LOOKING ON THE BRIGHT SIDE AFTER 3-2 LOSS

It was a game, last night, that the San Diego Padres should have won had it not been for some bad luck and some good defense by the Cincinatti Reds...oh and a blown call by the third base umpire late in the game. We lost that game 3-2 and gave Mat Latos, who pitched very effectively allowing 5 hits and 3 runs, his first loss for his first start of the year.

Once again in that game there were some bad umpire calls. Cory Brock, the Padres MLB beat reporter points out, in his piece, "The Padres got a leadoff double in the eighth inning from shortstop Alberto Gonzalez -- who filled in for the second time in as many days for Jason Bartlett, who is getting close to playing after being sidelined with a tight back. Pinch-hitter Chris Denorfia, charged with moving Gonzalez to third base on a bunt, got the bunt down but it wasn't far enough from catcher Ramon Hernandez, who picked up the ball and fired to third base to get Gonzalez. Television replays showed that Gonzalez beat the tag."

One blown call...yet again by Major League umpires that can't seem to figure out how to get in to position to clearly see plays made the difference between us losing and tying and possibly winning the game. That is not to say that we need to get better offensively but that sure did not help the Padres out last night.

It was a frustrating game for the fans- me included. But as Orlando Hudson reminded me yesterday, the game of baseball looks easy but it is one of the hardest sports to play.

Still it is hard for us fans to watch the ship sink when you have great players like Orlando hustling and getting in scoring position and then having the same two batters that are not producing much at all come up after him and end what could have been a game tying inning.

It's hard not to get frustrated by that and to question why the manager, Bud Black, keeps putting two guys that are obviously having a rough start back to back and that far up in the order.

But I am not a professional player or manager so there must be a logical reason for what he does with the line-ups.

So yes, we had a loss yesterday, but what is the point on dwelling on the negative?

Instead let's look at the bright side. We could be fans in Boston now watching the team, whose fans so readily proclaimed would be stellar with Adrian Gonzales while his former team was now the "worst team in baseball without him", lose game after game so far this season.

Beyond that and the loss yesterday there were some positives. Let's start with our pitchers last night.

First there is Matt Latos.

Last night Mat made his first appearance as a Padre for 2011 and despite the lack of offense really stayed sharp most of the time he was in there pitching.

It was a great first start of the year and he looked great on the mound.

Yes he did give up a couple of home runs but what I, and everyone else has to keep in mind is that these are not the crappy Cincinnati Reds from a few years back. This is the defending National League Central Champions and offensively and defensively they have a hell of a good team.

When you keep that in mind and consider that Mat just allowed 5 hits and they scored just 3 earned runs while he was pitching you have to tip your hat at Mat because he held them to a minimum of scoring and pitched a great game- they really did deserve a win in my opinion.

When Mat was finished Buddy Black called in Ernesto Frieri and then Chad Qualls to get us out of the top of the 8th unscathed and then had Pat Neshek come in for the top of the 9th and he did the same so the Reds did not score.

The combined effort of the pitchers last night was top notch considering the caliber of team the Cincinnati Reds have become in the past year. The run support was not there but again we have to remember what team we are playing.

For some reason MLB and those who make the schedule thought it was a good idea to have the Padres play an April schedule with barely a day off and a schedule that started at home with the defending World Champion San Franciso Giants. Then we had our tough nemesis the LA Dodgers to face and now the Reds.

When we come back from the road trips we get to face more of the toughest teams in the National League. We first start with the Phillies and then play Atlanta as the month ends.

I think we have a big chance to go above .500 on the road since we first play the hapless Houston Astros and then the Chicago Cubs (although the Cubs may put up a good fight too) so it is not an easy schedule of teams to play.

So we deserved to win- Latos deserved a win but we were playing a top notch Cincinnati Reds team.

I still have a problem with the Ludwick- Hawpe back to back after hitters like Hudson in the batting order thing but I guess when you face really hot teams like the Reds with a pitcher that is half way decent like yesterday you have to strike when the iron is hot.

Another bright light and positive that came out of last night's game was the awakening of the bat of one of my favorite players from last year Will Venable.

On my my Twitter account you may have read me saying that I would like to see Cameron Maybin in the lead off spot instead of Will Venable.

I want to make it clear that it is not because I do not have faith in Will. I have watched him progress into a fine player and he is one hell of a great left fielder.

I just think that Will would do well in the 4 or 5 spot and that Cameron Maybin, much like Mike Cameron from a few years ago, has the spunkiness and the skill to be a good lead off hitter that consistently gets on base this year.

I was really pleased as punch to see Will Venable get some really good lead off hits last night.

Even though I, as many of you so far this season, get really frustrated when umpires blow calls or guys on the team fail to take advantage of opportunities (we were 0-4 last night with RISP) there are always brights sides to even a loss that shouldn't have been like last night's.

Tonight we face the Reds again and all we can do is think positive and hope that our offense is able to capitalize if the Reds starting or relief pitchers falter.

It makes it tough for the guys because to win this series they have to win two in a row but like I said, once we go out on the road to Houston Thursday, I think we all will be surprised at whose bats come screamingly alive since they won't be playing in pitcher friendly parks like Petco.

Keep the faith Padres fans...like I said at the start of this post... at least we aren't in Boston!

Tonight's game against the Reds starts at 7:05 PT

PLAY BALL!