It's one of those stories that make you think another story rests just below the surface. The Padres have traded set-up pitcher Scott Linebrink to Milwaukee for three minor league hurlers. That follows a streak of rough outings for the longtime Friars reliever.
The day before Linebrink was moved, Manager Bud Black told reporters that he was going to have Heath Bell and other relievers try the eighth inning slot to give the hardballer a chance to sort out his issues with pitch location. He said he had met with the pitcher to discuss his recent efforts.
The next thing you know, he's gone.
In the early months of this season, as it became clear that the lineup was not going to produce a barrage of runs, it appeared likely that Linebrink would be a highly sought-after reliever who would be moved by the trade deadline in exchange for a big bat. Three minor league pitchers weren't expected to be in that mix, for sure. But such are the fortunes of baseball.
Linebrink's local demise is unfortunate because he was a good guy and, for the most part, a good pitcher. The trouble is he would get into ruts where his fastball came in relatively straight and his breaking pitches flattened out. It happened every year. He'd blow a couple games, then he'd sort himself out and be effective. That history makes me wonder what else was going on that made the Padres decide it was better this time to move him and acquire people who aren't likely to help in the 2007 pennant race.
Meanwhile, as bad as the Padres are playing right now -- both on the pitcher's mound and at the plate -- they aren't falling behind in the National League West appreciably. Far from it. The Dodgers have cooled considerably following a hot start out of the All-Star break, and at this writing are still just a game ahead in the standings.
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