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A Hurting Bryce Harper sends Home Run #11 into the San Diego bushes

May 17, 2013 by Leave a Comment

harperhr11

Some type of Tyson Ross breaking ball that didn’t work out was launched 431 feet into the night in San Diego, just a stroke after midnight.

Writers have spent the week comparing Harper to Pete Reiser; who was just a young Dodgers outfielder who ran into a lot of walls and never hit more than 14 home runs in a season.

I guarantee Pete Reiser never hit a ball this far. Nats win 6-1. Harper homers. Stephen Strasburg actually went more than seven innings. All is right with the fantasy baseball world.

Have you ever heard the expression “this guy has the power to hit them out of Yosemite”? When I think about Yosemite, I’m actually thinking about San Diego’s Petco Park. That is Yosemite. Tyson Ross: Bryce Harper just made you famous.

Filed Under: San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals Tagged With: , ,

Brawl in San Diego: Carlos Quentin is bigger than Zack Greinke

April 12, 2013 by Leave a Comment

Dodgers Brawl 4.11.2013

Update:  Zack Greinke indeed broke his left collarbone and will be out 6-8 weeks.  That is brutal.  and Matt Kemp still isn’t happy.  Should be very interesting when they meet again on Monday in LA.  See tweet below.

Dodgers Brawl3 4.11.2013

In the bottom of the sixth inning on a full count, Zack Greinke came up and in on Carlos Quentin and plunked him on the shoulder.  This was enough to send Carlos Quentin, first walking and then sprinting out to tackle Greinke.  Quentin has about 50 lbs on Greinke and slammed into him at close to full speed.  The brawl was of the benches clearing, bull pen clearing variety and was definitely heated.  Earlier Jason Marquis sent a fastball near Matt Kemp’s head and the Greinke pitch probably wasn’t pay back though with a full count and two on.  The brawl cooled down and then it started back up again when this happened.

Dodgers Brawl2 4.11.2013

Matt Kemp (I think?) was still pissed and ran across from the Dodgers dugout and the fray started all over again.  The biggest news is that Greinke had to leave the game with an apparent injury.  That will happen when your shoulder slams into someone much bigger than you.  Hopefully for the Dodgers he’s not out for long.  GIF of the main collision below.

 

Filed Under: Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres Tagged With: , ,

2013 San Diego Padres Team Preview

February 21, 2013 by Leave a Comment
chase-headley

The Padres current centerpiece, Chase Headley

Who better to begin previewing the National League with then the San Diego Padres? The answer is probably just about anyone excluding the Marlins.

Do they still have a giant Taylor Made golf club as their foul pole? Does anyone know? If so, this moves them up a peg in my book. If not, the roster isn’t much to look at. In fact, if I was honestly a Padres fan I would probably be more excited about golf season soon picking up steam or where the San Diego State Aztecs finish in the NIT tournament if they’re lucky enough to make it.

Here’s a closer look at the beauty within the San Diego Padres.

Major offseason moves:

  • Signed SP Jason Marquis
  • Signed Carlos Quention to a 3-year, $27 million dollar extension

The Padres changed ownership groups last August when the sons of former Los Angeles Dodgers owner Peter O’ Malley bought the team. You probably didn’t know this because the Padres former ownership group has done little to make them relevant in recent years and they’re probably one of the least most interesting teams in baseball as it stands.

The cupboard isn’t completely bare–and they’ve moved in the fences at Petco! I didn’t know how many more of those 2-1 yawners in the San Diego sunshine that I can take. The truth is, there are two main pieces I really love on the Padres roster, and we’ll get to them after the jump.

[Read more...]

Filed Under: 2013 Diamond Hoggers Season Previews, San Diego Padres Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Two down, 598 to go

May 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Harper v. Bass. Bass is swallowed whole.

The smoke-grey bat was back this afternoon, and Bryce Harper took a piece from Anthony Bass that he can never have back.

On a day where Bass was particularly stingy, Harper still found a way to tally another impressive bomb. And not that I’ll be able to make this a habit, but I’ve caught them both live.

Here’s Bryce Harper career home run number two:

….And the bomb show resumes tomorrow against the Pirates. Erik Bedard, keep your head on a swivel.

Filed Under: San Diego Padres, Washington Nationals Tagged With: , ,

Reds Acquire Mat Latos from Padres for Yonder Alonso & Edinson Volquez

December 17, 2011 by 4 Comments

The Reds traded Yonder Alonso, Edinson Volquez, and former 1st round picks Yasmani Grandal and Brad Boxberger for Mat Latos this afternoon.

