SB Nation - Clayton Richard

Lunch with Padres Media Relations

Dex — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 22:01:07 -0000

I forgot to mention it when it happened, but jbox and I recently had lunch with Warren Miller and his media relations team, Brett Picciolo, Josh Ishoo and Shaun O'Neall who runs the Padres Magazine.

It was a pretty informal meet-and-greet. JBox and I didn't really have an agenda other that to keep in contact with Warren who has been very gracious with us and to meet some other dudes who put together what we as fans see and hear about our favorite team. If the Padres organization was a large sea lion, then those in our lunch bunch would be the sea lion's vocal chords, barking incessantly and occasionally mooing. Letting you know that you should throw some raw fish its way so as to satisfy the needs of its gray, blubbery body.

Shaun O'Neall looks the part of a grizzled beat reporter, now spending his days shilling the five dollar magazine. Brett's a younger guy. Probably a little younger than me or jbox. Chiseled features. The cool and calculating type. Josh looked like the youngest guy at the table, but he could've easily just been baby faced. Josh wasn't wearing Padres colors. Bastard.

Lemme just say right off that everybody was real cool to us. However, Brett did come off a little bit tight lipped, to match his cold and calculating features. It was like he might be afraid of what me and jbox might say to you, dear reader. As if at any moment something might be revealed, wherein I would pull out my trusty laptop while jbox would cry out, "Check and MATE!"

The only time he really perked up was when I called out Josh during lunch. We were asking them where they all were from and who they rooted for outside of work. Josh said, almost apologetically, that he rooted for one of the "big East Coast teams".

"Don't worry. It's not the really bad one."

"Which one do you think is the really bad one?" I asked.

"Oh, the Yankees of course."

I looked him in the eye and told him, "You sir, are much much worse."

JBox and I then went into a brief diatribe about how Boston fan is so smug about their championships, but furthermore feel like they're entitled to be smug because they were "long suffering". Yankee fans are just douchey, but Red Sock fans somehow end up being douchey and whiney at the same time.

That was the part where Brett perked up a little bit and started nodding, I think a little encouraged that we were right about something. Anything.

So, we insulted Josh and we weren't really sure if Brett liked us much at all.

Shaun, on the other hand, was very enthusiastic. I think we had a bond right off because the "salad" that came with our sandwiches consisted of shredded lettuce with no dressing.

Sure, we said. Send the not so subtle message to the fat guys.

We talked a bit about how the traditional media gets their hands tied and how little they can really report on because of the lack of hard proof. For example, he was pretty confident that most every sportswriter out there knew about steroids well before Jose Canseco exposed it to the world. It also didn't seem to come as a surprise to him that Ruben Rivera had been sneaking underage girls into bars and that Jim Leyritz is a swinger.

We also compared notes on some of the beat reporters who are left and what the state of the Padres online world is.

In summary:

619Sports is doing a great job.
MightyXX gets love from us because their interviews are good, they've shown us love, and their website is MUCH easier to work with than 1360's (read: I can open the site up and not be worried about NSFW content).
Sabermetric type fans are a niche that's tough to target, and, I guess, not one that gets targeted heavily.
Clayton Richard is doing a great job with his Facebook Fan Page.
Lots of regular conversation happens on Gaslamp Ball and the SignOnSanDiego forums.
Twitter's great if you're willing to put the time in to figure it out.
Paul DePodesta should blog more about more.

That's about it. JBox and I didn't ask for press creds or anything like that, though I'm still hopeful that Warren, despite insulting his team at various points during the lunch, will help us get some better interviews during the offseason and into next season.

Also, I'm hopeful that having a better relationship with these guys helps us get more better info with which to mold and shape into humorous anecdotes and wild assumptions.

Bill James 2010 Projections: Padres Pitchers

Dex — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 16:35:11 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

You want to know how Heath Bell lost so much body mass? It be called Wii Fit Plus. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Browse more photos »

I've been sitting on the rest of these projections for the Padres because it's a pain in the ass to transcribe the PDF over to a table in HTML. Rather than do that, I'll just upload the set of projections from the Bill James Handbook and we can talk about them in a civilized manner here.

