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Ok. First things first: in response to many requests, here's why my Cinco de Mayo ended up in the Emergency department. I'd just finished the recap and sleepily rubbed my eyes, ready for bed. As I did that, I felt my contact lens drift off my eyeball: no big, happens all the time and I was about to take it out anyway. However, in the bathroom, I couldn't find the lens in my eye. Even Mrs. SnakePit, using a flashlight, couldn't see any trace of it. But I could still feel 'something' up above my tear-duct. To cut a long story short, one hour, an Emergency Room visit and $142 later, the lens had been removed from its lair with the aid of some local anaesthetic, a well-trained medical professional and a Q-tip.
Yeah, it's got to the stage where I would rather jam something into my own eyes, than watch the Diamondbacks. For if we scored only one run off junkballer Jeff yesterday, what chance against the guy who won the NL Cy Young two years ago? First time we've faced the Padres this season - they swept us in a series at the end of August last year. After a brisk start, they've struggled, and haven't won a set in five attempts, though did get a split against the Rockies earlier this week. As noted in the preview earlier this week, they are hitting hardly any better than the Diamondbacks - .239 to .226 - though a lot of that seems down to Petco, and their OPS+ is not far below league-average, at 95.
Peavy vs. Garland would seem a no-contest, but Peavy has been far from the ace we know and fear, and Garland has been reliable, delivering more quality starts than Peavy [three in five starts, compared to two in six]. However, I can't say I am too optimistic, the way the offense has played of late; Garland will basically need to shut out the Padres to win, since we seem incapable of scoring - it's been two runs or less in a dozen of the 27 contests thus far. And in the last few games, starting with Friday's in Milwaukee, we have scored 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1 runs respectively. I needn't point out how that progression continues...
I will not be watching the game - I don't think my eye could stand it. I will instead be looking at relaxing things: waterfalls, meadows, kittens, clouds. Well, it's more likely be Tivo'd 24, Fringe and Doctor Who, but it'll still be less painful than watching the Diamondbacks play. Azreous on the recap, and to keep you going until first pitch, here are interviews with Bob Melvin from yesterday and Kirk Gibson today. Haven't heard them myself yet, so dunno if there's anything significant therein.
Audio courtesy of KTAR 620
Lineup
- Lopez 2B
- Ojeda SS
- Upton RF
- Reynolds 3B
- Whitesell 1B
- Jackson LF
- Montero C
- Byrnes CF
- Garland P
And Whitesell is straight in at #5 with a bullet. Yes: someone whose major-league plate-appearances are still in single figures, gets to go ahead of both Jackson and Eric Byrnes... Read into that what you may.