The Curious Case of Chase Headley

Baseball season has begun in San Diego and the Padres have split the first two games against the Dodgers, but Padres star third baseman Chase Headley has struggled mightily at the plate.

Before you say, "it's just the first two games of the season, how can you judge him off of that," well, his struggles have come at key moments potentially costing the team a win. It also doesn't help that Headley is seeking a contract with numbers north of $100 million being thrown out.

Headley had a breakout season in 2012 when he hit 31 home runs to go along with a National League leading 115 RBIs. Many believed that Headley would turn in to the next big thing in San Diego only to be traded away.

Not so fast said 2013 as he regressed back down to earth as he battled injury, belting only 13 home runs and driving in 51 RBIs, both on par for the previous splits in his career. So what happened to the 2012 Chase and will we expect to see him come close to those numbers. This writer does not think so.

Headley, who surprised many around the baseball world, has probably felt pressure trying to duplicate his career-year causing him to press at times thus hurting his play. The fairly young Padres management led by Josh Byrnes has said they want to keep their All-Star, but it seems there is always another trade scenario that comes to daylight.

Headley has previously said that he would not discuss a new contract during the season. 2014 is his contract year and Headley must prove he is worth the money he is asking or the Padres might part ways.

These types of distraction can cause any player to decline in ability.

The Padres third baseman has started this season 0-8, grounding into two double plays, striking out three times and leaving five men on base. Not exactly the quick start that the team and the fans expected from their No. 3 hitter.

A switch to fifth or sixth in the lineup may do wonders for Headley's confidence as first baseman Yonder Alonso and newcomer outfielder Seth Smith have stepped up as offensive leaders in the young season.

Headley must contribute soon or the likelihood of a trade will go from plausible to probable come July.

Welcome to free agency

Free agency started today in the National Football League and the San Diego Chargers finished the day strong. 

The Chargers added to what is already an explosive offense by signing former Colts running back Donald Brown to a three-year deal worth $10.5 million. Brown played 66 games for Indianapolis in his five-year stint and rushed for 2,337 yards, scoring 17 touchdowns. 

Brown is a perfect fit to join running backs Danny Woodhead and Ryan Mathews because he is a capable runner and is arguably coming off of his best season as a pro. The former first-round pick split time in 2013 with former Cleveland Brown, Trent Richardson.

Richardson struggled and Brown became the clear feature back for the Colts. With the addition of Brown, the Chargers now have a trio that resembles the combination of LaDanian Tomlinson, Michael Turner and Darren Sproles.

Mathews, who solidified his spot as the feature back in 2013, became the player the Chargers thought they drafted as he rushed for a career-high 1,255 yards. Mathews and Woodhead constantly put pressure on opposing defenses with their pass-catching ability and with Brown in the mix, defenses will now have to game plan for three running backs all capable of being starters. 

The Brown comes in at a time when the rival Denver Broncos signed defensive stars, cornerback Aqib Talib and pro bowl safety T.J. Ward. The Broncos are also the favorites to add former Cowboy star outside linebacker DeMarcus Ware. 

That type of haul has required AFC West teams to get better offensively and by signing Brown, the Chargers have done that. Expect Brown to be an important part of the Chargers offense this season. 

The sky is falling, the Padres are on Time Warner

The sky is falling, Sochi is safe, hell has frozen over and the San Diego Padres are back on Time Warner Cable.

In a press release by Fox Sports, the sports channel announced that the Padres and Time Warner have come to an agreement ending a two year struggle that at times was just as red as Bob Costas' eye while announcing the Olympics.

The boys of summer will once again return to the small screen on Fox Sports San Diego.

It couldn't have come at a better time, well, before the 2012 season would have been better, but I digress. The March 30 premiere of the channel on Time Warner is also the first day of the Padres baseball season, although they will debut on ESPN against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

For the 20 percentile of the county that is a consumer of Time Warner Cable, some may not know who is on the roster. In fact, there is a lot of positives entering the 2014 season.

In the offseason, the Padres added talent to its roster and should help the team compete for a playoff spot.

Long gone are the days of the Gregerson, Adams and Bell in the 7-8-9 slots. The new trio of relievers are Alex Torres, Joaquin Benoit and Huston Street. Benoit signed as a free agent and Torres was sent over from Tampa Bay in a trade involving Logan Forsythe.

With no more GAB, bring on the TBS.

