The Streamer Report provides you with daily startng pitcher streaming selections for owners who prefer to stream starting pitchers on a daily basis. This report identifies starting pitchers who are owned in less than 50% of ESPN leagues, and who either has a decent track record vs their opponent, has pitched well of late, or has a decent matchup.

Before i get to the streaming options for this Tuesday's games, here is how my streaming selections performed on Sunday:

Bronson Arroyo vs Mariners - 6 IP, 5 H, 3 ER, BB, 6 K, L

Jeremy Hefner vs Brewers - 7 IP, 2 H, ER, BB, 8 K, W

Combined stats: 13 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 2 BB, 14 K, W, L, 2.77 ERA, 0.69 WHIP

Tuesday's Pitching Streamers

Ricky Nolasco vs Diamondbacks

There is some uncertainty as to when Nolasco will make his first start as a member of the Dodgers rotation, but I think it will be on Tuesday vs the Diamondbacks. I see Chris Capuano losing his rotation spot as a result. Nolasco owns a 6-2 career record with a low 4.00 ERA vs the Diamondbacks, and has given up three runs or less in 13 of his 18 starts this season.

Dan Straily vs Pirates

Straily is owned in just 3.5% of ESPN leagues and faces off against Gerrit Cole and the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Tuesday night. Straily owns a 5-2 record with a 4.52 ERA and 1.15 WHIP, so he has been a bit up and down this season, but is coming off a seven inning shutout of the Cubs on July 4th.

Jhoulys Chacin vs Padres

Chacin is owned in 32.8% of ESPN leagues, and gets a Padres team that has struggled of late. Chacin is on a five game winning streak and has pitched well this season, considering he pitches half of his games in Coors Field. Chacin is 8-3 with a solid 3.74 ERA and 1.25 WHIP in his 16 starts this season.

Dillon Gee vs Giants

Gee is owned in 6.9% of ESPN leagues and faces a Giants team that seems to be missing something this season. Gee has pitched well in his last two starts, giving up two runs or less in six of his last seven starts, and I see that continuing on Tuesday night.

A four-game win streak. Four games over .500. 4.0 games back in the NL East. Washington Nationals' manager Davey Johnson was in a good mood after the Nats' 11-7 win over the San Diego Padres on Sunday gave them a sweep of the three-game set in the nation's capital. The Nationals went 5-2 on the homestand. Now they head out for seven on the road in Philadelphia and Miami, starting with tonight's game against the Phillies in Citizens Bank Park.

"I feel good," Johnson told reporters. "I mean, we had a good homestand. A lot of good things happened. It was a tough day for [Stephen] Strasburg out there. He was battling. I thought he threw good. Sometimes he fights himself when he doesn't make the perfect pitch, but he threw a good ballgame."

Strasburg threw 111 pitches in 6.0 IP and left the game with an 11-4 lead, giving up a run in his last inning of work when he seemed to hit a wall in 90° heat in the nation's capital.

Craig Stammen took over on the mound in the seventh and gave up three runs, two earned on five hits. So far in July, the right-handed reliever has surrendered 10 hits and six runs, five earned in 4.0 IP. "Stammen just -- seems like the last couple weeks he's been snakebit," Davey Johnson said Sunday, "Everything he does."

"But the bullpen did a good job and the offense is really looking good. They're getting quality at bats all throughout the lineup. And that's the big thing. I don't so much worry about where we're at right now, I mean, I just feel good going into the second half. We've got a tough series with a couple of division foes coming up, they're both playing good, we should be ready for them."

The Phillies just took two of three from the Braves. The Marlins were 15-10 in June to get them from 15-41 to 30-51 on July 1st, though they just dropped three straight on the road to St. Louis. The Nationals' offense is humming though, finally, after several weeks of the Nats' skipper saying he saw things coming around. "Everybody throughout the lineup now is giving [us] quality at bats," Johnson said, "Not giving up at bats. Once that happens, that kind of takes the pressure off everybody. And I like what's going on."

Johnson has been waiting for weeks for the offense to kick in as it did after a slow start last season on the Nats' trip to Coors Field in Colorado and the last few weeks have seen the lineup produce as their manager thought they should have from the start. '"It's a long season," he told reporters Sunday, "and momentum shifts can take place any time. I mean, last year our momentum shifted a little after we started getting healthier after Colorado.

"Our offense was down, our pitching was really holding us in. Our run differential was a little bit better, but not much, it was on the positive side. But we've had injuries to the pitching staff. We've had all those things. You just have to ride them out and not lose faith. And I think that's right where we're at. All we have to do is play well, play up to our potential like what I said we had to do to win the division last year. We've played below our potential, and now we're coming around, so that's a good feeling."

The Nationals got Bryce Harper and Wilson Ramos back to boost the offense, but it was Ryan Zimmerman's grand slam that got the Nationals out to a big lead on Sunday before they piled on and took the finale with the Padres. So far in July, the Nats' 28-year-old third baseman is 9 for 26 (.346/.400/.462). Though the slam was Zimmerman's first extra base hit in the last nine games, the Nats' manager said he likes what he's seen from Zimmerman at the plate.

"He's been more aggressive," Johnson explained. "He's been stinging the ball. Hitting the ball harder. I mean he got his hits in the first half of the season, but he wasn't hitting the ball like he's capable of hitting it."

The home run on Sunday was an opposite field line drive that cleared the out-of-town scoreboard, usually a good sign that Zimmerman is getting together. Asked what he meant when he said Zimmerman was "more aggressive," Johnson explained. "Earlier in the count, getting a pitch and driving it. And in the past I think he sometimes would look for the perfect pitch to hit and drive and then get in a pitcher's count and not hit the ball as hard as he's capable of hitting it. So we're just opening that up a little bit more. And that's, that's a great sign. And pretty much everybody in the lineup now is getting more aggressive."

Nats Acquire Hairston From Cubs

Photo © David Banks/Getty Images

And the Nationals just added a veteran bench bat to the mix with the acquisition of Scott Hairston in last night's trade with the Chicago Cubs. Hairston's not in Philadelphia yet, but he's expected to arrive in time for the start of tonight's game with the Phillies.

• Here's Davey Johnson's lineup for the first game of four in Citizens Bank Park:

Davey's Lineup, Mon. @ PHi/G89: Span cf, Desmond ss, Harper lf, Zimmerman 3b, Werth rf, LaRoche 1b, Rendon 2b, Ramos c, Haren rhp

— Vote #DesiIn13 (@NationalsPR) July 8, 2013

Apparently Padres Manager Bud Black spoke to all the media at once moments ago, in some sort of press conference. You can tell because Twitter came alive with the results of an MRI on Grandal's knee.

The injury was the result of a collision between Anthony Rendon and Yasmani Grandal at home plate. If you missed the game or the play on Saturday you can watch the replay here. It's not one of those disgusting plays where a guy's leg turns inside out or anything. It's safe to watch for those with weak constitutions.

The Padres apparently knew the news was going to bad because they put Grandal on the 60 day DL yesterday and promoted Rene Rivera.

Padres select C Rene Rivera from @TucsonPadres and place C Yasmani Grandal on 60-day DL w/ a right knee sprain

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 7, 2013

Tests confirmed today that the damage to his ligaments was significant. Once the swelling subsides in several weeks he'll have surgery to repair said ligaments.

MGR Bud Black tells media that C Yasmani Grandal has significant damage to right ACL and MCL. Will have surgery in a couple weeks. #Padres

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 8, 2013

Recovery is estimated to be about 9-12 months according to Annie Heilbrunn and I assume doctors.

Yasmani Grandal's MRI showed significant damage to his ligaments. Will have reconstruction on his ACL. Rehab is 9-12 months. #Padres

— Annie Heilbrunn (@annieheilbrunn) July 8, 2013

MLB should add a second home plate and a chalk line halfway down the third baseline like they do in Co-Ed softball leagues, so injuries like this won't be an issue. Safety first.

