. Burke would score on an RBI single from David Eckstein to pull the Padres to within a 3-2 score.
Geary would then be relieved by Alberto Arias who got Scott Hairston to strike out. Arias was then pulled in favor of Wesley Wright who gave up a one out single to first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. LaTroy Hawkins was then brought in to elleviate the damage, but Chase Headley roped a two run double to right center, scoring Eckstein and Gonzalez to give the Padres a 4-3 lead.
Unfortunately for San Diego, the game would get away from them, leading to their 15th loss in 19 games. These are the types of losses that will lead San Diego to go from "buyers" to "sellers" prior to the trade deadline in July.
The two teams will finish up their three game set from Minute Maid Park in Houston on Sunday afternoon. The Padres will have young right hander Josh Geer (0-0, 3.96), still looking for his first win of the season, on the mound against Astros' ace Roy Oswalt (0-2, 4.26).
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Padres-Rockies: Bullpen Implodes Late, Padres Lose Again
The San Diego Padres are officially in a tail spin and it's only going to get worse before it gets better, as we all saw last night in their 9-6 loss to the Rockies, the team's 12th loss in their last 14 games.
The Rockies jumped on Padres' starter Kevin Correia early, getting two runs in the second and another two in the third, taking a 4-0 lead heading to the home half of the third inning, making it look like the game could be over early.
In the home half of the third, the Padres would pick up three runs to pull within a 4-3 score, one of those runs coming as a result of a throwing error by Rockies' pitcher Jorge De La Rosa, scoring Henry Blanco who led off the inning with a walk.
In the fifth, with two on and two out and the Padres trailing 5-3, Scott Hairston launched an 0-1 fastball from De La Rosa to left field for a three run shot, his fourth of the year, to put the Padres ahead 6-5.
"It just put us ahead by a run," Hairston told MLB.com. "We knew that there was plenty of time left in the ballgame, there was no time to let up after that happened. You know, Colorado's a good team, they have a really good lineup."
Edwin Moreno would shut down the Rockies in the sixth, but got himself into trouble in the seventh, loading the bases with one out prompting manager Bud Black to bring in sidewinder Cla Meredith to face Rockies' catcher Chris Ianetta. Meredith worked the count to 2-2 but left a fastball up in the zone and Ianetta didn't miss it, hitting it over the left field wall for a grand slam to put the Rockies ahead for good 9-6.
Rockies' closer Houston Street would pitch a perfect ninth inning for his third save of the season.
Although the Padres did score six runs last night, it's not that much when you realize just how they got to that number. The Padres' offense finished the night with six runs on just four hits, four runs and three hits came off the bat of outfielder Scott Hairston, an RBI single in the third and his three run home run in the fifth. The rest of the offense could muster just one hit.
With the loss, the Padres will drop to 11-14, good for third place in the National League West behind the front running Los Angeles Dodgers (18-8) and 2nd place San Francisco Giants (12-11).
It sad to think that just a few weeks ago, this same Padres team was 9-3 and looking like they were going to be one of the more surprising teams in baseball. But that has come to a screetching hault, going 2-12 in their last 14 games, you have to believe that frustration has to be building in the Padres' clubhouse. It may just be a matter of time before that frustration boils over and some major changes are made.
"That was the type of game where everybody needed to do their job, and that didn't happen," manager Bud Black told MLB.com. "On any given night, you need the consistency from man-to-man."
The two teams will be back at it again tonight from Petco Park. The Rockies will have right hander Aaron Cook (1-1, 7.11) on the mound, the Padres will go with their young right hander Josh Geer (0-0, 5.29).
The Rockies jumped on Padres' starter Kevin Correia early, getting two runs in the second and another two in the third, taking a 4-0 lead heading to the home half of the third inning, making it look like the game could be over early.
In the home half of the third, the Padres would pick up three runs to pull within a 4-3 score, one of those runs coming as a result of a throwing error by Rockies' pitcher Jorge De La Rosa, scoring Henry Blanco who led off the inning with a walk.
In the fifth, with two on and two out and the Padres trailing 5-3, Scott Hairston launched an 0-1 fastball from De La Rosa to left field for a three run shot, his fourth of the year, to put the Padres ahead 6-5.
"It just put us ahead by a run," Hairston told MLB.com. "We knew that there was plenty of time left in the ballgame, there was no time to let up after that happened. You know, Colorado's a good team, they have a really good lineup."
Edwin Moreno would shut down the Rockies in the sixth, but got himself into trouble in the seventh, loading the bases with one out prompting manager Bud Black to bring in sidewinder Cla Meredith to face Rockies' catcher Chris Ianetta. Meredith worked the count to 2-2 but left a fastball up in the zone and Ianetta didn't miss it, hitting it over the left field wall for a grand slam to put the Rockies ahead for good 9-6.
