Brian Giles has had an extremely slow start to 2009, and that’s why it was especially nice to see him come through with the game winner on Friday night at PETCO Park. The Ex-Pirate has hit .164 through 16 games this season, along with a .233 on-base percentage. Very un-Giles like. Hopefully yesterday’s game winner will see him start to swing a better bat, because we certainly need him to deliver this year.

The Pads arrived home after dropping their last 3 games on the road. Kevin Correia took the mound for San Diego, and he got into some trouble in the second. The Bucs loaded the bases, and Correia gave up an RBI single to the opposing pitcher, Ian Snell of all people. Only one run would score on the play, and Correia would escape the jam. In the bottom half of the inning, Adrian Gonzalez led off with a booming drive that cleared the center field wall to tie the game at 1. The home run was Adrian’s sixth home run of the year, and he needs only one more this month to tie the franchise record for home runs in April, an honor that he already shares with a few other Padres.

In the third, the Padres took the lead on David Eckstein’s RBI triple down the left field line. Nick Hundley’s RBI double in the fourth would put the Padres up by 2 runs. However, Correia could not hold the lead after 5 innings, giving up a walk and a double leading off the sixth. Correia’s exit brought on Cla Meredith who gave up a groundball RBI to Brandon Moss, and an RBI single to Andy LaRoche. Both runs were charged to Correia.

PETCO Park is a pitcher’s park, and the Padres relef pitchers felt right at home last night. The combination of Meredith, Mujica, Gregerson, Bell, and Moreno kept the game tied at 3 until the 11th inning, and that’s when the Padres would win it. This was the second extra-inning game of the year for San Diego, and their second in as many games this week. Matt Capps was pitching for Pittsburgh in the 11th. Chris Burke, who came up to take Everth Cabrera’s spot on the roster, drew a leadoff walk. After Capps retired Jody Gerut, Eckstein drew a walk to put 2 on with only one away. Nobody wants to face Adrian Gonzalez right now, so Giles was going to get something to hit. On a 1-2 pitch, Giles drove a high fastball into right field, and Burke raced around to score for the 4-3 victory. After dropping their last 3 games, let’s hope the Padres got back on track with this one. They are currently 10-6, good for 1 1/2 games back of the Dodgers in the NL West race.     

I have never been so content with the way the team has been playing thus far, but can’t help but feel frustrated because of ESPN’s incredible bias toward the Mets and the east coast in general. No one expected the Padres to have a good season, but the lack of respect that ESPN gave us after last night’s 6-5 win over the Mets in the Citi Field opener made me sick. Heath Bell shares the same feeling of disgust that I do. According to the UT today, Bell recently shared his feelings on ESPN before last night’s game.

“…I saw ESPN’s promo for tonight’s game. They mention the Mets are opening Citi Field, they mentioned the starting time, but nowhere did they mention the Padres. That gave me the (expletive).” Bell went on to say, “I truly believe that ESPN only cares about promoting the Red Sox and Yankees and Mets–and nobody else. That’s why I like the MLB Network, because they promote everybody. I’m really turned off by ESPN and ‘Baseball Tonight.’ When Jake Peavy threw 8 1/3 innings on Saturday, they showed one pitch in the third inning and that was it. It’s all about the Red Sox, Yankees, and Mets.”

After yesterday’s nice win, I tuned into Baseball Tonight. Karl Ravech, John Kruk, and Peter Gammons were doing this edition inside Citi Field. Clearly they were disappointed that the Mets didn’t win. While they didn’t come out and say it, they acted as if the Padres had ruined the night for them and the city of New York. In an exasperated voice, Karl Ravech reported that the Mets had been beaten in their Citi Field debut by the (sigh) …San Diego Padres. While they did give an interview with Adrian Gonzalez, it was completely awkward because Ravech, Kruk, and Gammons were all sitting asking questions while Gonzalez was standing answering them. Anyone who knows anything about reporting knows that both the interviewer and the interviewee have to be sitting or standing; not doing different things. Talk about a lack of respect.

Then after waking up this morning I turned on “ESPN First Take” and the only reason why they didn’t showing blatant exasperation for us is because they never mentioned anything about us at all! They were talking about how the Mets choked in their new ballpark; like everyone knew that last night was going to be an easy Mets win.

I could maybe expect this coming from the fans, but not from ESPN. (the Eastern Sports Programming Network) The sad part is, I’ve come to expect it. So Padres fans, don’t put up with this garbage. Sometimes I even find myself watching it, but the fact of the matter is that ESPN is extremely biased and are not credible at all. Let’s tune into the MLB Network, where we can listen to some real baseball analysis.

Sweep the Mets. 

After dropping game 3 of the four-game series to the Dodgers, 5-2; the Padres mounted a nice comeback in game 4 that gave them a series split and a big momentum boost going into the weekend series with the Giants.