Can you tell we’re less than thrilled?

There are two ways to look at this trade. One is that basically in return for Josh Hamilton, we have now just Latos to show for it. We also threw in Yonder Alonso and two promising first round prospects just to sweeten the deal for the Padres.

The other way to look at it is the Reds traded a surplus to fill a need–and acquired the only proven Major Leaguer in the deal. I choose not to look at it that way because I felt Alonso shows more at the plate than Jay Bruce or Drew Stubbs or any other young Reds player. Now what will they do when Joey Votto skips town?

While I like Latos’ stuff, his numbers aren’t that impressive when you factor in that he’s been pitching in a pitcher-friendly ballpark his entire career. He’ll only be 24, but I would expect his numbers to and productivity to decline in Great American Ball Park.

UPDATE: FanGraphs likes the trade. I will still resume crybabying.

Filed Under: Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, Trades Tagged With: , , , ,

Summer isn’t over yet

August 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

[Box Score]

What can you say about Jay Bruce’s line shot into the right field seats at GABP last night other than he found a way to pull the sun back up in the sky and give us a few more days of summer before we officially pack it in and declare it football season.

When Bruce hit the home run they showed some shots of the San Diego dugout. When I saw many of the faces of the players as well as the manager Bud Black, I knew the game was over. The Reds weren’t going to blow this one. The Padres had absorbed a blow that the Reds have absorbed so many times this year. A game had been stolen from them right out of the win column and had it put into the loss column. They were emotionally drained from that Jay Bruce home run.

The Reds won the game 5-3, and Bruce drove in four runs for the second time in a week. Obviously, still 10 games out makes it highly unlikely that this season is going to be anything beyond sitting at home in October. But like we told our fiance last evening, until they’re mathematically eliminated–and until they lose again (they’ve won three games in a row)–we’re going to choose to believe that they’re going to run the table and get back in this thing. Even if that means we’re going to be severely let down.

Go hard these last 40 some odd games and tear the meat off the bone. You will have all off-season to rest up. And granted that it’s going to take a miracle to become relevant again; we think that simply becoming relevant would have made this a successful season at this point. I think the Reds understand that. They’re playing like it of late. It’s almost as if they got punched hard, got knocked down in the fight but they’re up again and staggering their way through the late rounds and landing a few of their own. They’re getting their legs back underneath them.

Diamond Hoggers 80′s song of the game:

Filed Under: Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres, winning streaks Tagged With: ,

Video: The Giant Taylor Made Golf Club Foul Pole at Petco

April 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment

This is pretty sweet, and pretty unique really.

And this is why baseball is the greatest sport on earth. You don’t see this kind of advertising done in NHL arenas, NFL stadiums, or NBA arenas. Ballparks have personality. And we’re sure it’s all done without obstructing anyone’s view.

Golf and baseball. What a beautiful marriage. Not sure that there’s any two things in life that are better (or more frustrating when things are going bad).

hat tip: Gaslamp Ball

Filed Under: Diamond Hoggers Video Select, San Diego Padres Tagged With:

Game 11, 2011: Reds 8, Padres 2

April 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

[Box Score]

[Gaslamp Ball] [Cincinnati.com]

These Reds have more than 9 lives don’t they?

There were several instances last night where the game should have been over (thanks once again to Nick Masset for burning our bullpen and nearly losing his 3rd game on the young season) in favor of the Padres and had the Reds sitting at 7-4 entering the ever tough getaway day off the West Coast.

But the Reds didn’t quit. The special moment was in the bottom of the 9th with the game on the line, Cameron Maybin hit a ball that looked like a line shot into the right-center gap that would surely end this one. Thom Brennaman even made the point to say “and this game is over–or is it?” before Jay Bruce appeared like Superman out of nowhere to snag the line drive, dash Cameron Maybin’s hopes of celebration (pictured above) and send the game into extra innings.

The other big moment that will stick with me is the way Logan Ondrusek battled out of tough situations last night. In two different innings he had a mess to clean up, and when he struck out Nick Hundley with the bases loaded and only one out in the 10th inning, you just knew they would find a way to get out of it yet again and give themselves one more inning to win the game.

When the game ended last night just before the 2am hour here in Ohio, Dusty Baker had a look on his face that said a lot to me. His look said that he’s been around this game a long time, and there’s something special going on with his group of 25 here in 2010. He’s seen a lot of assembly’s of rosters in his time. He’s had good teams, bad teams, mediocre teams. He knows that there is a little magic surrounding a lot of talent and grit in this group. He won’t admit it, but I’m telling you the thought has crossed his mind a few times already.

