He’s wearing #10, playing shortstop, and batting cleanup for the San Diego Padres.  Miguel Tejada made his first appearance in sand and blue on Friday afternoon, speaking to the local sports media in a brief press conference prior to taking his first batting practice with the Padres.

There were smiles all around as Tejada caught up with old teammates and was quickly introduced to his new friends.

Although he is yet to take an official at bat, most in the Padres organization feel like he is a great fit.

“I talked to Miguel earlier he was excited. We’re excited to have him on our club,” Bud Black said.  “I’ve heard great things about him”

Jerry Hairston, Jr. couldn’t say enough about what he thought Tejada would add to this club both on and off the field.  Hairston spoke of his high intensity, and the passion Tejada brings to every game he plays.

Although he is getting his first start tonight at short, the team plans to move Tejada around the diamond and use him in key late-inning situations.

“He’s gonna play third and short,” Black said.  “And those days that he doesn’t play, he’ll be the perfect guy to come off the bench.”

As for any worry about messing up the great defensive chemistry the Padres have shown all season, Black said there is “no concern” of losing any continuity by switching players around the field.  Though he would not give a definitive word, the Padres manager hinted that Headley may see time back in the outfield.

Listen to highlights of Tejada’s introductory press conference:

Download audio file (073010-miguel-tejada.mp3)

Craig Elsten contributed to this post

The second half is about to begin, and the Padres are in sole possession of first place in the NL West, two games clear of the field.

That’s the good news.  The bad news is, four teams are packed within four games of one another, meaning that while the first 88 games have been great for San Diego, the final 74 will tell the true story, and nothing’s locked up yet.

Sports Illustrated’s Joe Sheehan joins 619Sports.Net for his second baseball podcast this week.  Joe is already on record as saying the Padres will come up short in their bid for the NL West; in fact, Joe believes the franchise is suffering through a bizarre “worst-case scenario” with their surprise contention.

We discuss the reasons behind Joe’s thought process, and challenge some of his assumptions:

• Joe has advocated adding bats to the Padres lineup; would pitching help give San Diego a better chance of winning the division?
• What are the weaknesses of the other NL West contenders and what challenges will they face compared to the Padres?
• Does the extreme nature of Petco Park make it difficult to evaluate which trade piece would be the most beneficial to the club?

It’s a smart and wide-ranging baseball discussion, a good listen for Padres fans…even if you disagree with Joe’s conclusions!  Hey, don’t worry, he’s been wrong before…

Listen to our NL West 2nd Half Preview Podcast with Joe Sheehan after the jump:

Download audio file (071410-sheehan-padres.mp3)

Subscribe to Joe’s newsletter and help raise funds to fight cancer. Click here

If “it counts”, why do they still play the MLB All-Star Game like it’s Sunday teeball?

Everybody gets in and we’ve got orange wedges and a pizza party later!  Yay!

Despite expanding to a record 34-man roster, both AL manager Joe Girardi and NL manager Charlie Manuel managed to burn through the talent at hand like Tony Phillips on an Anaheim crack bender.

In the 9th inning of a 3-1 game, Girardi was stuck with John Buck batting against Jonathan Broxton.  Call it a marquee mismatch.

Dumb and dumber

Manuel doesn’t get off the hook either.  Brian McCann’s lefty-on-lefty three-run double in the 7th pulled ol’ Cholly out of the soup after he had singed his roster to the point that Chris Young—designated Diamondback, the man representing the worst team in the NL—was allowed to hit in a 1-0 game with the bases loaded and one away.

Shocker, Young struck out.  Then McCann delivered off Matt Thornton, defying the odds and giving Cholly a breather.

In all, the NL used 28 players out of their 34-man allotment in 9 innings, and the AL used 30.

And the game still counts for home field advantage in the World Series?  The celebrity softball game had less turnover.

Sports Illustrated’s Joe Sheehan joined 619Sports.Net today to record a pair of baseball podcasts.  Tomorrow, Joe will tell us why he believes the Padres will come up short in the NL West.  Today, we talk about the Midsummer’s Classic and how too much tinkering has created a monster.

Listen to our All-Star Game podcast after the jump:

Download audio file (071410-sheehan-allstar.mp3)

Subscribe to Joe’s newsletter and help raise funds to fight cancer. Click here

Extra innings.  Battle of the bullpens.  Home cooking.

