MLB FanHouse

Major League Catchers Having a Tough Time of It: Michael Barrett Takes Foul to Face

Will Brinson — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:35:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Injuries, MLB Video, San Diego

And this is not your ordinary catcher "foul-to-face" either, kids. Michael Barrett is the one batting when he clocks a ball off his bat and into his grill. If you're adverse to seeing humans take painful shots to the dome, I suggest you not watch this.

The worst part for Barrett is that after Chris Snyder and Jose Molina's little incidents over the past two days, I doubt anyone really feels that sorry for him.

Via AA

Major League Catchers Having a Tough Time of It: Michael Barrett Takes Foul to Face originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:35:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Friar Luck

Mullet — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Miami, New York, Yankees, Royals, Marlins, Mets, Reds, Padres, Cincinnati, San Diego

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

New York Mets (30-31) at San Diego Padres (27-37) - 4:05 PM ET

The Padres did something over the last four games that nobody in the majors had ever done before. They won four straight games by the score of 2-1. Even for a team that can't score, that's an amazing stat considering the Padres have lost more of these games than they've won, and more amazing that not one of those games went 25 innings. Scott Hairston has been a big help over the last couple ... making a huge diving catch with the bases loaded on Friday, and hitting the walk-off home run on Saturday.

The Mets meanwhile have to live with the sting of losing three straight to a team that was 13 games under .500 coming into this series. How long before the turk starts knocking on Willie Randolph's door again?

Kansas City Royals (24-38) at New York Yankees (31-31) - 1:05 PM ET

Speaking of things you don't often see, Saturday's Royals/Yankees game featured some oddities ... like Mariano Rivera giving up a bomb on his first pitch ... or Johnny Damon going 6-for-6 including the walk off hit in the Yankees' 12-11 victory. Today, it's Joba Chamberlain's second start as a Yankee. It'll be interesting ... and not in the "this is the most significant event in the history of baseball" kinda way, but in the "if he gets pulled in the third inning how long will it be before he goes back to the bullpen" kinda way.

Cincinnati Reds (30-33) at Florida Marlins (33-28) - 1:10 PM ET

You mean Ken Griffey Jr. still hasn't hit HR number 600? You know, I'm not a conspiracy theorist, and I know that Griff, albeit sparingly, has played since hitting HR number 599. But after all of the hubbub about Barry Bonds and his wanting to hit milestone HR's at home to the point where there were whispers of him taking "time off" to make sure he got some rest before a homestand, I'm wondering that Junior, now that he's close, is even going to play today or tomorrow before they go back to Cincinnati to play the Cardinals.

Everyone else:

Indians at Tigers 1:05 ET
Orioles at Blue Jays 1:07 ET
Phillies at Braves 1:35 ET
Mariners at Red Sox 1:35 ET
Diamondbacks at Pirates 1:35 ET
Giants at Nationals 1:35 ET
Cardinals at Astros 2:05 ET
Twins at White Sox 2:05 ET
Brewers at Rockies 3:05 ET
Angels at Athletics 4:05 ET
Rays at Rangers 5:10 ET
Cubs at Dodgers 8:05 ET

On Deck: Friar Luck originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 08 Jun 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Meet the NL West Draft Picks

Mullet — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:30:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Dodgers, Padres, Giants, San Diego, San Francisco

Now that the exciting action of MLB's amateur draft has completed it's first round, it's time to take a look at our country's next millionaires. Find out which team drafted the son of the former offensive lineman pictured here and peruse our quick glance at the NL West first round selections.

San Francisco Giants (5) Gerald "Buster" Posey, Catcher, Florida State: Posey was supposed to go number one to Tampa Bay, but a little matter of money nudged the Rays off the scent, and Buster Posey went to the other side of the country to join the San Francisco Giants. Posey's asking price of $12 million wasn't enough to scare the Giants off ... although $12 million has to be nothing to a team who's paying Barry Zito a gazillion dollars to go 1-9 for them. Posey has only been a catcher for two seasons after converting from shortstop, but has been a finalist for the Johnny Bench Award as the nation's best collegiate catcher.

Los Angeles Dodgers (15) Ethan Martin, RHP, Stephens County School, (GA): Scouts took note of Martin after his performance in the LaGrange Invitational, where he struck out 12 hitters and gave up four hits in a 6-4 Stephens County win over American Heritage ... a game where Martin hit 99 on the gun four times. Martin can also get hitters out with a power breaking ball and a splitter. Here's your Ethan Martin oddity: Remember that incident where the pitcher and catcher conspired to hit the home plate umpire in the face with the pitch? The pitcher was Cody Martin ... Ethan's brother. Ethan played in that game at shortstop, and had vehemently argued with that umpire after striking out, which came just before the incident.

