Category — Adrian Gonzalez
How About Them Padres? Dodgers Get Look Again At What A First-Place Club Looks Like
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Frank McCourt is drooling. He’ll be looking to steal some of the state’s secrets in San Diego this weekend, when the Dodgers open a 3-game set at Petco Park tonight. The Padres in first place? Oh my, Frank is thinking, they pay much less than him and they’re playing some of the best ball in baseball. What’s up with that?
Thirty-four games into the season and who would have guessed the Padres would have the National League’s best record? The Padres’ mark matches the one of the defending champion Yankees (Twins too if you’re scoring at home) and only the Rays, baseball’s best at 24-10, are better.
San Diego’s early success hasn’t been one of smoke and mirrors. The Padres, who host the Dodgers for a 3-game series beginning tonight, have some young talent, pitcher Mat Latos, who was an infield single away from a perfect game in a victory over the Giants yesterday, is among them. Chase Headley is hitting .309 and has 9 stolen bases and though Kyle Blanks is struggling, the Padres expect big things out of him.
Of course it always helps to have one of the league’s top hitters, Adrian Gonzalez, in the lineup too. But many don’t believe Gonzalez, who has been trade bait for some time, will be around to finish what he’s started in San Diego.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers enter tonight’s contest with a 4-game winning streak and a shot at digging into that 5-game lead the Padres have on them. But it seems like a difficult task tonight with the Dodgers starting Ramon Ortiz (1-1, 5.16 ERA). San Diego counters with Jon Garland (4-2, 1.71 ERA), who probably won’t need much motivation since he was a member of the Dodgers’ rotation, but the club had no need for him.
May 14, 2010 No Comments
Is It A Mirage?
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The first-place Padres are coming off an 8-game winning, but they know some experts believe they’ve done it with smoke and mirrors. Why? They’re young and unproven and in a division where the Dodgers, D-Backs, Rockies and Giants are expected to reign. Pitching will dictate how long they hang around the top. They’ve got one of the game’s best sluggers (Adrian Gonzalez) and some young talent (Chase Headley and Kyle Blanks, among others) that could surprise. But are they for real?
“This is a better ballclub than people think,” said old head Matt Stairs, who spent the past 2 seasons with the Phillies before joining the Padres this season.
San Diego Union-Tribune
April 26, 2010 No Comments
If At First You Don’t Succeed…
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Imagine him in the Dodger lineup. Oh that’s right, Frank McCourt banks at the same branch as the Padres’ management.
Adrian Gonzalez is one of the best power hitters in the National League. Some might argue he’s one of the best in baseball. His play at first isn’t shabby either, but try telling that to the low-ball pitching Padres. With their minor league pay scale, the Padres will probably move Gonzalez this summer because they can’t seem to negotiate a contract extension for the All-Star first baseman. The Padres are crying that Gonzalez wants too much money. Obviously, Mark Teixeira money is out of the question, but you’d think San Diego would throw him a few bones. It won’t. But some club will pay the man handsomely.
Despite what the Padres think, we believe Gonzalez deserves big coin. Imagine what his numbers would be if he wasn’t hitting in massive Petco Park, one of the friendlies confines for pitchers in the majors.
San Diego Union-Tribune
March 2, 2010 No Comments
