After sleeping on it a night, here's a new take on the Chargers trading up 16 spots to take RB Ryan Matthews in the first round of the NFL draft. The brain trust really does think the problem was LaDainian Tomlinson himself, and not how he was used or any lack of ability of the offensive line to run-block. I actually think the problem is both. We'll see if AJ Smith agrees here in Round Two.
BTW, I like the Broncos draft of Florida QB Tim Tebow. I use the word "like" loosely. Mark my words, the guy is going to haunt us in the future--however they end up using him.
---
Interesting article in the newspaper about UC San Diego studying whether to come up with a football team and move all sports to Division 1.
In some ways, this would be like Johns Hopkins or the University of Chicago moving up to Division 1. It is really against the nature and culture of the school. Plus, San Diego is proving to be pretty agnostic about college sports. A county of nearly 3 million people only has a core of about 10,000-20,000 people who care about the major Division 1 sports teams at San Diego State. The core fan numbers at USD are about 1,000. How would UCSD attract a following off campus?
On the other hand, the campus now has nearly 30,000 students which is pretty close to SDSU. A large school should provide a broad range of activities and opportunities, one of which would be high-level athletics. The university is a national leader in nearly every field it pursues, including sports at its lower levels, so why not take a shot at the big time?
Good arguments for both sides. That means a study is a good idea.
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Nice to see Reds P Mike Leake (Fallbrook High) get his first major league win Thursday. Even better to see him get it against the Dodgers...It's too early to call the Padres series at Cincinnati beginning today crucial, but it and the following games at Florida will tell us a lot about whether the winning streak that left them in first place in the NL West was a home-cooked aberration. Remember, so long ago, how poorly they played in Phoenix and Denver...Is it me or are the Padres making too many bullpen moves too early?...The Mets outrighted 1B Mike Jacobs (Hilltop High) to the minors...Trevor Cahill of the As was sent to AAA Sacramento after being activated from the disabled list. The Vista product had a sore non-throwing shoulder. His rehab start was mediocre and the As in the meantime cobbled together a pretty solid rotation.
Friday, April 23, 2010
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Chargers Take RB
The first pick for the Chargers in the 2010 NFL draft was Fresno State RB Ryan Matthews, who appeared to be the best running back in the draft.
GM AJ Smith gave the Dolphins in exchange for the 12th pick to take Matthews his own first- and second-round slots, and LB Tim Dobbins. Smith not only got the Dolphins first-round pick, but two later picks.
Analysis: Smith clearly wanted an impact running back and was going to do what it took to get him. However, the move makes little sense on its own, so I'm wondering what else might be at work.
Personal thought: I like Matthews, but when you're sub-standard at three of the five offensive line spots and mediocre at a fourth, who will block for him?
GM AJ Smith gave the Dolphins in exchange for the 12th pick to take Matthews his own first- and second-round slots, and LB Tim Dobbins. Smith not only got the Dolphins first-round pick, but two later picks.
Analysis: Smith clearly wanted an impact running back and was going to do what it took to get him. However, the move makes little sense on its own, so I'm wondering what else might be at work.
Personal thought: I like Matthews, but when you're sub-standard at three of the five offensive line spots and mediocre at a fourth, who will block for him?
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Padres, Zito, Chargers Stadium, Draft
I have to admit that I grew up a fan of the San Francisco Giants as a kid, having lived in the Bay Area when I chose my teams. Being a San Diegan now for decades, my allegiance is firmly with the Padres, though I retain a soft spot for the Giants and continue to hope they do well.
Which brings me to Tuesday night's 1-0 Padres victory over the Giants, won by brilliant pitching and Chase Headley's one-hit and smart base-running.
When I was a kid, back in the day as a Giants fan, I quickly learned to hate the Dodgers. It wasn't because it was fashionable in the Bay Area, but darn the Dodgers were frustrating. They'd throw out a pitching staff that would shut down sluggers Willie Mays and Willie McCovey and then manage to push across a run or two, usually matching their hit total.
It drove us all nuts, but Tuesday night was a perfect example of it. The Padres couldn't touch Jonathan Sanchez, who is right up there with Tim Lincecum now as Bruce Bochy's best starter, except for Headley's single. He stole second, went to third on a foul out and scored on a sacrifice fly. The Giants got runners to third base in the eighth and ninth innings but couldn't bring them home.
Doing the little things correctly won the game for the Padres. When Headley scored on the sac fly, Giants RF Nick Schierholtz made a pretty good throw but he didn't set himself up to make the catch in a way that would have made his toss even better. When the Giants had a late scoring threat with a runner on third, a batter hit the ball to Padres RF Jerry Hairston, who positioned himself perfectly to catch the ball while moving forward and at an angle so that he could make the throw immediately. That forced the runner to hold at third, and Hairston's heave might have led to an out. A small thing like setting yourself up to make a catch plays a huge role in the game.
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Go to SignOnSanDiego to read Tim Sullivan's column on the Giants Barry Zito. I thought the product of Grossmont and Uni highs was a flake who didn't deserve his huge contract. In the five minutes it took to read the article, he became one of my favorite players.
