The new blog is called "Dean's P.O.V."

Thanks to MLB for allowing me to post my views and opinions on their site!

Dean Whitney

www.deanrwhitney.com

But where do you start? When you look at the individual performances by some of the players, you think, "Hey, that guy's doing okay...maybe they should keep him around next year." And that'll more than likely be the case with many of the players. However, it takes a "team" to win a championship, and I don't believe the Padres have had a real "team" since 1998. Oh sure, they had most of the elements that make up a team in 2005, 2006, and 2007, but us Padre fans remember how those seasons ended.

So, what are they going to do after this nightmare of a season is over? A lot of disgruntled fans believe the answer lies in spending more money on free agents. Well, how's that working out for the Yankees this year? The only thing the Padres can do is what every MLB club does at the end of each campaign--they evaluate their players, determine their strengths and weaknesses, and then attempt to adjust their rosters accordingly prior to spring training.

Being that the Padres have the second worst record in the NL, it's pretty obvious that their weaknesses far outweigh their strengths. They could start with the pitching staff. Outside of Jake Peavy and Chris Young, there isn't another reliable starter on that staff. And I worry about Young. Just look at the numbers, folks. I believe they have a fairly good nucleus for a bullpen, providing that they bring Hoffman, Bell, Hensley, Adams, and Hampson back next year. The rest of them can go. I still believe that Cha Seung Baek would be an asset if used in middle relief and as a spot starter.

Surprisingly, the Padres' home run production has been decent, especially since the All-Star break. However, too many of those homers have come with the bases empty. What the club lacks is speed, clutch hitting, and bench strength. Those issues MUST be addressed prior to the 2009 season. It also wouldn't hurt to spend a little more time on fundamentals during spring training.

One of the many decisions the Padres will have to make in the off-season concerns Kevin Kouzmanoff and Chase Headley, who's been playing out of position in left field. Headley's done a respectable job in left, but he's a natural third baseman and would probably be more comfortable there. Keeping in mind that this is only his second year in the big leagues, Kouz has been solid at third and has decent numbers at the plate. However, I believe the Pads need stronger defense and speed in the left field. And, while one of them may have to go, it should be noted that Kouz has more trade value.

One thing for sure: there will be changes to this ballclub before the first game is played in 2009. And they could be BIG changes. As broken as they are, it'll take a lot more than a "quick fix" to help this team.

On a personal note, this will be my last blog for a while. In addition to embarking on a new promotional campaign for Pinch Hitter, I am also trying to finish my second novel and begin work on a screenplay. To those of you who have read and responded to my writings, I say "thank you very much".

For those who are interested in what's happening with Pinch Hitter, please check out my website: www.deanrwhitney.com.

Jody Gerut continued to make a case for himself to be part of the 2009 Padre outfield by collecting three hits, including two doubles, and driving in two runs. Currently hitting a solid .293 with twelve home runs, Gerut could end up in either right or left field next year. I believe he's done an excellent job in center this year and wouldn't be opposed to seeing him there again in 2009. However, the Padres may be looking for someone with a little more speed to fill that position.

Three of the four Padre relievers who shut down the Phillies over the final four frames last night could very well be mainstays in the Padres' 2009 bullpen. The club is discussing a deal with Heath Bell that would keep him around for a few more years. Clay Hensley and Mike Adams should be retained. If Wil Ledezma continues to improve, he might also be around next year. Likewise for Justin Hampson. It's always nice to have two lefties in the pen. And, there's no doubt in my mind that Trevor Hoffman should be brought back for at least one more season. That leaves one spot open for a pitcher who could double as a middle-inning relief pitcher and a spot starter. They have a guy capable of that right now; his name is Chow Seung Baek. As a starter, Baek is 0-6 at Petco Park with a very high ERA. I believe he'd be more valuable to the Padres as a reliever.

Speaking of Chow Seung Baek, he'll get a chance to pick up his first Petco Park victory today in the rubber game of the three-game series. Local boy Cole Hamels gets the nod for the Phillies.

First, the Padres are bringing up RHP Chad Reineke to start tonight's game against Philadelphia. Reineke is the player they received from Houston for Randy Wolf and is essentially replacing Chris Young (DL) in the starting rotation. Sometime before the game, a roster move will be made to make room for Reineke, whose record at Portland was 0-1 with a 4.15 ERA. It's anybody's guess who'll be going.

I found the Padres' choice interesting inasmuch as they bypassed a couple of Portland left-handers and a couple of guys who are highly thought of on the San Antonio roster in favor of Reineke. Obviously, the Padres see something in this guy that Houston didn't see. After all, Houston gave him up for a pitcher who'll be a free agent again next season. What I'm gathering from this is that the Pads have little faith in their minor league pitchers. Why else would they call-up a guy with an overall record of 5-10 and a 4.37 ERA in AAA over the likes of left-handers Wade Leblanc or Cesar Ramos? Both of those guys have been pitching well for Portland and have been in the organization for a few years.

