Quote from MrPadre19 on May 2, 2025, 9:15 pm

20-11

9 games 0ver .500 on May 3rd.

I’ll take it.

Especially when you consider the time missed by Merrill,Darvish,Arraez etc.

 

 

Quote from Randy Manese on May 4, 2025, 9:05 pm

Merrill likely back on Monday versus he Yankees and Gonzalez an easy demotion down to El Paso.  However, Cronenworth will probably join the team in Colorado and who gets sent down/DFA'd is going to be a very hard decision.  Only player with an option is Campusano, but he's shown good discipline at the plate so far - fate may depend on what he does in the Yankee series.  Wade would seem to be another obvious choice but he's played very well in a number of positions; if we DFA him again will he be claimed this time?  Maldonado has not shown well recently either at or behind the plate and if DFA'd likely would not be claimed at his age, however, that leaves Campusano as the only back-up catcher.  Finally, Heyward not exactly crushing the ball and with his balky knee could go on the IL again; the way things have been going lately, a Lockridge/Wade platoon in LF wouldn't be the worst thing that could happen but Heyward is very well respected in the clubhouse.

My guess is that if Campusano shows well in New York, Maldonado will be DFA'd and elect to go down to El Paso.  If Campy doesn't hit/shows poorly, then he is the one sent down.  If Campy sent down, don't really have a RH DH to split time with Sheets, so that might factor in the decision.  I would really like to win the series in New York, hard as it will be - will give us some legitimacy for fans/journalists that don't get to see or appreciate the Padres on the East Coast.   GO PADRES!

Quote from ultratvfan on May 4, 2025, 11:50 pm

I hate to see Wade go down he has hit very well with a .302 BA.

Quote from fenn68 on May 5, 2025, 2:34 am

Agree that Gonzalez is likely the first to go as Merrill is activated ... has not hit with any impact and actually has been one of the worst bats vs LHP. That will give Campusano another few games to convince the Padres to keep him up ... but think that will have to be an impressive run with the bat.

At this point guessing that Campusano is returned to EP when Cronenworth is activated. Padres go with a Heyward (L) / Lockridge LF and a Sheets (L) / Iglesias DH. Pretty sure they don't want to lose Wade to a waiver claim given his visibility to play both the OF and INF. Still a long season and injuries will happen ... not much at AAA to call up as good as Wade at the ML level.

Sort of the same logic on keeping with Maldonado ... a good chance he would be claimed mainly because he is cheap (barely above league minimum) and a number of teams have some serious shortcomings behind the plate for the #2 catcher. Maybe for them just filler but still useful. A Padre gamble not worth taking leaving Diaz and Campusano ... add an injury to one and zero to backfill in the remaining five months. Plus Padres may not want to lose Maldonado's relationship with the pitching staff that the Padres apparently believe contributes to the pitching success.

With their current record and the bats of Merrill, Cronenworth, and Arraez back ... the offense should be able to carry the bats from the lower 1/3rd and keep the Padres in a playoff position while having Gonzalez and Campusano in AAA as call-up insurance for injury or just bad performance. Five months is a long way to go ... so preserve as many options as possible.

Quote from fenn68 on May 5, 2025, 3:00 am

On the pitching side ... Kolek's start has earned him a couple more shots at holding the #5 SP slot. Darvish is still weeks away from returning and Hart did not impress (command) in his EP start.

However, Padres have to be concerned with Vasquez going forward and might Darvish's return spell a move out of the starting rotation? His 7 game ERA of 3.90 is good for a #5 but his underlying numbers are scary. In 32 innings he as 24 BB vs only 13K and a 1.67 WHIP. Has to be frustrating for the Padres given his stuff (breaking balls) is outstanding yet control is terrible ... good hitting teams will handle that.

Would think that with Darvish's return ... Vasquez is on the bubble for #5 with Kolek, Hart, and maybe even Bergert ... and we should not forget Waldron who at some point should emerge from the 60 day IL healed from his oblique strain.

Quote from Randy Manese on May 5, 2025, 7:12 am

Umps had a very tight strike zone in Pittsburgh which accounted for some of the walks called and benefitted both offenses; unfortunately for the Pirates, they don't have much of an offense anyway, so they couldn't take advantage of the extra PA like the Padres did.  I think Vasquez still shows good stuff but agree control is going to be the issue, however, when he is on, he is capable of keeping runs off the board.  Right now, I'm more concerned with Cease meeting our expectations than Vasquez.  We'll see what happens with him in New York - a true test with that short RF porch.

Quote from fenn68 on May 5, 2025, 8:09 am

Quote from Randy Manese on May 5, 2025, 7:12 am

Umps had a very tight strike zone in Pittsburgh which accounted for some of the walks called and benefitted both offenses; unfortunately for the Pirates, they don't have much of an offense anyway, so they couldn't take advantage of the extra PA like the Padres did.  I think Vasquez still shows good stuff but agree control is going to be the issue, however, when he is on, he is capable of keeping runs off the board.  Right now, I'm more concerned with Cease meeting our expectations than Vasquez.  We'll see what happens with him in New York - a true test with that short RF porch.

Also concerned about Cease ... but he does have a better history of success in the ML and, frankly, not going to be bumped out of the starting rotation.

---

As for the strike zone, there has been a lot of reporting on the "smaller strike zone" across the ML this season. Apparently MLB had sent a directive to the umpires to tighten up (shrink) the strike zone this season (why? don't know) but consensus is that the umps are complying.

Both pitchers and hitters have to adapt, especially pitchers that in the past have had success on the edge (or just outside) the old strike zone. If the hitters lower their chase rate, pitchers have to come more over the plate ... then either hitters get better pitches to hit or pitchers' walk rate rises and, in turn, become less effective.

Side: on the TV broadcasts with the "box" that represents the strike zone may have to be modified to reflect the current "realistic" strike zone and reduce the implication that the umps made a bad call.

Quote from LynchMob on May 6, 2025, 7:36 am

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6334426/2025/05/06/mlb-power-rankings-tigers-mets/

3. San Diego Padres (4.1)

Record: 23-11
Last Power Ranking: 5

Most impactful in-season move:  Sending Jackson Merrill on a rehab assignment to El Paso

Here’s how well this season has been going for the Padres: They lost their franchise center fielder to an injury, but their production didn’t suffer at all. Tyler Wade kept the seat warm and made a convincing argument that he should keep getting starts when Merrill returns, sliding over to left and taking at-bats from Jason Heyward.

The Padres haven’t lost a game since the last edition of the power rankings, which is a great way to move up the charts. They’ll only get better when Merrill gets back, even if they didn’t get worse when he was gone, if that makes sense. — Brisbee

Quote from Randy Manese on May 6, 2025, 8:30 am

Obviously, the above NY Times author did not fact-check - Merrill went to San Antonio for rehab, not El Paso.