Arizona Diamondbacks @ San Diego Padres GameThread, Apr 26, 2008 3:55 PM EDT

Gameday Thread, #24: 4/26 vs. Padres

by Jim McLennan on Apr 29, 2008 12:43 AM EDT

Arizona Diamondbacks @ San Diego Padres

Micah Owings
RHP, 4-0, 2.42

Justin Germano
RHP, 0-2, 5.01

Baseball-Reference.com preview [opens in new window]

Couple of thoughts on yesterday's game. Good to see Johnson back in full effect; just like last year, it took a couple of starts for him to reach his full efficiency. But now he's apparently done so, I am optimistic we can look for him to be around the same level as he did there - over starts #4-9 last season [the half-dozen before his final abortive outing], he had a 2.02 ERA, with opponents batting just .186 against him. If he can get anywhere near that level consistently, our rotation will probably go from being the best in the NL to being the best in the majors.

Conor Jackson got hit by the Padres, something which the Padres post-game host, Bob Scanlan, strongly approved: "You've got to send a message, not just to Conor Jackson but to that entire Arizona Diamondback ball club. You want to swing hard like that? Do it against the Dodgers. Do it against the Giants. Go ahead and swing like that against the Colorado Rockies, but you aren't going to do it here against the San Diego Padres here in Petco Park." O RLY? It's nice to see the Padres still appear to enjoy Neanderthal baseball. We'll just continue to win: only 23 games played and we're 8.5 up on San Diego, whose record is now better only than Washington in the entire league. Yeah, I guess they haven't got much else to hang on to.

Still, if we're going to retaliate, Micah Owings is the man to do it - no qualms about pitching inside, and unlikely to take well to someone hitting a team-mate. However, the best retaliation would be to continue mowing down the feeble Padres line-up, and extend our lead over them even further. Be interesting to see if we put out a full-strength lineup today: yesterday's win was with just about every backup we can muster out there, with Ojeda, Burke and Montero all starting. The absence of Byrnes for a second straight day was surprising, but it appears he is suffering from leg problems:

He sat out and revealed that he has been bothered by what he termed "leg issues" since the beginning of Spring Training... The injury, which apparently involves both of his hamstrings, likely will not heal until he's able to take a prolonged rest -- and that won't happen until the end of the season. Byrnes said he accepts that he will have to play the rest of the season with discomfort.

We'll see how this works out: playing through pain is one thing, but if it leads to a dropoff in actual production, we might be better off DL-ing him and giving him the time he needs to recover. For the moment though, he should be back in there today, so we'll monitor the situation going forward.

0 recs | Comment 504 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Did anyone read the AP recap of last night's game?

They referred to the Padres as having a “popgun offense”. LOL!!

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 1:42 PM EDT 0 recs

That would explain why their fans and announcers think they only way they can respond to something the other team does is by hitting them with a pitch. You know, instead of going out and getting hits.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 1:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

Help

Excuse me, but is there some law against swinging hard? Someone please explain to me (not the most knowledgeable baseball fan around) why you’d hit a guy for swinging hard.

by TwinnerA on Apr 26, 2008 2:08 PM EDT 0 recs

Only

because it was working for us, but not working for them. :-P

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 2:11 PM EDT up 0 recs

Because one of our players did it, and they’re frustrated at losing so much.

The team that laid down a bunt to break up a perfect game doesn’t have much room to talk about the “unwritten rules of baseball,” in my opinion.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 2:14 PM EDT up 0 recs

They disagree:

Tradition

Have you no appreciation for baseball’s traditional unwritten rules? You probably think sharpening spikes isn’t cool. You need one right in the earhole to wake you up. Here’s something that does not violate baseball’s unwritten rules: Ben Davis trying to bunt for a single when an AZ pitcher has a no-hitter going.

by Enzo Hernandez on Apr 26, 2008 11:40 AM MST

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 2:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

Again: they did it, we didn’t, so it’s okay.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 2:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

We retaliate the right way, not the wrong way --

by kicking your ass and running up the score.

Not that I’ll shed any tears today if Micah beans a few Padres.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 2:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

+1

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

You stay classy, San Diego!

Hitting someone for “swinging hard”?? Was that Scanlan’s strategy when he pitched in the majors? No wonder he is hosting a post-game show these days…

by IndyDBack on Apr 26, 2008 2:15 PM EDT 0 recs

Someone should tell Scanlan that, when it comes to hitting CoJack with a pitch, the Padres are still trailing the Dodgers.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 2:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

Good to see Johnson back in full effect; just like last year, it took a couple of starts for him to reach his full efficiency. But now he’s apparently done so, I am optimistic we can look for him to be around the same level as he did there – over starts #4-9 last season [the half-dozen before his final abortive outing], he had a 2.02 ERA, with opponents batting just .186 against him.

