Remember the uproar when Baseball America a few years ago called the Padres minor league system the worst in baseball? They were right, weren't they? Oh, yeah.
Because of injuries and poor performances by veterans, the Padres have had to pull up a bunch of players this year from Portland and San Antonio, and they're not exactly cutting the mustard.
Last season's savior-to-be, Chase Headley, is batting just .239 with 9 home runs and 34 RBI through Sunday. Will Venable is at .227 with 5 RBI in 75 at-bats. Luis Rodriguez is looking more like Mario Mendoza every day, batting .205 with 9 RBI in 132 at-bats. This season's savior, the tall Kyle Blanks, is hitting .163, hasn't knocked one out of the park and appears to have too giant of a strike zone for his swing.
And those are just the hitters. Don't get me started on pitching. Let's hope Tim Stauffer has another good start vs the Marlins tonight, which would give him a pair of quality outings in his second stab at a big league career. He is the only guy among the youngsters who seems to have a chance at fulfilling his promise this season. I think Blanks still has potential. He's very athletic for such a big guy. If he's smart and a hard worker -- and I don't know if he is or is not -- then he could iron out his problems at the plate and turn himself into a solid outfielder. It's up to him.
Otherwise, no one the Padres have brought forth from their system has impressed me a bit, so I'd have to say Baseball America's editors knew what they were writing about. I don't know where Mat Latos fit into their thinking. At the time, he was so low in the Padres system that he might not have been much of a factor. Now he's in San Diego after only a few AA starts and actually looked like he had a clue against the Rockies on Sunday. He's still tender young so there's no sense counting on him. I just hope he's a sign of what's to come from the lower levels of the farm system in future years, because the guys brought up to help this year aren't helping much.
---
Whenever someone of Slavic descent would come into the sports world someone would throw out a stupid joke like, so-and-so needs a vowel. Latos could use a consonant.
---
Interesting article in The San Diego Union-Tribune by Mark Zeigler Sunday about how most professional sports teams in the world, if they finish in the last couple places in the standings, are relegated to a lower division. It would be like the Padres being sent to AAA for next year.
I just don't see how that can happen in the American system of sports, with the vast financial commitments made by the teams and communities to be of major league caliber and our natural abhorrance of caste systems so prevalent around the world.
There are instances, however, of professional sports franchises that have become so used to losing that they need to have some sort of wake-up call. Just a few off the top of my head:
1. Detroit Lions. No doubt they should be punished for the past two decades. There is no minor league pro football, but if there was, they should go.
2. Arizona Cardinals. Until the last couple years, the face of futility in the NFL. No longer applies, but I think you get my drift.
3. Philadelphia 76ers. They haven't done anything since Dr. J was around.
4. Los Angeles Clippers. Their logo might be next to the word 'losing' in the dictionary.
5. Pittsburgh Pirates. How they can co-exist in the same city with the Steelers and Penguins is beyond me. You have two stellar franchises right there to emulate.
6. Kansas City Royals. Starting the beautiful ballpark trend no longer excuses their annual losing.
Sure, the Padres are bad now, but they do have a few division titles in the middle of the decade along with the 1998 World Series appearance and 1996 NL West crown. So they don't deserve to be on the above list, but they are so bad right now it's interesting to talk about.
---
I'm sorry, but we're headed into late-July and I'm ready for football. Unless something wild happens I doubt if I'll lead any posts with baseball for the rest of the year, until October demands season-ending comments.
Meanwhile, I promised to mention kayaking if the Padres were this bad in the middle of the summer. Santa Clara Sports Center on Mission Bay. Rent one and get some good exercise. I'm actually waiting until our strangely cold water warms up. The weather people claim El Nino is coming, so I think all the warm ocean water has congealed over the mid-Pacific.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Ups and Downs of Baseball, SDSU Stadium
Baseball, the good: Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State and West Hills HS in Santee wins the Golden Spikes Award as the Player of the Year in college baseball. No surprise there and congratulations. Strasburg, with all the stories about how he came to college soft and turned himself into the monster pitcher that he is, makes for a great life story for parents to use with their children.
Baseball, the good: Adam Jones of Morse HS and now the Orioles drives home the winning run in the All-Star game with a sacrifice fly off the Padres' Heath Bell.
Baseball, the bad: The Padres Heath Bell is the losing pitcher in the mid-summer classic.
Baseball, the worse: The Padres really suck. I accept to a certain degree that their poor play of the past month is, in part, due to injuries. They were within hailing distance of .500 when starting pitchers Jake Peavy and Chris Young went down with injuries. Add to that the loss of 2B David Eckstein and C Nick Hundley, and that hurts a bit, no question.
What really strikes me about the team's futility is that the Friars have the second worse team ERA and have given up the second-most runs in the National League despite playing half their games at pitching-friendly Petco Park. If these guys hurled in Cincinnati, the team ERA would be over 6.00.
I have to admit to not being impressed by the recent statements made by Padres president Tom Garfinkel, who is busying himself with improving the "fan experience" at a relatively new baseball park. As one letter writer to the Union-Tribune mentioned, get a better team and the fan experience will be great. Garfinkel's reaction to the current predicament is to baffle us with BS. I know it will take a couple of years probably to turn things around, but we'd rather see progress on the field than a new video board.
---
A barely noticed tidbit from Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani on XTRA 1360 Tuesday: SDSU AD Jeff Schemmel has mentioned a couple times something about building the school's own stadium. Interesting. He also said with the state's budgetary difficulties that any talk was unrealistic, and his NFL team fully considered SDSU to be the main tenant of their new facility.
As reported here recently, Fabiani says the Bolts have talked to the city of San Diego more the past few months than in the four years that Michael Aguirre was the city attorney, and they were looking at sites downtown, though nothing has jelled.
Fabiani also said the state of the nation's monetary system means financing will take a while for a new Chargers stadium, so my thinking is by the time they come up with money, the state of California also might come up with money. I can see a lag time of a couple of years between private and public capital markets returning to normal, but the Aztecs might be able to get their own place sometime in the next few years.
Baseball, the good: Adam Jones of Morse HS and now the Orioles drives home the winning run in the All-Star game with a sacrifice fly off the Padres' Heath Bell.
Baseball, the bad: The Padres Heath Bell is the losing pitcher in the mid-summer classic.
Baseball, the worse: The Padres really suck. I accept to a certain degree that their poor play of the past month is, in part, due to injuries. They were within hailing distance of .500 when starting pitchers Jake Peavy and Chris Young went down with injuries. Add to that the loss of 2B David Eckstein and C Nick Hundley, and that hurts a bit, no question.
What really strikes me about the team's futility is that the Friars have the second worse team ERA and have given up the second-most runs in the National League despite playing half their games at pitching-friendly Petco Park. If these guys hurled in Cincinnati, the team ERA would be over 6.00.
I have to admit to not being impressed by the recent statements made by Padres president Tom Garfinkel, who is busying himself with improving the "fan experience" at a relatively new baseball park. As one letter writer to the Union-Tribune mentioned, get a better team and the fan experience will be great. Garfinkel's reaction to the current predicament is to baffle us with BS. I know it will take a couple of years probably to turn things around, but we'd rather see progress on the field than a new video board.
---
A barely noticed tidbit from Chargers special counsel Mark Fabiani on XTRA 1360 Tuesday: SDSU AD Jeff Schemmel has mentioned a couple times something about building the school's own stadium. Interesting. He also said with the state's budgetary difficulties that any talk was unrealistic, and his NFL team fully considered SDSU to be the main tenant of their new facility.
As reported here recently, Fabiani says the Bolts have talked to the city of San Diego more the past few months than in the four years that Michael Aguirre was the city attorney, and they were looking at sites downtown, though nothing has jelled.
Fabiani also said the state of the nation's monetary system means financing will take a while for a new Chargers stadium, so my thinking is by the time they come up with money, the state of California also might come up with money. I can see a lag time of a couple of years between private and public capital markets returning to normal, but the Aztecs might be able to get their own place sometime in the next few years.
Monday, July 06, 2009
Jones to All-Stars, Hairston Trade
Another blog entry, another "local baseball product makes good" story. Gotta love it.
This time it's Adam Jones, who was named to the All-Star Game as a reserve outfielder representing the Baltimore Orioles. Jones was the great shortstop and pitcher who, with help from a then-young Bruce Billings and if memory serves right Glenn Swanson, led Morse to the semifinals of the Division I baseball playoffs. The Tigers, who really never had much happening in baseball before Jones showed up and haven't done much since the Billings brothers left, really pressed Rancho Bernardo hard before falling.
Jones was a clearly dominant presence, easily the best baseball player on the field that day or just about any day he showed up. That was back in the day when I had a say in who was selected the CIF Player of the Year, and I pushed really hard for Jones. I wish I could have been more persuasive, because events since have proved out what a great high school ballplayer he was. The award isn't to honor the best pro prospect. It's for the best high school player, no matter whether he plays another inning anywhere. But pro success certainly proves vindicating, and what Jones has done this season makes me feel better for standing up on his behalf.
His stat line as of this writing is .308-12-46 as the regular number two hitter in the Birds lineup. He's struck out only 60 times in nearly 300 at-bats. He's only 23 years old and is exciting an organization that traded P Erik Bedard to get him. There hasn't been much to cheer for during the summer in Baltimore since I was a young adult.
On the other hand, as in the post on Sean O'Sullivan, there's always a downside. Jones was hurt over the weekend when he crashed into the outfield wall chasing down a fly by Kevin Youkilis. That's the same guy Jones stole a home run from a week earlier. It doesn't look too bad, and hopefully he'll be able to make his appearance in St. Louis.
---
It's tempting with the Padres back in last place to think that Kevin Towers will start trading everyone in sight since the deadline is only a few weeks away. He started by trading OF Scott Hairston to Oakland Sunday for pitching prospects. But the question becomes who do they trade?
I looked through the Padres roster and, assuming the Padres don't trade pitching, there's no one I want besides OF/1B Kyle Blanks. Gonzalez, of course, but he's not going anywhere. With Peavy on the DL, don't expect any more significant trades unless some GM gets blinded by Kevin Kouzmanoff. Cough, cough, hack. Sure.
This time it's Adam Jones, who was named to the All-Star Game as a reserve outfielder representing the Baltimore Orioles. Jones was the great shortstop and pitcher who, with help from a then-young Bruce Billings and if memory serves right Glenn Swanson, led Morse to the semifinals of the Division I baseball playoffs. The Tigers, who really never had much happening in baseball before Jones showed up and haven't done much since the Billings brothers left, really pressed Rancho Bernardo hard before falling.
Jones was a clearly dominant presence, easily the best baseball player on the field that day or just about any day he showed up. That was back in the day when I had a say in who was selected the CIF Player of the Year, and I pushed really hard for Jones. I wish I could have been more persuasive, because events since have proved out what a great high school ballplayer he was. The award isn't to honor the best pro prospect. It's for the best high school player, no matter whether he plays another inning anywhere. But pro success certainly proves vindicating, and what Jones has done this season makes me feel better for standing up on his behalf.
His stat line as of this writing is .308-12-46 as the regular number two hitter in the Birds lineup. He's struck out only 60 times in nearly 300 at-bats. He's only 23 years old and is exciting an organization that traded P Erik Bedard to get him. There hasn't been much to cheer for during the summer in Baltimore since I was a young adult.
On the other hand, as in the post on Sean O'Sullivan, there's always a downside. Jones was hurt over the weekend when he crashed into the outfield wall chasing down a fly by Kevin Youkilis. That's the same guy Jones stole a home run from a week earlier. It doesn't look too bad, and hopefully he'll be able to make his appearance in St. Louis.
---
It's tempting with the Padres back in last place to think that Kevin Towers will start trading everyone in sight since the deadline is only a few weeks away. He started by trading OF Scott Hairston to Oakland Sunday for pitching prospects. But the question becomes who do they trade?
I looked through the Padres roster and, assuming the Padres don't trade pitching, there's no one I want besides OF/1B Kyle Blanks. Gonzalez, of course, but he's not going anywhere. With Peavy on the DL, don't expect any more significant trades unless some GM gets blinded by Kevin Kouzmanoff. Cough, cough, hack. Sure.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Good News on Chargers Stadium Search
At this point you might think that just about all is lost on the Chargers stadium front, what with the Chula Vista option closing and the new potential site in Oceanside being rife with likely insurmountable problems. But that assessment of the situation would be wrong. There's some very good news here, actually.
I spoke Friday with Mark Fabiani, the Chargers point man on the stadium search, and a spokesman for the city of San Diego, and lo and behold, the Bolts and San Diego are talking again. I wrote a story for my employer that you can find on Web sites of various local television stations.
Fabiani cautioned that nothing really substantive is in the works, but he did say the team and city have spoken more in the past four months than they did in the four years when Mike Aguirre -- an opponent of Chargers hopes for a new facility -- was city attorney. The city spokesman confirmed "informal" discussions.
According to Fabiani, there's even been discussions of potential sites: a plot of land just east of Petco Park and maybe part of the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal again. That strikes me as being a little more substantive than not.
What really struck me was the tone of his voice. My original question to him was whether, with other hopes fading, there was any microscopic grain of possibility that America's Finest City might re-enter the picture? He proceeded to give me the information I'm sharing here, but he sounded genuinely excited about the prospect. Not only that, it sounded like he was home washing dishes, judging by some clanking noises in the background. What guy sounds excited when he's doing dishes? So he had to be happy about the Chargers and San Diego talking again.
After probing the topic a little deeper with him, it turns out that certain conditions are favoring San Diego's return to the game:
1. Fabiani claims the city is losing millions of dollars annually at Qualcomm Stadium, and city officials recently learned the extent of the problem. I have no independent confirmation of this myself, but its true that we have an aging concrete stadium sitting empty except for about 20 football games a year and a remarkably few special events.
2. The economy has dragged down the local real estate market, so any land purchases the Spanos family has to make will be less expensive than they would have been a few years ago. That's particularly important for downtown property.
3. No one is getting financing for large projects right now, so the Spanoses have time to extend their site search and get their ducks in a row before hitting the financial markets.
4. The financial picture for the city of San Diego has cleared dramatically in recent years. The city's problems are all about the larger economy -- they're battling the same deficits all the other governments are. But the fix they were in with with SEC has been resolved. When the time comes, the city should be ready to move, and the city spokesman said Mayor Jerry Sanders is committed to getting the Chargers a stadium somewhere in the region.
Again, excitement needs to be tempered with reality, but this is the first sign of progress between the NFL franchise and the city of San Diego in many years. We'll just have to see how it goes.
I spoke Friday with Mark Fabiani, the Chargers point man on the stadium search, and a spokesman for the city of San Diego, and lo and behold, the Bolts and San Diego are talking again. I wrote a story for my employer that you can find on Web sites of various local television stations.
Fabiani cautioned that nothing really substantive is in the works, but he did say the team and city have spoken more in the past four months than they did in the four years when Mike Aguirre -- an opponent of Chargers hopes for a new facility -- was city attorney. The city spokesman confirmed "informal" discussions.
According to Fabiani, there's even been discussions of potential sites: a plot of land just east of Petco Park and maybe part of the Tenth Avenue Marine Terminal again. That strikes me as being a little more substantive than not.
What really struck me was the tone of his voice. My original question to him was whether, with other hopes fading, there was any microscopic grain of possibility that America's Finest City might re-enter the picture? He proceeded to give me the information I'm sharing here, but he sounded genuinely excited about the prospect. Not only that, it sounded like he was home washing dishes, judging by some clanking noises in the background. What guy sounds excited when he's doing dishes? So he had to be happy about the Chargers and San Diego talking again.
After probing the topic a little deeper with him, it turns out that certain conditions are favoring San Diego's return to the game:
1. Fabiani claims the city is losing millions of dollars annually at Qualcomm Stadium, and city officials recently learned the extent of the problem. I have no independent confirmation of this myself, but its true that we have an aging concrete stadium sitting empty except for about 20 football games a year and a remarkably few special events.
2. The economy has dragged down the local real estate market, so any land purchases the Spanos family has to make will be less expensive than they would have been a few years ago. That's particularly important for downtown property.
3. No one is getting financing for large projects right now, so the Spanoses have time to extend their site search and get their ducks in a row before hitting the financial markets.
4. The financial picture for the city of San Diego has cleared dramatically in recent years. The city's problems are all about the larger economy -- they're battling the same deficits all the other governments are. But the fix they were in with with SEC has been resolved. When the time comes, the city should be ready to move, and the city spokesman said Mayor Jerry Sanders is committed to getting the Chargers a stadium somewhere in the region.
Again, excitement needs to be tempered with reality, but this is the first sign of progress between the NFL franchise and the city of San Diego in many years. We'll just have to see how it goes.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Glover Retires
The signing of La'Roi Glover ushered in a new era at San Diego State, where the fierce defensive players would come from high schools, not junior colleges or four-year college transfers. Glover is the second athlete of his surname to make news on this Monday as he retired from the Saint Louis Rams following 13 NFL seasons.
Glover recorded 83 and a half sacks in his career, which also included stints with the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. His best years were in the Big Easy, where he led the league with 17 sacks in 2000, and had 10 sacks two seasons prior.
At Point Loma High School, Glover was a man among teenage boys, throwing opposing linemen out of the way so he could make a tackle. He was going to be a star wherever he went, so when wherever turned out to be San Diego State, it was something of a surprise. For years, SDSU struggled to keep elite high school players at home. They finally scored some breakthroughs in the 1980s, bringing in Helix QB Jim Plum, Lincoln WR Patrick Rowe and, in 1990, Kearny WR Darnay Scott.
Glover was different. He was a defensive player, and in 1992 the Aztecs under head coach Al Luginbill were desperate for defense. They were just beginning the Marshall Faulk hysteria. One of the reasons why Faulk scored so many touchdowns is the Aztecs needed every single one of them -- sometimes more. Bringing in Glover was a coup.
He was everything he was advertised to be. He started all four seasons, clogging the middle and chasing opposing passers. He still ranks third in SDSU history in career tackles for loss and fourth with 18 and a half sacks. While the defense worsened in terms of yardage allowed, it improved by a touchdown in points allowed per game over the Glover-era.
Glover toiled in anonymity at State, never winning All-American status and gaining first-team All-WAC only once. This for a guy who consistently held up his end. Might be the most overlooked player I can remember. He'd have had far greater acclaim if he'd gone to a Pac-10 school, but instead he chose to stay home and help build up SDSU football.
It nearly worked. Luginbill was an awesome recruiter and brought in a number of other top- flight defenders such as S Robert Griffith and CB Ricky Parker, and successor Ted Tollner's staff showed they could make good use of the bounty with a pair of 8-win seasons once Glover had gone pro.