San Diego Padres (23) Allan Dykstra, First base, Wake Forest: Dykstra is a huge, huge man at 6'5" 240, who put up some sick numbers at Wake Forest. Dykstra hit .323 and had an OBP of .515 this past season at Wake with an incredible 62 walks. He did also strike out 45 times in his 186 official at-bats (can anyone say Adam Dunn?) But the Pods are intrigued by his power potential in the spacious Petco Park (and for a team that is scoring-challenged like the Padres are, why wouldn't they be?) By the way, Dykstra has no relation to former Met and Phillie Lenny Dykstra. Lenny's son is actually Cutter Dykstra, who went to the Brewers in the second round.

Colorado Rockies (25) Christian Friedrich, LHP, Eastern Kentucky: Friedrich put up nice numbers during the previous season at EKU, going 5-1 with a 1.78 ERA in ten games while opponents batted .142 against him. Friedrich is a soft tosser who scouts compare to Angels lefty Joe Saunders, but those scouts also noticed some control issues to go along with four pitches that project to be average. Average pitches + Coors Field = disaster, so good luck Christian.

Arizona Diamondbacks (26) Daniel Schlereth, LHP, Arizona: By now you've probably figured out that this is the player related to the man in the above picture: former Broncos and Redskins OL (and current television personality) Mark Schlereth. No wonder that scouts noticed a football mentality in the lefty reliever that they compare to J.C. Romero of the Phillies. Schlereth had 76 K's in 54 and 2/3's innings in relief for U of A and batters hit at a .163 clip off of him. Schlereth has already had Tommy John surgery in high school, so you can either worry about his long term health or be glad that he got it out of the way.

Meet the NL West Draft Picks originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 01:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Another Surgery Means Another Chapter in Mark Prior's Encyclopedia of Anguish

Josh Alper — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:40:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Injuries, San Diego

When Ivan Drago killed Apollo Creed, Rocky had a chance to throw in the towel and save his friend's life. Concern about Creed's pride stopped him from doing it, though. That led to a great training sequence and stirring victory in front of cheering Soviets but it couldn't bring Apollo back to life. That's fictional but in real life, I hope Mark Prior's got a friend who is willing to throw that towel in for him.

Prior needs another surgery on his right shoulder, a torn anterior capsule this time, and won't be able to pitch at all this season. That makes it two years in a row without an appearance on a big league mound for Prior and just 43 and two-thirds innings in the last three.

"For Mark, I can't imagine how frustrated he is," Manager Bud Black said.

Ever read an issue of The Incredible Hulk? In my own imagination, Prior is quaking and fighting the urge to explode the same way Bruce Banner did every time he got angry and felt the transformation coming. That's what happens when you have the whole world in your hand at 22 and no baseball future at 28.

If he is Hulking out right now, I wouldn't want to be in Dusty Baker's shoes. In a perfect world, Prior would get to smash him to bits for destroying his right arm in Chicago. It's an imperfect world, though, which means he'd smash him 135 times and then need reconstructive surgery while Baker lived to continue his nefarious ways.

Another Surgery Means Another Chapter in Mark Prior's Encyclopedia of Anguish originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:40:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Dugout: A Class Act

B. Thompson Stroud — Sun, 25 May 2008 03:45:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Padres, NL Central, NL West, MLB Injuries, San Diego, St. Louis, The Dugout

Special note for Fanhouse regulars: Today's Dugout is taken from a story that happened a few days ago, so if you're the type who can only process immediately new information please direct your attention to whatever shows up above this posting.

Now! Earlier this week we learned an important lesson: If Albert Pujols hits a line drive into the middle of your face and it not only doesn't kill you, but you can wake up the next morning without any mental retardation, you are immortal. Chris Young should throw himself off the side of a building to see if it stuck, and if it did, he should use his newfound powers to fight crime in the old city. Oh, and as a secondary note, if you SEE Pujols hit a line drive that hits somebody in the middle of the face, don't stand in front of him when he's trying to run. It's not going to end well for you. Just move out of the way. You might get the business from your teammates or booed by the fans, but at least you'll be able to move around for the next eight weeks.

After the jump, old news and its new lessons.