Greg Maddux was outdueled last night by 45-year-old Jamie Moyer. Hmmm, that happens to be the same age as the main character (David Robbins) in my book. Perhaps it's even more plausible than I thought.

Is there any question that Jake Peavy is the Padres' best pitcher? Of course there isn't. Why certain individuals want to take shots at him is way beyond my comprehension. When it comes right down to it, no Padre pitcher has more heart than Jake. After he lost to the Rockies on August 7^th in Colorado, I commented that he appeared to lack his normal fire in his six innings of work. My concern was that he had a physical ailment of some type. But I would never question the man's heart or accuse him of ducking a pitching match-up with someone like Tim Lincecum or CC Sabathia. Those decisions are made by management. By the way, I believe that Peavy's 2.61 ERA is the best amongst starters in the NL. Don't be fooled by his 9-8 record; he's pitching for a bad team.

Chris Young is on the DL again. This time it's for a strained right forearm. I have a feeling that we may not see much of him over the remaining six weeks of the season.

Brian Falkenborg? Give me a break! Oh well, he can't be much worse than Cla Meredith or Bryan Corey (DL). I hope he proves me wrong.

I'm glad that Sean Kazmar is getting a chance to play on the big league level. No doubt about it...it's a big jump from AA San Antonio.  So far, he's doing okay.

With CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets pitching for the Brewers on Wednesday and Thursday, the Pads' best chance of scoring runs is tonight against Jeff Suppan (7-7, 4.70). Since coming to Milwaukee from Cleveland via a trade, Sabathia is 6-0 with a 1.58 ERA. Being that he was 6-8 with the AL Indians when he was traded, it's pretty obvious that he's having a good time in the NL. Ben Sheets is no walk in the park, either. He'll enter Thursday's contest with an 11-5 record and a 2.95 ERA.

The Padres will counter with Cha Seung Baek tonight, Josh Banks on Wednesday, and Jake Peavy on Thursday's non-televised day game. Many of us Padre fans were hoping to see a Peavy-Sabathia matchup on Wednesday, but the club chose instead to give Jake an extra day off. With very little to look forward to the rest of this season, a classic pitching matchup (like Sandy Koufax vs. Bob Gibson) would've been fun.

Is it just me or did Jake Peavy appear to lack his normal fire last night? Okay, there was a rather lengthy rain delay that could've been a factor in his performance. Still, he did not look like the same Jake Peavy (8-8) who won the NL CY Young award in 2007. During his 6-inning, 97-pitch stint against Colorado, he uncharacteristically walked 5 batters while striking out only 3. Stewart's home run in the second inning was the big blow, but it was the walks that ultimately did him in; 2 of the 5 runners who walked eventually scored.

The Padre bullpen certainly didn't help the cause. In only 2/3 of an inning, Cla Meredith and Wil Ledezma combined for 3 walks; 2 of them scored. Clay Hensley did a fantastic job of bailing them out in the seventh. However, due to a "miscommunication" between Brian Giles and Scott Hairston on a ball hit to right center, Hensley was charged with a double when it should've been a routine out. Being the kind of guy his is, Giles took responsibility for the blunder. But, from where I was sitting, it was Hairston's ball to catch.

Kevin Kouzmanoff led the offensive attack with 3 hits, while Scott Hairston and Chase Headley collected 2 apiece. Giles hammered his seventh home run of the year in the losing cause. Adrian Gonzalez, whose average has slipped to .274, is looking a little tired and may need a rest.

Bottom line: Padres lose another game in which they looked like the Keystone Cops on the field. And, wasn't Glendon Rusch on our team earlier this year? I thought so. Not that he's bore any resemblance to Sandy Koufax since joining the Rockies. But he is 5-3 and did limit the Padres to 2 runs over his 6 innings of work.

Tonight it's Greg Maddux (5-8, 4.17) vs. Aaron Cook (14-7, 3.68). The Padres have never beaten Cook in Colorado. That's why I'll be watching the exhibition game between the Chargers and Dallas tonight instead of the Padres.

If a deal cannot be agreed upon or if the Padres decide that want to keep Giles, the club can simply take him off waivers, as the waiver placement is revocable. If that were to happen, the Padres would still have the option of putting him back on trade waivers, except then it would become irrevocable; any team putting in a claim would get him.

PADRES LOSE RUBBER GAME TO METS

Despite two more Padre home runs yesterday (Headley and Gerut), the club fell to the Mets, 6-5, on David Wright's walk-off dinger in the bottom of the ninth off of Heath Bell.

For a man who believes he's the next great Padre closer, Bell has certainly been giving it up lately. At the rate he's going, he may even find it difficult to hold on to his set-up role. Mike Adams has been better than Bell.

