Padres Moves in August, Aztecs Changes Are Real

The Padres aren't done with the trade market. Thursday's acquisition of Miguel Tejada from the Orioles will enhance their playoff chances. The next step will be to win in the post-season, and for that they're going to want another strong starting pitcher.

Note that I used the word "want" instead of "need." I don't think another starting pitcher will be necessary for playoff success, but I still worry about sending Wade LeBlanc up against the Phillies lineup with Roy Oswalt on the mound. Maybe LeBlanc or Jon Garland gets hot, but I'd rather not take my chances with doing nothing.

I might be putting the cart before the horse, but a look at the standings shows the Padres are well-positioned to make the playoffs. They're five games in front of the Phils and Cardinals in a potential wildcard race, six games in the all-important loss column. That is by no means safe, but of all the contenders, I see the two-time defending NL champs as the only team likely to get hot down the stretch. Also, the Padres have shown a great knack of avoiding slumps, so I think they're in the race to the wire.

So the Padres don't need to get their big starter quite yet. In August, you can still trade for players as long as they clear waivers, and there are indications that other teams aren't going to be messing with the waiver wire next month.

The question is who? GM Jed Hoyer might be able to pry Brett Myers (8-6, 3.10 in a hitter's park) out of Houston or Livan Hernandez (7-7, 3.22) out of Washington. Maybe Ryan Dempster (8-7, 3.71) can be taken from the Cubs. But that's about it. As bad as their teams are, I can't see the Mariners giving up Felix Hernandez or the Royals parting with Zach Greinke for anything other than a king's ransom. The good pitchers are with the good teams. So talking about acquiring a solid starter for the playoffs is much easier than actually getting once.

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Changes are afoot with the San Diego State football program. I attended an event Thursday night in which coach Brady Hoke talked and he said the players are all bigger and stronger thanks to dedicated off-season conditioning -- stuff we hear every year about this time.

Here's what convinces me that improvement is coming at SDSU. I talked with a longtime local high school football coach who deals with plenty of Division 1 prospects and he told me the difference between the current staff and the previous one is "night and day." That is good to hear because, ultimately, to have a good football program you need the best players. If local football coaches are comfortable in recommending the Aztecs to their kids, then Hoke is going to start bringing in high-quality recruits.

Previous SDSU coach Chuck Long spoke frequently of putting a fence around San Diego, but it turned out to be so much lip service. You'd hear comments every so often from people connected to area high school powers that they never saw Long or his staff. Hoke and his guys actually go out and do something about it.

I don't know if the change will show up in this year's won-loss record. I still hold to challenging for a 6-6 bowl. But the program finally appears to be on the right track. Let's hope local fans take notice and start showing up again.

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I like Torrey Pines High's Nick Kerr committing to the USD basketball team. The son of longtime NBA star Steve Kerr was not a high-profile recruit, but the Toreros have been very successful with three-point sharpshooters in the past. Here's hoping Kerr becomes the best of them.

Padres Get Tejada

The news breaking Thursday is that the Padres traded for Orioles SS Miguel Tejada, a former slugger who is batting .269 with 7 HR and 39 RBI. The lineup around him is bad and he would probably be a poster child for the post-steroid era, not that I'm insinuating anything.

My reaction is hmmmm. I wish I could say more. The Tejada of a few years ago might have excited me. His lineup around him in San Diego will be just as bad as that in Baltimore. He will be playing in a pitcher's park. On the other hand, he will be better than Everth Cabrera and the change of scenery and participation in a pennant race might do him some good.

It sounds like the Orioles, with the worst record in baseball, were looking to add by subtracting an under-performing veteran. They accepted from the Padres, in return, AA P Wynn Pelzer, and sent cash to help pay Tejada's inflated salary. Pelzer, 24, was 6-9, 4.20 in San Antonio. Fortunately, the Padres didn't spend too much to get him, so they could still be in the market for a staring pitcher. If there is anything to say about the trade, its that shortstop has improved from well below-average to mediocre.

By the way, I'm highly disturbed that the Dodgers stole Scott Podsednik from KC for next to nothing. The Padres could have had him and I know he's productive. Podsednik is a guy I targeted early, and I'm disappointed he will be playing for a key rival.