The Dugout

	YoungGun: /does not, even for a moment, consider that this moment could be his last /throws pitch
	PujolJunkie: /swings innocently, but really really hard
	Online Host YoungGun has been struck in the face by a line drive.
	YoungGun: gyaaahh ahh /collapses
	PujolJunkie: oh no did i kill e'older brother from e'boy meets worl? /jogs to first
	LaRussasOnFire: look at that kid's face. Maybe he should change his screen name to "YoungFrankenstein," am I right
	back_in_bud: are you jokin', you say that like albert did that on purpose
	LaRussasOnFire: Of course he didn't do it on purpose. You can't hit a line drive into someone's face on purpose. You'd have to be... really good at hitting a baseball.
	LaRussasOnFire: Look, he just shoved down your first baseman.
	back_in_bud: now i am completely butthurt by the suggestion that albert pujols is anything other than a class act. a class act!
	PujolJunkie: /rounds second
	SonOfJorEl: well hey there, Mr. Pujols, the pitcher is still down, I'm not sure you should be running the-
	PujolJunkie: /grabs Khalil Greene's arm /twists Khalil Greene's arm behind his back /pivots /spins Khalil Greene around /palmstrikes Khalil Greene
	SonOfJorEl: BLEAGHHH /flies spinning into shallow left
	back_in_bud: the mere suggestion hurts my actual butt, tony. my actual butt. you've got me shook now.
	LaRussasOnFire: No, I understand. He's just playing the game. People get hurt. It happens, and it's unfortunate.
	LaRussasOnFire: (you should go ahead and call up somebody to replace that third baseman)
	back_in_bud: why, what happened to
	back_in_bud: hey where did the third baseman go?
	PujolJunkie: /heads for home
	BardGame: oh shit
	BardGame: /dials cell phone
	BardGame: Lindsey? It's me, Joshua. Honey... honey I can't talk, but I wanted to tell you that you're the only woman I've ever loved.
	BardGame: No baby, don't get upset. Everything is fine. Everything is going to be just fine. I... I promise.
	BardGame: Tell Hannah and Luke Michael that I love them, and to always do what's right, no matter what. Tell the boys at Texas Tech to never stop fighting!
	BardGame: I... I've got to go now, Lindsey. I've got to... take care of something. Keep me in your heart for a while. Goodbye.
	BardGame: /hangs up phone /guards plate
	Online Host BardGame has just been obliterated by PujolJunkie's slide.
	BardGame: nooooooooooo /explodes
	PujolJunkie: /scores
	LaRussasOnFire: Sweet.
	back_in_bud: the more i think about it the more outraged i am by your accusations... KUH-LASS. ACT. if you have something bad to say about these athletes maybe you should stop coaching this garbage and get a real job
	PujolJunkie: is every one okay /surveys his kills
	TheBrothersKouzmanoff: /crawls out of third base-side stands
	TheBrothersKouzmanoff: ....
	PujolJunkie: i hope you are okay, my english, e'no berry good
	PujolJunkie: /quickly pulls back arm to punch
	TheBrothersKouzmanoff: /dives back into stands
	PujolJunkie: e'heh heh

Photos link to player info. (Photo Credit: Getty Images) WordUpThome.com

The Dugout: A Class Act originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 25 May 2008 03:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Padres Make Four Call-Ups, Conveniently Leave Chase Headley in the Minors

Will Brinson — Fri, 23 May 2008 11:55:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Rumors, San Diego, MLB Biz, MLB Transactions

Remember that whole thing about the Tampa Rays sending Evan Longoria back to the minors after a blistering spring training, essentially because they are cheap? Well, San Diego is doing the exact same thing with Chase Headley (a.k.a. "Lamar")now. Except GM Kevin Towers is completely denying it.

'He will be up here,' Towers said Thursday. 'I hate to set a timetable, but he is going to be up very shortly.'

Towers again said the decision is unrelated to money.

'First and foremost,' Towers said, 'we felt that before we wanted to put Chase in a big league environment, we wanted to get him as much time as possible in the outfield, playing under the lights and in different venues, so he's not worried about his defense when he comes up.'

See, it does not really bother me that the Padres are waiting longer to call him up because they want to save money. It is a business decision and Headley -- unlike Longoria in Tampa Bay -- will not increase their chances of winning (because those chances are roughly one percent and even that feels generous).

After June 1, San Diego will tack on an extra year until Headley is available for arbitration. So why not just say that? I know, it sounds ridiculous, this notion of "honesty", but we all know what is happening here. Especially when you call up four other minor leaguers (to replace Chris Young and Josh Bard) but not your best one.

Padres Make Four Call-Ups, Conveniently Leave Chase Headley in the Minors originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 23 May 2008 11:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Albert Pujols Does Not Eat Children, Prefers San Diego Fathers

Will Brinson — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Cardinals, Padres, MLB Injuries, MLB Video, San Diego, St. Louis

This one hurts. Fortunately Joe Buck wasn't calling this game, because he would have been disgusted. Albert Pujols took what looked to be an 0-2 cutter/sinker and, trying to get a piece of it, sent a liner right back at Chris Young's face. Young did not get his glove up in time.

Pujols -- class act that he is -- felt awful, saying that "He was bleeding all over the place ... I would rather have hit into a double play." And, after the grounds crew got done sopping up all the blood, he also took out catcher Josh Bard's ankle (3:17).

