Ubaldo Jimenez is a stud. I mean, this kid is like 1968 Bob Gibson good. I watched him throw at PETCO Park on Monday night and he was amazing. Everything he throws is hard. The guy's fastball hit 101 MPH. His changeup is 92 MPH. Kevin Correia's fastball was clocked at 91 MPH. How anyone ever gets a hit off Jimenez is far beyond my comprehension.
So it's amazing the Padres actually had chances to beat the guy. David Eckstein and Chase Headley both scalded balls right at Rockies infielders that would have brought home runs (by the way, the Padres have scored 3 of the 4 runs Jimenez has allowed in his 6 starts this season). It may have been a loss, but what I took from it is this. The Padres offense is better than we expected. To be that close to beating a guy who is being mentioned with Roy Halladay and Tim Lincecum as the best pitcher in the National League, who is undefeated in six starts, and who threw the first no-hitter in Rockies history a couple weeks ago proves San Diego can play with anyone.
