World Series Preview . . . with a 5 year-old

This is breaking my rule of posting anything over 201 characters but I think it was too good not to publish.

I'll preface this World Series discussion with my daughter by saying that I am guilty of indoctrination. I teach her to love the Padres and Chargers. I teach her to hate (in the context of sport) the Dodgers, Giants, Yankees, Raiders and Patriots. On the Indoctrination Front that's absolutely it. There's no religion, politics, or jingoism. With the exception of choosing teams to root for I believe wholeheartedly in free thinking . . .

Daughter: Daddy, I want one of your Padres bobbleheads.

Me: How about I get you a bobblehead for Christmas.

Daughter: Yes, I want 100!

Me: Well we don't have enough money to get you 100 bobbleheads. But I'll see what I can do.

Daughter: Cool.

Me: But if I get you a bobblehead you have to do something for me. You  have to start watching more baseball.

Daughter: OK. When the season starts.

Me: No. It starts tonight. Game 1 of the Worlds Series. Giants versus the Tigers. The first one to win 4 games in the Champion. Tonight we watch and cheer AGAINST the Giants.

Daughter: Against?

Me: Yes. We're rooting AGAINST the Giants and FOR the Tigers. So we have to root for the Tigers tonight.

Daughter: Because they're America?

Me: Uh . . . yes. Because they're America.

Go Tigers. Do it for 'Merica!

Over At The Fro: February of 1936 with the PCL Padres

AJM went to the library. Came up with all sort of good stuff from February of 1936.  From naming the team to acquiring players and building a park, see what it was like as San Diegans anticipated their first season of professional baseball. Over at The Fro.

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...

***
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.

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

***
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).

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

***
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)

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

***
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.

Trying to remember the 2010 Padres: Game 1 (walk-offs are nice)

I recently read a book where the two principal characters discussed memories of their fathers taking them to their first baseball games. I took a moment to think about this and came to a simple conclusion; I can hardly remember last season let alone the details of a game as a child. 

So...the following series of posts will serve as an experiment... an experiment designed to test my memory of Padres games attended during 2010.

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.

GAME 1 of 18
April 16th, 2010
Padres v. D-backs @ Petco Park



WHAT I THINK I KNOW...

The bookend games are always the easiest to remember.

***
This was the 1st weekend game of the 1st home-stand of the season. I received a free in game program, the first of its kind in San Diego (Blue Print), and promptly discarded it because I had no idea what it was. I later retrieved a copy to complete my set of Blue Prints for the 2010 season. The program name, Blue Print, sounds good; as opposed to Brown Print. Nice work Moorad and Garfinkel.

***

The Padres won on a walk-off HR by Chase Headley. Headley delivered the 3 run walk-off bomb from the left side of the plate after David Eckstein had tied the game on a 2-bagger over the head of a nameless Arizona LF. I had a close up of the Eckstein hit as my seats were down the 3rd base line right below the Jerome's Chair.

I was expecting to hear Pennywise's "Bro Hymn" after the Headley HR but I'm pretty sure I had to settle for Macy Gray.

***
I attended this game with a large group of people and I recall missing some of the nuances of the game because of it. It was a fast game with little action until the later innings. I couldn't say who pitched for Arizona but the pace seems to indicate that Clayton Richard was on the hill for San Diego.

***
It feels good to win... even if it is only April.

Source: My ticket stub and (sometimes) steel trap of a mind.

RESEARCH SAYS...

The final score was 6-3 after the Padres scored 4 in the bottom half of the 9th. Headley's HR came with 2 outs after Adrian Gonzalez had been intentionally walked. I can now recall the conversations surrounding the decision to walk A-Gon and how Chase was going to need to make teams pay for the transgressions. Incidentally... Adrian Gonzalez is no longer a Padre.

***
Heath Bell got the win after entering in the 9th and holding Arizona scoreless. Did they play Breaking Benjamin's Blow Me Away? I would guess not since the Padres were down a couple.

***
It was actually Jon Garland who pitched and the game lagged along finishing in 3:20. Something was telling me that it was actually Garland who pitched but the minute I mentioned the game was at a quick pace I eliminated the possibility of Garland being the starter. I guess my perception of game time was skewed by attending in a more social atmosphere.

***
Attendance--26,632

NOTABLE OMISSIONS...

Arizona's starter was Edwin Jackson but Juan Gutierrez got the loss after blowing the save.

***
San Diego threw Garland, Mujica, Russell, and Bell. Only Bell remains as part of the Padres' staff.

***
Kyle Blanks went 2 for 3, finishing the game with a stellar batting average of ...<> .229... this may have been a high water mark for young Kyle Blanks during 2010. He did hit a booming double though and eventually scored... something my memory is now starting to reconstruct.