Rockies' closer Houston Street would pitch a perfect ninth inning for his third save of the season.
Although the Padres did score six runs last night, it's not that much when you realize just how they got to that number. The Padres' offense finished the night with six runs on just four hits, four runs and three hits came off the bat of outfielder Scott Hairston, an RBI single in the third and his three run home run in the fifth. The rest of the offense could muster just one hit.
With the loss, the Padres will drop to 11-14, good for third place in the National League West behind the front running Los Angeles Dodgers (18-8) and 2nd place San Francisco Giants (12-11).
It sad to think that just a few weeks ago, this same Padres team was 9-3 and looking like they were going to be one of the more surprising teams in baseball. But that has come to a screetching hault, going 2-12 in their last 14 games, you have to believe that frustration has to be building in the Padres' clubhouse. It may just be a matter of time before that frustration boils over and some major changes are made.
"That was the type of game where everybody needed to do their job, and that didn't happen," manager Bud Black told MLB.com. "On any given night, you need the consistency from man-to-man."
The two teams will be back at it again tonight from Petco Park. The Rockies will have right hander Aaron Cook (1-1, 7.11) on the mound, the Padres will go with their young right hander Josh Geer (0-0, 5.29).
Friday, April 17, 2009
Padres-Phillies: Padres Rally From Six Runs Down For 8-7 Win
If I told you that Padres' starter Chris Young would only pitch three and two-third innings and would give up seven runs on nine hits, would you think the San Diego Padres had any chance to come back and win? They did just that, coming from behind for an 8-7 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.
Over the last few weeks, I think this team has made believers of all of us. Down 7-1 after three innings, it looked like the Phillies were using the emotion of losing long time announcer Harry Kalas to jump all over San Diego.
That emotion may have gotten the best of them as the Padres clawed their way back into the game thanks to two-run home runs from Scott Hairston and Nick Hundley to pull them to within 7-5 after six innings.
In the top half of the eighth is when things came unraveled for the Phillies. Chase Headley, who had a three-hit game, would start the inning off with a single and then be moved to second base when Kevin Kouzmanoff grounded out to first baseman Ryan Howard. With Headley on third and short stop Luis Rodriguez on first after a walk, pinch hitter Jody Gerut with single home Headley to cut the Phillies lead down to just a single run, the comeback was almost complete.
Scott Hairston, already with a two-run home run under his belt, would put the Padres ahead for good with a 2-run double, a seven-run rally just needed one final touch, a Heath Bell close out.
Bell wouldn't disappoint the Padre fans watching and cheering. He would get Ryan Howard to strike out swinging and after a Raul Ibanez single, Bell would get Jayson Werth to fly out to right, leaving Matt Stairs as the Phillies last hope. That hope would be dashed as Bell would get Stairs to strike out looking to end the game, his 6th save in as many chances, closing out an unbelievable 8-7 victory.
This is definitely not the Padres' team that us fans have been used to seeing. The normal Padres team would pack it in down six runs, but over the last week and a half, the Padres have had three come from behind victories, all three of them have been from three runs down. This was more than even I thought they could undertake.
The more surprising stat, you ask? Clean up hitter Adrian Gonzalez was a non-factor all night long, not getting his first hit until the top half of the ninth inning, he would strike out twice and leave four runners on base, not the atypical night for the Padres' first baseman.
The Padres' bullpen came up huge tonight as well. After Chris Young's struggles, the combination of Luis Perdomo, Luke Gregerson, Cla Meredith, Duaner Sanchez and Heath Bell combined to shutout the Phillies over the final five and one-third innings, giving up just five hits.
After Gregerson's wild night against the Mets on Wednesday night, he settled down and pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning, striking out Phillies' first baseman Ryan Howard to end that inning.
Padres' reliever Cla Meredith would get credit for the win, he'll improve to 2-0 on the season, the loss goes to Phillies right-hander Ryan Madson (1-1) who gave up three runs on three hits in his one inning of work.
The real story tonight was the touching tribute to long-time announcer, the late Harry Kalas. Kalas’ three sons, Todd, Brad and Kane, threw ceremonial pitches to long time Phillies' third baseman and Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, John Kruk and Jimmy Rollins. The Phillies plan to honor Kalas all season long by playing "That ball's outta here," over the ballpark's public address system after each home run the team hits.