A major blow to the starting pitching staff was the injury to Cory Luebke. Luebke missed most of 2012 and all of 2013 following Tommy John surgery. Complications from the surgery recently flared up and he elected to get a second surgery thus missing the 2014 season. But luckily for the Padres, there is major depth at the position.

With the injury to Luebke, the starting five seems to be set in stone. Andrew Cashner, Ian Kennedy and Josh Johnson will all be in the mix as the ace of the staff. Tyson Ross and Eric Stults will round out the rotation. Ross progressed nicely from the end of last season finishing his final 13 starts with a 3-4 record and a 2.93 ERA. A stark contrast from his time in Oakland where he piled up a 5.33 ERA going 6-18.

Several more pitchers are waiting for their chance to contribute consistently at the big league level. Those pitchers are top prospect Matt Wisler, Burch Smith, Robbie Erlin, Joe Wieland and Casey Kelly.

On the offensive side, the Padres added the left handed bat they desperately needed in Seth Smith. Smith was acquired by Oakland for fan favorite Luke Gregerson. At the time, the trade seemed lopsided in favor of the A's but it may not be as bad as many people make it out to be.

The chances that Gregerson walked after this season was likely, and holding on to him to only pitch the seventh inning wasn't helping our offense. Smith brings a .265 career batting average and experience of being in the playoffs, a feat not many on this team can say.

Along with Smith, the rest of the outfield looks to stay healthy and build off of what they accomplished last year. RF Will Venable may have finally reached his potential as he joined the 20/20 club with 22 home runs and 22 steals. Venable may not be a platoon player anymore if he can continue to build off of his success.

Outfielders Chris Denorfia, Cameron Maybin, Kyle Blanks and Carlos Quentin should also contribute if they can stay healthy. Maybin, Blanks and Quentin seem to always be on the disabled list and the teams success may verge on how healthy the outfielders can stay.

In the infield, nothing really changes from last season. All Star Shortstop, Everth Cabrera, and catcher Yasmani Grandal both return from their performance enhancing drug suspensions. Yonder Alonso and Jedd Gyorko on the right side of the infield should provide constant doubles and put pressure on opposing pitchers.

The wild card of this team will be Chase Headley. The question of will he sign or won't he will be on everyone's mind entering the season. If Headley can regain some of the promise he showed during that magical year in 2012 where he 31 home runs and led the National League in RBI's with 115, then rest assured, Headley will want to get paid, if not in San Diego, then somewhere else.

As it stands, the Padres will be dark horses to contend for the division and they have an outside shot at a wild card spot. At least it will be on T.V. Good night everybody and hopefully we could hang a star on the season.

- Follow me at @CTMstatehornet on Twitter. Find my articles on The State Hornet website at http://www.statehornet.com/. For some visuals of Sac State athletics and concert photography, check out http://www.amylanephoto.com/ and be sure to check out the blogs section.

Is it spring yet?

If only the Game of Thrones slogan was "spring is coming" because that's when the skies become blue and the pitchers and catchers start throwing too. Life is much better in the spring, especially this upcoming year where the San Diego Padres are set to make a legitimate run at a postseason berth.

In 2013, the Padres finished tied for third place with a record of 76-86, 16 games back of the NL West champs, Los Angeles Dodgers. The Padres finished with the same exact record from the 2012 season, so I sit back and wonder, did we get better?

The answer is yes and it will begin with the pitching.

San Diego was delivered a major blow when top-10 prospect Casey Kelly underwent Tommy John surgery prior to the 2013 season joining highly touted pitchers, Cory Luebke and Joe Wieland, already on the disabled list with the same injury. This left the Padres with starters, who on most teams would be back end of the rotation players.

Edinson Volquez and long-time Padre, Clayton Richard, were set to lead the rotation. Volquez had a knack for walking players leading to a lot of runs thus leading to his release from the Padres in August. Richard went out in July with a season-ending shoulder injury while posting less-than-stellar results. Both pitchers had ERA's over six.

The third starting pitcher, Jason Marquis, was having a great first half going 9-4 and garnering All Star buzz. Unfortunately, Marquis went down after two starts post All Star break leaving yet another starting pitcher on the DL.

The biggest surprise last season was Andrew Cashner's emergence as the Padres number one starter. His 100-mph fastball was electric and un-hittable at times.

So what do we have for 2014 in terms of pitching. For one, a high turnover from the opening day staff that trotted out this past April.

