The Padres took it on the chin again last night as the Arizona D'Backs totally outclassed the Friars in the rubber game of a three-game series. I won't go into details of the game--you can find that in the UT or on the Padres' website. I will, however, make a few observations regarding the Padres' sloppy defense and pitching.

But first, I want to talk about my night at the ballpark with my nephew Brandon, who turned 15 on July 10. Brandon doesn't get the opportunity to attend many games at Petco Park, so I make it a point to take him to a game every year around his birthday. So, last night was "boys' night out" for Brandon and Uncle Dean. (It should be noted that Brandon was the inspiration for the character Michael Robbins in my book, Pinch Hitter, and just happens to be a very handsome young man.)

Anyway, while vividly remembering what it was like to be 15 (albeit a long time ago), I couldn't wait to introduce Brandon, who will be a sophomore this year, to the bevy of beautiful young women at the TK. As soon as we entered the establishment, I could tell that Brandon had gotten over the adolescent shyness he displayed a year ago when we introduced him to some lovely young ladies at Seau's The Restaurant. Upon being seated, we were greeted by a beautiful young lady who happens to be one of our favorite servers. (I won't mention her name, but this girl sparkles with personality.) After inquiring about the whereabouts of my wife, she said that she was leaving soon but would introduce us to our server--a young lady with whom I was not previously acquainted.

During the course of our meal, we were visited often by our lovely server, who made it a point to converse with Brandon about his high school. After we finished our burgers (they're great, by the way) and paid the check, I asked Brandon if he was ready to leave. Obviously enjoying the view and the attention, he said no. However, before I had a chance to explain that our server would be losing money if we stayed at that table, he said something that one wouldn't expect from a 15-year-old boy who was sitting in a large room full of gorgeous young women. He said, "Uncle Dean, maybe we should go. There are a lot of people waiting for tables." I was impressed. As much as he wanted to stay, he was being considerate of the waiting patrons and our server.

He commented later that the Tilted Kilt is his favorite new restaurant...and he can't wait to go back.

Oh yeah...the game. The Padres looked awful last night. As much as I like Chase Headley, I hate the fact that he's playing out of position. The club needs to make a decision as to whom their third baseman of the future is going to be. If it's Headley, then Kouzmanoff should be dealt. If it's Kouz, then Headley should be traded.

I also believe that Cha Seung Baek and Josh Banks are better suited for the bullpen. Just take a look at their numbers as starters. Outside of Peavy, Young, and Maddux, we do not have decent starters. Why not give some of the AAA or AA pitchers an opportunity to show us what they can do? We may be pleasantly surprised...kinda like Brandon was at the TK last night.

Even though the Padres were shutout by Arizona last night, fans had to be excited about the return of Chris Young after a nine-week layoff. While surrendering only two hits and racking up eight strikeouts through five innings of work, the 6-foot-10 right-hander showed no ill-effects from being hit on the face by Albert Pujols in May. It's safe to say that CY's return was a total success.

Unfortunately, his teammates managed only two hits off of LPH Doug Davis, who had a no-hitter until Brian Giles lined a single into center field in the seventh. Sure, with all of his pitches working for him, Davis was brilliant last night. However, he was aided by the Padre hitters, who, at times, appeared to be flailing at pitches out of the strike zone.

To make room for Young, the Padres designated Chip Ambres for assignment. Given Ambres' performance, that move came as no surprise. However, as of this morning they're carrying twelve pitchers. With the trading deadline rapidly approaching, there is still much speculation that a Padre pitcher will be traded. That would free-up a roster spot for another position player, which very well could be Portland outfielder Peter Ciofrone, who's hitting .330 with eleven HRs and has a 26-game hitting streak.

Tonight it's Cha Seung Baek (3-5, 5.06 ERA) vs. Dan Haren (10-5, 2.56 ERA).

MARK TEIXEIRA AN ANGEL

Kudos the Angels for pulling off the deal for Mark Teixeira. As if they weren't already good enough to win it all, Teixeira gives them another solid bat in their lineup and is an excellent first-baseman. And, I don't believe they acquired him as a two-month rent-a-player, either. Don't be surprised if they sign him to a long-term deal in the off-season.

MANNY RAMIREZ TO THE DODGERS?

Although unlikely to happen, there's been talk about the Dodgers acquiring Ramirez from Boston. Word is that the Sox want a package of players-- including outfielder Matt Kemp, who's hitting .294 with 12 HRs. Bad move, Dodgers. If you want Manny, wait until Boston makes him a free agent at the end of this season.

Speaking of the Dodgers, I hear that they are not interested in Greg Maddux. That's good news to me...I want him to stay in San Diego.

Although the Padres finished their road trip with a record of 4-7, they ended it in grand fashion by taking three straight from Pittsburgh. The last time the club won three straight ballgames was June 4 - 8 when they actually took five straight decisions from the Cubs (2) and the Mets (3). Further, it marks the first time this season the Padres have won three straight on the road.

Jake Peavy (8-6, 2.67) led the way on Sunday with seven strong innings of four-hit ball. The only Pirate run scored on a walk, stolen base, and a ground ball single up the middle, which was the first hit given up by the right-hander. In throwing 127 pitches, Peavy collected ten strikeouts. Heath Bell looked sharp in the eighth and Trevor Hoffman shut the door in ninth while earning his 21^st save of the year and the 545^th of his illustrious career.

After collecting twelve hits, including four home runs, on Saturday in their 9-6 win, the Padres managed to get only seven hits on Sunday. However, two of those hits--a homer by Scott Hairston (his 17^th) in the eighth and another by Josh Bard in the ninth--turned out to be the difference in the game. In his second start after a lengthy stay on the DL (thank you, Mr. Pujols), Bard was 2-4.