The two teams will be back at it on Saturday night. The Phillies will have Brett Myers (1-1, 5.54 ERA) take the ball against Padres' right-hander Shawn Hill (1-0, 3.60 ERA). Game time is scheduled for 7:05pm EST.
Over the last few weeks, I think this team has made believers of all of us. Down 7-1 after three innings, it looked like the Phillies were using the emotion of losing long time announcer Harry Kalas to jump all over San Diego.
That emotion may have gotten the best of them as the Padres clawed their way back into the game thanks to two-run home runs from Scott Hairston and Nick Hundley to pull them to within 7-5 after six innings.
In the top half of the eighth is when things came unraveled for the Phillies. Chase Headley, who had a three-hit game, would start the inning off with a single and then be moved to second base when Kevin Kouzmanoff grounded out to first baseman Ryan Howard. With Headley on third and short stop Luis Rodriguez on first after a walk, pinch hitter Jody Gerut with single home Headley to cut the Phillies lead down to just a single run, the comeback was almost complete.
Scott Hairston, already with a two-run home run under his belt, would put the Padres ahead for good with a 2-run double, a seven-run rally just needed one final touch, a Heath Bell close out.
Bell wouldn't disappoint the Padre fans watching and cheering. He would get Ryan Howard to strike out swinging and after a Raul Ibanez single, Bell would get Jayson Werth to fly out to right, leaving Matt Stairs as the Phillies last hope. That hope would be dashed as Bell would get Stairs to strike out looking to end the game, his 6th save in as many chances, closing out an unbelievable 8-7 victory.
This is definitely not the Padres' team that us fans have been used to seeing. The normal Padres team would pack it in down six runs, but over the last week and a half, the Padres have had three come from behind victories, all three of them have been from three runs down. This was more than even I thought they could undertake.
The more surprising stat, you ask? Clean up hitter Adrian Gonzalez was a non-factor all night long, not getting his first hit until the top half of the ninth inning, he would strike out twice and leave four runners on base, not the atypical night for the Padres' first baseman.
The Padres' bullpen came up huge tonight as well. After Chris Young's struggles, the combination of Luis Perdomo, Luke Gregerson, Cla Meredith, Duaner Sanchez and Heath Bell combined to shutout the Phillies over the final five and one-third innings, giving up just five hits.
After Gregerson's wild night against the Mets on Wednesday night, he settled down and pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning, striking out Phillies' first baseman Ryan Howard to end that inning.
Padres' reliever Cla Meredith would get credit for the win, he'll improve to 2-0 on the season, the loss goes to Phillies right-hander Ryan Madson (1-1) who gave up three runs on three hits in his one inning of work.
The real story tonight was the touching tribute to long-time announcer, the late Harry Kalas. Kalas’ three sons, Todd, Brad and Kane, threw ceremonial pitches to long time Phillies' third baseman and Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt, John Kruk and Jimmy Rollins. The Phillies plan to honor Kalas all season long by playing "That ball's outta here," over the ballpark's public address system after each home run the team hits.
The two teams will be back at it on Saturday night. The Phillies will have Brett Myers (1-1, 5.54 ERA) take the ball against Padres' right-hander Shawn Hill (1-0, 3.60 ERA). Game time is scheduled for 7:05pm EST.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Corey Brock Q & A
San Diego Padres' beat writer Corey Brock stopped by for another Q & A. He talks about Peavy's relationship with his catchers, the additions of Chad Gaudin and Luis Perdomo as well as whether or not this Padres team can stay in the NL West race in 2009.
SwingingFriar: On Saturday night, Peavy was his old dominant self striking out 10 through 8 1/3 innings. Talk about the chemistry between Jake and catcher Henry Blanco and does it remind you of the days of when Ramon Hernandez was behind the plate with the chemistry those two had?
Corey Brock: I wasn't here when Hernandez was here but Jake commented that Blanco, more or less, "gets it" as well as anyone he's worked with. That starts with sitting down before each start and mapping out how they want to approach/attack hitters. This happens with everyone who catches Peavy but he told me that sometimes you would get in games and catchers would seemingly forget all that ... like they had, in Peavy's words, "cotton in their ears." I think the relationship between pitcher and catcher is one of those unseen things by fans that is very important to the overall good of the team. Of course, the pitcher still has to make pitches ...
SwingingFriar: Of the three new starters behind Peavy and Young, which of those have you been the most impressed with?
Corey Brock: Shawn Hill. I liked what I saw like in Spring Training from him. Scouts have told me on several occasions that "if this guy can stay healthy ..." That leads me to believe they like his mechanics, his stuff and his way of going after hitters. He's a ground-ball guy who got a few balls up in his last start. He's still getting stretched out and likely will go 80 or so pitches in his next start.
