Thursday's first pitch

Leading Off
We don't think of the Dodgers as being a team to make a panic.
However, they just signed Vicente Padilla.
Los Angeles Times grouch T.J. Simers is praising the heavens that someone so disruptive could join the Dodgers.
He even quotes Marlon Byrd and Eddie Guardado:

"About time," Rangers outfielder Marlon Byrd reportedly said. "It's absolutely a positive for this team. We have to get rid of the negatives to make a positive, and I believe this is a huge positive for this team."
And this, in published reports, from Rangers pitcher Eddie Guardado: "I think this thing was a long time in coming . . . they were just fed up with him not being a team guy."

We're talking about the guy who forced Major League Baseball to call the 2002 All-Star game a tie.
He's such a malcontent the team that is in the thick of the WIld Card hunt dropped him quicker than Pamela Anderson drops husbands.
Manager Joe Torre has had to deal with many morons and divas in his day: Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez and Roger Clemens. But Padilla might prove too difficult.

Regional Roundup
It was a good day to be a Pennsylvania team. Not so much for the two team on the other side of The Line.

• Cliff Lee dominated again. In his last seven starts he has a 1.09 ERA. Filthy. Filthy Filthy. Jimmy Watch: 1-for-5, run scored, double, strike out.


• The Orioles are going to use the next few weeks to audition Luke Scott at first base. If he works out there, the O's would have more options in the off-season free agent market.


• The Pirates swept the Brewers. Yes it's unbelievable. But it's true. Kind of like Brett Favre's popularity.


• The Washington Post is reporting Mike Rizzo will be named the new Nationals general manager.

Best of Rest

• The Yankees are showing their dominance, thanks to MVP candidate Mark Teixiera.


• The Red Sox got a big win in their hopes of staying alive in the playoff hunt.


• John Smoltz is now a Cardinal.


• Barry Zito pitched like a winner. He just didn't get the 'W.'


• RIchard Justice thinks the Astros need to get young.

Batter's Eye

• Bill Conlon says Shane Victorino is the best defensive center fielder in Phillies history. He doesn't even consider Len Dykstra, which doesn't bother us. But legend has it Garry Maddox and Whitey Ashburn were as good as they come. And did it for a very long period of time.

Today in history
1945 -- Tommy Brown, 17 years, 8 months, 14 days, of the Brooklyn Dodgers became the youngest major league player to hit a home run when he connected in Ebbets Field against Preacher Roe of the Pittsburgh Pirates.

1961 -- The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Milwaukee Braves 7-4 in the second game of a doubleheader to snap a 23-game losing streak, a modern record. 1974 -- Nolan Ryan of the California Angels struck out 19 Tigers in a 1-0, 11-inning loss to Detroit. It was the third time this season that Ryan struck out 19 batters in a game.

1985 -- Dwight Gooden of the New York Mets struck out 16 batters in a 3-0 victory over San Francisco. Gooden became the first National League pitcher to strike out 200 or more batters in each of his first two seasons.

The Closer
Phillies definitely won the Brad Lidge and Eric Bruntlett for Michael Bourn, Geoff Geary and Mike Costanzo deal.
Lidge, afterall, had a perfect season and the Phillies won a World Series.
Bourn, however, has developed into a solid player.
He had a solid game Wednesday, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored, two stolen bases, an RBI and some fantastic defense.
Bourn leads the National League in stolen bases and triples, has an on-base percentage of .366, which is very respectable for a speed guy.
He's also developed some ability to hit the gaps, rapping 12 more doubles already than he had last season.
While he'll never be a centerpiece player, he could be a complimentary type who helps a team win some division titles.