Once again, a Padre starter couldn't make it through six innings. Kinda explains why the club is carrying 13 pitchers, doesn't it?

The Padre send Jake Peavy (8-7, 2.59) to the mound tonight in Colorado, who will counter with former Padre Glendon Rusch (4-3, 5.47).

In Friday's game, the positives were the starting pitching effort by Josh Banks, who lowered his ERA to 3.65, and the late inning homer by Adrian Gonzalez that tied the game. I have no clue how Banks fits in to the Padres' vision of the future, but I do believe that there's hope for him. If only he could show some consistency.

Mike Adams continues to impress out of the bullpen. Pitching a scoreless eighth inning on Friday, Adams lowered his ERA to 1.88. In 38 1/3 innings he's given up only 29 hits, struck out 45, and walked only 11. The Padres may have found another set-up guy for next year.

The lone positive in Saturday's 2-0 loss was Jake Peavy (8-7), who later expressed his frustration at losing another tough-luck decision. With an ERA of 2.59, Jake should be sitting on at least 12 wins right now.

A huge positive last night had nothing to do with the game. It was the Madres' silent auction. With over 41K fans in attendance (mostly for the T-shirt giveaway), their efforts were rewarded by the generous fans who shelled out some major coin for the merchandise displayed at four separate locations around the ballpark. Kudos to the women and men of the Madres for their successful endeavor!

On the minor league front, there were a couple of performances last night worth mentioning. LHP Matt LeBlanc (10-7) pitched 8 innings of shutout ball for Portland. While striking out 11 and walking none, he allowed only 2 hits. After getting off to a shaking start on the AAA level, LeBlanc appears to have found his groove and may have earned a September call-up.

Portland outfielder Pete Ciofrone banged out another 2 hits, including his 12^th home run. His average is at .328. To put that in perspective, however, Paul McAnulty has batted .384 with 6 homers since being optioned to Portland.

A young player who's attracting a lot of attention lately is Lake Elsinore's Kellen Kulbacki. A corner outfielder, Kulbacki had 4 hits last night and raised his batting average to .344. He's got 19 home runs and a .611 slugging percentage. Although he's reported to be a lower-than-average defensive player, the 22-year-old will be put on the fast track if he continues to put up those kind of numbers.

Any chance of Khalil Greene bouncing back and improving upon his anemic batting average through the remaining two months of the season went out the window when he took out his frustration on a clubhouse storage locker during Wednesday's embarrassing loss to Arizona. Greenie is going on the DL today and will more than likely miss the rest of the season. According to Buddy Black, Luis Rodriquez will replace him at shortstop. Too bad the Padres didn't retain the services of Geoff Blum. We could have used a guy like him this season. Then again, we could have also used guys like Mike Cameron and Milton Bradley, but that's another story.

Someday we'll all look back at the 2008 season as being the "Murphy's Law" season. Almost anything that could've gone wrong has gone wrong. All you have to do is compare the opening day roster to today's and review the club's injuries to see that this has been one of the worst seasons the Padres have ever experienced. Or, you can ask the season ticket holders who are desperately trying to sell their tickets for remaining games. And many are selling them for far less than face value. The Padres would be wise to extend their $1 hot dog and drink specials through the rest of the season.

For true baseball fans, however, a night at the ballpark is still enjoyable--even if your team is one of the worst in the majors. Making upcoming appearances at Petco Park are teams that, at least for now, are in the hunt. For example, on the home stand beginning August 12, the Padres will host Milwaukee (wild card contender) and Philadelphia (leads the NL East). Both teams have excellent players that are worthy of watching. It might be kinda fun to sit in the stands and say, "Let's see, I wish we had that guy...and that guy...and, of course, that guy."

One team the fans will look forward to seeing in September is the Dodgers...especially now that they have future Hall-of-Famer Manny Ramirez patrolling left field. (Our friend Harry will have a field day with him). I predict, however, that Dodger fans will outnumber the Friar faithful by a 2-1 margin. I know of fans who flatly refuse to sell their tickets to Dodger fans. What does it matter at this point? Let them have their fun.

By trading for Ramirez, the Dodgers sent a clear message that they're going for it this year. They certainly have the pitching. All they needed was a power bat in the middle of their lineup. Had the Padres made a similar move last season, they would have been in the playoffs. And, with a pitching staff that had the lowest ERA in the majors, who knows how far they could have gone.

Arizona, who made a run at Mark Teixeira before he got traded to the Angels, did not make any significant moves other than recently adding big John Rauch to their bullpen. Sorry, D'Backs...I give the edge to L.A.

One final note: Although I don't fully understand why the White Sox traded for Ken Griffey Jr., I'm glad that Junior will have an opportunity to get a ring. It certainly wasn't going to happen in Cincinnati.

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.

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.