---
Speaking of newspaper columnists, it was interesting to read Nick Canepa's article about the new idea to have a soft, retractable roof over the proposed Chargers downtown stadium. Clearly, the facility needs to be used for more than 11 or 12 football games to be worth anything, so if it can attract conventions, concerts and other special events, all the better.
Its use as a convention facility, though, would have to tie in to the current San Diego Convention Center, which itself is in need of expansion. The trouble is the two buildings won't be next to each other, requiring a walk through one of the least-desirable areas in town.
I agree we have to think big to get a stadium built in a way that will prove beneficial to the Chargers and taxpayers, not small. While we're headed in the right general direction, more brainstorming is needed.
---
The Chargers schedule came out with a lot of road games early and a lot of home contests at mid-season. I see 9-7 right now, but will obviously wait and see what happens with the draft and free agency before making a final prediction. My bet is it won't be much different.
---
The NFL draft being Thursday, I'll throw in my two cents about what I want. I have no idea what is up GM AJ Smith's sleeves, so I can't make a prediction other than deals are possible before things get going in earnest.
My priorities for the Bolts are a defensive tackle to replace Jamal Williams and a right tackle to solidify the offensive line.
My dream would be for Smith to package LB Shawne Merriman and a couple other guys for Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh or Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy -- both likely top-five picks -- but those are long shots and experience has told me not to put all my eggs in one player's basket. Still, when the Bolts make their selection late in the first round, someone like Alabama's Terrence Cody might be available. We'll see.
As much as I want a solid right tackle, this area does not appear to be too deep in this draft, so if Smith were to go for a running back or cornerback with his second pick, I wouldn't be upset at all. Heck, if RBs Jonathan Dwyer (Georgia Tech), Ryan Matthews (Fresno State) or Jahvid Best (Cal) were on the board still for Smith's first round selection, he might take one of them instead of a DT. There's something to be said for choosing the best player available.
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Can it be that no San Diego State players will be chosen in the draft? No one is rated highly, so it's possible. The only guy with a chance is LB Luke Laologi, who along with LB Jerry Milling and T Peter Nelson should sign as rookie free agents. If memory serves, it could be the second time in three years no Aztec is picked. If that doesn't tell you about why SDSU has struggled in football, nothing will.
Which brings me to Tuesday night's 1-0 Padres victory over the Giants, won by brilliant pitching and Chase Headley's one-hit and smart base-running.
When I was a kid, back in the day as a Giants fan, I quickly learned to hate the Dodgers. It wasn't because it was fashionable in the Bay Area, but darn the Dodgers were frustrating. They'd throw out a pitching staff that would shut down sluggers Willie Mays and Willie McCovey and then manage to push across a run or two, usually matching their hit total.
It drove us all nuts, but Tuesday night was a perfect example of it. The Padres couldn't touch Jonathan Sanchez, who is right up there with Tim Lincecum now as Bruce Bochy's best starter, except for Headley's single. He stole second, went to third on a foul out and scored on a sacrifice fly. The Giants got runners to third base in the eighth and ninth innings but couldn't bring them home.
Doing the little things correctly won the game for the Padres. When Headley scored on the sac fly, Giants RF Nick Schierholtz made a pretty good throw but he didn't set himself up to make the catch in a way that would have made his toss even better. When the Giants had a late scoring threat with a runner on third, a batter hit the ball to Padres RF Jerry Hairston, who positioned himself perfectly to catch the ball while moving forward and at an angle so that he could make the throw immediately. That forced the runner to hold at third, and Hairston's heave might have led to an out. A small thing like setting yourself up to make a catch plays a huge role in the game.
---
Go to SignOnSanDiego to read Tim Sullivan's column on the Giants Barry Zito. I thought the product of Grossmont and Uni highs was a flake who didn't deserve his huge contract. In the five minutes it took to read the article, he became one of my favorite players.
---
Speaking of newspaper columnists, it was interesting to read Nick Canepa's article about the new idea to have a soft, retractable roof over the proposed Chargers downtown stadium. Clearly, the facility needs to be used for more than 11 or 12 football games to be worth anything, so if it can attract conventions, concerts and other special events, all the better.
Its use as a convention facility, though, would have to tie in to the current San Diego Convention Center, which itself is in need of expansion. The trouble is the two buildings won't be next to each other, requiring a walk through one of the least-desirable areas in town.
I agree we have to think big to get a stadium built in a way that will prove beneficial to the Chargers and taxpayers, not small. While we're headed in the right general direction, more brainstorming is needed.
---
The Chargers schedule came out with a lot of road games early and a lot of home contests at mid-season. I see 9-7 right now, but will obviously wait and see what happens with the draft and free agency before making a final prediction. My bet is it won't be much different.
---
The NFL draft being Thursday, I'll throw in my two cents about what I want. I have no idea what is up GM AJ Smith's sleeves, so I can't make a prediction other than deals are possible before things get going in earnest.
