Props for a starter not named 'Latos'

Not everything in life is pretty. For every Mona Lisa, there is a freeway underpass with a cowboy sitting on a horse in spray paint. I can’t argue the aesthetics with anyone with even a basic understanding of art, but I know I prefer to look at a plate of sushi more than a pulled-pork sandwich. But, in the end, they both get the job done. The unsung hero of the Padres rotation this year doesn’t ever make it look pretty. In fact, I dare say I groan if he’s starting when I go to a game. But, he’s as big a reason for the team’s success as Mat Latos.

Padres Blast Brewers in Finale, Go 7-3 on Road Trip

 The Padres salvaged their road trip ,winning big at Miller Park on Sunday. The win gave them a 7-3 record on their ten game road trip. The Friars assured a winning record before traveling to Miluakee after taking two of three from the Giants and sweeping the Cubs. The win on Sunday extended their lead against the Giants back to six games in the NL West. Here is how they fared against the Brewers this weekend.

Padres Sweep through Wrigley.

The Padres set history with a big come from behind victory Thursday, sweeping the Cubs in Wrigley Field for the first time ever in a four game series. Heath Bell’s major league leading 37^th save put the Padres 25 games above .500 for only the second time in team history. The last was the 1998 team that went on to win the National League pennant. With their 10^th win in their last 11 games, the Padres moved 6.5 games ahead of the second place Giants who had yet to play. Here is how they fared in the very friar friendly confines of historic Wrigley Field.

Whitson walks away from Millions

Courtacy of MLBtraderumors.com: 

"The Padres did not sign ninth-overall pick Karsten Whitson according to Baseball America." Whitson, 19 next week, is a right-handed pitcher out of Chipley H.S. in Florida. The Padres will get the 11th overall pick in the 2011 draft because the Diamondbacks did not sign Barret Loux."

Karsten Whitson will now head to the University of Florida, where he had signed a letter of intent.

Karsten seemed to be a very easy sign when the HS pitcher out of Chipley Florida was selected number nine overall by the Padres in the 2010 draft. "I'm definitely ready to go, that's my plan," Whitson said in June. "Hopefully, they can get that done fairly quickly. It's all up to me then." 

The Padres 40-man Roster

How the 40-man Roster works:

"Each Major League Baseball team maintains both a 25-man roster and a 40-man roster of players. Players on the 25-man roster are eligible to play in official major league games throughout the season. The 40-man roster includes the players on the 25-man roster plus as many as 15 players who are either on the team's 15-day disabled list or who are in the team's minor league system.

From September 1 through the end of the regular season, any player on the 40-man roster (also referred to as the "expanded roster") is eligible to play in an official regular season game. Many young players make their Major League debuts in this way, as "September call-ups". Players must be on a team's 25-man roster as of August 31 to be eligible for post-season play. The only exception is that a player on the 60-day disabled list may be replaced by another player from the team's 40-man roster (as of August 31) who plays the same position."

The West isn't won, yet

Yes, I like taking 2 of 3 from the Giants. But, as Buddy Black said after Sunday’s game, there’s a lot of baseball left. So, 46 games to go, 5 game edge in the loss column. Before getting into the week in review, lets keep a few things in mind:

1. Latos is at 135 innings, if they’re shutting him down at 170, he has 6 starts left… if the number is 180, then he gets 7 – 8 more. That means of the remaining 46 games, Latos only gets the ball in 13 – 17% of them.
2. The Rockies and Dodgers have given the Friars fits all year and we still have to play them 12 more times.. not a pleasant thought.
3. The Rockies are back healthy… I’m concerned they’ll make another ridiculous September run like they did in 2007. (sorry to bring up a sore subject)

I’m not trying to rain on anyone’s parade, but let’s just not pop the champagne just yet.. long way to go, folks… let’s keep the gas pedal down.

On to the week in review: 

Padres Bounce Back in Rubber Game, Win Big in the Bay

The Padres bookended victories in the first series of their road trip against the second place Giants and extended their lead to 3.5 games. Though it is still only August, the Padres put some much needed distance against their closest competition before heading to Chicago to start a four game series against the Cubs on Monday. Here is how they fared this weekend in the Bay Area.

Padres Pound Pirates, Hope to Humble Gigantes

The Padres did what they needed to do by sweeping Pirates in their final home series before heading north to San Francisco. They will face the Giants Friday night for Game one of a crucial three game series at AT&T Park.

Their final game against Pittsburgh featured both teams wearing uniforms from 1978. The Padres had their familiar brown and gold tops with their white pants, brown stirrups and gold sanitary socks

 worn on the road in the late seventies. Their cap was brown with the gold triangle with the classic interlocking “SD” in the middle.