For the first time since the Jake Peavy era, the Padres have true top of the rotation pitchers. Cashner, who is now entering his prime, should improve on his 10-9, 3.09 ERA he posted in 2013.

Joining Cashner at the top is newly acquired Josh Johnson. The 29 year old, former Blue Jay and Marlin, has made the All Star game twice, most recently in 2010. Johnson signed a one year contract and should thrive in the spacious Petco Park after posting a 2-8 record in the competitive AL East.

In what was arguably the best acquisition of the season, the Padres traded for starting pitcher Ian Kennedy from the Arizona Diamondbacks at the trade deadline. Kennedy was having an absymal season with the Dbacks before joining the Padres rotation. He finished the second half 4-2 with a 4.24 ERA.

The last two spots in the rotation seem to be up for grabs.

Last season, Tyson Ross came out of the bullpen to perform well as a starter posting a 3.18 ERA in 16 starts. The always reliable Eric Stults was the only pitcher to go over 200 innings for the Padres. His 11 wins was most on the team.

Other pitchers vying for spots in the Padres starting rotation are Luebke, Wieland, Robbie Erlin and Burch Smith. Erlin and Smith pitched in the second half of last season showing promise yet weakness at times.

Long-shot pitchers include top prospects Max Fried and Matt Wisler and long relief pitchers Anthony Bass and Tim Stauffer.  Kelly will also come off the disabled list at some point this season.

Prediction:  My prediction for the five man pitching rotation is Johnson, Cashner, Kennedy, Ross and Luebke. The pitching depth for the Padres allows them to be flexible. They may even implore a six man rotation like they did in September where they had positive results.

I will evaluate the potential starting lineup for the San Diego Padres in my next blog post. For now, check out  http://www.statehornet.com/ to read my articles on the Sacramento State football team.

A Tip of the Cap: The Fan Experience

It's that time of day where you get off work, you head home and crack open that beer that you have been lusting for these last four hours. You look to your right, and BAM, four tickets to tonights game just lying on the table.

The sudden urge to whip out the phone to scroll through every contact judging each one by how your experience will be with them accompanying you on the journey. A daunting task, but one that must be met.

You have decided on your four best buds from college who happen to be on your adult softball team and also never shy about buying that next round.

Fast forward to thirty minutes before game time. You wait outside the meeting place at the main gate with two of your friends, because lets face it, one person is always late. Hundreds of eager fans donning the home team's jersey with the occasional away grays mixed in.

Finally, it's time to go in.

You check out the ticket, "section 327, row 7, seat 9." Free tickets don't always mean best seats, but thats ok, it's the experience that counts.

Two escalators later, with crowds dwindling the further you go up, your seat is waiting for you in all of its glory. Some sort of plastic glory, but glory nonetheless.

The voice of God ringing through the loudspeakers calls out both teams lineups and you realize your favorite player is not in tonight. That's baseball for you.

After the initial shock, the pride of the D-List throws out the first pitch to a less than generous standing ovation and your buddy just got back with two brews in hand. He actually has to go back to get two more, but thats stadium rules and I digress.

The game begins and right off the bat you relive your glory days of playing little league baseball and all conversations through the first three innings are about how if you struck that one guy out, your career would have been different. It probably wouldn't have but those dreams of hitting that walk off home run or throwing that perfect game stay with you for life.

And just when you finish that conversation, good times become groans as the visitors take the lead on a two out double scoring the guy from first who was walked in the previous at bat. Now thats a mouthful, but imagine the mouthful you give to the pitcher after he throws a four pitch walk with two outs. It's a head in hands moment that happens to everyone.

But good news, the inning ended and the home team comes up to take their hacks. As you try and watch the batter through the small holes between each cotton candy that just so happens to be in your way, you hear a crack of the bat and look up.

It has become dark at this point and fairly difficult to spot the ball but those lucky few who were not greeted with the temporary obstructed view sound off as though they won the lottery. Fireworks fly through the air and you jump out of your seat and subsequently give high fives to all your bros with brews in hand.

Elation for you, not for the poor soul in your section who wore the jersey of a team who isn't even playing. The fact that that is a thing needs to stop.

Tie game, 1-1, sixth inning. You are already on round three of beers and are eyeing the girl two rows over just praying she would glance your way. It never happens, but you don't lose hope.

By now,is when you get in the game. Your team is tied and needs to get some motivation to put across another run. It is time... for the wave.