My guess is that Chip Ambres--who, in his defense, hasn't seen much playing time lately--will soon be heading back to Portland. If that indeed does happen, it won't be because he was 0-4 with four strikeouts or because he dropped a routine fly ball for an error in the ninth. Rumor has it that Tadahito Iguchi will soon return from the DL; the likely candidate to go is Ambres. The question is, when Iguchi does return, who will play second base? My theory is that the Padres, who are well aware of Edgar Gonzalez's popularity, are starting to build a case that Edgar's defense isn't proficient enough for him to be an everyday second baseman--despite his .307 batting average. That's why we've seen Luis Rodriguez inserted into Edgar's spot in the bottom of the ninth inning of the last two games. If you ask, they'll tell you that it's for "defensive purposes". The Padres prefer to have Iguchi at second and Edgar on the bench as their top utility player. We'll see how well that plays with the Padre fans if Iguchi returns and continues to hit .259 while Edgar sits on the bench.

With only a few days remaining before the MLB trading deadline passes, a plethora of rumors are circulating about players such as Mark Teixeira, Jarrod Washburn, and even Manny Ramirez. Of course, many of the deals mentioned will not come to fruition. But, if for no other reason, it makes for great baseball conversation. The only Padre names that keep popping up are Brian Giles and Cla Meredith.

The Padres open up a three-game series against division-leading Arizona Monday evening at Petco Park.

The Padres collected eleven base hits and rallied for six runs to edge the Pirates 6-5 last night in Pittsburgh. Brain Giles, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Chase Headley, and Josh Bard--who started his first game since coming off the DL--had two hits apiece. Adrian Gonzalez hit his 23^rd home run of the year.

Although he ended up with the victory, Cha Seung Baek (3-5) ran into problems in the sixth and had to be bailed out by the bullpen. Trevor Hoffman retired the side on eight pitches in the ninth to collect his 19^th save of the year.

SHOULD GILES BE TRADED?

There's an ongoing debate regarding whether or not the Padres should trade Brian Giles, who, by the way, would prefer to stay in San Diego. It's been reported that there are a handful of teams interested in trading for Giles before the deadline. Albeit no longer a power threat, he's currently hitting .301 and certainly doesn't embarrass himself or the Padres in right field. A strong case could be made to keep him around for another year, despite the fact that it will cost the club $11 million to do so. If the Padres plan on making minor tweaks to the club with the intent of being contenders in 2009, they'd be wise to keep him around. However, if their intent is to tear down the team and rebuild with younger players who may not be able to deliver a winning season for a few years, he should be traded now. The money saved could be used toward a starting pitcher or bullpen help. If he is indeed traded, I just hope that Kevin Towers receives a quality player or two in return.

I highly recommend the following blog that specializes in MLB trade talk:

http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Tonight it's Josh Banks (2-4) vs. John Van Benschoten (1-2).

By losing to Pittsburgh 9-1 last night, the punchless Padres fell to 1-7 on their current road trip. Fill-in starter Clay Hensley took it on the chin, yielding six earned runs on seven hits through five innings of work. I say "fill-in" because Chris Young will apparently be reinstated in time to pitch against Arizona at home on Tuesday. Word is that Hensley will return to the bullpen.

Although it was a fairly typical loss (no offense & weak pitching), what bothers me is that the Padre offense was held scoreless by a young pitcher who had been pounded in his previous two starts. Even with six scoreless innings, Herrera's ERA stands at 9.75 over three starts. The Padres did bang out eight hits in the game, but only one for extra bases (Jody Gerut's double).

Padre reliever Bryan Corey was charged with three earned runs and saw his ERA climb to 6.21. However, I felt that he was victimized by shoddy defense in the bottom of the eighth. Kouzmanoff should've made the play on Rivas' ground ball with two outs. We've seen him make that play time and time again over the course of the season. But he didn't make it and scorekeeper ruled it a base hit instead of an error. Even though Corey subsequently served up a dinger to McLouth, all three runs should've been unearned.

Perhaps the Padres should seriously consider extending their "July Dollar Days" through August.

Padre pitcher Clay Hensley gets an opportunity tonight to prove that he's worthy of being part of the starting rotation. Called into duty following the trade of Randy Wolf to the Astros, Hensley's longest stint at Portland was six innings. There are many who believe that he's more valuable to the Padres in the bullpen. Although I'm aware that he prefers starting over relieving, I'm on board with that assessment--especially with the Padres' bullpen in such disarray. Trevor Hoffman is and will continue to be our closer until he decides to hang up his cleats. Despite his two bad outings in St. Louis, Heath Bell is still one of the best set-up guys in the league. Whether or not he ends up being our closer down the road, however, remains to be seen. I believe that Mike Adams has earned the right to be the seventh-inning guy. Outside of those three...yikes! As he so aptly demonstrated again yesterday, Cla Meredith is not reliable. Neither is Bryan Corey nor Wil Ledezma, who re-joined the club yesterday and is the only left-hander on the current roster. Another pitcher (possibly Kevin Cameron) will more than likely join the club in Pittsburgh today.

Chris Young should be returning shortly and he'll be followed soon after by Shawn Estes. With everyone healthy, the starting rotation should include Peavy, Young, Estes, and then two of the following: Cha Seung Baek, Clay Hensley, or Josh Banks. One of those three will return to the bullpen.

However, in the meantime, I'd love to see the Padres promote LHP Steve Garrison (7-5, 3.43 ERA) from San Antonio. Garrison, 21, pitched six strong innings last night, giving up three hits and no earned runs.  Kevin Towers is very high on this kid and would like to promote him sometime this year. And, since he shares the same birth date (9/12) with my wife, he must be okay.

Joe Thatcher is probably a very nice guy. Nevertheless, I hope we've seen the last of him in a Padre uniform. Demoted to Portland after getting hammered for five runs in one inning yesterday, Thatcher might be better off in another organization. He's certainly worn out his welcome in San Diego.

Clay Hensley picked up his first win of the year and Trevor Hoffman thwarted a ninth-inning, bases-loaded rally in a rare Padres come-from-behind victory over the Cincinnati Reds. While allowing only one Red to reach base (BB), Hensley looked sharp in his two-inning stint. In five innings of relief work since returning from shoulder surgery, he's yet to allow a run.