Fox Sports San Diego Host Laura Mckeeman threw out the first pitch at a Rays game over the weekend. She's the one pictured below... on the right... the blonde one... wearing the crown.

You too gorgeous!! "@morgann__leigh: @LauraMcKeeman it was so awesome to meet and talk with you! pic.twitter.com/6OJTcpM2Em"

— Laura McKeeman (@LauraMcKeeman) July 6, 2013

She's a former Rays broadcaster and Miss Florida 2012, so that should answer any questions about her involvement in a Miami game. I don't keep up with beauty pageants (don't I?) but I think her reign of tyranny is coming to an end soon so she's got to do this kind of thing while she still can.

Here's video of Laura throwing out the pitch and talking about the experience.

She's showing definite signs of improvement over last year's.

In other Laura Mckeeman news she got engaged to Colorado Rockie Josh Rutledge on the 4th of July, With the Rockies in town we should all be on the look out for PDA on the field tonight before, after or during the game.

So American of you! ❤"@joshrutledge: What a better way to spend the 4th of July than getting engaged to @LauraMcKeeman!"

— Laura McKeeman (@LauraMcKeeman) July 4, 2013

A full 24 hours later I sent our regards.

@gaslampball@joshrutledge Haha well thank you!

— Laura McKeeman (@LauraMcKeeman) July 5, 2013

We met Rutledge in a suite on the night of the great Carlos Quentin fight and we talked for a spell, so I feel I kinda know him. I thought of two things when I heard of their engagement. First, Laura did well for herself, that dude is real pretty. Second, I know I'm not her father or anything but he had all the time in the world, with the game delay and all, to ask my permission to marry her but decided against it. He must have been really nervous or think of me less of a father figure and more of one of his "bros"

In any case I better dust off the ol' tuxedo and start working on the best man speech.

The Miami Marlins are not done trading just yet, as it seems as though the team is interested in shipping out plenty of its veterans before the MLB trade deadline passes. A number of relievers have been considered as part of potential trades, and the team may send out one or two names by the end of the month.

We have already discussed the trade profile of closer Steve Cishek, who is unlikely to be dealt but would have some decent trade value if he was. The reliever most likely to be traded is Ryan Webb. Webb has a combination of seemingly deteriorating skills and salary concerns that the Fish would like to send away, but the problem for the team will be to find a market and a home for Webb's concerns.

Trade Availability

Ryan Webb is eminently available for trade suitors to pick up. The Fish have no interest in paying Webb's arbitration salary next season as he enters his second year of arbitration. Part of the reason is that he is a middle reliever rather than a closer and the Fish have historically found no interest in investing in non-closers who are heading into seven-digit salaries. The team whisked away Edward Mujica last season for a similar reason, and they have released plenty of one-year wonders from arbitration because they were not closers.

The other reason is that Webb is beginning to crumble statistically, and the Marlins would prefer not to pay million-dollar sums for mediocre relievers. Webb is struggling mightily this season, and he never improved on the promise he showed when he was on the Padres. Even if Webb is only going to get a modest raise in his second arbitration season, that may be more than enough to let him leave.

Trade Market

Much of the trade market for a player like Webb is similar to the market for Cishek. Teams like the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers are specifically looking for closers, but they might be willing to gain bullpen depth in picking up a player like Webb. In the Cishek trade profile, I mentioned a few other rosters that could use bullpen depth due to lack of performance, including the Cleveland Indians, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Baltimore Orioles.

SB Nation's Tigers blog Bless You Boys has done a trade profile of Webb as well, and they confirmed that the Tigers have had interest, but that Webb could be acquired for depth rather than any valuable role.

Trade Value

Once upon a time, Ryan Webb was the better side of the two-reliever acquisition in return for Cameron Maybin. He had mid-90's velocity on a heavy sinker that induced a lot of ground balls, and it would only be a matter of time until he developed the good secondary stuff needed to take over a closer role. Once he figured those pitches out, he would be able to be a ninth-inning player.

But Webb never figured those things out, and worse yet, his mid-90's sinker has lost both the velocity and potentially the sink. Webb came to the majors with a 95 mph sinker when he arrived with the San Diego Padres. When he was traded to the Marlins, he still had a 94 mph fastball. Now that fastball is down to 92 mph, three mph less than it was running at the start of his big league career.

A similar dip has occurred in his ground ball rate. With the Padres, he was at 60 percent, and it would seem at the very least that he could induce grounders every day with that sinker. But now his ground ball rate has dipped to 51 percent over the last two seasons. Webb's best skill was his sinker, and its sink is possibly dying out as the velocity also suffers.

The worst part is that the rest of his game is not developing. Webb never missed bats in the past, and his 14.2 percent strikeout rate this season shows that he still is lacking in that department. Beyond that, his 10.7 percent walk rate is also causing problems, as it is currently a career high for one season. With his other pitching skills declining and no other typical strong relief skills like strikeouts, Webb has to depend on his only remaining positive: he does not give up homers (nine in 236 career innings).

Teams may be interested in acquiring Webb for bullpen depth, but do not expect much, if anything, in return. Webb may not have the contract that players like Ricky Nolasco have, but it only takes a small salary above the minimum to pay a guy like Webb who is barely producing. The 3.12 ERA and 3.54 FIP has a lot to do with the minuscule home run rate, and while that may be somewhat repeatable, teams may not want to bet much to see if it will happen.

The Marlins will send away Webb before this year's trade deadline, but the return will not catch anyone's attention. Remember the Heath Bell trade that got Yordy Cabrera, a marginal prospect currently playing decently in Low-A? Cabrera is exactly the type of prospect the Marlins might receive. A player in the low minors with questionable upside is probably the best bet for the Fish, and I think the Marlins would be happy to get at least that back.

Postseason Outlook

The bottom has fallen out on the Padres, who have lost 10 straight since a solid streak and are now 7½ games out of first place in the NL West. The Padres have some serious work to do if they want to get back into the thick of the playoff race.

Needs (likelihood to deal for position in italics)

Starting Pitching-High: The Padres have one of the worst starters' ERAs in baseball, much of which they owe to a terrible performance by Clayton Richard. They have pitchers that have been both lucky (Jason Marquis) and unlucky (Edinson Volquez). They're trying out Robbie Erlin as a No. 5 starter now, but they need a top of the rotation guy to boost their pitching staff.

Bullpen-Medium: Do the Padres care about peripherals? If they do, their bullpen may scare them. While their ERA shows 3.35, their FIP shows 4.00. That being said, outside of Tyson Ross and Huston Street, it's hard to find an obvious guy to replace.

Closer-Medium: See above. Huston Street has converted almost all of his save opportunities, but he has a big ERA (4.45) and a ridiculously high FIP (7.45).

Catcher-High: Just the other day, Yasmani Grandal went down with an injury that will likely keep him out for the season. If that's the case, the Padres need to look around for help because Nick Hundley is not a great answer.

Right Field-Medium: If someone can tell me what's going on in the Padres outfield, that'd be much appreciated. It looks like right field is currently a platoon between Will Venable (vs RHP) and Chris Denorfia (vs LHP). Venable has been OK vs LHP, but when you do a platoon you expect a guy to do a bit better than a .700ish OPS. If the Padres look for places to upgrade, this is a place that makes sense.

Center Field-High: Cameron Maybin is out for 1-2 months, he's not very good anyway and his replacement, Alexi Amarista, is even worse. They need another option here other than the bad they already have.

