• Heath Bell Actively Sought By Blue Jays, Marlins, Other Team - Baseball Nation
  Lots of rumors swirling around about Heath Bell. The important thing is to remain calm and keep your head on a swivel.
  

  Somebody is probably going to give Heath Bell a pretty big contract, sometime soon.

• Heath Bell and Park Effects | FanGraphs Baseball
  Some of Bell's success is a result of pitching in Petco Park, in front of superior fans. FanGraphs says there are cheaper alternatives.

  Unless a team also figures out how to sign Petco Park simultaneously, his home run prowess almost certainly won’t follow him to a new city, and so the strikeout rate would have to return to elite levels for Bell to maintain his status as a top-notch closer.

• RHP Brandon Puffer overcoming adversity as inmate in state prison - Examiner.com
  Former Padres pitcher Brandon Puffer (2004) is hoping to get parole. He was convicted of burglary with the intent to commit rape. For that he received a 5 year sentence. He says he's a changed man and he's hoping to pitch again.

• Homegrown Team: San Diego Padres - CBSSports.com
  What if we lived in a world where our team looked even crappier than it already does? Actually I don't know, is that a better team?

  What if players were only permitted to stay with the team that originally made them a professional? No trades, no Rule-5 Draft, no waivers, no minor- or major-league free agency ... once you are a professional baseball player, you stay in that organization.

A week ago, maybe on November 26th, 24 year old San Francisco resident Debra met the most "charming handsome young gentlemen" on BART. It might sound redundant, but he was a Padres fan.

He was "one of the most amazing people" she has ever met in her whole life and now she can't get him out of her mind. Again, he was a Padres fan.

They talked the entire trip and had "the best conversation of all". When he got off BART she realized that she forgot to ask his name. In an attempt to find him she made an almost 7 minute YouTube video. It's a classic missed connection.

And before you ask, yes, she knows this sounds weird.

Here's how she describes the Padres fan:

He's from San Diego and he was wearing a Padres hat, which -- I mean that's cute. The Padres aren't really the best we all know that, but whatever. It's okay. It's cute that he represents his hometown. Like that's super cute right?

Other things she knows about him:

• He races cars and crashed a Mustang and his mom's Camaro.
• He went to culinary school and was a chef for a year but he couldn't make a living so now he's a liquor salesman and stocks shelves.
• He's from San Diego but has lived in San Francisco for 4 or 5 years.
  
• He had a Padres screen saver on his phone, which is cute.
• He was on his way to a Raiders game.
• He was in San Francisco so he also might be gay.

He sounds incredible.

Let's help her find her man. Spread the word via social medias! It's for true love!

XX Sports Radio: Josh Byrnes Interview with Darren Smith (MP3)

• It's been a seamless transition into the Padres GM chair, but Byrnes has been busy. "The GM job has probably never been harder, there is more scrutiny." He loves the game and the challenge.
• It's harder to experiment with rotations and bullpens now because of the media and fan expectations.
  
• The sport of baseball has changed with the advent of testing for performance enhancing drugs. It's harder to score runs and pitching velocity is higher than it's ever been. The offense in 2011 around the league has been at its lowest since 1991.
  
• Byrnes says "It was kind of strange and awkward" to be part of the musical chairs of GM's when Hoyer and Epstein moved to Chicago. Byrnes wasn't turning down GM offers but he wasn't chasing any either. He did apply for the Mets GM job before they hired Sandy Alderson. He wasn't heart broken to miss out on the New York job and that told him that he needed to take time to recharge his batteries with the Padres last year.
  
• Byrnes likes being the Padres GM. Owner Moorad and President Garfinkel get the best out of him. He knows the entire front office and coaching staff really well. The Padres GM job is the best job in the MLB. It also helps that Byrnes' wife is from San Diego.
  
• Byrnes didn't know Moorad that well preceding the his interview with the Diamondbacks in Fall 2005. He was asked about his relationship with agents in that interview and he was honest that it was "pretty rotten", because the agents aren't looking out for the clubs interests and his job was to protect those interests.
• The relationship with Moorad blossomed on the job in Arizona. A lot of people become become successful by being treacherous, but Moorad isn't like that. Byrnes says "I think you can be a competitor without crossing ethical lines."
• The Padres offered Heath Bell arbitration and he has to accept or deny it by December 7th unless he signs before then. Bell's choice will affect how much money the Padres have to spend.
  
