Thatcher Blasted, Again

In what has become a common theme in the 2008 season San Diego manager, Bud Black, hands the ball to relief pitcher, Joe Thatcher, and the lefty proceeds to get absolutely hammered. Thatcher, acquired last July in the Scott Linebrink deal, impressed with a 1.29 ERA in 22 games as a rookie. The reliver has responded this season by posting a ridiculous 8.42 ERA in 25 appearances. The latest installment helped the Reds to their series winning victory 9-5 on Wednesday as Thatcher recorded 2 outs while surrendering 5 earned runs. FF is not sure whether Thatcher's performance is worse than the fact that Bud Black continues to hand him the ball.

Comedy of Errors Continues

The latest debacle in the 2008 Friar campaign came in the form of a 11-7 series of lost opportunities against the Cardinals in St. Louis. As we've mentioned before, we won't go through the recap, which is available across the internet. Jody Gerut and Brian Giles each had three hits apiece, but it wasn't enough to overcome shoddy defense and poor pitching. As Friar Fans, we only have the hot stove to discuss. Let's hope it heats up so we can have a distraction from that usual circus we see on the field.

Tomko Back, Padres Lose 6th Straight

The San Diego Padres gave Friar fans a familiar feeling Friday night by losing to the Seattle Mariners 5-2 and bring Brett Tomko back for a 3rd tour of duty. The Friars made room for Tomko by sending lefty Justin Hampson to AAA Portland. FF can't get too excited about this move, but not only does Tomko provide Bud Black a swing-man in the bullpen he may also gift SD with an additional draft pick next summer.

FF feels the pain of all Padres fans. What has made this season more difficult than the horrendous record of 32-49 is the fact that the Padres are bringing up the rear in the worst division in baseball. If the Friars are a distant last in this weak division, exactly how bad are they? We'd invest in puts if we had the chance.

At Least They're Consistant

The San Diego Padres lost yet another chance to pick up a game in the weak NL West to remain 8 games back and drop to 14 games under .500. The Friars 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Twins was not unlike countless other games this season. Tuesday's game marked off all the usual boxes to insure that Frair fans know they are watching the Padres.

The checklist typically includes:

Wasted solid outing by a starter check (Jake Peavy's 6 innings and 1 run earned him a no decision)

Total lack of offense check (1 run on 7 singles and failures in the hit and run and bunting aspects of the sport, not to mention the ridiculously high strikeout rate)

Bullpen collapse check (Trevor Hoffman gave up homers with 2 outs on consecutive pitches in the 9th to take his 5th loss of the season)

Managerial short comings check (Hoffman does not pitch well in non save situations, never has. FF knows this why is Black slow on the uptake?)

Catchers inability to control baserunners wow (Not an issue in Tuesday's game, infact Barrett threw out a runner to end the 8th)

300

FF would like to thank our readers for their support as we reached our 300th post in less than a year of operation. While this season has been a bit of a challenge given the lackluster play of the team, we still enjoy the outlet and discussions that result from FF posts. Hopefully we'll have some more interesting items to blog about than the same basic loss, over and over. We think the team will turn it around or the fire sale will begin. Either way, things promise to get more interesting with the Friars franchise.

Topic de Jour: Strikeouts

We can't bear to give recounts of games on a daily basis at this point in the season. This is a microcosm of what we've all seen at Petco Park lately. When hard core Padre fans can't bear to watch the team (including the ones that will maintain blogs that exclusively discuss the team), it's a sign of a franchise in crisis. But that's for another post. This one will focus on something even more disturbing than the club - the strikeouts frequency it is producing. Strikeouts are unproductive outs in that nothing good can typically come out of not putting the ball into play. Over the course of that last 4 seasons, the Padres have gone from a well performing team in terms of strikeout frequency to a very poor performer. In 2005, the club punched out a respectable 15.57% of their plate appearances (PAs). In 2006, they regressed to just over the NL average over the last 4 seasons, 17.56% compared to 17.20%. In 2007, the Friars K-ed 19.42% of their PAs and are now off to a 20.40% clip. Couple this with a nearly 10% reduction in the club's ability to get on base compared to the 2005 squad (.305 vs. .333) and it's clear that pitchers will need to flash some lumber to help this club win (the NL average from '05 - '08 is almost exactly a .333 on base percentage). In fact, the average 2008 Padre gets on base just 1.5 times for every punch out. Only Brian Giles (3.96 times), Jody Gerut (2.22 times), and Josh Bard (2.24 times) boast at least 2 touches of first base per stroll from the dish to pine. In 2005, the entire club managed 2.14 trips to first per K.

