Padres International Draft vs. Beltway-Bronx Bias

Posted on July 2, 2016 by admin

Jay’s wrist broken 6-28-16
Final thoughts on the Federalist’s wrist being broken: Gio Gonzalez is too wild, and a bit of a punk for fielding the ball like it was in play. You could HEAR it. FYI, Dusty Baker approves of this, as it gives his team dominance. Dusty has read some martial art books, you know? He’s never had a reputation as a good handler of pitchers, so this is what you get. It basically destroyed a critical piece of (what’s left of) Andy Green’s lineup, and an asset A.J. Preller was getting ready to deal. Padres owe the Gnats one.

Wallace homers; Friedrich struggles in loss to O’s 6-29-16
It’s bad enough that the O’s are simply a lot better, but the Padres got screwed again with the umpires. That’s clearly interference, and the inning should have been over. The Padres keep getting East coast biased, and it really gets old. The point is not whether they would have won or not, it’s about respect, and Andy Green understands that very well. He’s an excellent young manager. Sometimes you have to get tossed for your team. Chris Davis was clearly to the inside of he running box coming to 1st, and interfered with 1B Wil Myers’ ability to catch the good throw from P Christian Friedrich.

A few other finer points of the game: the reason Chris Davis runs (illegally) to the inside of the box is because he’s a bad baserunner, and can’t hit the outside of the bag with his left foot. This is what a baserunner needs to (per the rules) on a chopper up the first baseline. Davis & the O’s were rewarded for poor play. East coast bias, Padres fans say.

Same garbage with BJ Upton getting robbed of a 2-run HR last week in Camden, with its antiquated foul poles causing all kinds of confusion. Replay officiating (in NY) all very convenient to the Orioles. Yes, the Padres stink so most of their fans don’t care too much about the results; it’s the lack of objectivity & respect which is disturbing. Too many East coast fans & media don’t even want to admit what really happened, expect to get all the calls, and then be allowed to control the narrative forever after. It stinks, much like the bourgeois political economy we all live in.

Cashner likely to return Sunday vs. Yankees 6-29-16
This moves Erik Johnson to the minors or waivers. Thank goodness. Now consider that James Shields has actually been worse for the CWS. It will be really nice to get Tyson Ross back– around August it sounds. Preller & Green have done all they can, but they’re totally outmatched against the upper AL East.

Skip Schumaker joins Padres in front-office role 6-29-16
Everyone said he was a good guy when he was cut by the Padres in Spring Training, especially Cardinals fans. Those who say the Padres should be more like STL, here you go.

Bossman, Jr. robs homer, turns unreal double play 6-29-16

That was the Play-of-the-Year by BJ. There are only maybe 2 or 3 other active players who could even possibly make that double play. [1]

I don’t exaggerate when I say that BJ Upton & Carl Crawford saved the Rays pitching staff at least 1 run/game as compared to the rest of the league. Most of it was BJ. The best players of their ‘dynasty’ were: him, 3B Evan Longoria, 2B Ben Zobrist, RHP James Shields & LHP David Price– managed by Joe Maddon. They were awesome, with a team payroll ~$50-60M under GM Andrew Friedman.

I’ve been thinking about this play for several days (baseball is like that), and I’ve come to the conclusion that’s the best double play I’ve ever seen. Score it 8-3, with BJ Upton robbing J.J. Hardy of a 2-run HR. The catch was made left of dead center in Petco, then the perfect throw to 1B Wil Myers. Hats off, unbelievable!!

Padres acquire Paddack from Marlins for Rodney 6-30-16
Remember that A.J. Preller signed Fernando Rodney at the end of the off-season, meaning anyone could have had him for cheap. No one else wanted him. It was a great scrap heap pick-up & reclamation, as the Padres net a top 20-year old pitching prospect for it.

Adiós… >>>——————————->

It’s 9:00 AM EDT [7-1-16], and this story still does not appear on the MLB.com News feed. Fernando Rodney is an All-Star closer, so this is actual news, but apparently not for some. FYI: Florida doesn’t always count as East coast. It depends…

Padres giving Maurer ‘first crack’ at closer role 7-1-16
I’m looking forward to the Yankees, who stink. Old, overpaid and poorly assembled. Too many egos with the NYY, make it an impossible situation for GM Brian Cashman. I don’t know how (or why) he’s stayed so long? Right now, LF Brett Gardner & SS Didi Gregorius are their only homegrown talent. Their starting pitching is bad after RHP Masahiro Tanaka. Nice bullpen, but too many extra innings will wear it down. Once again, Mariano Rivera was a unique closer and is irreplaceable. Torre & Girardi could manage games like they were 7 innings, then hand it to the best closer ever. They no longer have that luxury, even with Aroldis Chapman who is the only thing truly feared in their pen. Also note that DH Alex Rodriguez is at the end, and in many ways symbolic of everything wrong with their organization. It’s too bad, because he never needed PEDs. Alex Rodriguez was naturally one of the best shortstops ever. Now he gets an asterisk*

Padres give up 4 runs in the 9th, but Brandon Mauer gets his first save. Padres win 7-6 over the Yankees. Are we missing Fernando Rodney yet? Andy Green is going to have to be creative & flexible with this mess in the pen.