• "It doesn't make perfect sense" to have a closer make 20% of the team's payroll.
• There is potential that the Padres will sign free agents to pitch the 8th and 9th, but the farm system is stronger and they could trade some of their MLB talent to fill holes.
• "I'm not a big believer in untouchables." Mat Latos, Nick Hundley, Cameron Maybin and Cory Luebke are pretty good performers that could stay here awhile.
• Both Orlando Hudson and Jason Bartlett make a decent amount of money and they have players coming up that could step into their position like Andy Parrino and Everth Cabrera.
• Jesus Guzman has certainly earned the right to be the prominent guy in 2012. His performance was so much above the rest that he looks like he'll be on the roster next year. Guzman is playing in Venezuela. He can play first base and left field, but defense is not his thing.
• There is a concern about the confidence of Anthony Rizzo that Byrnes talked about with Hoyer. He has to earn his way back on the team. They talked about his mechanics a lot, but he doesn't need to reinvent himself, he just needs to tune his swing.
• The Padres have had a few conversations with players, so something might happen this month. They are going into the Winter Meetings in Dallas with 5 or 10 ideas.
• Byrnes and Buddy Black go way back and he has a lot of respect for him. "He's certainly one of the best in the game." But this is a performance based game, "if we go 0-162..."
• Byrnes has been so focused on baseball that he hasn't been paying a lot of attention to the Chargers and football.
• The best GM in all of sports is Pat Gillick or John Schuerholz.

I've been to the Hall of Fame twice and I love the place. It's magical. The plaques look ghostly on the walls and you feel like, "Oh man... this is like where Baseball Gods live..." Regardless of how crap the player might have actually been.

The trick is getting in... And then you're immortal.

This year, one of our own has made the ballot. You know you love him. Phil "The Thril" Nevin. The Late Bloomer himself. Phil Nevin is a Hall of Fame candidate.

I don't really have a lot to say beyond that. I was just like every other Padres fan. I didn't really know about Phil Nevin as a backup catcher and then he was the Greatest Third Baseman Evar Since Ken Caminiti. And then he and Ryan Klesko were kinda buddy-buddy, but couldn't get the Petco fences moved in and then you kinda wondered if he juiced and stuff and he grew pretty good facial hair that was sometimes a mustache and sometimes a goatee and other teams just the beard part, like wild fluctuations. You could probably predict the weather with some combination of his facial hair.

So.

Consider this my endorsement for Phil Nevin to be a Hall of Famer. Can somebody throw a vote or two his way please? Or whatever it takes to get him in? That would be rad, thanks.

• Here's a scoreboard segment from 2001. I must warn you that the shredding of the electric guitar and the quick flash editing will probably give you a seizure.
  
  
  
  
• Speaking of seizures, Padres Owner and Chairman Jeff Moorad is the Honorary Chairman of Gingerbread City 2011. As I understand it, Gingerbread City is a charity event and holiday gala that raises money to fight epilepsy, but it also features "the largest nationally recognized gingerbread structure competition on the West Coast".
  
• If a large free standing gingerbread house isn't enough to get your mouth watering, know that Padres TV broadcaster Dick Enberg will be taking a break from "tending to his cellar of fine wines" to emcee the event.
  
  After looking through some of the information on their website I do have one small suggestion. I think they need to change their slogan from "HIT A HOME RUN for Epilepsy" to "Hit a home run against Epilepsy." We don't want people supporting Team Epilepsy.
  
  Dex and I were talking about the gala this morning and the best we can figure is that they chose Moorad not only for his habit of charitable giving but also because his slow cadence and sleepy voice won't trigger any seizures among the guests.
  
• Speaking of fundraisers, Padres pitcher Clayton Richard returned home to Tippecanoe County, Indiana to help with fundraiser of his own. They had an auction and one of the "hot ticket items" was a Clayton Richard cornhole game. I didn't know that the popular bean bag toss game had a name before Dex told me. I was relieved to find that Richard's game had nothing to do with Urban Dictionary's definition of "cornhole".
  