***
David Eckstein was a key contributor to both the 8th and 9th inning rallies. Scrappy is also one of the departed Padres in 2011.

Source: Baseball Reference & Padres.com

This was fun... let's do it 17 more times!

A Terrible Trevor Hoffman fan?

So it ends.

After 601 saves Trevor Hoffman hung up his spikes and fans we're left to reflect on a remarkable career. I have begun to think of the successes and failures, but perhaps most importantly, what he has meant to San Diego.

Sorry... but that last one there... I think about it a lot.

As a city without championships San Diegans are often left with little else than the memories of individual players and their place in our community. In that sense the names Gwynn and Hoffman are synonymous; players who enjoyed tremendous on-field success, became trademarks of the Padres organization and pillars of our community---guys who we were proud to call our own.

As I reflected yesterday on the consistency and greatness of Trevor's career I began to sift through and sort his most memorable performances. These were the ones that my mind jigsawed back together:
(click "Read More" to continue)

•  October 20th 1998--After a season of absolute dominance and 53 saved games, Trevor surrendered a lead in game 3 of the World Series when he allowed a 3-run HR to Yankees 3rd baseman, Scott Brosius. The blown save would lead to a game 3 loss that evening and the series would end abruptly the following night (television).

• September 29th, 2007-- (game 161) With an opportunity to clinch the division against the Milwaukee Brewers Trevor could not keep the light hitting Tony Gwynn Jr. from pulling an RBI triple down the line. TGJ's hit sent the game to extra innings where it would end in the 11th with a disheartening Padres loss. The son of the greatest player in the history of the Padres franchise had dashed our hopes while batting against perhaps the second most beloved player (television).

• October 1st, 2007-- (game 163) In the most heartbreaking game in my time as a Padres fan Trevor let open the floodgates against the Colorado Rockies in the 13th inning of game 163. The third, and winning, run scored when Matt Holiday's chin bounced off the Denver dirt and he was ruled safe by home plate umpire Tim McClelland (television).

• June 24th, 2008-- The Padres, mired in a miserable follow-up to the 2007 season, trotted out Trevor Hoffman during the 9th inning of a 1-1 tie. I told my wife that he never does well entering a game in the 8th or with runners on base... or during a tie game. After striking out the first two batters in the top half of the 9th he gave up two HRs in rapid succession. My wife, a calm and reasonable person, became vocal in her displeasure. I did something I rarely ever do... I booed. I booed Trevor Hoffman (attended).

As I took stock of my fanhood and recalled the most lucid moments in Trevor Hoffman's career I came to the only logical conclusion: I am a terrible Trevor Hoffman fan.

I beat myself up over it. How could a player who exhibited such greatness serve only as the tragic punchline to my most memorable pains as a Padres fan?

I sat and thought and was left with little reward for the effort. I could come up with no specific performances of greatness by Trevor. Sure, I could remember change-ups that dropped off the table leaving hitters baffled but there was no 1-2-3 inning requiring a mere 3 pitches. There was no 9 pitch inning of 3 batters coaxed into flailing swings at the famous change-up. Nor could I recall some great defensive stab whereupon Trevor wielded to second base for an inning ending double play.

There had to be something. While the Padres could never claim that memorable World Series moment where everyone mobbed the closer like the Mets did to Jesse Orosco* in the 1986 WS, there had to be something about a Trevor appearance that stood out...

And then the cobwebs began to clear from the deepest recesses of my mind and a smile appeared on my face. I began to remember.

In fact I began to remember every game I attended where Trevor Hoffman pitched... and then I began to remember his appearances I watched on television... and there was a similar artistry to them all. I had not forgotten a thing.

My memory was not limited to the scars that were produced so many years before. I recalled the rhythm to each and every one of Trevor's entrances. They were remarkably consistent in both appearance and performance.

As a fan I realized that I didn't need to remember anything more specific than the sound of Hells Bells playing over the PA or my imagination of the tune being played during the commercial break of a telecast watched at home. It didn't matter that Hells Bells was not played when Trevor had a save opportunity on the road.... because it automatically became my mind's soundtrack each and every time. 

 

If Hells Bells was played it meant Trevor Time... and if Trevor made his late inning appearance it was near certain the Padres would walk off the field with a win.

Trevor Hoffman walked off the field a winner almost 9 out of 10 times during his career... and for me, wins aren't too bad of a memory.

Thanks Trevor.

