Ernesto Frieri ... Welcome (Back) To The Bigs

With recent injuries to Mike Adams and Mat Latos, the Drinos looked to bolster their bullpen for this weekend's series against the DBacks.

Ernesto Frieri, the Padres closer at AAA affiliate Portland, got the call.

Frieri's record this season speaks for itself - 34 appearances, 17 saves, 1.43 ERA, .85 WHIP, 11.7 SO/9 - but I like Ernesto for another reason .... he hails from Colombia.

Yep. Colombia. One of our globe's finest countries.

I lived in Cartagena back in the day and let me tell you, there may be no finer city in the world in terms of drop-dead beauty. Ernesto was born in Arjona which is in the same Department - Bolivar - as Cartagena. Probably a quick, and no doubt safe, bus ride.

So good luck, Ernesto. I'll be rooting for you tomorrow.

Mat Latos ... And Other Top Padres Minor Leaguers

Wow. June is flying by and I still haven't posted my top 10 Padre pitching prospects based on performances through May. I did the pitcher rankings through April, and I already ranked the hitters through the season's first two months, but the best pitching performances as of May 31 have so far gone unrewarded.

No longer.

Since I'm well past deadline let me just go ahead and list these beasts without comment. Their stats (through May 31) speak for themselves.

1. Mat Latos, RHP, Fort Wayne and San Antonio: 4-0, 36.1 IP, 38Ks, 8 walks, ERA and WHIP well under 1.00.

2. Will Inman, RHP, San Antonio: 4-1, 3.05 ERA, 44.1 IP, 36Ks, 8 walks, .92 WHIP

3. Brad Brach, RHP, Fort Wayne: 3-2, 1.17 ERA, 23 IP, 31Ks, 5 walks, .70 WHIP, 14 saves

4. Bryan Oland, RHP, Lake Elsinore: 0-1, 1.85 ERA, 24.1 IP, 28Ks, 9 walks, 1.15 WHIP, 14 saves

5. Cory Luebke, LHP, Lake Elsinore: 5-2, 2,88 ERA, 59.1 IP, 52Ks, 13 walks, 1.16 WHIP

6. Jeremy McBryde, RHP, Lake Elsinore: 6-1, 3.04 ERA, 53.1 IP, 55Ks, 13 walks, 1.01 WHIP

7. Ernest Frieri, RHP, San Antonio: 5-2, 3.65 ERA, 44.1 IP, 37Ks, 18 walks, 1.26 WHIP

8. Anthony Bass, RHP, Fort Wayne: 3-3, 2.74 ERA, 49.1 IP, 38Ks, 20 walks, 1.40 WHIP

9. Mike DeMark, RHP, San Antonio: 0-1, 1.82 ERA, 24.2 IP, 23Ks, 13 walks, 1.22 WHIP

10. Zach Herr, LHP, Fort Wayne: 3-1, 3.38 ERA, 24 IP, 32Ks, 5 walks, 1.00 WHIP, 7 holds

I'm already looking forward to next month and the possible appearance of Nick Schmidt.

Until then.