Quote from MrPadre19 on August 20, 2025, 11:06 am

Quote from ultratvfan on August 20, 2025, 9:12 am

Pivetta was outstanding.

Unfortunately the Dodgers, Cubs, Mets and Reds all won, too.

Not gonna lie I was worried there in the top of the first

 

Quote from fenn68 on August 20, 2025, 3:09 pm

Quote from ultratvfan on August 19, 2025, 6:00 pm

JP Sears pitches game 3.

Did a game log look at Sears ... sort of Jekyll and Hyde. 23 starts in 2025 ... 7 poor (12 ERA) but 16 good (3 ERA with all games 3 runs or under).

He does give innings 5-6 in most of his starts and had 32 starts in each of 2023 and 2024 ... so should keep the workload down for the pen if he remains in the rotation.

Keep in mind we are looking at a bottom of the rotation fill ... so keeping the team in the game for 2 out of 3 of his starts (with the Padres' pen) should be a good thing. Did hear that the Padres actively pursued Sears even before the Miller deal came down ... so the scouts must see the upside and his ability to fill a need now.

Quote from ultratvfan on August 20, 2025, 5:11 pm

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

Sears P

Quote from ultratvfan on August 20, 2025, 9:34 pm

The Padres win and the Dodgers lost. Padres move up to one game back.

Seats was outstanding. Kudos to O'Hearn on 2 HR and Tatis' awesome HR robbery catch.

Cease on the mound tomorrow vs Verlander. I see this as an even matchup.

Let's take game 3.

GO PADRES!

Quote from WindsorUK on August 20, 2025, 10:03 pm

I think( or at least hope🤞🏽) that I was wrong about O'Hearn, in that I suggested he had a bit of Ludwick in him. I think Ryan has produced more in 2 weeks than Ludwick did in his nearly 1 year in San Diego( okay, not really but O'Hearn's production is helping us win!)

 

Quote from WindsorUK on August 20, 2025, 10:15 pm

So, the elephant in the room...what to do with Arraez???

Although he is fun to watch at the dish, he's been very unproductive. The way O'Hearn, and now Sheets, are warming up, if we want( we NEED!) more thump in the lineup, do those 2 get the bulk of AB's at 1B and DH? Does Arraez on the bench cause issues? Obviously should have moved him at the deadline( along with Cease and Suarez, but I digress) but as he is no longer a valuable asset, pissing him off isn't really a concern.

I'm sure the powers to be are discussing how to handle it. Should see something( drop in the order, benching, etc)soon.

Quote from WindsorUK on August 20, 2025, 10:39 pm

Is there a better defender in all of MLB than FTJ????

I can't imagine a better RF but is there a defender at another position that anyone would suggest is better? Maybe that kid in Oakland who steals all the HR's? Maybe a SS somewhere( I doubt it if some metric says Bogaerts is better than most!) A 3rd basemen?

Quote from WindsorUK on August 20, 2025, 10:42 pm

Quote from ultratvfan on August 20, 2025, 9:34 pm

The Padres win and the Dodgers lost. Padres move up to one game back.

Seats was outstanding. Kudos to O'Hearn on 2 HR and Tatis' awesome HR robbery catch.

Cease on the mound tomorrow vs Verlander. I see this as an even matchup.

Let's take game 3.

GO PADRES!

I wonder if it would be worth trying an opener for Cease's starts? Let a Peralta, Morejon, or Adam get through the order once and then bring in Dylan? You'd still have 2 or 3 of the Horsemen in the bullpen to help finish it off. Just a thought.

Quote from fenn68 on August 21, 2025, 2:41 am

Quote from WindsorUK on August 20, 2025, 10:15 pm

So, the elephant in the room...what to do with Arraez???

Although he is fun to watch at the dish, he's been very unproductive. The way O'Hearn, and now Sheets, are warming up, if we want( we NEED!) more thump in the lineup, do those 2 get the bulk of AB's at 1B and DH? Does Arraez on the bench cause issues? Obviously should have moved him at the deadline( along with Cease and Suarez, but I digress) but as he is no longer a valuable asset, pissing him off isn't really a concern.

I'm sure the powers to be are discussing how to handle it. Should see something( drop in the order, benching, etc)soon.

Given that O'Hearn is providing more impact offensively and is better defensively it is going to be hard to move him off 1B ... so Arraez might be shifted to amore a part-time role in deference to using Sheets as the DH since he too is providing more impact offensively. Probably some sort of rotation of the three based on the opposing pitcher.

This may happened as Merrill returns to CF and Laureano returns to LF. Could see Merrill slot in at #2 ... O'Hearn at #4 ... Sheets at #6 ... Cronenworth at #8 to see that picket fence line-up Shildt likes. When Arraez plays slot him #6. Right side ... Tatis #1, Machado #3, Laureano #5, Bogaerts #7, Fermin #9 ... put them all together and that is a good looking line-up!

Becoming clearer that the Padres will let Arraez walk as a FA ... at the same time may push to re-sign O'Hearn (no idea what he will get as a contract given his "success" is more recent than full career ... especially vs LHP).

So maybe situational with a 4 for 3 slots ... Laureano - Sheets - O'Hearn - Arraez and all getting some AB to keep sharp and rest to be fresh for the playoffs?