Although he ultimately picked up his eighteenth save of the year, Hoffy had us a little worried in the bottom of the ninth. After the first three batters singled to load the bases, the future Hall-of-Famer got strikeout, pop-up, strikeout to end the inning and secure the win.

All of the Padres runs (6) were produced by the top five batters in the lineup, who collectively went 10-for-21. The hot-hitting Scott Hairston picked up two more hits, including his sixteenth homer of the year. Edgar Gonzalez banged out three singles and raised his batting average to .321. Edgar's little brother Adrian collected two hits, including a double. But the big blow came from Kevin Kouzmanoff; his ninth inning double drove in the go-ahead runs for the Pads. Kouz ended up 2-for-4 with three RBI.

The six, seven, and eight hitters along with three Padre pinch hitters collectively went 2-for-15. And, while I'm certainly not complaining about a victory, it must also be pointed out that the Padres stranded twenty-one base runners in that game. Brian Giles (6), Adrian Gonzalez (4), and Khalil Greene (4) were responsible for fourteen of them.

I'm glad that Buddy Black has finally figured out (at least I hope he has) that Scott Hairston needs to be in the lineup every day. I realize that Gerut has done an excellent job in center and that he wants Chase Headley playing regularly (they didn't bring him up to sit). With Brian Giles a fixture in right, that gives Black three outfielders for two positions. So, what should he do? Well, I find it hard to believe that the Padres intend on picking up Giles' option for next season. Although he's still a very productive player average-wise, his power numbers are low for a corner outfielder who's making $9 or $10 million per year. That money could be better utilized elsewhere. Therefore, what I believe they should do is trade Giles while he has some value. That would free up right field for Gerut, Hairston, or any other outfielder they call up from the minors or receive via a trade.

There's a rumor floating around regarding the Padres' interest in trading Kouzmanoff for an outfielder with power potential. If that were to happen, Headley would move to third, thus alleviating the outfield logjam. We may know more about the Padres' future plans before the end of July.

The Padres begin today's play tied with Washington for the worst record in the majors. Given that this season is over anyway, perhaps there's a silver lining to being the worst of the worst. Here's why: the team with the worst record gets the first pick in the 2009 MLB amateur draft. And, who is likely to be the number one pick in that draft? If you guessed Stephen Strasburg, the hard-throwing right-hander from San Diego State, you get an extra cookie. There is one fly in the ointment, however. It appears that Strasburg will be represented by Scott Boras. Uh-oh. You know what that means, right? Yep, the Pads would have to shell out some serious coin if they intend to make Strasburg part of their future.

In the past, the Padres have avoided Boras' clients much like we all try to avoid the creepy-looking uncle with halitosis at family reunions. However, if they get an opportunity to draft Strasburg and opt instead for another local high school shortstop, everyone in the organization should be required to wear a big "L" on their foreheads for the remainder of the 2009 season. I'm just saying.

Well, it's really too soon to tell, but I'd say that Edgar's chances are slim and none...and slim just left town. If the season ended today, it would come down to either RHP Edison Volquez (12-3 - 2.29 ERA - 126Ks) of the Cincinnati Reds or catcher Geovanny Soto (.284 - 15 HRs - 56 RBI) of the Chicago Cubs. While Edgar is certainly the Padres' rookie of the year, his .309 average and five homers can't compete with Volquez and Soto.

A well-known local sports radio personality has been espousing his belief that Edgar should not be considered as the Padres' regular second baseman because he lacks range. While I normally agree with this gentleman's opinions on issues regarding our club, I strongly disagree with his assessment of Edgar. Even if he doesn't quite have the range of Tadihito Iguchi or some of other top second baseman in the majors, Edgar brings an energy to the ballclub. And, he's proving that he can get the job done offensively. I do agree that he would make an excellent utility player; he was promoted from Portland for that purpose. Still, when an anemic hitting club like the Padres finds a player who can hit over .300 with a little pop in his bat, he needs to play every day.

In a game in which the Padres got ten hits--including a home run--from their 1-through-5 hitters, it's really a shame that the pitching staff couldn't rise to the occasion. Maddux was his own worst enemy last night, surrendering six runs on eight hits through only four innings of work. While Bryan Corey and Mike Adams held the Cardinals down for two innings, Joe Thatcher provided additional proof that he's a 4A player by allowing St. Louis to tie the score in the seventh. It seems that Thatcher either allows inherited runners to score or gives up at least one or two of his own runs every time he takes the mound. As I've said before, I do not like to throw individual players under the bus. Baseball is a team sport. However, for the life of me, I do not understand why Buddy Black continues to call upon Thatcher in tight situations. In all honesty, I don't even know why he's on this team.

In my opinion, the most disconcerting thing about last night's loss was Heath Bell's implosion in the eighth inning. Arguably our best relief pitcher, Bell certainly didn't engender confidence in those of us who believe he's the Padres' closer of the future. I guess we just need to remind ourselves that sometimes even great pitchers get hammered once in a while.

Khalil Greene ended his slump by hitting a solo shot off of Braden "Smiley" Looper in the second--and then started a new one with his next at-bat. He finished the game going 1-for-4 with two strikeouts.

On the very first day of play after the All-Star break, the Padres traded Tony Clark to Arizona for minor league pitcher Evan Scribner, 22. The right-hander will pitch for Lake Elsinore.

That, of course, was the first of many moves the club figures to make over the next few weeks and perhaps even into August when players are required to clear waivers. Some of the moves will include the return of injured players, such as Chris Young and Josh Bard. Also, Clay Hensley is on his way back from Portland to fill Clark's roster spot. But, is Hensley returning to pitch or is he also on the trade block? I'd like to see him stay and be part of this team next year.

Now, on to last night's frustrating loss to St. Louis. I was surprised to see Peavy make that many location mistakes...and it cost him dearly. Four solo home runs did him in. He seemed to be throwing the ball well. However, his body language indicated, at least to me, that his mind was somewhere else. I didn't see the same fire that you normally see with Peavy.