The scary thing about last night’s game is that I don’t feel that RJ is all the way back just yet and he still was pretty dominant. His fastball was in the 90-92 range most of the night and from what I saw he hit 94 a few times. His slider isn’t moving as much as it has in the past and still looks more like the slider he was throwing in his first few starts last year. Just wait ‘til he gets it all going!

by foulpole on Apr 26, 2008 2:22 PM EDT 0 recs

He actually

topped out at 96; during the mid innings he was averaging 94 on his heat.

I didn’t really think we’d ever see Randy Johnson hit 96 again…

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 2:39 PM EDT up 0 recs

WHINE!! STOP BEING SO MEAN TO US!!!!

Go back to AZ Snakepit

and take your friends with you, it’s very simple. I’m not sure how many times I have to ask you.

by jbox on Apr 26, 2008 12:07 PM MST

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:08 PM EDT 0 recs

I figure I’ve gotten all the amusement out of them that I can right now- though I did leave a few actual baseball comments, just to throw them off.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:19 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah.

The ceasefire is dead and buried. This is way more fun.

See, soco? Are you out there? Now THIS is why I hate the Padres, and their fans, so much more than the Rockies.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:21 PM EDT up 0 recs

+1

In my (limited) experience, Gaslamp Ball seems to be the most adversarial and insular of all the NL West blogs.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:25 PM EDT up 0 recs

They're xenophobic, closed, and irrational.

They’re like the North Korea of SBN blogs.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:26 PM EDT up 0 recs

I don’t think we need to break into historical analogues of the NL West again. =)

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:27 PM EDT up 0 recs

It's not historical.

It’s current. :-P

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:29 PM EDT up 0 recs

It’s historical from the perspectives of some of Mark Reynolds’ home runs!

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:30 PM EDT up 0 recs

Oh, I don’t know – if I were a Padres player, I think I’d like Scanlan’s theory of HBP. “You’ve got no right to hit me, mister pitcher – most of the time I don’t even swing... and forget about making contact, or – heaven forbid – getting on base.”

by peachy rex on Apr 26, 2008 3:16 PM EDT 0 recs

I have a funny feeling

that we may all find ourselves banned from GLB by this time tomorrow morning.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:30 PM EDT 0 recs

I’ll weep softly into my better-things-to-do-with-my-time.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

See?

Dahlian’s snark comes in handy, sometimes:

I’m sorry,

I just saw an issue that was being discussed here and thought I would throw my two cents in. I don’t see where in this thread I started to engage in team-based trolling.

If you don’t want to get in a conversation the merits of revenge plunking with someone just because they root for a different team then wow, just wow.

by dahlian on Apr 26, 2008 12:29 PM MST

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:32 PM EDT up 0 recs

+10 for Dahlian

I’d also enjoyed the comment at the end of the thread, where someone said we had a sense of entitlement, told us to put on a throwback jersey, get in a car crash, and die. I’m glad that meets the GLB sign-up request of “don’t be a jerkface.”

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:35 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'm coming to the party this afternoon as well

it seems like a good time. :-)

Think we can post more on GLB than they do?

Baseball season, when everything becomes right in the world.

by seton hall snake pit on Apr 26, 2008 3:37 PM EDT up 0 recs

Eh, I wouldn't bother

More enjoyment and less annoyance to be found elsewhere.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:41 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yes.

Definitely get your $0.02 in. Maybe you should even reveal that you used to be known as Dodgerhater.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

was that my name?

I was just trying to figure that out. :-)

I just went into the war zone to check out the casualties, if they think we’re showing a sense of entitlement, then do they have something coming to them. Everyone was really mild in there. I can change that, not saying I will not saying I won’t.

Baseball season, when everything becomes right in the world.

by seton hall snake pit on Apr 26, 2008 3:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah, I don’t think they realize just how annoying and condescending we could be if we were trying.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

I'm a self proclaimed pro

at being a homer when I want to be. I can be quite dramatic.

Baseball season, when everything becomes right in the world.

by seton hall snake pit on Apr 26, 2008 3:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

In case anyone was wondering

what intelligent baseball communities have to say about the notion of plunking a batter for swinging too hard, go here.

There’s something beautifully tragic about GLB. It’s nice to know they’re there – like lobsters in a bucket.

by dahlian on Apr 26, 2008 3:44 PM EDT 0 recs

I loved this guy’s response: “What the is the message that’s being sent? “Swing hard and we’ll reward your hitters with free bases”? “

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

Thanks for the link.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

Eric Byrnes

Don’t go changing.

I am inexplicably sad that we are going to be with out Sutton and Gracie today. They are my favorite.

I have been colonized.

by mrssoco on Apr 26, 2008 3:45 PM EDT 0 recs

soco's keys to the game

1) Watch said game
2) Try and get laptop to connect to internet
3) Dream of the wedding cake in two weeks
4) Try and get a hold of “the boys” to hang out tonight
5) Not commence any transactions today in the Game Thread
6) Dessert?

