Quote from Alex Tamayo on September 9, 2025, 9:50 pm

Quote from ultratvfan on September 9, 2025, 9:13 pm

Padres drop back to two games back

King did his job. Although, Suarez blew the save, I blame the lack of offense.

Padres need to win the rubber match tomorrow.

GO PADRES!

I saw a mixed of very good ABs, with very louse ones, It must suck when you are taking balls, fouling off pitches, and so on, just to see some of your teammates (Machado) trying to hit the ball with no purpose.

Quote from fenn68 on September 10, 2025, 2:39 pm

Very optimistic sign with King's performance vs a good hitting CINN team. Only 63 pitches and 2 runs in 5 innings bodes well for a strong pairing with Pivetta down the stretch and in the playoffs

In a 3 game 1st round playoff series ... especially if they get a home set by overtaking either LAD or CUBS ... both within striking distance ... could be a good set-up.

Quote from ultratvfan on September 10, 2025, 4:44 pm

Game 3 Lineup
1. Tatis RF
2. Arraez 2B
3. Machado 3B
4. Sheets DH
5. Laureano LF
6. Merrill CF
7. O'Hearn 1B
8. Cronenworth SS
9. Diaz C

Pivetta P

Quote from ultratvfan on September 10, 2025, 8:16 pm

Pivetta's outstanding performance wasted by lack of offense. It appears the Padres will drop to 3 games back.

Padres offense need to step it up.

Quote from Alex Tamayo on September 10, 2025, 9:55 pm

Well, we might as well prepair for the Wild Card series at Wrigley Field, with 16 games left, I just don't see how they can get 3 more Ws than the bums (since they own the tie breaker) and/or 4 more than the Cubs, even if they go crazy and win 12 of those last 16, it will be hoping any of those two teams finish with 8 Ls, also, so much for playing better at home, they are 1-5 at Petco in September.

Quote from Jeremy Hill on September 10, 2025, 11:01 pm

I think Shildt is way too committed to Arraez in the 2 hole and trying to maintain lineup balance against lefties. Arraez is hitting .250/.276/.326 off of lefties. He either needs to be dropped way down in the lineup or taken out altogether against them. Laureano should be in the 2 hole when we face a lefty. It makes no sense to keep Arraez above him.

On a related note I'll say that while I appreciate that Shildt seems willing to play Cronenworth at SS depending on who we have on the mound, who they have on the mound also needs to factor in. Given his struggles against lefties I don't think it's worth weakening the defense to keep Arraez in against them. Iglesias is hitting .243/.328/.360 off of lefties. That's slightly better than Arraez and he brings a stronger glove too. I think Arraez should come off of the bench against lefties. He certainly shouldn't be playing 2B against them.

Quote from Alex Tamayo on September 11, 2025, 2:03 am

Quote from Jeremy Hill on September 10, 2025, 11:01 pm

I think Shildt is way too committed to Arraez in the 2 hole and trying to maintain lineup balance against lefties. Arraez is hitting .250/.276/.326 off of lefties. He either needs to be dropped way down in the lineup or taken out altogether against them. Laureano should be in the 2 hole when we face a lefty. It makes no sense to keep Arraez above him.

On a related note I'll say that while I appreciate that Shildt seems willing to play Cronenworth at SS depending on who we have on the mound, who they have on the mound also needs to factor in. Given his struggles against lefties I don't think it's worth weakening the defense to keep Arraez in against them. Iglesias is hitting .243/.328/.360 off of lefties. That's slightly better than Arraez and he brings a stronger glove too. I think Arraez should come off of the bench against lefties. He certainly shouldn't be playing 2B against them.

Problem was, he decided to seat Arraez last night, consequence, he couldn't seat him for a second straight night, for me, that was a bonehead move, I was scratching my head when I  saw so many LHH against a really though LHP, and on top, on a day you have Díaz catching.

Quote from WindsorUK on September 11, 2025, 5:09 am

Arraez just doesn't provide enough of, well, anything, to justify a spot in the every day line up.

Hate to beat a dead horse but Gavin Sheets gives us a much better chance of winning ball games than does Luis(it is Gavin who lost playing time when Laureano and O'Hearn arrived)

Should have shipped him out at the deadline.

Quote from fenn68 on September 11, 2025, 6:30 am

I know many say where a player hits in the batting order should not matter ... but do think it is a player to player evaluation.

Arraez won 3 straight batting titles ... so clearly talent. However, the bulk of his career was batting lead-off (with a very good OBP). This year sitting as the second hitter he is struggling. Could be a lot of reasons but suspect pitchers pitch to him differently as the #2 (most likely more aggressively) with him being sandwiched between Tatis and Machado. Side ... and only a feeling ... but seems that a lot of hitters do worse when put into that #2 slot ... something about the how that slot presents differently.

Although I appreciate the R-L picket fence line-up and all the beliefs of the advantages of Tatis in the lead-off slot ... have wondered all season if the combined production of Arraez / Tatis would be better with the two flipped in the batting order? Hitting #1 could return Arraez to his high OBP (but mostly singles) and put him on base for the higher SLG profile of Tatis resulting in more runs scored.

Side: I generally don't like to trade any player while in a playoff run unless I get a compelling piece in return (would not have received that for 2 months of Arraez) and had a quality backfill for the 26 man to cover injuries / rests (and clearly the Padres don't have the hitter). Also, Sheets was slumping a bit leading into the trade deadline. Padres are better off with Arraez ... offer the QO and take the Comp Pick next year.

As it stands ... Arraez and O'Hearn will depart via FA leaving 1B to Sheets ... and reducing the LHH down to Merrill, Cronenworth, and Sheets ... that may make the offense more productive vs LHP if they add a RHH to fill out the line-up.