The Padres were swept for the third straight series and dropped a staggering 1o0h straight game on Sunday. The sweep by the Rockies saw the Friars free-fall from 26 games above .500 to just 16. They remain 1.5 games ahead in first place over San Francisco with the Giants playing the nightcap against Los Angeles. What started as a small slump, has turned into an offensive drought that saw opponents outscore them by 36 runs over the ten game stretch. The Padres will next face Los Angeles in this season defining homestand on Labor Day in hopes to stop this dramatic fall from grace. Here's losses eight through 10 over the start of Labor Day weekend.

The Padres rookie league team finished their season on August 29 with a loss to the AZL Mariners. That gave them an overall record of 20-35 for the short rookie league season and gave them a 3^rd place out of 4 finish in the Rookie League West.

Can anything be concluded from a 55 game season? A few highlights are obvious from a review of the stats from the season. There was a lot of movement (as expected) throughout the season as players showed their ability and many were moved around through the organization. The league is more an evaluation tool than anything else as the Padre organization uses it to evaluate rehabbing players, assess rookie skills and teach professional baseball basics to a group of raw players right from the draft. A losing season is not a catastrophe as the lineup shifted dramatically from day to day and pitchers innings were drawn out or limited as the need dictated.

Here are some highlights and players to keep an eye on as they go forward thru the system. Some will be invited to instructional league for further evaluation and teaching. Instructional league begins Sept 16 so there will be a break before we resume coverage of these players. Look for an announcement on the Friarhood site when Instructs begin.

The Padres looked to bounce back in every game of this season as they had all season. But they handed away the lead in each game that left them looking for answers as their season-worst losing streak ballooned to seven games. The three losses to the last place Diamondbacks dropped them down to just 20 games over .500 and three games ahead of San Francisco if the Giants win Wednesday night. Here is how the Padres managed to lose their second straight series in their surprising slump that from late August to early September.

Cory Robert Luebke

Bats: Right, Throws: Left Height: 6' 4", Weight: 215 lb.
Born: March 4, 1985 in Coldwater, Ohio, US
Drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 18th round of the 2004 MLB June Amateur Draft, the Texas Rangers in the 22nd round of the 2006 MLB June Amateur Draft and the San Diego Padres in the 1st round (63rd) of the 2007 MLB June Amateur Draft.

Cory Luebke will make his MLB debut tonight against the Colorado Rockies. This is a very important and special game for the promising young southpaw but also a very important game for the Padres who have lost 7 straight. The Padres and manager Bud Black have been fairly tight lipped about whether Luebke will become an everyday starter, taking over for one of the struggling pitchers in LeBlanc or Correia, or if he will merely spot start to help ease the work load off the youngsters, mainly Mat Latos.

Lake Elsinore Storm outfielder Jaff Decker came into the San Diego Padres organization as the 42^nd pick (1^st round supplemental) of the 2008 draft. A graduate of Sunrise Mountain High School in Peoria, AZ and only 18 yrs old, the left-hander began his professional career with the AZL Padres , the rookie league, that same summer. His success was impressive and created quite a buzz within the organization.

Decker was named the MVP of the league and was a post-season All Star as well as a Baseball America Rookie All Star with a .352 avg in 49 games and 159 AB. With significant power in his 5 ft 10 inch frame, Jaff hit 11 doubles, 2 triples and 5 home runs with 51 runs scored and 34 RBI. He also had 55 BB to 36 SO to give him a .523 OBP.

Decker also was trying out his legs with 9 SB in 10 attempts. All of this earned him a promotion at the beginning of the 2009 season that allowed him to skip the short season Eugene Emeralds and play for the Fort Wayne Tin Caps, where he joined many players older than himself to win the Low A championship in 2009.

His line of .299/.442/.514 in 104 games played and 358 at bats included 25 2B, 2 3b, 16 HR, 64 RBI and 78 runs scored. He had 85 BB and 92 SO, which seems to be the best indicator of the adjustments he had to make to be successful at this higher level. With a good eye, Decker did not have a history of having more strikeouts than walks. He also stole 10 bases out of 16 attempts with only 5 errors. He was named co-MVP of the team at the end of the season.

The saying goes that bad things come in threes. For the San Diego Padres, lately, they come in fours. The Padres lost four straight games for the first time this season. They scored just four runs over the four-game losing streak. The lost the fourth on Sunday, committing four errors in the sweep clinching loss to Philadelphia. The loss puts them at least five games ahead of the Giants with San Francisco still playing Arizona at press time. A Giants loss would give the Padres a six game advantage heading to Arizona for three games on Monday.

Coming off a defeat like this, I'm sure many Padres fans are starting to get beads of sweat. The lowly Diamondbacks put 11 runs on us. Losing a heart-breaker to the Phillies on Friday, and losing yet another to the same club on Saturday. Think of it like this, Padres Fans. Losing is foreign territory. The last losing skid we had was the Dodgers sweep back in May. And that's the ONLY series sweep against us. That's something to be proud of. We lose two and then bounce back to avoid series sweeps. Padres don't roll over. Friday night was a good example of just scrapping to win. Although we ended up losing, we didn't go out with a fight.

The Williams Syndrome Association proudly announces “Pickup 2010,” a fun-filled evening of bowling hosted by Steve Adler on September 26, 2010 at Poway Fun Bowl.

Williams Syndrome is a genetic disorder that is present at birth and can affect anyone.  It is characterized by medical problems, including cardiovascular disease, developmental delays, and learning disabilities.  These occur side by side with striking verbal abilities, highly social personalities and an affinity for music. WS affects 1 in 10,000 people worldwide – an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 people in the United States.

Steve’s son, Stevie was born with a heart murmur and during a follow up scan it was found that the tubes to his heart were too narrow, two weeks later Stevie went in for open heart surgery.  Shortly after Stevie underwent genetic testing and it was revealed that he had Williams Syndrome.  Due to his size and age only one option was given for a beta blocker, unfortunately due to a side effect, Stevie now has a loss of vision.  It is because of his struggle and all he does to inspire his father that Steve have chosen to host a fundraiser in support of the Williams Syndrome Association.

Pickup 2010 will be a memorable evening for all who attend. For $30, individuals are invited to attend the event and bowl.  For those not planning to bowl, they are still welcome to attend for just $20. “Pickup 2010” will include bowling, food, auctions, raffles and special VIP guests!

Money raised will directly support the Williams Syndrome Association, the nation’s most comprehensive resource for people and families living with Williams syndrome as well as doctors, researchers and educators.  The WSA provides resources, support and the latest medical information to help children today and throughout their lifetimes. The WSA funds ground-breaking research, provides scholarships, hosts camps and conventions, creates opportunities for adults with WS, supports events in 16 regions across the country and more. A portion of the money raised will also directly fund local programming and support for families affected by Williams Syndrome in the San Diego area.

To purchase your tickets or donate, please visit http://www.williams-syndrome.org/pick-2010.

Event Facebook Page

On behalf of the thousands of families affected by Williams syndrome, thank you for your support of this special day as we strive to advance awareness and raise critical funding.

For those that would like to donate auction items, food, your time or if you have any questions, please contact Steve Adler at steveadler76 @ yahoo.com.

WSA Fed Tax ID - 22-3305007