Friar Watch

David Wells: Boomer looked great for 6 innings. You know where this is headed: Black ran him out there in the 7th and it cost them the game. In the bottom of the 5th the Padres had two men on and I think one out and I told Geoff at the time that they should pinch hit for Boomer because he’s realistically only good for one more inning, tops. Black leaves him in to bunt and it worked out because Sexon’s foot was off the bag and the Padres scored some runs. But that was a lucky play, it had nothing to do with Boomer. I actually said he should send Maddux up to bunt, Boomer is really not a very good bunter. In the Ducksnorts comments LynchMob was also calling for a pinch hitter so it wasn’t just me.

Wells came back out to pitch the 6th and retired the side on I think 7 pitches so that worked out ok. But surely 6 innings is enough, right? Wrong, Buddy Black ran him out there in the 7th and Boomer promptly gave up two hits, leaving men on 2nd and 3rd with no outs for Heath Bell to come in and clean up.

Heath Bell: Bell got Betancourt to hit a ground ball to Adrian Gonzalez at first but Bell forgot to cover first, I think the ball was hit so far in the hole he assumed it was going to be a hit or Giles would field it and throw to Adrian. Adrian had other ideas however, he ranged to his right, snagged the ball and fired home to just get Johjima at the plate. Another incredibly heads-up play from Adrian.

The next batter, Jose Vidro, walked on 6 pitches. In the Ducksnorts comments LaMar said the ball four pitch was clearly a strike but take a look at this:

The 3-1 pitch was off the plate and called a strike. Either the 3-2 pitch was a make up call or the umpire just blew two pitches in a row. Either way, Bell threw 4 balls to Vidro.

Scott Linebrink: Linebrink faced Sexson to start the 8th and I was just about to say to Geoff that I didn’t like that match up when Sexson swatted a home run into the left field stands. Linebrink retired the side after that but the damage was done, the Mariners had come back to tie it.

Doug Brocail: While Doug Brocail warmed up in the bottom of the 8th Trevor got up and started getting ready as well. If the Padres had taken the lead I’m sure we would have seen Trevor in the save situation. So why not use him in the tie game in the top of the 9th? Isn’t preserving the tie just as important? Instead Brocail came in and coughed up the winning run. I’m not down on Brocail, he’s a decent pitcher, but if Trevor is available why not use him here?

As far as I’m concerned Bud Black was a huge factor in losing this game. Another huge factor was Khalil Greene whiffing on an 0-2 breaking ball to end the 8th, stranding two runners on base. When everyone in the Ducksnorts group knew a breaking ball out of the zone was coming, how come Khalil doesn’t know it? I can see why Sandy Alderson was so frustrated with him last year. He’s got good power for a shortstop, can turn on any fastball, but he just hasn’t learned to recognize and lay off that slider out of the zone.

In other news, the Lake Elsinore Storm game before the Padres game was quite entertaining. Matt Antonelli slammed a home run to dead center, the gargantuan Kyle Blanks hit a rocket into the Wester Metal Supply building and David Freese pulled what looked like a slider or curve that was low and inside and golfed it in to the WMS building as well. These Elsinore kids can swing the bat, too bad they don’t have the pitching to go with it.

Tomorrow’s big league match up is Felix Hernandez vs Chris Young. The combination of Young and a 2pm start time worries me. The balls were flying out this afternoon before that marine layer moved in around 6:30 or so, and CY is an extreme flyball pitcher.

Link: 6/09 Gameday XML data