Not a great night for the Padres. Or Pujols really. It's awkward how secretly excited Bud Black and Kevin Towers are right now. Young suffered a nasal fracture and broken nose while Bard is dealing with a high ankle sprain.

H/T: Fan IQ

Albert Pujols Does Not Eat Children, Prefers San Diego Fathers originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 22 May 2008 09:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Padres GM Kevin Towers Kind of Freaks Out After Latest Loss

Will Brinson — Tue, 20 May 2008 10:45:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Gossip, MLB Media Watch, San Diego

There is so much freaking room on the San Diego Padres bandwagon these days, it is kind of awkward. You could jump on the back, look around and you might not even see General Manager Kevin Towers. And with the recent news that Jake Peavy is bound for the disabled list, it should come as no surprise that there are shake-ups a-plenty coming around the bend. Assuming you base that on Towers' little post game freak out last night.

'We're bad, no question about it,' Towers said Monday. 'You can't just say it's early in the season. I haven't seen any signs in the last couple weeks that lead me to believe or our fans to believe we're going to turn this thing around.

'It's up to the guys in this clubhouse. I am certainly not going to watch this for four more months.'

[...] 'You're looking for even a little bit of progress,' Towers said. 'It's like Groundhog's Day, over and over.'

+1 for the Bill Murray reference. -10 for throwing your squad under the buss and acting like it's not your job to assemble the team. But wait, there's more!

'I hear morale is good, but I can't believe it's good,' he said. 'When you hear the morale is good, then we've got major issues. If morale is good, then they have no expectations of getting better. That's not what championship ballclubs are about.

'Morale should be horrible right now.'

What rules the shouting!!! Sorry, I got caught up in the late 90's slapstick references. Look, Towers is panicking and lobbing Bud Black's nearly fired corpse underneath the nearest set of moving wheels. It's kind of embarrassing, yeah, but what do you expect? The guy wants to protect his job.

Padres GM Kevin Towers Kind of Freaks Out After Latest Loss originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Tue, 20 May 2008 10:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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San Diego Holds Breath as Jake Peavy Will Miss Next Start With Elbow Soreness

Mullet — Sun, 18 May 2008 16:57:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Injuries, San Diego

And if it's anything more than just his next start, the already struggling Padres are in a world of hurt. At 16-28 and in last place in the N.L. West, the Friars cannot afford a long term injury to reigning Cy Young award winner, Jake Peavy.

Peavy, who is 4-3 with a 2.91 ERA this season, said he's been bothered by the discomfort in his elbow for his last three or four starts and it's beyond the normal soreness he feels after his starts. He has lost three of his last four decisions, and lasted just four innings last Wednesday against the Cubs.

Could it be that Peavy is throwing too hard trying to win five games at once and trying to pull the Padres out of last place by himself? Again, to state the obvious: if something is wrong with Peavy's elbow that will keep him out for a month or longer, it may be safe to say that the Padres season is pretty much over in May. We'll find out more after an MRI on Monday tells the story. Wil Ledezma takes Peavy's place in the rotation tomorrow, and perhaps for the foreseeable future.

San Diego Holds Breath as Jake Peavy Will Miss Next Start With Elbow Soreness originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 18 May 2008 16:57:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Your Mark Prior Injury Update: Yeah, He's Hurt

Mullet — Sat, 17 May 2008 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Injuries, San Diego

When your shoulder makes the sound of a firecracker, that's usually not a good thing. When Mark Prior's shoulder makes the sound of a firecracker, sadly it's just another day at the office. Prior, Padres fans, and those who care about him were hoping that this was just a freak thing and that he'd be all right. But after all, this is Mark Prior we're talking about.

Prior's agent John Boggs confirmed Friday that the right-hander has a tear in the capsule of his right shoulder, the shoulder he had surgery on in April 2007. (...)

"It's a setback, but in terms of how big of a setback, we won't know until you know how [Prior] is feeling," Boggs said. "We just hope it's not a major setback.

"Mark is looking at it in a positive way. He will just lay low for a few weeks and let the shoulder settle down."

I also hope that this isn't a major setback. There's one problem: Every setback that has to do with Prior, who hasn't pitched since August of '06, is major. Because every setback could be the one that convinces (forces?) Prior to reevaluate his desire to rehabilitate and work his way towards standing atop a major league mound again. Hopefully, this isn't that setback, and that Prior can come back after some rest.

Your Mark Prior Injury Update: Yeah, He's Hurt originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sat, 17 May 2008 07:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mark Prior's Body Parts Are Exploding

Eamonn Brennan — Thu, 15 May 2008 16:05:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Injuries, San Diego

Hey wow, did you hear? Mark Prior is hurt again! And people are paying college athletes money! When will the madness stop? For realz, though, Padres fans -- or anyone who still had some semblance of dwindling hope in Prior -- should know the pitcher's rehabilitation is not featuring metaphors for explosion. Encouraging!

