Posted May 13, 200520 yr Visit the links for proper formatting and in-line links. Fishstripes.com After an off-day yesterday, the Marlins are back out west this weekend - farther west than they've been all year actually. They're back in San Diego for a three game set with the Padres, which is, of course, one of Jack McKeon's old stomping grounds. This gave us a chance to sit down with the Padres' Swinging Friar. Grover: Friar, before we get into this, I have to ask you about your name. "Swinging Friar" seems to be a name laced with innuendo. I mean, it seems to conflict with what you're supposed to represent. Is there something we should know? Swinging Friar: Um, not really. I'm a Friar and baseball players, like the ones on the team I represent, swing bats. Get it? Grover: I guess. But we all saw this video over at Gaslamp Ball (if you're not patient enough to watch the whole video, skip ahead to when Anna's on the mound, about 45 seconds in). Your reaction to Anna Kournikova is a little odd for a man of the cloth, don't you think? Swinging Friar: Have you ever been that close to Anna Kournikova? Grover: No, sir. Swinging Friar: Exactly. Grover: Well, let's talk some baseball. Will there be any runs scored this weekend? Swinging Friar: I'm sure there will be a few, but I'm guessing not too many. We're going to see some nice pitching matchups: Beckett and Eaton tonight, Leiter and Peavy tomorrow, and Burnett and Lawrence on Sunday. Grover: We try to predict the outcome of things over here with ichthyomancy. Do you get any advance knowledge of what's going to happen from the Lord? Swinging Friar: No. I'm pretty sure he's more concerned with other things. Besides, if I got advance notice of anything, I'd probably want it to be of non-baseball stuff. Grover: Tell us a little about the Padres new park - Petco Park. I hear your big boppers complain about the spacious outfield. Swinging Friar: They certainly did last year. Unlike most of the new parks, which are bandboxes, I think Petco is a pretty "fair" park. But the numbers say that it's a pitchers park. So far this year it's 24th in runs and 26th in homers - which is also almost exactly where things shook out last year. Grover: You know, many of us are not all that familiar with the Padres. Guys like Klesko, Nevin, and Giles are pretty well known - but who else should we know about? Swinging Friar: Mark Loretta is probably the most under-rated guy in the National League. His power hasn't come around yet this year, but he's still getting on base about 40% of the time, which is just what you want from a #2 hitter. It wouldn't surprise me to see him as the starting second baseman on the USA's World Cup team next spring. Grover: What about Trevor Hoffman? Is that dude still alive? Swinging Friar: Yes, very much so. And he's still pitching well too. He just recently notched his 400th career save. That got some good publicity, but what probably should have been more noted was Tervor's charity work. Grover: What about Sean Burroughs? Is he ever going to hit for power? Swinging Friar: Well, he's off to a decent start this year. He can sure hit for average. I'm not sold on the power coming around though. It's starting to look like his career highlight will be the postgame interview he gave in the Little League World Series. Grover: Woah - let's not get into that! This is a somewhat family oriented site. Swinging Friar: What does that mean - that you couldn't Google a transcript of the interview? Grover: Pretty much. Well, it's been great talking to you Friar. I'm going to let you go now because I have to get a nap in before tonight's game. Looks like I'm going to have a late night. Oh, and if the Mermaids (and someone needs to work with the Marlins/Mermaids on their placement in a Google search...) traveled with the Marlins for this trip... well, you'd better behave. Ducksnorts at All-Baseball.com first pitch: 7:05 p.m., PT television: Channel 4 matchup: Adam Eaton (4-1, 3.79 ERA) vs Josh Beckett (5-2, 2.14) After a 5-2 road trip, the Pads return home to play the two best teams the NL East has to offer. The story out of Florida is the pitching. Marlins hurlers are holding the opposition to .226/.300/.328 through 31 games. They’re basically making everyone look like Paul Bako or Juan Castro right now. Looking for chinks in the armor, not finding much. I guess the one good thing is that the Pads aren’t throwing a left-hander against them this weekend. The Fish are hitting .316/.373/.462 against southpaws, as compared to a more manageable .259/.335/.392 versus right-handers. AB BA OBP SLG Eaton vs current Marlins 115 .339 .392 .513 Beckett vs current Padres 76 .211 .315 .316 Juan Pierre (.444/.483/.630! in 27 AB) has Eaton’s number. In limited time, Miguel Cabrera (.714/.750/1.286 in 7 AB) has put up some sick numbers as well. On the other side, no Padres have faced Beckett often enough to make a difference. Khalil Greene has the lone home run. Random stat of the day: Brian Giles has yet to strike out in May. Over those 10 games, he’s hitting .378/.500/.703, with seven extra base hits and nine walks.
May 13, 200520 yr these things actually made me dumber....especially that first article. 771674[/snapback]
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