The San Diego Padres Transaction
10-8-2008:
Sent RHP Kevin Cameron and 2B Craig Stansberry outright to Triple-A Portland. Activated RHP Tim Stauffer from the 60-day disabled list and sent him outright to Triple-A Portland
10-10-2008:
Activated C Michael Barrett from the 60-day disabled list and sent him outright to Triple-A Portland. Claimed INF Travis Denker off waivers from the San Francisco Giants
10-14-2008:
Sent OF Chip Ambres outright to Triple-A Portland. He refused the assignment and is a free agent.

Catcher Josh Bard has played his last game of the season — and his last game — with The San Diego Padres.

Bard strained his right triceps on Monday, a relapse of the same injury that he suffered last month, also in Denver.

“It’s weird and frustrating with the way the season has gone,” Bard said before the Padres faced the Rockies on Tuesday at Coors Field.

In a season in which Bard has been hampered by injuries, this injury effectively ends his season with 11 games remaining, manager Bud Black said.

“He’s more than likely out for the year,” Black said.

The injury means Bard, acquired in 2006 from the Boston Red Sox with reliever Cla Meredith, has played his last game with the Padres.

A team source indicated Tuesday that the Padres won’t offer him salary arbitration after the season, rendering him a free agent.

With rookie Nick Hundley figuring to get the majority of starts at catcher next season, the Padres will either fill their reserve catcher role internally with someone like Luke Carlin, who started Tuesday, or through free agency.

One option for a backup could be 39-year-old Brad Ausmus, who lives in Del Mar. Ausmus, who played for San Diego from 1993-96, has said this will be his last season in Houston and that he wants to play closer to home.

The Padres’ catching situation is certainly a far cry from where the team was when it broke Spring Training when it had two veteran catchers — Bard and Michael Barrett — it felt comfortable with.

But Barrett missed 41 games earlier this season with a strained elbow ligament and has been out since July 4 with a fractured nose.

“It’s a tough situation,” Black said. “That’s a position we thought we were well covered. It just goes to show you never know.”

Bard suffered a strain of the right triceps taking batting practice at Coors Field on Aug. 8 and missed 13 games. He suffered a similar injury on Monday doing another hitting drill.

Bard, who missed 54 games earlier this season with a high ankle sprain, will now miss more games this season than he’s played in (57). He finishes the season hitting .202 in 178 at-bats with one home run and 16 RBIs.

Bard hit .338 in 93 games with the Padres following the trade from Boston and .285 last season with five home runs and 51 RBIs.

Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

The San Diego Padres latest transactions:
9/12/08 Outrighted RHP Brian Falkenborg to Triple-A Portland
9/11/08 Claimed RHP Scott Patterson off outright waivers from the New York Yankees. Transferred C Michael Barrett to the 60-day disabled list.
9/10/08 Claimed RHP Charlie Haeger off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.
9/4/08 Sent 1B Brian Myrow outright to Triple-A Portland

A bad year for Padres catchers just got a little worse, as Josh Bard was placed on the 15-day disabled list Saturday with a strained right triceps.

Bard suffered the injury on the last swing of the last round of early batting practice prior to Friday’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field.

Bard, who suffered a similar injury when he was in the Minor Leagues in 1999, said the pain in his elbow was enough to keep him from throwing, and that he will likely need 5 to 7 days before he will play again.

The San Diego Padres recalled rookie Luke Carlin from Triple-A Portland to take his place. Carlin was in uniform for Saturday’s game, because the Beavers happened to be playing in Colorado Springs this weekend.

Bard will be eligible to come off the disabled list on Aug. 22, when the Padres play the Giants. To date, Bard has missed 55 games because of injury, 54 of were due to a high ankle sprain suffered on May 22.

“It’s hard, I’ve never experienced anything like this,” Bard said.

Michael Barrett, the other catcher on the Opening Day roster, has missed 70 games with first a sprained ligament in his right elbow, and most recently, a fractured nose and orbital bone that occurred, oddly enough, on July 3, when the team was in Denver.

“Two veteran catchers at a premium position,” Padres manager Bud Black said.

All told, Padres catchers have missed 145 games this season. The total number of missed games for the team this season is 842, up from 280 a year ago.

Bard had appeared in just six games since coming off the disabled list on July 24 and was hitting .209 this season.

“It’s been really, really hard this year to play this bad as a team, but it’s been really, really hard not to be able to help,” Bard said.

Carlin is no stranger to the Padres. He made his Major League debut on May 10 and has appeared in 30 games and started 23 behind the plate. Offensively, Carlin is hitting .138 in 80 at-bats after hitting .328 with Portland.

Rookie catcher Nick Hundley figured to get an extended look between now and the end of the season, regardless of Bard’s injury. Hundley is hitting .221 thus far and has been impressive behind the plate, throwing out 7 of 22 would-be base stealers.

