Series Preview: Reds versus alt. Reds

You could probably play the "this team reminds me of that team" game with any two teams, but I think there's something special with the Padres. This is probably just because of the effects of the Latos trade, yeah, but there's also the thumpin'-but-immobile LFer that we remember so well and the pitching staff that loves to keep their K/BB ratios on the level. So here's some stuff on the Padres to get you ready.

They are an offense-first team. The PETCO dip could throw one off, but Yonder's doing a .350 OBP, Quentin and Cabrera are above that, and pretty much everyone would have an SLG over .400 in GABP. Kyle Blanks is finally showing up the way people thought he would. This could be a slugfest of a series.

Their defense, well, sorta. Quentin and Amarista in the OF has been pretty brutal, but Venable/Denorfia has been solid in right. Headly's been stellar, but Cabrera is basically a 2Ber faking it. Jedd Gyorko is the hot prospect who is doing a decent job.

It's pronounced Jerk-o, apparently. Heh.

The pitching is brutal. Andrew Cashner is supposed to be a star, with high GB% and K%, but he's letting up homers at a Volquezian rate. Volquez is doing everything at a Volquezian rate. The bullpen is pretty weak, with a whole bunch of people doing their John Reidling or Todd Coffey impersonations. As I said, slugfest.

Dale Thayer is a meme. Heh.

The matchups this weekend are going to be:

• TONIGHT at 7PM ET: Cashner @ Arroyo. Mentioned Cashner above. Ex-Cub, traded for Rizzo, oft-injured, big beard, good stuff. Kinda the opposite of Arroyo.
• SATURDAY at 7PM ET: Ross @ Cingrani. Ty Ross started out in the rotation, was terrible, then went to the bullpen, and has now had three new starts, where he's been quite good. Has the best strikeout stuff on this team, I guess. Probably the Padres' best shot this series.
• SUNDAY at 1PM ET: Kennedy @ Leake. In 2011, Ian Kennedy went 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA in 222IP. Unfortunately, the BABIP. After getting beaten up for a couple years in Arizona, he was moved west to try to hide his inefficiencies. He's only had one start - a perfectly cromulent one at that - so now he's going to try his luck against the Reds. Welp.

This has been a bit of a boring preview, but don't blame me. There's nothing interesting to say about the Padres.