The era of elite defenders flocking to Montezuma Mesa was short-circuited when the "haves" of college football took it upon themselves to cut off the "have nots" by forming what eventually became the BCS, and elite recruits of all positions no longer considered attending SDSU nor other WAC schools. Under those conditions, there is no way Glover would have stayed home. A little illustration of the travesty the BCS has been for college football.
---
What would the odds have been before spring training that here in late-June Kevin Correia would be the Padres best starting pitcher? Yes, of course, if Jake Peavy and Chris Young are on the disabled list as they are. But Correia is doing this legitmately -- he's dealing. Over the past three weeks, he's been by far the Padres best starter. In his last four outings, he's won three times with a 2.02 ERA and has allowed just 12 hits in 26-plus innings. Three of those starts were in the pitcher-friendly confines of Petco, though he won the other with a superb performance in LA.
Glover recorded 83 and a half sacks in his career, which also included stints with the Dallas Cowboys and New Orleans Saints. His best years were in the Big Easy, where he led the league with 17 sacks in 2000, and had 10 sacks two seasons prior.
At Point Loma High School, Glover was a man among teenage boys, throwing opposing linemen out of the way so he could make a tackle. He was going to be a star wherever he went, so when wherever turned out to be San Diego State, it was something of a surprise. For years, SDSU struggled to keep elite high school players at home. They finally scored some breakthroughs in the 1980s, bringing in Helix QB Jim Plum, Lincoln WR Patrick Rowe and, in 1990, Kearny WR Darnay Scott.
Glover was different. He was a defensive player, and in 1992 the Aztecs under head coach Al Luginbill were desperate for defense. They were just beginning the Marshall Faulk hysteria. One of the reasons why Faulk scored so many touchdowns is the Aztecs needed every single one of them -- sometimes more. Bringing in Glover was a coup.
He was everything he was advertised to be. He started all four seasons, clogging the middle and chasing opposing passers. He still ranks third in SDSU history in career tackles for loss and fourth with 18 and a half sacks. While the defense worsened in terms of yardage allowed, it improved by a touchdown in points allowed per game over the Glover-era.
Glover toiled in anonymity at State, never winning All-American status and gaining first-team All-WAC only once. This for a guy who consistently held up his end. Might be the most overlooked player I can remember. He'd have had far greater acclaim if he'd gone to a Pac-10 school, but instead he chose to stay home and help build up SDSU football.
It nearly worked. Luginbill was an awesome recruiter and brought in a number of other top- flight defenders such as S Robert Griffith and CB Ricky Parker, and successor Ted Tollner's staff showed they could make good use of the bounty with a pair of 8-win seasons once Glover had gone pro.
The era of elite defenders flocking to Montezuma Mesa was short-circuited when the "haves" of college football took it upon themselves to cut off the "have nots" by forming what eventually became the BCS, and elite recruits of all positions no longer considered attending SDSU nor other WAC schools. Under those conditions, there is no way Glover would have stayed home. A little illustration of the travesty the BCS has been for college football.
---
What would the odds have been before spring training that here in late-June Kevin Correia would be the Padres best starting pitcher? Yes, of course, if Jake Peavy and Chris Young are on the disabled list as they are. But Correia is doing this legitmately -- he's dealing. Over the past three weeks, he's been by far the Padres best starter. In his last four outings, he's won three times with a 2.02 ERA and has allowed just 12 hits in 26-plus innings. Three of those starts were in the pitcher-friendly confines of Petco, though he won the other with a superb performance in LA.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
O'Sullivan
Sean O'Sullivan carried that "can't miss" label through his years of baseball at Valhalla High. Now, after a call up to the Angels, the former San Diego County Player of the Year is a "didn't miss."
In my five years of operating Sandiegosportstown.com, I came across a lot of really good high school baseball players, including some who made it to the big leagues, like Junior from Poway, Wes Littleton from Vista and Adrian Gonzalez of Eastlake. None were quite the sure thing as O'Sullivan.
Baseball, as we all know, is a humbling game. There are people who insist that Barry Bonds was the greatest hitter they ever saw, steroids or no, and look at how he struggled so badly in the postseason with the Pirates and Giants. Same to some extent for A-Rod. It's something they carry with them. For O'Sullivan, as a senior he carried the Norsemen into the CIF final at SDSU and got crushed by El Capitan. He had a few shaky starts that year. He won awards when pitching at Grossmont College but my increasingly feeble memory makes me think he wasn't quite himself there, either.
His initial rise in the Angels organization was typical, not the swift sort of jump through the lower rungs that you expect from phenoms. He was in the Pioneer League before a year at Cedar Rapids in what's described as "low-A" ball. He spent 2008 in "high-A" at Rancho Cucamonga, where he was 16-8 but with an ERA of 4.73 and a stat line that showed more hits than innings pitched and too many BBs.
Then there was this year, where he went 1-2 in three starts at AA Arkansas. He rose to Salt Lake City in AAA and went 5-2. His ERA was 6.02 but the Pacific Coast League, filled with small stadiums at high altitudes, is notoriously rough on pitching stats.
The next thing you knew, Angels starter Ervin Santana was hurt and manager Mike Scioscia needed a pitcher. O'Sullivan got the call, allowing just one run in seven innings, giving up just five hits and a walk and striking out five. That's dealing. He also singled and scored in the Halos 8-1 win in San Francisco, close enough for the family to travel.
O'Sullivan's rapid rise turned out to be through the high end of the minors, making him a rare commodity indeed.
Alas, Santana is due back for his next start and, as I wrote this, O'Sullivan was returned to Salt Lake City. That's baseball for you -- a humbling game. But Sean O'Sullivan didn't miss and, if his first major league start is any indication, he'll be back for more.
---
You can never really tell who'll be the next local kid to make The Show. So much is dependent on injuries and teams that suddenly go into an early-summer tailspin. You can be batting .350 in AAA but if your major league club is solid, you might be stuck.
One of the SD Sports Town faves, former USD and Grossmont High infielder Mike McCoy, has made AAA look easy in the Rockies organization. As of today, he's hitting .338 with an outstanding .445 on-base percentage and has 21 steals while playing third base. Of course, he needs Garret Atkins to get hurt or traded. Fat chance.
Braves infielder Brooks Conrad has been playing well at AAA Gwinnett. He's a longtime minor leaguer who has been on the cusp for years.
Otherwise, there aren't too many local kids who look ready to make the jump, that I can see.
---
Speaking of Junior, it seems like Major League Baseball came to him, not the other way around. Anthony couldn't make the Brewers fulltime because they were still looking for big boppers to go with Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun, while discounting whether any runners would be on base ahead of them. So bringing Gwynn to San Diego where his speed and ability to draw walks and make contact will be huge assets at the top of the batting order -- along with his defense on the field -- made sense.
But the Brewers, while moderately successful, in recent years, are playing yesterday's game. Baseball is thankfully bringing speed, defense and contact hitting back into the fold after a 10-year-plus absense. That will only benefit Gwynn The Younger even more. And I still can't get over how much he sounds like his father.
In my five years of operating Sandiegosportstown.com, I came across a lot of really good high school baseball players, including some who made it to the big leagues, like Junior from Poway, Wes Littleton from Vista and Adrian Gonzalez of Eastlake. None were quite the sure thing as O'Sullivan.
Baseball, as we all know, is a humbling game. There are people who insist that Barry Bonds was the greatest hitter they ever saw, steroids or no, and look at how he struggled so badly in the postseason with the Pirates and Giants. Same to some extent for A-Rod. It's something they carry with them. For O'Sullivan, as a senior he carried the Norsemen into the CIF final at SDSU and got crushed by El Capitan. He had a few shaky starts that year. He won awards when pitching at Grossmont College but my increasingly feeble memory makes me think he wasn't quite himself there, either.
His initial rise in the Angels organization was typical, not the swift sort of jump through the lower rungs that you expect from phenoms. He was in the Pioneer League before a year at Cedar Rapids in what's described as "low-A" ball. He spent 2008 in "high-A" at Rancho Cucamonga, where he was 16-8 but with an ERA of 4.73 and a stat line that showed more hits than innings pitched and too many BBs.
Then there was this year, where he went 1-2 in three starts at AA Arkansas. He rose to Salt Lake City in AAA and went 5-2. His ERA was 6.02 but the Pacific Coast League, filled with small stadiums at high altitudes, is notoriously rough on pitching stats.
The next thing you knew, Angels starter Ervin Santana was hurt and manager Mike Scioscia needed a pitcher. O'Sullivan got the call, allowing just one run in seven innings, giving up just five hits and a walk and striking out five. That's dealing. He also singled and scored in the Halos 8-1 win in San Francisco, close enough for the family to travel.
O'Sullivan's rapid rise turned out to be through the high end of the minors, making him a rare commodity indeed.
Alas, Santana is due back for his next start and, as I wrote this, O'Sullivan was returned to Salt Lake City. That's baseball for you -- a humbling game. But Sean O'Sullivan didn't miss and, if his first major league start is any indication, he'll be back for more.
---
You can never really tell who'll be the next local kid to make The Show. So much is dependent on injuries and teams that suddenly go into an early-summer tailspin. You can be batting .350 in AAA but if your major league club is solid, you might be stuck.
One of the SD Sports Town faves, former USD and Grossmont High infielder Mike McCoy, has made AAA look easy in the Rockies organization. As of today, he's hitting .338 with an outstanding .445 on-base percentage and has 21 steals while playing third base. Of course, he needs Garret Atkins to get hurt or traded. Fat chance.
Braves infielder Brooks Conrad has been playing well at AAA Gwinnett. He's a longtime minor leaguer who has been on the cusp for years.
Otherwise, there aren't too many local kids who look ready to make the jump, that I can see.
---
Speaking of Junior, it seems like Major League Baseball came to him, not the other way around. Anthony couldn't make the Brewers fulltime because they were still looking for big boppers to go with Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun, while discounting whether any runners would be on base ahead of them. So bringing Gwynn to San Diego where his speed and ability to draw walks and make contact will be huge assets at the top of the batting order -- along with his defense on the field -- made sense.
But the Brewers, while moderately successful, in recent years, are playing yesterday's game. Baseball is thankfully bringing speed, defense and contact hitting back into the fold after a 10-year-plus absense. That will only benefit Gwynn The Younger even more. And I still can't get over how much he sounds like his father.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Aztecs Flog Demons, Padres at .500
Demons are really hard to kill. Ask anyone who has an addiction or depression.
I am one of those who actually believes San Diego State athletics has been cursed over the past several decades. I've seen too many weird things here that I can't logically explain, so I guess I turn to the supernatural.
The past six months or so have shown me, however, that the Aztecs are finally throwing off the shackles. What few big-money men we have shower the university with money so the ineffectual Chuck Long can be replaced as football coach by Brady Hoke, who merely goes out and hires two of the best coordinators in recent history and convinces Brian Sipe to leave his comfortable situation to coach the QBs. The women's basketball program goes worst to first in three years in the MWC and wins an NCAA Tournament game on its home floor.
The men's basketball team missed the Big Dance as part of the major conference takeover of the once thrilling event -- like I say, demons are hard to kill, but cruises to Madison Square Garden for the NIT Final Four and hosts one of the most exciting sporting events in the history of the city. The softball team goes to the NCAA regionals as an at-large participant, continuing a string of recent success.
Now, the baseball team has just been chosen to play in the NCAA regionals for the first time since 1991, an obscene drought considering the talent this area produces. The demons might have clung harder to the baseball program than anything, because there are some SDSU teams over those years that appeared to be good enough, but always fell short.
Even this year, the breaking of the drought was uncertain. The Aztecs were ranked for several weeks at one point, but went through a mid-season slump that knocked them all the way to a fourth place finish in the MWC. Then they reached the conference tournament, caught some breaks to reach the final without a loss and only had to beat sixth-seeded Utah once, and couldn't come through. It was the Utes who were hot at the right time.
With the demons hanging by a fingernail, the Aztecs woke up on Memorial Day unsure of whether they'd make the regionals even though their roster included the nation's best starting pitcher in Stephen Strasburg, the nation's best closer in Addison Reed, some good young position players and Hall of Fame manager Tony Gwynn. Thankfully, the NCAA selection committee -- no doubt with some convincing from ESPN -- gave the Aztecs one more chance and placed them in the regional at UC-Irvine beginning Friday. The Aztecs are seeded third of four teams and will play Virginia. The nationally top-ranked hosts will play defending champion Fresno State in the other game.
The demons have been flogged, stomped on and nearly put out of existence. Maybe that SDSU was put in by far the toughest of all the regionals shows some bad karma is still out there. If SDSU can put forth a good showing, the demon might finally be dead.
---
I never figured this Padres team, really with few changes, would get back to .500 so quickly. It's amazing. The biggest turnaround has come from the starting pitching and the bullpen, both of which were getting ripped during the long road trips that marked the season's first two months. After some good home cooking, the Padres head out onto the road at Arizona and Colorado with signs that 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff and RF Brian Giles are finally warming up at the plate. It could be an interesting week.
I am one of those who actually believes San Diego State athletics has been cursed over the past several decades. I've seen too many weird things here that I can't logically explain, so I guess I turn to the supernatural.
The past six months or so have shown me, however, that the Aztecs are finally throwing off the shackles. What few big-money men we have shower the university with money so the ineffectual Chuck Long can be replaced as football coach by Brady Hoke, who merely goes out and hires two of the best coordinators in recent history and convinces Brian Sipe to leave his comfortable situation to coach the QBs. The women's basketball program goes worst to first in three years in the MWC and wins an NCAA Tournament game on its home floor.
The men's basketball team missed the Big Dance as part of the major conference takeover of the once thrilling event -- like I say, demons are hard to kill, but cruises to Madison Square Garden for the NIT Final Four and hosts one of the most exciting sporting events in the history of the city. The softball team goes to the NCAA regionals as an at-large participant, continuing a string of recent success.
Now, the baseball team has just been chosen to play in the NCAA regionals for the first time since 1991, an obscene drought considering the talent this area produces. The demons might have clung harder to the baseball program than anything, because there are some SDSU teams over those years that appeared to be good enough, but always fell short.
Even this year, the breaking of the drought was uncertain. The Aztecs were ranked for several weeks at one point, but went through a mid-season slump that knocked them all the way to a fourth place finish in the MWC. Then they reached the conference tournament, caught some breaks to reach the final without a loss and only had to beat sixth-seeded Utah once, and couldn't come through. It was the Utes who were hot at the right time.
With the demons hanging by a fingernail, the Aztecs woke up on Memorial Day unsure of whether they'd make the regionals even though their roster included the nation's best starting pitcher in Stephen Strasburg, the nation's best closer in Addison Reed, some good young position players and Hall of Fame manager Tony Gwynn. Thankfully, the NCAA selection committee -- no doubt with some convincing from ESPN -- gave the Aztecs one more chance and placed them in the regional at UC-Irvine beginning Friday. The Aztecs are seeded third of four teams and will play Virginia. The nationally top-ranked hosts will play defending champion Fresno State in the other game.
The demons have been flogged, stomped on and nearly put out of existence. Maybe that SDSU was put in by far the toughest of all the regionals shows some bad karma is still out there. If SDSU can put forth a good showing, the demon might finally be dead.
---
I never figured this Padres team, really with few changes, would get back to .500 so quickly. It's amazing. The biggest turnaround has come from the starting pitching and the bullpen, both of which were getting ripped during the long road trips that marked the season's first two months. After some good home cooking, the Padres head out onto the road at Arizona and Colorado with signs that 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff and RF Brian Giles are finally warming up at the plate. It could be an interesting week.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Someone Finally Gets it With Stadium Plan
Entering the far turn with the lead in the race to develop a new football stadium in San Diego, Perry Dealy. And if that's not a brilliant last name for the kind of person needed to kick-start such a development in this town, nothing is.
Dealy is thinking big, which strikes me as being the right way to go if we're ever going to get a new facility for the Chargers, Aztecs, and Holiday and Poinsettia bowls. As a former president of Manchester Development, I'm sure this man is quite capable of thinking big.
His plan includes gobs of office space, hotel rooms and commercial development to go along with a stadium. I'm not sure about the office space, I think the vacancy rate in this town is rather high no matter what the economy is doing, but I always thought if the stadium was combined with a major retail and entertainment center, along with hotels and residential units, then this project could get off the ground.
The Chargers original proposal included a lot of those points, but it came at a time when the city of San Diego was incapable of making any moves. With the down economy, the city will not be able to play ball for at least another year, the better for Dealy to fine-tune his plans. But go big. There will be people who will be repulsed by the idea of a massive project but, in my mind, the bigger the plans the more capacity you can build into it to mitigate some issues, such as traffic. And, yes, the project needs to include a significant amount of public parkland.
My idea of a mitigant: I think The Q is kind of ugly plopped right there in the middle of Mission Valley. In a major redevelopment, you can build the stadium first (I envision the trolley line going through the stands where people can see it and riders can momentarily experience whatever event is taking place) and then surround the stadium with more attractive residential and hotel buildings -- not nearby, but lining the outside of the actual stadium building.
I know it's counter-intuitive to think big in this economy and against some of the opposition a stadium project has already encountered, but in this case, bigger might truly be better.
---
Next day update: both the mayor's office and Chargers have come out against the plan, basically citing an unworkable density. The devil is in the details, of course, and I'm sure there's specifics in Dealy's plan I wouldn't support myself. However, Dealy might have provided a road map out of the current stalemate in regards to a new stadium. If the mayor's office and Chargers can think big, they might get a project rolling.
Dealy is thinking big, which strikes me as being the right way to go if we're ever going to get a new facility for the Chargers, Aztecs, and Holiday and Poinsettia bowls. As a former president of Manchester Development, I'm sure this man is quite capable of thinking big.
His plan includes gobs of office space, hotel rooms and commercial development to go along with a stadium. I'm not sure about the office space, I think the vacancy rate in this town is rather high no matter what the economy is doing, but I always thought if the stadium was combined with a major retail and entertainment center, along with hotels and residential units, then this project could get off the ground.
The Chargers original proposal included a lot of those points, but it came at a time when the city of San Diego was incapable of making any moves. With the down economy, the city will not be able to play ball for at least another year, the better for Dealy to fine-tune his plans. But go big. There will be people who will be repulsed by the idea of a massive project but, in my mind, the bigger the plans the more capacity you can build into it to mitigate some issues, such as traffic. And, yes, the project needs to include a significant amount of public parkland.
My idea of a mitigant: I think The Q is kind of ugly plopped right there in the middle of Mission Valley. In a major redevelopment, you can build the stadium first (I envision the trolley line going through the stands where people can see it and riders can momentarily experience whatever event is taking place) and then surround the stadium with more attractive residential and hotel buildings -- not nearby, but lining the outside of the actual stadium building.