My priorities for the Bolts are a defensive tackle to replace Jamal Williams and a right tackle to solidify the offensive line.
My dream would be for Smith to package LB Shawne Merriman and a couple other guys for Nebraska DT Ndamukong Suh or Oklahoma DT Gerald McCoy -- both likely top-five picks -- but those are long shots and experience has told me not to put all my eggs in one player's basket. Still, when the Bolts make their selection late in the first round, someone like Alabama's Terrence Cody might be available. We'll see.
As much as I want a solid right tackle, this area does not appear to be too deep in this draft, so if Smith were to go for a running back or cornerback with his second pick, I wouldn't be upset at all. Heck, if RBs Jonathan Dwyer (Georgia Tech), Ryan Matthews (Fresno State) or Jahvid Best (Cal) were on the board still for Smith's first round selection, he might take one of them instead of a DT. There's something to be said for choosing the best player available.
---
Can it be that no San Diego State players will be chosen in the draft? No one is rated highly, so it's possible. The only guy with a chance is LB Luke Laologi, who along with LB Jerry Milling and T Peter Nelson should sign as rookie free agents. If memory serves, it could be the second time in three years no Aztec is picked. If that doesn't tell you about why SDSU has struggled in football, nothing will.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Best San Diego Sports Values, Padres at .500
Five straight 20-win seasons and post-season appearances, national attention, annually improving talent, $10 tickets. What more do you need? Let’s add three NCAA Tournament wins in the past two seasons, a player taken in the first round of the draft and even less expensive prices for admission. Put all those factors together and you have San Diego State basketball – men’s and women’s – easily the best deal for sports fans in San Diego.
The cost of attending an athletic contest, especially anything of a professional nature, has skyrocketed over the years. Gone are the days you can go to 20 home Padres games at $5 a pop. Try that at Petco Park and you get the impression that there’s a game going on somewhere in there, and you can watch the highlights on TV later.
The way the economy is, you have to look for deals. Here’s how they stack up, in my opinion.
CAN’T BE BEAT:
1. San Diego State basketball (men and women) – By far the biggest bang for the buck. Convenient to get to with plenty of parking and trolley access, a beautiful arena, an exciting atmosphere and good teams. This isn’t even close compared to our other options. The only question for the men next season is how close they'll come to 30 wins. My only concern is whether women’s coach Beth Burns can compensate for the loss of extraordinary guards Jene Morris and Quenese Davis.
2. High School Baseball – There’s a reason why so many local products have been on the Padres roster in recent years, because high schools in this area turn out great players who make the major leagues. That line of “see tomorrow’s stars today” is applicable in this case. The Lions Tournament is the oldest and biggest of its kind, annually bringing in strong teams from outside the area. Best of all, prep baseball is free and usually just down the street at your nearby campus.
3. Del Mar Horse Racing – Is there a better place to spend a summer’s day than where the surf meets the turf? It costs $10 or less to get in and whether you leave with anything in your pocket is purely up to you. National-quality horses, trainers and riders. If you can, get to the courtyard where you can see the horses parade before they race.
FINE IF THEY MEET YOUR INTERESTS:
4. Chargers – You can’t beat football as a singular event kind of sport. Game day is special, with hours-long tailgates in the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium and an atmosphere hard to rival inside. The Bolts draw national attention, have several of football’s best players and are usually playoff quality. But the NFL is a big-ticket game, and your Sunday afternoon of fun can run into the hundreds of dollars if you take family or friends, and pay for seats, parking and food. The trolley and bus service helps getting to and leaving The Q, but if you have to take a car, it’s not easy.
5. USD Baseball – The Toreros are merely good these days, not great like a few years ago. Still, Cunningham Stadium is a fine place to see a ballgame, and USD annually takes on the best teams in college baseball. General admission seats are just $5.
6. High School Football – See Number 2 above. San Diego area high schools have produced four Heisman Trophy winners. The only drawback is a lack of competitive balance between the schools, particularly in the city of San Diego and the South Bay.
7. Women’s Tennis at La Costa – By whatever name the tournament is known as, and with whatever sponsor, they get pretty big names and sometimes the biggest of the big names. The matches are usually very good and you can always count on an upset or two. Getting there is pretty easy if you’re already in the North County and the ticket prices are reasonable.
8. San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – At least the past couple of years, the newcomer among the local college football post-season games takes no backseat to the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, which has been a dud recently. Teams are just as good and the tickets are less expensive, making for a nice pre-Christmas gift. Call the Holiday Bowl 8A.
NOT FAN-FRIENDLY:
9. San Diego State football – At first glance, SDSU football would appear to be a good deal. Division 1 college football at $12? Not bad. But go under the surface and you find some trouble beyond the fact that the Aztecs haven’t been bowling for 11 years. Marketing efforts have been pathetic, partly because of Athletic Department budget woes, and the radio tie-in with Clear Channel Communications has not paid off by creating buzz among San Diegans. Ever hear talk of SDSU football on a fall Friday? Nope. If you go to a game, Ace Parking makes getting into the lot at Qualcomm Stadium a worse experience than a root canal. Whoever runs concessions does the same for getting a snack. State does little to improve the atmosphere inside the stadium, which resembles a morgue with any attendance under 30,000, except to pump in fake crowd noise. Things will improve as coach Brady Hoke turns the Aztecs into winners. I think he will, and I’ve seen how cool things are when the team is good. Please, before I get too old.
