25-year old lefty starting pitcher Wade LeBlanc is off to a outstanding start for the Padres this year. He has started 3 games for the Padres this year and he is 2-0 with a 0.52 ERA and a 1.27 WHIP. LeBlanc has been really aggressive in the strike zone as he has whiffed 16 batters while only walking 4 in 17 1/3 innings. LeBlanc is building on his succes of last season for the Padres. Last year he started 9 games in which he was 3-1 with a 3.69 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP. If LeBlanc keeps pitching like he is right now someone else will get bumped from the rotation when Chris Young comes off the D.L.

The Padres have placed starting shortstop Everth Cabrera on the 15-day disabled list with a right hamstring strain. Cabrera has played in 18 games for the Padres this season and he is 14 of 67 (.209 avg, .558 OPS) with 4 runs scored, 11 RBIs and 4 stolen bases. The Padres have recalled 24-year old switch hitting shortstop Lance Zawadzki from AAA to replace Cabrera on the roster. He was the #15 prospect in the Padres’ minor league system coming into this season according to Baseball America. Zawadzki has played in 17 games in AAA-ball so far this season and he was 11 of 68 (.162 avg, .416 OPS) with 8 runs scored, 2 RBIs and 2 stolen bases. In his four years in the minors he has played in 301 games in which he is 316 of 1,147 (.276 avg, .770 OPS) with 174 runs scored, 25 homers, 156 RBIs and 48 stolen bases. Zawadzki will likely share shortstop with Jerry Hairston or David Eckstein until Cabrera returns to action. Hairston is the more likely of the pair to play SS with Eckstein pretty much being the starting 2B. Hairston has played in 19 games this season and he is 15 of 65 (.231 avg, .489 OPS) with 5 runs scored, 5 RBIs and 2 stolen bases.

26-year old switch hitting 3B Chase Headley is off to a great start this season. He has played in 19 games for the Padres this year and he is 26 of 74 (.351 avg, .873 OPS) with 15 runs scored, 1 homer, 7 RBIs and 6 stolen bases. To me it looks as if Headley is more relaxed both in the field and at the plate now that he’s back playing his natural position for the Padres. He played in 156 games last season for the Padres and he was 142 of 543 (.262 avg, .734 OPS) with 62 runs scored, 12 homers, 64 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. The biggest difference between this year and last season is that the Padres had him playing in the outfield. I expect Headley to easily put up better numbers than he did in 2009 now that he doesn’t have to think as much defensively.

The Padres swept the Arizona Diamonbacks over the weekend to improve to 6-6 on the season. They are tied for 2nd place with the Dodgers and Rockies, 2 games behind the Giants in the N.L. West. The Padres have three games at home against the Giants before traveling to Cincy this coming up weekend to deal with the Reds. The Padres will continue to win as long as they keep hitting like they are right now because the pitching staff is solid.

29-year old righty starting pitcher Kevin Correia is off to another solid start for the San Diego Padres this season. He has started 3 games this season for the Padres and he is 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA and a 1.15 WHIP. Correia has only allowed 14 hits this season in 17 1/3 innings for the Padres while whiffing 17 batters. Correia was the Padres’ #1 starter last season and it looks like he wants to be that again in 2010.