I know it's counter-intuitive to think big in this economy and against some of the opposition a stadium project has already encountered, but in this case, bigger might truly be better.
---
Next day update: both the mayor's office and Chargers have come out against the plan, basically citing an unworkable density. The devil is in the details, of course, and I'm sure there's specifics in Dealy's plan I wouldn't support myself. However, Dealy might have provided a road map out of the current stalemate in regards to a new stadium. If the mayor's office and Chargers can think big, they might get a project rolling.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Padres Judgment Week Unimpressive
So in my last post I decided it was best to hold off on the doom and gloom surrounding the Padres, because the National League West other than the Dodgers didn't seem too lively. I was half-right. The division indeed stinks, as evidenced by the Friars at least splitting in its homestand with the Rockies and Diamondbacks. However, they then went to Houston and were swept in three by the Astros.
In the week in which I suggested the Padres could reasonably be judged, they won two games and lost five.
That's not good. Sure, they might compete for third place in the division -- San Francisco appears to have the best pitching outside LA -- but they'll be 20 games under .500 as they go.
My biggest problem with this team right now is the lack of hitting. We all knew they wouldn't be able to pitch, having just two quality starters and a bullpen thrown together at the last minute. That part was obvious. But even though the lineup looked pretty good in April, this team just doesn't hit well at all, especially with Brian Giles and Kevin Kouzmanoff off to such slow starts.
What do I do if I'm Jeff Moorad and seeing 2009 getting away from me? Two words: youth movement.
The worst part of the Padres struggle is we're not watching a bunch of kids trying to get used to major league ball and jelling with each other. This is a hodge-podge team of some veterans, some youngsters and far too many journeymen brought in to plug gaps. There are few people like Chase Headley to give us hope for coming seasons. That has to change right now.
1. As bad as P Josh Geer was Sunday, he has to stay in the rotation to give him the experience he needs so he can be more consistant. Heck, he was pretty good in his previous outing. That's youth for you.
2. I give Kyle Blanks a week of left field at AAA Portland and then promote him. Headley and Kouz then platoon at third base until one of them really claims the position. Blanks is hitting .290 with 7 HR and 20 RBI.
3. Promote P Mike Ekstrom, a reliever who has had a fabulous start to the season in Portland.
4. Assuming the front office doesn't know anything I don't, I think you have to give Giles until June to straighten things out at the plate. He's too experienced to not figure it out if still capable. If the front office does know something I don't, then make the move now.
5. Set up a frequent flyers account with Alaska Airlines. While Blanks and Ekstrom appear to be the only Beavers right now ready to come up, there are others down there who are on the radar screen and need to be promoted as soon as it makes sense. Some names: pitchers Josh Banks, Wade LeBlanc and Cesar Ramos; and outfielders Emil Brown, Will Venable and Chad Huffman. Banks and Brown have big league experience and Huffman is considered a top prospect who is new to AAA and might not be ready until August.
---
Trade update: as poorly as P Luke Gregerson has worked out for the Padres, SS Khalil Greene is at .235 with just 2 HR and 11 RBI, though he seems to have cut down a little on his strikeouts. He also missed time with a sore arm.
---
Baseball's fickle fortunes are well on display all over San Diego, where north of Petco Park, the USD Toreros are just 28-25 after losing two of three games at home to San Francisco this past weekend. They will not participate in the WCC Tournament championship series, which will be between Gonzaga and Loyola-Marymount.
The Toreros led the league in team batting, slugging percentage and a bunch of other offensive statistics, but were undone by a pitching staff with an ERA over 5.00 and gave up more walks than all but one team. They also had the league's worst fielding percentage.
After scrapping so hard to get his once-bare bones program into the NCAA Regionals on a regular basis, I bet Coach Rich Hill is re-energized by this setback of a season and will get back to rebuilding right away. The Toreros finish at top-ranked UC Irvine Tuesday, so figure Hill to be ready for the job ahead first thing Wednesday.
In the week in which I suggested the Padres could reasonably be judged, they won two games and lost five.
That's not good. Sure, they might compete for third place in the division -- San Francisco appears to have the best pitching outside LA -- but they'll be 20 games under .500 as they go.
My biggest problem with this team right now is the lack of hitting. We all knew they wouldn't be able to pitch, having just two quality starters and a bullpen thrown together at the last minute. That part was obvious. But even though the lineup looked pretty good in April, this team just doesn't hit well at all, especially with Brian Giles and Kevin Kouzmanoff off to such slow starts.
What do I do if I'm Jeff Moorad and seeing 2009 getting away from me? Two words: youth movement.
The worst part of the Padres struggle is we're not watching a bunch of kids trying to get used to major league ball and jelling with each other. This is a hodge-podge team of some veterans, some youngsters and far too many journeymen brought in to plug gaps. There are few people like Chase Headley to give us hope for coming seasons. That has to change right now.
1. As bad as P Josh Geer was Sunday, he has to stay in the rotation to give him the experience he needs so he can be more consistant. Heck, he was pretty good in his previous outing. That's youth for you.
2. I give Kyle Blanks a week of left field at AAA Portland and then promote him. Headley and Kouz then platoon at third base until one of them really claims the position. Blanks is hitting .290 with 7 HR and 20 RBI.
3. Promote P Mike Ekstrom, a reliever who has had a fabulous start to the season in Portland.
4. Assuming the front office doesn't know anything I don't, I think you have to give Giles until June to straighten things out at the plate. He's too experienced to not figure it out if still capable. If the front office does know something I don't, then make the move now.
5. Set up a frequent flyers account with Alaska Airlines. While Blanks and Ekstrom appear to be the only Beavers right now ready to come up, there are others down there who are on the radar screen and need to be promoted as soon as it makes sense. Some names: pitchers Josh Banks, Wade LeBlanc and Cesar Ramos; and outfielders Emil Brown, Will Venable and Chad Huffman. Banks and Brown have big league experience and Huffman is considered a top prospect who is new to AAA and might not be ready until August.
---
Trade update: as poorly as P Luke Gregerson has worked out for the Padres, SS Khalil Greene is at .235 with just 2 HR and 11 RBI, though he seems to have cut down a little on his strikeouts. He also missed time with a sore arm.
---
Baseball's fickle fortunes are well on display all over San Diego, where north of Petco Park, the USD Toreros are just 28-25 after losing two of three games at home to San Francisco this past weekend. They will not participate in the WCC Tournament championship series, which will be between Gonzaga and Loyola-Marymount.
The Toreros led the league in team batting, slugging percentage and a bunch of other offensive statistics, but were undone by a pitching staff with an ERA over 5.00 and gave up more walks than all but one team. They also had the league's worst fielding percentage.
After scrapping so hard to get his once-bare bones program into the NCAA Regionals on a regular basis, I bet Coach Rich Hill is re-energized by this setback of a season and will get back to rebuilding right away. The Toreros finish at top-ranked UC Irvine Tuesday, so figure Hill to be ready for the job ahead first thing Wednesday.
Monday, May 04, 2009
Padres Relative Standing Remains Unclear
By the tone of newspaper columns the past couple days, you'd think the Padres season was over right now, here in the first full week of May. There's some truth to what's written. The Dodgers are clearly better and, unless injuries happen, will likely win the National League West by a comfortable margin. If that's all you care about, strictly winning the division, then it's time to put up those remaining Padres tickets on Stub Hub.
However, if you're still interested in exciting major league baseball, stay tuned. While LA is the class of the division, I don't at this point see much difference between the Friars and Arizona, Colorado or San Francisco. We will learn more this week as the locals host the Rockies and Diamondbacks for a pair of games each. If they're swept, I'll be back with other ideas of how to spend the summer, like kayaking on Mission Bay, taking the canines to Dog Beach or saving up some extra dollars to bet on the horses in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. I'm betting that the Padres will at least split, particularly since pitchers Jake Peavy and Chris Young will get a shot at the Snakes.
While no one likes to suffer a four-game sweep, especially in LA -- where tweaking the early-leaving "fans" is a sport in itself --the fact remains that the Dodgers are off to a hot start, which says little about the way the Padres are playing even when it generates angry newspaper columns. When you run into good pitching and what turned out to be very strong unDodger-like defense, you're going to look bad. It's just how it is.
So let's move on to some other division opponents and host the apparently really bad Astros for the weekend and then we'll have a much better idea of how things are going to be this year.
For me, nothing has changed since my preseason assessment of the team. There's Peavy and Young and nothing else in the starting rotation and the bullpen beyond Heath Bell and Cla Meredith is a mess. Manager Buddy Black is desperate for RF Brian Giles to begin hitting.
My eyes, and I think yours, too, are on 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff and CF Jody Gerut. Kouz we know is a slow starter but usually warms up in May. If he still has only a couple home runs and a small number of RBIs at the end of the month, you might start looking at him as a bust. Right now, the only thing keeping him in the lineup is his surprisingly strong defense. If he remains cold, he might be traded for a pitcher, which would bring Chase Headley in from left and result in the promotion of slugger Kyle Banks from Portland, whose been practicing in the outfield. Gerut, mainly because of injuries, has never been a regular before, so he doesn't have Kouzmanoff's track record. Everyone thought after 2008 how nice it would be if he only had a chance. The shot he's getting might not be a long one.
The bottom-line is, sure, the Padres are on a bad streak right now but it was exacerbated by four road games against a strong team, and they've had a hot streak as well when they played good ball and were interesting to watch. I think we all know where the truth really sits, but if they can at least get back to the "interesting to watch" mode, the season will in no way be a total loss.
However, if you're still interested in exciting major league baseball, stay tuned. While LA is the class of the division, I don't at this point see much difference between the Friars and Arizona, Colorado or San Francisco. We will learn more this week as the locals host the Rockies and Diamondbacks for a pair of games each. If they're swept, I'll be back with other ideas of how to spend the summer, like kayaking on Mission Bay, taking the canines to Dog Beach or saving up some extra dollars to bet on the horses in the Pacific Classic at Del Mar. I'm betting that the Padres will at least split, particularly since pitchers Jake Peavy and Chris Young will get a shot at the Snakes.
While no one likes to suffer a four-game sweep, especially in LA -- where tweaking the early-leaving "fans" is a sport in itself --the fact remains that the Dodgers are off to a hot start, which says little about the way the Padres are playing even when it generates angry newspaper columns. When you run into good pitching and what turned out to be very strong unDodger-like defense, you're going to look bad. It's just how it is.
So let's move on to some other division opponents and host the apparently really bad Astros for the weekend and then we'll have a much better idea of how things are going to be this year.
For me, nothing has changed since my preseason assessment of the team. There's Peavy and Young and nothing else in the starting rotation and the bullpen beyond Heath Bell and Cla Meredith is a mess. Manager Buddy Black is desperate for RF Brian Giles to begin hitting.
My eyes, and I think yours, too, are on 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff and CF Jody Gerut. Kouz we know is a slow starter but usually warms up in May. If he still has only a couple home runs and a small number of RBIs at the end of the month, you might start looking at him as a bust. Right now, the only thing keeping him in the lineup is his surprisingly strong defense. If he remains cold, he might be traded for a pitcher, which would bring Chase Headley in from left and result in the promotion of slugger Kyle Banks from Portland, whose been practicing in the outfield. Gerut, mainly because of injuries, has never been a regular before, so he doesn't have Kouzmanoff's track record. Everyone thought after 2008 how nice it would be if he only had a chance. The shot he's getting might not be a long one.
The bottom-line is, sure, the Padres are on a bad streak right now but it was exacerbated by four road games against a strong team, and they've had a hot streak as well when they played good ball and were interesting to watch. I think we all know where the truth really sits, but if they can at least get back to the "interesting to watch" mode, the season will in no way be a total loss.
Saturday, April 25, 2009
Chargers Draft
I really don't understand the choice of Northern Illinois' Larry English with the first round pick. Some have him listed as a pass rushing DE, which is good, but he's pretty small for a 3-4 DE at 254 pounds, so he's going to just be a situational guy. You don't take situational guys with your top pick.
ESPN had him figured as an OLB, which makes more sense on his weight. If true, that tells you much about how the Chargers view the potential recovery of Shawne Merriman and their view of Shaun Phillips 2008 performance.
On the other hand, I'm not so sold on anyone drafted behind English that I'll jump off a ledge. I hope the offensive line gets addressed on Sunday.
ESPN had him figured as an OLB, which makes more sense on his weight. If true, that tells you much about how the Chargers view the potential recovery of Shawne Merriman and their view of Shaun Phillips 2008 performance.
On the other hand, I'm not so sold on anyone drafted behind English that I'll jump off a ledge. I hope the offensive line gets addressed on Sunday.
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Chargers Lines Cry for Help, Sordid Hoops
If you've read my Chargers comments in the past, you know the drill. I think the Bolts need improvement on the offensive line. GM AJ Smith doesn't seem to hold that unit with the highest of priorities, ever. In this particular year, the defensive line appears to need help, too.
So, when the Chargers pick 16th in the first round of Saturday's draft -- barring trade -- should they go for an offensive lineman? Maybe. Those halfway-through-the-round selections are tough. In good, deep drafts, there's game-changing talent still available. However, by the time your selection comes, you've just about run out of the impact guys. It's highly unlikely the remaining potential superstars are going to be in your area of need. So I say take the game-changer.
From there, however, there's no question that the lines need help. More so than a ball-carrier to groom as LT's replacement, more so than inside linebacker and more so than safety. The Chargers currently have nothing at right guard, very little at tackle and while Nick Hardwick is popular at center, even he can be improved upon. The draft gurus who talk tackle always focus on left tackles who protect a passer's blind side. I'm willing to try Marcus McNeill another year. They need a solid blocker on the right side of the offensive line more than anything.
The defensive line is a problem across the board. Jamal Williams is getting old, Luis Castillo was revealed to be pretty average last season and Ryon Bingham is a career backup. This is a group that's going to get flattened in 2009.
Despite brilliant skill talent, the Chargers have are trying to support them with mediocrity. No matter what happens in the first round of the 2009 draft, upgrades are necessary up front or the Bolts will not reach .500 this fall.
---
The seamy underside of basketball was never demonstrated so well as the story of San Diego High School basketball star Jeremy Tyler leaving for Europe to play his senior season before entering the NBA draft. By doing so, he will void his scholarship to Louisville and be ineligible to play college basketball.
Tyler is quoted as saying he won't get any better playing for a team without a coach and against San Diego County hoops "talent" that is regressing to traditional levels. Both points are valid and are good reasons to either return home to Eastlake HS where he should have stayed in the first place, or move to either LA to battle the superior talent or somewhere in Kentucky where he'll be close to what might have been his future coach.
The trouble is Tyler bit from the apple several years ago, when he ditched Eastlake for San Diego High's brighter lights. I'm sure he had no idea, certainly no intention, of the trouble that joined him, but his initial transfer set in motion the reasons why he can't simply move to another school now. Any change now would be for pure basketball reasons, which are against the same rules that made three other SDHS transfers ineligible. If none of that happened, he could have quietly transferred this year and none would be the wiser.
It's a shame. I hope Tyler makes it in the NBA and gets his millions. He appears to come from a solid family. Unfortunately, he's learning some awful lessons along the way -- courtesy of supposed grown-ups -- which won't help him become a mature adult. If there's anything the game of basketball needs right now, at any level, its a mature adult.
So, when the Chargers pick 16th in the first round of Saturday's draft -- barring trade -- should they go for an offensive lineman? Maybe. Those halfway-through-the-round selections are tough. In good, deep drafts, there's game-changing talent still available. However, by the time your selection comes, you've just about run out of the impact guys. It's highly unlikely the remaining potential superstars are going to be in your area of need. So I say take the game-changer.
From there, however, there's no question that the lines need help. More so than a ball-carrier to groom as LT's replacement, more so than inside linebacker and more so than safety. The Chargers currently have nothing at right guard, very little at tackle and while Nick Hardwick is popular at center, even he can be improved upon. The draft gurus who talk tackle always focus on left tackles who protect a passer's blind side. I'm willing to try Marcus McNeill another year. They need a solid blocker on the right side of the offensive line more than anything.
The defensive line is a problem across the board. Jamal Williams is getting old, Luis Castillo was revealed to be pretty average last season and Ryon Bingham is a career backup. This is a group that's going to get flattened in 2009.
Despite brilliant skill talent, the Chargers have are trying to support them with mediocrity. No matter what happens in the first round of the 2009 draft, upgrades are necessary up front or the Bolts will not reach .500 this fall.
---
The seamy underside of basketball was never demonstrated so well as the story of San Diego High School basketball star Jeremy Tyler leaving for Europe to play his senior season before entering the NBA draft. By doing so, he will void his scholarship to Louisville and be ineligible to play college basketball.
Tyler is quoted as saying he won't get any better playing for a team without a coach and against San Diego County hoops "talent" that is regressing to traditional levels. Both points are valid and are good reasons to either return home to Eastlake HS where he should have stayed in the first place, or move to either LA to battle the superior talent or somewhere in Kentucky where he'll be close to what might have been his future coach.
The trouble is Tyler bit from the apple several years ago, when he ditched Eastlake for San Diego High's brighter lights. I'm sure he had no idea, certainly no intention, of the trouble that joined him, but his initial transfer set in motion the reasons why he can't simply move to another school now. Any change now would be for pure basketball reasons, which are against the same rules that made three other SDHS transfers ineligible. If none of that happened, he could have quietly transferred this year and none would be the wiser.
It's a shame. I hope Tyler makes it in the NBA and gets his millions. He appears to come from a solid family. Unfortunately, he's learning some awful lessons along the way -- courtesy of supposed grown-ups -- which won't help him become a mature adult. If there's anything the game of basketball needs right now, at any level, its a mature adult.
Friday, April 03, 2009
Moorad's Tasks for Padres; Aztecs Hoops
Here are what I see as the primary tasks for new Padres CEO Jeff Moorad, who took over for Sandy Alderson during spring training and eventually will become the majority owner.
1. Improving relations with fans. Since Petco Park opened in 2004, attendance at Padres games has dwindled. The first couple years after, it was by just a thousand or two per game. Last year, the drop from 2007 was 4,500 fans per game. A total reduction of around 7,500 fans from that inaugural season. More ominously, the Padres went from well above average National League attendance to well below.
The case should not be overstated. The 2.4 million total draw in 2008 was higher than all but two seasons at the various incarnations of Qualcomm Stadium. Still, the Friars had something going there for a few seasons and they're in the process of losing it.
An open and honest dialogue between Moorad and the fans, something that, fairly or unfairly, they didn't perceive they were getting from his predecessor, would be very helpful here.
