Is interleague fair?

On the Padres’ radio pregame show last week, some said it was unfair that the Padres had to play the Boston Red Sox three times while the Dodgers did not have to do so.

Fair enough, until you look at the rest of interleague play.

Both the Padres and Dodgers played three games against Tampa Bay. It’s the other 12 games that were different.

The Dodgers had six games against the Anaheim Angels, arguably the best team in baseball along with Boston. They also played six against Toronto, second in the AL East.

The Padres? Besides the Boston and Tampa Bay games, they did not exactly play against the American League elite. They played six times against Seattle (second in the weak AL West) and three games against Baltimore (last in the AL East.)

Thank goodness, it’s now back to National League play as the Padres begin the week with three games at San Francisco while the Dodgers play four times at NL West-leading Arizona.

Until the Dodgers stop playing the Angels six times annually during interleague play, the Padres should not be griping about their interleague schedule.

Padres get 'sludged'

General Manager Kevin Towers has made himself a reputation with the Padres as the “sludge merchant.”

Well, it looks like the so-called sludge merchant has gotten sludged on his latest move.

Or, did you not notice that Jack Cust of the Oakland Athletics has been named American League co-Player of the Week for the period ending May 13?

Cust was traded by the Padres to Oakland on May 3 for a reported $100,000.

In his first 26 at bats with Oakland, Cust pounded out six home runs and 14 RBIs. During the first 39 games of the season, the Padres had just one player with more than six home runs and three with more than 14 RBIs.

You don’t think they could use Cust’s bat in their power-deficient line-up, do you?

Of course, the Padres said they did not think Cust measured up defensively in left field. That being said, did you see Terrmel Sledge drop a fly ball and misplay a line drive in the same inning during last Saturday’s 5-0 loss to St. Louis?

The Padres haven’t made up for the power loss of Mike Piazza to Oakland as a free agent this past offseason. Consider it a double whammy with Cust going to the Athletics.