I will also note that, after reading through the book itself, it's tough to judge it just based on the projections. They mention especially with pitchers how difficult (and pointless) it is to try to project something like wins or ERA considering how many things beyond the pitchers' control goes into these things.

Also, if you're gonna buy the book, here's a link to Amazon.

Now some notes on the projections:

Heath Bell is projected to lead the league in saves yet again. Also projected to mention how the new Wii Fit Plus will allow him to drink that much more beer while maintaining his svelte physique.
Kevin Correia is projected to lead the team in wins with 11. Clayton Richard follows with 9. To be fair, there aren't a whole lot of Padres pitchers even projected to start games for us.
Luke Gregerson is projected to do well again. Maybe a holdover closer if we can get value for Heath Bell? Hmmmmm?

In any case, it will be good to revisit these numbers once we start settling in a bit as to who our pitchers will be, but if that happens, then we won't be able to transfer over the ERA and W/L projections, so maybe it'll be a little bit hopeless.

(Also, yes. This is another post with an Amazon link. I'm trying to save for the holiday season.)

The Official SSS Top Ten White Sox Prospects

larry — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 11:00:44 -0000

More photos » by Nam Y. Huh - AP

Browse more photos »

The White Sox did a pretty good job this year in terms of graduating homegrown talent to the big league level. Gordon Beckham, Chris Getz and Clayton Richard all played important roles. Per usual, the system also permitted Kenny Williams to acquire major league talent, as Aaron Poreda, Dexter Carter, RIchard, and Brandon Allen were traded away. Any system would be hurt by the "loss" of those six players; however, for a White Sox system that was only beginning to strengthen itself, both in terms of quality and depth, this has put the White Sox back in the position of having one of the worst farms in baseball. While the top five will probably be essentially a consensus amongst listmakers, after that, the depth drops off precipitously. It was a real struggle to complete the list. You could include any of about fifteen players in the next five and make a solid argument for all of them. The upper levels are full of fringe types and the lower levels, while having some interesting players, isn't all that inspiring to me at this point.

It is good for the club that they have a pretty well set starting five for next season because, outside of Daniel Hudson, there is an alarming lack of starting pitching prospects. Like every organization, there are a number of arms that could be relievers, some, like Jhonny Nunez, ready for opening day in 2010. Where the White Sox have improved is position player talent up the middle. Tyler Flowers looks like a legit catcher to me. And Jordan Danks and Jared Mitchell both look like they'll be able to handle centerfield defensively.

List after the jump.

1. Daniel Hudson: 2009 MiLB line: 147.1IP, 105 H, 34 BB, 166 K at Kannapolis, Winston-Salem, Birmingham and Charlotte. MLB: 18.2 IP, 16 H, 9 BB, 14 K. The Cheat covered him extensively here so I won't give yet another explication of his repertoire here. Suffice to say, his rise through the system last season was meteoric and well-deserved. Like any young pitcher, he still has things to work on but the talent is there. His ceiling is probably a #2 starter, depending upon how his offerings, particularly his slider, develop. I love the movement he generates on his pitches. ETA: Early 2010. The White Sox may want to play the service time game and start him in Charlotte. Barring injury or trade, there isn't a spot in the starting rotation for him. He could be a valuable arm out of the bullpen right away.

2. Tyler Flowers: 2009 MiLB line: .297/.423/.516 at Birmingham and Charlotte. Going into the season, his major question mark was whether he would stick at catcher, both because of his (in)abilities and injury history. He answered that question affirmatively by vastly improving his defense and staying healthy. And, oh yeah, he continued to hit the ball very well. While his strikeout rate is high (30%), he draws plenty of walks and hits for power. Don't expect his batting average to remain high, though, particularly since his BABIP was inflated. His ceiling is probably an average defensive catcher with an above average bat; in other words, a very valuable commodity. ETA: Mid-2010. With the White Sox continuing to implement their new policy of pushing players more quickly through the minors, he may be starting next season on the South Side. Though I think it would be a mistake to limit his repetitions at catcher by having him fill-in for A.J. Pierzynski once a week, it wouldn't surprise me if he found himself doing that along with playing some first and DH. On the other hand, Ozzie took a shot at Flowers' inability to "play small ball" and high K rate so shielding Flowers from such insanity for as long as possible would be prudent.