Padres…lose?

In a result San Diego fans have rarely seen in 2010, the Padres surrendered three runs with two outs in the top of the 10th, dropping a 6-3 decision to the Houston Astros at Petco Park.  Michael Bourn’s two-run triple to center field snapped a 3-3 tie, plating a pair of Luke Gregerson two-out walks.

Gregerson, who set a club record for relievers by going 110 batters in between walks earlier this season, stunningly lost the plate with two outs in the 10th.  He walked two of Houston’s least disciplined hitters, Humberto Quintero (4 BB’s in 145 AB’s, .267 OBP) and Oswaldo Navarro (2 BB’s in 15 AB’s, .175 OBP) back to back.

“I just couldn’t find the strike zone,” said Gregerson, “I wasn’t getting through the ball on the slider or the fastball.  Tomorrow’s another day.”

Bourn made Gregerson pay by lining a slider in between Tony Gwynn and Will Venable and all the way to the wall in center field for his second triple of the season.  Jeff Keppinger followed with a flare single over first base to complete the scoring.

“Luke couldn’t find his release point,” said Padres manager Bud Black, “One of those rare outings.”

The Astros rally made a winner out of reliever Chris Sampson (1-0), who pitched a perfect 9th inning.  Matt Lindstrom retired the Padres in order in the 10th for his 19th save of the season.

Prior to the tenth, Thursday’s game was shaping up as so many others have before in this magical 2010 season, with the Padres taking advantage of every opportunity to pull a game out of the fire.

Read more and watch a Jon Garland postgame video interview after the jump: Living up to their small-ball reputation, the Friars are making the most out of an extra ninety feet on the basepaths.  Twice on Thursday night, seemingly innocuous plays allowed San Diego to create a run.

In the 5th, Nick Hundley walked with one out, then advanced to second on a slow grounder by Jerry Hairston Jr.  The extra base mattered when pinch hitter Chris Denorfia singled to right, and Hundley was able to beat the throw home to plate the first Padres run of the night.

Home plate umpire Ron Kulpa yells at Scott Hairston after ejecting him from the game in the 9th inning

San Diego completed their comeback against Houston reliever Wilton Lopez in the seventh.  Hundley led off with a drive to right-center, and hustling all the way, the Padres catcher converted the hit into a leadoff triple.  Pinch hitter Oscar Salazar brought him home with a one out sacrifice fly.

Then, with two away, Tony Gwynn singled, and a Lopez balk moved him to second base.  Sure enough, David Eckstein made the balk matter, lining a two-strike single up the middle for yet another clutch two-out hit, plating Gwynn to tie the game.

San Diego sought the lead in the 8th, but with two on and two out, Nick Hundley’s humpback liner to second base was caught to end the threat.  Chase Headley went 3-for-4 with two doubles in the loss.

Starting pitcher Jon Garland’s walk rate caught up to him on Thursday night.  Despite averaging over four walks per nine innings without the strikeouts to erase the damage, Garland came into July with an ERA of 3.13; a reflection of not only the fine Padres defense behind him, but a good measure of luck.

After a quiet first inning, Garland lost the plate in the second, throwing 31 pitches in the laborious frame, only 10 for strikes.  One of the 10 strikes was struck squarely: Jason Michaels led off the inning with a homer into the first row of the left-field upper deck.

Garland then walked Geoff Blum and rookie Chris Johnson on eight straight pitches outside the zone.  After retiring Humberto Quintero and Moehler, Garland fell behind and then intentionally passed Michael Bourn to load the bases.  The strategy backfired when Garland fell behind Jeff Keppinger, eventually surrendering a two-run single.

“I wasn’t throwing the ball, I was pushing it up there,” said Garland, “I was searching for it and lost the zone.  Walks killed me that inning.”

Still, despite a wild outing that included 115 pitches, a season-worst six walks, and six hits allowed, Garland managed to strand nine baserunners over five fitful innings, keeping San Diego within striking range and eventually earning himself a no decision.

