Padres need to make a move
By: STEVE SCHOLFIELD - North County Times | ∞
Monday morning musings: With the Padres losing three straight games to the Philadelphia Phillies and sporting a 4-6 record since the All-Star break, club management can't keep saying, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," to their loyal fans.
The Padres need fixing. A lack of offense is affecting their starting pitchers, who take the mound knowing there is no margin for error.
When ace Jake Peavy gave up two runs in the third inning of Sunday's 9-0 loss, did you get the feeling the Padres were done? I did.
In the last three games of the series, the hot-hitting Phillies outscored the Padres by three touchdowns ---- 28-7.
The bullpen, which was so strong before the break, has given up 12 runs in the eighth inning and eight runs in the ninth over the past 10 games.
And there should be concern about Peavy as well. Ever since the media started tabbing him as the leader for the Cy Young award, Peavy has lost four straight starts and dropped to 9-5.
Put simply, this club needs an offensive spark so the pitching doesn't have to carry the load every night.
Getting Milton Bradley was a good start, but the club should trade for a veteran hitter before the July 31 deadline.
Here's a trade idea. Go after Baltimore shortstop Miguel Tejada and move him either to third or second base.
Tejada, whose salary this season is $13.8 million, has been out for a month with a broken wrist, but the former American League MVP might just be the leader the Padres need to get over the hump.
It would cost them one or two top prospects plus Scott Linebrink, but it would be worth the gamble.
If not Tejada, think about going after Ken Griffey Jr., Jermaine Dye or Texas first baseman Mark Teixeira, a switch-hitter.
If the Padres don't make a move, look for them to tell us they need the money to sign Khalil Greene and retain Greg Maddux and Trevor Hoffman next year.
I'm not buying that excuse and neither should you. The future is now.
> Maddux says it is never too early to do some scoreboard-watching. As the Padres continue to battle with the Dodgers for first place in the National League West, Maddux says it is human nature to see what the competition is doing.
"Trust me, I've been on teams that are 15 games out, and they aren't scoreboard-watching at all. It's a luxury," Maddux said.
He said teams that know they'll be in contention sneak a look at the scoreboard as early as April.
"It doesn't matter what the other teams are doing; it matters what you are doing," Maddux said. "It is a very selfish game. You concentrate very hard on what you need to do as a player and, after the game, you try to find the other scores."
> The more you look at Chick Embrey's coaching and teaching career at Escondido High, the more impressive it is.
Some of the fine educators he mentored are Ken Broach (San Marcos), Dick Huddleston (Point Loma), Dick Disney (Orange Glen), Ed Burke (Torrey Pines), Denny Snyder (Escondido Charter), Art Warren (San Pasqual) and Rob Gilster (Valley Center).
That's a pretty impressive list.
> San Diego State football coach Chuck Long will run a football clinic for women on Aug. 15 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Aztec Athletics Center. The cost is $20. Call Robin Blackwell by Aug. 6 at (619) 594-0760.
> Willie Banks, the former world record holder in the triple jump, is not retired. He'll compete in the USA Masters Outdoor Track & Field Championships in Maine next month and at the world masters championships in Italy in September.
> Here's wishing former San Pasqual teacher Mike Basalo good luck in his newest venture. Basalo, who has been a public address announcer for many CIF football finals, has applied for the spring training PA job for the Cleveland Indians for the 2009 season in Goodyear, Ariz.
> The final round of the British Open looked like a Ryder Cup all-star match, with Ireland's Padraig Harrington edging Spain's Sergio Garcia. It's apparent that the United States no longer dominates golf. Angel Cabrera of Argentina won the U.S. Open and the Yanks have lost five of the last six Ryder Cups.
Steve Scholfield is senior sports columnist for the North County Times. He can be reached at (760) 740-3509 or stevescho@cox.net. Comment at sports.nctimes.com.
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Go Pads wrote on Jul 23, 2007 9:15 AM:I like Bradley and Barrett. Let's hope they can add some more before the end of the week. We are not that far from winning another division title.
hector wrote on Jul 23, 2007 3:42 PM:I don't like Bradley, I love him! You look at his at bats and they guy has a plan and purpose. I call for the firing of Merv. I saw too many first ball swings, and at least 2 lead to double plays (blum & bard). I think that you are dreaming about Tejada. And Linebrink has no value to a pretender like Baltimore. Linebrink only has value to a contender. He is a free agent at the end of this season.
john wrote on Jul 23, 2007 9:49 PM:our pitching is our strength but when there is no pitching we look llike the devil rays its enbaracing the last 4 games we lost our pitchers never showed up and we look really horrible why not add tejada im sick and tired of divison titles lets go all the way
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