KT To Harvest Farm System?

A frustrated Kevin Towers lets his players know that he is sick of watching this ballclub accept defeat after mind numbing defeat. Towers' club is on pace to be the second worst team in franchise history, and this organization has had its fair share of poor teams! What makes this season's debacle exceptionally painful is the '08 team was pegged for 90 wins and a divisional banner by the front office. The solution may be in a farm system that KT has seemed hesitant to harvest.

"We've got some hungry players down below looking for an opportunity. There's not one player in the system who is going to turn it around. If we make changes, it will be wholesale."

These words from the GM make it clear that they are not happy with the teams performance and that multiple moves are on the horizon, as well they should be.

Friar Sale?

The San Diego Padres have become a hot topic in baseball's front offices as ESPN's Jayson Stark reported that one AL executive feels that the Friars may open their doors early stocking players like Khalil Greene, Kevin Kouzmanoff, and Randy Wolf on their shelves. FF was a bit surprised to see Kouz on this list, although opening a spot for Chase Headley doesn't seem too far fetched ~ FF still would be shocked to see the 3rd baseman moved this summer. Other players that FF could see being dealt include a myriad of free agents to be; Brian Giles, Greg Maddux, Michael Barrett, and Tadihito Iguchi. If Estes continues to throw well, the Friars might be well served to swap him for a younger model. In smaller moves FF wouldn't be surprised to see a Scott Hairston or P Mac cleaning their lockers in San Diego.

Not even half way through May and it seems that baseball has given up on the 2008 installment of the Padres. Its a little sad, but at least there will be some exciting rumors swirling to help the water cooler chatter.

Another Lackluster Loss

The San Diego Padres continue to be outclassed by all opponents this season as they fall to the scorching Atlanta Braves 5-2 on Wednesday night. The Padres scored the first run of the game in the second inning on a balk by Braves righty Tim Hudson. The second and final Padre run tied the game in the sixth as a run scored on a Kevin Kouzmanoff double play ball. Randy Wolf escaped multiple jams by inducing 4 twin killings before leaving with the bases loaded in the 7th of a tie game. Bubby Black handed the ball to Joe Thatcher who promptly coughed up the 3 runs that closed out the Atlanta victory.

FF wishes that just once or twice a week the storyline and game type would be different. Unfortunatley we are all finding out that this is a bad baseball team, with the majority of the season to determone how bad. The Union Tribune pointed out that this 08 Padres squad is on pace for over 100 defeats, buckle in for the rest of this long bumpy ride.

Pen Blows Late Offensive Rallies

We feel like we've already written this recap a too many times this season. No lead is sacred anymore.

Reasonable Game Play Squeezed
It's great that the Friars got some extra base knocks and round trippers in Houston. But Minute Maid Park's left field porch is the antithesis of Petco Park - or it at least seems like it. We'd do the research, but at the moment would prefer to put recent events in the past. In the spirit of Alton Brown, we'll save that topic for another post.

The One That Got Away?
Doug Brocail's unique ability to give up a seemingly safe lead suggests that he'd fit perfectly in the Friar 'pen this year - he's got to be the free agent that got away. We're sure the team and specifically the bullpen will turn it around before long. Let's just hope it happens sooner than later. Beating up on former skipper Bruce Bochey seems like a the perfect opportunity to kick off a winning streak.

Major League Broadcast Improvement

In prior years, a nationwide broadcast of a Friar game on big Fox was horrible for fans at large. Fox always seems to simulcast an East coast and West coast game, meaning that East coasters like myself were simply out of luck. Pouring salt into this wound was the mlb.tv blackout that accompanied that game. Well, Major League Baseball has finally gotten it right - mlb.tv now carries Fox games, assuring that a determined Friar fan can watch any game. This solution is what economists call "Pareto efficient" - everyone is better off and nobody is worse off. In prior years, the fans got screwed so Fox could have exclusive rights. FF thanks MLB for doing right by the fans in 2008!