On Friday, Hundley threw out Colorado’s speedy lead-off hitter, Willy Taveras, in the first inning, and appeared to get him again later in the game, though Taveras was ruled safe. Carlin’s times on the throws were 1.83 and 1.87, below the 1.9 mark the Padres want to see from their catchers.

Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Greg Maddux $10,000,000
Brian Giles $9,666,666
Jim Edmonds $8,000,000
Trevor Hoffman $7,500,000
Jake Peavy $6,500,000
Randy Wolf $4,750,000
Khalil Greene $4,500,000
Tadahito Iguchi $3,850,000
Michael Barrett $3,500,000
Chris Young $2,625,000
Josh Bard $2,237,500
Mark Prior $1,000,000
Tony Clark $900,000
Adrian Gonzalez $875,000
Glendon Rusch $850,000
Jody Gerut $700,000
Wilfredo Ledezma $620,000
Heath Bell $420,000
Cla Meredith $415,000
Clay Hensley $410,000
Kevin Kouzmanoff $410,000
Scott Hairston $406,000
Justin Germano $404,500
Justin Hampson $402,500
Joe Thatcher $393,000
Paul McAnulty $391,250
Tim Stauffer $391,200
Callix Crabbe $390,000
Enrique Gonzalez(not Edger Gonzalez) $390,000
Carlos Guevara $390,000
Justin Huber $390,000
Total $73,677,616
Source: USA Today, LoHud.com

Here is something pretty big that is stuck in my throat that is hard to swallow as a Padres fans! Can you find the holes where the money is going. One thing its not going too the players that are performing well this year Adrian or Edger, oh but wait I can’t even find him on this list. Because he on a minor league contact, if I was going to guess and I know the Padres either splitting a contact with someone or a few; or he’s making under 50k. 

In a close one fought out by The San Diego Padres and The New York Mets, the Mets came out on top 6-5. Although the Mets where out slugged by the Padres 11 hit to the Mets six.
The starting pitching didn’t look to shabby with Chris Youngmaking his second start since his return from the DL; he went 5 and one third on one hit 2 runs both earned 5 BB 5 strikeouts and one HR in the 4th inning by F.Tatis that ended the no hitter he was throwing. Bullpen notes not much to look at as they gave away the game.
With Clay Hensley, Mike Adams and Justin Hampson combing to give up 5 hits 4 runs 3 earned one BB and one HR given up too F.Tatis(no not a typo) he hit two in this game, like he’s trying to revive his career or something.
The Bats were out and hitting but the Padres just could not find away to get the run that where on, across home plate.
As Kevin Kouzmanoff hit his 16th home run of the year, he also had another hit and a run scored making him 2 for 4 at the plate. Adrian Gonzalez hit his 27th bomb of the year; he also had a run scored and 2 strikeouts. Jody Gerut in the 9th inning brought the Padres back within one of the Mets with a 3-run homerun, he also had two other hits and a run scored making him 3 for 5 on the day.
Other notes from the batting lineup: Chase Headley went 2 for 3 with two single, which is good to see him getting back on-track. Nick Hundley had a run scored one hit one BB and one strikeout, plus in a pitch-hit appearance Scott Hairston went 1 for 1 with a walk.
On a sour note that I didn’t want too point out but I have to say something one bad move this winter was wasting 3.85 million on Tadahito Iguchi for second base when we signed Edger Gonzalez, granted they didn’t know if Edger would’ve work out, but they could’ve assumed that he is Adrian’s brother and those Gonzalez’s know how to play baseball, around.
Also this is hard to swallow for Padres fans, how we can really think that the front office is really doing a good job. I don’t want too think like,” what have you done lately” or “what have you done all together”. You paid a veteran CF 8 million,6 of it was guaranteed to play for us, when the whole team was slumping you blamed him, when his missed a few plays in the outfield you blamed him for the poor performances of the whole outfield.
Needless to say the front office cut him from the roster after basically paid him 6 mill.+ to have major league spring training at the beginning of the season, then he goes on to pull the usually numbers and web gems he is know for with a different club; on our salary pay(the Padres), can you guess how I am talking about, I bet you know his name: Jim Edmonds with a line of 26games 90AB 6runs 10BB 24SO .265/.233/.178 OBP/SLG/AVG with the Padres, then we let his go and with The Chicago Cubs a line of 54games 162AB 26runs 25hits 12HR 36RBI 35SO 27BB and .379/.586/.278.
Now when we signed Edmonds I told people don’t expect too much besides a good name in the lineup that other teams would have to think around him in the order to bet our lineup. But as soon as he did not hit homer after homer like he did in his prime, the blame went directly too him about how the Padres buy old players that are washed up, then once the Padres(front office) felt the pressure from the fans, then blamed him for lack of runs and errors in the outfield. They cut him then they felt the same ole pressure from the fans about letting people go so they could succeed somewhere else.
So far I can account for close too 10 million just between those two. Then go ahead and count Tony Clark, Mark Prior, Glendon Rusch and Michael Barrett combined to waste 6.275 million. Barrett being the biggest waste at 3.5 million for 30games 94AB 9runs 19hits 2HR 9RBI 9BB 16SO .274/.298/.202. Second biggest waste Prior a cool million and he wouldn’t even pitch this year or if ever again. Clark and Rusch not two bad 1.775 between both of them, Clark was worth all of his plus more, but Rusch was only with us two weeks at the most.
My point is that I am tried of the blame going to the team, when it wasn’t pieced together very good at all. For example if you buy a cat at a dog’s price you don’t beat them because they don’t protect your house like a dog, and if you spend wisely then maybe you’ll succeed to win something like a World Championship.

