We've all heard the old anecdote involving a conversation between a physician conversing with a patient. While making some type of hinged motion with a limb, the patient says, "Hey, Doc, it hurts when I do this." The physician deadpans, "Well, don't do that."
Vicente Padilla started the 2005 season on the disabled list with triceps tendinitis, which was the same injury that sent him to the disabled list for a time and limited his effectiveness in 2004.
Once Padilla returned to the rotation in mid-April, he was pronounced to be completely healthy, and that we could expect the Nicaraguan to pitch the way he did in 2002 and 2003, a period in which he won 28 games for the Phillies and went to an All-Star Game.
But the product was not at all what was advertised. From April 19th to July 1st, Padilla started twelve games and went 3-8 with a 6.96 ERA. He was allowing over 2 HR's and 5.5 walks per 9 innings pitched. Opposing batters were hitting over .300 against him, the longest he had lasted in a game was 5 2/3 innings, and his WHIP (walks plus hits per inning pitched) was 1.9.
No matter how you ciphered the numbers, Padilla was just plain awful. Easily one of the worst players in all of baseball. He was being compared with regularity to Paul Abbott, one of 2004's worst players.
Speculation abounded as to what was the source of Padilla's troubles. Discussions revolved around his health and his character. Is his tricepts still hurting him? He never talks to anyone, not even teammates...and hey, remember those alcoholism rumors?
Others would point to his tempo on the mound, pointing out how delibrately (Chris Wheeler being a homer) or just plain slow (L.A. calling it as he saw it) he became, especially with runners on base. Cited was the fact that without runners on base, Padilla would work faster and make higher quality pitches. Once runners were on the basepaths, Padilla would slow down, visibly overwhelmed with everything that was happening.
If that was truly the sole source of Padilla's problems, then the logical reaction would be: Well, stop letting runners on base.
Easier said than done of course, but maybe that was part of what Charlie Manuel said when he spoke to Padilla sometime before his July 6th start against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Reportedly, part of the conversation also included an ultimatum: Either get it together on this start, or you lose your spot in the rotation.
The result was six innings pitched -- an accomplishment in and of itself -- and zero earned runs, which contributed greatly to a 5-0 win for the Phils.
From there, the Phillies went into All-Star Break and Padilla's quality start was overshadowed by The Bobby Abreu Home Run Derby ("brought to you by the Enola Gay"). But sure enough, once the dust settled, Padilla picked up right where he left off and began to string together one quality start after another.
From July 6th through his last start on Tuesday night against the Giants, a span of nine starts, Padilla has an ERA of 1.94 and has allowed only two home runs in over 60 innings pitched. And as for not allowing baserunners, his WHIP has been a miniscule 1.00.
Padilla is still walking too many batters for his own good (3.4/9 IP during his good stretch),but the fact remains, if you had told any Phillies fan on the morning of July 6th that Vicente Padilla would be one of the best pitchers in baseball over the next six weeks, he or she would have asked for your car keys right on the spot.
What's that Doc? Just stop allowing baserunners...Brilliant!
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She Made Me Choke on Yards Pale Ale
On her blog, Deanna the Marinerd claims to be "just a girl who loves baseball". That alone makes her fairly unique, but to suggest that the best way for Ryan Howard to gain confidence against lefthanded pitchers is to take some cuts against Rheal Cormier, well, that is just impressive.
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Hey Look! A Ball!
When several of the Phloggers got together for a Phillies/Padres game, we all remarked how odd it is that ballplayers excitedly point at a high infield fly as it soars towards its apex. Why do they do that? Doesn't everyone know it's heading straight up?
When I attend play of the U.S. Amatuer Championships at Merion C.C. this weekend, I think I will try "the point" after a player hits a high wedge shot...
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64 and Counting...
Yesterday I met a very nice woman in her early 80's, who is blind and moderately hard of hearing. She listens to the Phillies on the radio every day, and when she told me she had been a phan since 1941, I replied, "That's a lot of baggage ma'am!"
She laughed and agreed.