10. Padres – They’re polar opposites from SDSU in that they try to make for a rewarding fan experience, but they fall flat. First, the team has been either dull or dull and bad for years, and the slow start this season isn’t helping perceptions. I warned more than a decade ago that the decision to put Petco Park in the East Village wasn’t a good one, and I think that’s proving out with declining attendance. It’s not too inconvenient for me personally, but it is to the majority of baseball fans who simply want to take their families to a game, not party in the Gaslamp afterward. That they lowered beer prices and got rid of the 5-for-$5 meal plan shows where the marketing is heading. And don’t get me started on ticket prices. Football-style costs for baseball don't fit the nature of the sport. Bad deal all the way around. I’m plenty happy to go twice a year, max, and watch the rest of the schedule on Channel 4. (End of rant)
---
Not only do I like the Padres getting back to .500 after sweeping the Diamondbacks, I love how they did it. A young team showing the ability to work into an opponents’ bullpen for three late-inning rallies is a good thing. It shows they won’t back down. Now what they do against teams with strong relief corps is another question, but I like the mental makeup I see.
The other thing I liked was the plate discipline I saw from Kyle Blanks this weekend. He had some great at-bats, even the ones that just led to walks. While he didn’t score on either free pass Sunday, on Friday and Saturday he extended rallies and forced relievers to throw more pitches than they wanted.
---
In Baltimore’s 8-3 win in Oakland Sunday, USD’s Brian Matusz raised his record to 2-0 while Chula Vista’s Ty Wigginton drove in four runs with a double and homer. Adam Jones of Morse had two hits in five at-bats.
Rancho Bernardo’s Cole Hamels suffered his first loss of the season for Philadelphia against the Marlins. He allowed just two runs in eight innings, but the Phillies lost in a shutout.
The cost of attending an athletic contest, especially anything of a professional nature, has skyrocketed over the years. Gone are the days you can go to 20 home Padres games at $5 a pop. Try that at Petco Park and you get the impression that there’s a game going on somewhere in there, and you can watch the highlights on TV later.
The way the economy is, you have to look for deals. Here’s how they stack up, in my opinion.
CAN’T BE BEAT:
1. San Diego State basketball (men and women) – By far the biggest bang for the buck. Convenient to get to with plenty of parking and trolley access, a beautiful arena, an exciting atmosphere and good teams. This isn’t even close compared to our other options. The only question for the men next season is how close they'll come to 30 wins. My only concern is whether women’s coach Beth Burns can compensate for the loss of extraordinary guards Jene Morris and Quenese Davis.
2. High School Baseball – There’s a reason why so many local products have been on the Padres roster in recent years, because high schools in this area turn out great players who make the major leagues. That line of “see tomorrow’s stars today” is applicable in this case. The Lions Tournament is the oldest and biggest of its kind, annually bringing in strong teams from outside the area. Best of all, prep baseball is free and usually just down the street at your nearby campus.
3. Del Mar Horse Racing – Is there a better place to spend a summer’s day than where the surf meets the turf? It costs $10 or less to get in and whether you leave with anything in your pocket is purely up to you. National-quality horses, trainers and riders. If you can, get to the courtyard where you can see the horses parade before they race.
FINE IF THEY MEET YOUR INTERESTS:
4. Chargers – You can’t beat football as a singular event kind of sport. Game day is special, with hours-long tailgates in the parking lot of Qualcomm Stadium and an atmosphere hard to rival inside. The Bolts draw national attention, have several of football’s best players and are usually playoff quality. But the NFL is a big-ticket game, and your Sunday afternoon of fun can run into the hundreds of dollars if you take family or friends, and pay for seats, parking and food. The trolley and bus service helps getting to and leaving The Q, but if you have to take a car, it’s not easy.
5. USD Baseball – The Toreros are merely good these days, not great like a few years ago. Still, Cunningham Stadium is a fine place to see a ballgame, and USD annually takes on the best teams in college baseball. General admission seats are just $5.
6. High School Football – See Number 2 above. San Diego area high schools have produced four Heisman Trophy winners. The only drawback is a lack of competitive balance between the schools, particularly in the city of San Diego and the South Bay.
7. Women’s Tennis at La Costa – By whatever name the tournament is known as, and with whatever sponsor, they get pretty big names and sometimes the biggest of the big names. The matches are usually very good and you can always count on an upset or two. Getting there is pretty easy if you’re already in the North County and the ticket prices are reasonable.
8. San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – At least the past couple of years, the newcomer among the local college football post-season games takes no backseat to the Pacific Life Holiday Bowl, which has been a dud recently. Teams are just as good and the tickets are less expensive, making for a nice pre-Christmas gift. Call the Holiday Bowl 8A.