Those are the types of things you think about when you’re rolling teams without anything from Jay Bruce, or when you’re seeing a Chris Heisey drive in 8 runs in his first 14 at-bats yet there is no spot for him every day because Gomes and Stubbs have collected so many big hits. Or when Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto look to be at their never before seen peak–how scary of a thought is that?

This team is dangerous.

Top Plays:

Drew Stubbs monster homer slams the door shut

Johnny Gomes saves the game with a catch

Brandon Phillips: Are you kidding me?

Reds 11th inning explosion

Potpourri:

This was the second consecutive game in which I noticed Aroldis Chapman’s velocity was down. He was 94 MPH, touching 96 that I saw, and even though he worked a 1-2-3 7th inning that saw him go strikeout (filthy slider), foul out, strike out looking on his best pitch of the night speed-wise; I’m a little concerned. We’re talking about 10 MPH on the fastball that he’s missing all of the sudden. Keep your eyes on this.

Jay Bruce *MIGHT* be starting to come out of his funk ever so slowly perhaps. The box score will read only 1 for 3, 2 runs scored; but if you watched the quality of at-bats that he had, they’re the type of at-bats that a player has when he’s about to come out of a funk. Confidence building at-bats. Working an 8-pitch walk from Heath Bell who was throwing smoke. Fouling off tough pitches from a lefty. And of course probably 2 or 3 Gold Glove quality plays in the outfield.

I watched this game until the bitter end, wide awake. The reason for this is I am sick as a dog. I don’t know if it’s a cold, or it’s a flu; but it’s some type of re-payment for staying out all night the day of Opening Day. Would I do it again if that is the cause? Absolutely.

Filed Under: bonus baseball, Cincinnati Reds, San Diego Padres Tagged With: , , , ,
November 30, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Heartbreaking story of loss and tragedy for Padres Correia. “A box seat at a Major League Baseball game entitles fans to a close-up view of the action but no access to hearts and minds. If your favorite player seems preoccupied, maybe it’s because he’s worried about a sick child at home or coping with marital issues or some other personal trauma. A multi-million dollar contract and a shoe deal might make an athlete feel special, but those perks don’t earn him a lifetime dispensation from reality.” [ESPN]

Filed Under: Kevin Correia, San Diego Padres, short hops

It's winning time this weekend

September 24, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Last night I was asked by someone how long it’s been since the Reds have won a division title. I replied that it’s been since 1995. It’s been 15 long years. Say that to yourself. It’s really been 15 long years and I was really 11 years old the last time the Reds were in this position. So much flashed before my eyes as I replied.

With the magic number sitting at 3; this could be the weekend the Reds clinch. My gut feeling tells me it will be Sunday afternoon while I’m most likely flipping back and forth between football. Sunday will be the day, my gut is right more often than not. Although in a perfect world, the Reds would clinch on FOX Saturday baseball tomorrow afternoon (which I won’t see either because I’m at a wedding all day–DVR set).

Either way, this is really going to happen. Say it to yourself, and believe it. These guys are really going to play postseason games.

As I said at the beginning of the season, it would be monumental for this young group to get the experience of a real pennant chase. They not only did that, but they arrived ‘a year ahead of schedule’ and are going to win the whole damn thing!

I think back to everything that has came to pass in the 15 years of futility (and yes, we had 1999 but that group was an motley crew and deflated down the stretch to completely miss the playoffs). I think about my grandmother who passed away in 2006. She would have loved this team.

This has been an incredible year, and a second season is upon us because of it. Whenever the Reds do clinch this thing, work hard to soak it all in as much as possible. I know that many people say things to make you think that this team will be good for a decade; and that’s possible. But all we’re guaranteed is right now and today. This 2010 Reds team has scratched and clawed hard to provide us with that much.

And if it happens this weekend and we clinch underneath that San Diego, California sun? Sure, the wait has been long and unjust. But we made it.

Filed Under: Cincinnati Reds, Clinching Pennants, pennant chase, San Diego Padres, west coast road trips

Ludwick delivers death blow to former mates in St. Louis

September 19, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Baseball has a way of allowing certain ironies from the past to rear their ugly head. Sometimes you like them, sometimes they come back to bite you, and sometimes you just notice.

