Padres Celebrate Jackie Robinson Day with a Win

WARNING: This blog may contain extreme optimistic bias.

Much like this blog post.

Today was a great day for baseball. As everyone knows the story of Jackie Robinson, we can give him a standing ovation from our computers as we read this for what he did for the game of baseball.

As the Padres took on the Dodgers tonight for the first time since last Wednesday's brawl, one would have though thought tensions would be high and some dirty baseball might by played. Fortunately, for those of us who enjoy watching the game of baseball for baseball, the game was overall clean.

Nine Padres trotted out donning Jackie Robinson's #42 and they seem to have a different sense about them. I saw plenty of times they had patience at the plate (0-2 walks by Everth and Denorfia in the 7th), leaving balls in the dirt, hitting the ball solid overall and seeming to make me have faith in everyone in the lineup to get a hit tonight (including the pitcher Eric Stults with a 3-run jack in the second).

The Padres were able to compile 9 hits and 9 walks tonight in the 6-3 victory as 7 starters came away with a base knock. Yes, this includes Cameron Maybin, Sexi Alexi Amarista and recently called up Kyle "The K Man" Blanks.

Even the pitching seemed to be on point. It is no secret that the Padres have had their trouble with pitchers going deep in the game. Stults started off the same throwing over 20 pitches in the 1st, his stat line ended up quite well going 6IP, 9 hits, 4K's and 3 ER, giving the Padres their second quality start in a row. Although the hits were high, he was able to battle out of jams, including a first inning bases loaded one, in which he struck out Eithier to end the inning. He consistently was able to hit his spots and give the Padres a chance to win.

The bullpen actually did their job for once! Brad Brach pitched the 7th striking out Kemp looking and getting Gonzalez to GIDP, Luke Gregerson pitched a shutout 8th and Huston Street came in for the save. 3 IP, 0 runs. That is what good bullpens do.

Poor Kemp. Not really.

It is amazing when you do the right things and play to the ability to team has, they can actually win. 17 runners reached base, pitching did their job an and the defense yielded no errors. Do this a lot, and you will win some games.

What made me most stoked overall this game? Consistency. Padres were able to continuously get batters on base in every inning, including a lot of leadoff men. This is how you score. With patience at the plate drawing walks and sac bunting them over, the Padres played smart baseball and were able to get some runs without having to do to much.


Leaves a good taste in my mouth tonight with the hopes Chase Headley makes it to LA tomorrow to make his season debut.

Yes, you will hit many balls that way, Chase.