(9/14 - 9/20) A weekly roundup of Padres performances. This past week has been much kinder for the Friars. Taking a 4-game series against the Phils and playing spoiler for the Giants.
With the season already starting to wind down having eight games left and being eliminated from playoff contention; the San Diego Padres are once again left with the antagonist role in Frisco's playoff race. And antagonize them we did. But not before leaving the desert with a loss off of the Diamondbacks to return for our final homestand of the 2014 season, the Padres blasted through the Phillies, outscoring them 15-12 with a two-hit shutout from Andrew Cashner.
Mathematically, we've been eliminated from the playoffs, but I think legally there's still a chance, physically. Don't let math nerds win!
— Gaslamp Ball (@gaslampball) September 18, 2014The brown was brought back and the Friars ended the calander week with a series winning game against the Giants, the result of an O-Des shutout, followed up by being manhandled by our beard-n-mullet'd Ca$hner in more ways than one.
1-0 win against Philadelphia
On Wednesday against the Phils, Cashner was looking hot. For somebody plagued by soreness mid-way through the season he has been coming back firing. Cash keeps flirting with no-hitters every other time he's on the mound. He posted his 17th start with two or fewer runs at home. Nobody in Padres history has been that hot at home, not even accounting the fact that it was 90°+ all week.
7-3 win against Philadelphia
Another arm dealing flirting with the disabled list, Robbie Erlin went for 6 good innings only giving up one earned run. He didn't give up any walks, and threw more fastballs than anybody all week, which he kept at a low average at around 89 MPH, right around where junk-tossing Despaigne throws. He replaced Tyson that night who also suffered from that late-season soreness, and did a damn good job and will have another start next Tuesday against Colorado.
5-0 win against San Francisco
A game not only capitalized by the monkey-wrench nature of a win against a WC-hunting NL West rival, but elevated by a return-to-form outing from the O-Des. Throwing seven shut-out innings, Despaigne fought hard for that 0 on the board, dealing almost 60 strikes in about 100 pitches. Dishing out a 62 and 68 MPH Eephus, the latter to strike out Pablo Sandoval and end the 1st inning with RISP. O-Des threw hard, and his offense backed him up with 5 unanswered runs from the likes of Little Ninja and Daddy Longlegs.
Little Ninja's never-ending style
This season the Little Ninja has had to go from a lovable off-the-bench position player to total pint-sized heartthrob at shortstop, a baseball title we're apparently taking literally now. From leaping catches in the outfield, to clutch RBI's, to diving run-saving plays, it's really no surprise he has been populating almost every single weekly recap I've done. This week, though, he was on fire.
He has played over 6x as many innings at SS compared to 2013, and is showing the faithful that he can cover for Everth Cabrera, who has missed basically a third of the season now from injuries and antics. It's Amarista's on-field antics that are earning him an extra prefix to his title for Super Little Ninja.
Friar:Alexi Amarista
Games: vs Philadelphia, San Fransisco
Cashner still a nightmare at the plate
It's becoming more and more difficult for Cash to hide the fact that he's obviously splitting some of his duck hunting schedule for more time at the batting cages. In both of his starts this week Cashner has been absolutely physical in his plate appearances. His showcase last week against the Dodgers resulted in him reaching third base.
This week he hit the game-winning RBI in a two-hit shutout against the Phils, and ripped a triple off of Yusmeiro Petit (not before drawing a walk in his first at bat off of Petit, who previously had only given up 1 walk in all of September).
In San Diego our pitchers do it all.
Friar: Andrew Cashner
Game: vs San Fransisco
Seth guns a Byrd down in public
Something I've loved watching all season is opponents trying to run up on Seth Smith. At the beginning of this month Corey Dickerson got to feel Smeth's wrath. Earlier in the season Joey Vottofelt the Smethxy experience as well. This week Marlon Byrd learned all about Seth's college-quarterback arm when trying to tag-up a shallow fly ball. Lesson learned, Professor Smith.
Friars: Seth Smith, Alexi Amarista
Game: vs Philadelphia
Gyorkstore closes down shop
This month the Gyork' has been leading the club in a lot of ways. Plate apperances, BABIP, AVG, WAR, and has finished the most double plays in the entire league like it's his signature wrestling finish. Defensively this season he hasn't had too much opportunity to shine with the second-fewest innings played out of all qualifying second basemen, but when he is out there at second he sure knows how to put on smooth defensive action. The Gyorkstore has the right to refuse service, and Jedd exercised that right all week.
Friar: Jedd Gyorko
Games: vs Philadelphia, San Francisco
And some bonus moments from the week:
Liriano trips in the desert
After Rymer is left a little bit excitable on a wild throw past first base, he takes off for third. Not before being embarrassed in front of his whole team.
Despaigne tactically faceplants
Notorious speedster O-Des helps his own cause after a rocky start to record the first out of the inning. It was a clean dive, and luckily Despaigne's face caught the fall for the rest of his body.
Gwynn Jr. recieves Petco Park ovation
Returning to Petco Park the first time since the heart-crushing news hit Tony Gwynn Jr. and the world of baseball, fans give the former-Friar a warm welcome. Something that Phillies fans wrapped Gwynn Jr. up in on his first plate appearance after that day.
Luchadores de los Padres
Fiesta Padres night was treated to Lucha Libre wrestlers Tigrillo, Black Mamba, Kanalla, Dementor, Scream, Pensamiento Negro, Rey Horus, Animaniac, Zarco, and Xtorm.
Top September Week 3 Performances
Alexi Amarista
2 HR / 8 RBI / .320 ISO / .320 AVG / .640 SLG / .997 OPS / .421 wOBA / 176 wRC+ / 2.4 offensive rating / .4 defensive rating / .4 WAR
Andrew Cashner
17 IP / 1.06 ERA / 14 SO / 2 ER / 6 H / 1 CG / 7.41 K9 / 1.06 BB9 / 24.6 K% / 3.5 BB% / .47 WHIP / .109 AVG / .125 BABIP / 90.9 LOB%
- Yasmani Grandal was very very patient, drawing the most walks and showing the most plate discipline. He rarely swung outside the strike zone (21.4%), and barely swung the bat in general, (46.2% in the strike zone, 29.3% in general). He swung at strikes the most (12.9%). Also, when Yangervis Solarte swung at pitches inside the zone he made contact 100% of the time.
- Odrisamer Despaigne posted a great game against the Giants on Friday. Half of the balls hit against him this week were kept on the ground and nothing he threw left the park.
- Yangervis Solarte does not like striking out. In his 25 plate appearances he has struck out twice. He has also popped off the most singles in the club.
- Total runs for the Friars this week: 29. Earned off 59 hits (39 singles, 15 doubles, 2 triples, and 3 home runs). We allowed 20 earned runs and gave up 15 walks with 3 home runs.