Today, fate would have it that Ryan Ludwick returned to his old stomping grounds and his new team battled back from a deficit against his old team in a game both teams needed critically. It was Ludwick’s three-run home run that sealed the fate of the Cardinals. This home run occurred with the game tied at 4 in the top of the 9th inning, and the final score would grow to 8-4.

This was one of those homers that Padres fans will remember for a while if they slip into the postseason; but St. Louis fans will have the bad taste in their mouths for even longer.

This was the final death blow to the Cardinals season. This 3-run bomb to end Saturday’s FOX matinee baseball presentation. Not so much in a sense of the standings; but in a sense of the fact that a guy who was a linchpin in their lineup and clubhouse for many successful teams came back after being traded away and beat them in a game they had to have.

Pennant race September baseball often times has more of these ironies (and drama) that I speak of than any other sport. That’s why I love it.

Filed Under: pennant chase, Ryan Ludwick, San Diego Padres, saturday baseball, St. Louis Cardinals

Cardinals fan: Division is Reds’ for the taking

May 27, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Not sure if this was meant to be a reverse-jinx or anything; and believe us we’re nuts enough about sports to try everything into tricking the sports Gods, but we got an interesting e-mail from a Cardinals fan today:

Not to sound like a jerk or anything, but I have said all along that I had no concern about the Cardinals winning the division.
Well, I was wrong.
We all vastly overrated this team. They are dead in the water. They are not in a slump, they just aren’t that good the lineup is flawed with WAY too many K’s. Pujols has elbow, back, knee problems and looks like an average baseball player. Holliday has killed this team, no other way to put it. Failure after failure. more than anything, they strike out at an alarming rate, are TERRIBLE baserunners and the numbers prove it, and are shockingly poor fundamentally, especially for a Cardinal team that prides itself on the opposite.the pitching is the best it’s been in years.
while we wait for offense, what will more than likely happen is the pitching staff will wilt, and then they will have a prolonged losing streak. could be an ugly summer in StL the division is there for the taking. You (Reds) may have a 4-6 game lead by the time you leave StL next week enjoy it.
We email back: ‘Is this a trick’
He responds:
not at all. I am serious. None of you probably watched the Cards in SD the last 2 nights, but I live in Cali so it’s not too late for me. they look horrid. the baserunning last night was atrocious. they’ve let Jerry Hairston beat them with HRs 2 nights in a row, wasting Wainwrights best stuff ever, and yet another amazing start from Jaime Garcia and his 1.14 era.they look so frustrated, and Tony is about to explode. you can feel some ugliness coming.
While I appreciate the acknowledgement that the Reds are also in this division; I’d like to introduce my good friend; Cardinals Fan, to my other three friends.
Cardinals fan, please meet space bar, period, and capital letter. The ‘ugliness coming’ just may be your grammar.
Filed Under: Cincinnati Reds, Pujols, Rivalries, San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals, Tony La Russa, we've got a race on our hands

Reds get off the mat & answer the bell

April 26, 2010 by Leave a Comment

The Reds salvaged a 3-3 homestand, one in which they really needed to perform well and now leave town headed to start a three game set with the Houston Astros tomorrow night 3.5 games out of first place.

The Reds showed some fight in the wake of a closed door meeting in which Dusty Baker declined to talk to the media after Saturday’s 5-0 nightmare loss. The Reds also ended the San Diego Padres 8-game winning streak which was the longest in baseball. They got a win on a day in which the Padres trotted out a left-hander that I figured would be an automatic loss.

Jay Bruce
When he has games like this, he’s certainly going to be highlighted on this blog. Bruce opened scoring with a single to left field through the box. A nice piece of hitting off the left-handed Padres starter. Bruce finished the day 3 for 4 with two doubles, a run and an RBI. Both of his doubles were in late/clutch spots and he scored what would be the winning run. He’s got the average up to .215, and since April 12th Bruce has posted slash stats of .283/.358/.587/.945, pay particular attention to that OPS of .945 which is right where we want him.

Homer Bailey
Bailey went 6 innings, allowing 4 earned runs but really that doesn’t tell the whole story. He had two bad pitches to Kyle Blanks and Adrian Gonzalez which accounted for all four runs but this was by and large Bailey’s best start of the year. He walked only one hitter and struck out a career high 8 batters. He had good velocity and threw a lot of first pitch strikes. His pitch count per inning was down from where it’s been all year. This is a lot closer to the Bailey we need to see out there every start to give us a shot to win and he did that. His outing counts as a ‘stopper’ outing.