3. Jordan Danks: 2009 MiLB line: .266/.359/.405 at Winston-Salem and Birmingham. It was a tale of two halves for the left-handed hitting Danks. He tore up the Carolina League before a promotion to Birmingham where he continued to hit very well. Then he was sidelined by a wrist injury, followed by a finger injury and saw his offensive numbers diminish significantly. The question remains which is the true Danks. Was the slugging he initially showed a fluke or did injuries simply impede the awakening of his long projected power? The answer to that will dictate his future because, without some pop, that 26% K rate looks a whole lot scarier. ETA: 2011. Talked up as a possible September call-up in the summer, the poor second half took the sheen off his rapidly rising star. A return to Birmingham for a couple months and then a promotion to Charlotte will be his path next year.

4. Jared Mitchell: 2009 MiLB line: .296/.417/.435 at Kannapolis. His performance was exactly as expected: lots of walks, lots of strikeouts and lots of defense. Quite toolsy but also quite raw, it will be very interesting to watch his development over the coming seasons. Guys like Mitchell tend to either succeed spectacularly or fail spectacularly. The ceiling of a plus defensive CF with good power, plus contact and plus on base skills is certainly tantalizing. ETA: 2012. Will probably start at Winston-Salem and then move to Birmingham when Danks is promoted.

5. Dayan Viciedo: 2009 MiLB line: .280/.317/.391at Birmingham. I can sugarcoat ii as much as I like but there's no denying that Viciedo was not very good this year. Yes, at 20 he was young for the league. And, yes, he was acclimating to a new culture. But, no, his beisbol wasn't very good. First, his defense is terrible at third so he's going to need to find a new position. Second, while scouts will still tell you that he has quick hands and power potential, his pitch recognition is poor. Finally, questions about his fitness still linger. All that said, he gets a mulligan from me for last season, particularly since he showed some signs of life in the second half. But he's going to need to show improvement soon - starting in the Arizona Fall League next week - in order to justify his price tag. ETA: 2011. Back to Birmingham and then on to Charlotte.

6. Brent Morel: 2009 MiLB line: .281/.335/.453 at Winston-Salem. I'm a big fan of Morel. He doesn't strike out a lot, he's got gap power, his defense is fantastic, he's got good speed (25 for 34 in SBs) and his makeup is excellent. If you can get past the fact that his bat will be less than average for third base, you can see the makings of an average to solid player. The Joe Randa comparison still rings true to me. ETA: 2011. Will start in Birmingham and may spend the whole season there.

7. C.J. Retherford: 2009 MiLB line: .297/.340/.473 at Birmingham. The guy just puts up numbers. He was a doubles machine this year, racking up 46 in 128 games. There's nothing overwhelming in his tool box but average or so at a lot of things can get you to the majors and that appears to be the case with Retherford. Most scouts don't think he'll be more than a utility player - he played mostly 2B this year but has experience at multiple positions - but I could see him slotting in as a somewhat below average starter with the right team. ETA: Late 2010. Will start in Charlotte and could find himself as the first infield call-up when Chris Getz inevitably injures himself.

8. David Holmberg: 2009 MiLB line: 40 IP, 40 H, 18 BB, 37 K for Bristol. He's got good velocity for a lefty, hitting the low 90s, and a plus curve. He's a scouts' favorite with a clean delivery and makeup to boot. Development of a changeup is essential. Fresh out of high school, he's a long way away but his potential makes him an interesting prospect. ETA: 2013. Extended spring training and then a return to Rookie ball before moving up to Kannapolis.

9. Christian Marrero: 2009 MiLB line: .308/.348/.501 at Winston-Salem and Birmingham. The 23 year old lefty had a a very good season offensively and deservedly has begun to receive some attention as a prospect. He's got some issues to overcome, however, starting with his defense. He's essentially split time between RF and 1B in his career but, despite a plus arm, he probably isn't good enough to stick in the outfield. That means his bat is going to need to be good enough to merit consideration at 1B. The decline in walks from 11% at Kannapolis last year to about 6% this year suggests he may not quite have the bat. ETA: 2011. A return to Birmingham for a couple months and then a promotion to Charlotte.

