Sunday, August 30, 2009

Bud Black is an idiot

Sunday August 30, 2009

In what many expect to be Mat Latos' last game of the season, Bud Black left him in the game to get pounded in the 4th inning.

Bud Black, for a former pitcher, has absolutely no recognition of when a pitcher is done.

There was no reason to leave Latos in to take the 5 run beating he did. After allowing 2 singles and walk it was evident that Latos was done. He was missing badly with all of his pitches having throw 6 pitches in the dirt and three higher than the batters heads in just 4 batters. Balsley had already been out to the mound to talk to him.

The next batter drove in two runs on a single back up the middle on a batting practice pitch. This is when Latos should have been pulled from the game.

There was no reason for Black to leave him in to throw even one more pitch.

Instead Black left him in and he walked the next batter. Why didn't Black take Latos out at that point? A good manager would have. Nope, Black left him in until he allowed a hit that drove in 3 more runs.

Now this kid will have all off season to think about how he gave up 5 runs in his last outing.

I cannot think of a single way in which Black could have mismanaged a young pitcher in a worse manner. Black is totally clueless.

Latos gets last start of the season

Sunday August 30, 2009

San Diego Padres top prospect Mat Latos gets the start in Land Shark Stadium today against the Florida Marlins.

From what we have been hearing from Padres brass, this should be the last time we get to see Latos take the mound this season.

Latos had just 56 innings pitched in 2008 and the Padres GM Kevin Towers has said on several occasions that Latos would be limited to about 110-120 innings on the season. Young pitchers are much more prone to injury when they more than double the innings they pitched the previous season.

While I don't think it matters much to the Padres organization, many fans are hoping that Latos is limited to just 5 1/3 innings today in order for him to still be eligible for Rookie of the Year voting in 2010.

They may be out of luck, as through 3 today Latos is doing quite well and has throw only 43 pitches.

On a side note:
Adrian Gonzalez gets his second game off at 1st base with what the team described as a strained right bicep. We can only hope that the injury is not serious.

Oscar Salazar gets the start at 1B again today after going 3 for 4 last night.

Peavy Update

Sunday August 30, 2009

Jake Peavy left today's game during a rehab start for the Chicago White Sox AAA affiliate in Charlotte with tightness in his right elbow after just 3 1/3 innings. This is the same elbow that got whacked by a line drive in his last start.

Peavy is going to Chicago to be examined by team doctors on Monday. If it is serious, he may be shut down for the rest of the season.

Does this injury sound familiar? Didn't Jake suffer from this injury as a Padre last season? Didn't Cha Seung Baek have tightness in his elbow? Wasn't Shawn Hill suffering from the same affliction before he was lost for the season?

I like Jake Peavy a lot, so for his sake I hope I am wrong, but this is the type of nagging injury that seems to lead to Tommy John surgery as often as not.

Good luck to you Jake. You have my prayers that you have many opportunities to beat the Yankees, Tigers and other Padres nemesis' in your career going forward.