Actually, it wasn't really an at-bat at all, but a plate appearance by Brian Giles during the sixth inning of the Padres' 4-2 victory over the Phillies on Wednesday.
The Padres were clinging to a 3-2 lead and had a runner on third with one out after Josh Bard doubled and moved to third base on Chris Young's sacrifice bunt.
That brought up Giles to face lefty Jamie Moyer who might have been running on fumes at this time but is still, well, left-handed.
Giles, who has a single and a double to this point, falls behind 0-1 before getting two balls. He then fouls off a change-up to make it 2-2. Giles then lays off a close pitch, fouls another pitch away before Moyer walks him on a ball in the dirt.
Giles would be the last batter Moyer would face, as Tadahito Iguchi got to face a right-hander instead in Chad Durbin, who promptly served up the third of Iguchi's four hits, allowing Bard to score easily for a 4-2 lead.
The Giles at-bat is huge because it got Moyer out of the game -- he might have been anyway with the right-hander Iguchi up -- and because it set up with really amounted to the only clutch hit of the night by the Padres, who stranded 14, a problem that has presented itself often this season.
That hit also gave the Padres a little wiggle room, which proved especially important as relief pitchers Joe Thatcher, Heath Bell and closer Trevor Hoffman each allowed one base runner and faced the tying run at some point.
Anyway, the home runs are nice but sometimes you have to dig a little deeper to find an at-bat that changes the face of the game.

Cheers, Corey

Normally, extra batting practice, as it's called, is reserved for those players who don't normally see a lot of action, bench players mostly. It's held in the afternoon, long before the real batting practice takes place closer to games.

Today, though, it's not just guys like Tony Clark, Justin Huber and Callix Crabbe taking early batting practice, as Tadahito Iguchi and Kevin Kouzmanoff are out here hitting bombs in this cozy little bandbox they called Minute Maid Park.

Really, this isn't so much batting practice as it is home run derby, with first base coach Rick Renteria serving up belt-high fastballs. Don't get me wrong, this is still BP and hitting coach Wally Joyner is watching the hitters and working specifically with Iguchi, who has been in a funk recently.

But I think the draw here, to some extent, is seeing how far these players can hit balls today, with Kouzmanoff sending several pitches off the concrete wall above the left-feld seats. No, this isn't something you would ever see at PETCO Park, in BP or games. Must be a treat for the players.

Just to show you what a bandbox this place is, Adrian Gonzalez and Jim Edmonds each hit opposite field home runs here last night. Granted, these guys aren't banjo hitters, especially Gonzalez, who hit 20 of his 30 home runs last season away from PETCO Park.

I'm very impressed by Huber's raw power, which is something we saw in Phoenix when he quickly turned around that 1-2 fastball from Randy Johnson and sent it halfway up the seats. He had a nice at-bats last night before getting a double. I think we'll see him more against left-handed pitchers.

Cheers, Corey

I'm a baseball fan, plain and simple. That should be obvious given the nature of my job. If I loved about writing about city hall or real estate, well, I wouldn't be doing what I'm doing. As the saying goes, you write what you know. I think you write what you're passionate about as well.

One of the best aspects of my job is I get to hear some great old baseball stories on occasion, not so much from the players -- as most of them are all younger than me, meaning that their "old" stories date back to, say, 2002.

Manager Bud Black has good stories and since I grew up a Mariners fan, I'm a little partial to his old stories about his brief stint coming up with the Mariners. Bud, like myself, spent time growing up in the Pacific Northwest, so that opens itself to more stories, none that any of the other reporters care hearing about.

Anyway, we were talking about the Padres' 22-inning game the other night at PETCO and Bud mentions that his Major League debut in 1981 nearly game in the continuation of such a long game. Here's the setup:

It was Sept. 3 and the Mariners were in Boston. I assume that Black, 24, was added to the Mariners roster after the rosters expanded on Sept. 1. Of course, the Mariners were pretty awful that season, which was, oddly enough, cut short by a work stoppage. Not even a split-season format could save the Mariners from an ugly season that saw them fire Maury Wills and replace him with Rene Lachemann.

So the Mariners are playing the Red Sox team that wasn't very special, as they finished fifth in their division with the likes of a young Rich Gedman, Carney Lansford and 41-year-old Carl Yastrzemski. Oddly enough, Padres third base coach Glenn Hoffman was on that team.

So the Mariners and Red Sox, in what was an otherwise meaningless game, decide to play extra innings, after Boston scored three time in the ninth inning off relievers Shane Rawley, Dick Drago and Bryan Clark.

So the game goes to extra innings and is eventually suspended at 2 a.m. after the end of the 19th inning. That's where things get interesting for Black. Before leaving that night for the team hotel, Lachemann tells Black he's starting when the game resumes the next day.

That's right: Black's Major League debut would be at Fenway Park. So Black goes back to the team hotel, likely makes a few phone calls to family and such to inform them of the good news. He doesn't sleep much, though, as he recalled.