10. Clevelan Santeliz: 2009 MiLB line: 56.1 IP, 43 H, 35 BB, 52 K at Birmingham. Santeliz improved his control markedly as the season wore on. In the first half, he walked 27 in 35 innings. In the second half, just 8 in 21.1. If that improvement is real, the 23 year old righty could find himself and his mid-90s fastball and plus slider in the bullpen role sooner rather than later. ETA: Mid-2010. Will be in Charlotte and probably will be the first choice for a reliever call-up.

Padres clinch embarrassing sweep of Dodgers 5-0

jbox — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 07:04:15 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

2 months ago: San Diego Padres' Kevin Kouzmanoff, center, Adrian Gonzalez, right, and Luke Gregerson high five after the Padres 5-0 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers in a baseball game Wednesday, Sept. 30, 2009 in San Diego. (AP Photo/Lenny Ignelzi)

Browse more photos »

That was a fun game. These last two nights at the park have had electric crowds. San Diego was so psyched to stop the Dodgers from celebrating in our ballpark.

Tom Garfinkel gave Dex and I a couple tickets in that dugout section down by first base. Man those are nice seats. They had all this free food for us, but we weren't sure if it was free so at first we were kind of careful of what we were ordering and then when we realized we weren't being billed we got a little carried away. Here's a question: How do you tip your server? Is it 15% of your ticket price? Is it 15% of the approximate price of what you ate? Is there some other rule? We went with the latter.

Those seats down there have those little fold out desks, I felt like I should have brought a scantron with me to take a test. Dex busted out his computer and we hacked into the media's wifi, so we could live blog and tweet. Oh the good times we had.

Did you dudes, see that Kevin Kouzmanoff home run? That was like one of those light cycles from Tron.

Man, Clayton Richard is so good. He one hit them Dodgers for what 7 innings? I'd like to see Peavy try and do that!

Let's see, what else happened? We saw Steve Lyons, he was just standing around, probably all excited about covering the Dodgers clinching the NL West. Not so fast Lyons! Not on our watch!

After the game we waved to Steve Quis who was interviewing Kouz for the Channel 4 Postgame. He came over and shook our hands and we talked about the good times we had hanging out back in the day. We told him to pass along our "hellos" to Scan and Weisbarth and to wink at Jenny Cavnar.

While we were talking to him and people were exiting we suddenly notice that the Petco Park sound system is once again playing Bob Dylan's "Wigwam" (video) as the exit music. I told Dex, "I think Garfinkel is teasing us".

Dex has some pictures on his phone. I think they are mostly of the back of Steve Lyons' head though.

You know what was weird? Right at the very end of the game with one out in the 9th, an Usher yelled at a Padres fan to sit down and stop cheering. Not sure what was going on there.

As we were walking out one of the security guards gave us knuckles and said "Not in our town Dodgers! This is our town!" Word.

Thanks to Tom for the tickets. Good times.

Dodgers Must Wait Yet Again To Clinch

Eric Stephen — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 05:00:17 -0000

Did I mention recently how the finish to the season didn't really matter in the playoffs?

The Dodger offense was nonexistant again tonight, getting all of one hit off Clayton Richard and pals, losing 5-0 to the Padres, and postponing their once seemingly inevitable clinching of the National League West by yet another day, at least.

Jon Garland couldn't get out of the fourth inning, allowing five runs on seven hits, including a three-run home run to Kevin Kouzmanoff in the third inning. However, having 1999 Pedro Martinez on the mound tonight for the Dodgers wouldn't have mattered since they couldn't get a runner past second base.

Andre Ethier finished the nine-game road trip with one hit in 29 at-bats. He did have six walks however, including one tonight.

The Rockies won again, 10-6 over Milwaukee, and now control their own destiny. If they win their remaining four games -- a tall task, to be sure -- the Rockies will win the division.

As if the four straight days of failing to clinch the division weren't bad enough, word also came tonight that Hiroki Kuroda would miss his scheduled start on Saturday with a stiff neck, per Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times.