Now that I am done venting let see; Tomorrow’s game will be Cha Seung Baek (3-6) vs.P.Martinez (3-2). Game starts at 4:10pm pt/7:10 pm ET on 4SD/704-HD | RADIO: XPRS 1090/105.7 FM, XEMO 860.

At this point in time if The San Diego Padres become sellers here are a few key suggestions for good trades too upgrade the team for 09′ and the years to come!
Take the 08′ season to be over as of right now this is what I would do, Trade:
Brian Giles-RF, RHP-Justin Germano and Randy Wolf-LHP trade them to St.Louis for Colby Rasums-CF, Micthell Boggs-RHP AND (AA) C-Matt Pangnozzi.
Greg Maddux, Cla Meredith and Sean Henn LHP (AAA) to the Phillies for Kris Benson and T.J Bohn OF (AAA).
Scott Hairston and Edwin Moreno CL (AAA) to the Dodgers for SS-Parker Dalton and RHP-Robert Blevins (both A).
Then trade Josh Bard, Shawn Estes, Clay Hensley and Cha Seung Beak to Boston for SS-Iggy Suarez (AA) and RHP Kyle Weiland (A).
Trade Tampa Bay RF-Erik Hinske, Jeff Niemann RHP(AAA) and Reid Fronk LF(A) for Jody Gerut and Trevor Hoffman.
The big one being Kevin Kouzmanoff ,Tadahito Iguchi ,Joe Thatcher ,Michael Barrett, Paul McAnulty , Justin Huber ,CL(AA)Greg Burke ,RHP(AA)Gabriel DeHoyos and Jon Schemmel 2B(AA) for Brian Fuentes and Garrett Atkins.
Making the rest of the 08′ and the Padres for 09′ look like this;
Starting Pitching: 1.Jake Peavy 2.C.Y or Joshua Geer until C.Y gets back. 3. K.Benson 4.Josh Banks
5. M.Boggs or J.Geer whom ever steps up for the 5th spot in the rotation.
Bullpen: (CL) B.Fuentes, Heath Bell, Byan Corey, Mike Adams, Justin Hampson, Kevin Cameron and Will Ledezma until Brett Tomko returns from the 15 day-DL
Fielding squad: Luke Carlin or Nick Hudley at catcher, Adrian Gonzales-1B, Edger Gonzales-2B, Khalil Greene-SS, G.Atkins-3B, LF-Chase Headley, CF-Chip Ambres
RF-E.Hinske. Backup’s: OF-C.Rasums and T.J Bohn.INF-Brian Myrow and Louis Rodriguez.
The Batting lineup: 1.C.Ambres 2.Ed.Gonzales 3.G.Atkins 4.A.Gonzales
5. C.Headley 6.E.Hinske 7. K.Greene 8. L.Carlin or N.Hudley.
9. Starting Pitcher.

The San Diego Padres couldn’t get much going against the Minnesota Twins as they lsot 9-3 on Wednesday night and will now have to win on Thursday to avoid the three game sweep in the series.  The Padres had eight hits in the game compared to the Twins nine hits but the Padres were never able to get the big hits like the Twins did to score some runs.

Greg Maddux pitched the first 5 2/3 innings but gave up seven hits and seven runs.  Six of those seven runs were earned.  Maddux struck out three batters, walked two, and gave up one home run.  Maddux fell to 3-6 after taking the loss.

The Padres bullpen was pitching good until Mike Adams gave up two runs in the eighth inning on a Craigh Monroe home run.  Other then that, Carlos Guevara, Cla Meredith, and Justin Hampson pitched well out of the bullpen.

The Padres scored all three of their runs in the first two innings of the game and then were held scoreless the final seven innings.  Adrian Gonzalez grounded into a fielders choice but his little brother Edwin Gonzalez scored on the play in the first inning.  Later in the first inning, Kevin Kouzmanoff tripled and A. Gonzalez scored.  In the second inning Scott Hairston doubled and Michael Barrett scored for the Padres third and final run.