SwingingFriar: It seems like General Manager Kevin Towers isn't quote done tinkering with the bullpen, signing Chad Gaudin and Luis Perdomo in recent weeks. What do these two guys bring to the table and do they make the bullpen that much stronger?
Corey Brock: Gaudin will be a starter. He's going to Portland this week to get stretched out. That's the only way the Padres got him. Everyone else wanted him in the bullpen. He was originally a starter with a few plus pitches. He's there in case Silva, Correia or Hill falter. A nice piece to have for $400,000. Perdomo was on the Giants roster until a few bad outings late in Spring Training. Power arm, good sinker, slider. I expect they'll give him a "soft landing" ... meaning up by a lot or down by a lot, to see what he's capable of before they trust him with important innings.
SwingingFriar: Speaking of the bullpen, talk about having guys like Cla Meredith and Duaner Sanchez in front of closer Heath Bell. Are these three as dominant a back end of a bullpen as any in the National League West?
Corey Brock: I don't know if these guys are really dominant guys. They're not "power arms" but they can get guys out. I think Meredith is more a right-handed specialists at this point and Sanchez just keeps getting outs. I wouldn't be surprised to see Mujica in the eighth inning at some point or even Gregerson. They've both been impressive so far and have more "plus" pitches between them.
SwingingFriar: You do live updates through your blog http://coreybrock.mlblogs.com/. How much fun do you have doing that during the game and do you enjoy the fan interaction you get from it?
Corey Brock: It's always nice to hear from fans. Honestly, I wish there were more of them. I'm Twittering during games at well (@followthepadres) so that's fun and an easy way to give quick updates. We have a lot on our plate for content with notes, stories, etc. My hope is that at mlb.com and padres.com we can be the place where people turn for all their Padres news.
SwingingFriar: I know it's still early and it may be way too soon to start making predictions or educated guesses about this team. But from what you've seen so far, could this team be strong enough to stay in the NL West race in 2009?
Corey Brock: With the history of this division, yes. As we've seen, no one has run away with this division in a while. The Padres simply have to play better against their own division this year. That killed them last season. I don't see why they can't hang around. The hitting still scares me a little at times and I haven't seen this bullpen handle things over a larger sample size to know if this team can approach .500 or not.
Big thanks to Corey Brock for the interview. You can follow him, and his in-game updates, all season long on his blog (http://coreybrock.mlblogs.com/) or you can find him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres).
SwingingFriar: On Saturday night, Peavy was his old dominant self striking out 10 through 8 1/3 innings. Talk about the chemistry between Jake and catcher Henry Blanco and does it remind you of the days of when Ramon Hernandez was behind the plate with the chemistry those two had?
Corey Brock: I wasn't here when Hernandez was here but Jake commented that Blanco, more or less, "gets it" as well as anyone he's worked with. That starts with sitting down before each start and mapping out how they want to approach/attack hitters. This happens with everyone who catches Peavy but he told me that sometimes you would get in games and catchers would seemingly forget all that ... like they had, in Peavy's words, "cotton in their ears." I think the relationship between pitcher and catcher is one of those unseen things by fans that is very important to the overall good of the team. Of course, the pitcher still has to make pitches ...
SwingingFriar: Of the three new starters behind Peavy and Young, which of those have you been the most impressed with?
Corey Brock: Shawn Hill. I liked what I saw like in Spring Training from him. Scouts have told me on several occasions that "if this guy can stay healthy ..." That leads me to believe they like his mechanics, his stuff and his way of going after hitters. He's a ground-ball guy who got a few balls up in his last start. He's still getting stretched out and likely will go 80 or so pitches in his next start.
SwingingFriar: It seems like General Manager Kevin Towers isn't quote done tinkering with the bullpen, signing Chad Gaudin and Luis Perdomo in recent weeks. What do these two guys bring to the table and do they make the bullpen that much stronger?
Corey Brock: Gaudin will be a starter. He's going to Portland this week to get stretched out. That's the only way the Padres got him. Everyone else wanted him in the bullpen. He was originally a starter with a few plus pitches. He's there in case Silva, Correia or Hill falter. A nice piece to have for $400,000. Perdomo was on the Giants roster until a few bad outings late in Spring Training. Power arm, good sinker, slider. I expect they'll give him a "soft landing" ... meaning up by a lot or down by a lot, to see what he's capable of before they trust him with important innings.
SwingingFriar: Speaking of the bullpen, talk about having guys like Cla Meredith and Duaner Sanchez in front of closer Heath Bell. Are these three as dominant a back end of a bullpen as any in the National League West?