We may have been given a glimpse of the future when Kouzmanoff led off the ninth with a double and scored on another double by Chase Headley, who represented the tying run on second base with no outs. Unfortunately, the Padres followed with strikeout-groundout-groundout and the game was history. Had Myrow advanced the runner to third, Headley may have scored the tying run on Hundley's groundout.

Sending Myrow in to pinch hit for Khalil Greene was an interesting move. At the time, I thought the right move was to have Greene bunt the runner over to third. Everybody knows that Greene's been struggling, but if he could lay down a successful bunt in that situation, we'd have the tying run on third with one out. Remember, too, that with Clark gone, the Padres were short one position player. Had Black's strategy been successful, the Padres could have gone into extra innings without a backup catcher or an infielder. Outfielder Chip Ambres would have been the only position player remaining on the bench.

However, I tend to agree with Channel 4's Matt Vasgersian, who opined that Black's moves may have had more to do with learning about how his left-handed pinch hitter (Myrow) would perform in that situation. With Clark gone, Myrow is his number one left-hander off the bench. You may recall that in his first at-bat as a Padre this season, Myrow belted a long, pinch-hit home run in a game in which the club enjoyed a huge lead. Last night, with the game on the line, he struck out on a pitch that wasn't in the strike zone. Sound familiar? Not a good sign.

Greg Maddux makes yet another attempt at 351 tonight in St. Louis. Is this his last start for the Padres? No matter what he does tonight or where he goes tomorrow, Maddux will always be a winner in my book.

Starting tomorrow, July 17, the Padres will play eleven consecutive days on the road. During that time and throughout the remainder of the month, we will undoubtedly be bombarded with trade rumors involving Padre players. With the club twenty-one games under .500 and ten games behind division leader Arizona, GM Kevin Towers will endeavor to trade away players who don't figure to be part of the Padres' future for prospects that could possibly help them down the road.

While it's unlikely that potential trade partners are going to part with any of their top prospects for the likes of Randy Wolf, Greg Maddux, or Tony Clark, one should never underestimate Towers' ability to swing deals that could benefit the Padres in the future. Case in point: On July 25 last year, Towers acquired LHP Joe Thatcher, LHP Steve Garrison, and RHP Will Inman from Milwaukee for Scott Linebrink. Not only had Linebrink been struggling as a Padre in 2007, he was also about to become a free agent who could command more money than the Padres would ever be willing to shell out for a set-up man. Of course, he eventually signed a huge deal with the Chicago White Sox during the off season. While Thatcher's performance this season has been less than stellar, Garrison and Inman have both pitched well in AA San Antonio and could be with the Padres next year, if not sooner.

If the Padres have a plan for the future, they're certainly not sharing it with their fans. Perhaps the trades they make will offer up some clues as to where they are headed with this club. There have already been rumors about Khalil Greene and Kevin Kouzmanoff being dealt. A contending club in need of a shortstop might be willing to part with a decent prospect or two for Greene. While there appears to be a plethora of fans who want to see Greene traded away, the problem is that the Padres have no one in their organization who can play shortstop on an everyday basis. Notwithstanding his offensive slump, Greene gives the club outstanding defense at short. I say you hang on to him and give him a chance to turn it around at the plate. If he continues to slump for the remainder of the season, you can then consider moving him to another club during the winter.

With Chase Headley emerging as an offensive star, the Padres may now consider Kouzmanoff expendable. A likely scenario would be Kouz being traded for an outfielder with power potential. For a guy who was playing AA ball in 2006, there's a huge upside to Kouz. Still, providing that they receive a quality player in return, trading the popular third baseman makes sense to me. And let's face it...Headley is shaky in left field and needs to be at third.

And then there are those who believe the Padres should trade all of their best players, including Jake Peavy, Chris Young, and Adrian Gonzalez, for the purpose of re-building the entire team. Inasmuch as that would create a PR nightmare for the club, I don't see it happening. They're already facing the possibility of losing long-time season ticket holders after the conclusion of this season. The Padres have quality players on this club. They just need a few more.

Of course, that's just my opinion and I could be wrong.

Last night's 4-1 loss to Atlanta wasn't surprising inasmuch the Padres rarely put forth much of an offensive effort for Greg Maddux. Twelve starts in a row without a victory. Count 'em. Maddux delivered yet another quality start, giving up only three runs through seven innings. And the Padres could only muster four measly hits against the Braves' rookie right-handed starter and bullpen.

I had this crazy notion that the Padres would be fired up last night. After all, they were playing in front of a sold-out crowd who came out to honor the 1998 NL Championship team. Instead, with the likes of Greg Vaughn, Kevin Brown, Andy Ashby, Steve Finley, and Tony Gwynn looking on, they very much resembled a team with the third worst record in the majors.

It was great seeing the players from the 1998 team introduced before the game. It was especially touching when Kevin Towers carried Ken Caminiti's jersey onto the field. And, for those of us who watched the game on TV, we were treated to guest appearances by several players who sat in with Tony Gwynn and Steve Quis for the play-by-play.

Randy Wolf gets another audition today and then it's three days off for everyone except Adrian Gonzalez. It's doubtful that there will be any player movement until after the break, but I expect to see Wolf and Tony Clark gone by next weekend.

THE BIG BOPPERS

I want to make it abundantly clear that I am not a Yankee fan. I am, however, an Alex Rodriguez fan. I believe that Arod's the only player alive who stands a chance to dethrone Barry Bonds and become the all-time home run leader. Oh yeah, it might take another nine or ten years, but it could happen. And I couldn't care less about Arod's marital issues--it's what he does on the field that matters. Last night he passed the great Mickey Mantle on the all-time list by hitting number 537. Next on the list: Mike Schmidt (548). No problem. However, the next guy--Reggie Jackson (563)--is a bit of a problem. Arod would have to hit twenty-seven more this year to pass him and become number eleven on the list. I hate to make predictions, but I believe that Arod will hit number 600 in May or June of 2010.

Speaking of home run hitters, Ken Griffey Jr. now has 605. He'll pass Sammy Sosa (609) this year. However, it's unlikely he'll ever catch Willie Mays (660).