NOT FAN-FRIENDLY:
9. San Diego State football – At first glance, SDSU football would appear to be a good deal. Division 1 college football at $12? Not bad. But go under the surface and you find some trouble beyond the fact that the Aztecs haven’t been bowling for 11 years. Marketing efforts have been pathetic, partly because of Athletic Department budget woes, and the radio tie-in with Clear Channel Communications has not paid off by creating buzz among San Diegans. Ever hear talk of SDSU football on a fall Friday? Nope. If you go to a game, Ace Parking makes getting into the lot at Qualcomm Stadium a worse experience than a root canal. Whoever runs concessions does the same for getting a snack. State does little to improve the atmosphere inside the stadium, which resembles a morgue with any attendance under 30,000, except to pump in fake crowd noise. Things will improve as coach Brady Hoke turns the Aztecs into winners. I think he will, and I’ve seen how cool things are when the team is good. Please, before I get too old.
10. Padres – They’re polar opposites from SDSU in that they try to make for a rewarding fan experience, but they fall flat. First, the team has been either dull or dull and bad for years, and the slow start this season isn’t helping perceptions. I warned more than a decade ago that the decision to put Petco Park in the East Village wasn’t a good one, and I think that’s proving out with declining attendance. It’s not too inconvenient for me personally, but it is to the majority of baseball fans who simply want to take their families to a game, not party in the Gaslamp afterward. That they lowered beer prices and got rid of the 5-for-$5 meal plan shows where the marketing is heading. And don’t get me started on ticket prices. Football-style costs for baseball don't fit the nature of the sport. Bad deal all the way around. I’m plenty happy to go twice a year, max, and watch the rest of the schedule on Channel 4. (End of rant)
---
Not only do I like the Padres getting back to .500 after sweeping the Diamondbacks, I love how they did it. A young team showing the ability to work into an opponents’ bullpen for three late-inning rallies is a good thing. It shows they won’t back down. Now what they do against teams with strong relief corps is another question, but I like the mental makeup I see.
The other thing I liked was the plate discipline I saw from Kyle Blanks this weekend. He had some great at-bats, even the ones that just led to walks. While he didn’t score on either free pass Sunday, on Friday and Saturday he extended rallies and forced relievers to throw more pitches than they wanted.
---
In Baltimore’s 8-3 win in Oakland Sunday, USD’s Brian Matusz raised his record to 2-0 while Chula Vista’s Ty Wigginton drove in four runs with a double and homer. Adam Jones of Morse had two hits in five at-bats.
Rancho Bernardo’s Cole Hamels suffered his first loss of the season for Philadelphia against the Marlins. He allowed just two runs in eight innings, but the Phillies lost in a shutout.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
That's More Like it, Padres!
Where were THOSE Padres during the first week of the season?
Among the humorous parts of the Padres 17-2 home-opening win over the Braves Monday came before the big, big inning. Kyle Blanks had already been up twice with runners on base and two outs. Just the situation I blogged about previously. It's a situation in which he has to consistently come through. Okay, consistently in situational hitting in baseball means about 35 to 40 percent of the time. That's what he has to do. I don't care much about the times he opens an inning with no outs and no one on base.
So he comes up twice in those situations and ends the inning. I went to my Facebook page and on my status wrote something nasty. No more than 15 minutes later, Blanks comes up again with runners on base and he whacks a 2-run double. Yeah, there was only one out but we'll take improvement where we can get it. If I say nasty things about Blanks in the future, it will only be for encouragement. Really. I hope.
Let's hope that Blanks, a solid Kevin Correia and other key Padres make Monday's performance a habit -- at home and on the road.
---
Santana High's Hayden Penn was designated for assignment by the Pirates after compiling a lofty ERA of 30.86 in three relief appearances. He allowed eight hits and three walks in just 2.1 innings.
On the good news front, the Mets activated first-baseman Mike Jacobs of Hilltop High right before the season began. He struggled out of the gate, too, but hit his first homer Monday.
---
Mark down Dec. 4 on your calendar. San Diego State will be home this year for basketball's Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge, and the opponent is Wichita State. The Shockers are expected to supplant Northern Iowa as the best in the MVC next season. With the Aztecs positioned to challenged for the MWC title, it could be a heck of a match-up.
Among the humorous parts of the Padres 17-2 home-opening win over the Braves Monday came before the big, big inning. Kyle Blanks had already been up twice with runners on base and two outs. Just the situation I blogged about previously. It's a situation in which he has to consistently come through. Okay, consistently in situational hitting in baseball means about 35 to 40 percent of the time. That's what he has to do. I don't care much about the times he opens an inning with no outs and no one on base.
So he comes up twice in those situations and ends the inning. I went to my Facebook page and on my status wrote something nasty. No more than 15 minutes later, Blanks comes up again with runners on base and he whacks a 2-run double. Yeah, there was only one out but we'll take improvement where we can get it. If I say nasty things about Blanks in the future, it will only be for encouragement. Really. I hope.
