The Definition of Pathetic

Wednesday June 17, 2009

.316
.249
.269
.237
.236
.198
.143
.236
.125
.213

So what are those numbers?

Those are the batting averages of the non pitchers that came to the plate for the Padres tonight.

Wow! That is scary.

Not scary good or scary to the opposing pitcher, just scary. I cannot honestly say I have seen a more pathetic group of batting averages ever. It may well be the worst collection in any game in post WWII baseball.

Yes, I know that Petco depresses batting averages. In fact I have made that argument many times before myself.

But there is no excuse for having no one on the active roster that has more than 100 abs hitting over .270. NONE!

I like that Kouzmanoff is starting to hit with some power and that he is hitting .270+ in June.
I like that Junior is still hitting over .300 after 72 abs. Its not going to last long, like Venables hot streak last season, but I like it right now.
I like that Hairston will be back in a week or so. Hairston was hitting WAY above his career averages and is likely to fall off, but if he returns to his pre-injury form it would be great!

But it is inexcusable to have 6 players STARTING that are hitting under .250.

It is unexcusable for a team that supposedly preaches patience at the plate to have 4 players on pace to strike out more than 100 times.

It is inexcusable for a team to have a slugger like Adrian Gonzalez with so little protection in the lineup that opposing teams have walked him 19 times already this month.

Where is the outrage from management? We fans are all feeling it. We are tired of watching this team underachieve. When is KT, or Moorad or Moores or someone going to step up and publicly say this is unacceptable?

I don't want to hear some meely mouth garbage that "If we fall completely out of this thing in the next month than I think you're going to see a lot of younger players getting the AB's" . That is a defeatist pile of garbage. It is a self fulfilling prophecy.

What I want to hear from SOMEONE in managment is:
"This level of play is unacceptable. We are going to make changes to help this team be more competitive right now. If for some reason we are unable to turn the season around sufficiently, new players and possibly a new coaching staff are on the way. Its time for this team to step up."

Bud Black's JOB is to figure out a way to get talented players to do their jobs at least marginally well.

He has failed.

No the poor pitching is not his fault. That is almost entirely on injuries. When you have 6 or 7 pitchers on the DL and 8 members of your pitching staff that should be in the minors, you are not going to win many games.

What is his fault is a total lack of hitting. He can't swing the bat for them, but he damn well better figure out a way to get them to hit better than this. Maybe he needs to put the fear of God in them. A angry meltdown from the mild mannered Black would sure shake up things. Maybe more time in the cage or watching video. A different hitting coach. A different hitting philosophy. Or maybe just stop trying to change how guys hit and let them do what got them here.

I don't know. It is not my JOB to know. It IS his job.

What I do know is what he is doing is not working.

I don't expect this pitching staff to keep the Padres in enough games to have a winning record.

I DO expect at least half of the starters to at least hit .250. I do expect to see improvement and adjustments as the season goes on. Is that asking too much?

Apparently it is from this bunch so far this season.

Ok. My rant is over, at least for now.

I have had my say. Now what do you think?