Trying to remember the 2010 Padres: Game 2 (quashing rebellions)

You have entered a site engaged in a highly complex experiment... an experiment designed to test the parameters of my mind. These are my memories of Padres games attended during the 2010 season.

The nature of these posts (being my own game experiences) may be of zero interest to you; therefore I understand any antipathy towards them.

However, if you were at any of these games or remember watching them on the tube then join the wake and eulogize/comment with some memories. For further explanation [go here]

GAME 2 of 18
April 25th, 2010
Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) v. High Desert Mavericks (A's ???) @ The Diamond in Lake Elsinore, Ca.

 WHAT I THINK I KNOW...

Again, kind of easy to remember, as it was my first trip to Lake Elsinore to see the Padres High A team play. There were a few interesting wrinkles to this game that made it memorable...

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This was a Sunday game scheduled as a double header due to a rain out a few days prior. In a quirky "this-is-minor-league-baseball" sort of thing, each game was scheduled to go 7 innings. The Storm lost each game but I only stayed for one.

***

By "I", I mean "We". 

I took one of the daughters to this game and it was only her second baseball game ever attended (the first being back in 2008 against the Twins at Petco). I was able to corral her into a seat until the 4th inning at which time an insurrection began.

Hot dogs and pretzels can contain tiny ones for only so long; thankfully The Diamond has a grass area down the RF line where the rebellions of children can be quelled. It's a great venue to catch a game with family.

***
First round draft picks, Nick Schmidt (2007) and Allan Dykstra (2008), were in action during this game. Neither was impressive. Dykstra however was impressive in that he looked like Jim Thome... his physique and swing... not the results it produced. Schmidt, a left hander, got the loss.

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For the Storm, Vince Belnome homered as did Yefri Carvajal.

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Storm Manager Carlos Lezcano was bounced late in the game on a bad call at 2B. It was AWESOME! He bounced his helmet off the turf about 20 feet into the air.

Source: My Beautiful Mind... and a ticket stub.

RESEARCH SAYS...

The Storm lost to High Desert 4-2 in 7 innings. I did not stay for game 2 but it was also a loss for the Storm (10-2).

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I was correct about the HRs from Vince Belnome and Yefri Carvajal.

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Schmidt went 5 innings (4 runs/3 earned), struck out 4 and walked 3. Schmidt got the loss.


NOTABLE OMISSIONS...

The Mavericks are actually the High A team for the Seattle Mariners. Having said that, I can now recall my thoughts at the time... this is wear the seeds are sown for the most heated inter-league rivalry in MLB... The San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners. Blood feuds start early. Not sure if I explained this to the daughter.

***
Daniel Robertson had a couple of knocks (2 for 3)

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Allan Dykstra went 1 for 3 boosting his average to .196 for the young season. Ouch!

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Cole Figueroa started at SS for the Storm. Figueroa was a part of the recent Jason Bartlett trade. Bartlett, as a former Padre property, played for the Storm back in 2002. So in that sense... I feel like I saw Bartlett play in this game... in a 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon kind of way.

Sources: LE Storm website

Join me... at least 16 more times.

Padres Win Streak Ends; We go To Lake Elsinore to See The Storm

The Padres lost yesterday but took the series....on the road in Cincinnati. Can't really argue with that result although perhaps the strongest part of our team (the bullpen) coughed up what could have been a road sweep. Can't win 'em all.

I didn't get to watch the game but instead tried to experience it via MLB.com's "Game Day" tracker as well as communications through Twitter and the Gaslamp Ball open thread. The Game Day tracker is NO substitute for watching on television. I wasn't trying to be experimental; just forced to get some work done in an undisclosed location that lacked access to Channel 4. I did not get work done.... but I did make an observation or two. Proceed...

• Clayton Richard needs to start working on economy with his pitch count in a bad way. In the 5th inning he threw 8 pitches to the final batter he faced coupled with 9 pick-off attempts to 1B....all in the course of ONE BATTER! He was working way too hard. He got out of the jam but finished the inning with about 90 pitches. I figured he was done. Bud ran him out there for the 6th though and he promptly gave up the gopher ball to Scott Rolen. Richard ended up leaving the game with a chance to get the win after surrendering 3 runs. (click "Read More" to continue)

• Now I rant about bullet point #1. C'mon Bud!? Clayton Richard was done. Go right to the bullpen to start the 6th inning. Look, there's no bigger proponent of getting your starting pitcher through at least 7 innings than me.....heck, mix in a complete game every once in a while and conserve that valuable bullpen. I just thought it was the wrong move at the time and then Scott Rolen ran around the bases.
• A lot of people are saying that the Padres are playing over their heads right now and they are in some respects. However I think that we would be remiss not to mention that their collective hitting has been underwhelming thus far. Headley and Gonzalez have been great and Venable has been timely here and there but for the most part guys have been hitting below (I believe) their capabilities.
• So yea......they're in first place. No complaints really. Fun stuff.

So I finished listening to the game on the drive up to Lake Elsinore yesterday. The Diamond in Lake Elsinore is cool little place to see a game. Very intimate. You feel like you're right there, on top of the field, plus you get to see the Padres of the future play. You feel very invested. Some observations:

• Talk about a DEAL !!! A doubleheader for under $10 bucks!
• 2007 1st round pick Nick Schmidt didn't look that sharp. He really only had one rough inning (yielded a hit parade) but on the whole, I wasn't impressed.
• Farmer John hot dogs are an encased meat product of the highest order.
• 2008 1st round pick Alan Dykstra didn't look that sharp either although he did have one hit. I can't say I expected too much though, considering his current ranking among Padres prospects.
• What you save on a cheap, $9 buck seat, you'll more than likely give back in the souvenir shop. A hat with the eyes of a storm on it? That's an easy sell!

• Kids named Vince Belnome and Yefri Carvajal hit HRs. They were bombs.
• When your 3 year old gets tired of her seat and insists on moving to an area that gives free reign to kids hopped up on sugar, you have the opportunity to do it. Down the RF line there's a great grass area to sit and play (pssst....you can also walk right up to the opposition's bullpen and get in the ear of the relievers.....I didn't do it but I'm just sayin', you could.....all friendly bantering of course; they're just kids, for Pete's sake!).

Your Padres and Mariners of the future...and some little kid

• There was a kid named Denny Almonte who played for the High Desert Mavericks. A few years back when the Oceanside Little League played in the WS didn't they get beat by a a Bronx team that eventually forfeited because of an illegally aged player......named DANNY Almonte? Maybe I'll research it.....
• Manager Carlos Lezcano got tossed in the 6th inning of game 1 on a bad call at 2B. Lezcano also coaches 3B so when he arrived to argue he was wearing a protective batter's helmet. Part of his theatrics while getting tossed included him bouncing his helmet of of the turf......take a look at the picture......pretty good distance, huh (it's the black speck behind the mound)?

• Playing against the High Desert Mavericks is a great way to properly cultivate hatred for the Seattle Mariners, our vaunted and loathed inter-league rival. The Dodgers get the Angels and the Yankees get the Mets but the hatred there is nothing compared to Padres versus Mariners each summer! What, you ask? Very little negativity towards the Mariners? Well then, I say.......get yourself up north to catch some High A minor league baseball.....a place where you can properly develop your Mariner loathing each time High Desert visits.
• Bummer. The Storm lost the 7 inning affair 4-2.

• Go there. It is fun.