A single section in left field who have not been able to see the scoreboard for the whole game, due to the fact they are underneath it, begin to rile up one another and a fanatic jumps to the front and proceeds to lift their hands up in triumph leading the charge. It usually fails the first couple times but fear not, if you build it, they will come.

After about the fourth time, it catches on and section by section people hop up out of their seats, throw their hands in the air and party like they just don't care. By this point, your friend who is the light weight gets out of his seat about four sections too early but you forgive him and anxiously await your turn.

It happens, your section jumps up, yells WOO, and it then continues.

Most likely nothing in the game happened because it didn't matter. Your constant view on the wave trumped any three pitch inning ever thrown.

It eventually dies down and one inning later, you are back on your feet. Seventh inning stretch is the name and singing while rocking with your buddies from side to side is the game. That drunk friend never sits down but he hears it from the rowdies in the nosebleeds who pay $100 for season tickets for $2 seats. The economy, what can I say.

It's getting late and the game is still tied. That important business meeting is tomorrow bright and early but the thrill of a walk off is in the back of your mind.

The seventh and eight innings go by with nothing happening.

Conversations again are going the way of that game winning hit you had in All Stars many years ago and how great it felt. But then something terrible happens, the visitors send up a pinch hitter. One of those back half of their career players who don't wear batting gloves and have about twelve hits on the season half way through the season. The unfortunate thing is that those twelve hits are all home runs.

Boom, first pitch, gone.

Exhales echo through the crowd as the so called "fans" begin their pitter patter toward the exits. You and your friends contemplate leaving but decide to stay, in fact you move up and get closer seats, thanks fair weathered America.

The home team retires the rest of the batters but by now three quarters of the stadium are gone. It's like our bank accounts after paying the bills, ugh.

Here we go, bottom of the ninth, this is what dreams are made of. Your drunk friend has now fallen asleep and that girl you saw earlier has now gone. It's just you, your thoughts and the game.

Two quick outs and back to back walks later, you realize it can be done.

Then out of nowhere, that player batting near the Mendoza line hits a sharp single to left. The crowd goes crazy as the runner, with two previously torn ACL's, rounds third and heads for home. Elation takes over your whole body and the high fives are already being given to everyone around you.

But just like that, the throw beats him by a mile. Out calls the umpire and in one instant, the crowd goes silent. That sort of silent where something lighter than a pin drops and you can still hear it.

All you can think about is how this could happen and why was their no pinch runner. Questioning of the manager and calling for his head is a normal thing at this point but its time to go.

You get a cab for your overly buzzed friend and send him on his way. Everyone else departs separately but all with bruised hearts and minds.

But there is a bright side to every story. There's always tomorrow and thats what is great about being a fan. The experience of going to a game is so fascinating because even if your team loses a heartbreaker the night before, the game today is the only one that matters and although difficult, a short memory is the best way to approach this.

The fan experience is always different and thats what makes going to the game an awesome memory for everyone involved and for that, I give, A Tip of the Cap.

The Pitching for the Padres

When you think of the San Diego Padres, many will think of the excellent pitching and diminished hitting that occurs in the confines of Petco "National" Park. This season, for reasons unknown, a twilight zone effect has hit the team and the hitting is the strength while pitching is experiencing hardships.

The Padres have undoubtedly struggled this season with their pitching. Their starters could barely make it out  past the fifth inning in April and now the relievers can barely hold a lead. A usual seller come trade deadline, the Padres find themselves in buyer mode as they sit in second place (39-38) in the National League West after beginning the season 5-15.

The problem stems from the top of the rotation. The incumbent 1-2 pitchers Clayton Richard and Edinson Volquez have been hazardous at times to this team. Volquez is erratic as he is either good for giving up a lot of runs or throwing a near no hitter but tiring out by throwing six walks.

It's a week to week struggle for Volquez as you don't know who you're going to get.

Richard has become a launching pad and is giving up home runs left and right. As he is on the DL right now, his days as a Padres starting pitcher seem numbered.

The other three starting pitchers have been absolutely brilliant.

Jason Marquis has not lost a game in what seems to be forever and is a prime All Star candidate with a 9-2 record. Eric Stults, not the actor our parents knew, has arguably been our best pitcher and has not slowed down from finishing 8-1 in the second half of last season. He leads the Padres starters with a 3.20 ERA.

Then there is Andrew Cashner. He was part of the much criticized trade that was the return piece for top prospect Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo fans have since quieted down as Cashner went from the pen to the rotation and has become the most exciting pitcher on this team as well as the ace for many years to come.