Fits on the Cub Roster

If the Padres are looking for a top of the rotation guy, Matt Garza could interest them. If they want a cheap guy, Carlos Villanueva could be their man. The Padres even expressed interest in trading for Jake Arrieta before the Cubs got him, so if the Padres are looking for a non-rental, they could look at him. Kevin Gregg makes a lot of sense for their bullpen problems, as does James Russell (and, to a lesser extent, Pedro Strop and Matt Guerrier). Nate Schierholtz seems like a great fit in right field for the Padres and David DeJesus could help them at both center field and right field. If the Padres feel they can live with Carlos Quentin in right field (doubtful), they could also take a look at Alfonso Soriano. With the injury to Yasmani Grandal, Dioner Navarro seems like a good fit as a band aid at that spot.

What's in it for the Cubs?

BA Top 10 Padres Prospects

Sickels' Top 20 Padres Prospects

Fangraphs' Top 15 Padres Prospects

MLB.com Top 20 Padres Prospects

Ranked the 3rd- and 14th-best organization for talent by Baseball Prospectus and Baseball America, respectively, this farm system has been absolutely crushed by injuries this year. Casey Kelly got a cup of coffee in the big leagues last year, but then blew out his elbow and is missing all this year with Tommy John. When healthy, he's a Top-100 prospect in baseball that throws a good fastball and good curve. Joe Wieland was yet another Padres' Tommy John victim after he got a cup of coffee in the major leagues. All of Wieland's pitches are at least average (his curve is the best of the bunch) and he shows great command that could enable him to be a solid No. 4. Rymer Liriano is a raw, toolsy player who was 21 in Double-A last year and showed flashes of huge power while showing the ability to play a great right field. But he, too, needed Tommy John surgery in the offseason and you never like to see a raw guy miss time.

The above three guys represent three of the Padres' top 7 prospects, so who is left? Austin Hedges is probably the jewel of this farm system, a 20-year-old catcher in High-A who has great defensive skills and projects to have a solid bat. He's walking more this year compared to last year (10.4 BB% vs 6.2 BB%) and he shows an ability to hit to all fields with some power potential. Jedd Gyorko is a guy I'll mention because he was a highly rated prospect coming into the year, but he's now the Padres starting second baseman. It's tough to see the Padres dealing a young starting second baseman with his kind of bat, even though Gyorko is just OK at second and is more of a third baseman. LHP Max Fried should sound like a familiar name and that's because Fried was taken one spot behind Albert Almora last year. Fried has been fairly impressive in Low-A this year, although his walk rate is a little high (4.5 BB/9). Fried has the potential for four above average pitches and he already shows good command.

The Padres do have quite a few pitchers you should keep an eye on, including LHP Robbie Erlin. Erlin is an MLB-ready No. 4 or No. 5 type who shows great control, a deceptive fastball and a good curve and change. Matthew Wisler is throwing very well in Double-A for a 20-year-old, putting together a 3.44 ERA while not walking many batters (2.45 BB/9). Wisler throws a good fastball and has developed a good change and curve that he can now command, making him a possible mid-rotation guy. Zach Eflin was drafted out of high school with the 33rd overall pick and he's done very well at Low-A, posting a 3.30 ERA and showing a good fastball and change. 22-year-old RHP Keyvius Sampson has had a great year at double-A (2.58 ERA) and has missed a lot of bats (9.50 K/9). Sampson has had a tougher go of it at Triple-A (8.03 ERA), but has a good fastball and change with a curve ball that needs work.

The last player I'll mention is OF Reymond Fuentes, who was once a top prospect, now taking Double-A by storm at the age of 22. Peter Gammons mentioned that he may be included in a deal for Matt Garza a couple of weeks ago and it makes sense, as Fuentes was dealt from Epstein's Red Sox to Hoyer's Padres in the Adrian Gonzalez trade. Fuentes is hitting .332/.415/.472, which is a huge jump in batting average & OBP for him.

Who says no?

Matt Garza for Austin Hedges & Matt Wisler

Matt Garza for Casey Kelly, Reymond Fuentes and Zach Eflin

Carlos Villanueva for Robbie Erlin

Kevin Gregg for Zach Eflin

Dioner Navarro for John Barbato

Sickels on Barbato: "1.84 ERA with 84 strikeouts and 52 hits in 73 innings in Low-A on basis of blistering fastball and good curve. Needs better command (31 walks) but definite closer possibilities."

Nate Schierholtz for Matt Wisler and John Barbato

David DeJesus for Keyvius Sampson

Overall Fit- High

Great fit for the Cubs, as the Padres have a lot of interesting pitching prospects and nearly every player the Cubs have available could interest the Padres. The problem is, the Padres are so far out of it they may not even end up being buyers by the time the trade deadline comes around. This is a system the Cubs' front office should be very familiar with, so the hope is they make another run to put them in contention so that they can be buyers.

Next Up: No one! I enjoyed doing these articles, but I have to say I'm glad they're over, as they became a bit repetitive. Nonetheless, I hope some of you found them interesting and useful. I'll probably continue to write on this site as a trade/acquisition/FA contributor, but obviously at a much slower pace than in the past couple of weeks.

Jon just called me and was like, "Did Garfinkel just quit? I saw it on Twitter, so maybe it's a joke."

If only Jon, if only it were a cruel, cruel joke.

Statement from the San Diego Padres | padres.com: News

Peter Seidler, lead investor of the San Diego Padres, and Ron Fowler, Executive Chairman, announced today that they have accepted the resignation of Tom Garfinkel as President and CEO of the team.

Both Fowler and Seidler expressed their appreciation for Tom's many contributions to the Padres over the last four years. Fowler will assume Garfinkel's responsibilities on an interim basis until a new President and CEO is hired.

Take us with you Mentor!

UPDATE:

Tom Garfinkel resigns as Padres' president, CEO | padres.com: News

"I want to thank the Padres and the fans for the opportunity to be a small part of this incredible franchise and America's Finest City," Garfinkel said by e-mail Tuesday. "I have a lot of faith in the people in this organization and that great things are on the horizon."

Jeez, the Padres suuuuck right now. No Padres team has ever started the second half of their season going 0-9. It's kind of hard to believe that they could still be looking for their first win after this long. With a 10 game losing streak still intact, there's a morbid part of me that wants to see them tie or beat the record of 13 losses in a row. I know that makes me a bad fan and I shouldn't be admitting it, but I will anyway.

I also have to admit there was something about that walk-off grand slam in Miami that made me think, "this is the turning point in the season". Call it a premonition or not, but I saw the future! Then, sure enough if we check the Padres' bedding and pull back the sheets we find a giant turd staring back at us.

Here's a table of the 2nd half results for all Padres teams. The 1969 team wasn't doing that bad until the half way point then they really fell upon hard times. The 1989 team really turned around their season for the better. I need to look into some of the reasons for the turnaround. I'll have to do that later.

Padres Record in the 2nd Half

TCU Baseball now has 25 former Frogs playing professional throughout different leagues in the United States. By my count, that is the most we have ever had at any one point in program history. These 25 athletes are spread across 18 different major league teams and affiliate minor league clubs, as well as one independent league club.

Wow.

When you talk about trophies on the wall, this is the one I am most proud of. Not Omaha, or super regionals, or conference championships.... What I am most proud of is the talent this program has produced, especially the last 10 years, and how far these guys have pushed their careers. It is truly impressive, and something we should always be happy to boast about.

Scott Atchison

- Scott came off the DL for one game last month, only to jump right back on it with a different minor injury... He is pitching in the minors right now on a rehab assignment, and is looking to get back to the Mets within the next few weeks.

Matt Carpenter

- Matt Carpenter = 2013 All-Star. A few months ago, Matt was the best kept secret in professional baseball. Now, he is the opposite of that, everybody knows his name. Playing mostly at 2B (66 games) & 3B (30 games), Matt has solidified himself as a steady everyday player for the Cardinals, hitting mostly in the leadoff spot since he got a tryout their in June.