Let's hope that Blanks, a solid Kevin Correia and other key Padres make Monday's performance a habit -- at home and on the road.
---
Santana High's Hayden Penn was designated for assignment by the Pirates after compiling a lofty ERA of 30.86 in three relief appearances. He allowed eight hits and three walks in just 2.1 innings.
On the good news front, the Mets activated first-baseman Mike Jacobs of Hilltop High right before the season began. He struggled out of the gate, too, but hit his first homer Monday.
---
Mark down Dec. 4 on your calendar. San Diego State will be home this year for basketball's Mountain West-Missouri Valley Challenge, and the opponent is Wichita State. The Shockers are expected to supplant Northern Iowa as the best in the MVC next season. With the Aztecs positioned to challenged for the MWC title, it could be a heck of a match-up.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Lefty a True Master, Padres Fail to Impress
There was a time last year when I was tiring of Phil Mickelson, a guy who appeared destined to never quite fulfill our fondest hopes. He was/is a good guy, unlike his chief rival, and we wanted nothing but the best for him. Even the great career that he has had until now seemed a little bit like an underachievement when compared to our imaginations.
No more. With a scintillating win at The Master's, the San Diego native is no longer a mild disappointment, the golfer who couldn't win the big one. He's now won three times at Augusta, and the 2010 version might be the greatest of them all. He overcame a 5-stroke deficit in the third round and the attack of the killer leaf on Sunday.
There's no more reason to be tired of Mickelson or to call him an underachiever. He's now right up there with Nicklaus and Palmer as one of the greatest ever to walk the links.
---
The Padres started last season by going 9-3 and then stunk the next several months. It hopefully will be a polar opposite in 2010 because they absolutely sucked this first week. Maybe some home cooking and Petco-friendly pitching will help them turn things around.
They've played the kind of ball that gets managers fired. There are plenty of Bud Black detractors in this town who'd love nothing better than to see him let go by the new ownership. I'm not one of them and don't see Jeff Moorad and Tom Garfinkel as being rush-to-judgment guys.
Still, they've been horrible on defense, the bullpen was terrible until Saturday and the hitters make Mario Mendoza look worthy of Cooperstown. The signing of Jon Garland looks like a mistake after two starts. That's not going to sell seats during a first homestand to be played in somewhat cooler than normal weather.
The good news is the Padres have completed just six of a scheduled 162 games. Like the 2009 team, they might turn things around in the opposite direction. I think they will. I'm almost certain Garland will, based on his track record. The question, for their ability to compete in the NL West, is how long it will be until the turnaround comes.
No more. With a scintillating win at The Master's, the San Diego native is no longer a mild disappointment, the golfer who couldn't win the big one. He's now won three times at Augusta, and the 2010 version might be the greatest of them all. He overcame a 5-stroke deficit in the third round and the attack of the killer leaf on Sunday.
There's no more reason to be tired of Mickelson or to call him an underachiever. He's now right up there with Nicklaus and Palmer as one of the greatest ever to walk the links.
---
The Padres started last season by going 9-3 and then stunk the next several months. It hopefully will be a polar opposite in 2010 because they absolutely sucked this first week. Maybe some home cooking and Petco-friendly pitching will help them turn things around.
They've played the kind of ball that gets managers fired. There are plenty of Bud Black detractors in this town who'd love nothing better than to see him let go by the new ownership. I'm not one of them and don't see Jeff Moorad and Tom Garfinkel as being rush-to-judgment guys.
Still, they've been horrible on defense, the bullpen was terrible until Saturday and the hitters make Mario Mendoza look worthy of Cooperstown. The signing of Jon Garland looks like a mistake after two starts. That's not going to sell seats during a first homestand to be played in somewhat cooler than normal weather.
The good news is the Padres have completed just six of a scheduled 162 games. Like the 2009 team, they might turn things around in the opposite direction. I think they will. I'm almost certain Garland will, based on his track record. The question, for their ability to compete in the NL West, is how long it will be until the turnaround comes.
Monday, April 05, 2010
Baseball 2010 Kicks Off, Locals in the Majors
The last cuts of spring aren't necessarily the most painful as many teams make their difficult decisions earlier in the final week of spring training and keep a couple wannabes with the big club for the last weekend exhibition games.
Still, it has to be tough for former Rancho Bernardo High star Hank Blalock, who has fallen on hard times since he hit a game-winning home run in the All-Star game while a member of the Texas Rangers. Now with Tampa Bay, Blalock accepted an assignment to AAA Durham over the weekend. He missed most of 2007-08 with injuries but knocked 25 home runs last season. If Evan Longoria gets hurt or the Rays need to make a trade, having an only 29-year-old power-hitting former All-Star available won't hurt them at all. But it has to be tough for the player.
Blalock wasn't the only local product disappointing as spring wrapped up. The Angels sent P Sean O'Sullivan (Valhalla) and 3B Freddy Sandoval (Marian) to AAA Salt Lake City, and the A's put P Trevor Cahill (Vista) on the 15-day disabled list.
