Quarantined Friars: The 2008- San Diego Padres

Baseballteen9500 · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2020 12:42 am

Could be worse B-

PP27 · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2020 11:34 am

Yikes. You’ll either have to convert your guys to knuckleballers or do intensive velocity training.

I’ll give the grade a C+. Pitchers have upside but poor velocity. Hitters should improve the lineup.

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2020 11:22 pm

June 15, 2008: Prior Embarrasses Himself, Giles Out 30 Days With Collarbone Injury
It was a new low-point of the season for the Padres in Cleveland. The game started with so much promise after Brian Giles drove a leadoff homer to straightaway center, but the promise evaporated after Mark Prior could not even get out of the first inning. Prior allowed four runs while recording only a single out. Fortunately, Justin Germano prevented the game from getting ugly with several scoreless innings, but the team's fate was sealed in the first inning. The worst development from the game was not the result, but rather Brian Giles's collarbone injury, which he suffered while sliding into first. After evaluation from the medical staff, it was determined that Giles will miss 30 days. This is absolutely devastating for the Padres, who went 0-7 the last time Giles was injured. This is a clear sign that the team needs to tank heading forward, and the next few months may be painful for Padres fans. Pour one out for the 2008 Padres season, it is dead and buried.

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Sat May 09, 2020 11:47 pm

June 2008 Bi-Monthly Update
The 2008 season has officially gone off the rails for the Padres. If the season ended today, they would hold the 5th pick in the 2009 draft. Clearly, there will be no contention for the team this year, an extreme letdown after multiple years of contention. The team entered the month with a decision to make- a poor month would cause the team to enter a rebuilding phase. That is exactly what happened, and the team now must deal with Brian Giles's devastating injury. Jim Edmonds, Scott Hairston, Tony Clark, and Greg Maddux may be names to watch at the trade deadline, as the Padres will look to capitalize on their value. However, due to the ages of Edmonds, Clark, and Maddux, it may be difficult for the organization to find value prospects for them. This is a difficult situation and is a result of the team going all-in the past few seasons, and they must now deal with the consequences of past decisions.

Pitching Stats:

Batting Stats:

Team Pitching Stats:

Team Hitting Stats:

Standings:

Projected Record:
68-94 (Pythag Record: 33-38)

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Sun May 10, 2020 12:25 am

Padres Complete First Trade, Send Jim Edmonds to Oakland

After only three months in San Diego, Jim Edmonds is headed to Oakland. In exchange for Edmonds, who impressed teams by carrying a 16-game hitting streak earlier in the year, the Padres received Jack Cust, Chris Denorfia, and Andrew Brown. Cust and Denorfia will add a solid hitting presence to a struggling outfield, one in which is in desperate need of contact. With the injury to Brian Giles, Cust and Denorfia will be more consistent additions, and will also be expected to be in the lineup for a few years at the least. Edmonds was a temporary addition in the hope of a contending team, but with that hope gone, the Padres succeeded in their search for longer-term solutions.

PP27 · **Posted:** Sun May 10, 2020 4:35 pm

I’d put Germano in the rotation and Prior in the ‘pen

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Sun May 10, 2020 4:41 pm

PP27 wrote:

I’d put Germano in the rotation and Prior in the ‘pen

That's a good idea- I'll try that out next start. Or we could use Germano as an opener.

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2020 9:54 pm

June 30, 2008: Padres Drop Slugfest at Coors
The last time the Padres were legitimate playoff contenders, they lost in heartbreaking fashion at Coors Field in a 9-8 slugfest. Tonight, they suffered a similar fate, losing 7-5. They were up against it from the beginning after Glendon Rusch gave up 2 early runs. However, they were given an ounce of hope thanks to back-to-back home runs by Jack Cust and Josh Bard. Remarkably, Bard's homer was his first of the season. Yet, this boost proved to be short-lived as the Rockies exploded for 4 runs in the third inning. After that point, the Padres were essentially dead and buried, although a solo home run from Kevin Kouzmanoff gave them a brief period of optimism. They were silenced in the 9th and dropped the final game of what was an up-and-down month.

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Mon May 11, 2020 10:28 pm

June 2008: Monthly Update
In the last progress update, the Padres appeared to be ready to outright tank the 2008 season away. The team stood at a dreadful 29-42 and had just lost Brian Giles for an entire month. Yet, the team has won 8 out of their last 13 contests and is now 37-47. The acquisition of Jack Cust, Chris Denorfia, and Andrew Brown certainly sparked part of this run. Jack Cust has already made an impact, crushing a walk-off 3-run home run against Dontrelle Willis. Kevin Kouzmanoff has also come onto his own as he is now approaching 20 home runs. Pitching wise, the team made a major change by moving Mark Prior to the bullpen in exchange for Justin Germano, who has been solid in 2 starts thus far. Chris Young, Greg Maddux, and Jake Peavy are red hot, and the three of them will each start in the first three games of July. This could provide another much-needed boost to a flawed, yet interesting team. As the trade deadline approaches, the Padres will need to make many key decisions about the future. As it currently stands, Tony Clark and Brian Giles are two veteran players expected to receive considerable interest, while backup catcher Michael Barrett may receive some attention as well. Trevor Hoffman and Greg Maddux may normally carry value, but their advanced ages are of some concern to contending teams, so it seems that the Pads will hold onto them. Whatever the case may be, the Pads are a much more interesting team than they were earlier in the season.

