Coming into the 3^rd week of the season with a 5-10 record, the Storm made improvements in their defense but the starting pitching is still not getting consistent performances. 3B/DH Jedd Gyorko continues to pound the baseball but is getting little support from his teammates, with the exception of Edinson Rincon. The two third baggers are basically carrying the team; with an occasional assist from catcher Hagerty or 1B Nate Freiman. But none of the others are performing consistently enough to balance out the performances by the starting pitchers, who are giving up too many runs early.

The Storm started the week by completing a series with High Desert, a 5-4 loss. They then met up with the Stockton Ports for a four game series, which they split 2-2. They finished the week with a first game loss to the San Jose Giants. Lake Elsinore scored between 2-4 runs each game where the losing pitchers relinquished 4-7 runs per lost game.

On the other hand, the bullpen has distinguished itself with several stellar performances. With the exception of a rough start for Jeremy McBryde (0-1, 5.65 ERA) and Stiven Osuna (0-0, 9.22 ERA) the rest of the bullpen has been nails.

Pedro Hernandez, Dustin Pease, Zach Herr, Erik Hamren, Hayden Beard and Miles Mikolas have combined for 67 IP with 7 ER, 1 HR, 9 BB, 6 HB, 67 SO. That gives the 6 relievers a cumulative 1.10 ERA. Dustin Pease has pitched in 9 games and 12.2 innings without allowing an ER and has allowed only 1 run total on 4 hits. The leader in strikeouts is Pedro Hernandez, who carries a 2-0 record and 1.98 ERA over 13.2 IP with 3 ER and 17 SO.

Much is made, and deservedly so, of the performance of the major league Padres bullpen. But the early season performance of the Storm bullpen in an otherwise difficult start to the season also deserves some recognition. Development of quality relief pitching seems to be a strong point in this organization and it appears to be continuing throughout the minor league ranks.

3B/DH Edinson Rincon, the 16^th top prospect in the Padres system (according to Baseball America) is splitting his position with Jedd Gyorko, the 11^th top prospect (again BA ranking), and the two of them have gotten off to a torrid offensive start. Rincon would have a much higher ranking if not for the difficulty in finding a defensive position for which he can play adequately. His difficulties at 3B have been well documented and his 6 errors for the current season rank second to SS/2B Jeudy Valdez (7) for most on the team. Valdez plays almost every day and Rincon rotates with Gyorko. But his bat almost makes up for his position woes. If the team could find some position to minimize his defensive liability his stock would shoot up.

To finish this past week, Rincon was hitting .375; he hits to all fields with doubles and triples. He has power (13 HR last season) but may develop more as he matures (currently 21 yr old). Although the clean up hitter has been catcher Hagerty or 1B Freiman, Rincon has often hit 6^th or 5^th in the lineup. There has been talk of trying him in LF but that switch has not been attempted yet. With the production out of the hot corner for the Storm so far this season, we may not see a switch in the near future. Eddie remains a frustration for those of us who follow the minor league teams closely and we will examine his progress again later in the season.

The changes to the Storm roster during the past week seem to indicate the reshuffling of players that is normal for the start of the minor league season. The assignments coming out of spring training frequently change thru the first month of the season as the players get off to fast or slow starts or injuries occur.

OF Danny Payne injured his knee and was placed on the DL with OF Daniel Meely called up from Fort Wayne in his place.

Catcher Dan Killian went to Fort Wayne and Catcher Rocky Gale was called up from the Tin Caps.

OF’s Wande Olabili and Rymer Liriano switched teams with Olabisi coming up from FW and Liriano sent to the Tin Caps. Liriano was hitting .127 at the time of his being sent down. It was a big jump for the young outfielder but he showed very well during the spring.