Thrills, however, came to White Sox C Donny Lucy (Fallbrook), who has spent years in the minor leagues with only the occasional sniff at the majors.
Big league locals:
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PADRES - P Heath Bell (born in Oceanside), P Kevin Correia (Grossmont), 1B Adrian Gonzalez (Eastlake), Tony Gwynn (Poway).
BRAVES - INF Brooks Conrad (Monte Vista), 3B Troy Glaus (Carlsbad)
REDS - P Aaron Harang (Patrick Henry, SDSU)
MARLINS - SS Brian Barden (St. Augustine)
PHILLIES - P Cole Hamels (Rancho Bernardo)
PIRATES - P Hayden Penn (Santana)
GIANTS - P Barry Zito (Grossmont/USDHS)
NATIONALS - P Jesse English (RBV), and this next space is reserved for You-Know-Who.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ORIOLES - CF Adam Jones (Morse), P Brian Matusz (USD), 3B Ty Wigginton (Chula Vista)
WHITE SOX - Lucy, OF Carlos Quentin (USDHS)
INDIANS - P Justin Masterson (SDSU)
TIGERS - P Joel Zumaya (Bonita Vista)
YANKEES - P Sergio Mitre (Montgomery)
A's - Cahill when he comes off the DL, DH Eric Chavez (Mt. Carmel), P Brett Tomko (Poway)
RAYS - P Mike Ekstrom (Pt. Loma Nazarene)
BLUE JAYS - UT Mike McCoy (Grossmont/USD)
The 2010 season kicks off with 24 locally produced players on 16 of the 30 teams, eight in each league -- San Diego represents! Of the 24 players, 13 are pitchers.
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One of the reasons I mentioned in my last post that I think the Padres will compete this season is the vulnerability of their NL West opponents. Good examples came the past couple of days when the Rockies placed P Jeff Francis on the disabled list, and the Diamondbacks did the same with P Brandon Webb. Both are critical for their teams' success. The Dodgers had to bring in pitcher Jeff Weaver to shore up their starting rotation. The Padres may not have enough to win the division, but it'll be closer than the so-called experts are predicting.
Still, it has to be tough for former Rancho Bernardo High star Hank Blalock, who has fallen on hard times since he hit a game-winning home run in the All-Star game while a member of the Texas Rangers. Now with Tampa Bay, Blalock accepted an assignment to AAA Durham over the weekend. He missed most of 2007-08 with injuries but knocked 25 home runs last season. If Evan Longoria gets hurt or the Rays need to make a trade, having an only 29-year-old power-hitting former All-Star available won't hurt them at all. But it has to be tough for the player.
Blalock wasn't the only local product disappointing as spring wrapped up. The Angels sent P Sean O'Sullivan (Valhalla) and 3B Freddy Sandoval (Marian) to AAA Salt Lake City, and the A's put P Trevor Cahill (Vista) on the 15-day disabled list.
Thrills, however, came to White Sox C Donny Lucy (Fallbrook), who has spent years in the minor leagues with only the occasional sniff at the majors.
Big league locals:
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PADRES - P Heath Bell (born in Oceanside), P Kevin Correia (Grossmont), 1B Adrian Gonzalez (Eastlake), Tony Gwynn (Poway).
BRAVES - INF Brooks Conrad (Monte Vista), 3B Troy Glaus (Carlsbad)
REDS - P Aaron Harang (Patrick Henry, SDSU)
MARLINS - SS Brian Barden (St. Augustine)
PHILLIES - P Cole Hamels (Rancho Bernardo)
PIRATES - P Hayden Penn (Santana)
GIANTS - P Barry Zito (Grossmont/USDHS)
NATIONALS - P Jesse English (RBV), and this next space is reserved for You-Know-Who.
AMERICAN LEAGUE
ORIOLES - CF Adam Jones (Morse), P Brian Matusz (USD), 3B Ty Wigginton (Chula Vista)
WHITE SOX - Lucy, OF Carlos Quentin (USDHS)
INDIANS - P Justin Masterson (SDSU)
TIGERS - P Joel Zumaya (Bonita Vista)
YANKEES - P Sergio Mitre (Montgomery)
A's - Cahill when he comes off the DL, DH Eric Chavez (Mt. Carmel), P Brett Tomko (Poway)
RAYS - P Mike Ekstrom (Pt. Loma Nazarene)
BLUE JAYS - UT Mike McCoy (Grossmont/USD)
The 2010 season kicks off with 24 locally produced players on 16 of the 30 teams, eight in each league -- San Diego represents! Of the 24 players, 13 are pitchers.
---
One of the reasons I mentioned in my last post that I think the Padres will compete this season is the vulnerability of their NL West opponents. Good examples came the past couple of days when the Rockies placed P Jeff Francis on the disabled list, and the Diamondbacks did the same with P Brandon Webb. Both are critical for their teams' success. The Dodgers had to bring in pitcher Jeff Weaver to shore up their starting rotation. The Padres may not have enough to win the division, but it'll be closer than the so-called experts are predicting.