* The final out of the '86 series is one of my favorites. Jesse Orosco flipped his glove high into the New York sky after the final out of game 7; it was an action I would often imitate amongst friends at the ball field. Orosco would go on to pitch for another 20 years or so and during the latter stretch of his career he would go trick or treating at my parent's house. Actually he accompanied his children to my house on Halloween. Jesse Orosco was my neighbor for a short time here in San Diego but I never mustered the nerve to ask him to recreate that October night in 1986. That would have been cool.

The Long Awaited Trip To Cooperstown

I completely blew it in 2007.

I was so consumed by hatred for the New England Patriots and a trip to Foxborough, MA to see the Chargers play that I never considered the only true touring option for 2007; a trip to Cooperstown, NY to see Tony Gwynn's induction into baseball's HOF*.

Like I said... I blew it.

So here's my chance (and yours) for atonement.

Assuming by the year 2016, HOF voters will have come around to the idea of electing Closers in to The Hall on the first ballot, Padres fans will have the opportunity to travel to New York and see Trevor Hoffman's induction.

It's never to early to start planning.

*I should really contact Tony Gwynn and apologize. He deserved to have all of San Diego there in New York to see his HOF induction, considering the sacrifices he made to spend his entire career here. A little support... is it too much to ask for?

The Problem With San Diego

That last post was a downer. Let this post lift us up where we belong...

I bought some t-shirts a couple weeks ago from The Sacrifice Bunt. The Sacrifice Bunt is a good Padres blog that you should read. In addition to being a good Padres blog that you should read, The Sacrifice Bunt makes and sells T-shirts. T-Shirts with a message...

Just so we're clear... this is not a dish rag... it is merely a screen shot of the front of the T-Shirt.

Now don't go thinking you can make this on your own with your fancy-schmancy Hewlett Packard ink jet and some crappy iron-on insert sheets from Staples or the Office Depot*. Because if you did your shirt wouldn't have this...

...and then everyone would know you're a phony!

Anyways... these shirts were a big hit as Christmas gifts. One to my dad and one to my brother. My brother immediately took a picture of it and sent it to one of his friends... a friend from Boston... living in San Diego....you know the type, right?
(click "Read More" to continue)
The Problem With San Diego
San Diego, for the most part, is a city of transplanted residents (myself included). There is nothing wrong with this fact. San Diego is beautiful. Who wouldn't want to escape the eastern winter climes? I get why people move here... it's what the educated would refer to as obvious. 

My issue however is with those who move to San Diego and refuse to acknowledge it as their home. They bask in the winter warmth provided by a steady Mediterranean climate but at every turn fail to acknowledge that their paycheck is signed by an entity, here, in San Diego.

Good God, man... where is your bread buttered!?

These people had no issue with abandoning their families back east but to suggest that they shelve their Cubs/Red Sox/Yankees/(fill in the blank) cap in favor of one adorned with an SD is BLASPHEMOUS in the odd little world these state-traitors reside.

Fine, I say.

If you want to wear your Red Sox shit to a game being played between the San Diego Padres and the Philadelphia Phillies, I say fine.

I will be wearing my T-Shirt that, in a round-about-way, suggests you should go home and shovel the god damn snow out of your parents' driveway.

Viva San Diego!
//eating a carne asada burrito
//wearing a brown Padres hat
//thinking about the World Famous San Diego Zoo
//suggesting you should click the above link to get your Sac Bunt T-shirt

*The level of detail I have provided would seem to suggest that I tried to create a knock-off version of The Sacrifice Bunt's glorious creation. I did not... at least with this specific T-shirt, I did not.

Giving Thanks...

AJM is thankful that the Padres made the season interesting all the way until game 162. It was a disappointing way for the year to end but the season was a heckuva lot of fun.

AJM is thankful that the Chargers have started to turn things around. Things were looking grim and the possibility of Philip Rivers' stellar play going for naught seemed like a painful reality. Now we have smiles and hope for the stretch run.

AJM is also thankful for...

... Jessica Alba realizing that, while it's fun to be a mommy, it's even better to be a hot lookin' mommy. Thanks for the reemergence.

 

Maybe we should also thank Elle magazine for posting pictures on the MSN Hotmail page.

Game 1: Don't Push The Panic Button Yet.......wait 'til tomorrow

 I didn't even get to watch the game today.