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 3:45 PM EDT 0 recs

Wedding cake?

Are you invited to our wedding?

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:46 PM EDT up 0 recs

He’s got free time now, he can cater.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

Excellent idea!

So long as he makes sure that there’s no pork on the cake. Or beef with cheese.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

CAKE

I think it is the only proper thing, I mean he did help pick out the cake. ;)

AND IT IS FANTASTIC! Bavarian cream with strawberries or Devil’s cake with White Chocolate Mousse.

(Wait, does this break the “talking about dessert” rule?)

I have been colonized.

by mrssoco on Apr 26, 2008 3:48 PM EDT up 0 recs

HAHA!!

I’ll FINALLY know what soco has for dessert!!

Of course, with my luck, it’ll probably be an off-day….

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:54 PM EDT up 0 recs

I've got a shiny new 5 dollar bill

what’ll you give me for it?

Baseball season, when everything becomes right in the world.

by seton hall snake pit on Apr 26, 2008 3:49 PM EDT up 0 recs

A shiny 1 dollar bill?

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 3:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

have any illegitimate children?

Baseball season, when everything becomes right in the world.

by seton hall snake pit on Apr 26, 2008 3:53 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not yet

though my mom did once call me, leading off with “are there any illegitimate children I need to know about?”

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 3:55 PM EDT up 0 recs

how bout your mom?

how much do you want for her? Careful here this is a loaded question.

Baseball season, when everything becomes right in the world.

by seton hall snake pit on Apr 26, 2008 3:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

You'll have to fight my step-dad

and I wouldn’t want to do that.

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 3:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

just curious if she was higher priced than mrs. soco

I recommend you don’t answer that. :-D

Baseball season, when everything becomes right in the world.

by seton hall snake pit on Apr 26, 2008 3:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

Agreed

I am already a little tender at the low sales price, if his mom was worth more it might bruise my fragile ego. ;)

I have been colonized.

by mrssoco on Apr 26, 2008 4:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

S'okay, baby.

You’re marrying a future Jewish lawyer, remember??

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 4:01 PM EDT up 0 recs

Aw yes!

Forgot, I win. :D

I have been colonized.

by mrssoco on Apr 26, 2008 4:02 PM EDT up 0 recs

What kind of crazy world do we live in

that Budweiser is marketed as a premium beer?

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 3:56 PM EDT 0 recs

They think Americans are idiots.

And…. beerwise, we generally are.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

Just beerwise?

I mean, look at our “leaders” (non-partisan, all-inclusive bashing here).

by azshadowwalker on Apr 26, 2008 4:45 PM EDT up 0 recs

Hmmm...

Fair enough.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 4:47 PM EDT up 0 recs

Haha!

Jupton just introduced Conor Jackson as “Freddy Prince, Jr” and introduced O-Dawg as “3-time gold glover Orlando Jones, Jr”, and Stephen Drew as “Stephen Daggumit Drew”.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 3:56 PM EDT 0 recs

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank my local Fox station for, once again, showing my the freaking Yankees.

Well, I’m off to get sushi anyway. I expect a five run lead when I get back.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 3:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

SUSHI

Totally jealous.

I have been colonized.

by mrssoco on Apr 26, 2008 3:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

Agreed.

Devin, we demand sushi!!

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 4:00 PM EDT up 0 recs

I got you some sushi...

But I ated it. =(

It was pretty good, though. I’ll miss that place.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 4:50 PM EDT up 0 recs

Because

there’s no sushi in Phoenix….

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

There's plenty

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 4:51 PM EDT up 0 recs

There is, and I’m sure I’ll find somewhere to eat there, but I particularly liked this restaurant. It was just a little place and the owners were really friendly. It’s not so much the food as the environment that I’ll miss.

"It's such a fine line between stupid and clever."

by kishi on Apr 26, 2008 4:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

Fair enough.

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 4:52 PM EDT up 0 recs

Really?

There are lots of sushi places in Tucson. My husband and I go out for sushi on our anniversary most years.

by azshadowwalker on Apr 26, 2008 4:56 PM EDT up 0 recs

Yeah

I was gonna say, if there’s this much sushi in Tucson, there’s gotta be a ton in Phoenix.

Of course, it’s all made of tofu, because there’s no fish here….

"I was tied to a chair and he had a baseball bat. Pissing him off was the smart thing to do."

by DbacksSkins on Apr 26, 2008 4:57 PM EDT up 0 recs

Not really

There are places here to go. Is it San Diego or Seattle or San Fran good? No, but there’s good for both fusion and Edo styles.

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 4:58 PM EDT up 0 recs

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 3:59 PM EDT up 0 recs

Lead off double!

The boys in Sedona Red slugged it out with a pretty pesky poltergeist, then stayed on to dance the night away with some of the lovely ladies who witnessed the disturbance.

by soco on Apr 26, 2008 3:56 PM EDT 0 recs