San Diego Padres right-hander Mark Prior has had a setback in his rehabilitation, ESPN.com's Buster Olney reports. In his last rehab outing, he threw 10 or 15 pitches and had a feeling "like a firecracker going off in the back of his shoulder." Prior, who has a career record of 42-29 with a 3.51 ERA, is seeking a second opinion from noted surgeon Dr. James Andrews.

So let's see: The word setback? Check. Something visually metaphorical about one of Prior's body parts exploding? Check. "Seeking a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews." Check.

It's official: Mark Prior will never play baseball again.

Mark Prior's Body Parts Are Exploding originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 15 May 2008 16:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Paul DePodesta Has a Blog

Pat Lackey — Sun, 11 May 2008 17:39:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, AL West, San Diego, MLB Biz

Paul DePodesta is pretty well known for a guy that hasn't been a GM for almost three years now. He had a supporting role in Moneyball as Billy Beane's Ivy League stat-geek assistant GM and his two years as GM in LA was marked by his feuding with the McCourt's, manager Jim Tracy, and Bill Plaschke, only to be dismissed just a year after helping the Dodgers to the NL West title. Since then, he's worked as an assistant in San Diego's front office and he's just started his own blog:

I began thinking about hosting a blog about a year ago, and back in January I took the first big step by starting an internal blog for employees of the Padres. The idea all along was to someday create an external blog to engage in a direct dialogue with our fans. Well, given the events of the past few weeks, that "someday" is now.

[...]

So, I'm here, and I'd like to be a part of the conversation. I'll do my best to reply to comments/questions, though I can't promise punctual responses or regular posts. After all, just like everyone else out there, I already have a job. :-)

It's a pretty ballsy move to start a blog when you work for a team that's badly under performing like the Padres are right now. Still, it's really cool to see a front office make a move like this, offering the fans some insight into their day-by-day operations. If you look at the comments, DePodesta answers some questions and gives fans an idea of what's to come on his blog. I doubt, DePo will be able to go too into depth on some issues, but it's still a really cool idea that newspaper columnists all over California will hate.

Hat-tip to BBTF

Paul DePodesta Has a Blog originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 May 2008 17:39:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Greg Maddux Finally Reaches Win Number 350

Mullet — Sun, 11 May 2008 06:00:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, San Diego, MLB Milestones

For a guy who doesn't have a lot of time left playing this game, having four precious opportunities for win number 350 go down the drain creates a little more urgency ... not to mention a little more distraction. But fear not: the urgency, the distraction, and the long national nightmare is over for Greg Maddux, who finally grabbed win number 350 in his illustrious career against the Colorado Rockies on Saturday night.

"It was kind of cool," Maddux said. "I don't want to make it out to be nothing, but it is May and we haven't been playing that good, and you just really want to win for the right reason and not necessarily for the wrong reason. We need to start winning as a team and hopefully tonight is the start of things to come."

Yeah, the Pods have been awful this season so this provided a much needed bright spot not only for Maddux, but for catcher Luke Carlin, who got to catch Maddux's 350th win in his major league debut!

"He did real good - set up right, gave a very good target and it looked like he had fun," Maddux said. "It's kind of hard to tell sometimes because his mask is on all the time, but it looked like he actually enjoyed being back there. That was pretty cool.

The odd part about that was that Maddux had a personal catcher in Atlanta (Eddie Perez). So the fact that a kid can come up from the minors and catch Maddux's milestone victory ... well, that's gotta make Javy Lopez feel good. But in all seriousness, congratulations to Maddux (and to Carlin).

Greg Maddux Finally Reaches Win Number 350 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 11 May 2008 06:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jim Edmonds Released By Padres

Josh Alper — Fri, 09 May 2008 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL East, San Diego, MLB Transactions

Releasing veterans after a limited number of at-bats seems to be the new black in baseball. The Padres cut Jim Edmonds loose this afternoon after just 101 plate appearances and ate the $4.75 million or so remaining on his contract. The move mimics the one made by Toronto when they parted ways with Frank Thomas.

Like Thomas, Edmonds wasn't producing up to his established level. A .178 average and 498 OPS is about as ugly as things get and, when you toss in the step Edmonds lost in center, he was hurting the team more than he was helping it. That said, what did the Padres expect? Unlike Thomas, Edmonds has been breaking down physically for years and was more than two years removed from his last healthy and productive season.

