Do as Venetians do - San Diego is sinking into oblivion

Rockies drop in for two at Petco

It has been just five days since we last saw San Diego at Coors Field, when Cook got his first win of the season.  The weekend was unkind to the Rockies, but San Diego fared even worse.

Despite scoring one more run (5) than the Rockies did over the weekend, the Padres lost all three games to the Dodgers, plus another one on Thursday for good measure.

That equates to a five game losing streak, losses in eight of their last nine, and 11 of 13, and those two wins were by just one run.  The Mini-Pads have already wasted their surprising start, and a loss tonight means that despite all of the Rockies' problems, we will have company in the cellar.

San Diego Padres (11-14, L5, 4th in NL

West) 

Monday-Tuesday : 2-game series at San Diego

Losing streaks sabotage a team's run differential, so maybe it's not surprising that the Pads are now worse in that department than every NL team save the Nationals.  As noted last week, the Padres have been beneficiaries of eeking out close wins, while the Rockies' only successful recipe is to build a large lead early, like they did last week against tonight's starting pitcher.

A couple other interesting points:

• San Diego's typically strong pitching is fourth-to-last in the NL even with the benefit of Petco.
• Heath Bell may have 8 saves, but San Diego is fourth in the league in blown saves, with twice as many as Colorado.
  

Probable Pitchers:

Tonight, 8:05pm MDT

Good Jorge has been real good lately, allowing no more than two runs in his last three starts, but Good Jorge is still Winless Jorge with poor run support.  The Rockies lost his start vs San Diego 4-3 thanks to Alan Embree and Manny Corpas.   Hopefully the blister he developed in that start has been neutralized. DLR is 0-1 with a 5.29 ERA is his career against San Diego.

Todd Helton and Chris Iannetta homered off Correia last Wednesday in jumping out to a 3-0 lead.  Those are the only home runs Correia has given up this year, but he is winless and has had a problem pitching late into games.

Tuesday, May 5, 8:05 MDT

Cookie got his first win facing these Padres last Wednesday.  He had a shutout going into the seventh but allowed home runs to Henry Blanco and Adrian Gonzalez.  Facing the Pads will be even more advantageous.  Has the real Aaron Cook shown up?

Josh Geer was supposed to face Colorado in Chad Gaudin's spot last week but instead got pushed to Thursday against LA, where he gave up 4 runs in six innings, thanks to home runs by Manny Ramirez and Orlando Hudson.  But beware, his FIP is nearly a full run lower than his ERA, he has a funky pitching motion, and he did well against Colorado last year (1-1, 2.70).

Luis Rodriguez is 7-for-16 in his past seven games, and Brian Giles is 6-of-16.

Kevin Kouzmanoff has just one hit in his past 20 attempts, and he has gone down on strikes 9 times in that span.  Chase Headley is only 3 for his last 18, and Adrian Gonzalez has managed one measley hit better than Headley with the same number of ABs.  

Nothing new to report from last Monday.

NL West Report after the jump.

Arizona (11-14, t-3rd, L1)

Last Week: 2-1 vs Cubs, 2-2 at Brewers

This Week:2 game series @ Dodgers, 2 game series @ Padres, 3 game series vs Nationals

News: As reported last week, the D-Backs could be sellers at the trading deadline.  With Brandon Webb injured and not a trading candidate, Nick Piecoro suggests Doug Davis could be traded. 

Doug Davis

#49 / Pitcher / Arizona Diamondbacks

Height: 6-4

Weight: 215

Bats: R

Throws: L

Born: Sep 21, 1975

Other candidates are Felipe Lopez and Jon Garland.  With our luck, the D-Backs will completely collapse and land the first overall pick.  Again.

Tom Gordon's return to the bullpen didn't last long.  He landed on the15-day DL today after injuring his leg making a tag at home yesterday.  It's highly probable that Gordon will be on the DL for longer than 15 days.

Justin Upton is finally breaking out his bat in 2009, this time not against the Rockies.  His moonshot at Milwaukee over the weekend was impressive, though it was mere feet longer than Dreamy's shot last week.

Los Angeles (18-8, 1st, W4)

Last Week: 1-2 @ Giants, 4-0 vs Padres

This Week: 2 game series vs. D-Backs, 2 game home series vs. Nationals, 3 game home series vs. Giants.   Twenty-six games into the season, the Dodgers have yet to lose a home game at 10-0.  That trend should change this week with all 7 games at home.  We can only hope.

News:  The Dodgers are winning, but outside of Randy Wolf and early Cy Young candidate Chad Billingsley, their rotation is highly unstable.  Yahoo's Tim Brown reflects on the rotation status.  It is very unlikely that the Dodgers will acquire a starting pitcher with Hiroki Kuroda, Shawn Estes, Eric Milton and Jason Schmidt as in house possibilities.

Jason Schmidt

#29 / Pitcher / Los Angeles Dodgers

Height: 6-4

Weight: 210

Bats: R

Throws: R

Born: Jan 29, 1973

Speaking of Schmidt, he is rehabbing well in extended spring training.  He threw 89 pitches in 7 innings before being hit with a line drive off his shin.  In another bizarre twist, Schmidt was supposed to be making a rehab start in the minors but reported to extended spring training stemming from a "miscommunication."

Hiroki Kuroda is still weeks from returning.

San Diego (11-14, t-3rd, L5)

Last Week: 1-2 at Rockies, 0-4 at Dodgers.

This Week: 2 game home series vs Rockies, 2 game home series vs D-Backs, 3 game road series vs Astros

News:  Kevin Towers may shake up the roster if the Padres continue to fall apart, but without resources, trades won't be involved.  Those changes would more than likely be restocking the pitching staff with AAA arms.  Warm body for warm body.  Good luck with that.

New CEO Jeff Moorad did a chat with fans on MLB.com.  Of note, he stated that he would like to keep Jake Peavy, though "no one player is untouchable."  Except maybe Adrian Gonzalez, who he stated could be signed to an extension before 2010.

After getting run out of Coors Field Monday, Chris Young recognized he has to limit the thefts, but stating it "doesn't change the way I'm pitching" is pretty counterproductive to that goal.

San Francisco (12-11, 2nd, W1)

Last Week: 2-1 vs Dodgers, 2-1 vs Rockies. The Giants have now won five consecutive series, winning two games in each.

This Week: 2 game road series at Cubs, 2 game road series at Giants, 3 game road series at Dodgers.  It will be difficult for the Giants to stay hot this week being on the road all week, especially when they visit Chavez Ravine this weekend.

News:  Jason Whitlock thinks the Royals should sign Barry Bonds.  Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle thinks Bonds should retire. 

Barry Bonds

#25 / Left Field / San Francisco Giants

Height: 6-2

Weight: 240

Bats: L

Throws: L

Born: Jul 24, 1964

Count both on my feet in Schulman's camp.  Andrew Baggarly had a conversation with Bonds, which was as enlightening as usual.

The Giants offense has been abysmal.  Grant at MCC has a comical scouting report on the specific type of pitcher that neutralizes the Frisco bats.

Forbes named AT&T Park the best MLB stadium last month.