Pads Look To Bust Out Brooms For First Time: Pads vs. Buccos 4/21

By Bob Scanlan

SWEEEEP!!! Wait…does it make sense to say that you have to dust off your broom? What do you use to do that anyway, a microfiber cloth? In any case, it has been awhile since the Padres have done any sweeping: it was last August against the Bravos when the Friars last took every game of a series.

However, after last night’s 8-2 trouncing (had to use the microfiber on that word as well) of the Pirates, they are in position to bust that big, bad broom out.

For the Padres to continue to keep this band of would-be marauders in their downward spiral, and send them packing with no pillaging and plundering on their way out, the Friars will need to…

1. Just stay close – Gerrit Cole is starting for the Pirates tonight and when he is on he can be filthy with his overpowering fastball and biting slider. However, he is coming off a shortened spring with a rib injury. His first outing of the season was not strong but his last outing was better, so you don’t really know how close he is to full strength. Point is, no matter how he starts the game, there is a chance because of his reduced spring work that he could fade more quickly than normal. Also, the last two times the Friars faced him, although he did come out firing fastballs from 96-98 MPH in the first few innings, that velo decreased significantly such that by the time he reached the 90-pitch mark, he was sitting at a mortal 91-92. If the Pads can just stay within striking distance through the first five innings, the door could start to open if Cole winds down as we’ve seen before, and the Pads can get a shot at a Buccos bullpen that owns a 4.28 ERA.
2. Use the curba – For two nights now we’ve seen a Pirates offense that has not been able to do much with breaking pitches. I’m not necessarily talking about nasty ones either, as Colin Rea, who was not his sharpest yet still survived, proved Tuesday night. Drew Pomeranz, on the other hand, did have his good curve working last night, went to it early and often, and recorded a career high 10 Ks.
   James Shields toes the slab tonight for the Friars and has a curve, slider, cutter, and change in the tool box to choose from. One if not more of those offerings is usually working on any given night, but slower seems to be better against this right-hand heavy Pirates lineup. Hopefully James has a feel for his curve from the get-go and can keep the Buccos off balance for one more night.
3. Bottom order help – Through the first two weeks of the season the entire Padres offense was quiet, but especially the bottom part of the order which was hitting below .200 as a group. The 5-8 hitters have come to life this series and been big contributors to the first two Padre wins of this series. Collectively, they have collaborated for 10 hits (.385 AVG), 9 runs, and 8 RBI. Of particular note has been the recent emergence of Derek Norris, who hit safely in his last four games, with a HR, a double, 4 runs scored, and 2 RBI. Nothing wrong with the big boys in the middle doing the heavy lifting, but when you start getting help from below is when the flood gates can open with more pressure on opposing starters, earlier appearances of underbellies of opposing bullpens, and subsequently less pressure on your own staff.

“Yo ho, yo ho…” a Padres sweep for me!