He'll be replaced by Jody Gerut and Scott Hairston but all seems lost for the Padres this season. Their lineup is lacking at every non-Adrian Gonzalez spot and Arizona and it seems that a housecleaning is in order down San Diego way.

As for Edmonds, he may get another look if a team finds itself shy an outfielder. He should probably think about hanging 'em up, though. His defensive decline is the most telling sign that he's given all he could in an excellent career.

Jim Edmonds Released By Padres originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 09 May 2008 18:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Baseball Is Boring: Braves-Padres Live Blog

Jon Bois — Thu, 08 May 2008 12:58:00 EST

Filed under: Atlanta, Braves, Padres, MLB Live Blogging, San Diego, The Dugout

Baseball is America's pastime, but had our forefathers enjoyed the modern conveniences of clocks, ball pumps, or haste, this pastime may well have been basketball or football. Instead, they had wood, leather, and a rudderless disposition. Baseball is Boring is a series of live blogs for folks who need irony and self-awareness to get through a game.

Who is the greatest Jo-Jo of all time? We can safely narrow the nominees to three. There's teenage pop sensation JoJo, who is noted for releasing a song at age 13 about kicking her boyfriend out of her house. There's Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy, a gentleman who grew hair on his face and spent most of his unfortunate existence traveling with the circus and growling at people to maintain character. Finally, there's Jo-Jo Reyes, a highly touted left-hander in the Atlanta Braves organization. Tomorrow I will live blog as I listen to a JoJo album, and the day after that I will travel to Pennsylvania and live blog the weather conditions from a nondescript clearing where Jo-Jo the Dog-Faced Boy's tortured skeleton may or may not be buried. But today! We are to determine the mettle of Jo-Jo Reyes as he makes his second start of the season against the San Diego Padres. Join me after the jump, where I will get to the bottom of this question.
THE ESSENTIALS
The Padres (12-22) start Wilfredo Ledezma (0-0, 1.96 ERA)
The Braves (17-15) start Jo-Jo Reyes (1-0, 1.69 ERA).

ANALYSIS
I have nothing but respect for 19th-century holy men, but regardless of the situation, I'd be hard pressed not to put my money on a man with a tomahawk (even if he is a racist stereotype). I'm sure there were probably real-life encounters between padres and Native Americans in the frontier days. Unfortunately, Elias does not seem to have these win-loss records on file.

PREDICTION
Braves over Padres, 8-4.

QUICK NOTE ABOUT THIS LIVE BLOG
From here forth, my banal and worthless commentary can be read in the box below. It updates much like a one-way instant messenger conversation does, which means you do not need to keep refreshing the page. Feel free to comment in the box at the bottom -- if your sentiment is funny or poorly-informed enough, I may just post it in the blog. Enjoy!

Baseball Is Boring: Braves-Padres Live Blog originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 08 May 2008 12:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Things Are Getting Awkward Between Jim Edmonds and the Padres

Will Brinson — Thu, 08 May 2008 02:30:00 EST

Filed under: Padres, NL West, MLB Gossip, San Diego, MLB Biz

Jim Edmonds is basically getting the Play Now treatment from the San Diego Padres at this point. The Padres owe him some millions of dollars and he's hanging out in centerfield, apparently with his roller, inching after fly balls. If you believe Kevin Towers anyway. The Padres GM, who traded for Edmonds, went on air Tuesday morning and called out the 38 year old whiffmeister.

'I think he probably got a mulligan for the first two to three weeks just based on missing all spring,' General Manager Kevin Towers told XX Sports Radio on Tuesday morning. 'But, you know, certainly he's lost a step or two. I think that's been pretty obvious in the outfield, going back on balls, covering the gaps. And he just doesn't seem to have his legs underneath him (or) the bat speed with guys that have plus velocity.'

Sheesh. That's not even the dreaded vote of confidence. That's just a polite way of saying "please retire". And as Tim Sullivan points out, the team is now pinch hitting for him. In the ninth inning, which is, um, like saying that retiring thing only lacing it with expletives.

You almost have to wonder whether manager Bud Black sent [Callix] Crabbe up Wednesday night in Atlanta to play a percentage or to shame Edmonds into retirement.

Gimme a break though. Don't trade for a guy who's just so blatantly eroded, with tremendous incremental declines in every major offensive category over the past four years, and then get cheesed when he's not an All Star.

Miffed about his average? Really? Guy never hit above .311 in his prime. What were you expecting now, KT? Spiderman was great in his prime, and obviously one hell of a center fielder, but just because those days are clearly gone doesn't mean it has to be awkward. Stay classy, San Diego.

