He played the right way
No drugs, just videotape
Dude's got a statue
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Mustache Monday: Mack's Many Mustaches
Like last week's 'stacherocker Fred McGriff, Shane Mack was no one mustache wonder. Even before debuting with the Padres, Mack had the ol' lipwarmer in full effect in the minors and as an Olympian. He went on to keep it the entirety of his career, although he kept it closely trimmed toward the end of his career. Mack was a true advocate for the solo-'stache, never giving in like so many others in the mid-to-late 90s by accompanying it with a trendy goatee.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Thursday's Tony Gwynn
"Thursday's Tony Gwynn" doesn't quite have the same ring as "Tuesday's Tony Gwynn" but it's still TTG and I've used it before so that's what's happening. Longtime readers (ahahahahaha, who am I fooling?) will recall I quit smoking back when Tony got diagnosed with cancer. If you know anything about me at all, you can guess what is about to follow. Yep, it lasted about all of two days. I kept trying for about a month or so, giving in for one or two a day before I finally said eff it and quit fooling myself. The way I see it, I'll be lucky if I live long enough for smoking to be the thing that takes me down. This, of course, is a rationalization and a poor one at that. I can make them all day. Others I use include the facts that I don't smoke nearly as many as I used to, that I could be doing way worse things and that I'm a much more pleasant person to be around when I'm not having nic fits. These are all feeble, feeble reasons but what else would you expect from me?
Monday, January 23, 2012
Mustache Monday: McGriff & My Mistakes
Fred McGriff was a hell of a hitter for a lot of teams. However, I'm willing to bet that I'm not the only one who immediately thinks of his magnificent John Oatesish pornstache when they hear his name (the Tom Emansky ad rates a close second).Like McGriff, I'm a multifaceted individual who is recognized mainly for one thing. In my case, it's not a glorious face farm but a historic pattern of fuckin' up. This post's pic is an excerpt from a sketch pad of mine I'd occasionally scribble thoughts down in as well. As you can see, at the time I was really into catching nods. For those who don't know, that's the desired result of doing heroin or a shitload of painkillers. There was a period of a few months last summer/ fall where that was my main reason for getting off the couch. I'm grateful that I've been off of all that for a couple months or so and that it turned out better than my coke phase (basically the entirety of 2009) in that I didn't end up selling it and getting a gun shoved in my face. For now, I'm free of all that and I never get the desire to go cop but I wonder how much lower I can go if I ever stray back into that sort of thing. I don't see it happening- but, then again, who does? It's kind of scary...
Friday, January 20, 2012
Monday, January 16, 2012
Mustache Monday: Roberto Alomar
Speaking of Anthony Rizzo (he's a damn dirty Cub now; no nicknames for him!), the trade of him to get Andrew Cashner was panned by many. I had my doubts but I know I couldn't do Josh Byrnes's job any better so I let it go. I can't imagine how I would have reacted if I had a stupid little nerdblog back when Joe McIlvaine shipped Robbie Alomar and Joe Carter to Toronto for McGriff and Tony Fernandez. I probably would have ranted a bunch because I was eight and I did that even more back then. I just remember being kind of bummed because I knew they were pretty good and I was used to them; I definitely didn't know that Alomar was going to be a Hall Of Famer...
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Rizz & The Process Of Weeding Out
Every now and then, like everybody else, I'll go through and clean out people I have no need to follow on twitter anymore for whatever reason. The other day, Rizz was one of the ones who got the cut. One, I don't like the Cubs and two, it's not like he ever has anything of interest to say. It's not just because he isn't a Padre anymore- I follow the Geoff Blums and Matt Antonellis of the world- but because that's the only reason I had to follow him in the first place. Then again, Padre or not, you couldn't get me to follow Orlando Hudson if you put a gun to my head. Blah, blah, blah; like any of this matters...Sunday, December 25, 2011
Greene & Red (Merry Christmas!)
Oh, that Khalil Greene
His wrists ran red with his blood
That's Christmassy, right?
Friday, December 23, 2011
Guest Post: Avenger-in-Chief on Joe Randa
Today's entry is a guest post by Avenger-In-Chief, the brains behind Avenging Jack Murphy. Check his blog out and don't forget to follow him on twitter. Thanks again, Mike!
I know what you’re thinking and I can see the look on your face right now as you think. You are wondering how Joe Randa, the engine of the 2005 Padres, has received so little coverage on this blog. And your face is painted with delight as you slowly scroll down this page savoring the accolades heaped upon the man who the Madres voted as top newcomer in 2005.
I also know that you’re thinking, “Lord, Joe Randa looks glorious in road Sand!”
But here’s what I was thinking on March 11th, 2011: “In which ballpark was this picture of Joe Randa taken and during which game? And which inning?”
I think of those things. Because I’m weird.*
Do you know which park this photo was taken? In hindsight I think I should have known. Any guesses?
