Padres/Rockies, 29 June - Notes

Last night was unused season ticket night at the old ballpark, so we had an excuse to go.  Not that we really need an excuse, we have season tickets.  Some thoughts on Tuesday's game:

1. A quiet groan could be heard when Tony Gwynn Jr was announced as the leadoff hitter.  Gwynn's OBP (.324) doesn't lend itself to this slot.  Here's an interesting tidbit:  It's actually third highest on the club, behind Adrian Gonzalez (.399), David Eckstein (.326), and Yorvit Torrealba (.338).  It would be awesome to hit the catcher leadoff, but I don't think Bud black is that progressive.
2. Chase Headley had a rough night at the plate.  He left 2 runners on in each of his first two at bats.  He would have hit into a double play in the sixth, but Scott Hairston's great take out slide broke it up.  Finally he was caught stealing in the eighth, although to be fair that looked like a blown hit and run.
3. I hate the contact play.  San Diego ran themselves out of a run in the third.  Clearly Scott Hairston gets pitched differently with a runner on third and two out instead of a runner on first and two out, so we cannot say he would have gotten the single anyway.  Why send the runner with the infield halfway in the third inning?  Gwynn Jr made a great slide, but he was out.  A little over-aggressive there, I think.
4. Gwynn Jr's RBI single in the seventh was foul.  We were sitting in Section 220 and had a great look at it.  The umpire hesitated on the call because Rockie LF Ryan Spilborghs blocked the ball with his body after he landed.  I think the ump decided the ball hit Spilborghs while Ryan was still in fair ground.  It didn't look that way to me.
5. Jerry Hairston Jr's HR would have been out even if the fan hadn't caught it; it bounces off the scoreboard and into the crowd.  That was one of two fine plays in the stands tonight (the other being the barehanded catch of a soft line drive just behind first base).
6. Yorvit struck out in the eighth and the catcher didn't hold the strike.  Why didn't Torrealba run to first?
7. The ball Carlos Gonzalez hit out was crushed.  Actually I'm glad the Rockies scored a few more runs, it would have been unjust for LeBlanc to lose 1-0 on that lone mistake.
8. Edward Mujica will hereafter be known as "Home Run Ed".  When he was announced, I unloaded a loud "NO!" into the air.  Someone behind me asked who I'd wanted to come in, Mike Adams?  I replied, "Anyone but Mujica.  Here comes a HR."  Of course the same guy told me I was to blame for the home run.  He was kidding, I think, but good God:  10 HR in 40 IP?  Perhaps Black needs to re-think his situational pitching.
9. The Padres blew a hit and run in the eighth that got Headley thrown out stealing.  The Rockies perfectly executed a hit and run in the ninth, which jump-started the inning and eventually led to 2 insurance runs.
10. Why did Beimel pitch to Gonzalez?  Because Gonzalez was 4 for 24 going into that at-bat.  4 for 25 afterwards.  Yes his groundout knocked in a run, but the Rockies were still ahead, and Belisle struck out Scott Hairston to end the threat.
11. The first six innings were played in 90 minutes.  The last 3?  Ninety minutes.  Eight pitching changes help make the game go a lot longer.

But at least, we all got free tacos.