Matt Cain – Padre Killer

At the start of each series, we at Chicken Friars will zero in on an opposing player known to be a “Padre Killer.” No matter the day, time or place, this player is known to be a one-man wrecking crew when it comes to playing against the San Diego Padres.

In this column, I will analyze that player’s statistics against the Friars and try to offer some insight into how not to let that player beat our beloved team.

The biggest news coming out of San Francisco is the 50 game suspension handed down to Melky Cabrera by Major League Baseball for testing positive for testosterone.

But if the Padres want to make headlines of their own they need to beat the Giants to gain ground in the National League West.

While the Padres try to break the news, Giants pitcher Matt Cain is always in it because he is a Padre Killer.

Here is how Cain is always making the front page:

Sure, Cain has 11 loses against the Padres but most of those loses can be blamed for a lack of run support. No fault of his own, if I were the Padres the way to beat Cain is by holding the Giants’ offense in check.

By doing so it would prevent Cain from pitching with a lead because when he has a lead he is dominant and the Padres’ chances to win the ball game becomes miniscule. The Padres’ offense also needs to be aggressive at the plate. They may only get one good pitch to hit, so they need to hit that pitch.