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It’s funny to me how the Tim Kurkjian-types are suddenly all excited about Fernando Tatis, Jr.– whom they still know nothing about. Preller knows. They never consider that A.J. Preller might actually know what he’s doing. It’s ESPN, MLB Network & Fangraphs ‘experts’ that are clueless on the Padres. Padres gotta win, THEN Preller is a genius; until then he’s an idiot to most. That’s America.

But isn’t it the media’s job to see which teams are doing things right (at ALL levels), and predict them as the next up-and-coming organization? 2014: Preller hired, Wil Myers deal. 2015 Rule 5 draft: Luis Perdomo from STL. LHP Drew Pomeranz acquired from the A’s for 1B Yonder Alonso. Top-5 rated Amateur draft in 2016, with nearly everybody signed. Fans, that’s progress.

Padres land 6 of Top 30 international prospects 7-2-16
This is the plan, and it’s a good one. Now it’s about player development for these kids. and trading the remaining veterans for more prospects.
Note that most infield prospects are SS, because these are the best athletes on young teams. Very few stay at shortstop as they progress through their professional careers, because the position is so demanding at the MLB level. Starting as a 1B, 2B or 3B prospect, upside is generally considered limited– due to lack of athleticism. Same with young center fielders vs. corner outfielders.
What has changed for the Padres today, is they have catapulted into a top-10 farm system, which is nice. After emptying their last-rated system upon arrival in the fall of 2014, A.J. Preller has accrued tradeable assets, acquired major cornerstones for a winning future (1B Wil Myers and starting pitchers Drew Pomeranz & Luis Perdomo), and simultaneously built one of the best farm systems in the game. The timely sale of assets such as Craig Kimbrel, James Shields, and most recently Fernando Rodney have all strengthened the organization in their returns. Padres are now drafting & signing the top talent, in all 3 drafts; instead of being the team that gets ripped-off. Fans can be confident with a GM like A.J. Preller, that future trades & draft selections (in total) will balance in the Padres favor. Franchises need solid leadership, in order to win, more than ever today. Padres finally have it.

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Padres News & NL Round-up

Posted on June 26, 2016 by admin

The Padres have now played every team in the NL, so fans can fairly gauge where they stand. Padres are last in the NL West, with no hope of competing for the post-season. This was obvious on Opening Day, when they were shut-out 16-0 by the Dodgers, and swept in that Petco series without scoring a run. Opening Day was the only start the Padres #1 pitcher, Tyson Ross has made in 2016. Since then, Ross has been dealing with & rehabilitating from a shoulder injury, and is expected back sometime after the All-Star break.

Only ATL & CIN are worse NL teams, and it should be noted that they are qualitatively worse. The Padres can be grouped ahead of them, with MIL & PHI as rebuilding teams. Thankfully, the Padres are much further along in the process with 1B Wil Myers, LHP Drew Pomeranz & RHP Luis Perdomo already in their future mix. Padres also have more in tradeable assets than these other bad teams including: RHP’s Tyson Ross, & Andrew Cashner (when healthy), RF Matt Kemp, LF BJ Upton, CF Jon Jay 3B Yangervais Solarte, C Derek Norris & closer Fernando Rodney. Fans can sense that GM A.J Preller is about to make another round of deals.

Ahead of the Padres for now are ARZ & COL, two directionless franchises that are caught in no-man’s-land; maxed out on payroll, yet still far short of fielding a truly competitive team. PIT & MIA are next, with a few intriguing young pieces but lacking other key parts, along with the leadership to put it all together; expect both these teams to sink badly by August/September and into next year.

The remaining teams are all contenders to some degree, with the SFG & CHC being the class of the NL in 2016. The NYM are decent, but have serious injury issues with their young pitching staff. WAS and LAD are similar, in that both are high-payroll teams that don’t win in October. Both also have serious questions concerning their leadership, on-the-field & in the front office. Always beware of STL, they’re a championship team, waiting in the weeds.

Pomeranz homers, shuts down Reds in win 6-25-16
If Andrew Cashner is anywhere near healthy by season’s end, he will decline a QO, if he hasn’t been traded. Cashner is a better pitcher than Ian Kennedy, who received 5/$70M in free agency. A mid-20’s draft pick may be more valuable than any prospect package A.J. Preller is offered. Obviously, everything depends on Cashner’s health and performance. In the unlikely event Andrew Cashner accepts the Padres QO, it’s only a one-year deal for ~$16M, which isn’t a disaster contract. The rule in baseball management is: there are no bad one-year deals. That’s not 100% correct, but you get the idea.

Padres score in first 8 frames in win over Reds 6-24-16
Pete Rose has a remarkable lack of respect for today’s players. Example: his interview in the Reds booth during the 1st inning last night, when Wil Myers hits a home run, and Rose exclaims he can’t believe the ball went out– so the balls must be juiced. No credit to Myers for being a great hitter. He’s like that on FOX too, old-school to his grave…

I used to be a Reds fan when I was a kid, but always preferred 2B Joe Morgan as a player & C Johnny Bench. With that said, as selfish as Rose has been, I still hope he gets the MLB HoF. He’s paid his dues, and many players have done much worse.

The Reds are by far the worst pitching staff in MLB, and quite possibly the worst team in the NL. What the heck was Bryan Price arguing & getting tossed for? That last pitch before he got ran out was a strike, according to K-Zone. Cincinnati needs a clean sweep from ownership & management on down, otherwise they’ll continue to be NL fodder for a long time.