The above stats are pretty awesome, but think about these numbers:
OPS+ of 142 = Good for #1 on the Cardinals Roster
TB of 163 = Good for #1 on the Cardinals Roster
oWAR of 3.3 = Good for #1 on the Cardinals Roster (and equal to approx. $16 million+ in value in salary terms)
dWAR of 0.6 = Good for #3 on the Cardinals Roster
RAR of 36 = Good for #1 on the Cardinals Roster

- In essence, he has been the Cardinals best offensive player so far this year, he is their third best defensive player, and you can attribute at least 17% of the Cardinals offensive success to him so far in 2013... And we are only half way through the season. I can't wait to see him take the field next week for the NL, what a big moment for TCU and their favorite son.

Andrew Cashner

via cdn.fangraphs.com

- It seems like we have been saying the same thing forever... As soon as Cashner is healthy and given a chance to start, he is going to kill it. Well, that is exactly what is happening in San Diego. After getting a spot start back in May, Cash is now a central component in the Padres rotation, and their future plans.

The big difference? Cashner appears to have grown up. He doesn't throw as hard as he can every time, he instead looks to use his solid fastball command and movement to induce a lot of ground balls, only going to the hot stuff and that devastating slider when he needs a punch-out. So long as he is healthy and keeps his walk total down, he will be really really good. Here are some advanced metrics as well: .286 BABIP, 52.9% GB rate, 3.78 FIP, 4.02 xFIP, 0.5 WAR in 2013 so far.

Jake Arrieta

- Tough year so far for Jake, who bounced up and down between starting/not before being sent down to AAA in Baltimore. The recent trade for Scott Feldman moved Arrieta to Chicago for a fresh start, but Jake is starting to run out of time and opportunities... He was quickly labeled a reclamation project by Cubs beat writers, which may not be fair, but it does speak to the perspective of those around the game. I hope Jake can get his command down soon, he has a great opportunity to break in with a weak MLB club right now.

Sam Demel

- Demel has had a rough year in AAA for the Yankees, rough as in he was pitching great until he went on the DL in June. The Yankees could be in need of bullpen help soon, you would have hoped that might be Demel. Hopefully he makes it back soon.

Bryan Holaday

- Bryan has been hot lately, hitting above .280 in AAA but still not slugging a whole lot... He is on the 40 man and has spent a fair amount of time in the majors so far this year. He may get a shot at pro ball yet, I am just not sure it will be in Detroit.

Chad Huffman - Stats

- Chad is killing it in AAA for the Cardinals, but so far he has not had any luck breaking into the ML roster... Why? He isn't on the 40 man, and the 40 man trumps all. Still, a nice rebound year for Chad, who still has a chance to make it back to the majors if he continues to fight.

Matt Curry - Stats

- Matt returned to AA Altoona this year, with similar results. Despite a hot start, Curry just can't seem to be consistent at the plate, sporting a slash line of .248/.286/.400 through the end of June. At some point, you hope he heats it up and gets back on track, but it appears the jump to AA (the second hardest level-to-level jump in baseball) may have been exceptionally unkind to Matt.

Greg Holle - Stats

- After getting an early season callup to AA, Greg has been pitching fairly well. He has a 4.42 ERA and a .301 opponents batting average which don't look great, but are mostly influenced by a few really bad appearances. Overall, Greg has done well, and the Brewers continue to show faith in the pseudo-veteran.

Josh Elander - Stats

- All the talk in May/June was, "When is Josh getting called up to high-A" after his crazy performance to start the year. Well, he got the callup, and things haven't gone well so far. But, he only has eight games under his belt as of yet, and the newly minted outfielder still has plenty of room to grow.

Taylor Featherston - Stats

- Not a horrible year for the 2B in high-A so far, but you would expect more offense from a guy at this level and this position. Featherston has always flashed plus offensive potential, and has shown that promise at times in the pros, this year just doesn't appear to be his.

Jerome Pena - Stats

- No such luck for Jerome Pena either... I could essentially copy the Featherston paragraph and put it here, neither guy is killing it thus far at this pro level.

Matt Purke - Stats

- Purke finally got on the mound for the Nationals this year and was quite good through 30 innings in A ball, so the Nationals got aggressive and moved him up to high-A. Two starts in, one good and one bad, Purke still has a ton of promise. After getting his shoulder scoped last year, Purke's velocity, feel, and control have returned, and the lefty appears to be "back." Good news too, the Nationals need to capitalize on their major investment sooner rather than later.

Kevin Allen - Stats

- Allen started the year in extended spring training but has made his way up to A ball for the Royals, where he is doing quite well... Only five games in so far for Allen, but good results to show for it, I wouldn't be surprised if the Royals are also aggressive with this former Frog, high-A could be just around the corner.

Jason Coats - Stats

- Coats has recovered from knee surgery to a successful start in 2013... He has cooled of a bit as of late, but I like what I am seeing out of Coats... He still has a ton of promise, just needs to continue to log innings and ABs in pro-ball.

Kaleb Merck - Stats

- Well, I was going to talk about Merck heading from extended spring training to A-ball in June, but we learned today he has now been given his outright release from the Twins and is a unrestricted minor league free agent... Nothing more to add at this time, I have no idea what his plans are. I spoke with Kaleb Merck today, he is thinking about heading back to school to finish his degree... He also wouldn't rule out a return to pro-ball in the future. Best of luck Kaleb!

Kyle Winkler - Stats

- Kyle has spent time in a few leagues this year, mostly as a starter, as the Diamondbacks continue to work him back into a healthy role. So far so good in A-Ball for Kyle, where he is sporting a 3.90 ERA through 30+ innings pitched. If he stays healthy and continues to get better, the sky is the limit for this kid, his stuff has never, ever been in question.

Paul Hendrix - Stats

- After signing relatively quickly with the Indians, Hendrix reported to the college heavy short season-A ball league, where he is playing quite well so far (through 11 games), primarily at SS. Short was always his future pro spot, he has the most potential there long term... It will be interesting to see how he progresses this fall.

Kyle Von Tungeln - Stats

- Kyle has had a tough year... He has bounced around three different development levels, landing in short season-A ball for the Rockies... The numbers aren't good for the former TCU outfielder, which is disappointing based off of his hot start in the summer of 2012... Hopefully he can get things jump started in the second half of season.

Andrew Mitchell - Stats

- So far so good for Mitchell in the rookie league... The Sox are ramping up his arm, he should report to short season-A ball (or higher) within a few weeks as long as nothing major goes wrong.

Jantzen Witte - Stats

- Just 12 games for Witte so far in rookie ball, but not bad so far. Again, short season-A ball is a likely home in August.

Stefan Crichton, Nick Frey, Trevor Seidenberger

- All have signed (as I reported yesterday), none have logged any innings yet... Frey is hurt of course, but I would expect Crichton and Seidenberger to head off to Rookie ball and short season-A ball in the coming weeks, just as their fellow teammates have.

Joe Weik - Stats

- Joe is playing mostly 1B in the American Association independent league (Amarillo Florida), and he is killing it... So far, Weik is sporting a .337/.386/.492 slash line with 39 RBIs... You have to admire a guy willing to chase his dream this far, I hope Joe gets a shot with a major league team soon.

