San Diego Padres

When the Brewers signed all-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman this winter, critics said it was a bad signing due to Hoffman's loss in velocity and age.

After picking up his ninth save of the season Saturday, the critics have been searching for players other than the 41-year old Hoffman to find fault with.

Picture this. 

It was a one-run game in the seventh inning.  The Reds had two on with two out and the pitcher due up.  Pinch hitter?  No...

Dusty Baker sent Aaron Harang to the plate.  Harang is considered the ace of the pitching staff.  He is a good-hearted, generous human being.  He is also one of the worst hitting pitchers in the league.

Harang grounded into a force play and the inning was over.

Wise Guides was in San Diego recently and took in a game at Petco Park, a beautiful stadium right downtown in the famous Gaslamp Quarter. Yes, the name is goofy and the Padres suck, but it's worth the trip. A nice crowd was on hand for a Thursday afternoon game, we caught our first foul ball ever, the home team came from behind to win and right outside the gates are many bars and restaurants to sample. So we did, and had a great time along the way.

Every season there is a sizable list of prospects who appear primed to make a major impact in the major leagues, but the team has no place to use them.  “Blocked prospect” is a phrase we’ve all heard, and it definitely applies to the Padres first baseman Kyle Blanks.  All he has to overcome in order to be slotted into the middle of the Padres lineup is Adrian Gonzalez, one of the best players in baseball. 

After a 9-3 start, including solid bullpen outings from the likes of Cla Meredith and Duaner Sanchez, it looked like the Padres were going to prove all their skeptics wrong.

But, the Padres are 4-18 since then and their bullpen continues to struggle. Though you could say it's their inexperience, that excuse won't last much longer for Kevin Towers and company.

So, with that in mind, it's time to pass out grades as well as honorable and dishonorable mentions for this San Diego Padres' pitching staff.

Corey Brock was nice enough to stop by The Swinging Friar for the third installment of "The Padres Report." He talked about the clubhouse atmosphere during the Padres' losing streak, if manager Bud Black could be on the hot seat, and when Padre fans could possibly see Kyle Blanks.

Filed:May 12th, 2009

Rich Harden delivers a pitch against the Padres Tuesday (Cubbie Nation/file)

Click here for the photo gallery of Tuesday's game.

He came. He pitched. He lost.

Controversial former No. 1 pick Matt Bush was cut from his hometown San Diego Padres  to clear room for Cliff Floyd.

Although a pretty lame draft class, Bush was taken ahead of Justin Verlander, Jeremy Sowers, Homer Bailey, Jered Weaver, Billy Butler, Stephen Drew, Josh Fields, Glen Perkins, Phil Hughes, and Huston Street (like I said, a pretty crappy draft class).

Bush's professional career got off to a rough start.

SAN DIEGO - The Padres had a promising start to the season, however slowly but surely the team's 40th campaign will become another losing proposition. Fans may complain about the club's on-field performance, but in the broadcast booth, the Padres have a solid lineup.

San Diego Padres TV

The Los Angeles Dodgers defeated their neighbors from San Diego on Thursday 8-5, in a game which could be described as a knife fight—only both sides were using butter knives.

Each side tried to give away the game. The Dodgers,with yet another ineffective start from James McDonald; and the Padres, with a shaky bullpen and a magic bullet of a throw from rightfielder Brian Giles that eluded every glove in it's path to allow Casey Blake to bring in the eventual winning run.