Garland lamented being unable to work deeper into the game, forcing Black to go to his much-used bullpen for five more innings of work.  The Padres’ veteran starter suspects that workload may be catching up to relievers like Gregerson:

“Maybe (Luke’s) getting a little tired heading into the All Star Break.  He’s been used a lot.  There are situations where I think the starters could go a few more innings and give those guys a break.  It’s not always going to go your way.  I don’t think people realize how tough it is for a reliever to be ready every single night.”

Video interview: Jon Garland discusses his wildness and the bullpen’s workload:

Combined with a Rockies win over San Francisco, the Padres saw their lead shrink in the NL West.  Idle Los Angeles moved within 2 1/2 games of San Diego, while the Rockies pushed within 4 games of the lead.  The Padres will turn to their young ace Mat Latos (8-4, 2.85 ERA) on Friday night against Houston’s beleaguered veteran starter Roy Oswalt (5-10, 3.55) at 7:05pm.

NOTES: The Padres made a series of roster moves prior to Thursday’s game.  The team activated veteran pinch-hitter Matt Stairs (knee) from the 15-day disabled list, optioning outfielder Aaron Cunningham to AAA Portland.  San Diego also activated Tim Stauffer (appendectomy) from the disabled list and reinstated him to the major league roster.  To make room, reliever Sean Gallagher was designated for assignment…Scott Hairston was ejected from the game in the 8th inning by home plate umpire Ron Kulpa for arguing a called strike three.

It was the type of game that snuck up on the Padres in terms of its importance.

After surging out to a 4 1/2 game lead in the NL West on Sunday night, San Diego was in danger of giving back three games to a pair of divisional rivals in the course of a three-game home series.  A home sweep at the hands of the Rockies would have put a damper on the optimism run rampant through America’s Finest City.

Optimism, resume your rampant run.

Every Padre reached base in a summer romp at Petco Park, as San Diego hammered Colorado 13-3 to salvage the finale of a three-game series.  Scott Hairston (pictured) had 4 RBI, while Chris Denorfia and Oscar Salazar each reached base four times.  Remarkably, San Diego’s offensive surge came in a game when Adrian Gonzalez was given the day off to rest.

“As soon as we came in the clubhouse after the game we were screaming ’same lineup!’,” said a grinning Jerry Hairston Jr., who contributed two RBI and two runs scored.

Postgame video interview: Jerry Hairston Jr.

The Padres (46-32) picked up just their third win in nine tries against the Rockies, but it came at a key time to prevent a hiccup from turning into a slide.

Read more and watch a postgame video interview with Clayton Richard after the jump:

“Most definitely,” said winning pitcher Clayton Richard on the need to avoid a three game divisional sweep, “Every game is important from here on out, but after the way the last two games went, it’s a testament to our team to come out and play the way we did today.”

Postgame video interview: Clayton Richard

A six-run Padres fourth inning blew a close game out of reach, allowing Richard (6-4) to work deep into the game for San Diego.  The Padres’ innings leader, Richard struck out five of the first six batters he faced, finishing with a career high 10 strikeouts over seven innings.  Richard gave up five hits and two runs, walking one.

“It was a lot of fun today,” said Richard, “Nick (Hundley) and Yorvit (Torrealba) called a great game, we had a great approach attacking the strike zone, and when you score runs the way we did today, it’s fun to pitch.”

The Padres took advantage of one of their favorite divisional punching bags to avoid a three game sweep. Rockies’ lefty Jeff Francis hadn’t beaten San Diego since 2007, and sported a lifetime 5-10 record and 5.15 ERA in 19 starts against the Padres.

On Wednesday, Francis (2-3) got off to both a shaky and painful start.  Jerry Hairston Jr. and Chris Denorfia walked to start the first inning, and Scott Hairston followed with an RBI single up the middle to make it 1-0 Padres.

After a Nick Hundley double play, Chase Headley sizzled a line drive off Francis’ left arm, the ball caroming out past second base for an RBI single.  Francis was examined by the Rockies’ training staff but remained in the game.

The Rockies quickly answered back in the second, thanks to a Jonathan Herrera two-out, two-run double, but went quiet from there against Richard.

San Diego took the lead for good in the 3rd on another well manufactured run.  Denorfia was hit by a pitch with one away and advanced to second on a Scott Hairston groundout, scoring on Nick Hundley’s clean single up the middle.