PROFESSIONAL FROGS

(Name, Team, Separated by current professional level)

Major Leagues
Scott Atchison (Mets) [DL]
Matt Carpenter (Cardinals)
Andrew Cashner (Padres)

Triple AAA
Jake Arrieta (Cubs)
Sam Demel (Yankees)
Bryan Holaday (Tigers)
Chad Huffman (Cardinals)

Double AA
Matt Curry (Pirates)
Greg Holle (Brewers)

High A
Josh Elander (Braves)
Taylor Featherston (Rockies)
Jerome Pena (Orioles)
Matt Purke (Nationals)

Low A
Kevin Allen (Royals)
Jason Coats (White Sox)
Kaleb Merck (Twins)
Kyle Winkler (Diamondbacks)

Low A Short Season
Paul Hendrix (Indians)
Kyle Von Tungeln (Rockies)

Rookie League
Stefan Crichton (Orioles)
Nick Frey (Cardinals)
Andrew Mitchell (White Sox)
Trevor Seidenberger (Brewers)
Jantzen Witte (Red Sox)

Independent League
Joseph Weik (Amarillo Sox [Pensacola, Florida]) - American Association League

I am working on revising my top prospect list. The first step is to kick off everyone who has graduated to the majors and will lose rookie eligibility (I use 130 at-bats, 50 innings for starters, 30 for relievers), or who is on the verge of doing so.

Here are the graduates, with the number indicating where they ranked on my pre-season Top 150 Prospect list. I am listing the original ETAs so you can see who ended up in the majors sooner than I expected: Jose Fernandez, Yasiel Puig, Oswaldo Arcia, and Marcell Ozuna were the main ones.

GRADUATED

1) Jurickson Profar, SS, Texas Rangers, ETA 2013: Holding his own considering the circumstances.
6) Shelby Miller, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals, 2013: One of the best pitchers in the National League.
8) Jose Fernandez, RHP, Miami Marlins, 2014: One of the best pitchers in the National League.
16) Tyler Skaggs , LHP, Arizona Diamondbacks, 2013: Over 50 innings now, should continue to improve.
26) Yasiel Puig, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers, 2014: The Most Interesting Man in the World asked Puig for his autograph.

27) Trevor Rosenthal, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals, 2013: Extremely effective in bullpen.
33) Anthony Rendon, 3B, Washington Nationals, 2013: Just needs to stay healthy.
35) Aaron Hicks, OF, Minnesota Twins, 2013: Was rushed but gradually pulling himself out of hole.
36) Oswaldo Arcia, OF, Minnesota Twins, 2014: Very solid rookie campaign and I think he'll get even better.
38) Jedd Gyorko, 2B-3B San Diego Padres, 2013: Easy to overlook due to other NL rookies but very solid.

40) Nick Franklin, SS, Seattle Mariners, 2013: Everything the Mariners could have hoped.
41) Julio Teheran, RHP, Atlanta Braves, 2013: Jedd Gyorko of pitchers: effective, but overlooked due to others
53) Nolan Arenado, 3B, Colorado Rockies, 2013: I think he'll improve with time.Skipping Triple-A shows in this case.
65) Tony Cingrani, LHP, Cincinnati Reds, 2013: Who cares about breaking balls?
78) Leonys Martin, OF, Texas Rangers, 2013: Another very solid rookie, stealing ability stands out.

90) Wily Peralta, RHP, Milwaukee Brewers, 2013: Has made 18 starts with unattractive results.Can he improve?
96) Dan Straily, RHP, Oakland Athletics, 2013: I still like him.
97) Brandon Maurer, RHP, Seattle Mariners, 2013: Beat up in 10 starts but will be back.
105) Martin Perez, LHP, Texas Rangers, 2013: Over 50 innings now. To be honest, I still don't know what to make of him.
116) Marcell Ozuna, OF, Miami Marlins, 2014: Has held his job but needs better command of the strike zone

119) Avisail Garcia, OF, Detroit Tigers, 2013: Right at 130 AB. I'm assuming he'll pick up a few more. Profile similar to Ozuna.
134) Matt Adams, 1B, St. Louis Cardinals, 2013: He was a 23rd round pick, remember.
136) Didi Gregorius, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks, 2013: Hmm. Maybe the Diamondbacks knew what they were doing?
148) Justin Grimm, RHP, Texas Rangers, 2013: Wily Peralta of the American League.

SPECIAL CASE: Hyun-Jin Ryu, LHP, Los Angeles Dodgers: Unusual case due to Korean professional background, age, and size of contract. The optimistic scouting reports were the correct ones.

There are some borderline cases I haven't decided what to do with yet: Gerrit Cole, Wil Myers, Kevin Gausman, Brad Miller, Zack Wheeler, and Mike Zunino most notably, who haven't exceeded limits yet but should. I might include them on the revised list for one last time but I am undecided. Would you prefer a list with those guys, or one with just guys in the minors?

BOISE, ID -- Even though the Hawks are gone, I'm still here. I'll head back in a couple days.

• We're back to talking about the Biogenesis Scandal, as an ESPN report last night said that MLB would announce suspensions sometime after the All-Star Break. Now, "sometime after the All-Star Break" is a wide period of time, and MLB denied the ESPN report, saying that they were "still in the midst of an active investigation."
• In any case, both ESPN and now Yahoo! confirm that Ryan Braun refused to talk to MLB investigators. Jeff Passan of Yahoo! thinks that for someone who keeps saying he has nothing to hide, Braun is acting like someone who is hiding something.
• MLB is scheduled to interviewAlex Rodriguez on Friday in connection to the scandal.
• Scandal or not, A-Rod is awfully popular with his minor league teammates.
• Matthew Pouliot wonders what happens after MLB announces suspensions in the Biogenesis scandal.He thinks that its unlikely any of the suspensions will be served this season.
• Michael Hunt thinks the accusations against Braun put Brewers fans in a difficult position.
• Speaking of someone who's already been suspended, Manny Ramirezwent 2 for 4 with a home run for Round Rock.
• It doesn't make much sense that Bartolo Colonis having perhaps the best season of his career at age 40, but let's just enjoy the ride anyway.
• The Athletics are calling Sonny Gray up from Triple-A Sacramento. He'll pitch out of the bullpen in Oakland.
• Danny Knobler says that fans who think the hitting coach is the problem are wrong. So he's pretty embarrassed to say that George Brett has made a huge difference in the Royals turnaround.
• Speaking of Brett, here's five fun facts about the Pine Tar Game. Did you know Don Mattingly played second base?
• Rob Neyer thinks that Greg Hollandis the best pitcher no one has ever heard of.
• Teams will start calling the Rockies about Michael Cuddyer, writes Ken Rosenthal.
• The Rockies acquired Mitchell Boggsfor international cap space, which I believe is the first deal for cap space that didn't involve the Cubs.
• Phillies management was unhappy with the team clowning around during a 13-4 loss to Atlanta.
• Michael Baumann writes Ryan Howard's obituary, as least as far as baseball is concerned. I don't think Howard is actually dead. It is hard to tell sometimes.
• Matt Kemp got an injection of platlet-rich-plasma for his injured shoulder. That is never a good sign, as it's usually the last resort before surgery.
• David Schoenfield thinks the Dodgersaren't going to make the playoffs without Kemp.
• The Red Soxneed a day off.
• The Marlins can't sell tickets to see their team, so they've resorted to "special" promotions to see players on the visiting team.
• Padres President and CEO Tom Garfinkel has resigned. He was temporarily kept on after the new ownership group took over.
• Justin and B.J. Upton's reunion in Atlanta hasn't been a happy story so far. Except for that whole Braves being in first place anyway thing. But in case you haven't noticed, Justin hasn't been very good since April either.
• Manny Machadois the best defensive player in the majors, at least according to some metrics. Oh, and he can hit a little, too.
• Brandon Beltdid not have the worst game ever with his 0 for 8 with five strikeouts Monday night. But it was close
• Nick Swisherlearns that you should always run out the play.
• I'm not a Black Keys fan, although I don't change the channel when they come on the radio, so I guess that's a compliment. But I may have to become one after the band decided to sponsor a Little League team in their hometown of Akron, Ohio. The jerseys are naturally collectors items, already. Or at least they would be if the team wasn't currently using them.
• Finally, be sure to check out this SBNation article by Jorge Arangure Jr. on Brooklyn's Zorrilla Baseball League, where former professionals, mostly Dominicans, play for the love of the game. Especially since it is just a game for them now, rather than a job.

