Yardbarker: San Diego Padres

Gold Gloves vs. UZR: The Laziest Article I've Ever Written (AL Edition)

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:20:29 -0500

More photos » by Ted S. Warren - AP During a pitching change in the sixth inning against the San Diego Padres in a baseball game Tuesday, June 23, 2009, center fielder Franklin Gutierrez (center) ponders aloud "You think I'll get a Gold Glove this year?" Left fielder Wladimir Balentien assures him while right fielder Ichiro Suzuki (kneeling right) snickers. "Gold Gloves?" he thinks as he stares off into the diamo...

You Better Learn To Recognize Michigan's AD, Honey

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:30:12 -0500

Since picking on Rich Rodriguez has become a little too easy lately, here's a new plotline for Michigan mockers to pursue....athletic director Bill Martin reduced to pulling the "Do you know who I am?" routine in his own stadium. Even worse, what could have been just an amusing case of mistaken identity has turned into a full fledged SCANDAL since two different Department of Public Safety employees accused Martin of "assaulting" them after he tried to enter the special...

The Knee Jerks for 11-9-09: Burying the Lions

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:50:48 -0500

Believe it or not, half of the Lions’ 16-game NFL schedule has been played, so I suggested a Lions roudtable to my co-host on our weekly gabfest “The Knee Jerks”, Greg Eno of GregEno.com. So we gathered around the campfire and had ourselves a mid-season review. Our guests were Michael Schottey and Dean Holden, two of the premier Lions writers for Bleacher Report, making a return appearance. Those two guys chimed in with analysis, mid-season letter grades, and a look ahead at the season’s...

You Must Lose a Fly to Catch a Trout

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 13:30:00 -0500

The title of this post is a quote from George Herbert (1593-1633) A lot of goings on these days with the Michigan program. I can safely say that this sudden turn of events these last two weeks (losing to Illinois and Purdue in basically must-win situations), has really taken any wind wind that was left out of Michigan fan's sails. The question that I want the answer to is, did it take the wind out of the team's sails? We'll find out in the next two weeks.The losses this year have ...

Adrian Gonzalez’s Walks

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:45:20 -0500

With a relatively weak free agent class, at least in terms of star power, there is more chatter than usual about potential trades this winter. And one constant name that surfaces in trade speculation is Adrian Gonzalez, the Padres star first baseman. With two years remaining on an unbelievably team friendly contract (he’s [...]

Michigan AD Bill Martin supports Rich Rodriguez

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:38:13 -0500

The man who hired Rich Rodriguez as Michigan's football coach said Rodriguez's job is secure. Rodriguez, in his second season with the Wolverines, has watched his team nosedive since a 4-0 start. They have lost five straight Big Ten games, are 5-5 and remain one game from bowl eligibility with ...

Michigan’s A.D. Don’t Need No Stinking Badges

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:15:33 -0500

It’s been a great past few years for Bill Martin. No wait, no it hasn’t. He essentially blew any chance at landing LSU’s Les Miles a couple years ago when he too busy sailing in the Caribbean to take Miles’ agent’s calls; he hired Rich Rodriguez instead, which, wow; and now’s he’s just going to [...]

Bill Martin Still Supports Rich Rodriguez, Regrets Incidents at Games

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:36:21 -0500

Athletic director Bill Martin was in multiple news stories in the last 24 hours for very different reasons. One story that focused on Martin was about the fact that he still supports Rich Rodriguez. I know that is sort of a “Captain Obvious” type of story, but here is what Martin had to say when asked [...]

Michigan undaunted by challenge, coach says

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 17:30:44 -0500

Rich Rodriguez has to lead Michigan to an upset at Wisconsin or in the Big House against rival Ohio State to earn bowl eligibility — and perhaps patience from fed-up fans.

Blogging the Offseason: San Diego Padres

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:00:00 -0500

Blogging the Offseason is a 30 team series in which I ask a blogging representative from each MLB team a series of ten questions about their desires and thoughts surrounding the offseason. Check out all of them here.

Today's team is the San Diego Padres and our guest is JBOX from the Padres Blog Gaslamp Ball.

1. I think this is the obvious question on everybody's mind, will the Padres trade Adrian Gonzalez? Do you think they should? Why?
I think the Padres should consider and be open to trading Adrian Gonzalez. Whether they should actually trade him or not depends on what they are offered in return. If they can trade their best player so that the overall team becomes better than they should.

2. Say the Padres do keep Gonzalez, he obviously needs some lineup protection, is there anyone on the market that you think the Padres will go after to fill that need?
I don't think the Padres have any intention of going after anyone at this point. They will live and die by the youth on the team that they already have. Kyle Blanks, Kevin Kouzmanoff and Chase Headley will probably be the only protection that Adrian will get next season.

3. You've got a new GM in Jed Hoyer, former right hand man of Theo, what do you know about Jed and what do you think about the signing?
Honestly I don't know much about Hoyer at this point. The Padres are looking for someone to strategize and revamp the farm system apparently and they feel that Hoyer is the guy to do it.

