Rolling along

The Padres’ streak continues as they pulled off a dramatic 7-5 win over the Giants last night. The Friars have now won five straight and 13 of their last 19. Over that 19-game stretch, the Padres are outscoring their opponents 118-78, averaging 6.2 runs/game while hitting .292 with a .352 OBP and .466 SLG.

Due to the offensive surge, the Padres now rank among the league leaders in several offensive categories since the All-Star break, including runs scored (2nd), hits (4th), doubles (6th), triples (1st) and batting average (6th). They are 20-18 since the break, one of just six NL clubs to play over .500 ball since the Midsummer Classic.

Now, it’s time to get a little nerdy on you…

Keep in mind that these are just numbers and obviously what happens on the field day-to-day rightfully determines a team’s win-loss record. I point this out JUST FOR FUN.

Despite the Padres’ record, the club has actually outscored their opponents 503-497 this season. They join the Diamondbacks as the only two NL West teams to score more runs than they have allowed in 2011. In fact, according to baseball-reference.com, the Padres’ Pythagorean win-loss record is 66-64, tops in the NL West (ARI 65-64; COL 65-65; LAD 62-66; SF 62-67).

Again, this is JUST FOR FUN. For more information on what exactly a Pythagorean winning percentage is, here is the explanation straight from baseball-reference.com (might want to brush up on your order of operations first):

“Pythagorean winning percentage is an estimate of a team’s winning percentage given their runs scored and runs allowed. Developed by Bill James, it can tell you when teams were a bit lucky or unlucky. It is calculated by

(Runs Scored)^1.83/[(Runs Scored)^1.83 + (Runs Allowed)^1.83]

The traditional formula uses an exponent of two, but this has proven to be a little more accurate.”

Future Friar: Anthony Rizzo

Time for our fourth Future Friar installment as we try to introduce you to some of the players you are likely to see at PETCO Park in the future. Today we visit someone you are probably fairly familiar with already. He made his debut this year and is likely to return before the season is over. He figures to be a large part of the Major League team going forward. Meet…Anthony Rizzo.

Anthony Rizzo, 22, was born on August 8, 1989 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. He played his high school ball at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida, hitting .468 his senior season. That performance resulted in his selection in the sixth round of the 2007 Draft by the Red Sox.

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In the Sox minor league system, Rizzo hit .284 (307-for-1080) with 85 doubles, 38 home runs, 180 RBI and 170 runs scored in 282 games over four seasons before being acquired by the Padres as part of the trade that sent Adrian Gonzalez to Boston.

While posting solid numbers on his journey through the minors, Rizzo faced his largest challenge off the field. At the age of 18, while playing with the Red Sox Single-A Greenville affiliate, he was diagnosed with  limited stage classical Hodgkin’s lymphoma. To combat the disease, Rizzo underwent six months of chemotherapy treatments after which doctors informed him that the cancer was in remission. When he returned to the field, he picked up right where he left off, terrorizing minor league pitching. He played two more seasons in the Sox system before joining the Padres last offseason.

After a solid performance at Big League camp for the Friars, Rizzo was sent to Triple-A Tucson to begin the 2011 campaign. It was here that his numbers really took off. Over the first couple months of the season, Rizzo hit .365 with a .444 OBP and .715 SLG (1.159 OPS), earning a promotion to the Padres. He made his Major League debut on June 9, collecting a triple for his first Big League hit.

The trip to the Majors served as a reality check for Rizzo, as his numbers came back down to earth. He was optioned back to Triple-A on July 21, his offensive attack picking right back up. Upon his return to Tucson, he hit safely in nine of his first 12 games, going 18-for-48 (.375) with seven doubles, six home runs and 22 RBI.

“Rizz has had an MVP-type season at Tucson, hitting for both average and power along with excellent run production,” says Padres Vice President of Player Development Randy Smith. “He has continued to improve as the season has progressed from a defensive and offensive standpoint.  All in all a tremendous season from a guy who just turned 22 in August.”

In 80 total games at Triple-A this year, Rizzo has hit .345 (105-for-304) with 31 doubles, one triple, 23 home runs, 95 RBI, 56 runs scored, a .422 OBP and .681 SLG. In addition to his hot bat, the 6-3, 220 pound first baseman has committed just 11 errors in 689 chances at first base, posting a .984 fielding percentage.