The Dodgers are off tomorrow, but can clinch the division if the Rockies and Aaron Cook lose to the Brewers and Manny Parra. If the Rockies win tomorrow, the Ubaldo Jimenez vs. Randy Wolf match-up on Friday is that much more intriguing.

WP - Clayton Richard (9-5): 7 IP, 1 hit, 3 walks, 2 strikeouts

LP - Jon Garland (11-13): 3.1 IP, 7 hits, 5 runs (4 earned), 1 walk, 4 strikeouts

Box Score

Dodgers Hope For Success The Fourth Time Around

Eric Stephen — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:47:09 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

The O-Dog has welcomed himself back into the Dodger lineup with a flourish.

Browse more photos »

It was then that I got up to leave
But she said, "Don't forget,
Everybody must give something back
For something they get."

-Bob Dylan, 4th Time Around

After giving something back for three days, the Dodgers look to get something tonight. The Dodgers entered play Sunday with a magic number of one to clinch the National League West. Three days later, the magic number is still one. The Dodgers champagne and Visqueen party is tentatively scheduled again for tonight, as the Dodgers close out their road schedule with a final game in San Diego.

Jon Garland takes the hill tonight, making his sixth start as a Dodger. He has pitched well so far, with a 1.91 ERA, although his peripherals show a 3.55 FIP and 3.93 x-FIP since joining Los Angeles -- good, but not 1.91 ERA good. Part of the reason Garland has been so effective recently -- he has pitched six innings in 21 of 22 starts since the start of June -- is an increase in his strikeout rate. Before the All-Star break, Garland struck out a paltry 3.62 batters per nine innings, but since the midsummer classic he has upped that to 6.01 punchouts per nine. That is quite an increase for someone who hasn't struck out higher than 4.8 batters per nine innings since 2003.

Clayton Richard, a man who seems like he was named backwards, pitches for the Padres tonight. Richard, acquired from the White Sox in the Jake Peavy trade, is 4-2 with a 4.58 ERA, 4.77 FIP, and 4.60 x-FIP since joining the Padres. However, he has really taken a liking to his new home park. In five starts at Petco Park, Richard has a 2.48 ERA, and the Padres have won all five games.

With the left-handed Richard throwing tonight, it might not be a bad idea to sit Andre Ethier, who is in the midst of a one-for-28 slump. Ethier still has the weird split this season in that he has just seven singles in 81 at-bats against southpaws on the road, hitting .086/.196/.086 against them. Part of that is bad luck -- he has a ridiculously low .121 batting average on balls in play -- but a day off might serve him well.

Speaking a time off helping a player: Since rejoining the lineup on September 25, Orlando Hudson has played five complete games and is hitting .333/.556/.750 with six walks and two triples. Maybe that rest did him some good. He has triples in consecutive games for the second time this season. Since moving to Los Angeles, only Pedro Guerrero had a longer streak, with three straight in July 1983.

The Padres are 12 games over .500 since July 27, and their 35-23 record over that time is tied with the Rockies for tops in the division. Of course, they have also only outscored their opponents by 15 runs in that span, compared to the +63 run differential for the 31-28 Dodgers.

**********

Other games of Dodger interest:

The Phillies host the Astros, with a magic number of one to clinch the NL East over the Braves. Pedro Martinez opposes Brian Moehler in that game. The Dodgers hold a 1½-game lead over the Phillies in the race for home field advantage in the playoffs. The Dodgers magic number in this regard is three over the Phillies.

4:05pm - Astros at Phillies Gameday

The NL Central champion Cardinals are in Cincinnati to face the Reds, with John Smoltz facing the high straight leg kick of Bronson Arroyo. The Dodgers hold a 2½-game lead over the Cards in the race for home field advantage in the playoffs. The Dodgers magic number in this regard is also three over the Cardinals.

4:10pm - Cardinals at Reds Gameday

The Rockies host the Brewers at 5:40pm, a game that starts roughly 85 minutes before the Dodger game. Jason Hammel will face Milwaukee's Jeff Suppan. One Rockies loss or one Dodger win means a division crown for Los Angeles.