Corey Brock: I don't know if these guys are really dominant guys. They're not "power arms" but they can get guys out. I think Meredith is more a right-handed specialists at this point and Sanchez just keeps getting outs. I wouldn't be surprised to see Mujica in the eighth inning at some point or even Gregerson. They've both been impressive so far and have more "plus" pitches between them.
SwingingFriar: You do live updates through your blog http://coreybrock.mlblogs.com/. How much fun do you have doing that during the game and do you enjoy the fan interaction you get from it?
Corey Brock: It's always nice to hear from fans. Honestly, I wish there were more of them. I'm Twittering during games at well (@followthepadres) so that's fun and an easy way to give quick updates. We have a lot on our plate for content with notes, stories, etc. My hope is that at mlb.com and padres.com we can be the place where people turn for all their Padres news.
SwingingFriar: I know it's still early and it may be way too soon to start making predictions or educated guesses about this team. But from what you've seen so far, could this team be strong enough to stay in the NL West race in 2009?
Corey Brock: With the history of this division, yes. As we've seen, no one has run away with this division in a while. The Padres simply have to play better against their own division this year. That killed them last season. I don't see why they can't hang around. The hitting still scares me a little at times and I haven't seen this bullpen handle things over a larger sample size to know if this team can approach .500 or not.
Big thanks to Corey Brock for the interview. You can follow him, and his in-game updates, all season long on his blog (http://coreybrock.mlblogs.com/) or you can find him on Twitter (http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres).
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Why The San Diego Padres Could Win The NL West
So the headline caught your attention, as it would a lot of baseball fans, especially those that are fans of teams in the National League's Western Division. A division that, and maybe rightly so, has been called the weakest division in baseball over the past few years. Well, regardless of whether or not that's true, it makes it a much more interesting race as October draws nearer.
All the talk at the beginning of the 2009 season was about the Los Angeles Dodgers and how they were the odds on favorite to win the division. Well, not to steal a line from ESPN College Gameday's own Lee Corso but, "not so fast my friend." Could the San Diego Padres possibly make a run at the Dodgers in 2009? I think they can and I believe they will.
After a 2008 season that saw the San Diego Padres lose 99 games, Padres' General Manager Kevin Towers knew that they would have to make some changes if they were going to improve on that record and make sure they didn't have a season like that again. It didn't start the way he or the team had hoped with all the rumors swirling around ace Jake Peavy and his possible trade to a team like Atlanta or Chicago. Just as it looked like Peavy might be headed to the Cubs, negotiations broke off and Peavy remained in San Diego.
As Spring Training began, there were more questions than answers. The rotation was anything but set, the bullpen had more holes than a golf course fairway after I've played and the Trevor Hoffman era would come to an end after 15 seasons when the team elected not to re-sign the long time closer. So where would Kevin Towers turn and who could he possibly bring in to fill those holes?
As spring wore on, the team began to take shape, new faces started to emerge and the roster was widdled down until there were down to their official 25-man roster as Opening Day was just a few days away. New faces like David Eckstein, Duaner Sanchez, Walter Silva and Kevin Correia would try and put the Padre fans at ease, try to prove that they could help this team win.
It wouldn't take long for any of those guys to make their presence known. Eckstein has already had a few key hits, especially in a come from behind victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 9th when the team rallied from 3-1 down to win 4-3.
Duaner Sanchez has done his job out of the bullpen, having yet to give up a hit in either of his two appearances.
Walter Silva made his first start for the Padres on April 8th against the Dodgers and would be equally as impressive, pitching five strong innings giving up two runs on five hits but getting a no decision in a 5-2 loss.
Kevin Correia would make his own mark in his first start as a Padre against the San Francisco Giants. Although he struggled with his command at times, he still kept the Padres within striking distance of the Dodgers and it eventually led to their come from behind 4-3 victory over the Dodgers. Correia would go six innings giving up three runs on five hits and striking out five.
The one thing that this Padres team lacked over the last few seasons has been their offense. Leaving runners in scoring position, not getting the timely hits when they needed them and not giving their pitchers any run support. Through their first three games, it looked like it was going to be the same old story, but a come from behind victory over the Dodgers and two straight wins over the Giants and it looks like they have a new found confidence.
There's no doubt that Jake Peavy and Chris Young will anchor the Padres' rotation, but when guys like that have the confidence to pitch six or seven innings,getting run support from their offense, lights out pitching from bullpen guys like Duaner Sanchez, Cla Meredith and new closer Heath Bell, it could make the Padres a team to be reckoned with in 2009.
