Game Thread: 04/14 Padres @ Dodgers

So this season hasn't started like everyone thought it would. Unless you somehow knew that our rotation would crumble in the first week and our defense would be the mess that it is.

Tonight our lineup will face Ted Lilly in an attempt to stave off our third loss in a row. Lilly started the season on the disable list, but has made a rehab start where he pitched six innings and allowed seven runs, but felt healthy enough to get back on the mound for his first start of the season tonight. I'm sure our lineup gives him some confidence as well, as they haven't been producing much of anything except strikeouts lately. Last night they did score a whopping eight runs, coming back twice from four-run deficits, but as we all know, they couldn't finish, which just added to the frustration that everyone has been feeling since the season started.

Maybe what we need is a fresh face and arm on the mound. I hope so because that's what we're getting tonight when Joe Wieland makes his big league debut and tries to get our Padres back on track. The team placed Kyle Blanks on the 15-day DL, which made room for Wieland on the 25-man roster. He has already made two starts for the Tucson Padres this season and collected seven strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings. His latest start was a short one, as he was pulled from the mound by manager Terry Kennedy and told that he would need to "save some bullets for Dodger Stadium." No pressure or anything, but we need this win BADLY. Especially after last night's epic loss, Padres fans are so down in the dumps, and no matter how much I try to keep the faith, there is just so much negativity and depression in the Padres fanhood right now.

#Padres Maybin 8 Denorfia 9 Headley 5 Guzman 7 Alonso 3 Hundley 2 Bartlett 6 Hudson 4. RHP @JWieland108 makes his @MLB debut at @Dodgers

— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 14, 2012

Here's to a good start to Joe Wieland's major league career and the end to the Padres current losing streak.

GO FRIARS!! KEEP THE FAITH!! BEAT LA!!