Padres Report - September 4th

Padres’ Minor League Report – September 4, 2006

Happy Labor Day to you all!

I’ve mentioned before that I’m a huge fan of College Football in general and the University of Miami Hurricanes in particular. In that sport I follow the recruiting quite closely; similarly to how I follow minor league baseball (although not quite as closely). I’ve often wondered why I have the level of fascination with the minor leagues and recruiting that I do… If asked, I always said, “I like knowing ‘What’s next.’”

While I think that is part of it, I don’t think that’s the whole story. It occurred to me tonight, that minor leaguers (and recruits) are perfect. They’ve never lost a game or struck out with the bases loaded for the Padres or threw a game-ending interception for the ‘Canes. Now obviously they aren’t truly perfect, but their ‘ups and downs’ haven’t affected MY teams.

I think that explains it. It’s something I watch and root for without getting emotionally involved.

***

Last night I wrote:

In the second half we’ve won the first game of a series four times. We’ve won each of those four series. Overall, we won the first game of a series 21 times. In those 21 series we won 17 of those series, lost 2 series, and tied two series. Let’s get this series off to a good start and get a win Monday night.

...Make that five time we've won the series opener. Tonight’s win was HUGE!

I think (and hope) Barfield is taking exception to the fact that Russell Branyan’s acquisition is eating into his at-bats… In the last 7 days, Barfield has gone 6-16 (.375) with 3 XBH (2 doubles & Monday’s walk-off HR) with 2 BB and 0 SO… That, or Branyan’s acquisition is allowing Bochy to sit against pitchers who might be harder for Barfield to hit.

Now let’s get greedy and get the series win in game 2!

Hitters:

Hi-A – Nick Hundley --- 2-3; 2B (13), HR (3), 2 R, 2 RBI
Lo-A – Will Venable --- 2-5; R, SO
Lo-A – David Freese --- 1-3; 2B (13), 2 RBI
Lo-A – Craig Cooper --- 1-3; 2B (1), R, RBI, BB
SS – Cedric Hunter --- 2-4; SO

Pitchers:

AAA – Tim Stauffer --- 3.0 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO
SS – Brooks Dunn --- 7.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO

Commentary:

With George Kottaras a member of the Red Sox organization (at least unofficially) Nick Hundley is the heir-apparent to the big-league catching job. The 23yr old 2005 draftee (2nd round), has combined (Nick started the season in Lo-A and was promoted to Hi-A mid-season) for a .273/.354/.430 (going into tonight) line with 32 doubles and 11 home runs with 45 walks and 89 strikeouts. Reportedly Nick is also superior to Kottaras as a receiver (which is one of the reasons the Padres were willing to deal Kottaras).

In just 71 games (remember he was drafted in early June and joined the Eugene Emeralds who began their season around June 20th) David Freese has 21 doubles, 3 triples, and 13 home runs. That 36 XBH; out of 82 hits for a 43.9% XBH-rate.

Tim Stauffer is either so pissed at being in AAA he can’t see straight, or we caught lightning in a bottle on August 21st, when he spun that 2 run, 6 inning gem. For some reason I’m thinking the latter is more likely…

In his last 4 starts (25 IP), Brooks Dunn has allowed one earned run. In his last 10 games (49.1 IP), Dunn has allowed 7 earned runs (1.28 ERA).