There's speculation that the Padres won't be finalizing their new TV deal with Fox until sometime after the Dodgers get their TV deal worked out for 2012. From John Maffei at NC Times, the new TV deal is waiting for Bud Selig approval:

Both the Padres and Dodgers multi-year deals were believed to be front-loaded. Both are subject to approval by commissioner Bud Selig.

Sources said Selig would like to approve the Padres' deal, but is holding off, pending the outcome of the Dodgers' case.

Unfortunately, Frank McCourt wants to sell the new TV deal before actually selling the team, but the trouble with that is Fox is still under contract through the 2012 season with an exclusive option for 2013, and doesn't appear interested in letting McCourt squeeze any more money out of it. McCourt's argument is that the bankruptcy should let him truly liquidate all of his assets and that includes voiding any contracts he's currently under... So that he can establish a new contract... Which he can then liquidate... Ummm...

The Dodgers creditors obviously want the TV deal as part of the sale of the team, as it's one of the more valuable pieces of owning the Dodgers.

So where does that leave us? Well, the talk is that the TV deal won't be decided for the Dodgers one way or another till January, which leaves us with no new TV contract until probably juuuuuust before Spring Training. This of course affects the final numbers for the Padres who won't be able to budget in any added revenue until then, which means any offseason moves that you might have been hoping for in light of getting a new and improved TV contract probably won't happen... Thanks to the damn dirty Dodgers.

I was talking to Dex last night about this move and I was having trouble even remembering what Wade LeBlanc looked like, so that's never a good sign.  He didn't leave much of a lasting impression with the team.  About the best you can say about him is that he had has his moments.  In return the Padres acquired John Baker who will hopefully beef up our bench and add just a pinch of offense.  It's not a blockbuster move by any means, but it wasn't supposed to be.

Most people seem pretty indifferent, so it was tough in some cases to figure out if their review warranted a rotten tomato or a fresh one.  I even had to translate Japanese which made it that much more difficult.

With that said, the results are in!

Apologies to RottenTomatoes.com

 Padres Get Better End Of Baker-LeBlanc Swap | FanGraphs Baseball
Baker could add a win to the Padres’ ledger in 2012, maybe even a bit more, and they have him under control as an arbitration-eligible player through 2014. All it cost them was a pitcher that’s as close to replacement level as it gets.

ジョン・ベイカーをトレードで獲得 " 神父ニュース　-San Diego Padres-
個人的には良いトレードだと思います。ルブランは来季も基本3Aでの起用が確実で、2012年オフにはマイナーオプションも切れるので放出が濃厚だった選手。4年間チャンスを与えられてますし、正直2010年以上の上積みは望めない状態でした。ベイカーはここ2年怪我で苦しんでますが過去に実績があり、しかもマイナーオプションがまだ残っているので融通が効くのがまた好条件。肘を痛めてトミー・ジョン手術を受けているので盗塁は刺せないかもしれませんが、今季控え捕手だったロブ・ジョンソンから打撃面でアップグレードされたのは間違いなし。ルブランもマイアミから望まれての移籍なので、よりローテ入りのチャンスが増すでしょう。

Padres Trail: LeBlanc to the Marlins
San Diego had to do something to protect Hundley. Rob Johnson was released, Kyle Phillips posted an OPS+ of 56 in thirty-six games, and Luis Martinez isn't ready. As a back-up option, they could do worse. Baker is also left-handed. I can't imagine the Padres will platoon Hundley - that would really be dumb - but Baker will give them another left-handed option off the bench besides Mark Kotsay. Wade LeBlanc will likely not be long remembered.

Marlins Acquire Wade LeBlanc from Padres, Trade John Baker - Fish Stripes
He may not be a good pitcher, but he is a warm body who can pitch to major leaguers without being a complete embarrassment, and sadly the Marlins were missing pitchers of that type after numerous 2011 injuries depleted the team's pitching depth. This resolves nothing, but it does provide said depth.

Padres trade Wade LeBlanc for John Baker :: Friar Forecast
Still, his bat is very good. Offensively, he is right around league-average both by OPS+ (99) and wOBA (.333). He doesn’t have a lot of power and he strikes out enough, but when he puts the ball in play he does pretty good damage (.334 BABiP) and he possesses solid patience (11% walk rate). For a catcher, that’s perfectly acceptable and he should be a solid backup for Nick Hundley.

