Padres dismiss Miller pitch-tipping speculation: 'On top of it' - ESPN

SAN DIEGO — Although the San Diego Padres have plenty of concerns while facing playoff elimination, they don't believe Mason Miller tipping his pitches is one of them.

Padres manager Craig Stammen dismissed the widespread online speculation after Game 2 of the National League Division Series that the Milwaukee Brewers could tell what was coming from San Diego's vaunted closer when they rallied for two runs and a 4-3 victory in the ninth inning.

«We've got a crew of people that are dedicated to that every single day,» Stammen said Monday at Petco Park. «That is their sole job. We're well aware of what's going on with our pitchers, well aware of what's going on with the Brewers' pitchers and how they do things. It's part of our daily [regimen]. The internet can go crazy and take things farther than they need to go. We feel good about our process within that situation.»

But the Padres are still smarting from Miller's blown save, which put them in a 2-0 series hole.

The All-Star closer threw only 21 of his 40 pitches for strikes over his two innings. The disciplined Brewers repeatedly laid off his sliders and errant fastballs while stringing together three walks in the ninth, followed by Jackson Chourio's two-out, two-strike, two-run single that won the game.

Though Stammen didn't confirm that the Padres are sure Miller wasn't tipping pitches, the manager downplayed the importance of the discussion.

«We've got a lot of guys on top of it, and we're not really worried about it,» he said.

Even while facing a possible quick end to their 91-win season, the Padres can take confidence from the fact that they were one strike from splitting the first two games with the majors' best regular-season team.

Many fans believe they were one