With 525 career home runs, Jim Thome doesn't get a lot of ink. I've even heard some people say that he isn't worthy of the MLB Hall-of-Fame because he's a DH. That's simply ludicrous. In addition to 525 home runs, Thome--who was a first baseman for the majority of his eighteen-year career--has a lifetime batting average of .280. If he plays two more years, the thirty-seven-year-old could end up with better numbers than Reggie Jackson.

Another future Hall-of-Fame power hitter to keep your eye on is Manny Ramirez (508). Only thirty-six, Ramirez has the potential to join the 600 club if he plays at least four more years.

Does anyone believe that Gary Sheffield has the ability to join the 500 club? Right now he's sitting at 485. He's also thirty-nine and has been bothered by injuries. I say no. Is he a Hall-of-Famer? Not if he ends up with similar career numbers as Fred McGriff (.284, 493 homers). And that's where he's headed.

Jake Peavy (7-5, 2.47 ERA) gave the Padres seven shutout innings and Scott Hairston, Edgar Gonzalez, Adrian Gonzalez, and Chase Headley each banged out two hits in a 4-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves last night. Looking sharp, Jake struck out seven and allowed only four hits.

I mentioned a few days ago that Hairston needed to bump up his batting average to a respectable level, which I consider to be at least .260. Well, with his two hits last night, he's now sitting at .263. Nicely done!

With his two hits, Edgar's now hitting .304, and my boy Chase Headley is up to .276. Not bad, guys.

Greg Maddux takes another shot at number 351 tonight. Let's hope the "boys" can put a few crooked numbers up on the board.

After hearing the baseball pundits on sports talk radio expound their theories yesterday about what the Padres should, could, or might do, I've come to the conclusion that there really isn't much they can do. Sure, they could trade a few veteran players for minor league prospects, which will free up a few roster spots and save them some cash for the remainder of this season. In that event, there could be more call-ups from Portland and/or San Antonio. However, for all intents and purposes, the Pads are done this year. As a fan, I will continue to watch their games on TV and will even show up at Petco once in a while. And, while I'd certainly rather see them win, I won't be that concerned about whether they win or lose. From here on out, it'll be about how certain players perform throughout the remainder of the season. I'm talking about the players who figure to be part of this club in 2009 and beyond. The problem is, no one knows exactly who those players are.

With one exception, the Padres have already plucked the crème of the crop from the Portland roster. That one exception is Wil Venable, 25, who hit his ninth home run last night and is batting .322. Although Venable--a left-handed hitter--has been playing center for the Beavers, I understand that the Padres still consider him a corner outfielder. Being that he's not on the 40-man roster, a spot would have to cleared in order for him to be promoted. If Brian Giles or another outfielder is traded, Venable will likely be promoted.

In combing the San Antonio roster, the two players who stand out are right-handed hitting outfielder Chad Huffman (.297, 6 HR) and 6-foot-6 Kyle Blanks (.325, 10 HR). It's hard to believe that the Padres would promote Huffman to the big club based on his performance thus far this year. However, I do believe that he'll get promoted to Portland in the near future. Inasmuch as the Padres are high on the kid, he's someone to keep on your radar.

On the other hand, it's doubtful that Blanks will ever wear a Padre uniform. And that's because he's a first-baseman. Word is that other clubs have been scouting Blanks, who could be included in a trade.

While the San Antonio roster is carrying several good pitching prospects, the two top starters are right-hander William Inman and left-hander Steve Garrison. Both of those guys could probably pitch in the big leagues right now. However, with the Padres going nowhere, I see no logical reason to call them up. There are also several excellent relief pitchers on their roster; it's entirely possible that we'll see at least one of them before the end of the season.

Tonight it's Jake Peavy pitching against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park. Everyone in attendance gets a Padres beach towel. It's one of their best giveaways, folks. Summertime, big league baseball, $1 hot dogs and sodas, and free beach towels. Except for a winning team, who could ask for more?

SHAMELESS PLUG: If you like up-lifting baseball stories and want to read about a successful San Diego team, pick up a copy of my novel, Pinch Hitter.

Notwithstanding the recent Portland call-ups, the Padres could be making even more dramatic changes in the upcoming weeks. And, while a few or possibly even several players may be dealt to contending clubs, the revolving door between San Diego and Portland may need to be widened.

First, let's take a look at who the Padres may consider trading. With pitching always an issue with contending clubs, Randy Wolf and Greg Maddux are certainly at the top of the list. Despite Wolf's high road ERA, he will probably attract the most attention because he's a southpaw. But, what is his trade value at this point? The best the Padres could hope for would be minor league prospects. While Maddux could help another club, he says that he'll only go to another West Coast team. If that holds true, he may be with us for the rest of the year. And that's quite okay with me...I love watching him pitch.

Now, is there anyone else on our pitching staff that might interest another club? You bet. His name is Heath Bell. However, as far as I'm concerned, he's an untouchable. Would the Padres ever consider trading Trevor Hoffman? Even though there's a growing number of fans who would like to see him leave, I sincerely doubt it. Clay Meredith may interest a few clubs, including Boston--the team we got him from a few years ago. I understand that they're looking for bullpen help. Mike Adams has been pitching well of late. Still, I think we should hang on to that guy. Cha Seung Baek has shown some durability and could help another club as a middle reliever or spot starter. And, even though he's not on the 25-man roster, Clay Hensley may be attractive to a contending club simply because of his experience. Come to think about it, since the Padres don't seem to hold Hensley in high regard, that might be the best thing for his career. That's pretty much it for the pitching staff.

Brian Giles and Tony Clark could both be dealt before the trading deadline. But, here again, what is their trade value? Although his power numbers are down, Giles is having a decent year offensively. However, he's making a lot of money and there are concerns about his overall health. Both of those issues could be a deterrent. With Brian Myrow on the bench, Clark is expendable. But I doubt that any team would give up more than a fringe prospect for him.