Here’s a great fan video of Rizzo’s first hit from the Padres June 9 win over the Nationals. Skip ahead to 1:30 for the good stuff.

Grand Finale

Today is a big day in Padreland, capping off a big weekend. On the heels of last night’s 14-1 win and Dierks Bentley concert, the Friars will look to complete the four-game sweep of the Fish this afternoon, following the Trevor Hoffman retirement ceremony. A quick reminder if you are headed to today’s game…be sure to get here early for the pregame ceremony. Plan to be in the seats by 12:30 this afternoon.

The Padres enter today’s series finale looking for their second sweep of the Marlins this season. The Padres have won all six of their matchups against Florida this year. They have claimed each of the last seven dating back to last season and 14 of the last 18 dating back to August 28, 2009.

A quick note on the Padres improved offense since the All-Star break, courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau: The Padres scored 14 runs on Saturday, increasing their average of runs per game since the All-Star Game to 5.2, third-highest in the Major Leagues since the break.  Prior to the break, San Diego had averaged 3.3 runs per game, the lowest in the Major Leagues.  No team has finished in the top three in the Majors in runs per game after the break after being last in that category before the All-Star Game.

Future Friar: Keyvius Sampson

Today we introduce another of the Padres top prospects, this time taking a trip to the mound. Meet…Keyvius Sampson.

At 20 years old, Keyvius Sampson (pronounced KEY-vus) is quickly making a name for himself at the minor league level. Currently in this third year in the Padres organization, Sampson is backing up the hype that had the Padres select him in the fourth round of the 2009 Draft out of Florida’s Forest High School.

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After signing in 2009, Sampson took to the mound and posted a 3.38 ERA in four appearances (two starts) during his first professional season, split between Rookie-level Peoria and Short-A Eugene. In his second year, Sampson had some success on the hill, but missed time due to soreness in his arm. He went 3-3 in 10 starts, recording a 3.56 ERA (17 ER/43.0 IP) with Eugene.

Feeling like his old self again, the right-handed flame-thrower has spent the entire 2011 campaign with Single-A Fort Wayne. Through 20 starts this season, he has gone 9-2 with a 2.53 ERA (28 ER/99.2 IP), blowing hitters away with an electric fastball.

“Key has an explosive fastball that runs into the mid 90’s that he compliments with a very good change,” says Padres Vice President of Player Development Randy Smith. “Sampson is a good athlete that competes very well.”

Midwest League hitters would agree. Sampson has limiting opponents to a .175 average while striking out nearly 11 hitters per 9.0 innings pitched. He has not allowed an earned run in nine of his 20 starts, including each of his last three outings, and has yet to surrender more than six hits in a game all season.

For more on Sampson, check out this interview with milb.com.

Padres sign draft picks

Yesterday was a big day for the Padres as they agreed to terms with three of their top draft selections on the final day of signing. As is customary with the early picks from each year, it came down to the last minute and the Padres landed a bevy of talent to add to their minor league system.

The club yesterday signed right-handed pitcher Joe Ross, selected in the first round, right-handed pitcher Michael Kelly, selected in the compensation round and catcher Austin Hedges, selected in the second round.

Check out this post from June with some video of both Kelly and Hedges.

When all the dust settled, the Padres signed 26 of their top 27 picks from this year’s draft.

Here is a little bit of info on the newest Padres, straight from the press release:

Ross, 18, was selected 25th overall in the first round by the Padres.  The right-hander was selected out of Bishop O’Dowd High School in Oakland, Calif., where he posted a 0.83 ERA and 95 strikeouts over 67.2 innings during his senior campaign.

Kelly, 18, was selected 48th overall in the compensation round (for right-handed pitcher Jon Garland).  He was selected out of West Boca Community High School (FL).  The right-hander played in the 2010 Aflac All-American Baseball Classic at PETCO Park.

Hedges, 18, was the Padres’ second-round selection out of Junipero Serra High School in San Juan Capistrano, Calif.  The right-handed hitter was rated as the 12th-best position player prospect in the 2011 draft class by Baseball America, as well as one of the best defensive catchers.