2. Making baseball decisions based on baseball, not the bank account or over-reliance on computer analysis. No one is saying blow the checkbook or ignore the stats, but there's gotta be a happy medium. Our first hint of how this works out will likely come in the June amateur draft, unless a major early-season trade is made at the big-league level.
3. Lower the ticket and concession prices. I have no problem with field level seats being $30 a game and up to $57. What I have a problem with is upper reserved at $14. Those $9 bleacher seats they advertise are never actually available, in my experience. The cheap seats have got to be truly inexpensive and they're not. I have also lost my interest in the Park in the Park, where you just simply can't see the darn game. If you want to spend your evening in an interesting atmosphere, fine, but you're not going to watch a game. I do think they've made headway on concessions, in which there's a plan to get a hot dog, snacks and soft drink for $5.
If he does those things and re-establishes a solid working relationship with the players, in order to prevent future Trevor Hoffman fiascos, then he'll do well here.
---
Here we are the Friday before the season and the starting pitching situation has not improved a bit. It shows how bad things are with the pitching staff that the powers-that-be thought the bullpen was an even bigger priority. Now even the Peavy-Young duo is uncertain because Peavy trade rumors have resurfaced -- though I doubt them -- and Young was lit up like a stogie in Arizona last month.
Opposed to last year, I like the Padres in the field and their lineup in 2009. They might turn out to have the worst sea-level pitching staff since the Astros posted a 5.42 team ERA in 2000. The Astros, of course, play in the hitter-friendly confines then known as Enron Field. The Padres, in hitter-adverse Petco Park, will have a similar ERA hearing into June and will be well under.500.
Perhaps that's when we'll see what we have in our new CEO/future owner.
---
It was a shame that San Diego State's men's basketball team had to play Baylor in a semifinal of the NIT instead of the title game because the Bears, as expected, presented the sort of matchup that gave the Aztecs problems all season long. Still, it was an excellent season and you can't sneeze at a school-record for wins and a deep post-season tournament run.
As sad as it was for the season to conclude a game early, the arrival of the offseason is not the worst thing in the world, for the next seven basketball-free months should be very interesting.
First, there are a lot of key players leaving and a lot of top recruits taking over. Some services rate the class coming in this fall as the 15th best in the nation. I'm sure that's over-rating the case, but even if it is they're well-regarded. A good thing. How it all shakes out, who takes what role, who garners the playing time and who becomes the star, are all interesting questions.
Plus, Coach Steve Fisher and his staff will have two scholarships available for the next recruiting class, if my figuring is accurate, maybe three since kids on the lower rungs of the roster tend to transfer or quit to concentrate on academics. Can these coaches capitalize on success and the excitement of the Saint Mary's game to take their already very good recruiting even a notch higher? Some folks said that potential recruits were in Cox for the NIT quarterfinal. If those kids liked the atmosphere, maybe they come.
There's two clear areas of personnel improvement for SDSU that make the difference between the good program they are now and the very good or great teams from the BCS conferences. They don't have size at center. In the years they did have size, the players weren't terribly good. Can Fisher now bring in serious quality for the post? Size is also the issue at guard. The Aztecs are simply too short and skinny. Physical guards like Baylor's have been the primary reasons why SDSU struggles with power conference teams even as they beat nearly everyone else. The guards coming in this fall are only a little bigger than what they've had previously. If Fisher can just get someone with Richie Williams' talent in someone with Matt Thomas' body size, then the Aztecs program would be on the cusp of the Sweet 16.
Imagine that. Then people will hardly remember that quaint little run in the NIT.
1. Improving relations with fans. Since Petco Park opened in 2004, attendance at Padres games has dwindled. The first couple years after, it was by just a thousand or two per game. Last year, the drop from 2007 was 4,500 fans per game. A total reduction of around 7,500 fans from that inaugural season. More ominously, the Padres went from well above average National League attendance to well below.
The case should not be overstated. The 2.4 million total draw in 2008 was higher than all but two seasons at the various incarnations of Qualcomm Stadium. Still, the Friars had something going there for a few seasons and they're in the process of losing it.
An open and honest dialogue between Moorad and the fans, something that, fairly or unfairly, they didn't perceive they were getting from his predecessor, would be very helpful here.
2. Making baseball decisions based on baseball, not the bank account or over-reliance on computer analysis. No one is saying blow the checkbook or ignore the stats, but there's gotta be a happy medium. Our first hint of how this works out will likely come in the June amateur draft, unless a major early-season trade is made at the big-league level.
3. Lower the ticket and concession prices. I have no problem with field level seats being $30 a game and up to $57. What I have a problem with is upper reserved at $14. Those $9 bleacher seats they advertise are never actually available, in my experience. The cheap seats have got to be truly inexpensive and they're not. I have also lost my interest in the Park in the Park, where you just simply can't see the darn game. If you want to spend your evening in an interesting atmosphere, fine, but you're not going to watch a game. I do think they've made headway on concessions, in which there's a plan to get a hot dog, snacks and soft drink for $5.
If he does those things and re-establishes a solid working relationship with the players, in order to prevent future Trevor Hoffman fiascos, then he'll do well here.
---
Here we are the Friday before the season and the starting pitching situation has not improved a bit. It shows how bad things are with the pitching staff that the powers-that-be thought the bullpen was an even bigger priority. Now even the Peavy-Young duo is uncertain because Peavy trade rumors have resurfaced -- though I doubt them -- and Young was lit up like a stogie in Arizona last month.
Opposed to last year, I like the Padres in the field and their lineup in 2009. They might turn out to have the worst sea-level pitching staff since the Astros posted a 5.42 team ERA in 2000. The Astros, of course, play in the hitter-friendly confines then known as Enron Field. The Padres, in hitter-adverse Petco Park, will have a similar ERA hearing into June and will be well under.500.
Perhaps that's when we'll see what we have in our new CEO/future owner.
---
It was a shame that San Diego State's men's basketball team had to play Baylor in a semifinal of the NIT instead of the title game because the Bears, as expected, presented the sort of matchup that gave the Aztecs problems all season long. Still, it was an excellent season and you can't sneeze at a school-record for wins and a deep post-season tournament run.
As sad as it was for the season to conclude a game early, the arrival of the offseason is not the worst thing in the world, for the next seven basketball-free months should be very interesting.
First, there are a lot of key players leaving and a lot of top recruits taking over. Some services rate the class coming in this fall as the 15th best in the nation. I'm sure that's over-rating the case, but even if it is they're well-regarded. A good thing. How it all shakes out, who takes what role, who garners the playing time and who becomes the star, are all interesting questions.
Plus, Coach Steve Fisher and his staff will have two scholarships available for the next recruiting class, if my figuring is accurate, maybe three since kids on the lower rungs of the roster tend to transfer or quit to concentrate on academics. Can these coaches capitalize on success and the excitement of the Saint Mary's game to take their already very good recruiting even a notch higher? Some folks said that potential recruits were in Cox for the NIT quarterfinal. If those kids liked the atmosphere, maybe they come.
There's two clear areas of personnel improvement for SDSU that make the difference between the good program they are now and the very good or great teams from the BCS conferences. They don't have size at center. In the years they did have size, the players weren't terribly good. Can Fisher now bring in serious quality for the post? Size is also the issue at guard. The Aztecs are simply too short and skinny. Physical guards like Baylor's have been the primary reasons why SDSU struggles with power conference teams even as they beat nearly everyone else. The guards coming in this fall are only a little bigger than what they've had previously. If Fisher can just get someone with Richie Williams' talent in someone with Matt Thomas' body size, then the Aztecs program would be on the cusp of the Sweet 16.
Imagine that. Then people will hardly remember that quaint little run in the NIT.
Friday, March 27, 2009
Aztecs NIT Win Scatters Demons
Some who were there will tell you that Wednesday night's San Diego State men's basketball 70-66 victory over Saint Mary's in the NIT quarterfinals was the greatest Aztecs sports event they've ever experienced. They're almost right, but there's more.
What we witnessed was an exorcism. This was 12,000 screaming fans who sent packing whatever demons have been infecting the school's athletic programs over the last couple of decades.
I don't need to rehash the litany of disasters SDSU fans have experienced just as it appeared their team was about to scale the precipice. And it would take away from our good feelings. We know about them all too well.
The game Wednesday night was a tangible sign that SDSU is turning the corner, something we've been so close to for so long -- not just in men's basketball but other sports.
It's my position that 2009 is the dawn of a new era for athletics at San Diego State University. You can really sense things changing and people around town are slowly but surely figuring it out. The past two days at my work, a place where few folks attended or even noticed SDSU, people have been talking about the game.
But back to the new aura at SDSU. Consider that the women's hoops team both hosted the NCAA Tournament and won a game, just three years after going winless in conference play, and all the key players return next year. Water polo is ranked fifth in the nation. The best college baseball pitcher in the past decade is hurling for SDSU as I write. Softball is still good.
Then there's football. I really think this is where everything started to turn around. Following last fall's 2-10 disaster, what big-money boosters we have stepped forward with a whopping million bucks to buy out coach Chuck Long. That people are willing to fork over serious money during the worst economy in years to get rid of someone is telling.
Somehow, be it fate suddenly turned kind or what, we ended up with Ball State's Brady Hoke taking the reigns. Hoke knows how to turn around bad programs with no resources. This program, despite the 2008 record, is not in horrible shape overall and SDSU has a lot of resources. That potential exists here, along with obvious respect for the new coach, attracted Al Borges and Rocky Long to the mesa. They're merely two of the best coordinators in college football over the past two decades. Adding an NFL legend in Brian Sipe to the staff and bringing in a very solid recruiting class considering the time available only made things look better.
Hoke started the turnaround the moment he was introduced at his press conference. With a commanding "Good afternoon" and his expectation of a response from the gathered media, he woke people up very quickly. Whoa! This guy is different! Things are going to be different in Aztecland with him around. And they have been -- ever since.
I have no idea if coach Steve Fisher's men's basketball Aztecs will defeat Baylor Tuesday at the NIT semifinals in New York. The Bears have beaten some pretty good teams and their midseason slump was courtesy of some very good opponents. Plus, with good perimeter shooters and a 7-footer inside, they present the matchup combination (think Utah and BYU) that has caused them some trouble this year.
If the Aztecs lose, it doesn't matter, because they were playing in Madison Square Garden at a time when only seven other basketball teams are still alive.
In those troubling past couple of decades, they wouldn't have made it this far. They'd have approached the summit, against a great Saint Mary's team, and fallen short. That the Gaels gave the Aztecs all they wanted and the home team still prevailed as the fans went bananas, is further evidence that times are finally changing for the better.
What we witnessed was an exorcism. This was 12,000 screaming fans who sent packing whatever demons have been infecting the school's athletic programs over the last couple of decades.
I don't need to rehash the litany of disasters SDSU fans have experienced just as it appeared their team was about to scale the precipice. And it would take away from our good feelings. We know about them all too well.
The game Wednesday night was a tangible sign that SDSU is turning the corner, something we've been so close to for so long -- not just in men's basketball but other sports.
It's my position that 2009 is the dawn of a new era for athletics at San Diego State University. You can really sense things changing and people around town are slowly but surely figuring it out. The past two days at my work, a place where few folks attended or even noticed SDSU, people have been talking about the game.
But back to the new aura at SDSU. Consider that the women's hoops team both hosted the NCAA Tournament and won a game, just three years after going winless in conference play, and all the key players return next year. Water polo is ranked fifth in the nation. The best college baseball pitcher in the past decade is hurling for SDSU as I write. Softball is still good.
Then there's football. I really think this is where everything started to turn around. Following last fall's 2-10 disaster, what big-money boosters we have stepped forward with a whopping million bucks to buy out coach Chuck Long. That people are willing to fork over serious money during the worst economy in years to get rid of someone is telling.
Somehow, be it fate suddenly turned kind or what, we ended up with Ball State's Brady Hoke taking the reigns. Hoke knows how to turn around bad programs with no resources. This program, despite the 2008 record, is not in horrible shape overall and SDSU has a lot of resources. That potential exists here, along with obvious respect for the new coach, attracted Al Borges and Rocky Long to the mesa. They're merely two of the best coordinators in college football over the past two decades. Adding an NFL legend in Brian Sipe to the staff and bringing in a very solid recruiting class considering the time available only made things look better.
Hoke started the turnaround the moment he was introduced at his press conference. With a commanding "Good afternoon" and his expectation of a response from the gathered media, he woke people up very quickly. Whoa! This guy is different! Things are going to be different in Aztecland with him around. And they have been -- ever since.
I have no idea if coach Steve Fisher's men's basketball Aztecs will defeat Baylor Tuesday at the NIT semifinals in New York. The Bears have beaten some pretty good teams and their midseason slump was courtesy of some very good opponents. Plus, with good perimeter shooters and a 7-footer inside, they present the matchup combination (think Utah and BYU) that has caused them some trouble this year.
If the Aztecs lose, it doesn't matter, because they were playing in Madison Square Garden at a time when only seven other basketball teams are still alive.
In those troubling past couple of decades, they wouldn't have made it this far. They'd have approached the summit, against a great Saint Mary's team, and fallen short. That the Gaels gave the Aztecs all they wanted and the home team still prevailed as the fans went bananas, is further evidence that times are finally changing for the better.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
March 09 Notes
Back again. I'm working on a pretty major project right now that's keeping me away from the blogs but I'm close to the point where I might start becoming a more regular poster again. We'll see.
---
Good for the Chargers, LaDainian Tomlinson and his agent to come together on a deal to stay in San Diego for three more seasons. Cooler heads prevailed. It was clear to team officials that the fans wanted LT to remain, and the player and his handlers understood his age and injury history.
It's likely that LT's best years are behind him but he could be productive for several more years yet. Now I'd like to see GM AJ Smith grab a blocker or two for him. Once again, I'm afraid a below-average offensive line is going to keep the Chargers from mounting a serious Super Bowl drive this fall.
---
In the late-1950s, fans of the then-Milwaukee Braves had a saying: "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain," in reference to high-quality starting pitchers Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain and the lack of anything behind them.
The Padres apparently go into the 2009 season with something like: "Peavy and Young and a bunch of dung." I am relatively okay -- not thrilled by any stretch -- with the lineup on the field, especially if Kevin Kouzmanoff or Chase Headley come into their own. The starting pitching depth, however, is a joke. Cha Seung Baek as a third starter is a reach, followed by whom? Wade LeBlanc? Josh Geer?
The Friars are headed for a 100-loss season.
---
Make up for it by going to San Diego State to see Stephen Strasburg. He is as dominant as a pitcher for the Aztecs as Marshall Faulk was as a football running back.
---
Concerning San Diego State, is there any remaining question that Beth Burns is the best coach on campus? She turned a women's basketball team winless in conference play to a co-champion in three seasons. What's more, the nucleus of the team is in sophomores and juniors and with more talent slated to come in, what's happening this year is merely an appetizer.
The women's season has been quite a bit more satisfying than that of the men, who at times appear to be the most talented team in a conference where the top four teams were separated by a game in the standings and the fifth, UNLV, swept tournament top-seeded BYU and hosts this week's tourney.
It's a shame how the community has failed to embrace coach Steve Fisher's Aztecs, who have won 20-games four years in a row and will go into the NCAA Tournament or NIT for the fourth straight season. However, a lot of it is their own doing, from Lorrenzo Wade's brush with the law to getting out-hustled on television in the last couple weeks of the year. The one thing this team can't do is shoot, and poor-shooting teams always look ugly no matter all the other things it does well.
The fans' reception to the Aztecs -- and I toss out last week's UNLV game because that's the one all the diehards bought tickets for months ago -- confirms my suspicion of the San Diegans will support a winner theory. No, they want a quality product that will leave them satisfied at the end that they didn't waste their hard-earned money.
I suspect the Aztecs will handle UNLV surprisingly easily in their first-round MWC contest Thursday. I think their defense has the cold Rebels so flummoxed that SDSU might run them out of their own house. But then all bets are off. The Aztecs are good enough to win the whole thing and inconsistant enough to go home early. I think they have to make the MWC final and hope small conference upsets are few -- Cleveland State's Horizon final defeat of Butler has already removed an available at-large slot -- for the Aztecs to be chosen for the NCAA field.
The women made their first splash in the MWC Tournament last year. I'd like to say the right now, on paper, they're hotter than anyone and should be favored to win it. But there's teams that owe them some payback this time around, and there's some good women's teams in the league capable of knocking them off. We'll have to hold our breath and hope for the best.
---
Love the Brady Hoke football hire. I wish I'd been available to comment on it at the time. The respect shown him by his peers is all you need to know, and the recruiting class appears phenomenal for the short time the new staff had available.
---
Good for the Chargers, LaDainian Tomlinson and his agent to come together on a deal to stay in San Diego for three more seasons. Cooler heads prevailed. It was clear to team officials that the fans wanted LT to remain, and the player and his handlers understood his age and injury history.
It's likely that LT's best years are behind him but he could be productive for several more years yet. Now I'd like to see GM AJ Smith grab a blocker or two for him. Once again, I'm afraid a below-average offensive line is going to keep the Chargers from mounting a serious Super Bowl drive this fall.
---
In the late-1950s, fans of the then-Milwaukee Braves had a saying: "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain," in reference to high-quality starting pitchers Warren Spahn and Johnny Sain and the lack of anything behind them.
The Padres apparently go into the 2009 season with something like: "Peavy and Young and a bunch of dung." I am relatively okay -- not thrilled by any stretch -- with the lineup on the field, especially if Kevin Kouzmanoff or Chase Headley come into their own. The starting pitching depth, however, is a joke. Cha Seung Baek as a third starter is a reach, followed by whom? Wade LeBlanc? Josh Geer?
The Friars are headed for a 100-loss season.
---
Make up for it by going to San Diego State to see Stephen Strasburg. He is as dominant as a pitcher for the Aztecs as Marshall Faulk was as a football running back.
---
Concerning San Diego State, is there any remaining question that Beth Burns is the best coach on campus? She turned a women's basketball team winless in conference play to a co-champion in three seasons. What's more, the nucleus of the team is in sophomores and juniors and with more talent slated to come in, what's happening this year is merely an appetizer.
The women's season has been quite a bit more satisfying than that of the men, who at times appear to be the most talented team in a conference where the top four teams were separated by a game in the standings and the fifth, UNLV, swept tournament top-seeded BYU and hosts this week's tourney.
It's a shame how the community has failed to embrace coach Steve Fisher's Aztecs, who have won 20-games four years in a row and will go into the NCAA Tournament or NIT for the fourth straight season. However, a lot of it is their own doing, from Lorrenzo Wade's brush with the law to getting out-hustled on television in the last couple weeks of the year. The one thing this team can't do is shoot, and poor-shooting teams always look ugly no matter all the other things it does well.