Things Are Getting Awkward Between Jim Edmonds and the Padres originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Thu, 08 May 2008 02:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Someone Freaking Get Maddux 350 Already

Will Brinson — Mon, 05 May 2008 02:45:00 EST

Filed under: Atlanta, Braves, Padres, NL East, NL West, MLB Gossip, San Diego, MLB Milestones

Greg Maddux's fourth attempt to reach 350 wins was against Andrew Miller and the Marlins on Sunday afternoon. That is what we in the biz call a freaking grapefruit. Miller has one good start all year really, and he got straight shellacked earlier this week. All the Pads had to do was touch him up a little, Maddux coasts in, picks up the win, and things go back to being not totally and completely awkward.

And then Sunday happened. Maddux got paddled for four earned runs and 11 hits in five and two-thirds. And then he waxed all philosphical and what not (which I guess is what you do when your hometown team has the worst record in baseball.)

Baseball, the 42-year-old Maddux said as he dressed after the game, isn't about where you have been or where you're going. It's about right where you are today.

'There's no big picture in baseball. Everything is right now,' Maddux said. 'You can't win tomorrow. We're not playing tomorrow. You play the hand you're dealt. The big picture is what you do now.'

That's the calm attitude I would expect out of Maddux but you gotta feel for the guy; four straight tries at 350 and he just can't nail it down? He's still pitching pretty well given his age though, and it's almost a certainty he will eventually get there this year, and probably even approach like 355 or something. Although, you have to think it might not be a guarantee it happens with the Pads.

Seriously. The Braves are desperate for starting pitching, San Diego is going nowhere fast, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz are already in the ATL, and Maddux, given his age, cares more about winning than anything else. And given the Braves' seeming problem in the rotation, Maddux could certainly give them a shot in the arm. And maybe pick up 350 while he's at it.

Someone Freaking Get Maddux 350 Already originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Mon, 05 May 2008 02:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: The Endless Search For 350

Mullet — Sun, 04 May 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Phoenix, Orioles, Angels, Marlins, Mets, Diamondbacks, Padres, Baltimore, San Diego

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

San Diego Padres (12-19) at Florida Marlins (16-14) - 1:10 PM ET

Greg Maddux has had three tries at career win number 350 ... none have gone well. First, the Diamondbacks dropped six on Maddux in the first inning to put that game out of reach early. Then, Trevor Hoffman blew a 1-0 Maddux lead in the ninth against the Giants at home. Then, it was a 7-4 loss to the Phillies in Philadelphia. Today, it's the hot Florida sun ... and the not so hot Andrew Miller, who came into the season as the centerpiece in the Miguel Cabrera/Dontrelle Willis trade. But he comes into the game with a 9.12 ERA, which is good news for Maddux in his latest quest for 350.

More good news: Maddux is a career 19-13 with six complete games and a 2.88 career ERA against the Marlins. Want good news for Maddux that's more relevant than starts he's made against the Marlins in the 90's? The current Marlins have lost four of their last five games. So is today the day?

New York Mets (15-13) at Arizona Diamondbacks (21-9) - 4:10 PM ET

Two pitchers came to the National League looking for success. Both have seemingly found it. And now, they face each other in what could be the best pitching matchup of the day as Johan Santana (3-2, 3.12) goes against Dan Haren (4-1, 3.13) to decide the series. Sure, Haren has enjoyed a little more team success with his Diamondbacks at 21-9, and the Mets at 15-13, but both pitchers are having seasons so far which have neither the Mets nor the Snakes thinking buyers remorse.

By the way, the Mets Saturday afternoon loss came with a silver lining, as Carlos Delgado hit one to the moon against Brandon Webb for a three run homer, perhaps signaling the end of Delgado's current slump once and for all (no word on whether the Mets fans in Arizona asked for a curtain call).

Baltimore Orioles (16-14) at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (19-13) - 3:35 PM ET

Some pitchers start the season like a house of fire and everyone notices. Joe Saunders starts the season 5-0, and I wonder how the heck that happened? So let's finally give Joe Saunders some love ... because without him, the Angels would have felt the sting of losing John Lackey to start the season a lot more. And amazingly, he's doing it without the benefit of striking out a lot of hitters (20 in 43 and 1/3's innings). Conventional wisdom says that Saunders will come back down to earth. But for now, Anaheim should enjoy the ride. On the other side, human rain delay Steve Trachsel goes for the Orioles, which means that you should probably get ready for a long day on the couch for this one.

Everyone else:

Royals at Indians 1:05 ET
Mariners at Yankees 1:05 ET
White Sox at Blue Jays 1:07 ET
Pirates at Nationals 1:35 ET
Giants at Phillies 1:35 ET
Rays at Red Sox 1:35 ET
Reds at Braves 1:35 ET
Brewers at Astros 2:05 ET
Tigers at Twins 2:10 ET
Dodgers at Rockies 3:05 ET
Rangers at Athletics 4:05 ET
Cubs at Cardinals 8:05 ET

On Deck: The Endless Search For 350 originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 04 May 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Minor League Spotlight: How the Grinch Stole a Fun Promotion

Matt Watson — Fri, 02 May 2008 14:20:00 EST

Filed under: MLB Fans, San Diego

Minor League Spotlight is the MLB FanHouse's look into baseball's minor leagues. But you probably figured that out already.

