Nick Hundley: The Pitcher Whisperer?

Yes, the Padres lost 4-3 to the Buccos last night, snapping a 9-game winning streak against the Pirates dating back to 2009. Yes, Aaron Harang had his second straight dicey outing, giving up two first inning home runs to the likes of Chris Snyder and Garrett "Improved Plate Discipline" Jones. And yes, the Padres only went 1-8 with runners in scoring position, stranding 7 runners on base and having a runner thrown out at home.

But I did see one thing I liked in last night's game.

In the top of the 9th with the Padres protecting a 1-run lead, Bud Black called Luke Gregerson out of the pen to replace Ernesto Frieri, who had walked three of the last 4 batters (the bases weren't loaded because in between those walks Nick Hundley threw out Lyle Overbay trying to steal, in my view not even the best thing Nick did in the inning.) Luke promptly walked the first batter he faced and threw a bad looking ball to the next batter, Steven Pearce. It was then that Nick Hundley stepped up. He walked out to the mound, said a few words to Luke, patted him on the ass, and went back to his spot behind the plate.

Luke struck out Pearce in three more pitches. Then he got McCutchen to ground out to end the inning.

So yes, the Padres didn't win the game, but I liked what I saw in the interaction between Nick and Luke. That bodes well for Nick's increasing ability to handle the Padres pitching staff.

If You Can't Score Runs At Minute Maid Park, Maybe You Can't Score Runs

The title of this post is negative, but the post itself will focus on the positive from yesterday's 1-0 loss to the Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston.

Here's what I liked from yesterday's game:

- Orlando de la Noche's continued run of impressive at bats. Orlando walked twice and singled yesterday (and stole his 6th bag of the season) to raise his average to .326. He couldn't drive in the tying run with a runner on third and one out in the 8th, but you still have to like Orlando's approach so far this season.

- Ryan Ludwick's catch and throw to double up Brett Wallace at second base in the second. Ludwick had misplayed a Brett Wallace double on the play before, but he made up for it by catching Bill E. Hall's liner and firing a strike to second to double up Wallace. Doesn't quite make up for his 0-4, 3 K performance, but still, a nice play.

- Dustin Moseley's outing. Dustin pitched 6.2 innings and gave up 1 run. He only struckout 1 guy, but he limited walks and induced 18 ground balls (as opposed to 8 fly balls), a very important statistic at a place like Minute Maid. On the season Dustin is 0-3 with a 1.83 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. If he finishes the year 0-18 but with a sub-2.00 ERA, you have to give him a Cy Young vote, right?

If You Are A Dodger Fan, You Didn't Like Yesterday's Bomb Show at Petco

Nick Hundley, Ryan Ludwick, and Cameron Maybin all went yard yesterday afternoon to lead the Padres to a 7-2 beatdown of the Hated Dadgers.

Maybe the Padres should play all their home games at 1:05 PM when, as Mark Grant put it, there's a "jet stream" blowing out to left center.

Incidentally, I love the above photo taken by my boy Dilip Vishwanat. Nick Hundley should love it too. It actually makes him look fast and athletic.

Anytime You Can Lose To The Dodgers Twice In One Day, You Have To Do It

Because Friday night's game was suspended due to rain, the Padres and Dodgers finished two games yesterday evening. The Padres lost both, in no small part due to Tony Gwynn, Jr.'s offensive and defensive heroics. At the conclusion of the first game, Gwynn singled in the winning run in the top of the 11th, and, in the bottom half of the inning, cut off Nick Hundley's apparent lead off double and held Nick to a long single. Nick would be doubled up at second a few pitches later. Then, in the first inning of the second game, Gwynn doubled and came around to score the first run of the game, the only run the Dadgers would need in a 4-0 shutout win.

Gwynn Jr., with about 1/100th the hitting talent of his father, strikes me as a below-average hitter who, when he is motivated to focus and concentrate, rises almost to the level of average hitter. Unfortunately, his moments of focus and concentration are few and far between, seemingly arising only when he wants to show someone up, such as the team that cut him in the offseason. Or, as when he tripled off Trever Hoffman during the final weekend of the 2007 season, against the team his Dad played for but that never drafted the son. Perhaps that is a trait borne of a privileged upbringing and a famous last name that has provided him more chances than he otherwise would have been given. Or maybe it's just hard to lock in with consistency when you have middling talent. I don't know.

All I do know is that Gwynn Jr. is becoming a Padre killer.

Whither Luke Gregerson?

The Padres won yesterday for the first time in 10 games, defeating the Hated Dadgers 4-2 at Petco Park. A number of Padres played well in the game - Nick Hundley, Aaron Cunningham, Mike Adams, and Heath Bell come to mind - but Luke Gregerson again struggled to get outs.

Luke has not been effective so far in September. In his 3 appearances in the month, Luke has faced 13 batters and recorded only 3 outs, amounting to 1 full inning pitched. Over that inning, he's given up 6 hits, 8 runs (7 earned), walked 3, struckout only 1 and given up 2 homeruns. Bud Black pulled Luke last night after only 8 pitches, handing the ball over to Mike Adams to get the final two outs of the 7th inning.

This is not the first time Luke has struggled this season. During his first four apperances of July, Luke faced 17 batters across 2.2 innings pitched and gave up 6 hits, 7 runs (all earned), walked 4, K'd only 1, and allowed 2 bombs. Almost a mirror image of his first three appearances this month.

I'm not ready to close the book on Luke for the season. Far from it. In fact, I'm optimistic he'll turn it around. After that dismal start to July, Luke came back with a huge inning-and-a-third scoreless performance against the Rockies right before the All-Star break. That kind of resolve in the face of tough circumstances - coupled with a dominant slider that will no doubt resurface - is why Luke will be clutch these next three weeks.