5:40pm - Brewers at Rockies Gameday

**********

Be sure to check out Xeifrank's simulation of tonight's game here.

Don't forget to RSVP for True Blue LA Day at Dodger Stadium, on the next-to-last day of the regular season, October 3 against the Rockies. There are three tickets left.

Get your guesses in for today's final "One, Two, Three Strikes, You're Out," here.

Game Time: 7:05pm

TV: Prime Ticket

Baseball Reference Preview

Dodger Offense Takes Another Nap, Doesn't Put Division To Bed

Eric Stephen — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 07:23:27 -0000

More photos » by Lenny Ignelzi - AP

Matt Kemp picked up his 14th assist on this play.

Browse more photos »

The Dodgers sure are using a lot of that rope they spent most of the first half weaving. It may seem like they are running out of slack, after another loss, 3-1 in San Diego to the Padres.

The Dodgers managed four hits and one run off six Padres pitchers, as the magic number for the division remained at one for a third straight day, thanks to an extra inning win by the Rockies in Denver.

Chad Billingsley pitched reasonably well, giving up two runs on just two hits, but also allowed five walks, including three in the sixth inning, leading to the Padres' second run. Whether or not this is enough to make the playoff starting rotation, I don't know. Really, only Joe Torre knows, and he sure showed a lot of faith in letting Billingsley work through his own jam in the sixth.

Really the only positives for the offense were Rafael Furcal, who extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a pair of singles, and Orlando Hudson, who tripled and scored the lone run, to go along with his two walks.

Attempt number four at clinching the division comes tomorrow night with Jon Garland facing Clayton Richard. Its a shame Kershaw won't be pitching, to complete the battle of Claytons.

Just remember this: its better to play badly this week rather than next week.

WP -Ryan Webb (2-0): A 1-2-3 sixth inning

LP - Chad Billingsley (12-11): 6 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 5 walks, 5 strikeouts

Sv - Heath Bell (41): 3 batters, 3 strikeouts

Box Score

Fantasy Baseball: On the spot

Ian, yo — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 00:13:04 -0000

As we approach the end of the fantasy baseball season, you may be looking out for spot starts more than normal. Over the last few weeks, I've been spot starting and keeping an eye on matchups and it's been pretty successful. The basis of this strategy should be to start guys against offenses such as the Pittsburgh, Arizona, San Diego and the Kansas City's of the MLB. I'd also keep in mind where these matchups are taking place. I'm likely taking my chances of someone pitching in Petco Park in San Diego over someone starting at Coors in Colorado. For some stats on park factors, I recommend checking out this. Over the last week, I managed to get the following starts by using a combination of these strategies.

Kevin Correia @ Pittsburgh :7 IP, 1 W, 0 ER, 6 H, 5 K

Clayton Richard @ Pittsburgh: 6 IP, 4 H, 0 ER, 5 K

Brian Duensing vs. Oakland: 7 IP,1 W, 8 H, 0 ER, 6 K

Robinson Tejada @ Detroit: 5 IP, 1 W, 2 H, 1 ER, 5 K

Over the next week, you'll find a decent amount of matchups that could help you on your push to fantasy gold.

Jorge De La Rosa: I'm adding him in after some further thought. Post All-Star break, De La Rosa has put up an ERA of 2.89 while winning 9 of his 12 starts with 80 K's in 78 innings. I have hesitation due to his 4.77 ERA at home this season but I'll likely take my chances against a poor San Diego offense.

Bronson Arroyo: Not owned in a ton of leagues and over the last month has posted an ERA of 2.08 in 43.1 innings. He'll see the Pirates on Thursday the 24th and in his last start against them had a solid line of 8 IP, 4 H, 4 Ks.

Clay Buchholz: Buchholz Hasn't faced the Royals this season but has done a fairly decent job of shutting down better offenses this year. Over his last three starts, he's allowed fewer than one run against the Orioles and Rays and on the season has allowed less than two earned runs again the Orioles, Rays, Blue Jays, Yankees, Tigers and the Athletics. He's had two games where he gave up seven earned against the Orioles and White Sox but has been good overall. Buchholz's lack of experience against Kansas City could prove beneficial and allow him to be a solid spot start this week.