And as always, tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.

Former Mississippi State outfielder and first round draft pick Hunter Refroe inked a deal worth $2.678M with the San Diego Padres Tuesday according to multiple reports. The dollar value equals the slot value for the 13th overall draft pick.

After officially becoming a Padre, Renfroe had the privilege of throwing out the first pitch at Petco Park after taking some batting practice, and he discussed his strategy with Bulldog first baseman Wes Rea.

So @Hunter_Renfroe is about to throw out the first pitch at the #Padres game and this is his game plan! pic.twitter.com/cPFdfjqQgv

— Wes Rea (@wes_rea) July 10, 2013

Renfroe is expected to report to Eugene later today, where he will play with the Emeralds in the Northwest League, a short-season league.

Padres general manager Josh Byrnes told MLB.com the organization would have no qualms about moving Renfroe to Class A Fort Wayne if the short season goes well.

Renfroe finished his last season in Starkville with a .345 batting average, 15 home runs and 65 RBIs in 66 games.

Excitement always surrounds a top pick, but the real work can only being once that player is signed. Hunter Renfroe took a little longer to sign that many of the Padres' 2013 draft picks. At the time he was drafted, the Mississippi State Bulldog was in the midst of a College World Series run that saw he and his team reach the final round only to lose to UCLA. Since he was still participating in this amateur tournament, he could not negotiate with the Padres at that time. That tournament ended a little over two weeks ago and although there were assurances from local media that a deal would get done, previous Padres drafting failures left many waiting anxiously for a contract to get signed.

The deal did get done and it was for a reported $2,678,000 in signing bonus money. That's good enough to be the 6th highest signing bonus ever dished out to a draft pick. Other high singing bonus amounts were $6,250,000 to 2009 draftee Donavan Tate, $3,150,000 in 2004 to Matt Bush, $3,000,000 to both 2012 draftee Max Fried and 2011 draftee Austin Hedges and $2,750,000 to 2011 draftee Joe Ross. The Padres kept about $500,000 in slot money free locking up Renfroe for this amount and immediately turned around used $175,000 to lock up 25th round pick Tony Rizzoti. Rizzoti is a right handed pitcher out of Tulane who projects well, but slid in the draft due to injury issues that should clear up with time. The team had already signed their other top 19 selections from this draft.

Proud of their new first round pick signing, the Padres had Hunter Renfroe on display Tuesday at Petco Park. The decked him out in Padres gear (as seen above). They had him take batting practice. He threw out the first pitch. In the second inning he joined Dick Enberg and Mark Sweeney in the booth. Later he gladhanded Padres fans out on the new Jack Daniels patio in right field and answered a social media related question from Megan Olivi on air.

After his big day he is now headed north to hook up with the Padres Short Season A ball affiliate Eugene Emeralds in Oregon. It is expected that with a good showing in the Northwest League, he could be quickly promoted to Fort Wayne to finish the season.

Here's some of the highlights of his on air conversation during Tuesday's game.

• His name is his hobby. Likes to hunt.
  
• He is proudest of his batting average. He hit "2 something" in his Sophomore year and knew he had to prove himself this season.
• Felt comfortable hitting BP with a wooden bat. Swung with a wood bat a little in the fall. Thinks that the wooden bats at the professional level have more pop in them than the bats currently used in college baseball. Showed this by hitting a HR to the visitor's bullpen during BP.
  
• Hit a line drive HR in the College World Series. One of only 3 HRs hit in Omaha.
• Used to pitch back in the day. Claims to have thrown it 98-99 MPH.
  
• Works hard at being able to utilize his arm from the RF position. Says that throwing guys out is "one of the special things he gets to do".
• Likes the number 11.
• Favorite player growing up was Chipper Jones.
• Thought it was "awesome" to be compared to former Angel Tim Salmon.
• Gets his athletic talent from both mom and dad. Dad played baseball in high school and could have played in college, mom was all state in track and basketball "and stuff like that".
• Likes the San Diego weather.

According to ESPN's Outside the Lines, Major League Baseball requested to interview Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun to discuss his involvement with Biogenesis and its founder Tony Bosch. Braun is said to have "refused to answer questions" during this meeting. In 2011, he also took a urine test which showed high levels of testosterone which may have been caused by a performance-enhancing drug. Ryan Braun then issued statements in early 2012 claiming he had not done anything wrong and many believe he got away with it because of minor technicalities.

As for Alex Rodriguez, he is expected to meet with the league this week (OTL says Friday) and the Yankees third baseman is, of course, no stranger to these rumors. The fourteen-time All-Star and three-time MVP has even admitted to his use of steroids in 2009, saying he used them sometime during his tenure with the Texas Rangers.

But the names don't end with just Braun and Rodriguez, Outside the Lines' sources have said they are as many as twenty players who are linked to Biogenesis. Some of them are currently in the minors or are free agents. The following are reportedly involved:

• Everth Cabrera (Padres)
• Melky Cabrera (Blue Jays)
• Francisco Cervelli (Yankees)
• Bartolo Colon (Athletics)
• Nelson Cruz (Rangers)
• Gio Gonzalez (Nationals) *May have received only legal substances
• Yasmani Grandal (Padres)
• Fernando Martinez (Yankees)
• Jesus Montero (Mariners)
• Jordan Norberto (Free Agent)
• Jhonny Peralta (Tigers)
• Cesar Puuello (Mets)
• Fautino de los Santos (Free Agent)

Source: ESPN Outside the Lines

Angels sign Drew Carpenter

The Los Angeles Angels signed right-handed pitcher Drew Carpenter to a minor league deal, according to MLB.com's official transactions page. The 28-year old was released by the Colorado Rockies on June 29th. The Angels will be his third organization on the season, joining the Rockies and Cubs, who traded him to Colorado on May 10th. In 15 starts between the Cubs' and Rockies' Triple-A affiliates, Carpenter is 3-7 with a 6.96 ERA in 75 innings of work. He has 23 games of major league experience with the Phillies (2008-2011), Padres (2011), and Blue Jays (2012), and is 1-1 with a 7.56 ERA in 33.1 innings of major league work. He will likely head to Triple-A Salt Lake for the Angels.

Pirates acquire Brian Bocock

The Pittsburgh Pirates have acquired shortstop Brian Bocock from the Washington Nationals, according to an announcement from the Pirates' Triple-A affiliate. Bocock is the player to be named later in the May 17th deal that sent catcher Brian Jeroloman to the Nationals organization. In 22 games with Triple-A Syracuse on the year, Bocock is hitting .182 with 2 RBI. The former Giant (2008) and Phillie (2010) has hit .134 with 2 RBI in 38 career major league games. Bocock will join Triple-A Indianapolis and serve as organizational depth for the Pirates.

There are 25 players on an active major league roster. It does not seem that longer that teams routinely would have only 11 pitchers on that roster. Since then it has grown to a standard of 12. 5 starters and 7 relievers. Sometimes a team will go with 13 pitchers to get them through a tough stretch. Rarely a 14 man pitching staff rears its ugly head for a bit, which severely limits a manager's bench options. The Padres are currently carrying 12 pitchers on their roster and have at times utilized a 13 man one, but I argue the pitching staff is really much bigger.