The fans' reception to the Aztecs -- and I toss out last week's UNLV game because that's the one all the diehards bought tickets for months ago -- confirms my suspicion of the San Diegans will support a winner theory. No, they want a quality product that will leave them satisfied at the end that they didn't waste their hard-earned money.
I suspect the Aztecs will handle UNLV surprisingly easily in their first-round MWC contest Thursday. I think their defense has the cold Rebels so flummoxed that SDSU might run them out of their own house. But then all bets are off. The Aztecs are good enough to win the whole thing and inconsistant enough to go home early. I think they have to make the MWC final and hope small conference upsets are few -- Cleveland State's Horizon final defeat of Butler has already removed an available at-large slot -- for the Aztecs to be chosen for the NCAA field.
The women made their first splash in the MWC Tournament last year. I'd like to say the right now, on paper, they're hotter than anyone and should be favored to win it. But there's teams that owe them some payback this time around, and there's some good women's teams in the league capable of knocking them off. We'll have to hold our breath and hope for the best.
---
Love the Brady Hoke football hire. I wish I'd been available to comment on it at the time. The respect shown him by his peers is all you need to know, and the recruiting class appears phenomenal for the short time the new staff had available.
Monday, December 01, 2008
Chargers Season on Smith, Aztecs Coaching
Lay the blame of this stinker of a Chargers season at the feet of General Manager A.J. Smith. People instinctively want to blame head coach Norv Turner for the 4-8 disaster, but the poor guy probably should not be there in the first place.
It is Smith who couldn't get along with Turner's predecessor, Marty Schottenheimer, and fired him. It is Smith who replaced one of the most successful coaches in NFL history with one of the least successful, then saddled him with out-of-place defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, who might have been outstanding if his players had different sets of skills. It is Smith who then emasculated Turner by describing him as a system coach and intimating that he was calling the shots, thereby costing the new guy any chance of gaining respect from players or fans. It is Smith who ran Donnie Edwards out of town, a linebacker who always has well over 100 tackles a year. No Chargers linebacker will this year.
It is Smith who seems to place little value on arguably the most important unit in football, the offensive line. In Monday's San Diego Union-Tribune, columnist Tim Sullivan hits the nail on the head. The offensive line, once very good, is not so hot anymore. With Cris Dielman out with the flu against the Falcons, there was no room for the Chargers greatest weapon, LaDainian Tomlinson, to run. He got just 22 yards on 14 carries Sunday, and is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry this season, something he hasn't been remotely close to since 2004's 3.9 ypc. He's on track to his lowest number of touchdowns since his rookie season. Their starting right tackle is a second-year former sixth round draft choice.
Now Smith is no terrible GM by any means. He's done a pretty good job in trying to hold the nucleus of this team together under sometimes difficult circumstances. Some in this town try to annoint him a genius, however, and it just isn't the case. He's made some good decisions and some bad ones. The 2008 season is one in which his poor decisions have come back to bite us all in the butt.
---
The Chargers experience of firing Schottenheimer in an attempt to bring in a supposedly better coach should give pause to Aztecs fans, who let go Chuck Long in, well, an attempt to bring in a supposedly better coach. You get someone like Turner who fits the system, created it, even, and you think its ideal. But it doesn't work out.
If a pretty good GM like Smith can blow the biggest decision he'll ever make, how will a below-average athletic director like Jeff Schemmel do for San Diego State's football opening? Fans are cringing over the very real possibility that Schemmel will try to bring in his old buddy Glen Mason who, like Turner, has a career losing record at Kansas and Minnesota.
The encouraging sign regarding the Aztecs situation is the high profile role being played by university President Dr. Stephen Weber. I honestly don't remember his presence at the news conference in which the firing of Tom Craft was announced. Maybe he was there. But he apparently played a major role in getting rid of Long. Maybe he can prevent Schemmel from making a huge mistake.
Mason not only doesn't equal Turner, he is far less than Chargers coach.
While I've been upfront with my contention that SDSU had to bite the bullet to fire Long, I am agnostic about his replacement. All of the potential new coaches who've been mentioned have points both good and bad, including Mason.
Whoever it is, though, has a chance to do something no Aztecs coach has been able to do since Denny Stolz in 1986 -- hit the ground running. All coaches since then had to come in and repair damage before they could even think of winning. Long has fixed many of the troubles he inherited in 2005. His problem, the reason why he wasn't ever going to be a winner, is he couldn't inspire the troops, come up with a decent game plan or manage a game properly. If the next coach can do that, and take advantage of some of the gifts the outgoing staff will leave behind, the Aztecs could reach .500 quickly and start going to bowl games if not next year then the year after.
The new coach will have an outstanding sophomore quarterback, a decent corps of receivers, an offensive line that while young will be much bigger and have more depth than before, a deep and experienced defensive line, and young linebackers who might supplant the starters of the past couple of years. Large holes exist at running back and the secondary.
Stolz, by the way, went to the Holiday Bowl his first season.
It is Smith who couldn't get along with Turner's predecessor, Marty Schottenheimer, and fired him. It is Smith who replaced one of the most successful coaches in NFL history with one of the least successful, then saddled him with out-of-place defensive coordinator Ted Cottrell, who might have been outstanding if his players had different sets of skills. It is Smith who then emasculated Turner by describing him as a system coach and intimating that he was calling the shots, thereby costing the new guy any chance of gaining respect from players or fans. It is Smith who ran Donnie Edwards out of town, a linebacker who always has well over 100 tackles a year. No Chargers linebacker will this year.
It is Smith who seems to place little value on arguably the most important unit in football, the offensive line. In Monday's San Diego Union-Tribune, columnist Tim Sullivan hits the nail on the head. The offensive line, once very good, is not so hot anymore. With Cris Dielman out with the flu against the Falcons, there was no room for the Chargers greatest weapon, LaDainian Tomlinson, to run. He got just 22 yards on 14 carries Sunday, and is averaging just 3.7 yards per carry this season, something he hasn't been remotely close to since 2004's 3.9 ypc. He's on track to his lowest number of touchdowns since his rookie season. Their starting right tackle is a second-year former sixth round draft choice.
Now Smith is no terrible GM by any means. He's done a pretty good job in trying to hold the nucleus of this team together under sometimes difficult circumstances. Some in this town try to annoint him a genius, however, and it just isn't the case. He's made some good decisions and some bad ones. The 2008 season is one in which his poor decisions have come back to bite us all in the butt.
---
The Chargers experience of firing Schottenheimer in an attempt to bring in a supposedly better coach should give pause to Aztecs fans, who let go Chuck Long in, well, an attempt to bring in a supposedly better coach. You get someone like Turner who fits the system, created it, even, and you think its ideal. But it doesn't work out.
If a pretty good GM like Smith can blow the biggest decision he'll ever make, how will a below-average athletic director like Jeff Schemmel do for San Diego State's football opening? Fans are cringing over the very real possibility that Schemmel will try to bring in his old buddy Glen Mason who, like Turner, has a career losing record at Kansas and Minnesota.
The encouraging sign regarding the Aztecs situation is the high profile role being played by university President Dr. Stephen Weber. I honestly don't remember his presence at the news conference in which the firing of Tom Craft was announced. Maybe he was there. But he apparently played a major role in getting rid of Long. Maybe he can prevent Schemmel from making a huge mistake.
Mason not only doesn't equal Turner, he is far less than Chargers coach.
While I've been upfront with my contention that SDSU had to bite the bullet to fire Long, I am agnostic about his replacement. All of the potential new coaches who've been mentioned have points both good and bad, including Mason.
Whoever it is, though, has a chance to do something no Aztecs coach has been able to do since Denny Stolz in 1986 -- hit the ground running. All coaches since then had to come in and repair damage before they could even think of winning. Long has fixed many of the troubles he inherited in 2005. His problem, the reason why he wasn't ever going to be a winner, is he couldn't inspire the troops, come up with a decent game plan or manage a game properly. If the next coach can do that, and take advantage of some of the gifts the outgoing staff will leave behind, the Aztecs could reach .500 quickly and start going to bowl games if not next year then the year after.
The new coach will have an outstanding sophomore quarterback, a decent corps of receivers, an offensive line that while young will be much bigger and have more depth than before, a deep and experienced defensive line, and young linebackers who might supplant the starters of the past couple of years. Large holes exist at running back and the secondary.
Stolz, by the way, went to the Holiday Bowl his first season.
Monday, November 03, 2008
Comments on Aztecs Football, Peavy
I can't believe it's been so long since I've updated this blog but my attention has been on some other projects. However, I just added an election prediction post to my similarly ignored political blog so I thought I would add some sorely needed comments here, too.
---
Separated at birth: the San Diego State football team and the U.S. financial markets. As soon as you think things have hit bottom, you get a new lesson in how much lower things can go. The Aztecs are like a cartoon character who falls off the side of a cliff and keeps falling, falling and falling with no apparent bottom in sight. For SDSU's football team, we know there is an end after three more games but we don't know just how bad things will get before the final whistle vs. UNLV.
That I'm not talking about any hope for success or that SDSU will suddenly pull out of its descent and play three competitive games at season's end is indicative of how things are. There is almost nothing good about this program at all. There were three things early this season that we could hang our hats on and all three have been taken away from us -- QB Ryan Lindley, and let me be the first to say that I fear that his shoulder injury could have long-term implications for whether he'll be as great as we thought he'd be; WR Vincent Brown, one of the many Aztecs to have suffered a concussion, which can be a capricious injury; and LB Russell Allen, whose exploits have been swallowed up by the monstrous failures of his defensive teammates.
Call 2008 an utter and complete disaster for the football program.
I don't think athletic director Jeff Schemmel helped much when he said coach Chuck Long would absolutely return in 2009. Schemmel's explanation was that Long hasn't had a chance to prove whether he could be a winner with a healthy program, which includes physical health, a full roster and academic success. As bad as the team's injury plague is, there are so many other problems that if Schemmel can't judge Long by now, then there's not much hope for him, either. One gets the impression that Long is only being kept around because his buyout is too expensive, not that he's still wanted. So either Schemmel is dumb or his coach is unwanted. Not good.
I still think that Long needs to be presented with a creative settlement to his buyout clause, perhaps something like what Tennessee is apparently going to do with Phillip Fulmer, spread his payments out over several years. I think if he bows out gracefully now, he has a chance to resume his career elsewhere. People in athletics understand that sometimes you're not a good fit in certain places, and it's no reflection on the person. I think that's a wrong assessment, but I think that's how sports professionals not close to the program will see it. My own view is that the even-handed, steady Long was a perfect fit for the program but he made some horrible choices as his assistant coaches and has been too loyal to those who've served him poorly.
The biggest problem this year besides the injuries has been the management of an offensive unit that was relatively intact until Lindley went down at TCU in early October. Scheme, game plans, play calling and clock management have been such that most high school coaches could do better.
So let's say Long refuses all overtures to leave on his own. Drastic action is needed to place this program back on track. As a hypothetical boss, I would order him to fire both coordinators, his running backs coach, his linebackers coach, his secondary coach and his special teams coach. That's rough, but covers all the underperforming units. The defensive line has sustained seven season-ending injuries and two other hurt players have missed multiple games. Their coach was only brought in for this season, so he gets a pass.
I also think that, with all the injuries -- many of them to young players -- it could take a long time for them to heal. I think the coaches have to take a time-out from their long-term building process and recruit a large number of junior college linemen, along with a JC running back and defensive backs. Because of scholarship limitations, there won't be many recruits anyway, so I think some offers are going to have to be pulled back and redirected for immediate help. The benefit is added depth for the next two seasons and a chance for the current group of youngsters to not have to take all the heat until they're upperclassmen.
Lastly, I also think that whoever is coaching the Aztecs needs to consider not renewing scholarships of underperforming players, a la Steve Fisher after his first year on the Mesa. Man, that was brutal, but it was also necessary and started the men's basketball team down the path toward consecutive NIT and NCAA Tournament seasons. Nothing was as heart-rending as pulling the rug out from under some young men, many of them local, who'd worked so hard to be successful for us on the basketball court, but it had to be done. It might have to be done here, too, in order to free up scholarships for some JC transfers. I'd be on the telephone right now to every JC coach in the country telling him that every job is open but QB and Brown's receiver spot.
Speaking of Fisher, the way Schemmel has handled this mess reminds me of a post this spring about how nice it would have been for Kansas State to take our athletic director home so we could promote Fisher to the AD spot. I think Fisher would be a natural for the position. He doesn't suffer fools gladly. If he was in charge, I don't think Long would have as much rope as he seems to hold now, unless it were a noose.
---
Speaking of complete messes, let's bring up the Padres. A team that barely missed a 100-loss season is shopping around it's number one starter? Huh? And the team will get better how? This makes absolutely no sense. So he's going to make big money the next couple of years. Work around it. Sorry.
In the entire National League, there are seven stoppers among starting pitchers, that's it. I'm talking about the unquestioned number ones in a rotation, the kind that can lead you to a World Series title like Cole Hamels did. Besides Peavy and Hamels, you have Johan Santana, Brandon Webb, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Zambrano (who had a sort of off-year) and now Tim Lincecum. CC Sabathia might make an eighth depending on where he ends up. Therefore, these types of pitchers don't grow on trees, know what I mean? Giving one up even for quality elsewhere makes no sense when you might not get a quality number one starter for 20 years. You can always find a good outfielder.
Suggesting that Peavy might be traded is bad enough. That the Dodgers are one of the three top contenders for his services is mind-boggling. If he is dealt to LA, then Kevin Towers and Sandy Alderson should be run out of town. Literally. Maybe they can take Long with them.
---
Thank God for USD basketball. And here's a cheer for Hamels, whose high school story was as compelling as any I've reported on. That high school championship game in which he took the mound for the last inning with his teammates and fans yelling encouragement was one of the great moments in local prep sports history.
Otherwise, 2008 has been the worst sports year around here for quite a while.
---
Separated at birth: the San Diego State football team and the U.S. financial markets. As soon as you think things have hit bottom, you get a new lesson in how much lower things can go. The Aztecs are like a cartoon character who falls off the side of a cliff and keeps falling, falling and falling with no apparent bottom in sight. For SDSU's football team, we know there is an end after three more games but we don't know just how bad things will get before the final whistle vs. UNLV.
That I'm not talking about any hope for success or that SDSU will suddenly pull out of its descent and play three competitive games at season's end is indicative of how things are. There is almost nothing good about this program at all. There were three things early this season that we could hang our hats on and all three have been taken away from us -- QB Ryan Lindley, and let me be the first to say that I fear that his shoulder injury could have long-term implications for whether he'll be as great as we thought he'd be; WR Vincent Brown, one of the many Aztecs to have suffered a concussion, which can be a capricious injury; and LB Russell Allen, whose exploits have been swallowed up by the monstrous failures of his defensive teammates.
Call 2008 an utter and complete disaster for the football program.
I don't think athletic director Jeff Schemmel helped much when he said coach Chuck Long would absolutely return in 2009. Schemmel's explanation was that Long hasn't had a chance to prove whether he could be a winner with a healthy program, which includes physical health, a full roster and academic success. As bad as the team's injury plague is, there are so many other problems that if Schemmel can't judge Long by now, then there's not much hope for him, either. One gets the impression that Long is only being kept around because his buyout is too expensive, not that he's still wanted. So either Schemmel is dumb or his coach is unwanted. Not good.
I still think that Long needs to be presented with a creative settlement to his buyout clause, perhaps something like what Tennessee is apparently going to do with Phillip Fulmer, spread his payments out over several years. I think if he bows out gracefully now, he has a chance to resume his career elsewhere. People in athletics understand that sometimes you're not a good fit in certain places, and it's no reflection on the person. I think that's a wrong assessment, but I think that's how sports professionals not close to the program will see it. My own view is that the even-handed, steady Long was a perfect fit for the program but he made some horrible choices as his assistant coaches and has been too loyal to those who've served him poorly.
The biggest problem this year besides the injuries has been the management of an offensive unit that was relatively intact until Lindley went down at TCU in early October. Scheme, game plans, play calling and clock management have been such that most high school coaches could do better.
So let's say Long refuses all overtures to leave on his own. Drastic action is needed to place this program back on track. As a hypothetical boss, I would order him to fire both coordinators, his running backs coach, his linebackers coach, his secondary coach and his special teams coach. That's rough, but covers all the underperforming units. The defensive line has sustained seven season-ending injuries and two other hurt players have missed multiple games. Their coach was only brought in for this season, so he gets a pass.
I also think that, with all the injuries -- many of them to young players -- it could take a long time for them to heal. I think the coaches have to take a time-out from their long-term building process and recruit a large number of junior college linemen, along with a JC running back and defensive backs. Because of scholarship limitations, there won't be many recruits anyway, so I think some offers are going to have to be pulled back and redirected for immediate help. The benefit is added depth for the next two seasons and a chance for the current group of youngsters to not have to take all the heat until they're upperclassmen.
Lastly, I also think that whoever is coaching the Aztecs needs to consider not renewing scholarships of underperforming players, a la Steve Fisher after his first year on the Mesa. Man, that was brutal, but it was also necessary and started the men's basketball team down the path toward consecutive NIT and NCAA Tournament seasons. Nothing was as heart-rending as pulling the rug out from under some young men, many of them local, who'd worked so hard to be successful for us on the basketball court, but it had to be done. It might have to be done here, too, in order to free up scholarships for some JC transfers. I'd be on the telephone right now to every JC coach in the country telling him that every job is open but QB and Brown's receiver spot.
Speaking of Fisher, the way Schemmel has handled this mess reminds me of a post this spring about how nice it would have been for Kansas State to take our athletic director home so we could promote Fisher to the AD spot. I think Fisher would be a natural for the position. He doesn't suffer fools gladly. If he was in charge, I don't think Long would have as much rope as he seems to hold now, unless it were a noose.
---
Speaking of complete messes, let's bring up the Padres. A team that barely missed a 100-loss season is shopping around it's number one starter? Huh? And the team will get better how? This makes absolutely no sense. So he's going to make big money the next couple of years. Work around it. Sorry.
In the entire National League, there are seven stoppers among starting pitchers, that's it. I'm talking about the unquestioned number ones in a rotation, the kind that can lead you to a World Series title like Cole Hamels did. Besides Peavy and Hamels, you have Johan Santana, Brandon Webb, Roy Oswalt, Carlos Zambrano (who had a sort of off-year) and now Tim Lincecum. CC Sabathia might make an eighth depending on where he ends up. Therefore, these types of pitchers don't grow on trees, know what I mean? Giving one up even for quality elsewhere makes no sense when you might not get a quality number one starter for 20 years. You can always find a good outfielder.