Hiroki Kuroda: In his 19 starts, Kuroda has had four games where he's given up more than three earned runs. Washington ranks near the middle of the pack in runs scored but Kuroda has put up decent numbers against some of the better offenses (St. Louis, Florida, Milwaukee, Chicago White Sox) so I have no huge concerns starting him. Just beware that the Washington offense is fairly underrated and could give anyone a hard time at any moment.

Brett Anderson: He'll get a Texas offense that ranks 10th in the AL in the month of September at home in a largely pitching favorable park in Oakland. Anderson has big K potential, striking out ten Indians on September 18th. Over the last month, Anderson's pitched 31 innings and 30 K with an ERA of 2.90 and WHIP of 1.10. He's not owned in many leagues and could easily be a successful spot starter for you.

Honorable mentions: Ryan Rowland-Smith @ TB, Wade Davis vs. SEA at home, Jonathan Sanchez @ AZ, Tim Wakefield @ KC, Brian Duensing @ CWS.

Padres Anagrams

jbox — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 22:29:12 -0000

Dex was just showing me this website that figures out an anagram for your name. I decided to do it for each of the Padres. Surprisingly in some cases the anagram actually describes the person. It's remarkable!

NAME	ANAGRAM
Jeff Moorad	MAJOR OF FED
Tom Garfinkel	GNATLIKE FORM
Kevin Towers	I'VE NETWORKS
Paul DePodesta	UP PLEASED TOAD
Grady Fuson	FURY GONADS
Bud Black	BALD BUCK
Heath Bell	HELL! BATHE
Greg Burke	KRUGER BEG
Kevin Correia	CROAKIER VEIN
Sean Gallagher	HAS LARGE ANGEL
Luke Gregerson	OK GREENER SLUG
Mat Latos	AM TOTALS
Wade LeBlanc	CLEAN BAWLED
Edward Mujica	DRAW MAD JUICE
Luis Perdomo	I'M PROUD LOSE
Aaron Poreda	POOR AND AREA
Cesar Ramos	OR MASSACRE
Clayton Richard	A CONTRARY CHILD
Adam Russell	SMALL AS RUDE
Tim Stauffer	MATURE STIFF
Joe Thatcher	HA! REJECT HOT
Ryan Webb	BRAWN BYE
Eliezer Alfonzo	RAZZLE OF ONE LIE
Henry Blanco	LYNCH ON BEAR
Nick Hundley	UNKINDLY CHE
Everth Cabrera	BRAVER CHEATER
David Eckstein	KINDEST ADVICE
Adrian Gonzalez	DAZZLING ON AREA
Edgar Gonzalez	NAG DAZZLE OGRE
Kevin Kouzmanoff	KNAVE FUNK IF ZOOM
Luis Rodriguez	GURU IDOLIZERS
Oscar Salazar	ALAS! CZAR OR AS
Anthony Gwynn Junior	JOY! NOW HURTING NANNY
Chase Headley	ELSE HEADACHY
Drew Macias	A WEIRD SCAM
Will Venable	WELL! EVIL BAN
Gaslamp Ball	SMALL BAG PAL

Padres lose to the Giants, 9-4

Dex — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 15:39:54 -0000

More photos » by Eric Risberg - AP

I'm a lion! I'm a lion! (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

Browse more photos »

Clayton Richard was probably due for a really bad inning and he got it. At least he got it early enough for Padres fans to go out and enjoy the fair weather as opposed to sticking around, watching the Padres flail helplessly like a fish.

Brad Penny dominated us pretty good.

In other news, I've come full circle when it comes to home run celebrations. I want more people to really celebrate their home runs like the Brewers yesterday. Let the guys do stuff like that. Who cares if it fires up the other team? I'm not on either team. I'm just watching the games, hoping to see something fun. Like a really showy home run celebration.

For those of you who think I'm crazy, how is watching your home run quietly that much worse than a pitcher striking out a batter and then literarlly roaring at the guy while walking back to the dugout? If anything, Mr. Lion is much much more obnoxious.

I'm just sayin'.