While I suspect that a few teams may inquire about Scott Hairston, the Padres are unlikely to trade him...unless he doesn't figure into their future plans. Personally, I'd hang on to him. The Brothers Gonzalez aren't going anywhere. Likewise for Chase Headley. Kevin Kouzmanoff, on the other hand, could be moved to a team in need of a third baseman. There's been a lot of talk about the Padres wanting Headley at third next year.

That brings us to Khalil Greene. Would the Padres dare trade the popular shortstop? True, he's having a bad year offensively and no one can figure out why. I've heard that he's been tinkering with his swing since spring training. After the kind of year he had in 2007, why would he do that? Nonetheless, Greenie gives us solid defense at short and has the ability to carry club if he gets hot. For those reasons, I don't see him going anywhere.

It'll be interesting to see what kind of deals Kevin Towers can pull off between now and the July 31 trading deadline. There may be a few surprises.

Tomorrow I'll talk about some of the possible call-ups from Portland and San Antonio should the Padres pull the trigger on some trades.

In many ways, I enjoyed last night's "Beaver influenced" victory more than the recent 15-8 drubbing of the Rockies in Colorado. Come-from-behind victories are always pleasurable, especially when you overcome a five-run deficit and bang out 22 hits on the road. However, last night's win was different because the Padres' starting lineup featured five players who began the season on the Portland Beaver's roster. And they all contributed in one way or another. It was fun to watch.

I wasn't surprised by yesterday's roster shuffling. Paul McAnulty was not contributing to this team and, quite frankly, needed to be moved. Being that the Padres couldn't find any takers for the personable player, he cleared waivers and was sent to Portland. While I don't believe he's part of the Padres' plans for the future, we may see him again in September.

I'm glad that the Padres were successful in working out a deal for Carlos Guevara. While I believe he needs more seasoning in the minors, I didn't want to lose him. The kid has a good arm and could develop into an excellent relief pitcher down the road.

Brian Myrow's call-up wasn't a bit surprising. That guy can flat-out hit! He proved it last night by hitting a long, pinch-hit home run--his first in the majors. Not only does he give the Padres a pure left-handed hitter off the bench, he's also a decent first baseman. It wouldn't hurt to give Adrian Gonzalez a day off once in a while.

Chip Ambres impressed me with his plate discipline, which resulted in a single and two walks. He's a breath of fresh air on a club that features too many players who regularly swing at bad pitches. Although he has limited big league experience, Ambres, 28, gives the club another right-handed hitting corner outfielder. He's also got some pop in his bat and is capable of hitting the long ball.

Kudos to Scott Hairston. Scottie is swinging a mean bat right now. In addition to a three-run dinger and two doubles, he hit two balls that would've reached the wall if they weren't chased down and caught by the Marlin outfielders. Scottie's three hits raised his batting average to .254 and his slugging percentage to .492.

In my humble opinion, with three hits and four RBI, Chase Headley was the offensive star of the game. I could've easily gone with Hairston, but I felt that Headley's bases-clearing double in the first inning set the pace for the entire game. His errors in left field notwithstanding, Headley is quietly emerging as a star on this club. In 79 at-bats, he's hitting .266 with five home runs and eleven RBI.

Last but certainly not least, Randy Wolf found his groove last night and picked up his sixth win of the year. A brilliant performance by a guy who just last week declared himself the "worst pitcher in baseball". In giving his team seven strong innings of five-hit ball, he undoubtedly improved his trade value. But even if he is traded to another club, I wouldn't be surprised if the Padres brought him back next year.

Although the team fielded last night may not be the Padres' "team of the future", those guys played an exciting brand of baseball. With the exception of Khalil Greene at shortstop, you may see the same lineup today against left-hander Scott Olsen in the series finale.

Poor Greg Maddux. Stuck on 350 career victories for two months. Can't catch a break with the Padres. His reward for providing his club with yet another quality start last night was loss number seven. His record now stands at 3-7 with a 3.90 ERA. Let's see what a 3.90 ERA (or similar) can get you in the NL.

We'll start with Ricky Nolasco, the Marlins' starter who defeated the Padres last night. He came into that game with an ERA of around 3.94 but had a won-loss record of 9-4. The Giant's Jonathan Sanchez has a 3.87 ERA and is 8-4. John Maine of the Mets is 8-6 with a 3.91 ERA. The Cardinals' Todd Wellemeyer is 7-4 with a 3.94 ERA. Sticking with the Cards, Braden "Smiley" Looper's ERA is a ******** 4.15 and he's 9-6! My point is simple: Greg Maddux has pitched well enough to have at least ten wins at this point. If you break down his pitching performances for the season, you'll find that out of his 19 starts, 11 have been quality starts (six innings with three or less earned runs). If there was a "Tough-Luck Pitcher of the Year" award in MLB, Maddux and Cincinnati's Aaron Harang (3-10, 4.47) would be running neck-in-neck.

Okay, maybe it's hard to feel sorry for a guy who's making $10 million a year and is a slam-dunk for the MLB Hall-of-Fame. I've heard that he's not that concerned with adding victories to his overall career total of 350. That may or may not be true. However, if I were in his shoes, I'd be concerned big-time. Only Maddux knows if he's coming back next year. If he chooses to do so, I'm sure there will be at least a few teams interested in employing his services. And, being that the Padres' offensive woes are likely to continue throughout this season, why wouldn't he want to be traded to a club that has a chance of making the playoffs? If he stays in San Diego, he'll be lucky to end up with six wins. Don't get me wrong, I don't want him to leave...I just find it hard to believe that he's content with his current situation here.

Maddux's loss last night was due to an unearned run. After Khalil Greene was charged with an error on Hanley Ramirez's line drive in the top of the fourth, Jorge Cantu took advantage of Maddux's only real mistake and hit a two-run homer. Basically, that was the game. Given a chance to atone for his rare error when he came up with two on and two out in the seventh inning, Greenie flied out to left.

On a bright note, rookie Chase Headley hit his fifth homer in the fifth inning. Kouzmanoff had a couple of hits and raised his average to .272. All in all, it was just another boring Padre game. I don't know about other Padre fans, but I'm more than ready for the dismantling of this team.

