Gameday Thread, #132: 8/29 vs. Padres

Chris Young, RHP (9-5, 3.77)

Enrique Gonzalez, RHP (3-5, 5.32)

I think the one thing I can say about tonight's lineup - and I haven't looked at it as I write - is that Eric Byrnes will be batting in the clean-up spot. 4-for-5 with 4 RBIs? That's been entire weeks of production from the four-hole. Be interesting to see if Chad Tracy is still dropped down in the order, somewhere around seventh. He's had a horrible August as far as power goes, with no home runs in 100 August at-bats: it could be time to crank up the Chad Tracy HR watch, if he doesn't break the streak over the next two games.

Tonight, we face Young, who could be the ultimate road warrior - he hasn't been beaten away from home in his past twenty starts on the road (8-0 with 12 no-decisions). However, tonight he's pitching at Chase, which is where records like that go to die. The Diamondbacks counter with EnGon, and the key question for him will be, can he get through the first inning? Thus far, he's allowed a total of 55 runs this season: 24 have come in the opening frame. Avoiding that tonight will clearly be a big step in the right direction.

Won't be around, since it's IZW tonight; I may catch a little of it on the TV there, but otherwise, will look forward to reading about it when I come back!