This & That

Tom Krasovic reported Monday in the Union Tribune that Padres Manager Bruce Bochy is thinking about starting Xavier Nady at 3B for the season opener. Now be certain you are reading this (or that you read that) correctly, X will not be the every-day starter, at least, not yet. Sean Burroughs will be the starter. However, in a lineup that already has three left-handed hitters in the outfield (without clear platoon possibilities) removing Sean’s 4th left-handed bat in favor of X’s right-handed bat makes sense against Colorado’s Opening Day starter, lefty hurler, Joe Kennedy.

In the article Krasovic quotes Bochy, "We still think a lot of Sean Burroughs.” Which is good – cause I do too (wink, wink – as if my opinion matters). Seriously though, Burroughs is a Gold Glove caliber defender at third but his bat has yet to come around as hoped. I don’t think he has been as bad as his reputation deserves (.298/.348/.365 in 2004 – we’ll celebrate if Dave Roberts posts those first two parts of the equation), but he has certainly struggled (that slugging percentage is brutal). Presumably next year we will see Nady and Burroughs in the same everyday lineup, unless Burroughs plays his way out it.

Changing subjects, I need to comment on Peter Gammons’ latest.

Gammons quotes Giants manager, Felipe Alou, “I think we're better prepared [this season] to survive a few weeks without Barry than in the past."

That’s not much better than saying an “11” is better than a “10.” Yeah, Felipe, but not much better…

The Padres could win the NL West with a fast start. Since Barry really wants to challenge himself. He’ll spot the division 30-40 games and try to help his team catch up before the playoffs. I think the NL West is a three horse race (Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco). And San Francisco is now in a hole having lost its biggest advantage.

This is classic (quoting at length):

Much has been made of the age of this Giants team, which with Bonds in the lineup averages 36.5 years old.

"The age sounds high, but I don't think we are old players," said center fielder Marquis Grissom. "We're experienced. We won't make a lot of mistakes, and there are a lot of guys here who know how to win. We didn't have a Moises Alou before. Think about what he means."

“There are a lot of guys here who know how to win.” Yeah, sign up to hit on a team with Barry Bond in the lineup. …And what will you all do without Barry in the lineup?

Marquis, sorry to break this to you, but it’s a statistical fact, players peak at 27-8. You’re old. Removing Barry from the lineup makes the team younger but not better. Marquis, Barry’s a god, you’re not.

“Giants owner Peter Magowan believes his team has four players – Feliz, Deivi Cruz, Tucker and Yorvit Torrealba – ‘Who could start for many other teams.’” …like Kansas City, Colorado, Cincinnati, Washington, Toronto… The reality is Magowan does have four players who could start for a lot teams: Barry, Moises Alou, Jason Schmidt, and Armando Benitez.

One other unrelated tidbit, if Texas does cut Chan Ho Park, the Padres should make a run at signing him. He’s showing glimpses of what he once was, and pitching in San Diego and without the DH would be a boon to his efforts (keep in mind, not only is San Diego a pitchers park, but so is Los Angeles and San Francisco, two of our four most common ‘away’ parks).