4. Do you find it odd that the Sox have a standing offer with Kevin Towers to basically take Jed Hoyer's role? It's like you are flip flopping front office men.
It sounds like a good move by Boston. Towers has been doing so much with so little for so long that if he got a Boston budget to work with he'd be unstoppable!

5. Your starting rotation in April will be whom?
Chris Young, Mat Latos, Clayton Richard, Cesar Ramos, Sean Gallagher. I think Chris Young is really overrated though.

6. Will the Padres deal the Kouz or Headley or just try to find room for both?
I hope they trade one of them, preferably Kouzmanoff. For some reason everybody is so high on him right now because they put his glove in Cooperstown and he didn't suck as bad as he did in the first half of the season. Now is the time to trade him while his stock is up.

7. You've gassed your owner and have convinced him to spend like the Yankees, which three free agents do you sign?
As a Padres fan it's futile to study the free agent market. Why torture yourself looking at players that you will never acquire? If you force me to choose than I pick Mark Prior, he deserves a third chance. (ed. note solid choice)

8. Which Padre prospect yet to find himself in a game are you most looking forward to in 2010?
I think all of our Padres prospects are on the Major League Club right now. That was the goal last season, to get a look at as many young players as possible in the second half of the season.

9. I'm giving you the option to cut players without any salary repercussions, which Padres do you part way with?
That's a tough one because salary's barely an issue now. Brian Giles I guess. Is he still on the team?

10. Final Question, you've got a crystal ball, the San Diego Padres will make the playoffs in ________.
2011. New influx of money. No drama in the front office. 2011 we go all the way.

The Hope/Rodriguez Fallout

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:50:00 -0500

There has been quite a bit of buzz around the internet since the shameful way Danny Hope went about voicing his contention with Rich Rodriguez after his Boilermakers won their first game at Michigan since 1966. According to what I've read, #75 Zach Reckman was suspended for punching a player who was on the ground from Northern Illinois at the end of the game. Video clip: As far as I can tell, I don't see Rich Rodriguez anywhere on the field. In no way should Rodriguez be bl...

Padres only open to dealing stars for right price

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 09:42:03 -0500

There're probably 28 teams who'd like to have Adrian Gonzalez. But Ken Rosenthal says the Padres should hold out for the right deal. Don't get too comfy. Teams may be willing to deal some big-time talents, including Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres, Ken Rosenthal says.

Padres may be open to dealing stars

Sun, 08 Nov 2009 02:09:29 -0500

Don't get too comfy. Teams may be willing to deal some big-time talents, including Adrian Gonzalez of the Padres, Ken Rosenthal says.

Fantasy Baseball: It's Time for You to Love Kyle Blanks

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 17:00:34 -0500

More photos » by Tony Gutierrez - AP Browse more photos » With all of the recent talk of the San Diego Padres dealing first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, I decided I'd discuss what would happen if Gonzalez actually were dealt. I'll start with a little background. In 2004 in the 42nd round (1241st overall) the San Diego Padres drafted Kyle Blanks out of Arizona. During his minor league career, Blanks maxed out with 2...

Blog Ten Gameday: It Seems Rich Rodriguez Wants To Get Fired

Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:37:00 -0500

Now I’m of the opinion that the idea of firing a coach in only his second year at a school is idiotic. I don’t care what a school’s tradition is, a coach needs some time to work his system and players in, and he should be given that time. All that being said, I can understand all the frustration that is sure to come pouring out of Ann Arbor this week. Half the town already wants Rich

Wednesday Presser Notes 11-4

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 16:39:26 -0500

Rich Rodriguez: Brandon Minor has practiced more this week than he has any other week in more than a month. Hopefully that means he'll be healthy enough on Saturday to play. The team needs the element of downhill running that he provides. Carlos Brown has been limited with tendinitis. Mike Shaw is practicing this week and should be ready to play, after missing last week with a sprained knee. Patrick Omameh has been playing at right guard, with Mark Huyge at right tackle. Perry Dorrest...

Could Michigan replace Rich Rodriguez with Jim Harbaugh?

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 23:50:57 -0500

Another year of Rodriguez’s tenure would bring in another recruiting class of light, fast players who don’t seem capable of standing up to the Big Ten’s rigors. Another year of spread offense at a time when defenses seem to be making headway in stopping it could keep Michigan behind the ...

Hypothetically Speaking: The Adrian Gonzalez Contract Extension

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:35:00 -0500

No one really seems to think that Adrian Gonzalez will remain with the Padres in the long term. Given the Padres financial limitations, the odds of the Padres signing Gonzalez to a contract extension seem to be slim to none.But I'm not ready to give up just yet. Two things need to happen for the Padres and Gonzalez to have any chance of a deal:1. Gonzalez wants to stay in San Diego and is willing to take a hometown discount2. The Padres' payroll will increase from around $40 million i...