Twitter / @ducksnorts
1) Not sure how new park will play, but Miami should be a good fit for LeBlanc, who could thrive in right environment. 2) Baker is an upgrade over Rob Johnson backing up Nick Hundley.

Twitter / @AvengingJM
I love catchers with elbow problems. They're like Radio Flyer red wagons with only 3 wheels. Welcome to San Diego, John Baker.

Twitter / @thesacbunt
I don't think I can "like" this move. I don't hate it, which is something for this team.

Twitter / @woedoctor
I know this is a low profile move, but I kind of dig the Baker-for-LeBlanc deal.

Twitter / @619sports:
LeBlanc was decent in '11 but I don't think anyone will miss him too badly. Baker could be a big nothing in SD though. Your meh for mine.

Wade LeBlanc gives Miami Marlins much needed starting pitching depth – Florida Marlins – Sun-Sentinel
As far as Baker, he had a nebulous future with the Marlins. Brett Hayes established himself last year as a serviceable backup, and maybe the Marlins bring in Pudge Rodriguez if they’re looking for another veteran to complement John Buck. Baker after Tommy John surgery got himself into ridiculously good shape and he’s always been able to hit. He’ll help the Padres off the bench.

Good news? Nay! Great News!

Not only do we get the entire radio team back, but former Major Leaguer and beloved Channel 4 host, Bob Scanlan will be in the booth doing color analysis.  It's safe to assume that Jerry Coleman will have a limited role again this year and Scanlan will pick up his slack.

It's just a shame that we won't be able to see his hair and burgundy suits, we'll only be able to hear them.

Padres.com:

"We've been missing the players' perspective and the insight to what's happening in the game," said Padres COO and team president Tom Garfinkel. "And with Bob's experience as a pitcher, he can bring that perspective to the fan."

Bob Scanlan:

I am extremely honored to be invited by the Padres to join their excellent team of broadcasters, and look forward to adding to the great broadcasts that have been a hallmark of Padres baseball for many years.

Mat Latos and Cameron Maybin did a joint autograph session where Latos signed a photo "I hate Cam Maybin!" 

At first you might think it was a joke and a reference to the "I hate SF!" ball he signed last Spring, but we suspect he might really hate Maybin. 

Why else would Latos taunt him with a two entree plate of orange chicken and white rice from Panda Express?  Maybin has stated in the past that it causes him indigestion, much to the chagrin of the partial Padres owner and Panda Express CEO. Maybin is clearly affected by the taunting.  Look at how his eyes are on the verge of tears.  It's quite sad really.

I think I'd prefer to have this photo signed than the one of Latos pitching.

We just got a comment on our YouTube video of Jason Mraz singing the National Anthem at the Padres 2011 Home Opener.  The comment brought something to my attention about his performance that I hadn't noticed because it's muffled by the sound of an explosion.

Apparently Mraz is such a hippie that he can't even bring himself to sing the lyrics to the Star-Spangeled Banner correctly.  Instead of "the bombs bursting in air", he sings "they are bursting in air".  Like if somehow he says the word "bombs" he's promoting war and the Military–industrial complex, but saying "rockets" is okay, obviously.

If you look through other YouTube videos of him singing the National Anthem you'll find that sometimes he does choose to say "bombs".  I'm guessing that this only happens when it's pre-recorded, like at an NFL game.

However, in a 2004 episode of the TV Series Clubhouse he leaves out the entire line, skipping over "And the rockets’ red glare, the bombs bursting in air, Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there;"    Did they just need to shorten the scene during editing?  Is it a coincidence or was it part of their agreement for his guest appearance?

I mean, say what you will about Roseanne Barr, but at least she didn't change or omit lyrics when they didn't mesh with her beliefs.  She did however add a little more saliva to the field and a crotch grab to boot, so I guess it evens out.

All artists interpret the song in their own way.  Some perform it without any lyrics at all, some add endless vibratos, and practically no one sings all 4 verses. In the whole scheme of things his omission doesn't really matter, but I guess it matters to him.

I like the original lyrics better.