A 19-12 start has the Padres in first place in the National League West, but the schedule is about to get a lot tougher for the boys in sand and blue. A three-game series in San Francisco is followed by three at home against L.A., with the Giants right behind for two more at Petco Park.
For a Padres team that has struggled to make contact and has yet to beat a top-flight starter, three games against Zito, Cain and Sanchez could say a lot about the team’s staying power in the NL West race.
Can the Padres keep up their great start to the 2010 season? Among the players off to a hot start, who’s likely to fade, and who’s likely to keep it going? And what will the next 30 games say about the Padres chances?
Craig and Chris talk Padres baseball in the latest podcast from 619 Sports! Check it out as you get ready for the Padres and Giants from San Francisco! Listen to the podcast after the jump:
**BONUS: Read about Tim Stauffer heading to the DL in Jeff Creps’ report after the jump**
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PADRES’ STAUFFER HEADED TO DISABLED LIST
By Jeff Creps
Although the Padres may have been worried about who they were going to take out of the starting rotation once Chris Young and Kevin Correia returned, this couldn’t have been how they had hoped to resolve the situation.
According to The Saratogian, Padres swingman Tim Stauffer had an emergency appendectomy early Tuesday morning. Corey Brock of MLB.com reported that Stauffer called Padres head trainer Todd Hutcheson around 3 a.m. when he realized there was a problem as he was trying to sleep.
“The poor kid can’t catch a break,” Tim’s father Rick told The Saratogian.
There has not been a definite timetable given for Stauffer’s return, but typically it takes around two to three weeks until a patient is ready to return to normal levels of activity. He could be be out upwards of six weeks before he is ready to pitch in the majors again.
Stauffer has been one of the most valuable pitchers for the Padres this season, pitching both out of the bullpen and in the rotation. After starting off the season with eight scoreless appearances out of the bullpen, he most recently filled in for Correia on Sunday, pitching five scoreless innings in the extra inning loss.
Correia missed his scheduled start after flying back to San Diego to be with his family after the death of his brother. Although he was reportedly placed on the bereavement list, there is still a chance that Correia will make his next scheduled start Saturday at home against the Dodgers.
After finishing 2009 with a 3.58 ERA in 14 starts for the Padres, Stauffer came into this season hoping to crack the starting rotation. But when the fifth spot was given to Mat Latos, Stauffer was relegated to the bullpen.
Cesar Ramos will rejoin the team in place of Stauffer — who will be placed on the disabled list. Ramos began the season in San Diego, posting a 3.86 ERA in six relief appearances. Like Stauffer, Ramos does have major league starting experience, having made two starts late in 2009, and will be able to fill in the important swingman position in the rotation while the club waits for the return of Young and Correia.
UPDATE: Adam Russell was recalled to fill the extra roster spot that opened when Correia went on the bereavement list. Russell has pitched three scoreless appearances in 2010 without allowing a hit. He will help solidify middle relief for the Padres while the rotation is in flux.
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