The 40 man roster included 15 players who are in AA, AAA or on the DL. Nine of those are pitchers pitchers. One is Clayton Richard, who is on the DL, two are Latin American players who are only on the roster for Rule 5 protection purposes. The other 6 are basically part of the pitching stuff. Those 6 are: Anthony Bass, Brad Boxberger, Robbie Erlin. Tommy Layne, Tyson Ross, and Burch Smith. Ross was recently moved from the 25 man to the 40 man when he was swapped with Miles Mikolas. This is Mikolas' second stint this season on the big league club. It is Ross' second stint in AAA. Bass has played both on the major league team and in the minors. So has Boxberger, who has been called up to the Padres twice. As has Erlin. Same with Layne and Smith. On the major league roster Nick Vincent, Brad Brach and Tim Stauffer have spent time on both the San Diego and Tuscon Padres.

This gives the Padres effectively an 18 man pitching staff. When the bullpen is getting tired, somebody with options is sent down and somebody else is called up. The rules do not allow anyone who has been sent down in the last 10 days to be called up again (unless an injury replacement is needed) so most teams cannot implement a system flexible shuttling system. However with 6 different players in AAA to pick from, the Padres can just pick a guy who has not been called up in a while. This would be a big deal if there was a large discrepancy in talent or experience between each of these players, but that is not the case. Most of these players are similarly talented and haven less that 2 full years of experience. It is not the most effective system, but it certainly is a flexible one. It also has the added benefit of getting a lot of young guys some tastes of the major leagues.

One more thing. On Saturday the team will need a new 5th starter and having sent Robbie Erlin, Burch Smith and Tyson Ross down a within the last week, the rules keep them from recalling any of them to fill that void. What is suspected is that Sean O'Sullivan will fill that void after being added to the 40 man and 25 man rosters. Somebody will get sent back down (like Brad Brach or Miles Mikolas) and most likely Clayton Richard will go on the 60 day DL. If that happens, it will be a 19 man pitch staff. Crazy.

For fun, here's a list of all the transactions the Padres have made this season that involved pitchers:

• 4/12/2013: selected the contract of Thad Weber from Tucson Padres.
• 4/14/2013: optioned RHP Thad Weber to Tucson Padres.
• 4/20/2013: placed RHP Tyson Ross on the 15-day disabled list, recalled Thad Weber from Tucson Padres.
• 4/24/2013: optioned RHP Thad Weber to Tucson Padres, selected the contract of Robbie Erlin from Tucson Padres.
• 5/2/2013: optioned LHP Robbie Erlin to Tucson Padres, recalled Brad Boxberger from Tucson Padres.
• 5/5/2013: placed LHP Clayton Richard on the 15-day disabled list, activated RHP Tyson Ross from the 15-day disabled list.
• 5/11/2013: optioned RHP Brad Boxberger to Tucson Padres, selected the contract of Burch Smith from San Antonio Missions.
• 5/17/2013: designated RHP Thad Weber for assignment, selected the contract of Tim Stauffer from Tucson Padres.
• 5/18/2013: optioned RHP Brad Brach to Tucson Padres.
• 5/23/2013: optioned RHP Burch Smith to Tucson Padres.
• 5/24/2013: recalled Tommy Layne from Tucson Padres.
• 5/27/2013: optioned LHP Tommy Layne to Tucson Padres, activated LHP Clayton Richard from the 15-day disabled list.
• 5/30/2013: optioned RHP Anthony Bass to Tucson Padres, recalled Nick Vincent from Tucson Padres.
• 6/1/2013: placed RHP Huston Street on the 15-day disabled list, optioned RHP Nick Vincent to Tucson Padres, recalled Tommy Layne from Tucson Padres, recalled Robbie Erlin from Tucson Padres.
• 6/2/2013: optioned LHP Robbie Erlin to Tucson Padres, recalled Brad Boxberger from Tucson Padres.
• 6/8/2013: optioned RHP Brad Boxberger to Tucson Padres, recalled Burch Smith from Tucson Padres.
• 6/11/2013: optioned RHP Burch Smith to Tucson Padres, recalled Nick Vincent from Tucson Padres.
• 6/14/2013: optioned LHP Tommy Layne to Tucson Padres, activated RHP Huston Street from the 15-day disabled list.
• 6/22/2013: placed LHP Clayton Richard on the 15-day disabled list, recalled RHP Brad Boxberger from Tucson Padres, recalled RHP Anthony Bass from Tucson Padres.
• 6/23/2013: optioned Anthony Bass to Tucson Padres, optioned Brad Boxberger to Tucson Padres, recalled Brad Brach from Tucson Padres, recalled Miles Mikolas from Tucson Padres.
• 6/24/2013: optioned RHP Miles Mikolas to Tucson Padres, recalled LHP Tommy Layne from Tucson Padres.
• 6/26/2013: optioned RHP Brad Brach to Tucson Padres, recalled LHP Robbie Erlin from Tucson Padres.
• 6/28/2013: optioned Tommy Layne to Tucson Padres, recalled RHP Burch Smith from Tucson Padres.
• 7/5/2013: optioned Burch Smith to Tucson Padres.
• 7/8/2013: optioned Robbie Erlin to Tucson Padres, recalled Brad Brach from Tucson Padres.
• 7/9/2013: optioned Tyson Ross to Tucson Padres, recalled Miles Mikolas from Tucson Padres.

Jon and I attended the Padres Social last night, which meant we bought tickets in a group with about 70 others who use Social Media in some aspect of their lives. The price, I think, doubled from last year's affair but altogether I think it was just as enjoyable if not more so.

It started with a...

Q&A Session with A.J. Hinch and Josh Byrnes

I found this part of the night to be a little dull. I just got out of work and was expecting to have some fun and it was like I was plunged back into a meeting in the Padres' makeshift draft room. If you've listened to either of these guys in their interviews with Darren Smith you'll know they hold their information close to their chest. If Darren can't get them to spill their secrets then a rag-tag group of fans certainly can't.

.@Padres GM Josh Byrnes answering questions at #PadresSocial with @ajhinch&@HoltzySD. pic.twitter.com/xsNo0abhId

— Ty Nowell (@tynowell) July 10, 2013

I like both of these guys, I do, but if their not going to be forthcoming with the inside information then I don't see the need. From their perspective, fans can't be trusted especially when they all have Twitter and recording devices at the ready. With that said, neither Jon or I bothered to ask any questions. I didn't see the point, since they usually dodge the question anyway.

For instance the first question was about who was going to start Friday's contest. They know who's going to start, but Byrnes rattled off about a dozen pitcher's names who could start, which was about as thrilling as it sounds.

First question: Who's pitching Friday? Stauffer and O'Sullivan candidates. #PadresSocial

— Richard (@gdarklighter) July 10, 2013

Even when Sandy Alderson did these back in the day, a guy who I never thought to be particularly charismatic, he would share stories of behind the scenes happenings that would make the session worthwhile. Of course he'd usually preface his story with "This story is off the record, so don't even think about sharing it unless you can parry a bayonet thrust", no doubt referring to his skills acquired in infantry training.

The second question was about the departure of Tom Garfinkel, someone who also would have probably at least done his Buddy Black impersonation in the process of answering a question. The two didn't have much to say other than they enjoyed working with him and that life and baseball go on.

On @TomGarfinkel: With regime changes come personnel changes. #PadresSocial

— Richard (@gdarklighter) July 10, 2013

At this point I drifted off into a day dream for a spell.

Just caught myself zoning out for about 10 minutes. #PadresSocial

— Gaslamp Ball (@gaslampball) July 10, 2013

I came to with Byrnes and Hinch answering questions about their favorite ice cream flavor and whether they preferred brown or blue uniforms. Byrnes conducted an impromptu poll in which brown won overwhelmingly and I found out after 20+ years of friendship that Jon likes blue. Go figure.

After the session ended a small crowd swarmed Byrnes trying to slip in some last minute questions about PEDs were given a "no comment".

Last year the night opened with a field view of batting practice. It couldn't be done this year due to the increased size of the group but I would definitely favor that sort of activity in the future.