Peavy & Mates Blank 'Stros In Opener

The 2008 Padres campaign opened with a familiar sight as the Friars cruise to a 4-0 shutout victory over the visiting Houston Astros. The season opener is always a special occasion, however, with good friends and great hurlers Jake Peavy and Roy Oswalt squaring off there was more allure around game 1 of 162. The reigning NL Cy Young award winner found himself in his tightest spot in the first inning after a leadoff single (and stolen base, who knew), and an one out walk; a couple of harmless infield pop-ups later the Friars were in their dugout taking their cuts versus Houston ace Roy Oswalt.

From that point forward Padres ace Jake Peavy took control of the game with his electric right arm and his bat. After the Friars wasted a 1 out double by new 2nd sacker Taditho Iguchi and a Kouzmanoff laser off Oswalt's hip in the first, the Pads took a 1-0 lead in the second inning via a Peavy sacrifice fly to left. San Diego's second run came courtesy a line drive single over the head of Astro shortstop Miguel Tejada by, you guessed it, Jake Peavy.

The Friars ace tossed 7 shut out innings while surrendering only 3 hits and striking out 4 on his way to his first win of the '08 season. From there, the Padres pen took care of the rest with Heath Bell working the 8th and Cla Meredith facing the minimum thanks to a great Scott Hairston throw nailing an over aggressive Tejada trying to stretch a single into a double to leadoff the 9th. All said and done, the Padres totaled 14 basehits in route to a typical 4-0 victory to begin the 2008 season.

San Diego Short Hops:

5 Padre hitters had a 2 or more knocks; Adrian Gonzalez, Khalil Greene, Josh Bard, and Paul McAnulty collected two hits apiece while Tad Iguchi swatted two doubles and a single to endear himself to the San Diego crowd early in the season.

The Padres played flawless defense after a questionable spring scattered with errors. It was a pleasant surprise for FF and Pads fans worldwide.

San Diego native and Aztec alum, Tony Clark, wasted little time getting in the Padres scorebook as he smashed the first pitch he saw in Padres colors for a RBI single.

Tuesday night features All Star starter Chris Young after his offseason workouts that centered around his larger midsection.

Multiple Moves Provide Clarity

The Padres are a decision away from officially announcing their 25 man opening day roster. The Friars cleared up some confusion earlier this week by optioning Chase Headley, Shawn Estes, and Oscar Robles to AAA. It appears that non roster invitees Glendon Rusch and Jody Gerut have made the club as their contracts were purchased from Portland on Wednesday. That same day, the Padres added a player to the mix when they traded for Justin Huber of the Kansas City Royals. In exchange the Padres sent the infamous player to be named later or cash. The right handed 25 year old Australian is out of minor league options and will be on the roster to provide manager Bud Black with a right handed bat off the pine.

The Huber move forced Padres brass to option infielder Luis Rodriguez to AAA, leaving only Callix Crabbe to back up at 2nd, 3rd, and short. The official 25 will be known when the Padres figure out what they are going to do with the recovering Jim Edmonds, who played in a minor league game today with success at the plate (couple of hits, including a HR). Assuming that Edmonds needs a little more time to fully heal his calf strain the Friars will break camp with a surplus of outfielders including Brian Giles, Scott Hairston, Paul McAnulty, Jody Gerut, and Justin Huber (Callix Crabbe can also play OF). FF wonders who will be the odd man out once the veteran center fielder returns; besides the possibility of a trade the Friars would only have Jody Gerut with any minor league options left.

The pitching staff is a much easier puzzle to piece together. The starting rotation is now set with Jake Peavy, Chris Young, Greg Maddux, Randy Wolf, and Justin Germano. The bullpen battle raged until late in the spring, but FF has seen Kevin Bass get sent down to Portland Tuesday followed by 2007's feel good story, Rule V draftee Kevin Cameron, join him Wednesday. The Friars will also begin the season with 3 relievers on the 15 disabled list in Carlos Guevara (groin), Clay Hensley (shoulder strain), and lefty Justin Hampson (shoulder tendinitis) . Coming out of the left-center field bullpen for the Padres this year will be all time saves leader Trevor Hoffman, set up men Heath Bell, and Cla Meredith. The back end of the pen will be joined by southpaws; Glendon Rusch, Wil Ledezma, and Joe Thatcher. The bullpen will be rounded out by right handed Enrique Gonzalez, who was a long shot to break camp with the big boys.

Barring any additional moves the 2008 Padres appear to be set with 13 position players, 12 pitchers and 8 new Padres. While these are the Friars who will begin the season opposite the Houston Astros on March 31, FF knows this roster will not look too similar come October...And maybe not even a week from now!