After being traded from the Cincinnati Reds on July 23rd, 2005 for Justin Germano and Travis Chick, Joe Randa’s illustrious 58-game Padre tenure officially began on July 24th in Philadelphia’s Citizen’s Bank Park. Was this photo taken during his first weekend as a Padre?
Here’s the rundown for 2005 Padre games played on the road during the Randa Era: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Florida, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Colorado, and Arizona. I combed through pictures of each one of these ballparks and determined that . . .
You guessed it; the game was played at the home of the San Francisco Giants, AT&T Park! At least that’s what it was called in 2005.
What gives it away? The corporate branding of Yahoo! on the left centerfield wall makes an abbreviated performance in the Randa card in the form of, “o!”.
This should have been more obvious to me but I think I was a little thrown by the lighting in the card. The billboard comes off as a shade of red in the baseball card whereas we clearly know the Yahoo! sign to be purple, as evidenced by the picture above. The miserable San Francisco fog probably affected the lighting in the card.
Looking at the Randa Card also prompted me to believe I was looking more towards right centerfield (the angle threw me off leading to extra research).
Now that we have narrowed down the ballpark to AT&T, which game was this iconic baseball card captured? The Padres played a three game series in San Francisco from September 12th through September 14th and Joe Randa started and finished all three games.
September 12th
On a chilly 58 degree Monday evening, with Adam Eaton on the hill, Joe Randa fielded a pop fly from Randy Winn to leadoff the 1st inning. It would be the last time he touched the ball. Unconfirmed reports suggest that he was even left out of the around-the-horn tosses after San Francisco’s 7 strikeouts.
A cold night, indeed as the Padres dropped game one, 4-3.
September 13th
The next night was equally cold and according to baseball reference, overcast. In the bottom of the 2nd inning Joe Randa would have receive his next chance. After a double by Mike Matheny, Giants pitcher Noah Lowry hit a groundball to Joe Randa, which was fielded and thrown to first baseman, Xavier Nady.
With Brian Lawrence dealing, Randa fielded another pop fly by that man Randy Winn in the bottom of the third and did not touch the ball again until the bottom of the 6th when Clay Hensley coaxed Pedro Feliz into an inning ending 5-4-3 twin killing. The image of Randa leaving his feet to field the ball in the baseball card seems to eliminate this play as it’s unlikely a double play could have been turned on that particular play.
Joe Randa didn’t receive another chance and the Padres fell to the Giants, 5-4.
If Mike Matheny had made it into the photo as a base runner during the 2nd inning play, the experiment would have ended. While this play is still a possibility, we must press on to the Wednesday night game.
September 14th
On another overcast evening, Woody Williams took the ball in game three of the series and quickly served up an opportunity to Joe Randa in the bottom of the second inning. On a 1-2 count Pedro Feliz grounded to Randa and he threw to first baseman Robert Fick for the second out of the inning. Did he leave his feet for the ball? Baseball-Reference and retro sheet make no note of this.
In the bottom of the fifth, Pedro Feliz led off the inning with a foul pop fly to Randa and he would not have another chance that evening.
Trevor Hoffman saved his 38th game in the 10th inning and the Padres took game three, 5-4.
So did the play happen on September 13th in the 2nd inning when Noah Lowry hit a ground ball to Joe Randa or was it September 14th in the 2nd inning when Pedro Feliz grounded-out to Joltin’ Joe Randa? No notations have been made of whether Randa left his feet to make a play but I’m inclined to believe** that the play probably occurred on the Feliz groundball as Mike Matheny would have appeared as a base runner on the Noah Lowry grounder.
Conclusion:
The photograph used by Upper Deck in their 2006 set was taken at AT&T Park on September 14th, 2005 in the 2nd inning when Pedro Feliz struck a ball to Joe Randa at 3rd base.
I feel better now . . .
*In addition to weirdness the idea was also inspired by Larry Granillo of Baseball Prospectus who did something similar with the scene at Wrigley Field in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off .
** I also examined every play to the left side of the field which may have began with a deflection off of Joe Randa’s glove, which baseball-reference would note in their play-by-play section. No play like this appears to have occurred. It’s also worth noting that Joe Randa played this three game series error-free***.
*** It’s Joe Randa. Of course he did!
------------
Last March TTG tweeted a 2006 Upper Deck baseball card of Joe Randa. I was inspired and knew that a guest post at Friars on Cardboard was in order. I thank TheThinGwynn for acquiescing.
I know what you’re thinking and I can see the look on your face right now as you think. You are wondering how Joe Randa, the engine of the 2005 Padres, has received so little coverage on this blog. And your face is painted with delight as you slowly scroll down this page savoring the accolades heaped upon the man who the Madres voted as top newcomer in 2005.
I also know that you’re thinking, “Lord, Joe Randa looks glorious in road Sand!”
But here’s what I was thinking on March 11th, 2011: “In which ballpark was this picture of Joe Randa taken and during which game? And which inning?”