So Black gets to Fenway the next day only to be told by Lachemann that "I changed my mind ... you're not pitching."

The Mariners score a run in the top of the 20th inning on an RBI triple by Joe Simpson. In the bottom of the inning, Mariners reliever Jerry Don Gleaton and Jim Beattie combine to keep the Red Sox scoreless and the Mariners win, 8-7.

As for Black, he would make his Major League debut a few days later, oddly enough, against the same Red Sox in the Kingdome. He uncorked a wild pitch before allowing a RBI single to Rick Miller. He was then replaced.

Anyway, fun story. And had the Mariners not traded Black to the Royals in 1982 for infielder Manny Castillo -- yep, that worked out really well -- we might have even more stories to kick around. Yes, it's a real shame.

Cheers, Corey

 

That's right. The Padres play the longest game in club history -- in fact, has it ended yet -- and yours truly, Corey Brock, beat writer for the team was not only not there but was home asleep, resting up for a morning flight to Phoenix for the start of a three-game series against Arizona.

You know what happens with games like night, right? It's kind of like a no-hitter, though not as cool where, years down the road, people will claim to have been at PETCO Park the night the Padres played 22 innings. I won't be one of them.

It's a little funny, though. I've missed two games this season (we do get days off) and that was one of them. I don't feel too bad about missing it because, chances are, we'll likely experience that (maybe not 22 innings, but at least another long extra-innings game) at some point over the season.

My plan is to catch up with some of the players at Chase Field today to talk about the game and get their insights. Remember: The Padres left for Phoenix after the game and likely didn't arrive at their hotel until 4 a.m.

Not, not exactly a restful way to prepare for facing the best team (record-wise) in baseball and with a short-handed bullpen, though there's a chance the Padres will recall a relief pitcher from Triple-A Portland, otherwise Bud Black better loosen up that left arm.

Come to think of it, I'm left-handed, too and my arm is fresh (I did play 18 holes yesterday), meaning I can "bring it" in upwards of 60 or so mph if needed. But let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Cheers, Corey


 

Easy. The Dodgers do, and they do it every Friday night. The thinking, so I've been told, is that by starting the game later, it will give those fans an extra 35 minutes or so to drive the, well, 12 or so additional feet in traffic.

Seriously, maybe it's the old newspaper writer in me that detests anything later than a 7:05 p.m. start time. I don't have the old hard-and-fast deadlines I did when I worked at the paper. Anyway, just a random observation from Dodger Stadium, where the Padres open a three-game series on Friday.

Is this a big series? It's a point worth debating. It's April, early April at that. But these games are against NL West teams which makes them important than for no other reason than we saw last season how important one game is. Give one away in April and it could come back to bite you in September. So in that sense, yes, they're big, though I have trouble getting too excited this early.

After all, the Padres are leading the NL in batting average while the bullpen has five losses and two blown saves. Does anyone really expect those trends to hold up over a 162-game season? I won't go as far as to say, 'Call me in September' but at least call me in May.

Cheers, Corey

Hey, remember me? Sort of nice to be back on the road again after a week at home. I have to admit that traveling is one of the best parts of this job, though I might retract that statement in September.

For now, however, it's nice. San Francisco is a great city and my wife is along for a few days while I cover the Padres against the Giants, who as I sit here in the fourth inning on Monday, can't help but wonder how many games these guys are going to win this season.

Of course, opposing batters just have a way of looking bad against Padres' starting pitching. Such was the case in 2007 and, thus far, it looks to be much of the same. Jake Peavy has looked Cy Young-like in his first two victories, Chris Young's last start was better than his first and Greg Maddux is spinning a gem after a slow start today.

And the two guys who had the most questions entering the season -- Randy Wolf and Justin Germano -- each looked good in their first starts. Yes, it's early, I realize that. But for a team that figures to be in a dogfight of a division, victories in April should be valued as much in, say, those in August and September.

Cheers, Corey

Trevor Hoffman blows a save, fans call for his retirement, or, at the very least, that someone else be given the job of closing games for the Padres.
Trevor Hoffman earns a save and suddenly all is forgiven, everything is hunky dory and the world somehow continues to spin.
I hate to think this is going to be the case this year, but given the way last season ended for the Padres and for Hoffman, who has we all know by now blew two saves over the final three days of the season, it might be a sign of things to come.
While I agree, it's a story when Hoffman blows a save as it should be a story when he earns a save as well, it's just not always the story, but part of the story, just like a Scott Hairston home run or a Kevin Kouzmanoff home run.
I just don't think a blow save means the media or fans should suddenly jump on the "Trevor Should Retire" bandwagon. Blown saves happen, everywhere in baseball.
Listen, the guy has saved 526 career games and 42 last season alone. Is he in the twilight of his career? Of course, and no one is arguing that.
Is having to answer for his blown saves part of his job? Hoffman doesn't have to talk about it, but he's professional enough to be at his locker after good outings and bad one.
Should a blown save in April, on the third day of the season no less, constitute a knee-jerk reaction from the media and fans that he's finished? Absolutely not.
I like this quote Trevor gave reporters after the game on Thursday. It pretty much sums things up perfectly.
"I would like to get on a roll," Hoffman told reporters, smiling. "And not talk to you guys for a while."
 
