Edmonds returns to So Cal

So we finally got the answer to our CF problems - 37-year-old Jim Edmonds.

Huh, I think I liked this move five years ago but now I am not so sure. He hasn't played more than 117 games in either of the last two seasons and we saw what happened when Mike Cameron missed games last year.

The part of this deal that I like is that we have a proven CF (when he's healthy) and all we gave up was a 3B who was probably never going to make the big club, a deal I would make every time. But it has to be understood that this move is only a stop gap solution and hopefully Edmonds doesn't fall off this year like Vinny Castilla did when he was supposed to solve the problems at third for a season.

I don't expect Edmonds to be playing much longer but if he can pull out one final solid season (maybe like 2005 when he hit .263/.385/.533 with 29 homers and 89 RBIs), then this could be the makings of a good season for the Pads.

Plus with the additions of Randy Wolf and Tadahito Iguchi, the Padres seem to be quietly building a contender for 2008. While it may be fun to see the flashy signings of players like A-Rod, what most people often forgot is that it's the quiet kid in the corner of the room that is usually the most trouble. Hopefully that is us.

I think that by this point, most of us are willing to trust Kevin Towers and the moves he makes but you still have to wonder how much an old CF who has put his body through the wringer over the years with his amazing defensive plays has left to give his new team.

Curse of Ken Caminiti?

It's no secret that the Padres have made a priority of finding a top notch third baseman the past couple of years. But is there a reason why the last five players who have tried to fill the hot corner have all failed?

In a sport where superstitions rule over common sense, it seems the Padres may have their own curse to try to exercise.

Since former NL MVP Ken Caminiti passed away on October 10, 2004 the Padres have tried highly touted prospect Sean Burroughs, the versatile Geoff Blum, the ancient and "I can only hit at Coors Field" Vinny Castilla and the versatile Todd Walker and are now hoping highly touted prospect Kevin Kouzmanoff - who was brought over for highly touted second baseman Josh Barfield - can take control of the role.

But like everyone before him, Kouzmanoff has struggled in San Diego after a promising showing at the end of last season in Cleveland. Kouzmanoff's average before Thursday's game against Arizona was .132, and hasn't been above the Mendoza line since the team's third game of the season, back on April 5. Blum, who has replaced Kouzmanoff late in games, owns an even more repulsive .080 average with only two hits in 25 at bats.

If this is just a slump, hopefully one of these guys will break out of it before they cost the team a chance at the postseason. But if it really is a curse, someone break out the voodoo dolls and lets see if we can't help this thing pass before we wait 80+ years like some teams have had to wait to break their curses causing their World Series droughts. I would actually like to be alive when the Padres finally win the big one.

Hopefully, Kouzmanoff will straighten out and prove there is no curse, but if he fails to secure the role