Suggesting that Peavy might be traded is bad enough. That the Dodgers are one of the three top contenders for his services is mind-boggling. If he is dealt to LA, then Kevin Towers and Sandy Alderson should be run out of town. Literally. Maybe they can take Long with them.
---
Thank God for USD basketball. And here's a cheer for Hamels, whose high school story was as compelling as any I've reported on. That high school championship game in which he took the mound for the last inning with his teammates and fans yelling encouragement was one of the great moments in local prep sports history.
Otherwise, 2008 has been the worst sports year around here for quite a while.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Truth Hurts for Long, Staff
Last week I wrote that the San Diego State football season opener was the moment of truth for head coach Chuck Long and his staff. Well, the truth is known and it hurts.
The 29-27 loss to Cal Poly, State's second to the Mustangs in three years, demonstrated that Long and his bunch have not only made no progress, but have driven the SDSU program backwards.
The 2006 setback could be chalked up to uncaring players, and play-calling designed to try to toughen them up. This time, the Aztecs were simply manhandled at the line of scrimmage and the defense, in particular, was awful in overpursuing and arm tackling.
Many Aztecs fans, well many of those who remain Aztecs fans and there aren't many anymore, want Long to be fired immediately. I disagree.
There were a number of factors that were out of Long's control that contributed to Saturday's embarrassment. First, Cal Poly was pretty good and experienced for an FCS team, plenty capable of taking advantage of SDSU mistakes. They might contend for a national title in that division. Second, the defensive line came in beat up and things just got worse. Third, WR Roberto Wallace, who otherwise showed a world of potential, dropped several passes at critical moments.
The rest of the problems, like a bad game plan out of the gate, a horrible game by the defensive back seven except for Vonnie Holmes and poor clock management, fall at Long's feet.
So while we need to hold off on judgment right now, Judgment Day is close at hand. Like Sept. 14. By then, the Aztecs will be home from consecutive road contests at Notre Dame and San Jose State. If the Aztecs play well in both games, fine. If not, there are two weeks until the next contest, and Long and or defensive coordinator Bob Elliott will have to go.
It's highly unusual to make changes at this juncture in the season, but if SDSU is killed in both games and get off to an 0-3 start, drastic measures will be necessary. If nothing else, the program will get an infusion of new blood and maybe some fans will decide to keep coming. No one will come watch a thrice-ripped team play at Qualcomm.
If I'm Jeff Schemmel, the athletic director, and I'm getting an earful from rich boosters, my response is to ask whether they're willing to contribute to a contract buyout. I'm also contacting some out-of-work coaching contacts to see they might want to come back to work. Simply losing both games, bad as that prospect sounds, won't be enough to pull the trigger, but getting pounded will.
---
The biggest reason Schemmel probably won't do anything is he should then be fired himself. If no one comes to watch the Aztecs play their final five home games, he'll lose his job anyway.
The 29-27 loss to Cal Poly, State's second to the Mustangs in three years, demonstrated that Long and his bunch have not only made no progress, but have driven the SDSU program backwards.
The 2006 setback could be chalked up to uncaring players, and play-calling designed to try to toughen them up. This time, the Aztecs were simply manhandled at the line of scrimmage and the defense, in particular, was awful in overpursuing and arm tackling.
Many Aztecs fans, well many of those who remain Aztecs fans and there aren't many anymore, want Long to be fired immediately. I disagree.
There were a number of factors that were out of Long's control that contributed to Saturday's embarrassment. First, Cal Poly was pretty good and experienced for an FCS team, plenty capable of taking advantage of SDSU mistakes. They might contend for a national title in that division. Second, the defensive line came in beat up and things just got worse. Third, WR Roberto Wallace, who otherwise showed a world of potential, dropped several passes at critical moments.
The rest of the problems, like a bad game plan out of the gate, a horrible game by the defensive back seven except for Vonnie Holmes and poor clock management, fall at Long's feet.
So while we need to hold off on judgment right now, Judgment Day is close at hand. Like Sept. 14. By then, the Aztecs will be home from consecutive road contests at Notre Dame and San Jose State. If the Aztecs play well in both games, fine. If not, there are two weeks until the next contest, and Long and or defensive coordinator Bob Elliott will have to go.
It's highly unusual to make changes at this juncture in the season, but if SDSU is killed in both games and get off to an 0-3 start, drastic measures will be necessary. If nothing else, the program will get an infusion of new blood and maybe some fans will decide to keep coming. No one will come watch a thrice-ripped team play at Qualcomm.
If I'm Jeff Schemmel, the athletic director, and I'm getting an earful from rich boosters, my response is to ask whether they're willing to contribute to a contract buyout. I'm also contacting some out-of-work coaching contacts to see they might want to come back to work. Simply losing both games, bad as that prospect sounds, won't be enough to pull the trigger, but getting pounded will.
---
The biggest reason Schemmel probably won't do anything is he should then be fired himself. If no one comes to watch the Aztecs play their final five home games, he'll lose his job anyway.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Moment of Truth for SDSU Football and Coach Long
Truth will usually come out in the end. It has a funny way of doing that. Sometimes it takes a while to make itself known, but eventually known it will be.
An interesting non-sports analogy about truth: I covered most of the high-profile 2002 story of the murder of Danielle Van Dam by David Westerfield, who was eventually convicted and sentenced to death. At the end of the case, some doubts persisted. It just made no sense that a guy as accomplished as Westerfield would do something like kill a little girl. After the sentencing, the judge released a number of documents that had been sealed under court order. The truth, yes, had come out. Documents the jury never saw proved without a doubt that the jurors had made the correct decision.
Saturday is the moment of truth for the state of San Diego State football and the regime of head coach Chuck Long. How SDSU performs in its 2008 opener against Cal Poly will tell us a lot about whether Long's staff has made reasonable progress over the past two and a half years.
It's become obvious over time that Long's first two seasons have to be looked upon almost as throwaways. There was not that much talent and very little commitment from holdover players recruited by the previous staff. Freshmen who played on defense in 2007 were too small and too overwhelmed. The offensive line wasn't so good and neither were the running backs.
In 2008, Long is out of excuses. There has to be some serious improvement or he his hiring will be labeled as a major bust. Improvement may not come in the form of a winning record and a bowl game. It could come as 6-6, which would be two wins better than last season. Besides, most fans recognize 2009 as the potential breakthrough season. But only if the Aztecs show some ability this year.
I've often written that Long and his staff are awesome Monday through Friday. It's Saturday that bothered me. Now I want to be happy on Saturday or else.
That said, I'm actually rather confident about this year's prospects. Redshirt freshman QB Ryan Lindley looks like another Todd Santos in the making. Santos, remember, set school passing records as a freshman. The receiving corps with Vincent Brown, Darren Mougey and Roberto Wallace will be the best since Tolver-Osgood if they remain healthy. Wallace has been the Aztecs version of Ruben Rivera, a great athlete from Central America who has taken a while to catch on to a US sport. If he succeeds, watch out. The offensive line has been reshuffled to give some redshirt and true freshman time to develop, which will pay off in the future. I still can't say much for the running back corps.
Perhaps most telling in the opener will be the performance of the defense. Vast improvement is expected and needed from these guys. If the Mustangs move on them and score a lot with their triple-option offense, then this could be a long season. Yet, the line has a solid two-deep now, the linebackers have an extra year of experience and so does the secondary that was rebuilt before 2007. DE BJ Williams, LBs Russell Allen and Luke Laologi, both cornerbacks and both safeties have all-star potential. It's getting them there that's the rub.
Special teams will also be critical to watch. There's new legs at punter and placekicker and a returner in Davion Mauldin who is said to have some great moves.
I'm going to remain optimistic and call this one 35-14 for the Aztecs. A little closer will be okay. A lot closer or, heaven forbid, a loss, will be troubling.
---
You have to love Chargers LB Shawne Merriman's guts. His judgment, however, leaves a lot to be desired.
---
By the way, I'm now blogging about the Mountain West Conference for College Football News at cfn.scout.com.
An interesting non-sports analogy about truth: I covered most of the high-profile 2002 story of the murder of Danielle Van Dam by David Westerfield, who was eventually convicted and sentenced to death. At the end of the case, some doubts persisted. It just made no sense that a guy as accomplished as Westerfield would do something like kill a little girl. After the sentencing, the judge released a number of documents that had been sealed under court order. The truth, yes, had come out. Documents the jury never saw proved without a doubt that the jurors had made the correct decision.
Saturday is the moment of truth for the state of San Diego State football and the regime of head coach Chuck Long. How SDSU performs in its 2008 opener against Cal Poly will tell us a lot about whether Long's staff has made reasonable progress over the past two and a half years.
It's become obvious over time that Long's first two seasons have to be looked upon almost as throwaways. There was not that much talent and very little commitment from holdover players recruited by the previous staff. Freshmen who played on defense in 2007 were too small and too overwhelmed. The offensive line wasn't so good and neither were the running backs.
In 2008, Long is out of excuses. There has to be some serious improvement or he his hiring will be labeled as a major bust. Improvement may not come in the form of a winning record and a bowl game. It could come as 6-6, which would be two wins better than last season. Besides, most fans recognize 2009 as the potential breakthrough season. But only if the Aztecs show some ability this year.
I've often written that Long and his staff are awesome Monday through Friday. It's Saturday that bothered me. Now I want to be happy on Saturday or else.
That said, I'm actually rather confident about this year's prospects. Redshirt freshman QB Ryan Lindley looks like another Todd Santos in the making. Santos, remember, set school passing records as a freshman. The receiving corps with Vincent Brown, Darren Mougey and Roberto Wallace will be the best since Tolver-Osgood if they remain healthy. Wallace has been the Aztecs version of Ruben Rivera, a great athlete from Central America who has taken a while to catch on to a US sport. If he succeeds, watch out. The offensive line has been reshuffled to give some redshirt and true freshman time to develop, which will pay off in the future. I still can't say much for the running back corps.
Perhaps most telling in the opener will be the performance of the defense. Vast improvement is expected and needed from these guys. If the Mustangs move on them and score a lot with their triple-option offense, then this could be a long season. Yet, the line has a solid two-deep now, the linebackers have an extra year of experience and so does the secondary that was rebuilt before 2007. DE BJ Williams, LBs Russell Allen and Luke Laologi, both cornerbacks and both safeties have all-star potential. It's getting them there that's the rub.
Special teams will also be critical to watch. There's new legs at punter and placekicker and a returner in Davion Mauldin who is said to have some great moves.
I'm going to remain optimistic and call this one 35-14 for the Aztecs. A little closer will be okay. A lot closer or, heaven forbid, a loss, will be troubling.
---
You have to love Chargers LB Shawne Merriman's guts. His judgment, however, leaves a lot to be desired.
---
By the way, I'm now blogging about the Mountain West Conference for College Football News at cfn.scout.com.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Time to Sell Padres, SDSU Offensive Line
It's time for John and Becky Moores to sell the Padres. It's time for new ownership and new management.
I've generally been supportive of the current front office team and their long-term plan, as evidenced by many of my posts on this blog, but my patience wore out with this week's trade of P Greg Maddux to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
There's several problems with this. First and foremost, Maddux was the just about the only reason to pay to watch this sorry ballclub. After all, the Padres are a business which needs income from fans who attend ballgames. Seeing a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer make one of the final starts of his career would have brought out some fans to Petco Park. Add to that his race to move past Roger Clemens to become the career winningest modern-day pitcher, and you had a real attraction. That team President Sandy Alderson and GM Kevin Towers let such an opportunity slip away makes me doubt their judgment.
Second, the Padres got nothing for him. Two players out of a list of five lower-level prospects. Towers says they like a couple of those prospects. The trouble is, they're in the lower part of the minor leagues, not the higher part. We've seen, sadly, how far the jump is just from AAA to the majors. These guys think they can figure out which A-ball players are going to become major league contributors? Don't think so. If I really thought that this trade would help the Padres in the long-term, I wouldn't be writing this. You don't trade a marketable Hall of Famer for low-level prospects.
Third, as a general rule, you do nothing to help the Dodgers during a pennant race. It doesn't matter whether your own team is in the race or not. You want to disillusion the fans of San Diego County even more than they already are? Help the Dodgers win the NL West. The Dodgers get a Hall of Fame pitcher and give up low-level prospects that are dime-a-dozen. Replacing them is no big deal. The Padres also have to assume most of the more than $2 million left on Maddux' 2008 salary. On a side note, the Dodgers in the past three weeks-plus have received a pair of Hall of Famers for next to nothing. I think this is a scandal that needs to be investigated. You think Major League Baseball and the TV networks are in a panic over the chances of having an Arizona-Tampa Bay World Series?
Anyway, this whole situation, wrapped up in what has become a dreadful 2008 season, casts grave doubts on the ability of Alderson and Towers to operate this ballclub, especially given the Moores divorce situation. Alderson was brought in to improve the minor league situation, but I'm skeptical over whether things have improved. First-round draft picks have been busts. Portland, San Antonio, Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne all are just a little above or a little below .500. Nothing special. Mediocre, each of them, and I think we've all just about had it with mediocre except at the major league level, where it was replaced with just plain awful.
In divorces in community property states, the major assets like houses are generally sold with the revenue divided between the former partners. In the Moores' case, their biggest asset is the Padres. They need to dispose of this franchise, the sooner the better.
---
San Diego State football is the number one reason why you never assume anything in sports. It appeared that the Aztecs were going into the 2008 season with as many as three redshirt freshmen starting in the offensive line. That was a huge reason why all the preseason prognosticators rated SDSU as seventh or worse in the Mountain West Conference.
Instead, center Tommie Draheim is out until sometime in October with a shoulder injury, left tackle Mike Matamua is likely to miss the season with a foot injury and none of the others of what was a highly regarded class of linemen two years ago were able to claim the right tackle position.
With converted defender Peter Nelson at left tackle, returning starter Trask Iosefa entrenched at center, and Lance Louis set at right tackle -- along with guard Mike Schmidt -- four of the five starting linemen have game experience.
I'm troubled, however, by the apparent inability of the redshirt freshmen to take this offensive line over. That was the plan -- these guys win the jobs and play together for three or four years and have plenty of depth behind them. I understand the injuries. Draheim, however, was listed number one at center only because Iosefa had to iron out his academic issues. The tackle positions, however, were wide open, as was the guard slot on the other side from Schmidt.
It's incredibly difficult for freshmen, even those who redshirted, to come right in and win an offensive line job and perform effectively. It might be the most difficult position in football for a youngster because of the physical and mental demands.
That none of them have overcome the odds to win jobs for the Aug. 30 opener is worrisome. A major part of the reason why SDSU has been shut out of bowls for 10 years is because the offensive line has not been up to snuff. These guys were supposed to be better, supposed to be an improvement over the upperclassmen and the recently departed. They were supposed to take over and actually start blocking some people.
For now, at least, the Aztecs will go with a junior on quarterback Ryan Lindley's blind side who has not played offensive line in college, a senior former walk-on at guard, a game but too-small center, a junior making his first start and a senior who used to be a tight end and became a guard after injuries.
I worry not only that this scenario will lead to another ineffective offensive line this fall, but will result in Coach Chuck Long and his staff being back at square one at this time next year. Aztecs fans have been psyching up for 2009 like they have a two-week Mediterranean cruise or something. If the blockers are a bunch of newbies again, next year could be as enjoyable as still another cold bath.
I've generally been supportive of the current front office team and their long-term plan, as evidenced by many of my posts on this blog, but my patience wore out with this week's trade of P Greg Maddux to the Los Angeles Dodgers.
There's several problems with this. First and foremost, Maddux was the just about the only reason to pay to watch this sorry ballclub. After all, the Padres are a business which needs income from fans who attend ballgames. Seeing a sure-fire first-ballot Hall of Famer make one of the final starts of his career would have brought out some fans to Petco Park. Add to that his race to move past Roger Clemens to become the career winningest modern-day pitcher, and you had a real attraction. That team President Sandy Alderson and GM Kevin Towers let such an opportunity slip away makes me doubt their judgment.
Second, the Padres got nothing for him. Two players out of a list of five lower-level prospects. Towers says they like a couple of those prospects. The trouble is, they're in the lower part of the minor leagues, not the higher part. We've seen, sadly, how far the jump is just from AAA to the majors. These guys think they can figure out which A-ball players are going to become major league contributors? Don't think so. If I really thought that this trade would help the Padres in the long-term, I wouldn't be writing this. You don't trade a marketable Hall of Famer for low-level prospects.
Third, as a general rule, you do nothing to help the Dodgers during a pennant race. It doesn't matter whether your own team is in the race or not. You want to disillusion the fans of San Diego County even more than they already are? Help the Dodgers win the NL West. The Dodgers get a Hall of Fame pitcher and give up low-level prospects that are dime-a-dozen. Replacing them is no big deal. The Padres also have to assume most of the more than $2 million left on Maddux' 2008 salary. On a side note, the Dodgers in the past three weeks-plus have received a pair of Hall of Famers for next to nothing. I think this is a scandal that needs to be investigated. You think Major League Baseball and the TV networks are in a panic over the chances of having an Arizona-Tampa Bay World Series?
Anyway, this whole situation, wrapped up in what has become a dreadful 2008 season, casts grave doubts on the ability of Alderson and Towers to operate this ballclub, especially given the Moores divorce situation. Alderson was brought in to improve the minor league situation, but I'm skeptical over whether things have improved. First-round draft picks have been busts. Portland, San Antonio, Lake Elsinore and Fort Wayne all are just a little above or a little below .500. Nothing special. Mediocre, each of them, and I think we've all just about had it with mediocre except at the major league level, where it was replaced with just plain awful.
In divorces in community property states, the major assets like houses are generally sold with the revenue divided between the former partners. In the Moores' case, their biggest asset is the Padres. They need to dispose of this franchise, the sooner the better.
---
San Diego State football is the number one reason why you never assume anything in sports. It appeared that the Aztecs were going into the 2008 season with as many as three redshirt freshmen starting in the offensive line. That was a huge reason why all the preseason prognosticators rated SDSU as seventh or worse in the Mountain West Conference.
Instead, center Tommie Draheim is out until sometime in October with a shoulder injury, left tackle Mike Matamua is likely to miss the season with a foot injury and none of the others of what was a highly regarded class of linemen two years ago were able to claim the right tackle position.
With converted defender Peter Nelson at left tackle, returning starter Trask Iosefa entrenched at center, and Lance Louis set at right tackle -- along with guard Mike Schmidt -- four of the five starting linemen have game experience.