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Fernando Rodney has a ton of trade value, as the Padres hold a $2M team option for 2017, and are only paying him $1.6M this season. You need a reliable closer, so Preller can go either way, depending on what’s offered. Look what BOS gave up for Kimbrel.

September call-ups in San Diego will be interesting this season. That will be a nice change for fans. Still, a lot going on off-the-field until then. Nine days until the new International draft period opens, with the Padres all-in on that. Only a few top amateur draft picks left to sign… Nice Padres rebuild, A.J. Preller.

Upton Jr.’s near-homer changes momentum 6-23-16
BJ & the Padres got robbed of a 2-run HR. Get some modern MLB foul poles Baltimore! You need them with these stronger players now.
…and to that clueless O’s announcer, asking why BJ & Matt Kemp were circling the bases: it’s because they BOTH knew it was a home run, and wanted to be near the dugout with their teammates when the call was correctly overturned.

Didn’t happen. I wonder if the umpires were ‘protecting their own.’ The 3B umpire on the call initially had a glazed look in his eye– like he knew he blew the call. BJ didn’t care, and showed him up; and honestly that’s why I’ve always loved him as a player. You get hated on a lot for being that, so respect it.

Rodney just misses out on Padres record
Righty’s streak of consecutive innings without ER snapped, but San Diego could appeal 6-22-16

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Fernando Rodney really should have the record, but that’s baseball, and it has to be scored a hit when the ball bounces off the bag. Notice Wil Myers is an off-the-charts defensive 1B, no errors so far. What a magnificent young player. Wil be Untouchable in future trade talks.

Padres fans have been debating the Wil Myers deal endlessly. Looks like: 1) the Padres stole Myers, 2) the Nationals got a good young pitcher and potential 2B/utility guy in Trea Turner from SD, and 3) the Rays got fleeced, receiving a 27-YO RF from the Nationals, who is having a career year hitting .255/.315/.443. Rays also reaped a few useless minor leaguers from a barren Padres system. Happened just after Joe Maddon & Andrew Friedman left Tampa.

Want a good laugh Padres fans? Go into the CWS forum, and read the comments on any James Shields start.

Shields shows improvement in steady start 6-23-16

White Sox fans: I just published a baseball piece on my site and laughingly referenced you at the end. It was intended as a compliment to your wittiness, clarity & direct style. I strongly prefer the NL, and truly appreciate being able to read your thoughts, clearly illustrating the hidden drama that runs this family franchise. It doesn’t take long to catch up, with the brutal honesty on this board. Jerry Reinsdorf ownership is family loyalty to the core, and they allow for too much incompetence & other bad stuff, most noticeably Hawk Harrelson broadcasting television. This nepotism & croynism poisons everything in the organization, leaving fans demoralized, over & over. Lifelong White Sox fans know this all-too-well.

This franchise goes back to Charles Comiskey, one of the most reviled owners of the Jim Crow baseball era. Reinsdorf is the last hardliner, old-school owner of the modern MLB era. He deserves credit for being willing to spend money when he believes his team has a chance, but gets demerits for consistent poor judgment in his selections for front office management & scouting. The CWS 2005 World Series is proof that even a blind squirrel can find an acorn, and flags fly forever, but it looks increasingly unlikely to happen again in Reinsdorf’s lifetime.

Buddy Bell, Rick Hahn & Kenny Williams all need to go at once if the CWS are to move forward. If anyone in that organization had even lurked into the Padres forum, they would have had all the information they needed to determine that James Shields was collapsing, meaning it was public knowledge. The White Sox are behind in every facet of their organization, and anyone brought in will need at least 5 years of serious ownership commitment in scouting, drafting, player development, advanced metrics and injury diagnosis & prevention, etc… just to catch up.

Obviously new management will want a new field manager in the end, but until then, Robin Ventura deserves some consideration & respect for what he’s had to work with. Questionable decisions on his part? Yes. But this entire mess, his fault? Not even close. Always hold ownership & front management accountable first in everything.

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Friar Wired: Around the Horn

Posted on June 17, 2016 by admin

Myers named All-Star Week ambassador
First baseman eager to represent Padres, MLB during festivities in San Diego 6-17-16
Fangraphs has a new article titled, “Wil Myers Utilizing All Fields in Return to Prominence.” Of course they say the Padres should trade him, like everyone else. They’ve been wrong all along, but NOW they know…

Padres, Edwin Jackson agree to Minor League deal
San Diego seeks depth for depleted pitching staff 6-17-16
“There was a point in mid-March when projections had San Diego’s starting five as: Ross, Shields, Cashner, Erlin & Maurer.” Maurer is in the bullpen, Shields traded, and the rest are DL’d. Padres are desperate, so this is what a GM does.
No way they trade Wil Myers, he’s their cornerstone.

Jon Jay for Jedd Gyorko (STL) was a great swap for the Padres, even with them eating $7M this year. I hope the Padres extend him a few years. Alexei Ramirez was a nice low-cost pick-up, instead of the overpay on Ian Desmond who couldn’t play SS anyways. A.J. Preller also snagged starting pitchers Drew Pomeranz, Luis Perdomo & Christian Friedrich this past off-season, which were all under-the-radar moves that have paid off and show future promise. He also restocked the farm system with the Craig Kimbrel trade, and set the Padres up a nice 2016 amateur draft. Yes they are in last place this year, but they’re in better position than ARZ & COL for the future.

