• Anaheim shortstop prospect Brian Specht has been promoted to Double-A Arkansas. On the basis of what he did last season, he deserved to start 2001 there but he’s young, so there’s no hurry.
• Olympian Brad Wilkerson will make his big-league debut Thursday. Hitting machine. Think Rusty Greer or pre-Ruthian Luis Gonzalez.
• What’s up with that celebrity softball thing at the All-Star Game? I don’t want to see Fez from That 70s Show taking rips at a Goose Gossage lob. My friend Dave, who attended the event, said it was painful to watch. I believe it.
• Adam Eaton is on the shelf. Elbow sprain. Supposedly not as serious as the sprain that’s kept lefty Kevin Walker out the past several weeks. Brian Tollberg will take Eaton’s spot in the rotation. I’d say there’ll be a logjam when Eaton returns but by that time, Hitchcock and Williams will probably be gone.
• Padres second-rounder Matt Harrington is struggling in the Northern League. A 9.47 ERA in 19 IP isn’t helping his cause.
• San Diego product Hank Blalock is tearing up the Texas League after tearing up the Florida State League. John Sickels once compared him to George Brett. Sickels went out on a limb there but right now, Blalock is hitting like Brett. Of course, Double-A isn’t the big-leagues but this kid has a chance to be special.
• So do a couple of his high school teammates, catcher Scott Heard of the Rangers and righthander Matt Wheatland of the Tigers.

That’s it for now. Enjoy the All-Star Game. And don’t forget to watch the Triple-A All-Star Game tomorrow night!