San Diego Padres

Jim Tracy took over for Clint Hurdle and was an immediate success. He brought stability to a lineup that changed every day and roles for a bullpen that was consistently a fluid situation.

News flash: Ubaldo Jimenez is good.

If the duration of the major league baseball season were a California road trip up the Interstate 5, the Padres would barely be in Oceanside.

Nonetheless, with one month in the rear view mirror, the Padres are in cruise control.

For the third time in four games on Sunday, the Padres shutout the Milwaukee Brewers, this time on a combined three hitter by John Garland and two relievers. The Brewers came into the series leading the NL in scoring. 

For the 2010 season, San Diego Padres General Manager Jed Hoyer took over to make the disappointing team in 2009, better.

Hoyer made some decent additions, such as Jerry Hairston Jr., Jon Garland, and Matt Stairs in order bring this team around (well, at least do better than their 87 loss season).

But they are already 16-9.

Jon Garland was brought in to be the No. 1 starter, replacing Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy, and he has been performing above expectations.

Matt Stairs was to be a pinch hitter.

With one month of baseball in the books, we check up on the four minor league affiliates of the San Diego Padres. We'll take a look at who's gotten off to a hot start and who's struggling, as well as how the Padres' most notable prospects are coming along in the early going.

AAA - Portland Beavers

No, Wade LeBlanc didn't throw his teammate Kyle Blanks on the score board although that actually might help.  This may be a just a glitch in the universe, it may be luck, or it may actually be the real thing.  Wade LeBlanc has been lights out and has helped the Padres actually have a winning record for once. 

It was "singles night" at PETCO Park Thursday night for the San Diego Padres, as they battered the Brewers with 13 singles, with no extra-base hits, to a final score of 9-0.

Who says singles can't have a good time?

Wade LeBlanc continued dishing donuts and combined with Tim Stauffer for a shutout of the normally slugging Brew Crew.

LeBlanc pitched 6.1 shutout innings, continuing his current streak of just one run allowed over his past 17.1 innings pitched

Although it was not at the San Diego Marlin Club’s weigh station on Shelter Island, the Padres were all smiles after landing two of three from the Marlins in Miami.

Fueled by a five-run fifth inning, the Friars picked up Kevin Correia and edged out a 6-4 victory. 

After sweeping Arizona and San Francisco at home, Wednesday’s matinee gave the Padres a 4-2 road trip.

Is April too early for a division race?

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution is a part of the Bill of Rights that protects a right to keep and bear arms. 

It provides: "A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

San Francisco Giants Manager Bruce Bochy is pushing the envelope on this constitutional right with his current starting pitching staff. 

If you ask any San Diego Padre fan on the streets of San Diego, most would tell you they don't want to see the last of their fan favorites leave their city. They don't want the team to trade an All-Star, their leading offensive player, and a Gold Glove first baseman.

But, the San Diego Padres may not have much of a choice but to do just that, especially if that aforementioned first baseman is looking for the kind of money that one Mark Teixeira got from the Yankees. I'm speaking of course about long time Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.