From the 2014-15 off-season, Wil Myers was a steal. Shields was an overpay, and costing them $20M to go away, but an understandable gamble at the time for rotation stability. Preller did a great job unloading him before the bottom fell out, and we’ll see about RHP Erik Johnson & prospect Fernando Tatis, Jr. Matt Kemp was Preller’s worst deal, but it is still better than a lot of other GM’s biggest blunders. Overall Preller has done a fantastic job rebuilding an organization that was in shambles when he arrived.

Erik Johnson aims to impress in home debut 6-16-16
The Nationals are the last top NL team the Padres have yet to face. It’s another good test for this team, and die-hards hope it doesn’t get ugly. Luckily for the Padres, Stephen Strasburg pitched yesterday. Hopefully fans will get a good look at RHP Joe Ross, to get some measure on the Wil Myers deal. The other piece of that deal from the Padres system was (soon-to-be) age 23 SS Trea Turner, who was up briefly for 3B Ryan Zimmerman on paternity leave, but is now back in AAA Syracuse hitting .293/.357/.439.

MLB announces All-Star Concert Series lineup 6-16-16
Gwen Stefani, OneRepublic, Tori Kelly headline acts set to perform 6-16-16
Did anyone here see ‘piano man’ Billy Joel @ Petco? Just wondering since they advertised it all off-season. [1]

Perdomo stays grounded, gets first win as starter 6-16-16
Like AJ Preller said, with Perdomo’s stuff he would be a top 10 draft pick, if that was his availability. Gotta stick with him, too much upside. Snagging Luis Perdomo from STL is hopefully going to make up for trading away Ozzie all those years ago. That’s been A.J. Preller’s plan since the Rule 5 draft. Perdomo’s 22, sits at 95-96, and gets to 98 w/ tons of ground balls. Electric stuff here.

Padres best Rule 5 success was surely 2B Bip Roberts taken by the Padres from PIT in the Rule 5 draft in December 1985. At the plate OBP is life and making outs is bad. Bip Roberts (.294/.358/.380) was a super-utility player, and one of the most underrated players in franchise history.

After 1991, GM Joe McIlvaine traded him to the Reds for lefty closer Randy Myers. Note, any deals during this period in Padres history must be understood in the context of Tom Werner ownership, which ran from June 1990 to December 1994. Roberts had injury issues in SD, so of course he tore himself up playing on the notoriously hard turf (and unpadded outfield walls) of Riverfront Stadium. Along with CF Eric Davis, (HoF) SS Barry Larkin, and others, Bip Roberts could never really stay healthy playing for the Reds.

Marge Schott owned the Cincinnati Reds from her inheritance in 1984 to 1999. Schott was hailed by luminaries such as Oprah Winfrey as a model of ‘feminist success’ after the Reds won the World Series in 1990. She was later suspended by MLB (1996-98) then forced to sell-out, due to her statements in support of Nazi party leader Adolf Hitler.

Padres string together rally to sink Fish in finale 6-15-16

Ichiro is an amazing & unique player. Notice how well he takes care of himself. It makes all the difference.
RHP Luis Perdomo is now 2-2, and hitting .250 (1 for 4). He pinch runs and has a stolen base. Reminds me a bit of Fletch with the Lakers– he does all the little things they need. I don’t know where the Padres would be without him? An All-Star in my book, admittedly his current ERA (8.79) is a little high…

Shields, Sox optimistic rough debut just a blip 6-9-16
Padres fan here: for those CWS fans who didn’t know, James Shields is cooked. If Reinsdorf, Hahn or Williams are interested in another bat, Matt Kemp is available– please contact Padres GM A.J. Preller ASAP.

BTW, Padres fans have developed much appreciation for Alexei Ramirez. For a long time, the Padres have been replacement level at SS, and while the Cuban Missile has very little pop in his bat and doesn’t walk much, he hits just enough & is super-slick with a great arm in the field. He’s improved the Padres defense tremendously, and therefore helps their pitching staff. The Padres mostly can’t score runs, and have been shutout 10 times already this season. It was a situation where the CWS wanted to move in a different direction at that position, and it worked out for another team. Wondering what White Sox fans think of Tyler Saladino & SS prospect Tim Anderson? Best of luck with Jimmy Rollins!!

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Green: Padres deserving of ASG consideration 6-8-16
I don’t believe rookies should ever be All-Stars, as anyone can get hot for a few months & fool people. I think LHP Drew Pomeranz is for real, but this excludes him from consideration by my criteria. Closer Fernando Rodney may be the only Padres 2016 All-Star. CF Jon Jay is very underrated. 1B Wil Myers may be their franchise guy, but it’s a deep position. When 3B Yangervais Solarte stays healthy, he’s All-Star level. A few pieces are there, but many are still missing for the Padres.

Amateur draft begins tomorrow night, so keep these thoughts in mind. There are only 30 or so MLB players in every amateur draft, so if a team get one player that’s average. If they get two, that’s spectacular. Three or more in one draft is extraordinary. There are one or two HoFer’s per draft, and obviously those are the picks to make. They aren’t always 1st round either, as Albert Pujols & Mike Piazza prove. It’s about scouting and the ‘eye for talent.’ This draft is considered ‘college light & high-school heavy,’ so expect many HS picks. People who have no clue will yell & scream no matter what GM A.J. Preller does, but the truth is no one will know how anyone did for at least 3-4 years.

