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Hacksaw’s Great Sports Weekend Podcast
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“NL WEST-..FIGHT FOR FIRST PLACE”
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A statement weekend for both the Dodgers and Padres.
Yes it’s only 3-games on the schedule with 6-weeks to play and they will face each other 3-more times next weekend in San Diego, and in all likelihood then again in October in the playoffs.
Yes the Friars are on a (14-3) heater-beating anyone anywhere.
Yes the Dodgers are a miserable (12-21) since July 3rd.
Yes, a 9-game LA lead is now a 1-game Padres lead.
But this weekend at Chavez Ravine is a series that will carry some meaning and a message.
Questions to be answered by Sunday night.
PADRES…Have they arrived as a complete team since winning the Baseball Trading Deadline?
Is the lineup more complete and more explosive than we have seen much of the year?
Is this the best Baseball IQ Padres team you have seen in years, considering they seem to be fundamentally sound and creatively driven in how to manufacture and score runs?
How concerned should you be with what just happened to Michael King, back on the DL with that knee inflammation after just one start?
Has Dylan Cease unlocked the mechanical mystery that has plagued him all year, and is he back to his dominant stuff now?
Can you trust Randy Vasquez now that you have to put him back on the mound and into the rotation again?
Yu Darvish is giving you lots of solid innings in his starts since returning-can this keep up?
Is Nick Pivetta the biggest surprise pitching acquisition that AJ Preller has made in years?
How quickly does Mike Shildt make the call to the bullpen this weekend to bring in any one of the ‘6 Pack’ of relievers he has?
Is this a better Padres batting order than last fall’s team that had the Dodgers by the throat 2-games to one before the playoffs got away from them?
Last year the Dodgers analytics guys outsmarted the Padres game planners in winning that playoff series, so is there creative payback coming from the San Diego analytics guys?
Ever see so many squeeze bunts, stolen base attempts, hit and run as Shildt has called from the dugout this year?
Is the Padres Baseball IQ thru the roof in terms of making the right decision,right play, right throw than you have seen in years?
Bring it on. I know it is just 3-games, but this is more about sending a message how things have changed with the Friars, than it is just about the Dodgers struggles-troubles.
Enjoy it.
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