Cheers, Corey

 
  

Well, it certainly looks as though Josh Bard has no intention of ever coming out from behind the plate, especially with the way he has looked both offensively (four hits in the first two games) and defensively (his release has been quicker on throws, though good leads/jumps by baserunners certainly hasn't made it easy on him).

At any rate, if you're wondering when Michael Barrett might get some playing time, well, it could come as soon as tonight, Wednesday, especially with a day game Thursday. Either way, Bard won't start both games, as starting catchers almost always get a day game off following a night game.

Also, don't be surprised to see Justin Huber get the start in left field tonight with a left-hander on the mound for the Astros (Wandy ... what a great name ... Rodriguez). Huber, who has no Minor League options, doesn't figure to be going anywhere and this is a chance to get him a few at-bats.

Hey, on a totally random note, and just for fun, since Triple-A Portland is starting its season Thursday in what I consider one of the best cities in America -- Note: If Portland had a Major League team, I'd be there in a heartbeat, leaving you to kick around another blogger.

How about a projected starting lineup for the Beavers? Sure Corey, go right ahead:

2B Matt Antonelli
SS Luis Rodriguez
1B Brian Myrow
LF Chase Headley
CF Will Venable
RF Chip Ambres
DH Edgar Gonzalez
3B Craig Stansberry
C Nick Hundley
SP Wade LeBlanc

Cheers, Corey

The press box isn't so full of people you see, really, on Opening Day and, likely, the very last day of the season. Where these people are for those 14-inning games in May when you have plans for after the game -- well, had plans -- I'll never know.

But enough about them. Game No. 2, which is Tuesday at PETCO, will feel more like a real game, as the fans who show up (again) are likely the ones who will be there all season, you know, the diehard fans.

The game tonight against the Astros reminds me of a post I, well, posted a while back here about a prediction I made, that Chris Young, who starts tonight, will win the 2008 Cy Young Award. Call me crazy, but I'm sticking to that prediction.

Some thoughts on Opening Day before we move ahead:

Liked what I saw from Tadahito Iguchi in the No. 2 hole. Quick hands, like the line drive stroke and I think there's some pop in that bat. He made all the plays at second base as well, which is something he didn't do in Arizona, but hey, that's what Spring Training is for, right?

It looked like Jake Peavy's early command issues dissolved as the game went on. I think that his use of the change-up is going to go a long ways toward his overall success this season as opposing hitters can't just sit on that slider or his fastball anymore. I don't know if he'll throw 10-15 of them like he did Monday, as it's a feel pitch for him still, but it gives those opposing hitters something else to think about.

I like the bottom of the order and I think there's going to be a lot more production there than there ever was in 2007 when the Padres struggled to knock in runners in scoring position. I like having Josh Bard and Paul McAnulty hitting back-to-back. And, you have to remember, the pitchers spot isn't an automatic out with the Padres. Peavy, Young, Maddux and Wolf (remember when he hit two home runs in a game?) can all swing the stick.

Anyway, that's it for now.

Cheers, Corey

 

... Reading the Sunday paper, with a cup of coffee. And I love my Sunday paper and coffee.
... The dog deciding to "sleep in," which means not getting up at 4:30 to, you know, pee.
... Trying to figure out who No. 78, No. 92 and No. 68 are during a Cactus League game.

Folks, it's Opening Day and no matter how you slice it, it's pretty cool. Personally, I'm looking forward to my second season covering the Padres. As usual, we'll make this, not just this blog but our Padres site, the place to stop for all the details on the team, before game, in-game and, of course, after game.

Anyway, leave a comment if you like today. I'll try to get to them the best I can today and during the game against the Astros. Here's today's starting lineups:

ASTROS (0-0):

CF Michael Bourn
RF Hunter Pence
1B Lance Berkman
LF Carlos Lee
SS Miguel Tejada
3B Ty Wigginton
2B Mark Loretta
C Brad Ausmus
P Roy Oswalt

PADRES (0-0):

RF Brian Giles
2B Tadahito Iguchi
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff
1B Adrian Gonzalez
CF Scott Hairston
SS Khalil Greene
C Josh Bard
LF Paul McAnulty
P Jake Peavy

So, I was thinking: Do the 2-3-4 hitters in the Astros lineup scare you as much as they scare me? Wow, I like Pence a lot and having Tejada hit fifth. Not bad. The rest of the lineup doesn't do much for me, though. As for the Padres, as promised, P-Mac in left. He'll see a lot of time against right-handed pitchers.