Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
The trickle-down effects of baseball decisions have always fascinated me. Seemingly unrelated moves can change the status of players who are not involved in the original move.
The decision in May to move right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne from being the long man in the bullpen to the starting rotation to replace the injured Brandon Morrow is a perfect example.
Because of that decision, the Padres have been playing with a four-man bench, limiting the number of moves manager Pat Murphy can make late in games.