In the awkward announcement department, there is a Potentially Cool Thing (TM) that might be happening to Ducksnorts. I can’t really get into more detail right now, and it’s possible that nothing will come of it, but I’m cautiously optimistic. Anyway, I just wanted to let you know that, um, something might happen. And I’m sorry for whatever Jason Giambi didn’t do.

Turning to the realm of coherent thought, we have these items for today:

• Strike Zone – Top 10 Prospects – NL West (Rotoworld). Matthew Pouliot gives his take on the Padres farm system. Hint: Josh Barfield is not #1 on his list.
• Color Greene happy to be a soph (NC Times). The usual raves about Khalil’s work ethic and demeanor, plus a few choice quotes from the man himself. On the ROY: “I wasn’t too concerned about it then and I’m less concerned about it now. Its my second year, so there are no sophomore-year trophies out there to win.”
• Nady to try on many gloves (Padres.com). Everyone keeps saying nice things about Xavier Nady, and he keeps saying nice things back. Nady is getting a lot of reps at third base and also working with hitting coach Dave Magadan to keep his swing short. Also, recently acquired Corey Smith fractured his right index finger taking grounders and can’t throw for three weeks.
• Nady is Padres’ X factor (NC Times). Quoth Magadan: “When he gets too loopy, he has to cheat a little bit, and when you cheat you tend to chase pitches. But it’s not anything that can’t be corrected with a lot of hard work. With playing time and confidence, the sky is the limit.” Just to clarify, Mags is talking about Nady’s swing here.
• The Friar Frank Faceoff (PFS76). It’s good that one of the newest Padre blogs is run by a couple of smart-asses. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite reads.
• Three area pitchers ready to chase their big-league dreams (Beaver County Times Allegheny Times). One of the pitchers is last year’s 18th round pick of the Padres, RHP Clayton Hamilton. On being promoted from Eugene to Mobile late last season: “The phone rang at 4 a.m. and it was our manager (Roy Howell). He said I needed to get to the ballpark and pack because I was going to Mobile. I didn’t have a car, so I rode my bicycle 10 minutes to the ballpark in the middle of the night to the ballpark. It was kind of weird.” Um, yeah.
• Club looking for foreign bargains vs. paying top-dollar draft picks (U-T). The Padres like to save money. Here’s one way they do it.
• Towers’ neck out there for Roberts (U-T). And here’s one way they don’t.
• Bochy wants to nip whining in the bud (U-T). From the article: “Klesko said he’s aiming for a .320 batting average, 15 home runs and a .400 on-pace percentage.” From Klesko himself: “They paid a lot of money for me and Giles and Nevin to come in here and drive the long ball, and to build something like that is their own fault. They can’t blame us.” Two thoughts: 1) This is your home park, get over it already. 2) Show of hands: Who will blame Klesko for anything if he reaches his stated goals?
• Mailbag: Tagg up to the Majors? (Padres.com). There’s a question in here about Jon Knott, which gives me an excuse to relate this anectode from the 2005 Scouting Notebook, which I just picked up today: “[Knott] has logged every professional at-bat he’s ever had – the pitch type, the location, the name and arm angle of the pitcher and the result – in a written ledger.” Honestly, how cool is that?