I'm troubled, however, by the apparent inability of the redshirt freshmen to take this offensive line over. That was the plan -- these guys win the jobs and play together for three or four years and have plenty of depth behind them. I understand the injuries. Draheim, however, was listed number one at center only because Iosefa had to iron out his academic issues. The tackle positions, however, were wide open, as was the guard slot on the other side from Schmidt.
It's incredibly difficult for freshmen, even those who redshirted, to come right in and win an offensive line job and perform effectively. It might be the most difficult position in football for a youngster because of the physical and mental demands.
That none of them have overcome the odds to win jobs for the Aug. 30 opener is worrisome. A major part of the reason why SDSU has been shut out of bowls for 10 years is because the offensive line has not been up to snuff. These guys were supposed to be better, supposed to be an improvement over the upperclassmen and the recently departed. They were supposed to take over and actually start blocking some people.
For now, at least, the Aztecs will go with a junior on quarterback Ryan Lindley's blind side who has not played offensive line in college, a senior former walk-on at guard, a game but too-small center, a junior making his first start and a senior who used to be a tight end and became a guard after injuries.
I worry not only that this scenario will lead to another ineffective offensive line this fall, but will result in Coach Chuck Long and his staff being back at square one at this time next year. Aztecs fans have been psyching up for 2009 like they have a two-week Mediterranean cruise or something. If the blockers are a bunch of newbies again, next year could be as enjoyable as still another cold bath.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Worst Padres, Parker
The San Diego Union-Tribune's Nick Canepa had an interesting column Thursday morning, it can happen, suggesting that the 2008 version of the Padres might be the worst team in franchise history -- mainly because they're really boring.
The Padres are currently the team with the worst record in the National League and are saddled with what the newspaper correctly calls a bunch of AAAA players -- those who've proved themselves at the AAA level but just can't take that next step to the major leagues.
Whether this ends up being the worst team, though, is questionable. First, from a pure won-loss perspective, the Friars would have to go 14-46 in their remaining 60 games to equal the 111-loss 1969 expansion team. To just reach 100 losses, they'd have to go 24-36, which is certainly within reach. Add one more setback and they'd equal the low-water mark of more recent seasons, set in 1993 during the fire sale.
As bad as the Padres are, I don't think they'll go 14-46 to finish the year. Reaching 100 losses won't shock me, however.
Also compare the product on the field. The current Padres have a budding star in 1B Adrian Gonzalez, a promising rookie in LF Chase Headley, a solid pro in RF Brian Giles, a true #1 starter in Jake Peavy and the National League's top closer for more than a decade in Trevor Hoffman. Oh, yeah, no matter how much he's been struggling lately, P Greg Maddux is a first-ballot lock for the Hall of Fame. Everyone else stinks, but that's not a bad core for the fans to enjoy.
In 1993, the Padres had RF Tony Gwynn, of course. Beyond that were OF Gary Sheffield and IB Fred McGriff for about a half-season each before they were traded. Sheffield brought Hoffman. No one knew what P Andy Ashby would become and he wouldn't even give us a hint for two more years. Pitchers Andy Benes and Greg Harris had their moments. The Padres up the middle had Kevin Higgins at C, Jeff Gardner at 2B, Ricky Gutierrez at SS and Derek Bell in CF. I was around and following the Padres in those days and I completely forget Higgins and Gardner. Not even seeing their names in print brings recollection.
The 1973 and 1974 Padres each lost 102 games. Those were the squads that brought Dave Winfield to the bigs. Clay Kirby lost 18 the first year. Randy Jones lost 22 the next before went on his run of outstanding seasons. Nate Colbert led the '73 club with 80 RBI but fell out of favor the next season, replaced by aging Willie McCovey, who brought some curiousity and star power. In '74, no one hit above .286 nor won more than 9 games.
So I think it's a leap to say this team is worse than those teams. There's very little to be said about those teams. On the other hand, what happens if Peavy and Chris Young are healthy and effective in 2009 and they sign or develop a quality catcher? An extra year benefits both Headley and Kevin Kouzmanoff? Jody Gerut finds consistency? Then maybe 2008 is an abberation.
I can certainly tell you that 1993, 1969, 1973 and 1974 led to nothing.
---
I, for one, will miss Eric Parker. I love hard-working pros and good people, and he was both. However, he was mediocre as a receiver and the Chargers are right to be trying to upgrade their level of talent. Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson and Buster Davis are all better than Parker and those below him deserve their shot. That said, I hope he does well and catches on somewhere.
---
I support Chargers GM AJ Smith in his reported prioritization that could cost the Bolts DE Igor Olshanksy after this year. The guy is good, no question, but recently re-signed DE Luis Castillo is better and Smith also has to find salary room for QB Philip Rivers, Chambers, Jackson, LT Marcus McNeill and LB Shawne Merriman. Those guys have contracts that run a year later than Olshansky, but there's so many of them that the extensions have to start coming now, as Castillo's did.
---
Despite some minor off-field setbacks, my confidence is growing that San Diego State can get back up to 6-6 this year. They're doing most everything right for a change, and that has to pay off sooner or later. And the odds have to swing back into their favor at some point. If the defensive line can tie up opposing blockers at all, the Aztecs linebackers and safeties could become terrors.
The Padres are currently the team with the worst record in the National League and are saddled with what the newspaper correctly calls a bunch of AAAA players -- those who've proved themselves at the AAA level but just can't take that next step to the major leagues.
Whether this ends up being the worst team, though, is questionable. First, from a pure won-loss perspective, the Friars would have to go 14-46 in their remaining 60 games to equal the 111-loss 1969 expansion team. To just reach 100 losses, they'd have to go 24-36, which is certainly within reach. Add one more setback and they'd equal the low-water mark of more recent seasons, set in 1993 during the fire sale.
As bad as the Padres are, I don't think they'll go 14-46 to finish the year. Reaching 100 losses won't shock me, however.
Also compare the product on the field. The current Padres have a budding star in 1B Adrian Gonzalez, a promising rookie in LF Chase Headley, a solid pro in RF Brian Giles, a true #1 starter in Jake Peavy and the National League's top closer for more than a decade in Trevor Hoffman. Oh, yeah, no matter how much he's been struggling lately, P Greg Maddux is a first-ballot lock for the Hall of Fame. Everyone else stinks, but that's not a bad core for the fans to enjoy.
In 1993, the Padres had RF Tony Gwynn, of course. Beyond that were OF Gary Sheffield and IB Fred McGriff for about a half-season each before they were traded. Sheffield brought Hoffman. No one knew what P Andy Ashby would become and he wouldn't even give us a hint for two more years. Pitchers Andy Benes and Greg Harris had their moments. The Padres up the middle had Kevin Higgins at C, Jeff Gardner at 2B, Ricky Gutierrez at SS and Derek Bell in CF. I was around and following the Padres in those days and I completely forget Higgins and Gardner. Not even seeing their names in print brings recollection.
The 1973 and 1974 Padres each lost 102 games. Those were the squads that brought Dave Winfield to the bigs. Clay Kirby lost 18 the first year. Randy Jones lost 22 the next before went on his run of outstanding seasons. Nate Colbert led the '73 club with 80 RBI but fell out of favor the next season, replaced by aging Willie McCovey, who brought some curiousity and star power. In '74, no one hit above .286 nor won more than 9 games.
So I think it's a leap to say this team is worse than those teams. There's very little to be said about those teams. On the other hand, what happens if Peavy and Chris Young are healthy and effective in 2009 and they sign or develop a quality catcher? An extra year benefits both Headley and Kevin Kouzmanoff? Jody Gerut finds consistency? Then maybe 2008 is an abberation.
I can certainly tell you that 1993, 1969, 1973 and 1974 led to nothing.
---
I, for one, will miss Eric Parker. I love hard-working pros and good people, and he was both. However, he was mediocre as a receiver and the Chargers are right to be trying to upgrade their level of talent. Chris Chambers, Vincent Jackson and Buster Davis are all better than Parker and those below him deserve their shot. That said, I hope he does well and catches on somewhere.
---
I support Chargers GM AJ Smith in his reported prioritization that could cost the Bolts DE Igor Olshanksy after this year. The guy is good, no question, but recently re-signed DE Luis Castillo is better and Smith also has to find salary room for QB Philip Rivers, Chambers, Jackson, LT Marcus McNeill and LB Shawne Merriman. Those guys have contracts that run a year later than Olshansky, but there's so many of them that the extensions have to start coming now, as Castillo's did.
---
Despite some minor off-field setbacks, my confidence is growing that San Diego State can get back up to 6-6 this year. They're doing most everything right for a change, and that has to pay off sooner or later. And the odds have to swing back into their favor at some point. If the defensive line can tie up opposing blockers at all, the Aztecs linebackers and safeties could become terrors.
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Booing Trevor
I talked to a couple people Wednesday about the supposed booing of Trevor Hoffman when the Padres closer walked off the field the previous night after giving up a pair of home runs to Twins batters. With the TV coverage heading to a commercial, their response was that they didn't actually hear any booing. However, reporters and players at Petco most definitely did notice it.
My reaction is simple. Sure, Hoffman is a San Diego icon and has done much for Padres fans and the community at large over the years. But to say he's off-limits for booing is just off-base.
Major leage baseball is not the game it was back when I was growing up, when you'd pay 5 bucks and it was nice if your team won and a "shame" if you lost, but no big deal. Baseball is a high stakes sport now when you go to Petco Park and pay $27 for the right to sit in right field. When I go downtown and pay $45 to watch a baseball game within the infield, I want to see the Padres score runs, I want to see Jake Peavy shut down the opposition, I want to cheer to "Hell's Bells" and I want to see Hoffman end the contest by making someone look foolish with his changeup. If I don't get what I want, I have a right to boo.
Plus, I think that most of the people who booed Hoffman have cheered him numerous times in the past and really don't suddenly hate the guy. He threw two bad pitches and got rocked. You get rocked, you get booed. Tonight's another night.
---
Steve Fisher has finally landed a legitimate big man in Illinois transfer Brian Carlwell. He's listed at 6-11 and 245 pounds, something the Aztecs have lacked in the post almost since Fisher arrived. He has to sit out next season, darn it, but could give SDSU quite a front line when paired up with Billy White and Tim Shelton.
While he was highly regarded coming out of high school, Illinois people seemed to consider him a project and a quick scan of an Illini fan site didn't show any anguish at his departure.
My reaction is simple. Sure, Hoffman is a San Diego icon and has done much for Padres fans and the community at large over the years. But to say he's off-limits for booing is just off-base.
Major leage baseball is not the game it was back when I was growing up, when you'd pay 5 bucks and it was nice if your team won and a "shame" if you lost, but no big deal. Baseball is a high stakes sport now when you go to Petco Park and pay $27 for the right to sit in right field. When I go downtown and pay $45 to watch a baseball game within the infield, I want to see the Padres score runs, I want to see Jake Peavy shut down the opposition, I want to cheer to "Hell's Bells" and I want to see Hoffman end the contest by making someone look foolish with his changeup. If I don't get what I want, I have a right to boo.
Plus, I think that most of the people who booed Hoffman have cheered him numerous times in the past and really don't suddenly hate the guy. He threw two bad pitches and got rocked. You get rocked, you get booed. Tonight's another night.
---
Steve Fisher has finally landed a legitimate big man in Illinois transfer Brian Carlwell. He's listed at 6-11 and 245 pounds, something the Aztecs have lacked in the post almost since Fisher arrived. He has to sit out next season, darn it, but could give SDSU quite a front line when paired up with Billy White and Tim Shelton.
While he was highly regarded coming out of high school, Illinois people seemed to consider him a project and a quick scan of an Illini fan site didn't show any anguish at his departure.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Padres Conumdrum, Football Pre-season Camps
The San Diego Union-Tribune offered an interesting question Tuesday in pointing out that the Padres are, entering tonight's game vs the Twins, are 13 games below .500 and in the bottom half of the National League in nearly every important statistic, but the National League West has been so unexpectedly bad that the Friars are only 8 games out of first place -- a margin that can easily be closed with another decent winning streak.
So, to borrow from the article's headline, are the Padres buyers or sellers? Club President Sandy Alderson said he's taking a wait-and-see approach, meaning nothing dramatic is likely to happen until we get closer to the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline.
I think that's probably the right approach, barring some other team calling with a generous offer, say A-Rod in exchange for Cla Meredith. Hey, a guy can dream, right?
While I think I would take Alderson's approach, I think the Padres are going to end up in the seller's camp. The recent series vs the Yankees and Tigers, in which they were 1-5, showed they're just not close to being ready for prime time. They beat up on the sagging Mets and the struggling Dodgers to make themselves look decent a couple weeks ago, but interleague play has been a reality check.
One question that's been raised lately has been whether to trade Kevin Kouzmanoff, who has not displayed the power expected of him so far at third base. He's batting just .263 with only 33 RBI through nearly half the season and more than two-thirds of his hits have merely been singles. I don't mind a power-hitter who can shorten up the stroke when the situation calls for it, but I want him to be hitting .300 if that's the case. Still, Kouz is only a sophomore as a regular, and I'd hate to see him go. Depends on the offer, you know? Otherwise, the front office planned for a power offense based on Kouz at third and Chase Headley in left and ought to stay on that track.
As I see it, the Padres have two black holes, catcher and second base. The Padres might have the worst catching in the majors. Outfield, an area that I called AAAA quality before the season, might have some promise with Chase Headley, Jody Gerut and Brian Giles having a pretty good season. But Michael Barrett is at .187 and Luke Carlin is hitting at a .172 clip. I sorta like Carlin, but that's not cutting it. When Tadahito Iguchi is ready to return to second base, I'm not going to be too excited. The Friars should keep Edgar Gonzalez and his bat right there next to little bro.
Don't look for someone else to come from the minors. While Matt Antonelli is reportedly coming around some, his batting average is still far under the Mendoza line. The pitchers mentioned in the article? A couple have ERAs over 6 and have allowed far more hits than innings pitched. The problem in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League isn't just hits, its that average fly balls go for home runs. So while ERAs will be inflated while it seems like you're in old-style Coors Field every start, your hits-to-innings pitched ratio should still be reasonable.
---
When I was running Sandiegosportstown.com. one of my best photos was of Rancho Bernardo High P Brandon Burke. He came up to me one day with a smile and told me how much he and his family enjoyed the photo. I appreciated the comment, since my photography mostly stunk.
Now Burke's Fresno State Bulldogs are in the finals of the College World Series, and he's a key part of it. I'm rooting for him.
---
If the baseball talk is getting you down, Chargers pre-season camp begins July 25. SDSU is supposed to start the first week of August.
So, to borrow from the article's headline, are the Padres buyers or sellers? Club President Sandy Alderson said he's taking a wait-and-see approach, meaning nothing dramatic is likely to happen until we get closer to the July 31 non-waiver trading deadline.
I think that's probably the right approach, barring some other team calling with a generous offer, say A-Rod in exchange for Cla Meredith. Hey, a guy can dream, right?
While I think I would take Alderson's approach, I think the Padres are going to end up in the seller's camp. The recent series vs the Yankees and Tigers, in which they were 1-5, showed they're just not close to being ready for prime time. They beat up on the sagging Mets and the struggling Dodgers to make themselves look decent a couple weeks ago, but interleague play has been a reality check.
One question that's been raised lately has been whether to trade Kevin Kouzmanoff, who has not displayed the power expected of him so far at third base. He's batting just .263 with only 33 RBI through nearly half the season and more than two-thirds of his hits have merely been singles. I don't mind a power-hitter who can shorten up the stroke when the situation calls for it, but I want him to be hitting .300 if that's the case. Still, Kouz is only a sophomore as a regular, and I'd hate to see him go. Depends on the offer, you know? Otherwise, the front office planned for a power offense based on Kouz at third and Chase Headley in left and ought to stay on that track.
As I see it, the Padres have two black holes, catcher and second base. The Padres might have the worst catching in the majors. Outfield, an area that I called AAAA quality before the season, might have some promise with Chase Headley, Jody Gerut and Brian Giles having a pretty good season. But Michael Barrett is at .187 and Luke Carlin is hitting at a .172 clip. I sorta like Carlin, but that's not cutting it. When Tadahito Iguchi is ready to return to second base, I'm not going to be too excited. The Friars should keep Edgar Gonzalez and his bat right there next to little bro.
Don't look for someone else to come from the minors. While Matt Antonelli is reportedly coming around some, his batting average is still far under the Mendoza line. The pitchers mentioned in the article? A couple have ERAs over 6 and have allowed far more hits than innings pitched. The problem in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League isn't just hits, its that average fly balls go for home runs. So while ERAs will be inflated while it seems like you're in old-style Coors Field every start, your hits-to-innings pitched ratio should still be reasonable.
---
When I was running Sandiegosportstown.com. one of my best photos was of Rancho Bernardo High P Brandon Burke. He came up to me one day with a smile and told me how much he and his family enjoyed the photo. I appreciated the comment, since my photography mostly stunk.
Now Burke's Fresno State Bulldogs are in the finals of the College World Series, and he's a key part of it. I'm rooting for him.
---
If the baseball talk is getting you down, Chargers pre-season camp begins July 25. SDSU is supposed to start the first week of August.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
San Diego's Greatest Sports Events
The San Diego Union-Tribune had a list Wednesday of the greatest sports events in San Diego, putting the recently completed U.S. Open golf tournament third.
A pretty good list, I think. I put together a number of such lists when I had Sandiegosportstown.com, but the the lists of greatest sports events I made used some different criteria. I think Bill Center was looking for things more national in scope, where San Diego made an impact on sports fans across the United States. Me, I was looking for local impact. Therefore, my list of the greatest local sports events included two from the high school level: Mt. Carmel's stirring girls basketball Division I final victory over El Camino and the Division IV boys basketball semifinals at Cuyamaca College in which Lincoln downed Christian on a three-pointer at the buzzer and Bishop's upset Horizon on a three-quarter court last-second desperation heave. Both were awesome, but no one outside the county would care.
Using Center's criteria, I think adding the America's Cup as suggested by some readers makes sense, certainly over a horse race and even Super Bowl XXXII. The San Diego State football victory over Florida State is a good pick, but from what I've read of SDSU's past, a 36-0 wipe-out of then small-college #1 North Dakota State before 35,000 at Balboa Stadium came with great drama and served as a springboard to Division I status. The Holiday Bowl game might also be included. I could also see USD's 2003 West Coast Conference Tournament championship victory over Gonzaga being on the list. Or this year's, since it led to an NCAA Tournament win.
---
Chase Headley is finally called up by the Padres and in his first game gets two hits in Yankee Stadium. Nice.