Jeff Francis is checked by trainers after taking a line drive off his pitching arm

Then came the fourth, when Francis crumbled like a maple leaf left out in the sun to dry.  The Canadian walked Oscar Salazar, then allowed an Aaron Cunningham single.  Everth Cabrera’s bloop double down the right-field line scored one, and Richard followed with a line single to right, plating a second run.

When Hairston Jr. followed with a pitching wedge lob over first base that would have made Phil Mickelson blush with pride, a third run was in and Francis was headed to the showers.  Scott Hairston’s three run double capped the inning, as Francis finished with a season worst eight earned runs allowed in 3+ innings.

San Diego tacked on four more runs in the 6th against relievers Franklin Morales and Manuel Corpas.  Every Padre in the game either scored or drove in a run, and six of the starting nine did both.

The victory allowed the Padres to maintain a three game lead over the LA Dodgers, who swept San Francisco in the Bay Area.  The Rockies fall five games off the pace while the Giants are a season worst 5 1/2 games back.  San Diego now moves back out of division, where they are 31-19 this season.  The Houston Astros are in town for a four game series starting Thursday night at 7:05pm.  Jon Garland will face journeyman right-hander Brian Moehler.

This story will be updated later with Clayton Richard and Jerry Hairston Jr. video interviews.

NOTES: The Padres have had some unusual blowout lines at home this year.  In fact, when breaking down their +68 run differential for the season, over half of the positive total (+37) has come from three home blowouts (17-2 over Atlanta on 4/12, 18-6 over the Mets on 5/31, and this game)…Nick Hundley was removed from the game after the fifth inning for precautionary reasons.  He felt dizziness after taking a foul ball off his mask an inning earlier…Bud Black celebrated his 53rd birthday today…Summer Camp Day brought a youthful color to the announced attendance of 24,519.

On Tuesday, the San Diego City Council voted unanimously to approve a study which will determine if the Centre City Development Corporation (CCDC) should lift its spending cap for a downtown football stadium.  While an actual vote on such a stadium is unlikely to be put before the people until 2012 at the earliest, the City Council decision was an important first step to clear the way.

The San Diego Stadium Coalition has been pushing for a new Chargers stadium for years, and chairman Jason Riggs is pleased with the City Council’s vote and the latest developments.  Jason joined 619Sports.Net to discuss all the ins and outs of the downtown stadium proposal in our latest Chargers podcast.

What does the City Council vote mean ultimately for the stadium effort?  What is the next step in the process?  What significant challenges remain?  We talk about all of this and more in a must listen for Chargers fans who want to keep their team in town with a new stadium!

Listen to our Chargers/Stadium podcast with Jason Riggs after the jump:

Download audio file (062310-jason-riggs.mp3)

The first place Padres are varying their victory formula.  After spending two months depending on their bullpen, ballpark, and timely hitting, San Diego’s offense is starting to warm up with the weather.

Spotting Baltimore a 4-0 lead on Sunday, San Diego roared back to score six runs in the first three innings, pulling away for a 9-4 victory at Petco Park.  Will Venable homered and tied a career high with 4 RBI, and Adrian Gonzalez continued a torrid 20 game stretch with three doubles, an RBI and two runs scored.

Postgame video interview: Will Venable

“We’re a team,” said Gonzalez after the game, “we’re not just a good pitching team, we can get it done on the offensive side too.”

Gonzalez is leading the way, hitting safely in 17 of his last 20 games.  Adrian went 14-for-32 on the nine-game homestand, lifting his average to a season high .310.

Padres manager Bud Black is seeing Gonzalez using the whole field, a sure sign of a hot streak (embedded soundbyte):

Download audio file (062010-black-gonzalez.mp3)

Read more after the jump, and watch postgame video comments from Adrian Gonzalez and Jon Garland:

Jon Garland retired the final 14 Orioles he faced (AP photo courtesy SDNN)

The Padres found themselves in an early hole thanks to a combination of early struggles from starter Jon Garland, and one particularly ill-timed defensive miscue.

After loading the bases in the first inning with two outs, Garland (7-5) induced a slow grounder to third base off the bat of Adam Jones.  Lance Zawadzki, spelling Chase Headley in the lineup and making his first career start on the hot corner, double clutched on the throw to first, which Jones beat out to reach safely.  The play was originally ruled an error but later changed to an infield single.