The Lake Elsinore Storm, a Class A minor league affiliate of the San Diego Padres, were planning on holding a Dr. Seuss theme night for tonight's game. They wanted to serve green eggs and ham at the concessions, put their players in red and white striped socks and, of course, have someone decked out in a Grinch costume roaming the stadium. Sounds like fun, right? We'll never know, because once Dr. Seuss Enterprises heard about the promotion and demanded their cut, the team had to scuttle the whole thing ... but not before announcing the news in classic Dr. Seuss fashion:

"The Padres affiliate, the Lake Elsinore Storm
Tried to put on a promotion that wasn't the Norm
We called it Dr. Seuss Night on our website
But something about that didn't seem right
Dr. Seuss Enterprises didn't see it as funny
They said we could do it, but we didn't have the money
They didn't appreciate our publicity ploys
So we have to inform all the sad girls and boys
Through the face of it all we thought we'd persist
Until we were served with a cease and desist
The theme has been canceled, but the game will go on
Perhaps it wouldn't matter if we were in Taiwan."

In a perfect world, the lawyers would come down from their lonely mountain and change their mind by the end of the day, but it seems like this book is officially closed.

Minor League Spotlight: How the Grinch Stole a Fun Promotion originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Fri, 02 May 2008 14:20:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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On Deck: Irresistable Force, Say Hello to Immovable Object

Mullet — Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Astros, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Dodgers, Padres, San Diego, St. Louis

On Deck is FanHouse's look at the day's most intriguing baseball matchups.

Arizona Diamondbacks (17-7) at San Diego Padres (10-15) - 4:05 PM ET

Here's what's great about April baseball: As long as the teams stay on their rotations, you see a lot of aces match up with each other frequently before the off days make things uneven. That means today you'll see Brandon Webb match with Jake Peavy. Both pitchers are undefeated. Both pitchers have ERA's hovering around 2.00. And both pitchers are nasty. Peavy was a tad frustrated in his last outing, giving up four runs in six innings at Minute Maid Park in Houston, after which he compared the hitter friendly park to Williamsport's little league park (there's a Miguel Tejada age joke in there somewhere but that would be wrong.) Luckily for Peavy (3-0, 2.00) and Webb (5-0, 2.31), we're playing this one at canyonesque Petco Park.

Houston Astros (12-13) at St. Louis Cardinals (15-10) - 2:15 PM ET

If you appreciate nasty dispositions, this one's for you. On Saturday, Roy Oswalt hit Jason LaRue with a pitch ... and Adam Wainwright responded by throwing one behind Brad Ausmus to empty the benches. No punches were thrown, and there always seems like some unfinished business when the benches merely empty with no further incident ... which is why this game gets the paragraph. More likely than not, the issue has been settled and nothing will happen today. But if tempers escalate and you decided not to watch this game, then don't blame me for burying the game in the "Everyone Else" category. Why else should you watch this game? Lance Berkman. He's scorching. His average is up 50 points in a week to .326 after his two dinger game on Saturday.

Colorado Rockies (10-14) at Los Angeles Dodgers (11-13) - 4:10 PM ET

This series has been entertaining to say the least. On Friday, you had Nomar Garciaparra get injured, forcing Russell Martin to play third base in a 13-inning Dodger victory (in which Martin drove home the game winning run). On Saturday, you had Mark Redman set up with a two run lead to start the game, and he not only gives it back, he gives up ten runs to the Dodgers in the first inning. (Like, OMG!) So you can't be too sure about what you're going to see today. Unfortunately, this series also saw a scary moment last night when home plate ump Kerwin Danley took a Brad Penny fastball to the jaw, causing Danley to briefly lose consciousness. Thankfully, he's doing fine, so hopefully this series will go from scary back to entertaining.

Everyone Else:

Yankees at Indians 1:05 ET
Braves at Mets 1:10 ET
Phillies at Pirates 1:35 ET
Cubs at Nationals 1:35 ET
Red Sox at Devil Rays 1:40 ET
Marlins at Brewers 2:05 ET
Orioles at White Sox 2:05 ET
Twins at Rangers 2:05 ET
Blue Jays at Royals 2:10 ET
Reds at Giants 4:05 ET
Athletics at Mariners 4:10 ET
Angels at Tigers 8:05 ET

On Deck: Irresistable Force, Say Hello to Immovable Object originally appeared on MLB FanHouse on Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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