All the talk at the beginning of the 2009 season was about the Los Angeles Dodgers and how they were the odds on favorite to win the division. Well, not to steal a line from ESPN College Gameday's own Lee Corso but, "not so fast my friend." Could the San Diego Padres possibly make a run at the Dodgers in 2009? I think they can and I believe they will.
After a 2008 season that saw the San Diego Padres lose 99 games, Padres' General Manager Kevin Towers knew that they would have to make some changes if they were going to improve on that record and make sure they didn't have a season like that again. It didn't start the way he or the team had hoped with all the rumors swirling around ace Jake Peavy and his possible trade to a team like Atlanta or Chicago. Just as it looked like Peavy might be headed to the Cubs, negotiations broke off and Peavy remained in San Diego.
As Spring Training began, there were more questions than answers. The rotation was anything but set, the bullpen had more holes than a golf course fairway after I've played and the Trevor Hoffman era would come to an end after 15 seasons when the team elected not to re-sign the long time closer. So where would Kevin Towers turn and who could he possibly bring in to fill those holes?
As spring wore on, the team began to take shape, new faces started to emerge and the roster was widdled down until there were down to their official 25-man roster as Opening Day was just a few days away. New faces like David Eckstein, Duaner Sanchez, Walter Silva and Kevin Correia would try and put the Padre fans at ease, try to prove that they could help this team win.
It wouldn't take long for any of those guys to make their presence known. Eckstein has already had a few key hits, especially in a come from behind victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on April 9th when the team rallied from 3-1 down to win 4-3.
Duaner Sanchez has done his job out of the bullpen, having yet to give up a hit in either of his two appearances.
Walter Silva made his first start for the Padres on April 8th against the Dodgers and would be equally as impressive, pitching five strong innings giving up two runs on five hits but getting a no decision in a 5-2 loss.
Kevin Correia would make his own mark in his first start as a Padre against the San Francisco Giants. Although he struggled with his command at times, he still kept the Padres within striking distance of the Dodgers and it eventually led to their come from behind 4-3 victory over the Dodgers. Correia would go six innings giving up three runs on five hits and striking out five.
The one thing that this Padres team lacked over the last few seasons has been their offense. Leaving runners in scoring position, not getting the timely hits when they needed them and not giving their pitchers any run support. Through their first three games, it looked like it was going to be the same old story, but a come from behind victory over the Dodgers and two straight wins over the Giants and it looks like they have a new found confidence.
There's no doubt that Jake Peavy and Chris Young will anchor the Padres' rotation, but when guys like that have the confidence to pitch six or seven innings,getting run support from their offense, lights out pitching from bullpen guys like Duaner Sanchez, Cla Meredith and new closer Heath Bell, it could make the Padres a team to be reckoned with in 2009.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Towers still looking for late inning help
Although we're just a few days away from Opening Day, Padres' GM Kevin Towers is still tinkering with the roster.
According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, Towers is looking for pitchers to add to their bullpen and especially a late inning power arm that can be the set up man for closer Heath Bell.
The Padres could go with recent addition Duaner Sanchez, who served as a setup man in his days with the Los Angeles Dodgers, or even submarine right-hander Cla Meredith who isn't your prototypical setup man, but he has the stuff to get the job done.
Towers is going to be looking for that player that is out of minor league options or has been placed on waivers already. A move could be made as soon as this afternoon, so keep an eye out for updates as the day progresses.
According to Corey Brock of MLB.com, Towers is looking for pitchers to add to their bullpen and especially a late inning power arm that can be the set up man for closer Heath Bell.
The Padres could go with recent addition Duaner Sanchez, who served as a setup man in his days with the Los Angeles Dodgers, or even submarine right-hander Cla Meredith who isn't your prototypical setup man, but he has the stuff to get the job done.
Towers is going to be looking for that player that is out of minor league options or has been placed on waivers already. A move could be made as soon as this afternoon, so keep an eye out for updates as the day progresses.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Baek, Correia look shaky
Before the Padres get too comfortable with Baek and Correia as their #3 and #4 starters respectively, they better make sure these are the guys they want.
In Baek's last start, he was torched for nine earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 10-4 loss to the Angels on Tuesday. Then yesterday, Kevin Correia got touched up by the Indians for six earned runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 8-4 loss, his ERA shooting up to 7.63.
This team needs to figure out what they're going to do with both guys prior to the season starting or face falling behind after just a few weeks into the season.
Couple of good notes for the Padres, however, Cla Meredith threw another scoreless inning yesterday. He hasn't been scored on in seven appearances so far this spring. Also, David Eckstein continued his hot spring for San Diego, going 3-for-3 to raise his average to an impressive .467.