I checked the tracker in the 2nd inning to see the Padres facing a quick 2 run deficit. I caught a sneak peek during a meeting to see us down by four and then re-opened my laptop at the ol' desk to see us down 6-zip. By the time I was on the drive home it was the top of the 9th and we were on the ugly side of a  6-1 drubbing. I vowed to keep the game on to listen to Uncle Ted call the 9th (something I rarely get to do) but also to see some late inning guts on display. Sure enough Adrian Gonzalez and Kyle Blanks popped back-to-back HRs and then the game ended on a Chase Headley line-out. From the post-game on XX1090 it sounded like Chase had a nice game, an early throwing error not withstanding.

Why do a write-up on a game I didn't even see? Because opening day is fun! Fun, in that, a Padres loss brings out a multitude of morons who begin claiming all is lost and the team will be lucky to win 61 games. It happened last year after I attended the opener (a horrible loss to the Dodgers) and then opened up  the UT the next today. The Padres were cooked, readers protested. Then the '09 edition won 9 of their next 11 games and readers were singing hosannas for our Friars. You get the point, don't you?

 One game does not make a season and UT readers/commenters can be effin-crazy!

How crazy? Well let's go to the UT and get some comment snapshots (click below to continue):

E-A-R-T-quake? I guess yesterday's 7.2 shook more than a few buildings. I would assume, that with a User Name like that, you were shaken by mother nature's wrath.......but after reading your thoughts......"161 more LOSSES".....nah, that doesn't qualify as rational thought.....although your math looks reputable, so you've got that goin' for you.

As of yet, Babakazoo has not responded to my offer. Can you blame him? It would be a bet of catastrophic idiocy. The 2010 team, on paper, is much better than the 2009 team which happened to stumble upon 75 wins. Now there's no guarantees that the Padres will match that total but to only win 61 games would be an epic failure.....something this team doesn't have in it......I don't think......email me Babakazoo.......avengingjackmurphy@hotmail.com.

Look......Dan Harren is a bona fide staff #1while Jon Garland is more like a #3.....what do you expect?

I'm not condemning the commenters on the UT but some of them are just crazy. Don't push the panic button yet.....wait 'til tomorrow.
[Box Score]

The 2009 Padres Exceed Expectations: time for heads to roll

If the Padres can manage to sweep the San Francisco Giants they'll finish the year at 77-85. Before the season began I gave what I felt was a very generous predicted win total of 70---the SOB in me thought the realistic outlook was in line with 66 wins.

Yet here we are with an on-field player payroll of $28 million dollars, completing a season in which nearly every perceived working part failed us. Brian Giles, the $9 million dollar man, did absolutely nothing thus preventing us from a deadline salary dump to a contending team. Jake Peavy was injured early and then dealt to the Sox whereas staff #2, Chris Young clunked out in early June. Yet here we are.....essentially 10 games better than I expected.

In the process of a surging summer, Bud Black received a contract extension and we watched some talented young players emerge as future center pieces. Our Rule V pickup, Everth Cabrera, panned out and brought a whole new dimension to an offense that shunned speed during the Alderson reign. Will Venable, Kyle Blanks, Matt Latos, and Clayton Richard all proved their worth and the high upside draft of '09 were all signed by the new regime. Yet here we are.....

I guess I understand a new owner wanting his own man but there is something that is quite undeniable about the 2009 season: Kevin Towers did a great job...

• The Khalil Greene dumping. I questioned the timing but it proved prescient on KT's part. KG went in the dumper and Luke Gregerson was fantastic in middle relief.
• Heath Bell ably took over for the expensive Trevor Hoffman.
• Mike Adams returned.....I don't even no where KT got him last year, but he's nails out of the pen.
• David Eckstein filled the hole that Matt Antonelli wasn't close to being ready for and provided needed professionalism and leadership.
• Kevin Correia was resurrected off the scrap heap.
• Jake Peavy was dealt for power arms and $50 odd million was cut from the books.
• An arbitration eligible Scott Hairston was dealt for more power arms.
• Oh yea....the fella up top who has managed 40 bombs playing half his games in a pitcher's park...quick....name the guys KT gave up for AGon et al.
  

There are quite a few things that have given me hope for the future and KT has had a hand in a good number of them.

I'm not sure that removing Kevin Towers is the answer but Jeffrey Moorad made plenty of deposits with me when he ponied up and got the 2009 draft class signed, so I'll reserve judgement on this one.

A Padre Fan's Observation: Elijah Dukes Is Not Good

Elijah Dukes is not a good baseball player.

In the top of the second he hit a weak grounder that SS Everth Cabrera was going to have difficulty grabbing and throwing. The type of play that could possibly induce a wild off balanced throw. Sure enough, ECab floats the throw high ......but Dukes never even looks into foul territory as he beats out the throw. It's of little import as the ball bounces into the stands but he had to be told to take his base which is just bad baseball. Always look into foul territory as you run through the bag as your immediate recognition of an errant throw is what will earn you the extra bag. Free advice for ya Dukes.