Ramon Hernandez
Hernandez, for all the talk of his struggles and being replaced on a full-time basis by Ryan Hanigan, had two clutch hits in this game. He singled to tie the game at 2-2 in the 4th and he singled home Bruce in the bottom of the 8th to give the Reds the lead. His single was enough to give the Reds their 7th win in their last at-bat this season.

Scott Rolen
The beat rolls on for Rolen, who has been as solid as they come. His home run cut the deficit to 4-3 and he singled in the bottom of the 8th to score when Jay Bruce doubled down the right field line. When he’s in the lineup, the Reds are just a lot better then when he isn’t. He’s the leader of this club.

Francisco Cordero
Coco notched his 7th save in 8 tries and other then the bad outing in Pittsburgh he’s been remarkably solid. He had a little trouble in the 9th, allowing the go-ahead run to get on base and the tying run to advance to third, but found control when he needed it and got Jerry Hairston to fly out to Drew Stubbs in center field to end the ballgame.
Filed Under: Cincinnati Reds, Francisco Cordero, Homer Bailey, Jay Bruce, Ramon Hernandez, San Diego Padres, Scott Rolen

San Diego Padres 2010 Season Preview

March 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Leading up to the start of the 2010 Regular Season, Diamond Hoggers will preview each of MLB’s 30 teams. Today’s team is the San Diego Padres. Stay tuned as Diamond Hoggers will preview every team division by division until the start of the regular season.
The Padres finished 2009 with a 75-87 mark; 20 games behind the Dodgers for first place in the West. They went 33-48 on the road.
The biggest storyline around the 2010 San Diego Padres is where will star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez end up? Gonzalez is the only relevant and established guy still left on the San Diego roster. He was the subject of offseason trade rumors and a soon as the Padres can find a partner to pay the king’s ransom for Gonzalez, he’ll be shipped out of town on a one way ticket. Until that day comes in May or June, he’ll be in the middle of the Padres lineup.
Setting the table for Gonzalez will be 23 year old shortstop from Nicaragua, Everth Cabrera. Learn the name now, because in a ballpark like Petco this guy could be a remarkable star. He’s got big time speed to steal around 50 bases and he’ll reach double digits in triples multiple times. He’s a guy they’ll look to rebuild around. Sharing time at second base will be David Eckstein and Jerry Hairston Jr.
The clean up hitter is a guy who has the power to put the ball out of any ballpark including Yosemite. Kyle Blanks is 285 pounds and homered 10 times in 148 at-bats in his MLB debut last year. He’s a corner outfielder right now, but could slide to first base once Gonzalez is traded. He’s only 23, and he could be another piece for the Padres to re-build around. We see multiple 30 home run seasons in his future.
From there, Chase Headley will bat 5th or 6th and play third base. He had a bright future around this time last year but might need a change of scenery to really ever break-out. Scott Hairston and Will Venable will occupy two outfield spots, while Yorvit Torrealba will hit towards the bottom of the lineup and catch on most days.
The bench features back-up catcher Nick Hundley, Tony Gwynn Jr., Hairston Jr. on most days, Oscar Salazar, and Matt Atonelli. They struggle to have many difference makers here.
Manager Bud Black was a former pitcher himself, so he has to know that in terms of a starting rotation he has very little to work with in this category. The #1 might be Jon Garland, who makes his way to the NL from the AL. Garland might find some success pitching at home in Petco Park; but overall has became a guy who will eat innings and get lit about half the time. Chris Young has #1 type stuff but struggles to stay healthy and make his 34 starts. He’ll be the number two to start the year. Kevin Correia, Mat Latos and Clayton Richard round out the rotation. Richard is the only lefty in the rotation and he’s the arm we like best. The former college QB is 26 years old and by this time next year his stock will be as high as anyone on this staff.
Last year Heath Bell quickly ascended as a star closer in baseball, saving 42 games. Don’t be surprised if his fall from grace is that quick as well. He’s 32 years old and could be a candidate for his arm breaking down. Mike Adams, Luke Gregerson, Edward Mujica, and Joe Thatcher are other guys who will be in the San Diego bully in 2010.
This team didn’t do a lot to improve itself for the present while everyone else in the West did something to get better. It’s going to be a long year for the Padres. There’s no reason to think that they’ll finish anywhere but the cellar and it could be several seasons and a new manager before they’re contending again. Right now, it’s hard for them to sell that their organization is trying to put a winning product on the field.
Filed Under: 2010 Diamond Hoggers Team Previews, San Diego Padres
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