PADRES OFFENSE: STEP IT UP!
The Padres offense has a problem.
And at this point, it’s time to start calling some guys out.
The Padres lost again Wednesday, and once again the offense simply didn’t do enough.
You can talk about pitching. You can talk about defense. You can talk about matchups, bullpens, schedules and everything else that goes into winning baseball games.
But here’s the bottom line:
You have to get hits with runners in scoring position.
RISP.
The four most important letters in baseball.
If you don’t get hits with runners in scoring position, it doesn’t matter what else you do well.
You’re not going to win enough baseball games.
And right now, some of the Padres’ biggest hitters need to step it up.
MANNY MACHADO — STEP IT UP
Let’s start with the leader of this team.
Manny Machado.
He’s hitting .215 with a .712 OPS.
The OPS is okay.
But we don’t need okay from Manny Machado.
He’s one of the key hitters in this lineup. He’s one of the guys this offense is built around.
When the Padres need a big hit, Manny needs to be one of the guys delivering it.
So Manny:
Step it up.
JACKSON MERRILL — LET’S GO
Jackson Merrill is hitting .240 with a .698 OPS.
Now, Merrill gives the Padres tremendous value in center field, so this isn’t just about his bat.
But the Padres didn’t give Merrill a massive contract because they wanted him to be okay.
They expect him to be a star.
And we know what he’s capable of.
But Jackson…
Please.
Stop swinging at every high fastball.
And stop chasing sliders in the dirt.
You’re too good for that.
Let’s go.
XANDER BOGAERTS — WE NEED MORE
Xander Bogaerts is hitting .220 with a .649 OPS.
His defense has been really good.
But this offense desperately needs more from his bat.
This is exactly why the Padres have guys like Bogaerts in the lineup.
When you’ve got runners on second and third and need somebody to drive them home, your veteran hitters have to deliver.
The defense matters.
But right now?
We need hits.
RISP. RISP. RISP.
This isn’t complicated.
Get guys on base.
Move them over.
Drive them in.
That’s baseball.
You can have all the talent in the world, but if you keep wasting opportunities with runners in scoring position, you’re going to lose games you should win.
And yes, I went out on a limb and predicted the Padres would win the NL West.
I’m sticking to it.
I’m not running away from that prediction.
But I’m looking dumber and dumber every time the Padres waste another RISP opportunity.
Help me out here, guys.
THE DODGERS WON. BIG SURPRISE.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers won.
Of course they did.
Big surprise.
The Padres aren’t going to catch Los Angeles by waiting for the Dodgers to collapse.
They’re going to have to go take this division from them.
That means winning the games you’re supposed to win.
And it means getting the big hit when you’ve got runners in scoring position.
THE GIANTS WON?!
And somehow…
The Giants won.
Now THAT is a surprise.
After everything Giants fans have been watching lately, we’ll take it.
GIANTS WINNING: UNJACKED.
Enjoy it while we can.
FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE
And one more thing.
Football season is coming.
We can’t wait.
Baseball is heading into the part of the season where every game starts feeling bigger, and football is about to join the party.
This is when the sports calendar starts getting really good.
But first…
The Padres have some business to take care of.
I said they’re winning the NL West.
I’m sticking with it.
Now somebody please drive in a runner from second base.
PADRES OFFENSE: JACKED UP.
MACHADO: STEP IT UP.
MERRILL: STEP IT UP.
BOGAERTS: STEP IT UP.
WASTING RISP OPPORTUNITIES: EXTREMELY JACKED UP.
GIANTS ACTUALLY WINNING: UNJACKED.
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