Padres Playoff Rotation?

The Padres are looking like a team of destiny this year. Hey, we can dream can't we? Apparently it's too soon for the team's real coaching staff to think about the playoff starting rotation. (Here, third story down.) Not too soon for an opinionated fan, however.

Woody Williams has been there and done that in many years in the majors. He's been sharp all September and is pitching like the veteran he is. He's a pro who can be trusted not to meltdown in the crucible of the playoffs. He'd be my number 1 starter.

Jake Peavy would be second just because he's Jake Peavy, an intensely competitive pitcher, who is brilliant when he is on. His competitiveness shows on the mound and is the thing that apparently ticked off the Dodgers first base coach when the Padres played in Los Angeles last week. The Jake Peavy Show can get a bit old, even for a loyal Padres fan, especially when the sizzle is not matched by the steak. There's been more sizzle than steak most of the year from Jake, as evidenced by his losing record this year, but his last start looked like the Jake Peavy of old.

Chris Young deserves to pitch second or even first based on his excellent performance all year. The guy is also as calm as a plant on the mound. But I'd pitch him third because with home field advantage in the playoffs, (it's looking that way at this time), he'd start the first away game. Young has not lost an away game since, well, it seems like forever.

Then Clay Hensley because of his consistently strong September performances and because David Wells does not deserve to start any post-season game in which he has to bat.

Then for game 5, back to Woody Williams.

Why diss Boomer, you might ask? Well, the team isn't winning when he starts. He pitches fine, but he can't hit, he can't field, he can't run, and each of those weaknesses has hurt him in his starts for the Padres. He's out of shape. The only reason he would take up space on my post-season roster, would be for World Series games when a designated hitter could take his place in the batting order. But, hey, I'll admit it, I'm still ticked at him for playing for Boston last year and not the Padres when we needed him more than we do this year.

-tdr

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