The Mat Latos Domination Award Goes To ... Mat Latos

Is Latos a giggler? Looks like he might be.

Anyway, he pitches tonight against the Giants, a team the Padres have now defeated 7 straight times this season. Latos in particular has dominated the Gints, facing them twice in this young season and rolling up the following line: 16 IP, 5 hits, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 Ks and 2 Ws.

Of course, Juanathan Sanchez has looked pretty good against the Padres in his own right, but has just had the bad end of the stick. One would figure he, and the Giants, would break through at some point and earn a W against the Padres. If that happens tonight I'll be saddened.

As an aside, I'll note how the Padres have fared against their NL West rivals through May 17:

D'Backs 4-2
Rockies 2-4
Dadgers 0-3
Gints 7-0

Shame about that Dadgers series, but I can live with the rest so far. Two of those Rockies losses, after all, were to Ubaldo.

Padres Need To Get Back On Track

First of all, I have to thank my advisor Father D.P. McGillicutty for having the Bevormo family out to his house in Southampton on Friday night. I also need to thank master designer PKOH for inviting the Bevormo family to his wedding on Saturday night.

Of course, I thank these two individuals not just for the excellence of both events, but for the fact the events worked to distract me from two disappointing losses to the Dadgers over the weekend. Unfortunately, I had time to watch Sunday's loss live and in color, but that's my own fault.

A few thoughts from the weekend's games:

- Tony Gwynn had that Kemp bomb on Friday night. If he makes that catch the Padres might have the momentum to sweep the series.

- Speaking of Friday night, how soon things turn. After the first inning Friday night - maybe around 7 PM PDT - the Padres had just swept the Giants and Adrian Gonzalez had just smoked a monster bomb. Just 48 hours later the Padres had lost three straight games and it looked like no Padre hitter would ever hit a HR again. Or any other type of hit for that matter.

- Wade LeBlanc. Pure monster. Through 35 innings across 6 starts he's sitting at a 1.54 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and a .337 BABIP. I'm no statistician but that high BABIP tells me that, if anything, LeBlanc has been unlucky in his first 6 starts. (Of course I don't understand BABIP so that could be an entirely incorrect conclusion.)

Tonight, the domination of the Giants will hopefully continue under the steady hand of Clayton Richard. But Matty Cain stands on the mound in the bottom half of each inning so a win could be a tough road to hoe.

Jerry Hairston, Jr. Likes Winning Very Much

I like this shot of a young Jerry Hairston, Jr. And I bet Jerry likes it too if only because it reminds him he is no longer a member of the Baltimore Orioles.

The biggest reason for the Padres' early season success is no doubt the starting and relief pitching, led by monsters such as Clayton Richard, Wade LeBlanc, Luke Gregerson and Heath Bell, but we can't sleep on the contribution by veteran utility guy Jerry Hairston, Jr.

Let's put this into focus:

- he has played a solid SS since Everth went down with an injury, with only one little hiccup in the finale of the Astros series marring his otherwise quality work;

- though his overall numbers are middling at .223/.270/.282, he has been raking some timely hits, most recently last night with his two-out double off Matty Cain that plated Will Venable and gave the Drinos a lead they would not relinquish; and

- he adds some championship lustre to the Padres clubhouse, what with the shiny new World Series ring he earned as a member of the '09 Yanquis.

In short, Jerry brings depth and a winning attitude to the Padres, something last year's squad was sorely lacking.

Today, Mat Latos leads the team against the Giants seeking a series sweep.

Let's do this.

Up In San Fran

Last night's game between soft-tossing lefties Wade LeBlanc and Barry Zito felt interminable. And that last inning when Heath Bell kept throwing breaking pitch after breaking pitch to the immortal Eli Whiteside aged me about 14 years.

That's right. I'm now 47.

Another thing I didn't like about last night's game: Scotty "Bombs" Hairston making the final out of the 2nd inning at third base, leaving Adrian standing in the on deck circle. C'mon, Scotty. You've got to stay at second there and let Adrian blast you in.

A thing I did like about last night's game: after Kyle Blanks looking horrendous on Ks in his first two at bats, the camera cutting to Adrian talking to Kyle on the bench. Kyle walked in his final three at bats and took noticeably more aggressive swings. Nicely done, Adrian.

Tonight we've got Clayton against Matty Cain. If the Drinos pull this one out too - and I'm at the point where I almost expect the Padres to win every night - then I'll continue to be very pleased.

Mycheal Henry Is In The Fold

The Illini - thanks in particular to a stellar recruiting job by Peoria's own Jerrance Howard - picked up a verbal commitment from Chicago Orr's Mycheal Henry yesterday.

Henry exploded during his junior season averaging 29 points and, by all reports, developed into a deadeye three-point shooter.

With Henry's commitment, and with the previous commitments of Tracy Abrams and Nnanna Egwu, the Illini are well-positioned with the 2011 recruiting class. If any of Mike Shaw, Chasson Randle, Jarrod Uthoff or Anthony Davis also fall into place, Bruce Weber will have himself another Top 10 class.

Bruce Weber. Getting. It. Dun.

Three Games In Twoston

The Padres open a three-game series in Houston tonight, and I'm going to take this opportunity to predict three straight wins for the Padres.

Tonight, in Game 1, the Padres put up Mat Latos (1-3 5.47) who is due for a nice outing. I predict a W.

Tomorrow, in Game 2, we're looking at a Jon Garland (3-2 2.06) - Felipe Paulino matchup which translates to one letter for the Padres: W.

And on Sunday, in Game 3, the Padres offer Kev Correia (4-2 3.97) against the Stros' Roy Oswalt. Though the Padres have yet to beat an opposing team's ace all season, I'm thinking they'll make an exception in this case. So, W.

Wade Goes Again Tonight

Wade LeBlanc - he of the gaudy 0.52 ERA - throws tonight against the Denver Mountains.

I'm sensing a pure, unadulterated Padres victory.