So will the Padres avoid the sweep and get a win on Thursday? Leave us a comment and let us know what you think!  Padres Bloggers

The machine known as the Chicago Cubs steam rolled the padres for a second straight night.  The padres jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the 3^rd. The first on an errant pick off throw by Jason Marquis, which allowed starting pitcher Wilfredo Ledezma to score from 3^rd base.  The second run coming on a two out single by NL RBI leader Adrian Gonzalez (55). 

The Cubs bounced right back in the 4^th as Alfonso Soriano led off with a double to deep left.  He would score on a fielders choice hit by Aramis Ramirez to cut the lead in half 2-1. 

The friars weren’t going down easy tonight though.  Paul McAnulty led off with a walk, followed by a single by Michael Barrett moving McAnulty to third.  Khalil Greene hit a sacrifice fly to center to score McAnulty to give Ledezma a two run lead to work with.

Ledezma was not able to follow up his impressive outing last week.  He walked five batters today including three in the 5^th inning.  Reed Johnson led off with a double, Ledezma then walked Mark DeRosa and Johnson stole 3^rd on ball four.  Ledezma was able to induce a ground out from Ronny Cedeno and struck out Jason Marquis.  It appeared that Wil would be able to escape the inning.  However, Ledezma threw a pitch that got by Barrett, the ball took a lucky bounce straight back to the catcher.  Barrett threw to Ledezma covering, Johnson stayed at third, however DeRosa assumed Johnson would break home and he was almost to third.  What appeared to be a gift of an out turned into nothing when Ledezma elected to fake a throw to second allowing both runners to get back into position.  That non throw would come back to hurt Ledezma, he walked the next batter Alfonso Soriano to load the bases and walked Ryan Theriot to allow a run and make it a 3-2 game.  Derrek Lee then hit a hard shot toward left to score DeRosa and would have also knocked in Soriano if it wasn’t for Khalil Greene’s diving save to limit Lee’s drive to one run tying the game 3-3.

The Cubbies struck again in the 6^th with two home runs of reliever off Brian Corey.  The first a solo shot from Geovany Soto (10) and the was followed by a two run shot by Mark DeRosa (6) making it a 6-3 Cubs lead.

In the 8^th the Cubs bats got hot again Ronny Cedeno singled, Mike Fontenot walked and Alfonso Soriano hit a monster three run homerun (14) onto the upper deck in left center to give the Cubs a 9-3 lead.

The Padres did show some heart in the 8^th Kevin Kouzmanoff led off with a walk followed by a single from Paul McAnulty, Greene then singled to load the bases for pinch hitter Tony Clark; he was able to draw bases loaded walk.  Bud Black then called in Edgar Gonzalez to pinch-hit, Edgar responded with a single to left scoring McAnulty and brining up the trying run in Tadahito Iguchi.  Iguchi was able to knock in Khalil Greene with on a fielders choice.  With two out and men on first and third, Brian Giles came up to bat.  With a full count and RBI leader Adrian Gonzalez on deck, Bob Howry was able to freeze Giles with a fastball for strike three to end the rally.

In the Padres ninth Adrian Gonzalez was able to hit a lead off double for his third hit of the evening, and the only extra base hit the Pads had all night.  That was all Cub closer Kerry Wood would allow as he retired the next three padres in a row for his 16^th save and the Cubs 9^th win in a row. 

The Padres will send future Hall of Fame pitcher Greg Maddux to the mound tomorrow to Face Ted Lilly in the series finale. 

In the first of a three game series against the visiting Washington Nationals, Randy Wolf put together yet another solid outing.  Wolf was hit hard in the first inning, giving up a two run home run to Aaron Boone.  Wolf was able to settle down after that and throw 5 scoreless innings, striking out five and not allowing a walk.

At the plate, the Padres hitters were patient.  Nationals starter Shawn Hill walked three consecutive Padres in the 3rd inning, loading the bases for Michael Barrett.  Barrett singled, driving in two runs to tie the game at two.

The game would stay tied until the 7th inning when Adrian Gonzalez came up to bat.  Gonzalez hit an opposite field home run (15) off Lefty Charlie Manning.  Kevin Kouzmanoff would follow that hitting a first pitch fast ball out of left field giving the Friars a 4-2 lead.

Heath Bell threw a scoreless 1 1/3 innings and held the lead for future Hall of Famer Trevor Hoffman.  Trevor had no problem with the National hitters, sitting them down one, two, three for his 10th save of the season and 534th career save. 

*As a note after the game, Channel 4 reported that Padres pitcher Jared Wells was traded to Seattle for pitcher Cha Seung Baek.