Orioles catcher Matt Weiters followed by snapping an 0-for-16 streak, slamming a three-run double into the left-center field gap.  The four run frame had the Padres down, but not out according to Black (embedded soundbyte):

Download audio file (062010-black-comeback.mp3)

Garland was shaky again in the second, but this time Zawadzki rode to the rescue.  After walking opposing pitcher Jake Arrieta to open the inning, Corey Patterson singled to put runners at first and second with nobody out.  Miguel Tejada then hit a smash to third that Zawadzki knocked down and converted into a 5-3 double play.

Garland finished by retiring the final 14 Orioles he faced, finishing with four earned runs allowed over six innings.

Postgame video interview: Adrian Gonzalez and Jon Garland

Meanwhile, the Padres offense was busy tearing apart rookie right-hander Jake Arrieta, who had won his first two major league starts but struggled from the outset on Sunday.  Adrian Gonzalez drove in a run with his first double of the day in the first inning, and an Orioles error made it a 4-2 game after two innings.

In the third, David Eckstein led off with a double down the third-base line and scored on Nick Hundley’s one out single.  After Scott Hairston walked, Venable took a hanging curveball deep down the right field line for his fifth home run of the season.

Black said Venable has been working with hitting coach Randy Ready on some mechanical adjustments which the Padres hope will get their right fielder back on track offensively (embedded soundbyte):

Download audio file (062010-black-venable.mp3)

Venable drove in his fourth run of the game with a 5th inning RBI single, and Hundley capped the scoring with a two-run homer off the facade of the Western Metals building second deck in the 7th.

The Padres can look back at their now-concluded nine game homestand and thank their offense for keeping the ballclub on track.  If not for a pair of 9th inning comebacks, the Padres would have fashioned a 3-6 record.  Instead, a 5-4 record allowed San Diego to remain 1 1/2 games ahead of the Giants and 2 games ahead of the Dodgers in the NL West.

San Diego now embarks on a six-game Florida road swing, facing the Rays on Tuesday-Thursday and the Marlins over the weekend.

Comeback kids.  Walk-off heroes.  Call them what you want, because the 2010 Padres are never out of a game.

After Heath Bell gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth, the Padres stormed back to score two runs after loading the bases with no one out, defeating the Baltimore Orioles 3-2.  The walk-off blow came on a first pitch roped single to right from Adrian Gonzalez.

“At the end of the day, it’s a nine inning game and we won in nine innings,” Gonzalez said after the game.  “Whether we win in the ninth or however, we are going to win if we play in the right game.”

It was a classic pitchers duel that threatened to go extras with both bullpens looking strong.  But in the end, the Padres ended up with their league leading eighth walk-off win this season and tenth win in their last at bat.

“It was a good win, this club never gives up,” ninth inning hero David Eckstein said after the win.  “We have found ways to come through and it is definitely a good feeling.”

Audio: David Eckstein postgame interview:

Download audio file (061810-david-eckstein.mp3)

Eckstein came to the plate with one out and the bases loaded in the ninth and promptly banged an 0-2 pitch for a single to right.  It was just more proof that Eckstein is one of the toughest hitters in the league to strikeout.

“It’s one of those things where you are trying to put the ball in play,” Eckstein said.  “My approach doesn’t really change in the situation.  I feel more aggressive with two strikes, that’s the difference.”

Pinch hitter Tony Gwynn followed with a smash to first that was converted into a fielder’s choice out at the plate, but Gonzalez didn’t wait long to end the drama, slashing the first pitch he saw from O’s closer David Hernandez, a 96 MPH high inside fastball, to right field for the game winning hit.

Starting pitcher Wade Leblanc had another strong outing for the Padres.  The young lefty went 6 2/3 innings giving up seven hits, one run and one walk while striking out three.  It was the fourth straight quality start for LeBlanc, who has been filing in the rotation ever since Chris Young went down early in the season.

“Obviously there are still some things that I need to improve on, but I’m just trying to hold my end of the rope,” LeBlanc said after the win.