The relief corp, usually the strength of every Padres team in the Bud Black era, look good on paper but simply have not performed to a winning baseball standard.

With the constant shuffling of the relievers, I will only focus on the mainstays.

First off, it is time to kick Huston Street to the curb. Street's velocity is down and has given up almost as many home runs as he has saves. Street, like Richard, are on the outside looking in when it comes to the race for the postseason.

Skateboard Luke Gregerson has been used a lot and at times it shows. He has one of the most deadly sliders in the game and is still a dominant reliever but with the amount of innings he has had to play, he sometimes will give up multiple runs in an outing. Something very uncharacteristic about the slider machine.

The seventh inning guys have been a committee. One day it's Dale Thayer, the next Brad Brach and at times which is puzzling, Tim Stauffer. Thayer is getting older, not better and Brach is young and ready to contribute. He just needs a role.

If the relievers can settle down and take advantage of the great starting pitching from the last month, the Padres will win ball games and stay in the hunt.

The potential for this team is through the roof. But to break that roofs surface, they will have to trade for another starting pitcher and possibly a closer. Look for the Padres to be buyers at the deadline and contenders at the finish line.

The Trade

The San Diego Padres, a team not usually known to go after that one big name player that can help create a postseason run, may want to deal for the up and coming superstar Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins.

Stanton, 24, has the type of star power that can not only put fans in the seats but can create buzz even from the likes of the evil empire out in Bristol, Conn. Stanton has hit 100 home runs in just four seasons and plays a solid right field.  But how do the Padres, a team who has not traded for a power hitter of this magnitude since Greg Vaughn, complete such a trade? 

It's quite simple really. The depth in the minor leagues that the Padres have acquired over the last three seasons has set them up to make transactions that could turn the Padres from pretenders into serious contenders. And with the Marlins in full rebuild mode after trading most of their solid veterans, may be looking to completely start over in their new ballpark as well with their new name. 

This type of trade may be a five for one player swap. Lets break it down.

The Padres, with all their depth, can afford to depart with a couple of their top pitching prospects. 

Casey Kelly and Joe Wieland have both spent time in the top ten of the prospect list and both would be coming off of Tommy John surgery. Kelly has the stuff of an ace while Wieland projects to be a solid number three pitcher. 

These two young players could be vital pitchers in a Miami rotation desperate for good pitching. 

Two pitchers who are also top prospects who I would advise to be on the untouchable list would be former first rounders Max Fried and Joe Ross. Both are probably two years away but they have the potential to top the Padres rotation for seasons to come. 

The Padres would likely need to depart with a veteran to provide some guidance to a young team such as the Marlins. That would be in the form of outfielder Carlos Quentin. 

The power hitting Quentin, when healthy, has proven to be a solid hitter both for power and average. He may lack in the defensive category but will make up for it with his bat. It would be unlikely that Quentin would stay with the Marlins for more than one season but he could be a good tool to teach young players how to play the game the right way, although the right way for Quentin sometimes requires brawls but this writer fully supports him. 

These three players have all tasted the major leagues with Quentin being the senor of the group but almost all trades these days involve the youth from the minors.

A player of Stanton's caliber, will require teams to give up top prospects. This is no different.

The Padres would need to include both OF Rymer Liriano and C Austin Hedges. The two players are in the top three of the prospect list and hold a ton of value.

Liriano has the ability to be a Mike Trout type of player with maybe less power. A five tool player has not been in a Padres uniform for a very long time and he should be a player that adds instant production to any lineup.

He is expendable though. If the trade happened, Stanton would man right field and with the emerging Kyle Blanks in left, the outfield would become very crowded.

Catcher, Austin Hedges, may very well have the highest upside of all these players. He has arguably the best defense of any catcher and if in the Major Leagues right now, would probably rank in the top five in defensive categories.

He was also a pleasant surprise at the plate hitting for power while not striking out much.

Hedges, like Liriano, is currently blocked at his prospective position. Yasmani Grandal is still very young and a very polished hitter for his age. The steroid suspension definitely hurt him but if he can continue to improve as a hitter and pitch caller behind the plate, than Grandal may become the franchise catcher.

This brings the trade of SP's Kelly and Wieland, OF's Quentin and Liriano and C Hedges from the Padres for OF Giancarlo Stanton of the Marlins.

Five players for one may seem like a lot but with the depth the Padres have and the fact they are in contention, a move should be in order to bolster the lineup and excite the fan base.