Down 3-1, San Diego scored 3 runs against the Dodgers’ bullpen in the 8th. Although there was drama in the 9th inning, Heath Bell was able to nail it down for his second save in as many Padres wins. (More details about this later)

As for the past couple of games, I have been pleasantly surprised watching Walter Silva and ”Cy” Correia (as Dodger fans call him) pitch. On Wednsday night, Silva pitched 5 innings in his major league debut, giving up only 2 runs. It was Edward Mujica and the Padres’ bullpen that would give the game away. On Thursday afternoon, Kevin Correia took the mound. He pitched better than I honestly expected him too. I mean, we hit him around when he was a Giant. If our weak offense of years’ past could’ve hit him, then a loaded Dodgers lineup certainly could. I’m still not sold on Correia, who delivered 6 innings this afternoon, giving up 3 runs and certainly keeping the Padres in the ballgame. However, for us to win games, him doing what he did today would be just fine. Ah, that would bring us to the later innings, when the Padres would pull off something that was quite a rarity last year.

It looked like the Padres were going to go down quietly to the hard-throwing Dodgers bullpen again. After Clayton Kershaw left the game, Ronald Belisario pitched 2 lights-out innings for the Dodgers, striking out four and allowing just a hit. In the eighth, it was up to Will Ohman to take care of the Padres’ lefty duo, Brian Giles and Adrian Gonzalez. Ohman retired Giles, but Adrian Gonzalez was a different story. As we know, Gonzalez can hit for power against left-handers; especially to the opposite field. Adrian did just that, driving one deep out toward left-center field. The home run made the score 3-2 Dodgers, and it was the first homer hit by the Padres this season. Older brother Edgar was also an important part of the inning, as Cory Wade found that out with 2 outs. E. Gonzalez tripled out to center field, and represented the tying run at third. Nick Hundley then came through with a clutch single to tie up the game at 3. The go-ahead blow came from Luis Rodriguez, who couldn’t have had better placement on his RBI Double. The ball landed between Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp in right-center field, and Hundley came all the way around to score to give the Padres the lead.

“I just put head down and kept running,” Hundley said. “It’s adrenaline, you have got a chance to score the winning run. You’ve got to get there.”

The drama wasn’t through yet, however. It was up to Heath Bell in the top of the ninth, trying to preserve the Padres’ comeback victory. He didn’t get off to a good start, as Orlando Hudson tripled on a full count pitch to lead things off. With Manny coming up, the Dodgers would HAVE to bring in the run, right??

Wrong.

Heath Bell kept the heat coming, and even a great fastball hitter like Manny can’t hit it if it’s in the right spot. Bell jammed Ramirez with an 0-2 offering, and Manny grounded to shortstop. Hudson was forced to hold on third base. With one out and Hudson still on third, Bell walked Andre Ethier. It was probably a smart move, considering Russell Martin had been struggling all series long. (Just ask Dodger fans) On an 0-2 pitch, Martin hit a ground ball to second base. The ball wasn’t smoked, and Eckstein knew he had to hurry. They couldn’t have turned it any better. Heath Bell was fired up after the game-ending double play, and PETCO Park erupted.

The Padres are back to .500, and a series win against the Giants could be quite possible, with Jake Peavy and Chris Young both pitching in the series. 

Heath Bell had to pull quite a “stunt” to get out of trouble in the top of the ninth.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

I’m in a better mood than I was yesterday

I don’t have high expectations for the Padres this year, but there are two things that I can expect to be an important part of the team’s winning success: Jake Peavy and Chris Young. It was Chris Young who did his part Tuesday night, pitching 6 solid innings. As CY was removed from the game, the Padres scored 3 runs to give him the lead. The combination of Edwin Moreno, Duaner Sanchez and the Padres’ new closer, Heath Bell helped secure the win. 4-2 Padres.

Former Padre Randy Wolf pitched for the Dodgers, and the Padres drew first blood against him early in the second. Kevin Kouzmanoff bounced back from a rough previous night; he tripled and scored on a double by Scott Hairston. It was 1-0 until the fourth, when Young allowed 2 runs. Manny Ramirez led off with a double, and would score on a Russell Martin double to tie the game. After the Dodgers loaded the bases, Casey Blake drove in the go-ahead run with a sacrifice fly to center field. Randy Wolf remained strong into the sixth, but then the Padres threatened. Hits by Adrian Gonzalez and  Kouzmanoff set the table for Chase Headley. Headley came through with a clutch 2-run double down the left field line. After Headley advanced to third on a fly ball, Luis Rodriguez drove in the Padres’ fourth run with a sac fly to deep right field.

If there were any tense moments after Chris Young left the game, it was when the Dodgers threated to score against Edwin Moreno in the 7th. Moreno, making his major league debut, walked Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal. Moreno then struck out Orlando Hudson on a great changeup. Moreno had a hard time locating his fastball and slider, but his changeup is clearly a strong pitch for him. With 2 outs and a 3-1 count on Manny Ramirez, Moreno threw a high fastball and Manny popped up.

“I was a little nervous. I felt a little pressure at first. Then I felt right,” said Moreno, who walked just one batter in Spring Training.