A half inning later I saw Dukes make a play in the outfield, a play which ensured that this post would be written. After Kevin Kouzmanoff led off with a booming double, Will Venable followed with a sharp single to the right fielder Dukes. Dukes scooped the ball cleanly and proceeded to airmail both his cut-off man and catcher, allowing Venable to take 2B. Once again bad baseball by Elijah Dukes.

As I readied myself to write with the Friars up 2-0......up stepped Mr. Dukes in the top of the 7th against a dueling Clayton Richard. Dukes worked a walk. Good stuff. Then got picked off. What happens next? Former Padre Josh Bard launches a bomb but it only halves the lead instead of tying it for the Nationals, because Elijah Dukes is not a smart baseball player (It should also be noted that the pick was really bad. Richard is a lefty and he induced Dukes to lean back to 1B and then Dukes shuffled off thinking he was in good shape.....rally killer!).

Dare I publish this before the game even ends? Elijah Dukes has plenty of time to eff the puppy even further....

Imagine that? I found a picture with Elijah Dukes screwing something up!

Started-me-a-wonderin': The San Diego Padres and Yunel Escobar

After turning on the Padre game in the 8th inning, (EST start threw me) I saw Atlanta shortstop Yunel Escobar make a play and it started-me-a-wonderin'.

The Padres almost dealt Jake Peavy for Escobar and a few others back in November. I wasn't really in favor of the deal at the time for a couple of reasons:

1. I was delusional; not fully grasping the financial plight a divorce could bring on our club.
2. I didn't know too much about the players involved and really didn't want to do the research; laziness and a state of delusion conspiring together.

Today Yunel Escobar is hitting .303/.370/.452

The Wonderin':

1. Would the haul from the Jake to Atlanta trade in November of 2008 have been more beneficial than Jake to the Sox in July of 2009?
2. Would we have taken Everth Cabrera in the December, 2008 Rule V Draft had we traded for Escobar back in November (I think yes because ECab was a 2B)?
3. If we did take ECab would he have seen any playing time---being blocked by Escobar at SS and the Great Eckstein at 2B---may he have been returned to Colorado because he wasn't crackin' the line-up?
4. How would the Padres look with Escobar at SS and Cabrera at 2B?

Some of my wonderment is unknowable (2 & 3) but feel free to speculate and discuss, it may be fun.

The remainder of my reverie won't be revealed for a while (1 & 4) although if someone wants to look up the 2009 stat lines for the players and then draw some comparisons, I'd be stoked if you did.......by the way the Padres won in the 12th; Latos 7 shut out innings.

Venable Makes Contact With Pujols' Man Purse carrying Arm

When I was watching the Padres play the Cardinals on Saturday night I took note of a particular play involving Albert Pujols and the Padres' Will Venable. Venable had hit a hard grounder to 1B and Pujols fielded it cleanly, decided to make the play on his own, and ran towards first.....but he did not run that fast. As he crossed over the bag a blazing Venable burst threw the picture nearly beating Pujols for an infield single. Two things struck me about this play:

1. How hard Venable had run out what seemed to be a routine grounder which in my opinion is a good thing. With all due respect to the best player on our team (Adrian Gonzalez), he rarely runs hard on ground-balls. Effort is good.
   
2. The second thing was how I really felt that had Pujols been just a split second slower in getting to the bag he genuinely would have deserved to get knocked into next week. You can't lolly-gag through the baseline when your opponent is playing for a job next year. Whatever.....there was no harm so there was no foul....I went to bed.

Now on Sunday afternoon I abandoned the game after Caesar Carillo loaded the bases a second time but upon checking in on the final I saw that there was a bit of an altercation that had taken place. Low and behold.........Pujols and Venable. Will Venable running out a grounder, ducking his shoulder a bit to absorb the tag and then getting the stare-down from King Albert. I watched the video and it's one of the most innocuous bits of contact I've seen between players. I saw Everth Cabrera destroy Cardinal SS Brendan Ryan in trying to break up a double play, and in my opinion, Cabrera had slid too far out of the baseline. Ryan said nothing about it.

Here is an excerpt from padres.com regarding the Pujols/Venable incident:

About the only fireworks came in the sixth inning when Venable topped a ball down the first-base line that St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols picked up and tagged Venable as he ran by. After the play, Venable turned around and saw Pujols staring at him.

