by Chris Ello on August 1, 2009
Do you remember where you were the last time the San Diego Padres played a significant baseball game?
From The Moment Of His First Start, Peavy Was Special
I know where Jake Peavy was — right there on the mound with the ball in his hand. It was Oct. 1, 2007 (only 22 months ago, though now it seems like at least five years), and the Padres were playing the Colorado Rockies in a one-game playoff to determine the National League’s final postseason participant.
Peavy didn’t have his best stuff that night. He departed in the 7th-inning with his side trailing, 6-5, but at least he hung in there long enough to give his team a chance to win.
The same can not be said about his departure this time.
Think about what the Friars were before Jake Peavy arrived on the scene. Padres? Hardly. They weren’t even good enough to be considered altar boys.
So, well on their way to a fourth-consecutive losing season and the franchise’s 14th last-place finish in 34 years of existence, the Padres Continue Reading →
by Craig on July 29, 2009
Tuesday night in Cincinnati, the Padres put together one of their best performances of the year. In 2009, that’s not saying much, as just about any well-pitched game qualifies. But in this space we are hoping that the 3-2 win over the Reds will bring some needed serendipity for Kevin Towers and the Padres’ front office.
See, this is the time when GM’s for contending teams are coming up with their plans A, B, and C for approaching the trade deadline. For teams with World Series aspirations such as the Phillies and Dodgers, Plan A is to get an ace like Roy Halladay, and Plan B is probably an elite reliever like Heath Bell. While these gaudy names help baseball writers fill out their daily rumor columns, the odds of players like Halladay or Cleveland’s Cliff Lee getting moved are slim. The unloading GM asks for the sun and moon, and the contending GM blanches at the idea of moving A-list prospects for a rent-a-player.
That’s about when Plan C starts to kick in: who else is out there? Advance scouts, help me out, who’s pitching well right now? This is where one erratic scouting report can be hastily converted into a trade that eventually pays dividends for the dealer. And that’s why I’m dreaming that scouts were at Great American Ballpark on Tuesday. Continue Reading →
