2004 April

Archive for April 2004

Tres Belles: The Sound of Sweeping

Friday, April 30, 2004
by Geoff Young

Maybe extending a pun across three languages isn't the best idea, but these are the Expos and this was the third straight night Trevor Hoffman came in to close out the game, so what the heck. Let's get a little crazy. The Padres completed a four-game sweep of MLB's problem child, the Montreal/San Juan Expos. MLB's despicable treatment of the franchise notwithstanding, the Expos came in and battled for four straight nights. But each time they fell just shy of victory. Despite MLB's best efforts, there is some talent on this club, especially in the pitching department. With even a few resources at their disposal (a home, some spending money), the Expos might not be that far from respectability. As it stands, they have to settle ...

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Another Day, Another Comeback

Thursday, April 29, 2004
by Geoff Young

In what is becoming a theme of sorts, the Padres once again came back from a late inning defecit to win at home. I can tell it's becoming a theme because with the Expos ahead 4-2 going to the bottom of the eighth, I just kind of expected the Pads to at least tie the game. That old helpless feeling I've grown used to over the past few years simply wasn't there. Sure enough, thanks to some timely hitting and hustle (not to mention a blown call by the first base umpire), the Pads surged ahead and hung onto win, 5-4. Trevor Hoffman worked a scoreless ninth for his fifth save and second in as many nights. A few thoughts: For the second straight start, Adam ...

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Call Him Ismael

Wednesday, April 28, 2004
by Geoff Young

Yeah, it's the Expos and they can't score runs. Yeah, he's doing it with smoke and mirrors. But Ismael Valdez threw eight scoreless last night and is now 3-0 on the year. The 2.42 ERA is great, but don't expect it to last. Of the 90 batters he's faced so far, all but seven have put the ball in play. His 1.61 K/9 makes Nate Cornejo look like Kerry Wood. Well, not really, but that's still an alarmingly low number. I'm thrilled that Valdez is having some early success, and I'm enjoying it while I can, but his stuff and stats suggest that there are darker times to come. For now, however, call him a pleasant surprise. Call him 3-0. Call him Ismael Valdez. Quasi-Random Observations I ...

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What a Difference a Series Makes

Monday, April 26, 2004
by Geoff Young

Disappointing series in Phoenix. Those pitching match-ups sure looked favorable on paper. But that's why they play the games. I was talking to a friend the other day who noted that people tend analyze things more closely when they're not going well. He thought it might be instructive to take a closer look during good times as well. If lessons can be learned from situations gone wrong, then shouldn't they also be culled from situations gone right? With that background, let's compare the series in San Francisco with that in the desert. Interestingly, the Padres came into both series facing a team in trouble. The Giants had just been swept at home by the Dodgers and had lost four straight. Although the Pads ended up losing the ...

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Giant Series

Friday, April 23, 2004
by Geoff Young

Another day, another win at SBC. Ho-hum. Seriously, you think there are a bunch of confused Giant fans right about now trying to figure out who that team was that came to town this week in place of their favorite doormats? The tone of the series was set in the first game, when the Padres nearly came back from a three-run ninth-inning defecit. This had two effects. The first is that it forced Felipe Alou to use more of his bullpen just to get out of the game. The second, less tangible effect, is that it sent a message that these Padres were not about to go gentle into that good night. No, this ballclub burned, raved, and raged throughout the series. They ...

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Pitch to Him!

Thursday, April 22, 2004
by Geoff Young

Jim Brower working to Ramon Vazquez in the ninth inning of an 11-0 game misses for ball one. The Channel 4 mics pick up a guy screaming "pitch to him!" Beautiful. The Giants, of course, did to pitch to him and to everyone else in the lineup. The Pads, for their part, connected with a hefty portion of the offerings. Phil Nevin and Terrence Long had three knocks. Mark Loretta, Brian Giles, Jake Peavy, and Brian Buchanan (who didn't even come to the plate until the eighth inning) had two each. Even Jay Witasick hit a ball well to right. Giles hammered his second homer in as many nights. Sure, it ended up being a laugher, but what was particularly encouraging is the way the Padres executed. ...

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That’s More Like It

Wednesday, April 21, 2004
by Geoff Young

Pads win, 9-5. Brian Lawrence looked good early. That fastball he buried up and in on Michael Tucker for a strikeout to end the third was impressive. Surprised the heck out of Tucker, that's for sure. Lawrence still worked behind in the count too often and had trouble with location. It's early in the season, but the Padres need their starters to last longer than five innings and 67 pitches. And they need Lawrence not to walk three batters in those five innings. But a win is a win, and we'll take it. Great games from Sean Burroughs and Ryan Klesko last night. Burroughs doubled twice and singled twice in five at-bats. Klesko had three hits before being pulled in a double switch in the fifth. I ...

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