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“Padres Baseball–Is What It Is”

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This is like Groundhog Day…again and again.

Last year at this time, we saw half a season of exciting baseball from the Padres. It infused enormous enthusiasm.  Being at Petco Park was like being at an NFL playoff game.  It was electric.

You remember them bashing the Dodgers three straight games, driving to the All Star break with a (45-45) record and hopes it might be a playoff season.

Wasn’t to be, as they fell apart, bad play, bad attitudes, bad hitting over the second half of the summer.

This year, a quick start.  Energy, home runs, good starting pitching.  Aggressive baserunning.  Strong defense.  It was a (6-2) start and they were in first place out of the gate.

Not any longer.  Now they are closer to last place than they are first place in the NL West,in this shortened baseball season.  They have lost 10-of-15 since that start.

They get swept by a rather poor Arizona Diamondbacks team.

As you have breakfast in the morning, the record is (11-12).

Home runs have been replaced by strikeouts.
The starting pitching has been pretty competitive.
The trustworthy bullpen has collapsed without explanation.

Injuries, some major, some nagging, are plaguing this year.

Kirby Yates, Tommy Pham, Wil Myers all lost this weekend as the Friars lost 3-in a row to the D-Backs.

But this is more than just those hurting, and the Yates elbow injury is big.

This is about a collective bullpen that has let this team down, something none of us could have forseen, projected or believed in.

Yates is probably facing some type of arthroscopic procedure for the bone chips in his elbow.  It could be a 4-week rehab at the minimum.

Drew Pomeranz has been 4-save strong so far, but is he a power pitcher who can do it 2-or-3 days in a row.  Matt Strahm will have to step up, and his (1.80-ERA) is second only to Pomeranz’s (0.00) over 7-innings of work.

But beyond that, everyone else is staggering.

Craig Stammen has had 3-rough outings, and has (7.27) ERA.
Emilio Pagan, who gifted Arizona the win on Sunday, is at (8.31)
Pierce Johnson is standing there at (6.14).
Tim Hill came from Kansas City and has a (9.00) mark.
Luis Perdomo is lost in whatever role they assign him (10.13).
Javy Guerra may have to go back to shortstop with an (11.05) mark
Luis Patino isn’t ready and has a (7.04) ledger.
David Bednar is at (6.23)

Maybe Michel Baez gets called back from the taxi squad?
Is there hope Gerrardo Reyes resurfaces?

Maybe they promote back Joey Luchessi, who was sent out a couple of weeks ago with an (8.14) ERA and location problems.

Not sure Jared Eichoff can really make a difference.

Jose Castillo is still recovering from his multiple of injuries, the latest the lat shoulder problem.

Andres Munoz had surgery.  Miguel Diaz had knee surgery.  Ditto Trey Wingenter elbow surgery.

The bullpen has 6-saves in this shortened season.  They have 6-blown saves this year.  The bullpen has compiled 5-losses.

Batting orders are hitting (.270) against the relievers, and (.236) against Chris Paddack and the other starters.

The bullpen brigade has given up 16-home runs in just 23-games. And the next time they call somebody in from the pen, please note that group has a collective (6.11-ERA).

Is Mackenzie Gore ready for a role?  How about Adnan Morejon?  You can have all the prospects in the world in the farm system, but is anyone else near ready to help, now that you need help?

Trevor Hoffman, Brad Hand, Kirby Yates and a list of other strong relievers of the past would be aghast.

The season is not over, but the teams above them are pulling away in the standings.

The Dodgers are 5-infront right now.  In the fight for the wildcard spots, the Padres trail the Rockies-Arizona-Milwaukee-Atlanta in the chase for the two wildcard berths.

There are alot of smart guys in the Padres front office.  Somebody better do something, whether that is Jayce Tingler, the manager, Larry Rothschild, the pitching coach imported this year, or GM-AJPrellar.

They still have lots of games against teams with lots of bats, the Astros, Angels, Athletics, Rockies and of course the Dodgers.

37-games left against a bunch of power hitting teams, in a season that is starting to get away from them.

The Padres bullpen, like a collapsing beach chair right now.

It is what it is…but it’s not good right now.

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