A pretty good list, I think. I put together a number of such lists when I had Sandiegosportstown.com, but the the lists of greatest sports events I made used some different criteria. I think Bill Center was looking for things more national in scope, where San Diego made an impact on sports fans across the United States. Me, I was looking for local impact. Therefore, my list of the greatest local sports events included two from the high school level: Mt. Carmel's stirring girls basketball Division I final victory over El Camino and the Division IV boys basketball semifinals at Cuyamaca College in which Lincoln downed Christian on a three-pointer at the buzzer and Bishop's upset Horizon on a three-quarter court last-second desperation heave. Both were awesome, but no one outside the county would care.
Using Center's criteria, I think adding the America's Cup as suggested by some readers makes sense, certainly over a horse race and even Super Bowl XXXII. The San Diego State football victory over Florida State is a good pick, but from what I've read of SDSU's past, a 36-0 wipe-out of then small-college #1 North Dakota State before 35,000 at Balboa Stadium came with great drama and served as a springboard to Division I status. The Holiday Bowl game might also be included. I could also see USD's 2003 West Coast Conference Tournament championship victory over Gonzaga being on the list. Or this year's, since it led to an NCAA Tournament win.
---
Chase Headley is finally called up by the Padres and in his first game gets two hits in Yankee Stadium. Nice.
Friday, June 13, 2008
College Football Previews Are Coming
Seeing the San Diego State preview on Collegefootballnews.com has me thinking about the possibilities of the upcoming fall season. The CFN analysis is fair and has only a couple minor details wrong that a national media organization would be unlikely to be aware of, anyway.
Their view of SDSU is pretty much in line with my own thinking. Once coach Chuck Long gets his recruits some experience, they have a chance to be pretty good. The only question is how long it will take for them to jell. Most of the predictions put the Aztecs at last, or close to last, in the Mountain West Conference, mainly because the writers know that most of a porous defense returns and they have no idea who the new players on offense are. That's okay. If the defensive line progresses as expected, the stoppers might end up being pretty decent this year. The offense, with new starters across the line, at quarterback and at two receiving spots, is a project. Hopefully, the preview writers will know the names of the offensive players by this time next year.
What worries a lot of fans of the Aztecs is that the offense showed next to nothing this spring. The defense dominated, no question. Me, I'm not so concerned about spring performance. For the offense, anyway, it was all about learning. For the players to discover what it was like to actually participate in a meaningful way. For the coaches to determine which guys were on track for a productive 2008 season.
My worry is about the usual Aztec issue: the hole. Football teams on Montezuma Mesa are usually filled with talent, but there's always an empty space somewhere to let them down. This year, there are two holes likely to slow whatever progress Long and Company have made.
-- Kicker. Steady Garrett Palmer is gone, to be replaced by sophomore transfer Bryan Shields, a hometown boy from Bonita. CFN describes him as having a big leg. What worries me is that a young offensive line is likely to struggle most in the red zone, which will leave Shields a lot of opportunities. Fans could trust Palmer inside the 40. Shields? Don't know. I need accuracy, not a boomer.
-- Cornerback. I have yet to be impressed by Aaron Moore and, while Vonnie Holmes seems to have a nose for the football, it's only on an occasional basis. No question they were hampered by a lack of a pass rush last year, but even if there's no pressure on the opposing QB this year, I'm not so sure those two can hold up their end of the bargain. Behind them are former Oceanside HS standout Jose Perez, who was a tremendous prep athlete only a half-notch below the Reggie Bush-Patrick Gates level, but is completely untested at the college level. Sophomores Romeo Horn and DeyJuan Hemmings are also in the mix, but I've never heard of either being more than warm bodies unless they suddenly develop.
Interestingly, the defense is also where you'll find the strength of the team. The safety combination of senior Corey Boudreaux and sophomore Martrell Fantroy -- who could be an All-MWC player this season -- is as good as there is in the conference. There's very good depth behind them.
You also have quality linebacker Russell Allen and some guys who looked like they had some potential in their first seasons: Luke Laologi, Andrew Preston and Jerry Milling. Passing them all up could be redshirt freshman Miles Burris, who appeared lost at times this spring, but when he was on, he was a beast. Burris is likely getting significant snaps by October, if not sooner.
The one other worry I have is at running back, where there is no star nor anyone who looks to have star potential. I never quite got the hoopla over Brandon Sullivan, who seems to me to make nice depth and is decent at catching the ball out of the backfield. There's too small Atiyyah Henderson again and the back who had a good spring, Devon Brown, who is also small.
Long really has to make a recruiting push at the position and bring in Cathedral Catholic's Tyler Gaffney or, since he's one of only a few top prep senior ball-carriers out west, find a JC nugget. I hope Sullivan or Brown (or both) prove me wrong.
The schedule is favorable in some respects. The non-conference games in September go Cal Poly, at Notre Dame, at San Jose State and Idaho. No one really expects to beat the Fighting Irish in South Bend, but catching them in their opener might give the Aztecs a chance to be competitive. Figuring the other two are all but sure victories, the San Jose State game could be the key to reaching six wins this year. The Spartans aren't very good, but they've been tough at home in recent years and beat the Aztecs up there two years ago. It's a sad state of affairs when you can look at a schedule and not list SJSU as a sure win, but nowadays it's a hump SDSU has to climb over.
If things are going well heading into MWC play, then home games vs Air Force, Colorado State and UNLV should be winnable. Any stumbles, or if there are hopes of reaching seven wins, they'll have to snag wins either at New Mexico, at Wyoming, or at home vs a very good Utah team.
I think 7 wins are possible, 6 wins are realistic, and 5 wins are likely. A five-win season would continue a win-total improvement of a game each season under Long. Six wins would probably not have been enough for a bowl last year but could be in 2008 because there are a couple more post-season games. A lot of things will have to go right, including health and the development of the offensive line, for the Aztecs to finish 7-5.
That said, no matter what you read, Long is not on the hot seat this season. Unless this fall brings a complete disaster, including another loss to Cal Poly, then Long will stick around to see what 2009 brings. This upcoming season is the year his recruits get their feet wet. The next season will be the one in which Long and his staff are judged.
Their view of SDSU is pretty much in line with my own thinking. Once coach Chuck Long gets his recruits some experience, they have a chance to be pretty good. The only question is how long it will take for them to jell. Most of the predictions put the Aztecs at last, or close to last, in the Mountain West Conference, mainly because the writers know that most of a porous defense returns and they have no idea who the new players on offense are. That's okay. If the defensive line progresses as expected, the stoppers might end up being pretty decent this year. The offense, with new starters across the line, at quarterback and at two receiving spots, is a project. Hopefully, the preview writers will know the names of the offensive players by this time next year.
What worries a lot of fans of the Aztecs is that the offense showed next to nothing this spring. The defense dominated, no question. Me, I'm not so concerned about spring performance. For the offense, anyway, it was all about learning. For the players to discover what it was like to actually participate in a meaningful way. For the coaches to determine which guys were on track for a productive 2008 season.
My worry is about the usual Aztec issue: the hole. Football teams on Montezuma Mesa are usually filled with talent, but there's always an empty space somewhere to let them down. This year, there are two holes likely to slow whatever progress Long and Company have made.
-- Kicker. Steady Garrett Palmer is gone, to be replaced by sophomore transfer Bryan Shields, a hometown boy from Bonita. CFN describes him as having a big leg. What worries me is that a young offensive line is likely to struggle most in the red zone, which will leave Shields a lot of opportunities. Fans could trust Palmer inside the 40. Shields? Don't know. I need accuracy, not a boomer.
-- Cornerback. I have yet to be impressed by Aaron Moore and, while Vonnie Holmes seems to have a nose for the football, it's only on an occasional basis. No question they were hampered by a lack of a pass rush last year, but even if there's no pressure on the opposing QB this year, I'm not so sure those two can hold up their end of the bargain. Behind them are former Oceanside HS standout Jose Perez, who was a tremendous prep athlete only a half-notch below the Reggie Bush-Patrick Gates level, but is completely untested at the college level. Sophomores Romeo Horn and DeyJuan Hemmings are also in the mix, but I've never heard of either being more than warm bodies unless they suddenly develop.
Interestingly, the defense is also where you'll find the strength of the team. The safety combination of senior Corey Boudreaux and sophomore Martrell Fantroy -- who could be an All-MWC player this season -- is as good as there is in the conference. There's very good depth behind them.
You also have quality linebacker Russell Allen and some guys who looked like they had some potential in their first seasons: Luke Laologi, Andrew Preston and Jerry Milling. Passing them all up could be redshirt freshman Miles Burris, who appeared lost at times this spring, but when he was on, he was a beast. Burris is likely getting significant snaps by October, if not sooner.
The one other worry I have is at running back, where there is no star nor anyone who looks to have star potential. I never quite got the hoopla over Brandon Sullivan, who seems to me to make nice depth and is decent at catching the ball out of the backfield. There's too small Atiyyah Henderson again and the back who had a good spring, Devon Brown, who is also small.
Long really has to make a recruiting push at the position and bring in Cathedral Catholic's Tyler Gaffney or, since he's one of only a few top prep senior ball-carriers out west, find a JC nugget. I hope Sullivan or Brown (or both) prove me wrong.
The schedule is favorable in some respects. The non-conference games in September go Cal Poly, at Notre Dame, at San Jose State and Idaho. No one really expects to beat the Fighting Irish in South Bend, but catching them in their opener might give the Aztecs a chance to be competitive. Figuring the other two are all but sure victories, the San Jose State game could be the key to reaching six wins this year. The Spartans aren't very good, but they've been tough at home in recent years and beat the Aztecs up there two years ago. It's a sad state of affairs when you can look at a schedule and not list SJSU as a sure win, but nowadays it's a hump SDSU has to climb over.
If things are going well heading into MWC play, then home games vs Air Force, Colorado State and UNLV should be winnable. Any stumbles, or if there are hopes of reaching seven wins, they'll have to snag wins either at New Mexico, at Wyoming, or at home vs a very good Utah team.
I think 7 wins are possible, 6 wins are realistic, and 5 wins are likely. A five-win season would continue a win-total improvement of a game each season under Long. Six wins would probably not have been enough for a bowl last year but could be in 2008 because there are a couple more post-season games. A lot of things will have to go right, including health and the development of the offensive line, for the Aztecs to finish 7-5.
That said, no matter what you read, Long is not on the hot seat this season. Unless this fall brings a complete disaster, including another loss to Cal Poly, then Long will stick around to see what 2009 brings. This upcoming season is the year his recruits get their feet wet. The next season will be the one in which Long and his staff are judged.
Sunday, June 08, 2008
Winning Streaks by Bad Padres Nothing New
After five straight wins, including a four-game series sweep of the Mets and a league record four consecutive wins by a score of 2-1, a lesson in Padres history is in order.
The Padres once won 14 games in a row. In that glorious streak, they twice swept three-game sets from the Dodgers, took four straight from the Rockies and began the string with a three-game sweep of the Pirates. They won one more in Colorado before the streak ended in a 12-10 slugfest.
Among the interesting things about the streak, Matt Clement and Brian Boehringer each won three games. The first game saw savior-to-never-be Ruben Rivera knock two home runs. Rivera homered and doubled in a win over LA to raise his batting average to .208. The Padres scored 13 runs at the Q vs Colorado when Rockies pitchers issued 10 walks. In another game vs the Rox, Damian Jackson stole five bases. The Padres beat the Dodgers on an RBI single by Jackson in the 12th inning. Trevor Hoffman saved the first five wins and nine of the 14.
Alas, the final victory in the streak merely evened the Padres record at 39-39 and pulled them within 5 games of the first place Giants. The year was 1999, a season removed from the World Series and the beginning of a tailspin that would keep postseason baseball out of America’s Finest City until 2005.
The Padres finished that season 74-88. That number again – 14 – games below .500 in fourth place.
So we have history now that bad Friars teams can put together nice winning streaks. Maybe they’ll continue to improve through 2008 and actually put pressure on the suddenly vulnerable Diamondbacks. As the history lesson demonstrates, maybe not.
One of the nice stories of the baseball season so far is the rise of Red Sox rookie P Justin Masterson, who played at San Diego State. He’s 2-0 after three starts, has allowed just 11 hits in 18 innings and has struck out 14 batters.
Call him a late-bloomer. In his only season on the Mesa, Masterson was 6-7 with an ERA of 4.81. There’s been better pitchers at SDSU, but he appears to have a great pro future ahead of him.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Hoffman, Prior Prove to be Mortal; Gwynn
Among the many things not in the blueprint for the San Diego Padres this year was baseball mortality for star closer Trevor Hoffman and once-time ace starter Mark Prior.
I don't think anyone expected Hoffman to be what he once was, but I don't think anyone believed that 2008's precipitous decline would happen, either. True that in Sunday's blown save opportunity, the Giants never hit a ball hard and that he'd converted his previous eight save opportunities. But he also lost two games in that stretch and gave up five hits and two runs in a pair of innings pitched against Cincinnati. His ERA is up to 5.68 and he's allowed 27 baserunners in 19 innings -- not good when you're normally brought in at the beginning of the ninth.
Like the last time this came up, in April when he was struggling, I don't advocate replacing Hoffman right now. The Giants seeing-eye singles and Edgar Gonzalez' misplay could very well be an aberration, and Hoffman deserves the chance to prove that such was the case. But, like before, we have to keep a close eye on him and not keep running him out there so he can lose leads -- which for the Padres are preciously few.
One of the advantages that Manager Bud Black has right now, which he didn't have in April, is an effective Heath Bell, who in his last seven appearances has allowed no runs, three hits and one walk. Black should accord Bell the occasional save opportunity no matter what Hoffman is up to.
Prior, meanwhile, will have season-ending surgery on his shoulder before ever coming close to making a return to the mound. It was a high-stakes gamble for the Padres to sign him in the first place, where if he'd returned to health and form, he'd be a real asset for the pitching staff. Alas, it didn't happen. I think it was a worthy try by the front office. However, I now wonder whether the USDHS alum will ever be able to pitch again.
---
It's June. Do you know where your Chase Headley is? The youngster hit his 10th home run for AAA Portland Sunday and has a .306 batting average. Time to stick him in Petco.
Seems to me this is the day I previously mentioned for his call up.
---
Tony Gwynn has just completed his sixth year as the head baseball coach at San Diego State, and if that's not proof that times flies, nothing is. Speaking of things unexpected, Gwynn has not built SDSU into a perennial post-season ball club. Circumstances dictate that he should be given a seventh year at the helm of the program, but for him to have an eighth, his Aztecs darn well better be playing in June.
Gwynn's Aztecs have been a portrait in mediocrity, frankly. They have years that they can't pitch, others when they can't hit and still others when fielding blunders cost them mightily.
He gets a pass for this year's failure to reach the NCAA Regionals because they lost nearly their entire pitching staff from the previous season. They brought in a bunch of new guys, and like first-year players, many of them struggled. Sophomore Stephen Strasburg became a first-team All-American as named by Collegiate Baseball, but everyone else struggled. Much of the conference season saw Strasburg shut out the Aztecs opponent on Friday night, followed by two weekend games in which the other team scored in double digits. Hard to fault Gwynn for a full-scale change in the pitching staff.
Next year, though, he either gets these pitchers "coached up" and some of his young sluggers performing consistently, or the program is going to need to make a change.
There is no excuse whatsoever for the Aztecs to not win the pathetic Mountain West Conference regular season and/or tournament title with its automatic bid four out of every six years. Every so often, BYU and TCU will be good enough to snag a championship. So be it.
Gwynn only has won a regular season championship in his first season and has yet to guide the Aztecs to the NCAA Regionals. His seat is now hot.
I don't think anyone expected Hoffman to be what he once was, but I don't think anyone believed that 2008's precipitous decline would happen, either. True that in Sunday's blown save opportunity, the Giants never hit a ball hard and that he'd converted his previous eight save opportunities. But he also lost two games in that stretch and gave up five hits and two runs in a pair of innings pitched against Cincinnati. His ERA is up to 5.68 and he's allowed 27 baserunners in 19 innings -- not good when you're normally brought in at the beginning of the ninth.
Like the last time this came up, in April when he was struggling, I don't advocate replacing Hoffman right now. The Giants seeing-eye singles and Edgar Gonzalez' misplay could very well be an aberration, and Hoffman deserves the chance to prove that such was the case. But, like before, we have to keep a close eye on him and not keep running him out there so he can lose leads -- which for the Padres are preciously few.
One of the advantages that Manager Bud Black has right now, which he didn't have in April, is an effective Heath Bell, who in his last seven appearances has allowed no runs, three hits and one walk. Black should accord Bell the occasional save opportunity no matter what Hoffman is up to.
Prior, meanwhile, will have season-ending surgery on his shoulder before ever coming close to making a return to the mound. It was a high-stakes gamble for the Padres to sign him in the first place, where if he'd returned to health and form, he'd be a real asset for the pitching staff. Alas, it didn't happen. I think it was a worthy try by the front office. However, I now wonder whether the USDHS alum will ever be able to pitch again.
---
It's June. Do you know where your Chase Headley is? The youngster hit his 10th home run for AAA Portland Sunday and has a .306 batting average. Time to stick him in Petco.
Seems to me this is the day I previously mentioned for his call up.
---
Tony Gwynn has just completed his sixth year as the head baseball coach at San Diego State, and if that's not proof that times flies, nothing is. Speaking of things unexpected, Gwynn has not built SDSU into a perennial post-season ball club. Circumstances dictate that he should be given a seventh year at the helm of the program, but for him to have an eighth, his Aztecs darn well better be playing in June.
Gwynn's Aztecs have been a portrait in mediocrity, frankly. They have years that they can't pitch, others when they can't hit and still others when fielding blunders cost them mightily.
He gets a pass for this year's failure to reach the NCAA Regionals because they lost nearly their entire pitching staff from the previous season. They brought in a bunch of new guys, and like first-year players, many of them struggled. Sophomore Stephen Strasburg became a first-team All-American as named by Collegiate Baseball, but everyone else struggled. Much of the conference season saw Strasburg shut out the Aztecs opponent on Friday night, followed by two weekend games in which the other team scored in double digits. Hard to fault Gwynn for a full-scale change in the pitching staff.
Next year, though, he either gets these pitchers "coached up" and some of his young sluggers performing consistently, or the program is going to need to make a change.
There is no excuse whatsoever for the Aztecs to not win the pathetic Mountain West Conference regular season and/or tournament title with its automatic bid four out of every six years. Every so often, BYU and TCU will be good enough to snag a championship. So be it.
Gwynn only has won a regular season championship in his first season and has yet to guide the Aztecs to the NCAA Regionals. His seat is now hot.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)