"I asked him what his problem was. Anytime that someone stops to stare at you ... you're wondering what his problem is," Venable said. "I certainly don't care enough about Albert Pujols to continue with anything that might cause friction. It's not that big of a deal, just a lot of nothing."

Pujols, apparently, saw it differently, claiming Venable more or less threw an elbow into him as he passed.

"He did. Last night he tried to run me over like he was playing freaking football. A play like that, you don't try to run people over. Next time, if I would have known, I would probably hit him in the face with the glove, tag him right there," said Pujols, who earlier in the game hit his 40th home run of the season.

"He did it last night, and today again, he threw an elbow. And he was out by a lot. It wasn't necessary, even to avoid a tag. The ground ball that I had, what is he going to do? Try to knock the ball out of my glove? Last night he jammed my wrist a little bit and tonight he tried to throw an elbow. That's pretty stupid."

Venable denied trying to throw an elbow to disrupt the play.

Are you seriously crying about this Albert?

I generally like Albert Pujols. The only thing I've really heard bad about him (I think it was him) is that he tends to eyeball umpires a bit when he gets a strike call against him; kind of a "Do you know who I am? If I didn't swing it's not a strike!", air about him. His above quotes make him sound like a crybaby. Grow a pair and go after Venable if you think he was trying to hurt you. Don't give a man the ol' "Do you know who I am?", stare. You're asking for a fight then.

Good on ya Will Venable. Keep playing hard. Don't take sh*t from anyone especially Albert Pujols

"Fu*k Albert Pujols and his man purse!", said Will Venable (or something to that effect)

Video of Sunday afternoon incident [Padres.com]

Avenging Jack Murphy Meets 619 Sports: part deux

Less goat cheese; more of my voice. I discuss, with Craig and Chris, the Fate of Koooz, the Tao of Eckstein and the young players who are making us tune-in to watch a team that is 20-odd games out of 1st place.....the three youngsters mentioned have all had nice performances in the two games since taping, especially the 8 Train.

Avenging Jack Murphy meets 619 Sports: part deux [Podcast]

Avenging Jack Murphy Meets 619 Sports

The two things in this world that I would classify as effed-up repugnant sh*t, are goat cheese and the recording of my voice. I'd like you to experience both, however it's too arduous a task to transmit goat cheese through the internet. You instead get my voice over @ 619 Sports.

Go there and listen to me overuse the type of adjective (silly) that no adult male should ever even use once. I try to give one fan's viewpoint on Padre baseball. One which was first inspired here (The Sacrifice Bunt) and then extrapolated on over here (Gaslamp Ball-but that link is down so try this redirection).

It was fun. It was cool. Then I thought of a bunch of things I should have said after I listened to the podcast. Maybe I'll write about them. Thanks Craig and Chris.....hope the loose association with me doesn't hurt your business.

Avenging Jack Murphy meets 619 Sports [The Podcast]

Donavan Tate Signing: Better Not Be Pulp Fiction

Back in June when Padres vice president of player development, Grady Fuson, made the below statement, the nature of it took me by surprise. Since it was included in an article by Corey Brock yesterday (August 16th) it needed to be revisited:

"We've kind of said, worst-case scenario, maybe a Mike Cameron ... somebody that hits .240, .250, a lot of punch-outs maybe, but big bombs and plays as good a defense as you get. Durable, athletic, steals a lot of bases," Fuson said in June of Tate.

"Best-case scenario, you got the whole ball of wax. You got an Andruw Jones or something in his best years."

Wow! Worst case: Donavan Tate=Mike Cameron.....

In the words of John Travolta's Vincent Vega (when discussing Lance's "product" surpassing the quality of that Amsterdam sh*t): "That's a bold statement."

If Mike Cameron is the basement for young Donavan Tate we better be hearing good news today. A $6 million dollar signing bonus, with the ability to control him for 6 years, would be a bargain for talent like that.

Tainted Cycles: Thanks Be To Troy Tulowitzki

Last night Troy Tulowitzki came to bat late in the game needing a triple the most difficult of the required four hits for The Cycle.

TT was gifted The Cycle when Alfonso Soriano bobbled the ball and then the relay, which had TT dead to rites, was dropped.

An excerpt from "Troy Tulowitzki's Cycle A Mockery Of Baseball's Hallowed Record", by Johnny Lawrence of the Bleacher Report:

How fair is it that Tulowitzki receives credit for accomplishing something only 246 players have in over one hundred years of baseball, despite the glaring no-calls?

Plati hand-wrapped and delivered Tulowitzki this historically significant feat, and I'm not so sure it should not be taken away from him for the sake of integrity.