Thursday, April 01, 2010
Padres to Make Noise in 2010
I thought it best to post this on April Fool's Day because you might think it a joke, but it's not. In all seriousness, I think the Padres are going to be competitive this season in a flawed National League West. I have no idea if they'll win, or whether they'll be close in late September, but they're going to have a much better season the 2009. They'll be in the race, I believe, most of the way.
There you go, it's out -- and there's no joyous call of "April Fool's" followed by a :)
To demonstrate, let’s go through an exercise of comparing the Padres position-by-position with the Dodgers and other NL West rivals. Last year at this time, you’d take nearly every LA position player and most pitchers over what the Friars offered.
This year, I would take the entire Padres infield over their Dodgers counterparts, and while LA owns the outfield, the margin is much closer than it had been. The bullpens are even. I like the Padres starting rotation, though LA’s is pretty decent. What a world of difference in just a year. The Giants’ rotation is better than the Padres but they’re pretty even in the field. I think the top of the Rockies rotation is better than the Padres, but the Friars have the better back end and bullpen. The Rox are better in the field. Arizona is the only team I really see falling out of the race.
So, in looking ahead, I can see everyone else with a shot at a division title by the time football season starts. I think the teams are so evenly matched I couldn’t really take a look at one factor or another and place them in any particular order – especially in a predicted finish. The winners and losers will likely be determined by a devastating injury or a trade-deadline pickup. The latter would appear to favor the well-heeled Giants and Dodgers over the residents of Petco Park. The winner will probably not have much more than 90 wins, so look for the wildcard team to come from another division.
The NL West is flawed? Most definitely. The Rockies are depending on the return of Jeff Francis to stabilize their rotation, the Dodgers have injury problems in the pitching staff and an uncertain infield, the Giants don’t hit well and the Diamondback’s youth movement didn’t pan out.
The keys to a big season for the locals are LF Kyle Blanks and P Kevin Correia. It looks like Blanks is being thrown right into the fire in a key spot in the batting order, so he will have to produce. He’s going to come to the plate quite often with runners on base, possibly in scoring position, and two outs following a walk to Adrian Gonzalez. His ability to drive the ball or strike out will be a big determinant of the Friars’ fate. Being completely unsure of what Chris Young is capable of anymore, Correia needs to prove that last year was a trend-setter, not an anomaly. He’s going to need to throw like a Number 2 starter, which will be a bonus if Young produces like he used to. I’m still unsure about Clayton Richard, but I think Mat Latos will be a star at the end of the rotation. If either fails, there are plenty of arms there to replace them.
Whatever happens, it will be a lot of fun. I’m as excited for the start of the major league season now than I have been in many years, not so much because I think the Padres will be so great but to see how everything plays out.
There you go, it's out -- and there's no joyous call of "April Fool's" followed by a :)
To demonstrate, let’s go through an exercise of comparing the Padres position-by-position with the Dodgers and other NL West rivals. Last year at this time, you’d take nearly every LA position player and most pitchers over what the Friars offered.
This year, I would take the entire Padres infield over their Dodgers counterparts, and while LA owns the outfield, the margin is much closer than it had been. The bullpens are even. I like the Padres starting rotation, though LA’s is pretty decent. What a world of difference in just a year. The Giants’ rotation is better than the Padres but they’re pretty even in the field. I think the top of the Rockies rotation is better than the Padres, but the Friars have the better back end and bullpen. The Rox are better in the field. Arizona is the only team I really see falling out of the race.
So, in looking ahead, I can see everyone else with a shot at a division title by the time football season starts. I think the teams are so evenly matched I couldn’t really take a look at one factor or another and place them in any particular order – especially in a predicted finish. The winners and losers will likely be determined by a devastating injury or a trade-deadline pickup. The latter would appear to favor the well-heeled Giants and Dodgers over the residents of Petco Park. The winner will probably not have much more than 90 wins, so look for the wildcard team to come from another division.
The NL West is flawed? Most definitely. The Rockies are depending on the return of Jeff Francis to stabilize their rotation, the Dodgers have injury problems in the pitching staff and an uncertain infield, the Giants don’t hit well and the Diamondback’s youth movement didn’t pan out.
The keys to a big season for the locals are LF Kyle Blanks and P Kevin Correia. It looks like Blanks is being thrown right into the fire in a key spot in the batting order, so he will have to produce. He’s going to come to the plate quite often with runners on base, possibly in scoring position, and two outs following a walk to Adrian Gonzalez. His ability to drive the ball or strike out will be a big determinant of the Friars’ fate. Being completely unsure of what Chris Young is capable of anymore, Correia needs to prove that last year was a trend-setter, not an anomaly. He’s going to need to throw like a Number 2 starter, which will be a bonus if Young produces like he used to. I’m still unsure about Clayton Richard, but I think Mat Latos will be a star at the end of the rotation. If either fails, there are plenty of arms there to replace them.
Whatever happens, it will be a lot of fun. I’m as excited for the start of the major league season now than I have been in many years, not so much because I think the Padres will be so great but to see how everything plays out.
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