“In a division like this – in a race like this – you take wins however you can get them.  I don’t care if I get them, if Heath gets them, or whoever gets them.  It doesn’t matter as long as we’re getting wins.”

Audio: Wade LeBlanc postgame interview:

Download audio file (061810-wade-leblanc.mp3)

The Padres were saved in the fifth inning when Cesar Izturis was called out on batter’s interference.  Julio Lugo was attempting to steal third base, and when Izturis got in the way of Yorvit Torrealba’s throw, it went into left field allowing Lugo to score.  But home plate umpire Chris Guccione quickly sent Lugo back to second and called Izturis out.

The Padres first run of the game came in the sixth inning on a funky play in which a deep lofting fly ball from Adrian Gonzalez was misplayed by Adam Jones in centerfield for an RBI double, Jones turning the wrong way as he approached the fence.  The misplay scored Chris Denorfia to draw the Padres even.

In his return to San Diego, former USD ace Brian Matusz threw a brilliant six innings for Baltimore, striking out four.  While he obviously did not have his best control – 114 pitches, 69 strikes – Matusz battled to give up just six hits, one run and one walk while on the mound.

Matusz was a star for the USD Toreros from 2005-2008.  Over that span he won 28 games while dropping just eight decisions for Rich Hill’s ball club.  He was selected by the Orioles with the third overall choice in the MLB Draft in 2008.

“I was definitely pretty excited about it,” Matusz said.  “I have a lot of friends and family out here so playing in San Diego is pretty special.  To throw well is a good feeling.”

Audio: postgame interview with Brian Matusz:

Download audio file (061810-brian-matusz.mp3)

On February 22, 2008, in USD’s first game of the season against the SDSU Aztecs, Matusz faced off against Stephen Strasburg.  The pitchers duel turned into a one sided Aztecs victory that Matusz still remembers.

“I remember, it was the first game of the year, didn’t have as good of stuff that day,” Matusz recalled.  “I talk to him a little bit, this offseason we played catch a couple times.”

Although the 2010 Padres have reveled in the walk-off glory, they know it is not something to rely on all season.

“We definitely expect to win [in the ninth],” Eckstein admitted.  “But the problem is we can’t rely on that.”

But that isn’t a worry now, because the Padres walked off again and are back in first place all alone.  Losses by the Dodgers in Boston and the Giants in Toronto allowed San Diego to regain a full game lead in the NL West.

Notes

Before the game Heath Bell was handing out shirts in the Padres clubhouse that read “PENitentiary.”

619 Sports’ Craig Elsten contributed to this story

The 2009-2010 school year has come to an end, and at UC San Diego, so has a season of spectacular athletic achievement.  From the baseball team’s appearance in the national championship game to record setting seasons for women’s basketball and women’s volleyball, UCSD had a string of tremendous team performances.  Individual student athletes brought home national championships in swimming and track and field.

Off the field, it is a time of exploration and transition for the UCSD athletic department.  The school is actively exploring a move from Division II to Division I.  A home in the Big West conference is a possibility.  But such a move would require a significant investment from a student body which has to date failed to come out and support their teams.

619 Sports sat down for an exclusive one-on-one interview with the athletic director of UC San Diego, Earl Edwards, to talk about all of these issues and more:

Download audio file (061510-earl-edwards.mp3)

You surprised? Well, I’m surprised. Heck, we’re all surprised.

That’s what happens when a team picked by most to finish last in the NL West has been atop the division for most of this 2010 season.

For new Padres GM Jed Hoyer it has been a solid and satisfying run so far. During a Wednesday visit with 619Sports.net, Hoyer admitted to being perhaps a little surprised at how well things have gone for his ballclub, but added that he had an inkling this season would turn out a lot better than most thought it would.

Oh, and one more thing: we asked Hoyer if he has been fielding any calls recently from other teams concerning star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. To find out the answer, listen here: 

Download audio file (Hoyer.mp3)

Meanwhile, Manager Bud Black has been around the game long enough now as a player, coach and manager to rarely be surprised by anything. As far as the skipper is concerned, his team has played good baseball and the result so far has been a good season.

But even Black, who also visited with 619Sports.net on Wednesday, would have to admit that contributions from unlikely sources have, if nothing else, made him look pretty good in 2010. Doesn’t he?

Download audio file (Black.mp3)