Throwdown Thursday – Week 12

Every Thursday, we at Chicken Friars will pick the two best Padres performers over the past week and analyze what they accomplished. Then we will leave it up to you, the fans, to decide who earned the week’s Throwdown Thursday’s honor. 

Padres’ starting pitcher Clayton Richard adds his second Throwdown Thursday award to his mantel, after beating out his challenger and fellow starting pitcher Jason Marquis in what was the closest vote in Throwdown Thursday history.

Richard was crowned Week 11 Champion by getting 67 percent of the Chicken Friars fans’ vote while Marquis got an admirable 33 percent.

Richard evidently swayed Chicken Friars voters by pitching 7 2/3 scoreless innings while yielding five hits in last week’s performance against the Oakland A’s. He also struck out six, walked two and got 13 ground ball outs to pick up his second road win in a week. He established control of his fastball early and had hitters swinging at the curveball in the dirt.

The southpaw will defend his Throwdown Thursday Championship in Week 12 as he is pitted up against teammate Houston Street.

Clayton Richard- Richard pitched twice in the past week, tossing a combined 13 2/3 innings while giving up a total of eight hits and collecting 11 strikeouts in his outings versus the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros. He has combined for four earned runs in both outings. While Richard was dominant on the mound, it was his bat that found him on the Week 12 ballot. Richard has put together a .750 average for the week with a double, three RBI and a run scored. He is batting .138 with 4 RBI on the season.

Houston Street– Ever since Street has returned from the disabled list he has proven that his injured right lat muscle is completely healed. And it shows in his play. The closer has done what he has been called to do and that is to close out games. In the past week, Street has had three save opportunities and has converted all of them. He also has five strike outs in 3 1/3 innings pitch with one walk.

Now Padres fans, vote in our poll for the Padres performer of the week.  Is it  Richard or Street?