San Diego Padres

According to MLB.com (click here for the article), the Padres have acquired Miguel Tejada and cash from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league pitcher Wynn Pelzer.

The San Diego Padres are 58-39.  With a winning percentage of .598, San Diego stands atop the National League, and are behind only the Yankees and Rays in the league as a whole.

Peter Gammons predicted in March that come mid-season the Padres would have the best record in the NL.

With the deadline quickly approaching, fans are wondering just what their team is going to do. That is, if they haven't made a move already.

There have been two big moves thus far and both have come in the American League's Western Division. The Rangers acquired left-hander Cliff Lee from Seattle and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim acquired Dan Haren from Arizona late Sunday night.

Since his call up from AAA Sacramento in mid-May, A’s outfielder/DH Jack Cust has seemingly reinvented himself as a hitter.

For those of you who don’t follow the A’s closely, Cust was a 4-A thumper who Billy Beane obtained from the Padres back in 2007 for a box of Cracker Jacks.

Cust immediately became a minor star for the A’s, hitting 26 HRs in fewer than 400 ABs and posting a .912 OPS as a 28-year-old rookie.

However, since his huge 2007, Cust declined the next two seasons, with his OPS dropping to .851 in 2008 and .773 last season.

For a Padres team that has surprised many this year, some of the best news they've gotten all year came on Monday, in the form of a three-year extension for manager Buddy Black. This move shows the Padres that the front office believes that what they're doing this year is sustainable, and also shows the rest of baseball the Padres are unlikely to be dealing away any stars come July 31.

Many will tell you that Black's extension was well deserved. It's true, he has done an excellent job of handling a bullpen and starting rotation that have been the best in baseball.

Poor Mat Latos.  Right in the middle of a breakout season in his second year with the Padres, the baseball gods have dealt him a blow with a truly bizarre injury.

Latos landed on the DL Friday with a strained left side. He suffered the injury a week ago after a win over Colorado when he tried to hold in a sneeze while going down the dugout steps.

What on earth is going on down in San Diego? Most every baseball pundit predicted the Padres would be one of the worst teams in baseball and would likely be shipping off their best players at the trade deadline. Instead, the Padres are looking for a durable pitcher as well as a legitimate bat as they are trying to hold their division lead.

This article is a look at the fascinating numbers, unexpected performances, and season projections from the first half of Major League baseball's 109th season. 

.454 - Josh Hamilton's batting average in the month of June.

18 - Days the NL West leading San Diego Padres have spent out of first place. Since April 19, they have been in first place for 70 out of 74 days.

82 - The number of All-Stars this season. 

Last Night Rewind