To the Jack Deck

I was really pleasantly surprised by the new Jack Daniels branded deck area that was created to fill the void made by the moving of the right field fence. That's where we would spend the rest of our evening. It was a vast improvement over the cramped quarters in last year's Western Metal Supply suite and a better view to boot.

The deck really allowed us to move around and socialize. I have a hard time sitting for 3 hours. On the deck we were moving about from tall stools to comfortable mesh seating to standing areas. It was perfect for this event.

From the moment we stood atop the deck, officials started marching through a long list of Padres celebrities. Jerry Coleman was the first. He was in good spirits and took pictures with all of us. I felt so safe with his arm around us and with his hand resting upon our love handles.

Jonny with the Colonel. Two American heroes (more or less). pic.twitter.com/AbZ9smKYCD

— Gaslamp Ball (@gaslampball) July 10, 2013

Colonel enjoying some downtime #PadresSocial@Padrespic.twitter.com/jQEJa1uc39

— Erock720 (@ErrockOrtega) July 10, 2013

Corey Brock and Andy Masur came through next. Both delightful guys. We didn't get too much time to talk with them but I made sure to mention that I was hoping that the pampering would continue into the night and end with us getting table showers. They exited quickly after that.

A trough of food from Phil's BBQ was served about this time. Some continued to socialize and others feasted upon tri-tip and cole slaw.

Wow! Coolest spot on a warm summer night? #JackDeck@petcoparksd@Padrespic.twitter.com/A8FK7uqJlM

— The Abbot Costello (@DancingFriar) July 10, 2013

Speaking of BBQ, Randy Jones came through next. I watched to see if he'd try to overturn the Phil's table but he remained composed and instead signed for his fans.

I concentrated my efforts on getting the results of the Fox Sports San Diego Girl vote before next week's big reveal. The girls were tight lipped and wouldn't give me even the smallest of hints.

Tried to trick the @FSSD_Girls into telling who will be the new girl. They tricked me into thinking I didn't want to know until next week.

— Gaslamp Ball (@gaslampball) July 10, 2013

Next in the celebrity parade was the newly signed Hunter Renfroe. I didn't even know he was there until I saw him leaving but he was interacting with fans for a while from what I'm told.

.@Hunter_Renfroe visits #PadresSocial. Lots of fans out here! pic.twitter.com/hrqhNoNvwT

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) July 10, 2013

Fox Sports had reporters/hosts Megan Olivi and Kelly Crull there as well doing remote shots. We dined with Megan and tried to feed her terrible ideas for her show Padres POV.

Here's the pic of me and @MeganOlivi from last night. Thanks for mentioning me on air! pic.twitter.com/UCWyMHpzOf

— Chris Garcia (@sportsbrain) July 10, 2013

We saw Kelly Crull from across the way and jokingly told Megan, who was headed in that direction, that Kelly was probably looking for us and to let her know where we were sitting. She did and we finger waved to her from afar. The FSSD girls rolled their eyes at us. Darklighter was sitting with us at the time. He was too embarrassed by our antics and leapt up to go talk to her on his own.

Even though we hadn't visited with Kelly since Opening Day, once she came over it was like we had never been apart. We promised each other to make our talks a more regular occurrence.

@gaslampball Great to catch up tonight! Even if it was just a couple minutes! We should try to do that again before another 80gms goes by...

— Kelly Crull (@kcru11) July 10, 2013

It was great catching up with a good portion of the Padres online community. All of the ferociously competitive bloggers were getting along well together, almost as if our very lives didn't depend on our blog traffic.

That being said, we finally met blogger Padres Jagoff, who I've been a fan of since his beginning. His unique take on Padres blogging is to draw genitalia onto opposing team's players. I've told Dex in the past that this is the kind of blogging we'd be doing if it weren't for SB Nation coming along.

He was a real nice guy. He told us that during the Pre-Game "Dog Days of Summer" ceremony his dog relieved itself in front of the opposing dugout, much to our delight.

She made sure to do it on the visitors side. A real team player. #stinky#PadresSocialpic.twitter.com/CZm4BWJ5Ao

— Padres Jagoff (@PadresJagoff) July 10, 2013

I could go on and on, but I'll stop here. I think a good time was had by all.

As many, including our very own Wonko earlier today, have suspected would happen, Sean O`Sullivan will indeed be the Padres' starting pitcher this Friday against the Giants. It will be a dream come true for the San Diego born and raised O`Sullivan, who grew up a Padres fan.

Surprise. The #Padres will add Sean O'Sullivan to the roster for a start on Friday. 40-man move is TBA.

— Corey Brock (@FollowThePadres) July 10, 2013

While the accompanying move that will free up room for O`Sullivan has yet to be announced, it's generally assumed that Clayton Richard will be headed to the 60-day DL.

O'Sullivan has appeared in three major league seasons, from 2009 through 2011 with the Royals and Angels. He made 34 starts and relieved in nine other games. His record was 10-14 with an ERA over six, but has done well in AAA the past two seasons. In 14 starts with Las Vegas, Toronto's AAA affiliate, in 2012 O`Sullivan went 9-3 with a 2.72 ERA. He's made 18 starts for Tucson this year and has compiled a 7-4 record backed by 3.88 ERA.

I love this. It's always cool when players get to play for their hometown team, and even cooler when those players are from San Diego. Even cooler yet is that his first start is at home so all his friends and family can experience it.

Oh, man. While I was writing some stupid thing that nobody is going to read about Nick Vincent because it's his birthday, the Padres announced a whole mess of roster moves. A couple are pretty thrilling, one of them is disappointing, and the other two are yawnworthy.

#Padres moves in a nutshell; IN Gyorko, Alonso and O'Sullivan. OUT Blanks (DL), Ciriaco (DFA) and Mikolas (Tucson).

— Corey Brock (@FollowThePadres) July 12, 2013

First off, heck yeah! We've been patiently waiting for Jedd Gyorko and Yonder Alonso to return from their extended stretches on the DL, and getting both of them back at the same time is twice as nice. They've both been out over a month; Gyorko with a strained groin and Alonso with a fractured hand. In case you've been lucky enough to miss it, the Padres haven't been doing all that well in their absence.

One bright spot while Gyorko and Alonso were out was Kyle Blanks. And of course we can never get good news without a turdy counterpoint so he's heading to the 15-day DL with an effed-up heel. I'd argue that a gimpy Blanks is better than a healthy Kotsay but, hey, he needs to rest it and whatnot. At least with the All-Star break on the horizon we won't be missing him for all that many games.

Pedro Ciriaco didn't stick with the Padres that long. Picked up right before Everth Cabrera did his time on the DL, Ciriaco got into 23 games with San Diego, underwhelming with both his glove and his bat. He batted .238 in 63 AB with one of each type of extra-base hit, basically mirroring his statistics with Boston earlier in the season. He will be missed by at least somebody, I imagine.

As for Miles Mikolas, well, no surprise there. I imagine you've read Wonko's piece about the 18-man pitching staff by now. If not, you should because it's good stuff. Mikolas has been the least used of the guys who get shifted back and forth between Tucson and San Diego, pitching in only one major league game so far this season. He did well, pitching a perfect inning last night, and we can expect to see him again.

So, to summarize: Yay, more yay, dang, whatever, and more whatever.

Remember how badly the Padres started the season? It was their worst start in franchise history. They went 5-15 in their first 20 games. Terrible, right? Couldn't get much worse.

Fortunately they righted their ship and played their franchise best for about 50 games.

However, since then they've again played like filthy excrement. In their last 20 games they've gone 3-17. It turns out it could get worse and it did.

With one win in July they also have a realistic chance of having the worst July in history. July in 1969 holds the record for now going 7-19.

The last 20 Padres games