I think of those things. Because I’m weird.*
Do you know which park this photo was taken? In hindsight I think I should have known. Any guesses?
After being traded from the Cincinnati Reds on July 23rd, 2005 for Justin Germano and Travis Chick, Joe Randa’s illustrious 58-game Padre tenure officially began on July 24th in Philadelphia’s Citizen’s Bank Park. Was this photo taken during his first weekend as a Padre?
Here’s the rundown for 2005 Padre games played on the road during the Randa Era: Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Washington, Florida, Atlanta, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Colorado, and Arizona. I combed through pictures of each one of these ballparks and determined that . . .
You guessed it; the game was played at the home of the San Francisco Giants, AT&T Park! At least that’s what it was called in 2005.
What gives it away? The corporate branding of Yahoo! on the left centerfield wall makes an abbreviated performance in the Randa card in the form of, “o!”.
This should have been more obvious to me but I think I was a little thrown by the lighting in the card. The billboard comes off as a shade of red in the baseball card whereas we clearly know the Yahoo! sign to be purple, as evidenced by the picture above. The miserable San Francisco fog probably affected the lighting in the card.
Looking at the Randa Card also prompted me to believe I was looking more towards right centerfield (the angle threw me off leading to extra research).
Now that we have narrowed down the ballpark to AT&T, which game was this iconic baseball card captured? The Padres played a three game series in San Francisco from September 12th through September 14th and Joe Randa started and finished all three games.
September 12th
On a chilly 58 degree Monday evening, with Adam Eaton on the hill, Joe Randa fielded a pop fly from Randy Winn to leadoff the 1st inning. It would be the last time he touched the ball. Unconfirmed reports suggest that he was even left out of the around-the-horn tosses after San Francisco’s 7 strikeouts.
A cold night, indeed as the Padres dropped game one, 4-3.
September 13th
The next night was equally cold and according to baseball reference, overcast. In the bottom of the 2nd inning Joe Randa would have receive his next chance. After a double by Mike Matheny, Giants pitcher Noah Lowry hit a groundball to Joe Randa, which was fielded and thrown to first baseman, Xavier Nady.
With Brian Lawrence dealing, Randa fielded another pop fly by that man Randy Winn in the bottom of the third and did not touch the ball again until the bottom of the 6th when Clay Hensley coaxed Pedro Feliz into an inning ending 5-4-3 twin killing. The image of Randa leaving his feet to field the ball in the baseball card seems to eliminate this play as it’s unlikely a double play could have been turned on that particular play.
Joe Randa didn’t receive another chance and the Padres fell to the Giants, 5-4.
If Mike Matheny had made it into the photo as a base runner during the 2nd inning play, the experiment would have ended. While this play is still a possibility, we must press on to the Wednesday night game.
September 14th
On another overcast evening, Woody Williams took the ball in game three of the series and quickly served up an opportunity to Joe Randa in the bottom of the second inning. On a 1-2 count Pedro Feliz grounded to Randa and he threw to first baseman Robert Fick for the second out of the inning. Did he leave his feet for the ball? Baseball-Reference and retro sheet make no note of this.
In the bottom of the fifth, Pedro Feliz led off the inning with a foul pop fly to Randa and he would not have another chance that evening.
Trevor Hoffman saved his 38th game in the 10th inning and the Padres took game three, 5-4.
So did the play happen on September 13th in the 2nd inning when Noah Lowry hit a ground ball to Joe Randa or was it September 14th in the 2nd inning when Pedro Feliz grounded-out to Joltin’ Joe Randa? No notations have been made of whether Randa left his feet to make a play but I’m inclined to believe** that the play probably occurred on the Feliz groundball as Mike Matheny would have appeared as a base runner on the Noah Lowry grounder.
Conclusion:
The photograph used by Upper Deck in their 2006 set was taken at AT&T Park on September 14th, 2005 in the 2nd inning when Pedro Feliz struck a ball to Joe Randa at 3rd base.
I feel better now . . .
*In addition to weirdness the idea was also inspired by Larry Granillo of Baseball Prospectus who did something similar with the scene at Wrigley Field in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off .
** I also examined every play to the left side of the field which may have began with a deflection off of Joe Randa’s glove, which baseball-reference would note in their play-by-play section. No play like this appears to have occurred. It’s also worth noting that Joe Randa played this three game series error-free***.
*** It’s Joe Randa. Of course he did!
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
A Pretty Halfassed Phil Plantier Post
Here's the Padres' new hitting coach back in his playing days rockin' what I once heard Joe Nuxhall refer to as "some kind of haystack hairdo". Plantier is the latest through the revolving door at that position. His predecessor managed to last two seasons, lasting one more than I guessed he would when he got hired. Since I've been on some sort of idiotic haiku kick lately, here's one just because...Our new hitting coach
Nice job if you can get it
Check back in a year
Nice job if you can get it
Check back in a year
Saturday, December 17, 2011
Friday, December 16, 2011
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