Normally, I wouldn't complain about the Padres winning a series in Arizona, which they did over the holiday weekend. However, in this instance, I'll make an exception. Plain and simple...they should have won yesterday's game and left town with a sweep. Unable to take advantage of a quality start by Josh Banks and numerous scoring opportunities, they lost 3-2. Instead of heading home only 7 games behind Arizona is the West, they're back to 9. I like 7 better.

The D'Backs certainly did their part to provide us with opportunities. How many times this season have the Padres had runners at third with less than two outs and left them stranded? Too many to mention. It happened twice yesterday. In the eighth, they had runners on first and second with no outs and couldn't score. The most frustrating situation was in the ninth when they had the tying run at third with NO OUTS. Strikeout, ground out, ground out. Nevertheless, I will not point fingers at individual players. That's too easy.

There's been a lot of talk on sports radio about whether the Padres will be buyers or sellers leading up to the July 31 trading deadline. Does anyone actually believe that the Padres could turn their dismal season around by adding one or two players? I think not.

At least they're not the worst team in the NL. That dubious honor goes to the Washington Nationals.

On a more positive note, congratulations to Adrian Gonzalez for being the Padres' lone All-Star representative!

The Padres open up a three-game series tonight against the Florida Marlins.

I'll admit it...I was a little worried about Jake last night after the second inning. He had thrown 48 pitches and didn't look that confident. However, he turned it on in the third and went on to post seven strong innings, allowing only three hits and no runs. Jake is back!

What can you say about Scottie Hairston's performance last night? Ask Bob Melvin and you might get a response reminiscent of Tommy Lasorda's outburst that occurred many years ago when asked about Dave Kingman's three-home run performance against the Dodgers. With two dingers, a double, and 3 RBI, "Happy" Hairston was a one-man wrecking crew.

With those three hits, Hairston raised his average to .246. While .260 would be a little more respectable, I'll take his 11 home runs. Since becoming a Padre, Hairston has hit a home run for every 16.5 at bats. Over the course of a full season, that translates to somewhere between 25 and 30 round trippers. By comparison, with 30 homers in 2007, Adrian Gonzalez's ratio was 1 for every 21.53 at bats. This season, it's 1 for every 15.6 at bats. If he ends up with as many at bats as last year (646), he should hit 40 or more.

The problem the Padres have with Hairston is his inconsistency. He's definitely a streak hitter. However, when he gets hot, he can carry a team. As we've seen on several occasions, he can be quite productive in the later innings. But it's going to take more consistency and a higher batting average to convince the Padres that he's an everyday player.

Speaking of Adrian Gonzalez...it was nice to see him finally get number 22. I'd be shocked if he isn't selected for the upcoming All-Star game.

I was surprised to see Heath Bell in the eighth inning. After throwing an inning and two-thirds on Friday, I figured he'd be given a day off. Outside of Bell--who's on pace to log over 90 innings again this year--Buddy Black obviously doesn't have much faith in his bullpen when it comes down to protecting a lead in the later innings. Last year, we would've seen Clay Meredith or Joe Thatcher in that spot. However, Thatcher's in Portland and Meredith has been inconsistent. What I'm suggesting is that we need another reliable reliever who can be utilized in a set-up role.

Note:  My boy Headley extended his hitting streak to 10 games.

Hey, the Padres have taken the first two games of their series with the D'Backs! And, if the Dodgers hadn't blown their game against San Francisco last night, they'd be in first place right now. C'mon, Dodgers...we're trying to help you out. Well, not really.

Let's make it three in a row today against the Big Unit!

The Arizona D'Backs had two major advantages going into last night's game with the Padres. First, they had All-Star Dan Haren on the mound. Second, they were still riding a high from Thursday's stunning come-from-behind victory in which they overcame a 5-0 deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning by scoring six runs without recording an out. None of that seemed to matter last night, however, because Haren (8-5) was outpitched by Cha Seung Baek (2-4) and a hungry Padre club outhit and outplayed the first place D'Backs (43-44) and walked away with a 5-1 victory in the opener of the three-game series.

Having an ERA of around 8.00 over his last two starts, Baek carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning while racking up a career-high seven strikeouts. Although I'm not sure why he was pulled after six innings of two-hit ball, it may have had something to do with his pitch count (94). I long for the day when Padre starters can consistently give us seven or eight innings of work and, therefore, take some pressure off of an over-taxed bullpen. Nevertheless, it was an impressive effort by Baek.

In my opinion, the game was significant inasmuch as it may have given Padre fans a glimpse into the future. Making his major league debut behind the plate, rookie Nick Hundley, 24, looked terrific. Is he our catcher of the future? If he puts up a decent batting average and displays a little power while he's with the big club, it'd be ridiculous for the Padres not to give him that opportunity. However, if he's hitting .170 when Josh Bard comes off the DL in a few weeks, he may be returned to Portland to get regular work. The club doesn't want him sitting on the bench in a backup capacity. It should also be noted that Hundley singled and walked in his first game as a big leaguer.

Another Padre rookie, Chase Headley, made one of the best throws I've seen all year when he threw a long and perfect strike to nail a runner trying to score from second base on a single to left. Had the ball bounced once, the runner probably would've been safe. As it was, Hundley, who effectively blocked the plate, caught the ball just as the runner slid into home. Even though I still believe that Headley will end up at third for the Padres, he has shown us that he's capable of playing left field. With his single last night, Headley extended his hitting streak to nine games.

Is Heath Bell the Padres' closer of the future? It appears that he has all the necessary tools. Last night he logged another inning and two-thirds of scoreless ball and lowered his ERA to 2.09 in his normal set-up capacity.

Edgar Gonzalez's brand of heads-up baseball continues to impress me. This guy knows how to play the game. Here again, it all comes down to his hitting. Iguchi may have better range at second base, but Edgar makes all the plays he needs to make. And, thus far, he's committed no errors. One could argue that he would better serve the Padres as a utility player. Sure, if they had a power hitter like Chase Utley or Dan Uggla at second, Edgar would be a utility player.  But the Padres don't have Utley or Uggla and their projected second baseman of the future, Matt Antonelli, is still hitting below .200 at Triple-A Portland. Until they find someone better, I like Edgar at second base and hitting second in the line-up. Once he's off the DL and proven healthy, Iguchi should be traded.