The All-Star manager (Terry Collins- Mets) gets to pick his staff, and obviously he takes his own guys. It would be really cool if he also selected Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley. I witnessed Jim Hickey in TB for many years and he deserves all his accolades, but for my money Balsley is the best pitching coach in baseball today. Without him, Drew Pomeranz isn’t a phenom. [Andy Green was later invited by Collins. Cool]

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Muhammad Ali: Courage & Character

Posted on June 4, 2016 by admin

Muhammad Ali died yesterday at age 74 of respiratory illness. He had been afflicted with severe Parkinson’s disease for the final three decades of his life.

Ali one proclaimed himself to be “the Greatest.” To many he still is. Facing Ali (2009) is a 5-star documentary of his career, in the words of those who most notably squared off in the ring with “The Greatest.”

It must also be noted that in many ways Muhammad Ali will be the greatest example of why boxing must be banned, if we are to be a civilized society.

If this is how it ends for ‘the Greatest,’ then how horrible must it be for all the others?

His autobiography My Own Story published in 1975 tells his it as no one else can, up through the George Foreman ‘Rumble in the Jungle’ in 1974.

As loved as Ali is at the time of his death, it is hard for some to believe that he was once vilified; exiled from boxing for 3 years during his prime, for refusing draft entry into the U.S. military during the Vietnam War.

White mainstream media had refused to recognize his name change from Cassius Clay to Muhammad Ali, reflecting his conversion from Christianity to Islam.

Muhammad Ali’s religion & politics became the line between brash & charismatic versus uppity & dangerous in the late 1960’s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OOaMfVsxIc

When Ali spoke his mind on the unfairness of being drafted into a war he didn’t believe in, he became a global icon for the oppressed fighting against U.S. imperialism.

Ali embraced his role (and sacrificed more than any superstar athlete ever sacrificed), for a cause nobler than himself.

This is why he was so loved, and today is so mourned.

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Rime of the Seattle Mariners & Padres Ownership

Posted on June 3, 2016 by admin

Posted @ Padres.com

Padres chairman Fowler expects better from team 6-1-16
Ownership 101: be quiet and speak with your checkbook. If there’s a problem with the front office or GM, then deal with it directly & decisively. Don’t vent through the media. Building a winning organization takes time, hard work, money & luck. Most owners are overgrown babies who are used to getting everything they want immediately.
The biggest historical detriment to the Padres winning, has been their ownership. Ron Fowler’s weakness seems to be his impatience & meddling. When an owner hires a new GM to a 5-year contract, that’s his guy. That means the owner must refrain from bitching and throwing regime personnel under the bus, just because he can’t stand losing. Since baseball is about losing, perhaps Ron Fowler is in the wrong business? It’s going to take a leader with vision (along with a generous & meddle-free owner) to ever get it done for the Padres and their fans.
James Shields’ ERA went from 3.06 to 4.28. One blow-up start can do that early. He’s been pretty solid mostly, but poorly supported. He’s a professional, and owned that he stunk the other day. Padres need OBP & SLG.

Padres homer four times to rout Mariners
Cano’s 16th homer isn’t enough in San Diego 6-1-16
Padres really caught a break with RHP Felix Hernandez going on the DL, as I was expecting to wake up to another Padres shutout loss. Right calf strain for King Felix, and fans hope he gets better soon. One of the best of this era– HOF no question.

Padres need support at the All-Star ballot box 6-1-16
Closer Fernando Rodney will be the Padres lone All-Star representative. I hope he closes out a win, getting the NL home-field advantage in the WS. Except for 2010-12 (and a tie in 2002), it’s been all AL in the mid-summer classic since 1997.

Padres watch 10-run lead disappear vs. M’s 6-2-16
When the Padres are bad, they’re really bad, as they keep finding unbelievable new ways to lose games. Frustrating & fascinating, all at the same time. Give the Mariners credit for not giving up. The best recent news for the Padres is that RHP Cesar Vargas won’t need Tommy John surgery. Press on, Padres!!

As a Padres fan, it hurts to come up short (yet) again, but what a run & great season guys. Amateur draft next week, Padres have 6 picks in the top 85. International draft begins July 2. That’s the organizational focus right now, and real Padres fans know it. Again, hats off to the Seattle Mariners on that comeback, but Padres fans have seen it before.

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Padres, Snakes & Trade Rumors

Posted on May 30, 2016 by admin

Posted @ MLB Padres.com

Padres tap into Solarte power behind Friedrich 5-27-16
Andy Green finally got that 9-0 game where he could use Luis Perdomo like he wants to. Perdomo’s ERA remains under 10.00, so it’s good. It’s really nice for the Padres to have 3B Yangervais Solarte back, as they need his bat & glove.

If ARZ’s annual payroll is capped at $100M, then they had no business signing Zack Greinke to that deal. That falls on the GM and upper management. Those who say the Diamondbacks need to clean house are likely correct.

BJ Upton still rocks, a true team player for moving to LF for CF Jon Jay. One of my favorite new nicknames is the ‘Federalist,’ every time Jay does something good I’m looking up our founding fathers & constitutional history!

Friedrich making case to stick with Padres
Lefty cruises over 7 innings as offense thumps D-backs 5-27-16
Christian Friedrich has good stuff, and he’s left-handed so he stays in the rotation. Lots of swings & misses, check swings, etc…thank you, COL. The Rockies also gave up on LHP Drew Pomeranz & just gave away Rule 5 pick RHP Luis Perdomo (Cardinals). Evidentially there’s no concern for developing any kind of starting pitching in Denver.

