July 2011
The newest Padres
The Padres pulled the trigger on a trade this morning, sending Mike Adams to the Rangers in exchange for two of Texas’ top pitching prospects, LHP Robbie Erlin and RHP Joe Wieland.
Erlin, 20, has gone 8-4 with a 3.34 ERA (45 ER/121.1 IP), a .219 (98-for-448) opponents batting average and 123 strikeouts against 12 walks over 20 games, 19 starts, between Single-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco this season. The southpaw was rated as the Rangers’ fourth-best prospect heading into the 2011 season by Baseball America and was recently rated as the 34th-best prospect in all of baseball in Baseball America’s Midseason Top 50 Prospects list. He was selected by Texas in the third round of the 2009 First-Year Player Draft out of Scotts Valley High School (CA). Over parts of three minor league seasons in the Rangers organization (2009-11), Erlin has gone 14-7 with a 2.74 ERA (73 ER/240.0 IP) and 257 strikeouts against 30 walks in 51 games, 36 starts.
Click here for Robbie Erlin’s career minor league stats.
Wieland, 21, has gone 10-3 with a 1.80 ERA (26 ER/129.2 IP), a .233 (113-for-486) opponents batting average and 132 strikeouts against 15 walks over 21 games, 20 starts, between Single-A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Frisco this season. The right-hander recently tossed a 9.0-inning no-hitter on Friday, July 29, against the Padres’ Double-A affiliate at San Antonio. He was selected by Texas in the fourth-round of the 2008 First-Year Player Draft out of Bishop Manogue High School (NV). Over parts of four minor league seasons in the Rangers organization (2008-11), Wieland has gone 30-17 with a 3.32 ERA (149 ER/404.1 IP) and 379 strikeouts against 72 in 79 games, 70 starts.
Click here for Joe Wieland’s career minor league stats.
ESPN.com Q&A with Joe Wieland following his no-hitter.
Padres Reading Corner
Earlier today, Orlando Hudson visited the Malcolm X Library in Valencia Park and read to kids during storytime. The library received a one thousand dollar grant as part of the visit. The next trip will take place on Tuesday, August 16 at the San Diego County Library’s San Marcos Branch (#2 Civic Center Drive, San Marcos, 92069) with a player to be announced.
Catch me if you Cam
After leading the Majors with eight stolen bases and tying for the Big League lead in hits, Cameron Maybin was named National League co-Player of the Week for July 18-24, sharing the honor with Diamondbacks outfielder Justin Upton. Maybin notched 14 hits and hit .538 (14-for-26) while scoring eight runs. As part of the monster week, he tallied his third four-hit game of the season on July 21, the most by any center field in the Majors.
Additionally, Maybin broke a franchise record by stealing at least one base in each of his last six games, breaking the previous mark of five set by Dave Roberts (2006) and Allan Wiggins (1983). Over the six-game stretch, Maybin has swiped a total of eight bags, becoming the second Padre crack the 20-steal plateau this year (also Jason Bartlett). 2011 marks the first season since 2006 that the Padres have had more than one player reach the 20-steak mark. It was accomplished by Roberts, Mike Cameron and Josh Barfield that year. The club has not had four players reach 20-steals since 1999.
Will Venable currently has 18 stolen bases and Orlando Hudson has 13.
Nine NL West games at PETCO
Following today’s series and trip finale in Philadelphia, the Padres return home for a nine-game homestand against three NL West division opponents (Arizona, Colorado, Los Angeles). Here is who the Friars are scheduled to face over the first two series of that stretch:
ARIZONA (7/26-28): LHP Joe Saunders, RHP Ian Kennedy, RHP Daniel Hudson
COLORADO (7/29-31): RHP Jason Hammel, RHP Ubaldo Jimenez, RHP Juan Nicasio
The Padres are 7-7 combined against the Diamondbacks and Rockies so far this year, including a 3-3 mark at PETCO Park. Remember to pick up your free issue of the Blueprint. Here is a preview of this homestand’s cover:
Swinging Friars
The Padres had 20 hits in their 14-3 win last night, three shy of tying the season-high 23 they had on 5/11 at MIL. San Diego became the first Major League team this season to record 20 or more hits in two games, while scoring a team season-high 14 runs. It was the 21st time in franchise history the team collected 20 or more hits. A total of 12 teams (13 times) have tallied 20 or more hits this season.
“You could have brought Bob Feller and Tom Seaver back and they probably would have hit them just as well.” – Marlins’ Manager Jack McKeon
The Padres go for the sweep today and are currently waiting out a rain delay with a 3-0 lead in the second inning.