Another guy who could figure prominently in the Padres future is Jody Gerut. Not only does he provide solid defense in center, he's also hitting .280 as the Padres' lead-off hitter. He may not be their starting center fielder next year, but he should be on the club. The same applies to Scott Hairston, who I see as a fourth outfielder.

Okay, they didn't play on Thursday. And, except for listening to the boys on 1090, I took a much needed day off from watching or giving any serious thought to baseball. After the Colorado series, I needed a day off as much as the Padres did.

While the first game was amazing, the last two were real snoozers. The Pads scored only one run in those games. And that was due to a dinger by Chase Headley. Josh Banks really didn't pitch that poorly in the second game. Not so for Randy Wolf in the series finale. Let's face it...while effectively diminishing his trade value, he stunk up the place.

The Michael Barrett incident was shocking. In all my years of watching baseball, I've never seen that happen to anyone. While I never like to see any of the players get injured in any way, I have to wonder what he was doing swinging at a pitch that high and inside. Like many of the Padres, Barrett has a bad habit of swinging at pitches outside the strike zone. I'm just saying. Nevertheless, I wish him a speedy recovery. In the meantime, we'll get a look at Nick Hundley.

What I'm ticked off about is the Padres returning Clay Hensley to Portland. And I'm not sure if I buy their reasoning for doing so. In his only outing after being promoted, Hensley looked terrific. I can think of two other pitchers I would've sent out instead of Hensley. One, however, is a Rule V guy who they believe will turn into a great reliever, even though he's been struggling of late. Is it possible that a trade is in the works and that they're looking at Hensley to fill a starting role? Absolutely. In the meantime, however, I would've kept him in the bullpen and gotten rid of someone else. Let's hope there's a method to their madness.

So, the team with the worst record in the majors begins a three-game series tonight in Arizona. And the pitching match-up for the first game (Haren vs. Baek) certainly favors the D'Backs. The snakes could deliver a knock-out punch to the Pads by sweeping the series. Me? I just want to see some good baseball.

I wish a happy Fourth of July to everyone, especially those who are serving or have previously served in the United States Military. I'm proud of each and every one of them!

Dean Whitney,

author of Pinch Hitter

and Viet Nam era veteran

Now, that looked more like the Padres last night in Colorado. Granted, they were up against a pretty good pitcher, but let's face it...they looked overmatched. And the game was over in less time than it takes me to write out my Costco list.

I, for one, was very happy to see Clay Hensley back with the team. He's been working his tail off in Portland ever since he threw his first rehab innings in Lake Elsinore. All I can say is that it's about time. The bullpen needs help. And, if one or more of the starters are traded, look for Hensley to get a shot in the starting rotation. I've had the opportunity to meet Hensley at a few charity events. He's a very nice guy.

I found it interesting that the Pads decided go with thirteen pitchers for the final two games in Colorado. To make room for Hensley, they optioned infielder Craig Stansberry to Portland. There's no doubt that another move will be made before Friday's series opener in Arizona. A pitcher will be dropped one way or another (perhaps a trade?) and an infielder will be brought in from Portland (more than likely Luis Rodriguez). Thank goodness there weren't any injuries last night, especially to the middle infielders.

In what could very well be his last start for the Padres, Randy Wolf is on the mound tonight for the series finale. Although I hate to see him go, the Pads do have at least three minor-league southpaws who are close to being ready to make the jump. Last night, San Antonio's Steve Garrison (6-3, 2.98) pitched a solid seven innings in which he gave up only two earned runs and allowed no walks. I believe that GM Kevin Towers was on hand for that game. Wade LeBlanc (7-6, 5.91 at Portland) and Matthew Buschmann (6-5, 3.30 at San Antonio) are the other two left-handers I'm referring to. However, of the three, I believe that Garrison stands a better chance of being promoted. Right-hander Wil Inman (8-4, 3.18 at San Antonio) could also see action with the Padres this season.

Until next time, GO PADRES!

I wonder how many Padre fans gave up on their team last night and switched channels with Colorado leading 8-3 after four innings. I bet there were many. And, given the season they're having, who could blame them? Although my wife and I were disheartened by the five-run deficit, we hung in there and were soon rewarded with a stunning offensive outburst.

During the inning in which they tied the score at eight-all, we started to pay a little more attention to the TV close-ups of the Padre players. By no means are we conspiracists...we just wanted to make sure these guys wearing Padre uniforms were really who they claimed to be. I mean, after all, they scored a week's worth of runs in just one game. We're not used to that. And I'm here to tell you that there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that Bud Selig is arriving in Denver today to personally demand that the Padre players pee in a cup.

There were several offensive stars last night. Notable were Brian Giles (4-5 with an RBI), Kevin Kouzmanoff (3-5 with a home run and 2 RBI), and Jody Gerut (2-6 with a homer and 4 RBI). But the guy who really surprised us last night was Edgar Gonzalez, who went 4-5 with 3 RBI and doubled his major league home run total with two round-trippers. Have you seen this guy in person? He doesn't look like he'd have that kind of power. Okay, it was Denver. But no one else hit two dingers last night. It's going to be interesting to see what happens when Iguchi comes off the DL. How in the world can you put a guy who's hitting over .300 back on the bench? I'm just saying.

While the Padres' bullpen deserves a tremendous amount of credit for shutting down the Colorado offense after Maddux left the game, the guy who really turned it around for the Pads was Mike Adams. You can't do any better than six up and six down. In my humble opinion, Adams is quietly emerging as one of their better middle-relievers.

It was also good to see Heath "The Vulture" Bell pick up his sixth win and lower his ERA to 2.17. Does anyone else believe that he deserves a spot on the NL All-Star roster?

Anyone for two in a row? I know that I'll be watching.

Dean Whitney,

author of Pinch Hitter