Mets acquire Loney from Padres
Veteran figures to be primary option at first until Duda returns 5-28-16
Padres GM AJ Preller acquired & stashed guys like 1B James Loney all off-season. Loney has hit at AAA El Paso and has an opt-out, so good luck except against the Padres. No real power here. How much is “cash considerations?”

Padres’ ninth-inning rally falls short vs. D-backs 5-28-16
GM AJ Preller needs a nice haul for James Shields, as reliable 200+ IP starters don’t grow on trees. Shields is proven AL-tough and his contract is fair, especially in light of what was handed out this past off-season (Ian Kennedy, Zack Greinke, etc…). Padres might eat a little salary, but not much as it’s mostly about what they get in return. Matt Kemp is another story. CWS are an interesting organization, owned by Jerry Reinsdorf who normally is cheap, but every once in awhile does something crazy. The White Sox are currently 1.5 GB in a wide-open AL Central, so we’ll see if anything comes of this.

IMO, GM Preller should hang onto RHP James Shields for now, as shortstop prospect Tim Anderson in exchange isn’t enough and the CWS have a notoriously thin farm system. They always have, it seems. Anderson was the 17th overall pick in the 2013 draft, he’s batting .314/.342/.408 in Triple-A Charlotte, which convinces no one he’s MLB-ready or has much of a ceiling. Preller got way better in the Craig Kimbrel deal, and Shields is more valuable. In SD he helps anchor a young & developing starting rotation, that needs an innings horse. He’s pitched really well and that’s worth a lot, even to a last place team such as this. It keeps the younger starters from being overstretched, and then injured. It also makes them nearly respectable, which is better than being a laughingstock. He’s a team leader whom everyone respects, so if he’s dealt it must be for a good haul.

From the Padres perspective, it’s Matt Kemp whom Preller is really trying to trade. Christian Bethancourt, Travis Jankowski, and a host of AAA-prospects are waiting for their shot at RF, and it won’t happen until Kemp is dealt to the AL where he can DH regularly. It’s in the Padres best interest not deal Shields (or any other major contract) until Matt Kemp is traded. For full effect, dominoes need to fall in their proper order and right now the Padres bottleneck is in RF.

Padres place Vargas on 15-day disabled list 5-29-16
Just another reason not to trade James Shields. Get a MRI.

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San Diego Padres: Gay Pride Night, Smokeless Tobacco & Losing

Posted on May 26, 2016 by admin

Padres apologize following Pride Night mix-up 5-23-16
Great back & forth discussion!!

MLB satisfied with Padres’ response to chorus mix-up 5-26-16
Unfortunate, but well-handled, Padres. Bring the San Diego Gay Men’s Chorus back to sing the national anthem on a military Sunday. Now that would be interesting! ‘COMMENT PENDING’

Pomeranz’s gem wasted as Giants walk off 5-23-16
That’s about as tough a loss as it gets for the Padres; two bloops beat them, and the final one should have been caught by RF Matt Kemp. Only two hits and no walks (again) from the SD lineup. Very little Andy Green can do about it, which is what makes all it so frustrating to fans.

Green says Padres need to ‘raise the bar’
A closed-door meeting was a good call by manager Andy Green. It proves he knows when to act, and it holds the players accountable– they’re the ones not getting on base or scoring any runs.

Gwynn family addresses media following suit
Wife, children allege that tobacco company contributed to Padres Hall of Famer’s death 5-24-16
I have mixed feelings on this. I’m a dentist by profession, and always counsel patients to quit, but most are too addicted to stop. Tony Gywnn started in 1977, when smokeless tobacco was still advertised on television. Jocks like Carlton Fisk & Earl Campbell did commercials for it. Big tobacco definitely lied about its health effects and deserve to be held accountable, but at some point people have to take responsibility for their actions. Everybody knows dipping is bad for you. Most lawsuits are about $$. RIP #19

Padres can’t hold off Giants’ rally, drop series 5-24-16
A win for the Padres today would be a pleasant surprise for their fans.

Padres lose 4-3 in 10 innings, Giants sweep series 5-25-16
The Padres are showing their fanbase every way a team can lose a game this season, getting swept by the Giants who are now 9-0 against the Padres this year. Much of the losing in this series falls on the shoulders of RF Matt Kemp. In the opening game of this set with the Giants, Kemp’s lack of range cost the Padres a 1-0 loss on a routine pop-up that should have sent the game into extra innings. In game two, Kemp was 2-4, getting thrown out trying to stretch both hits an extra base, a case of him trying to do too much, but still making outs which are bad. Game three just ended with a 4-3 loss in 10 innings, where he went 0-5. He batted third and therefore was given multiple opportunities to deliver a win, and again he didn’t. In 2016, Kemp has 197 PA’s, with 4 walks. Matt Kemp (.228/.240/.446) needs to be moved down in the lineup, or sat down on the bench. Or better yet, moved on to the AL. This is easily GM A.J. Preller’s biggest mistake, and he needs to eat whatever it takes to get this done. This situation is hurting player development, and disheartening fans who’ve seen losing all-too-often in San Diego. This is also where Padres owner Ron Fowler becomes accountable, as this can’t affect the Padres ability to spend money in the upcoming amateur & international drafts, or negate any future helpful free-agent acquisitions. That’s the price an owner must pay to own a winning team.

