A few thoughts about Friday's moves ...

Bad luck losing Arturo Lopez like that. Perhaps the Padres saw enough of him to know that he faces long odds of ever establishing himself in the majors, but I figured the Padres had seen enough of 2B Matt Antonelli (.175, .298, .282 this year at triple-A, .215, .335, .322 last year at the same level) to make the same judgment. Antonelli was the Padres' 2006 first-round draft choice (No. 17 overall), though, and I'm sure keeping him is simply considered orthodox decision-making in major league circles. ...

Is ironic the right word to describe the Mariners -- the team for whom the Mendoza Line's namesake started 148 games one year -- claiming a shortstop who's batting more than 40 points below that line? Or is the right word hopeful? Because if they'll take Josh Wilson, perhaps we can interest them in Brian Giles, who is only seven points below the Mendoza Line! ...

When I first started hearing radio personalities talk about it, when I first started seeing comments on Padres sites about it, I thought the idea of batting Everth Cabrera ninth was the stupidest thing I had ever heard. But that was when I was under the giddy impression that he could continue his rehab-assignment hot streak in the majors. Now that I've checked back into reality, I realize that Cabrera, only a graduate of low single-A ball, will probably be saying hello to the Mendoza Line himself at some point this year, and the idea of putting him ninth in the order and making a one-two speedball out of him and Gwynn is brilliantly unorthodox. ...

I'm also wondering where that talk of batting Cabrera ninth began? Was it on the radio or a blog? Or did the Padres themselves throw it out there? I don't live in SD, so I don't know, but I kind of like the thought that it was an idea put forward by fans, went viral and caught on with the Padres' decision-makers.