Pitching Stats:

Batting Stats:

Team Pitching Stats:

Team Hitting Stats:

Standings:

Monthly Stats:

Who's Hot?
Adrian Gonzalez- .334, 33 HR, 76 RBI, .699 SLG
Kevin Kouzmanoff- .283, 17 HR, 34 RBI, .485 SLG
Greg Maddux- 3.08 ERA, 102.1 IP, 102 K
Cla Meredith- 2.45 ERA, 62.1 IP, 11 HLD

Who's Not?
Trevor Hoffman- 3.71 ERA, 26.2 IP, 16/18 SV
Scott Hairston- .230, 8 HR, .344 SLG

Projected Record:
74-88 (Pythag Record: 40-44)

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Tue May 12, 2020 12:43 am

July 6, 2008: Padres Pull Off Sweep of Division Rivals
After suffering a sweep at the hands of the Rockies, the Padres vowed for it to never happen again. They did just that against the Arizona Diamondbacks, using the momentum from a complete game shutout from Greg Maddux. In the final game of the series, Justin Germano led the way- throwing six innings of one-run ball. While the Pads trailed 1-0 for a while, Kevin Kouzmanoff drilled a 2-run home run into the pool in right field. Cla Meredith protected this lead with two scoreless innings but handed the ball to a struggling Trevor Hoffman in the ninth. While Hoffman quickly recorded the first two outs, he gave up a game-tying home run to Mark Reynolds with one strike. Earlier in the season, this would devastate the Padres' morale, but that was not the case this time. Jack Cust stepped up in the 11th and crushed a moonshot to left field, a signature moment in one of the season's best moments. It was a great response from San Diego, who will look to continue their winning streak against Florida.

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Tue May 12, 2020 11:32 pm

After Greg Maddux Injury, Padres Acquire James Shields From Tampa Bay

Immediately following the announcement that Greg Maddux will miss the next two weeks with elbow pain, the Padres accepted a trade that will send Trevor Hoffman to Tampa Bay in exchange for James Shields. This move is a heartbreaker for many Padres fans who were accustomed to seeing Trevor Hoffman take the mound in the ninth inning, but Hoffman's age and recent struggles made a trade seem inevitable. With James Shields, the Padres acquired a relatively young starting pitcher who is likely to improve heading forward. To replace Hoffman as closer, the team will likely move Clay Hensley to that role. They also called up rookie Michael Padgett, who appears to be MLB-ready. Ultimately, this trade reflects the team's willingness to get younger and establish a more promising future.

scott0530 · **Posted:** Wed May 13, 2020 9:37 pm

I'm enjoying following your log and seeing how you are going about trying to rebuild an aging roster.

Draft grade: C

The two position players you picked up are phenomenal and the rookie FA pitcher looks good too. The two pitchers you drafted look a little rough.

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Wed May 13, 2020 10:31 pm

scott0530 wrote:

I'm enjoying following your log and seeing how you are going about trying to rebuild an aging roster.

Draft grade: C

The two position players you picked up are phenomenal and the rookie FA pitcher looks good too. The two pitchers you drafted look a little rough.

Thank you for following! Yeah, Jeroloman looks like he's not going to pan out well for a first-rounder. Luckily our pitching staff is younger now thanks to acquiring James Shields, but Maddux's eventual departure is going to be a tough blow.

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Wed May 13, 2020 11:02 pm

All-Star Break: The State of the Padres and the Rest of the League
At the All-Star Break, the Padres currently stand at 43-52. While many saw regression as inevitable due to aging, many believed this would be the team's final year of contention. As the year has progressed, it has become evident that a rebuild is well underway. The Pads have currently made two trades- sending away Jim Edmonds and Trevor Hoffman. There will certainly be more trades, as Brian Giles and Tony Clark are nearing their 40s and still carry some trade value for a contending team. Yet, there has been some optimism following these new additions. Since arriving in San Diego, Jack Cust has hit 9 home runs, many in clutch situations. Chris Denorfia is a strong mid-lineup option, giving the Pads some much-needed speed. Until Denorfia arrived, the team did not steal a single base. James Shields is also a promising addition, and it is unclear why Tampa Bay was willing to deal him for a 41-year old closer when they are in last place. The Rays have had costly bullpen struggles, but it is still unlikely for them to catch the Yankees. Still, the Pads will take any deal they can get. As for all-star selections, Adrian Gonzalez, Cla Meredith, and Clay Hensley will represent the Padres in New York. Unfortunately, Gonzalez was snubbed from a starting spot, so he will hope to prove the voters wrong in the game. Homefield advantage in the Series is irrelevant to the Padres this time, as if the season ended today, they would hold the 7th pick in the amateur draft. Despite this, the Padres have played much better as of late, and it appears their drastic midseason moves are paying off.

Pitching Stats:

Batting Stats:

Team Pitching Stats:

Team Hitting Stats:

Monthly Stats:

MLB Standings:

League Batting Leaders:

League Pitching Leaders:

Record Projection:
75-87 (Pythag Record: 47-48)

GoTwins24 · **Posted:** Wed May 13, 2020 11:44 pm

July 15, 2008: A-Gon Wins All-Star MVP Thanks to Eighth Inning Home Run
Padres fans had reason to rejoice after Adrian Gonzalez was named All-Star MVP in a National League victory! It was a back-and-forth contest from the beginning, with several home runs from each side. David Wright silenced the Yankee crowd mid-game with a go-ahead two-run home run. However, Hideki Matsui rescued the mood of his fanbase, driving a go-ahead home run. The NL trailed 4-3 with two outs in the eighth when Chris Young and Mark Teixeira each singled, bringing Adrian Gonzalez to the plate. Scott Downs threw a hanging curve on the first pitch, and A-Gon drove it to straightaway center for a home run! To follow A-Gon's heroics, Cla Meredith and Clay Hensley retired each batter they faced, allowing Padres fans to celebrate a National League victory. Could this be a significant momentum boost for the Padres heading forward? Only time will tell, but whichever NL team makes the World Series will have to thank the Padres for the help.

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Quarantined Friars: The 2008- San Diego Padres

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