After all, Luke went to high school in Morton, IL, just across the Illinois River from my hometown of Peoria. They don't breed half-hearts and cowards out in Morton. They breed country boys who know how to get things dun.

I bet Luke starts getting it dun tonight.

Nick Hundley Is Getting It Dun

Nick's really been getting it dun with the bat lately. He almost singlehandedly won two games against the Nattys over the weekend, then stepped up and led a monster 18-run attack against the hapless Metsies last night.

There's never been a question that Nick has some pop. Whether he could make consistent contact was the only real uncertainty.

In any event, the saga of "Nick Hundley Turning the Corner Into Beastdom" continues tonight.

At Petco.

Against the Mets.

Jed Hoyer Dispenses With Grady Fuson

Looks like one of Jed Hoyer's first moves as Padres GM is removing Grady Fuson as vice president of scouting and player development. Fuson was on the job for 5 years.

Scouting and player development is probably the most important job on a mid-to-small market team, so I have no problem with Jed bringing in his own guy for the job. I'm also confident that Jed will select someone who will know what he's doing. I have no specific reason to be confident about that, but I am.

For Grady's part, he did an okay job in his 5 years. Successes and potential successes include Kyle Blanks, Will Venable, Mat Latos, Nick Hundley, Wade LeBlanc and Chase Headley. Disappointments and potential disappointments include Matt Antonelli, Cesar Carrillo, Cesar Ramos and Nick Schmidt. That's not a complete list. That's just a list I copied from an article in the U-T.

As with any new hire, it will take a few years to know if Jed is moving the Drinos player development system in the right direction. I like the direction the system moved last year with all the power arms KT traded for, and the development of players like James Darnell and Jaff Decker. Hopefully Jed can do even better.

Good Pitching Cures Hangovers

Jake,

Stellar game today at home against Cincy. You pitched a complete game 4-hitter with 9 Ks, the only real blemish a 6th inning bomb you relinquished to somebody on the Reds named Dickerson. That kid just got lucky. You were dominant today. I don't recall your pitches looking so unhittable, at least not this season. I see your ERA dropping into the 2s before long with stuff like that.

I feel bad though because I didn't watch every pitch. I was on the sofa in my living room napping off a margarita/red wine hangover (that's a dangerous mix, my friend) and would go in-and-out of sleep while the game played on the television. It seemed like every time I woke up one of your sliders was breaking off at a ridiculously late moment as it passed over the plate, or one of your fastballs was painting a corner of the plate for a sweet called strike. Absolutely nasty.

Needless to say it was one of the best naps I've ever had.

You're probably pumped today from your performance, but I bet you're also stoked based on what the boys in the bullpen did in last night's dramatic 16-inning 6-5 win over the Redlegs. I missed the game because I chose to eat salami but from what I see in the box score, the bullpen was perfect. Just look at these numbers:

Joe Thatcher - .1 IP, 1 K
Greg Burke (MLB debut, sorry I missed it, Greg) - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K
Cla Meredith - 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R
Heath Bell - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K
Edward Mujica - 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K
Luke Gregerson - 3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 3 Ks
Luis Perdomo - 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 K

I'm no mathemetician, Jake, but that looks to me like 10.1 innings of relief pitching, with 0 runs allowed and 8 Ks. I'm no chef either but that looks like a recipe for victory.

And all that relief pitching set up Nick Hundley's 2-out, walk-off bomb in the bottom of the 16th.

What a weekend of Padre baseball.

Best,
Bevormo

Nick, CY Help Padres Sweep Giants

Phil,

Heady front 9 yesterday at Augusta. When you made the turn at 30 I had visions of a 64 and a third green jacket for you dancing in my head. Alas, you put it in the water at 12 and then missed two easy puts on 15 and 17 that would have put you in striking distance of Angel Cabrera, Chad Campbell and Kenny "The Kentuckian" Perry. Instead of joining them in the playoff you were probably already on your third Jack and coke in the clubhouse, trading war stories with Arnie Palmer and Vijay Singh and Freddy Couples. Real tough life you guys lead.

At a minimum yesterday you must have been pleased with the Padres sweep of the Giants. I know you are a Diego boy and, if you haven't had time to notice (I know you've been busy), the hometown team is looking good this young season. Nick Hundley, the team's 25-year old catcher, had four hits and was just a home run away from hitting for the cycle. And CY, the Padres' 6'10" stud pitcher, made the Gints look foolish over his 7 innings of 4 hit ball. Add in a Chase Headley 2-run bomb and the boys looked very good yesterday.

In closing, Phil, nice work at the Masters and I hope you enjoy a few well-earned days off. But don't rest too easy. The U.S. Open is just two months away and I'm already betting this is your year to win it.

Best,
Bevormo

This Padres Team Has Some Heart

Heath, Nick,

That was one hell of a ballgame yesterday. Nick, when you sped around the bases after Luis' double to the gap I literally jumped out of my chair at work and high fived the mid-air. And Heath, after you got Manny to ground out to Everth with the O-Dog dancing dangerously off third-base and then induced the game-ending 4-6-3 doble play, I again bounced out of my ergonomic work chair and did a high kick and double fist pump.

I almost ripped my Banana Republic khakis.

Anyway, great game. One of the best I can remember. Looking forward to more of the same tonight against the Gints.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I took the day off from work for Good Friday and the Billy Baldwin-Jennifer Jason-Leigh sex scene on the fire truck in Backdraft is on.

I think I'll watch that.

Best,
Bevormo