The mistake was made in the scorer's box, not on the field, so do not blame Tulowitzki for his top-flight performance.

A far too generous scoring of the play cheapened the magnitude of this historically uncommon event.

There are two significant points here for San Diego Padre fans:

1. The Padres have yet to hit a cycle in their 40 year history. I'd love to see a cycle even if it were tainted by a homer score keeper! Actually I don't care, I'm more interested in the anomaly that our franchise has failed with 40seasons X 162 games....you do the math.
   
2. We should be praising Tulo's excellence, without which, we may not have been able to get Everth Cabrera in last winter's Rule V draft.

Cheers Cycle-laden Colorado!!!! It's their 5th one in a mere 16 seasons.

While a type of false choice, I'll take Everth Cabrera over The Cycle any day of the week.

For he today who sheds his blood with me shall be my brother... San Diego Padres versus Atlanta Braves, August 12th, 1984

Tim Flannery

I enjoy brawls, really good ones, where lines are drawn in the sand. In 1984 the Padres had one bench clearing affair after another against the Atlanta Braves. I've seen footage of it before but not quite the breadth that Gaslamp Ball posted this morning via YouTube. It's 29 minutes of Vengeance precipitated by Pasqual Perez's beaning of Allan Wiggins to begin the game.

Here are some stills to whet your appetite.

This is Brawl part IV to lead off the 9th inning

Nettles got after pitcher Donnie Moore

My ex-neighbor Ed Whitson who was ejected back in the 4th came out
to get some in the 9th. At that point the fans were getting involved.

Kurt Bevacqua went into the stands...ages before Ron Artest

Read the NC times accounting of the affair [NC Times]
Get yourself to Gaslamp Ball to witness the carnage [Gaslamp Ball]

So feel free to pass judgement as these 25 year old video clips made me warm and fuzzy inside.......sue me.

What Do You Want From The Padres? Let The Man (...or men) Know

I posted this same letter @ Gaslamp Ball this afternoon because it has become apparent that Padres' COO Tom Garfinkle, in addition to being able to expertly quote Austin Powers, also looks in on the comments at GLB. It is my recommendation that if you want your voice heard, follow this link, get a screen name with SB Nation, and sound off.

Dear Mr. Moorad and Mr. Garfinkle:

I originally intended on sending you a formal letter to discuss some ideas from a fan's perspective but now that I know Mr. Garfinkle is a Gaslamp Baller why not do it here where all Padre fans can give their two cents. Further impetus for this letter was fueled by a post at The Sacrifice Bunt this morning discussing some of their ideas. Here are a few of my thoughts:

Uniforms (In agreement w/ The Sacrifice Bunt):

This seems like a superficial and frivolous request as aesthetics should be secondary to winning but I think it goes much deeper than the surface. As a franchise that lacks a winning tradition and very few recognizable stars through its history there should be a constant, something that fans can hang their hat on as it relates to their fanhood. A Padre is brown and while not the coolest color in the rainbow......ok.....even the rainbow left brown out of the equation......the point is that brown is a unique color in MLB (as is sand) and we should accept it and embrace it. The uniforms aren't bad right now with the exception of the color scheme and you could always look to the '69s for a solid style. Everyone also seems to love the '84s although I would use those as a throwback. The point is that there are franchises out there that have only made the most minor of changes over time......they are also the teams with solid traditions (I need not name teams here). A Padre wears brown. Let's embrace our history rather than run from it.

The Seats minus the fans:

When watching a game on TV there is a message that is quite explicit being communicated over the airwaves: There is nothing going on here......stay away......save your money! The view from my living room shows empty seats all up and down the left field line so I recommend creating some buzz. Upgrade as many people as you can after the 1st inning so it creates the illusion that there are a lot of people there eagerly watching the young, up and coming Padres of the future. Create the illusion (in the short term) that Petco is the place to be. Too dishonest and costly of a ploy? OK....no upgrades. Give the Reserved Field Level tickets away for free during the week.

• Get more military guys down here, for free ( they'll take their fond memories around the world and if they leave SD at a time when the team is playing good baseball they may be lifetime fans---perhaps subscribers to a future cable television package?).
• Get more of the African-American community here, for free (Baseball is dying in inner cities. We have three young African-Americans on the roster in Blanks, Venable, Gwynn.....our #1 draft pick in Donavan Tate....and the Greatest Padre of them all, Mr. Gwynn. Get young kids in here for free and let them meet these guys----perhaps future fans who will look back in fondness and gladly pay as adults)
• Get more of the Latin community here, for free (I think you guys already do this but I thought I'd mention it considering the # of Venezuelans on the roster----let the town meet these guys)

This list could continue to go on with every demographic of people living San Diego but I think the point is that the seats are open (grossly open) so why not try something that will create life long fans.