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Hector Sanchez greeted warmly by Giants fans
Padres catcher plays at AT&T Park for first time as a visitor 5-25-16
I like the way Giants fans appreciate former role players who helped them win, as it’s not all about the stars.
AJ Preller decided to add some depth to the Padres catching mix, as top prospect Austin Hedges went down with a fractured hamate bone. Derek Norris has hit poorly, and waiver pick-up Christian Bethancourt is raw. Padres stink, so why not?

Arch-Rivals: Dodgers @ Petco

Posted on May 23, 2016 by admin

Posted (mostly) on MLB.com

Melvin’s walk-off homer drops Dodgers 5-20-16
Padres needed this, thanks again BJ! Good to see Andy Green getting creative with his lineup, as there needs to be a shake-up. Another good challenge from Green got a HBP for Alexi Amarista, notice he’s won a bunch of them so far. Eight walks (4 by Brett Wallace & 3 from Adam Rosales) helps the Padres lineup work the opposing pitchers. More please!

Padres step on LA with walk-off walk in 11th 5-21-16
Padres lineup strikes out 19 times, and they still mange to win. I love this team! Notice, those walks do help. Get some OBP in the lineup and good things start to happen with their solid defense & stellar pitching.

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Padres fans consider the Dodgers to be their arch-rivals, due to LA’s proximity and winning tradition. Dodgers fans mostly don’t consider Padres fans, as their franchise has never won it. That’s just how it is. SF Giants fans (the Padres ‘other arch-rivals’) are always listening in on the Dodgers broadcasts & forums, which is no problem with most Padres supporters as long as they are respectful and have something useful to add.

Umpire exits after being hit by foul tip 5-22-16
The next time these two ‘arch-rivals’ meet (which is just before the All-Star break), the Padres may no longer have RF Matt Kemp who is on the trading block. Dodgers fans remember what a great player he was, before injuries diminished him. Padres fans are grateful for his efforts, which have helped them win a few (but not enough) games. Matt Kemp hit for his first cycle last year, which was also the first in Padres franchise history. I’ve read may fans comments in this forum along the lines of, “that alone makes whatever he costs worth it.” It’s hard to argue against that.

What absolutely needs to be understood is that Matt Kemp must DH (at least occasionally), or else he will wear down and quickly breakdown. There are probably 8-10 AL teams faking it at DH. When Matt Kemp is rested occasionally, he can be a productive bat in a championship-level AL lineup. This upcoming deal will be about how much the Padres eat on his remaining contract, which runs through 2019. Padres owe Matt Kemp $18.25M/season, with the Dodgers paying $3M/season. Also remember that the Padres only paid $3.5M for Kemp in 2016, so GM A.J. Preller knows he’s eating something on the back end. It’s a question of how much, and what’s the return? Recall that Preller gave up C Yasmani Grandal to get him. I don’t know who won this trade yet, and no one will until long after Matt Kemp is traded from the Padres to the AL.

Note: this excessive annual ‘punting’ on DH in the AL is the best argument against expanding it to the NL. The NL is the senior circuit, so they don’t adopt the junior league’s gimmicky rule.

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NASCAR’s All-Star ‘Shoot-Out’ & ‘Fan Vote’

Posted on May 21, 2016 by admin

Charlotte is now considered the NASCAR capital/headquarters, so their annual All-Star race is held at Charlotte Motor Speedway, built in 1959. Most drivers are positive about this 1.5 mile quad-oval track, although NASCAR’s new ‘low downforce’ package has turned each track into a new experience this season, so questions always remain.

It’s been raining on & off all weekend and the track is slick, so “if you’re tight, you’re gonna be tighter and if you’re loose, you’re gonna be looser.”

Fifteen past champions and top-winning drivers are automatically entered into the All-Star race, which fields only 20 cars– half the normal field. Here are their practice results for starting position:

This All-Star race has no ‘Cup points’ attached, but rewards $1,000,000 to the winner. NASCAR gets back to its ‘Chase for the Cup’ next weekend with the Coca-Cola 600, which runs at Charlotte Motor Speedway every Memorial Day weekend. This week is supposed to be the ‘relaxed’ weekend, although it’s filled with plenty of NASCAR promotional work for its top drivers.

The rest of the regular NASCAR field must qualify for the 5 remaining spots in a ‘shoot-out’ race, which this year is formatted as a 3-segmented race. Each segment winner earns a spot in the All-Star race. Also, the top two ‘fan vote’ winners get in. Danica Patrick’s clout assures her a spot, as the top vote-getter. Still, the fan vote winners aren’t announced by NASCAR until after the shoot-out qualifier, so Patrick must participate, even though everyone knows she’s easily an All-Star.

Chase Elliott narrowly loses the final shoot-out segment to Kyle Larsen. Then it is announced he (along with Patrick) have received a ‘fan vote’ spot. In fact, NASCAR announces that Chase Elliott was the ‘fan vote’ winner, with Danica Patrick (evidentially deducted several million votes) as the runner-up. Note that no actual vote totals are released. [1]

Above were the shoot-out results, with Trevor Bayne & Greg Biffle (listed at the bottom) winning the first two segments, rounding out the 20-car field. I’m in favor of reducing the grid size, so I wish NASCAR would use this exact same format every week, as it would keep much of the trash off the track.