In Baek's last start, he was torched for nine earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 10-4 loss to the Angels on Tuesday. Then yesterday, Kevin Correia got touched up by the Indians for six earned runs on nine hits in 5 2/3 innings in a 8-4 loss, his ERA shooting up to 7.63.
This team needs to figure out what they're going to do with both guys prior to the season starting or face falling behind after just a few weeks into the season.
Couple of good notes for the Padres, however, Cla Meredith threw another scoreless inning yesterday. He hasn't been scored on in seven appearances so far this spring. Also, David Eckstein continued his hot spring for San Diego, going 3-for-3 to raise his average to an impressive .467.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Cla Meredith having a dominate, but quiet, spring
Don't look now, but submarine right-hander Cla Meredith hasn't allowed a hit or a run in 8 Cactus League innings, showing that if current closer Heath Bell can't get the job done, that he could be the guy to look to if the team needs him.
As for right now, Meredith will be Bell's setup man in the 8th inning when the season opens in just a few short weeks.
For those of you who are worrying about the Padres' current 4-15 record in Cactus League play, I'd recommend that you not freak out about games that don't mean a thing. The team has been without Adrian Gonzalez, Edgar Gonzalez, Scott Hairston, Heath Bell and Jake Peavy for the better part of three weeks. When the season opens, the Padres will have their full roster and will be at 100%, barring any injuries to Jake Peavy or Heath Bell as they finish up their stint with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
The team will open the season on April 6th against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers and will close out their opening home stand on April 12th against the San Francisco Giants.
As for right now, Meredith will be Bell's setup man in the 8th inning when the season opens in just a few short weeks.
For those of you who are worrying about the Padres' current 4-15 record in Cactus League play, I'd recommend that you not freak out about games that don't mean a thing. The team has been without Adrian Gonzalez, Edgar Gonzalez, Scott Hairston, Heath Bell and Jake Peavy for the better part of three weeks. When the season opens, the Padres will have their full roster and will be at 100%, barring any injuries to Jake Peavy or Heath Bell as they finish up their stint with Team USA in the World Baseball Classic.
The team will open the season on April 6th against the rival Los Angeles Dodgers and will close out their opening home stand on April 12th against the San Francisco Giants.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Padres close to wrapping up spring schedule
The San Diego Padres have all but decided their 25-man roster prior to their opening series against the Houston Astros next week.
There are a few positions that still need to be decided, and those changes may not be what the team first thought, especially with Edmonds feeling almost 100% and says he's ready to go for Opening Day. If that's the case, the previous idea that Jody Gerut, Callix Crabbe and Paul McAnulty would all make the team may have to be looked at again and re-decided.
The other final decisions that need to be made will be on the bullpen. They seem to have the players they want, but it just needs to be finalized. When you have guys like Cla Meredith, Glendon Rusch and Adam Bass pitching as well as they have, on top of Heath Bell and Trevor Hoffman, it's going to be a strong bullpen yet again in 2008.
I think a lot of the national media is taking this Padres team lightly, but this team is going to be stronger than that of the 2007 team, I have no doubts about that. A stronger, more determined Jake Peavy, Michael Barrett should have a better year, they'll have 1 second baseman (Iguchi) instead of a platoon, Kevin Kouzmanoff showed his ability, a healthy Jim Edmonds will go a LONG ways.
There are so many things that make this team the best in the NL West, but they need to put it all together to make that happen, not to mention to go deep into the playoffs.
There are a few positions that still need to be decided, and those changes may not be what the team first thought, especially with Edmonds feeling almost 100% and says he's ready to go for Opening Day. If that's the case, the previous idea that Jody Gerut, Callix Crabbe and Paul McAnulty would all make the team may have to be looked at again and re-decided.
The other final decisions that need to be made will be on the bullpen. They seem to have the players they want, but it just needs to be finalized. When you have guys like Cla Meredith, Glendon Rusch and Adam Bass pitching as well as they have, on top of Heath Bell and Trevor Hoffman, it's going to be a strong bullpen yet again in 2008.
I think a lot of the national media is taking this Padres team lightly, but this team is going to be stronger than that of the 2007 team, I have no doubts about that. A stronger, more determined Jake Peavy, Michael Barrett should have a better year, they'll have 1 second baseman (Iguchi) instead of a platoon, Kevin Kouzmanoff showed his ability, a healthy Jim Edmonds will go a LONG ways.
There are so many things that make this team the best in the NL West, but they need to put it all together to make that happen, not to mention to go deep into the playoffs.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Estes' struggles continue, Padres lose 8-4
It's becoming less and less likely that Shawn Estes will be with be Padres come Opening Day, but Callix Crabbe is making the Padres' decision harder with each performance.