Field Name

With all due respect The San Diego Padres have the worst park name in Major League Baseball. I'm not going to ask you to do the noble thing and shun corporate dollars that are thrown at you but I think giving a name to the field would make San Diego look slightly less stupid (Jack Murphy Field at Qualcom Stadium). Jack Murphy brought the Padres to San Diego so I don't see why we can't name it Jack Murphy Field at Petco Park.....that's just me....but anything would be an improvement over seeing only the name Petco in bright lights. How about something to do with Ted Williams, a PCL Padre? Something that gives a sense of history and tradition.

Draft Picks

You will take a giant step backwards if the 2009 group does not get signed. With Peavy gone, money is there: this is both perception and reality. Show that there is a commitment to drafting, developing, and playing dynamic young talent in San Diego. This must be done to show that there is a genuine commitment to building a World Series contender....not a competitive team.....a World Series contender. If you do that you will satisfy your fledgling fan base as well add all of the bandwagon types we saw in 1998. If you win they will come.

I could probably say a few more things but now it's time for my fellow Padre fans to have their say. I appreciate your acknowledgement of the fans here at Gaslamp Ball and hope that some of our ideas might help to give you a sense of what the fans in San Diego expect and hope for.

Respectfully

Avenger-In-Chief

Avenging Jack Murphy

A Padre Fan since 1986

Mark Prior's Early Brilliance Recounted And Downfall Prophesied By Tony La Russa

On August 1st it was quietly reported that Mark Prior had been released by the Padres. His comeback from serious shoulder injuries thwarted at age 28.

This afternoon I delved back into a book I began reading a few weeks ago, Three Nights in August by Buzz Bissinger. This story recounts a series between the Cardinals and Cubs seen through both the eyes of the author and Tony La Russa courtesy of the unlimited access Bissinger was provided to the manager during the 2003 season. Today, I picked up in the bottom of the first inning of game 1 with Mark Prior on the hill during his breakout 18-6 season......(the whole excerpt is worth reading but I'll bold the most prophetic commentary)...

La Russa watches Prior with professional admiration. But in emotional terms, Prior gets under his skin. It isn't Prior personally that bothers him but what Prior represents: the young player with the big talent who instead of being circumspect his first few years in the league routinely rises to the media bait so prevalent today and gives answers to everything, when he hasn't been around long enough to have the answer to anything. He doesn't like the intemperate out-of-the-blue comments Prior makes about the Cardinals, how he hates them. He doesn't think he needs to make comments about Barry Bonds, how he isn't afraid of him, when this is Prior's first full year in the league and this is Bond's eighteenth. I think he needs to be doing this a while is the way La Russa thinks about it when he watches him pitch. It's an old-fashioned comment, said by a manager who believes in circumspection among young players because that's the way he came up: Your first couple of seasons, no matter how good you are, you should be in the corner, shutting up and soaking it in.

Prior can rank right up there with Schilling and Maddux and Johnson by the time he's through. With his rare mix of stuff and smarts, he is that dominant. But he's also that young. He has the swagger that is the hubris of youth, taking his invincibility for granted when nobody ever should, receiving too much early attention and slathering in it.

La Russa has seen a procession of pitchers over the years who have broken down and busted out because of arm problems and high expectation problems and personal problems and, perhaps most of all, problems making the distinction between being a thrower and being a pitcher. He has seen young pitchers done in by their need for speed.......

And even when you do make it -- even when the world seems sun-kissed, as Prior's world seems sun-kissed at this very moment as he mows down the Cardinals through two -- something can happen, something you don't expect or could ever imagine. And La Russa knows it vividly.

The commentary on Prior and his mortality as a pitcher is given in the context of the Rick Ankiel story (he of the yipps). It was three years before that La Russa had seen what he believed to be the second coming of Sandy Koufax.......and then Ankiel's pitching career collapsed.

Interesting to see La Russa point out the precarious nature of a pitcher's career, have it included in the book, and then to see the prophecy ring true just a few years later.

Man, Mark Prior was good. Going into game 6 of the NLCS in 2003 with Prior on the bump and Wood scheduled for game 7 if necessary, I'd have bet just about anything on the Cubs getting to the World Series. It's too bad Prior didn't catch on in his hometown.

Good Luck MP.

Editor's Note:
Three Nights in August is dope. You should buy it or I'll let you borrow.