Quote from fenn68 on June 6, 2023, 2:28 am

As we focus on the struggles on the offense (justifiably) … we are missing the fact that over the past month the pitching staff is delivering as one of the best in the NL.

Bullpen has been light out and SP has had 5 starts: Wacha (1.47 ERA); Musgrove (2.89 ERA); Snell (3.00 ERA) is playoff quality and then Darvish (5.33 ERA) has really only been bad in one of his 5 starts vs the NYY with 7 ER in 2.2 innings.

Weathers has been the weak link in his 4 starts with a 7.79 ERA. When working to get back into the playoff mix … can’t nurse Weathers along no matter the potential. So logically when Lugo returns (and apparently may be soon without the need for a rehab) we should see a change.

However, Lugo was just OK earlier in the season and would not rule out Martinez returning to the rotation even though he has been strong out of the pen … 1.15 ERA BUT only 15 innings in 30 days is underutilization and with the rest of the pen clicking maybe the stretch him out again.

If the pitching continues strong … expect the hitting to improve … things could really look up.

Quote from BoosterSD on June 6, 2023, 7:58 am

A little rant here. I started this statement in the SEA game thread and decided to move most of the rant here.

I am a old school baseball guy, but I have really been trying to embrace the new "flash" of baseball. And I am getting there as long as I think you have fire in your gut for winning. And at this time, I am questioning the fire in the gut of a lot of the players on this team.

This two game set, and the following series in COL will go a lot towards showing me what kind of fire the team has in their gut. The split with CHC was a start of showing me that, and not in a good way!

At this time, I see a team that has a bunch of stat chasing, showoffs that dont seem to care too much about winning because most of them now have big, fat paychecks.

Enough is enough, put together a great winning run, or maybe start selling off pieces and get some people in here that want to win more than having "flash" after a solo homerun in a losing effort.

Rant over.

Quote from fenn68 on June 6, 2023, 9:30 am

From a position player view … except for Kim … the individuals seem bored (or maybe defeated) in their attitudes. In the dugouts, in the field, on the bases after a hit … if there is any emotion it seems forced. The “celebrations” are clearly forced.

Would have thought (hoped) out of this group of veteran big money players with a history of success a couple of leaders would emerge … not seeing it. Maybe just not in any of their natures and given their money / past success … maybe not respecting anyone who tries to take a leadership role. Basically a bunch of players on their own islands. Doubt they listen to the coaches or manager.

Probably Soto is the least “team” oriented … seems totally focused on his own performance his way (and apparently his own advisors) while performing his little show of the shuffle and mugging to the pitcher / umpire as he sees fit.

Of course that doesn’t mean they collectively will not start hitting and propel the Padres to the playoffs … pure talent often trumps attitude. Just as a fan watching this performance … not entertaining.

 

Quote from fenn68 on June 6, 2023, 9:45 am

Different tangent … don’t know the real answer … plus bias to some level of stability rather than constantly shuffling line-ups … but wonder how really the decisions are made as to the line-up and who players game by game.

Keep hearing it is a collaborative effort among Melvin, the coaches, the “front office”, and the analytics folks. Out of all them, someone has to have the most influence even if technically Melvin fills out the line-up card.

Hard to imagine that Melvin an old school type is spending his time sorting through analytics to continually manipulate the line-up.

Can’t sit well with the players never knowing game to game what their expect role is … stability has value to the individual … probably more than some computer generated analytics from the past and “projections”. Worse if the players see the product of that shuffling is losing.

They are not performing with all this analytic input but are losing … maybe just try locking down a fixed line-up for a period of time to see if that changes the results.

Quote from MrPadre19 on June 6, 2023, 9:52 am

IMO the only one really "pressing" is Cronenworth and from the type of man he is he's probably trying to hard to show he deserved that contract.

Tatis missed over a year.....Xander was fine till he got beaned in his bad hand/wrist.

Soto has snapped out of his early season funk.

Manny was not hitting before getting hurt but I think that was just "baseball" and he will be fine going forward.

Also,I dont agree that they all only care about their pay and their stats.

95% of MLB players want a World Series more than anything.

I can't believe our team is all made up of 5 percenters.

 

Quote from fenn68 on June 6, 2023, 10:39 am

Agree that on the whole the all want to win but even if so ... they still can fall into a mental funk from losing (just human) and that can manifest itself as being depressed and appearing bored. Can turn on a dime ... but for now not entertaining.

I will stick with Soto being least team oriented.

Quote from MrPadre19 on June 6, 2023, 11:51 am

Quote from fenn68 on June 6, 2023, 10:39 am

Agree that on the whole the all want to win but even if so ... they still can fall into a mental funk from losing (just human) and that can manifest itself as being depressed and appearing bored. Can turn on a dime ... but for now not entertaining.

I will stick with Soto being least team oriented.

Losing makes a lot of things look worse.

They look like they aren't trying hard or caring much or getting along etc.

But it's the losing that causes these things it's not these things causing the losing.

So as I said the other day.....No one needs a 5+ game winning streak more than we do.

Winning indeed solves everything.

 

 

Quote from fenn68 on June 6, 2023, 2:26 pm

Dahl DFA'd off the 40 man to make room for Morejon coming off the 60 day IL ... Morejon assigned to EP.

Dahl another case of unwarranted optimism based on ST only to struggle in the regular season ... even in AAA.

Quote from fenn68 on June 8, 2023, 3:38 am

Looking ahead to 2024, the work of Wacha (so far) looks to lock in the Padres exercising the Club Option ($32MM/2 yrs).

I (and apparently all the other teams) under-estimated Wacha even after a good 2022 … he did not get much in the way of offers last winter and Padres signed him on a very favorable team deal. Maybe some credit to the pitching coach for the Padres?