Padres left-hander Shawn Estes, who was supposed to start the rained out game on Sunday, pitched on Monday against Arizona, where his struggles continued.
Estes gave up 4 runs on 10 hits through 4 2/3 innings, his ERA climbing to 15.00 this spring. He could stay with San Diego and start the year in Portland, but I can't imagine that will be the case. Estes may try to lock on with a team needing another starter, or hang up the cleates for good.
On the bright side for the Padres, Glendon Rusch continues to impress. He went 2 shutout innings, giving up just 2 hits, walking 1 and striking out 2. His ERA during spring...an impressive 1.04. Cla Meredith also got an inning of work in, giving up 2 runs (0 ER) and striking out 1, his spring ERA is 1.50.
Offensively for San Diego, Callix Crabbe continues to show why he should earn a spot on the Padres 25-man roster when they break camp in a few weeks. Crabbe finished the day going 3-for-3 with 2 singles and an RBI double, upping his spring batting average to .415. Jody Gerut homered to lead off the 6th inning, his 3rd of the spring. Both of these guys are showing why the Padres may not need to make a trade for another outfielder, they can do the job just fine in a fill in role.
Brian Giles made his first cactus league start for the major league squad, going 0-2 and making a play in right field. It's still unknown whether he'll be ready to go on Opening Day.
Up next for San Diego, they will be in Tucscon to take on the White Sox, Wil Ledezma is scheduled to start for San Diego opposite left-hander John Danks for the Sox.
Padres left-hander Shawn Estes, who was supposed to start the rained out game on Sunday, pitched on Monday against Arizona, where his struggles continued.
Estes gave up 4 runs on 10 hits through 4 2/3 innings, his ERA climbing to 15.00 this spring. He could stay with San Diego and start the year in Portland, but I can't imagine that will be the case. Estes may try to lock on with a team needing another starter, or hang up the cleates for good.
On the bright side for the Padres, Glendon Rusch continues to impress. He went 2 shutout innings, giving up just 2 hits, walking 1 and striking out 2. His ERA during spring...an impressive 1.04. Cla Meredith also got an inning of work in, giving up 2 runs (0 ER) and striking out 1, his spring ERA is 1.50.
Offensively for San Diego, Callix Crabbe continues to show why he should earn a spot on the Padres 25-man roster when they break camp in a few weeks. Crabbe finished the day going 3-for-3 with 2 singles and an RBI double, upping his spring batting average to .415. Jody Gerut homered to lead off the 6th inning, his 3rd of the spring. Both of these guys are showing why the Padres may not need to make a trade for another outfielder, they can do the job just fine in a fill in role.
Brian Giles made his first cactus league start for the major league squad, going 0-2 and making a play in right field. It's still unknown whether he'll be ready to go on Opening Day.
Up next for San Diego, they will be in Tucscon to take on the White Sox, Wil Ledezma is scheduled to start for San Diego opposite left-hander John Danks for the Sox.
Saturday, March 1, 2008
Headley leads offensive charge in 11-10 win
Another Padre pitcher couldn't get out of the first inning for the 2nd straight day. Left-hander Randy Wolf lasted just 2/3 of an inning, giving up 3 runs on 2 hits, eventually being pulled for right-hander Justin Germano who threw 2 1/3 scoreless.
The highlight for the Padres however, besides their 11-10 win over the Seattle Mariners, was top prospect Chase Headley. Headley had a 2-run HR and a 2-run double, showing the Padres' front office that he's going to try and win the LF job outright. Another bright spot was Rule 5 draftee Callix Crabbe who had the game winning double with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th.
Right-hander Cla Meredith pitched for the first time and had a scoreless inning, striking out the side. Another Padres prospect that impressed was left-hander Wade LeBlanc, who also had a scoreless inning today.
The Mariners and Padres will play again tomorrow at the Peoria Sports Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05pm.
The highlight for the Padres however, besides their 11-10 win over the Seattle Mariners, was top prospect Chase Headley. Headley had a 2-run HR and a 2-run double, showing the Padres' front office that he's going to try and win the LF job outright. Another bright spot was Rule 5 draftee Callix Crabbe who had the game winning double with 1 out in the bottom of the 9th.
Right-hander Cla Meredith pitched for the first time and had a scoreless inning, striking out the side. Another Padres prospect that impressed was left-hander Wade LeBlanc, who also had a scoreless inning today.
The Mariners and Padres will play again tomorrow at the Peoria Sports Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 12:05pm.
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