Game of the Week August 16: SDP @ COL

[brewersgm]

San Diego Padres (73-48) @ Colorado Rockies (59-59)

SDP: Chris Davis (8-5, 3.98)
COL: Mike Stangeland (4-5, 5.40)

Following a recent string of disappointing losses Colorado GM Erick Blasco could be heard yelling the following in the hallway after a press conference: 

"The Padres always suck and traded away their best player WHO IS HAVING AN AWESOME YEAR. Their punishment? Winning every one-run game. John Thacker may be the worst player to ever be given the qualifying offer in PBA history. He's 7-0 with a 3.14 ERA. Travis Crombie's arm falls off every 3 weeks. He's pitched in 31 games with a 0.87 ERA. They only have FOUR players with a wRC+ over 100. Two are First Baseman. One is Jo Adell, who's been hurt a chunk of the year. The best player in wRC+ is JOE LANCELLOTTI, a 34-year old rando who never hit above .244 and had 22 career homers entering this year, 10 of which came in 2026. What the fuck is this team and how am I TEN GAMES BEHIND THEM"

Sources say assistant GM Jesse Fernandez did his best to calm Blasco down but the GM was obviously a little upset. It's been a wild season for San Diego and the Rockies frustration is understandable. The Padres run differential is only 5 runs better yet they are now 12 and a half games up in the standings. The team has gone 32-15 in one run games highlighted by an astonishing July in which they went 14-2 in such games. The Padres are coming into this game hot, riding a 7 game win streak in which they won two more games by a single run. Some might call it luck but the Padres are on a mission to prove to the PBA that there's no such thing as luck and make their first playoff appearance in PBA history.

Colorado is also coming into this series strong. Their pitching staff was impressive last week throwing 3 shutouts punctuated by taking 3 out of 4 from their division rivals the San Francisco Giants. Current estimates give the Rockies about a 2% chance at the playoffs and to have any shot at it they'll want to win this series against the division leading Padres. A nice start from Mike "Stanger in a Stangeland" would be a good kickoff to the series.

Questions for the GMs:

For Dalton Timmerman, How do you explain your team's crazy ability to win 1 run games?

How has John Thacker's locker-room presence helped the club this year?

You tried several times to move Adrian Morejon, yet he's sitting there with a 3.06 ERA and leading your rotation. Have the rumors fueled his performance this year?

For Erick Blasco, Will you be in attendance at the game today or does the mere sight of the Friars brown revolt you too much to be in your customary suite at Coors?

What's it been like to have Royals killer Greg Jacks in the clubhouse this year? 

Juan Guevara is on a rehab assignment. Will he be activated in advance of today's game?

Trivia: The Padres are 1 of 3 PBA teams who have never made the playoffs. Who are the other two teams? and a bonus question, which team(s) after these 3 has the longest playoff drought?

[Commissioner Erick]

For Erick Blasco, Will you be in attendance at the game today or does the mere sight of the Friars brown revolt you too much to be in your customary suite at Coors?

I will be in attendance to cheer on our team and collect data. San Diego is having an infuriatingly good season, but it's not personal.


What's it been like to have Royals killer Greg Jacks in the clubhouse this year?

I haven't been in the clubhouse much, but it's been a good clubhouse, especially with all the veterans. We haven't played Kansas City, so his Royals-killing nature means nothing this year. On the field, he's been a huge asset defensively, really hauling in would-be extra base hits. Offensively, I hoped he'd be able to get on base a little bit more, but he's done a great job with a bunch of doubles and some homers. I think he's been a great addition.


Juan Guevara is on a rehab assignment. Will he be activated in advance of today's game?

Activated and in the lineup in Center Field. Greg Jacks will play Second Base as I demoted Chris McKenzie and will have Jake Burger playing First Base, and Alec Sanchez moved to Third.

[brewersgm]

Padres 13 - Rockies 10

WP: Chris Rodriguez (6-6)
LP: Mike Stangeland (4-6)
SV: Travis Crombie (20)



"The San Diego Padres topped the Colorado Rockies by a score of 13-10. Leading the way was right fielder John Yancey. Yancey went 3 for 4 with 2 home runs, a double, and a walk, while adding 4 RBI and scoring twice for the Padres. Chris Rodriguez got credit for the win, improving to 6-6. He allowed 3 runs on 6 hits in 2 innings. San Diego is now 74-48, 5 games up in the National League West Division.



The Padres got an important contribution from designated hitter Caleb Swift, who in the top of the third punched a first pitch fastball into left-center for a solo home run. It was his 15th home run of the season and put the Padres ahead, 6-4.



"This team's hitting on all cylinders," said Padres manager Dalton Timmerman."

Questions for the GMs:


For Dalton Timmerman, You've been critical of John Yancey this year but he was player of the game and is now up to 22 homers on the year. Do you think you've been a little too harsh on him?

Travis Crombie got his 20th save of the season in the game, while lowering his ERA to 1.05. How big has he been for your bullpen this season?

Jo Adell gunned down Danny Davis at the plate to end the 5th inning but appeared to hurt himself with the effort on the throw. That early in the game would you rather your OFers take a little off the gas?

For Erick Blasco, tough outing for Mike Stangeland. Is he on thin ice to stay on the team beyond this season?

Jim Robinson struck out 3 in 1.2 IP but also surrended 3 walks and 2 runs. What did you think of Husky's Rockies debut?

The Padres broadcast appeared to catch Dinger mooning Travis Crombie from the seats behind homeplate as he worked in the 9th inning. Will you be disciplining the dinosaur for such a digusting act?

Trivia: Zigmo Matt and Erick got the two teams that have never made the playoffs in the PBA outside of the Padres, the Reds and Angels. Erick got the Pirates for the longest active PBA playoff drought.

[Dalton Timmerman]

I think it's fair to say that I've been harsh on Yancey, and there are still a few things I'd like to see him improve on. I do believe I underestimated his ability to draw walks and get himself on base even when going through cold spells. Being GM of a smaller market team, I'm always going to ask that my highest paid players perform at their best, but I have been pleasantly surprised with Yancey's production up to this point.
Crombie has been on an absolute tear this season, and I can't express how happy I am to have him lock down wins in the later innings. Coming off the season he had last year, it's clear that he's been more focused and performing at the level we knew he was capable of.
I can't complain about the effort level we've seen from Adell, and I'm certainly not going to complain about seeing great effort from him. Injuries do happen when you play with his level of intensity, but his defensive ability and intensity are a big part of who he is as a player. I think he should be the front-runner for a gold glove award.

[Commissioner Erick]

For Erick Blasco, tough outing for Mike Stangeland. Is he on thin ice to stay on the team beyond this season?

He's a fifth starter so he's not a major priority. That said, he's been decent for us. He's a little homer prone, but Coors will do that, and he's been respectable limiting walks. He's not a priority, but we're not against bringing him back to be a seventh starter/long man next year.

Jim Robinson struck out 3 in 1.2 IP but also surrended 3 walks and 2 runs. What did you think of Husky's Rockies debut?

It looked like he was running on adrenaline and then ran out of gas after his first inning. He hasn't pitched in a year so it's understandable. Hopefully he can settle in when he gets a few more frames under his belt.

The Padres broadcast appeared to catch Dinger mooning Travis Crombie from the seats behind homeplate as he worked in the 9th inning. Will you be disciplining the dinosaur for such a digusting act?

That didn't happen if it did, the surprise would have resulted in a day to day injury for Crombie.