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Danica Patrick (stunned, thankful & amazed that she was selected again [!] by the fans), has a video thanking everybody up on her Facebook page within an hour.

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Update 5-22-16: The All-Star Race was rain-delayed, and had a crazy new format which no one really understood, so I skipped it. It turns out I was quite correct, as “dumbest format ever” and “no one knew what was going on” were the most-common post-race complaints from drivers. While it is an All-Star showcase, certain drivers still have to be more careful than others, otherwise they risk being heavily fined by NASCAR elite. Note the nifty driving by #10 Danica Patrick who came through clean when leading vote-getter (according to NASCAR) #24 Chase Elliott ‘checked-up’ suddenly, causing a crash. It’s all discussed & shown in this link [2].

There were 19 NASCAR All-Stars, and one rock-star on the track in Charlotte last night.

She’ll be on display again @ CMS next weekend for the gruelling 400-lap (600 mile!) contest. How about a ‘hats off’ to a true American hero for Memorial Day weekend?

Padres y Gigantes

Posted on May 20, 2016 by admin

Previously posted @ MLB.com

Morrow, Spangenberg suffer setbacks 5-17-16
“I don’t want to say he pulled it again, but it just didn’t feel good,” [Padres manager Andy] Green said. “Something happened where they had to pull him back. There’s kind of swelling in there.”
That means 2B prospect Cory Spangenberg pulled it again.

Kemp’s homer lone damage vs. MadBum 6-18-16
Of course Madison Bumgarner is a great pitcher, and 29 other teams would love to have him. He just needs to control himself better. He doesn’t need that horsebleep [staring down Wil Myers after striking him out], just head back to the dugout like a professional.
What the Padres really need is some OBP in their lineup– zero walks again last night.
Padres have played the Mets, Cubs & Giants, and SF is the best team in the NL to this fan.

Giants fans: Padres are rebuilding under a smart new GM, and will be very competitive in a few years. If you’re too apathetic or belligerent to see that, then save the insults as you’re just embarrassing yourself. In the meantime, Padres fans need to deal with losing like real men & women. Baseball (like life) is about dealing with losing, and it’s how you respond that really counts.

Benches empty after MadBum fans Myers 5-18-16
Padres don’t need to throw at anybody, they just need to play better and score more runs.

Padres send Blash to Minors after deal with Mariners 5-18-16
James Loney has an opt-out, not sure if it’s June 1. Padres have the right of first refusal.
I’m glad to see the news about Jabari Blash. Padres are the only organization that’s giving him a shot, and he needs to play everyday– in the minors.

Pence, Cueto push Giants to 7th straight win 5-19-16
RHP Johnny Cueto was the best primetime free-agent starting pitcher signing of the past off-season, in terms of value & contract length. As long as he stays healthy, he’s a second true ace for the Giants. David Price & Zack Grienke are fantastic too, but cost more, for longer. Note: Cueto has an opt-out after 2017, and SF holds a $5M buyout for 2022 if he stays. To me, this was the move that put them over the top in the NL.

Shields outdueled as Friars fall to Giants 5-20-16
At this point, the Padres are no match for the Giants, who are a championship-calibre team. Padres got swept: losing 5-1, 2-1, 3-1; with no walks again in the finale. It’s time for GM A.J. Preller to deal his remaining tradable assets– starting with RF/DH Matt Kemp. As predicable as this scenario was, it’s still tough for Friar fans to follow, but it’s the reality this organization must face.

Dodger fans: Padres play LA next and few of you lurk in here, so I’ll speak now because it is difficult for Pads fans to correspond with you– due to the sheer numbers in your forum. Padres have 20-30 regular fans, who often listen and sometimes thoughtfully add to a discussion when compelled. Their average post total reaches 30-50 on a decent thread. For the Dodgers it is hundreds, sometimes thousands after a big game; and honestly most of it is noise.

This can be partially explained by the fact that Time Warner Cable owns the rights to the Dodgers’ games on SportsNet LA for $8.35 billion over 25 years. Over 70% of the LA cable/satellite TV market can’t watch a Dodger game on television, so it’s 1) Vin Scully [last time around] on the radio; 2) MLB Gameday; and 3) online posting in team forums during the game. This is pushed to the extreme for the Dodgers, as most of their fans can’t see them play, save going to Chavez Ravine. The LAD lead the world in baseball attendance every year, so there is no reason for them not to be on television. MLB blackout restrictions further add to a fan’s frustration. Theirs the most ridiculous situation in MLB, and deserves to be seriously addressed from a fan (public) interest perspective.

Last thoughts on fighting in MLB: the other day TEX 2B Rougned Odor (age 22 career .263/.306/.442) nailed TOR RF Jose Bautista with a solid overhand right to his maxilla, after a hard slide into second base. Bautista slid well past the bag, so it had to be considered a bit dirty. When Joey Bats got up to protest indignation he got nailed by Odor because he wasn’t ready to fight, going in with his hands down & leading with his head. Rangers ended up winning the game, and both sides have now gotten in their shots, so it’s over– pretty much. When the dust settles, it’s about wins & losses as well as dignity; so players should cut out the horsebleep (as most of them don’t know how to fight anyways) and just play ball.

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Ric Size

Songwriter, Musician, Artist

Category Archives: Sports