Why are you rolling your eyes? He did throw 120 something the last time, and 100+ the time before against the Rangers... the announcers just said that Hickey talked about possibly holding him back this start in order to give him ample rest over the break (and let him loose with no strings after that). There could have easily been a strict pitch count of 70, or 5 innings (if he had the lead). Of course, we'll wait till the official word. Man... Burke extends his hitting streak... suddenly, the bottom of our lineup is a threat these days.
"tightness" is not a good thing... just when he looked to be fully healed from the injury (he was throwing 90+ tonight, and hitting all his spots with all his pitches). I hate Springer... I'm sorry, but the guy chokes. I'm not buying his ERA for this month... I'm looking at the guy who's been a mediocre pitcher his entire career. The guy freaking retired because he couldn't throw strikes for the Cardinals... and he's a fly-ball pitcher pitching for a team that plays its game in a hitters park. Frankly, I'd take 5 Dan Micelis over him any day....
The hitters are looking to spare the bullpen from a hard night! Great AB's against a tough tough pitcher tonight (albeit one who was sick...) EDIT: I spoke too soon... Garner is deciding to play musical chairs again with the bullpen, instead of going with the Qualls/Wheeler combo.
I'll actually give him somewhat of a passing grade for that outing (even though it looked like I just bashed him). Biggio made a dumb error that allowed a runner to get to 3rd, and then Everett made one of the worst throws home I've ever seen (we've got OF'ers who can hit Brad from deep RF... but our SS can't hit him from 2B?!?). And, as you said, he got himself out of the inning by K'ing Blum.
He made one bad throw and you are castrating him. I would take Everett's defense over most shortstops. And Yes, Everett can hit him from 2B.
I sat in front of his wife last night along with the rest of the Padres' friends and families. She was telling someone that she was missing Houston because she's from here.
It doesn't look to me like Lidge will pitch, otherwise wheeler would be in there, but we will prob need lidge tonight.
I am getting a bad feeling about this game. Reminds me of the game against the Rockies. Let me be wrong!!!!!!
I'm not castrating him... I'm just saying it was one of the worst throws I've ever seen, given the game situation, etc. Castrating him would be (like many 'fans' here have done)... "Why the hell can't Drayton/Tim find a decent SS. Everybody raves about his defense, but all I do is see him make bad throws, botch easy plays, and he can't hit to save his life. He makes a few spectacular plays every now and then, and I feel that's over-inflating his value to this team." I actually like Everett... and I do think his defense makes a great difference to the pitchers on this team.
That was just one bad inning... compounded by Garner's desire to get Franco work against lefties, and the matchup of Springer-Wilson being too tantalizing to pass up (given how Russ dominated him the night before). If Gar managed that game like he did this one (Qualls for the entire 8th, instead of just allowing him to face three batters, getting one of them out), things may have been different. This one is like slow water torture... they're finding weak spots in our defense, and then getting some timely hits. Here comes the Wheeler Dealer....
I am so tired of Mike Lamb. If he can't get it back together then he needs to be on the move again. For as much grief as everyone gives to Lane, Burke, and Ausmus, just take a look at how bad Lamb and Chavez have been this year.
The Astros gave him plenty of chances... and he had a chance with the Giants organization (where he was even worse). Sometimes, a guy just has to be forced to find himself by being casted off by team after team.
