If you like baseball, you gotta love a well turned double play. Betancourt and Weeks of the bombing Brew crew pulled of a silly silly web gem against you guessed it, our JV team. Betancourts effortless backwards glove toss to a barehanded grab by weeks and a gun to first lead to a double play that crippled our only chance to tie up the game in the 8th. I really thought the Pads would break through after some daring base running by the working mans ballplayer Denorfia. He legged out a bang bang double after a nice throw by Braun that weeks couldnt hold onto. Venable followed with a really nice looking hit to left which left runners at 3rd and 1st. Unfortunately the padres couldn't find any luck and the brew crew pulled off probably the best looking double play ive seen in AGES. Even against a fast runner like Bartlett, very impressive and smooth.
Unfortunately the both the Varsity and JV were not that impressive today. Probably the word that sums up the night is DISAPPOINTING. From the pitching, to defense, hitting, to even the broadcasting by the great Dick Enberg. My main three points to this DISAPPOINTING night that I care to talk about right now are: Latos, Ludwig, and Dick Enberg.
Now I'm not really that disappointed in Latos' effort tonight because he really battled out there even though he didn't have his best stuff. I'm more disappointed in the fact that I know the he can do so much better. Don't fret though Friar faithful, I truly believe we will get the dominant Latos back very soon. I believe there are two reasons for his slow start. The first being that he is not locating well and getting ahead of hitters, and two his confidence and demeanor. He is routinely like tonight not sharp on his pitches and not hitting his spots. He is still showing great stuff but really needs to just work on getting that first pitch strike with great location. Thats what made him so great last year as he would get ahead of hitters and then control their fate.
He got behind too much and then left pitches up in the zone. He got really unlucky for the first two runs as one was a past ball and the other a grounder I thought Bartlett should have gloved. The second thing is that he needs to get his mean, BADASS attitude back. Latos doesn't seem to have that same slick young gun swagger he had last year like a young charlie sheen had in Major League. Im contemplating making him a dvd with his great stuff from last year played to monster ballads to get him pumped and ready to smash some heads like last year. But its only some time til he figures it out as he battled all night.
All I can really say about Ludwick or Ludwig is that he flat out SUCKS! 3 strikeouts tonight common!!! He's batting under .200. Management needs to find a way to ship him out of here because he can't hit worth shit. I'd be willing to trade him for Tony Gwynn Jr. At least Tony can play defense and run. Ludwigs failed attempt to run backwards last night to get a ball near the wall was pathetic. I forgot what inning it was but it was terrible. His defense and offense are killing the padres and not very slowly.
Ok OK I know I'm ranting but I have one more beef to settle tonight. SORRY TO SAY BUT DICK ENBERG IS NOT A BASEBALL COMMENTATOR. Maybe back in his younger days he would be great but he is much to old to keep up with the pace (and the pace isn't even that fast lol). Last night when Carlos Gomez got a triple off the wall over ludwigs head (he should have caught it), he first says "and he will touch them all!". Corrects himself to say it hit off the wall. Then states that Weeks makes it to third lol. THE BEST channel 4 crew was and will always be Mud cat and Matt Vasgergian. They were just a great team and fun to listen too. But Enberg is just too old and polite and brings down Mudcats humor.
I still think they should try Bob Scanlan in the booth, that guy knows baseball and is the shizniz. Maybe we should have a vote for favorite broadcast crew. I'll look into it. In the mean time, i'll be dreaming that the padres bats wake up from winter hibernation soon.
Friarfaithful out! Pat
dude Dicky E had been doing so much better this year as far as blowing the home run calls and jockin the other team's D (as in dick, not defense)! Last year he was at like 6 F*ups at this point in the season and then in the last week he just start sharting all over the booth again calling doubles home runs and loving every second of Cory Heart's long double.
ReplyDeleteI feel like MudCat Grant is this lil kid trying to have fun and dick is that elderly rich uncle who tries to teach Mud the 'fun side of chess'. I never thought of that though -- We need to get Scan in the booth with Mud!! Brilliant idea. Hey, Scan, get ya ass up stairs. And tell Jenny Cavnar to call me.