Duaner Sanchez, an ex-Dodger, threw a perfect inning. Emotions were running high when Heath Bell took the mound to try and close out the game in the 9th. The Trevor Hoffman era seemed to officially be over, but the crowd atmosphere was there just like it always had been. Through the mist that was falling, Bell worked around a walk to strike out the side. After Bell struck out Rafael Furcal to end the game, he pumped his fist victoriously; the Padres’ first win of the year.

“I’m the closer, it’s all or nothing. There’s nothing behind me,” Bell said afterward, his right arm wrapped tightly in ice. “I love doing what I just did tonight.”

Untimely hitting, a lack of run support for Jake Peavy, and an all-around weak team performance. Sound like the Padres from last year?

It was.

In front of the largest crowd in PETCO Park history, the Dodgers easily finished off the Padres 4-1 in the opener. Jake Peavy was never great from the start, but managed to get through 7 innings, allowing 4 runs. It was the Padres who didn’t do their part offensively. This has become a familiar trend for the team, especially when Jake Peavy is on the hill.

“When I take the mound, I know there’s not going to be a margin for error,” Peavy said. “Today’s game was nothing new. I’m not knocking the hitters we’ve had before or the ones we have now. We’re just going to play low-scoring games.”

Trouble started brewing in the first for Peavy when the Dodgers loaded the bases for James Loney. (Not a bad number 6 hitter, I might add) Loney lined in 2 runs with a single to left field, and the Padres would never bring the game back to even. The only run of the game for the Padres came during the bottom of that inning, when Brian Giles drove in Jody Gerut with a ground ball. Peavy didn’t make it any easier for himself in the third, as he made a throwing error trying to pick off Manny Ramirez at first. This allowed Ramirez to get to second, and Andre Ethier quickly took advantage, driving in the Dodgers’ third run.

The Padres struggled offensively nearly the entire game. They managed only 5 hits, but were atrocious with runners in scoring position. Collectively, the Padres were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position. In the sixth, when the Padres knocked Hiroki Kuroda out of the game, it was up to Kevin Kouzmanoff with the bases loaded. Kouzmanoff grounded weakly back to the mound to end the inning. The next inning, Chase Headley’s leadoff double proved to be meaningless; he never crossed the plate. In the 8th, Kouzmanoff had the tying runs at the plate and popped out. Matt Kemp tacked on another run for the Dodgers with a deep homer against Peavy.

Recap:

Dodgers 4, Padres 1

Who’s Hot: James Loney collected 3 hits and 2 RBI for the Dodgers

Who’s Not: Kevin Kouzmanoff went 0-for-4, leaving 5 men on base     

Well Padre fans, we are only a couple of days away from Opening Day against the Dodgers. Let’s make some final predictions on how our team will look for the season. Even through the gradual ownership changes taking place, the Padres are looking to shake it off, believing that they can compete in the National League West in 2009. Here is the projected lineup I see for the Padres come Monday.

1. Jody Gerut, CF: Jody gets the call after having a great first year with the team. He was one of the bright spots on an otherwise boring club last year. This is not a bad start to the batting order; Jody has a good mix of speed and power, and he also proved he could patrol PETCO’s center field last year. Before last year, injuries had plagued him; the Pads need him to stay healthy in ’09.

2. David Eckstein, 2B: A player who has beaten up on the Padres in the last few years will now be joining them–as a second baseman. Eckstein is about as good of a number 2 hitter as you can get: he’s patient, he can bunt, play hit and run, and he hits for a pretty good average. Eckstein enters the 2009 season at age 34–the Padres should expect him to have a good productive year with them until Matt Antonelli is ready for the big leagues. That is, if and when that time comes.

3. Brian Giles, RF: Giles is ready to look past the troubling offseason and play right field for the Padres once again. This is his sixth Opening Day with San Diego. Giles hit .306 in 2008, an that production will once again be needed to make the offense go.

4. Adrian Gonzalez, 1B: After 2 straight seasons with 30 home runs and 100 RBI’s, Gonzalez is just reaching the prime of his career. It will be fun to see the kind of numbers he puts up again this year. He is the one guy that you can expect to have a monster season.

5. Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3B: Just like most of last year, Kouz will be hitting behind Adrian in the batting order. With Khalil Greene gone, Kouzmanoff will need to carry the load as the main right-handed power bat in this lineup. Expect him to keep getting better.

6. Chase Headley, LF: Big things are expected from the switch-hitting converted outfielder in 2009. After perhaps underachieving after he came up last year, Chase will need to cut down on the strikeouts and reach base more often. His outfield play has dramatically improved, but he is ready to move to third base if Kouzmanoff gets hurt or traded.

7. Nick Hundley, C: Hundley is a mature kid who is eager to be the Padres number one catcher. Henry Blanco will be there to provide a veteran presence and to help him if and when he struggles. Hundley has a great arm, but his hitting abilities are suspect.

8. Luis Rodriguez, SS: The switch-hitter lacks power, but his .287 batting average last year really showed the Padres something. He has a decent arm and pretty good range at shortstop. One good thing about Rodriguez–he only struck out 6 % of the time last season. In a sense, this is a major improvement from Khalil Greene’s hitting woes.