ys. "When youre a fan of other major leagues in

CINCINNATI, Ohio -- The Padres got another day to let their recovered players rest and enjoy their best stretch of the season. With outfielder Carlos Quentin and third baseman Chase Headley back, theyre thinking it could keep going. Just not on Wednesday. Their game against the Cincinnati Reds was postponed because of rain and rescheduled as part of a doubleheader on Thursday. They will play a regularly scheduled game at 12:35 p.m. EDT followed by a makeup game at 6:10 p.m. Ian Kennedy (2-4) will face Johnny Cueto (3-2) in the first game. Tyson Ross (4-3) will start the second game for San Diego. The Reds hadnt decided on their starter. It was the ninth postponement in Great American Ball Parks history since 2003 and the second this season. The Reds have had eight rain delays, two postponements and one suspended game this season in Cincinnati. The Padres are enjoying the best stretch of the season. They have won a season-high four straight and have scored 26 runs in the four games. Quentin wasnt going to be in the Padres lineup on Wednesday as manager Bud Black eases him back in. Quentin was activated before the series opener on Tuesday after missing the first 39 games with a bruised left knee, injured while diving for a ball during spring training. Quentin went 3 for 18 during a minor league rehab stint and was 0 for 3 with a walk in his return. Black planned to play him in one of the games on Thursday. "Were going to build him up, but we like when hes in the lineup," Black said. "Hes got to get into baseball shape." Injuries limited Quentin to 82 games last season, when he batted .275 with 13 homers and 44 RBIs. He was an All-Star with the White Sox in 2008 and 2011. "Arguably when hes healthy and playing his game, you can make a case that hes our best offensive player," Black said. "Hes a guy that has a proven record of offensive performance. So when hes in there, we score more runs." The Padres think he will make a difference in a struggling offence. "Hes a huge piece for us," Headley said. "If we can get him in there and keep him healthy, it makes everybodys job easier. Its great to have him back." San Diegos offence ranked last in the league with a .222 average and 118 runs. The Padres are hopeful that with Quentin back and Headley finally healthy, their offence can pick up. Headley returned from the disabled list last Saturday after recovering from a strained right calf and has homered twice. Headleys solo shot in the ninth inning off a 99 mph fastball from Aroldis Chapman gave the Padres a 2-1 win in the series opener. Reliever Dale Thayer rejoined the Padres on Wednesday after missing one game on paternity leave. Thayer is 2-1 with a 1.45 ERA in 20 games. The Padres optioned right-hander Kevin Quackenbush back to Triple-A El Paso to create a spot for Thayer. Quackenbush was called up for one game to fill in while Thayer was gone. Quackenbush didnt pitch in a 2-1 win over the Reds on Tuesday night, leaving him 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA in three stints with San Diego this season. NOTES: The Padres havent won a series on the road this season. ... Major League Baseball has made a scoring change from San Diegos 4-0 loss to Washington on April 26, taking a hit away from Jayson Werth and giving Jedd Gyorko an error. That takes two earned runs away from Padres starter Andrew Cashner, lowering his ERA to 2.35. ... Manager Bryan Price said C Devin Mesoraco, on a rehab assignment recovering from a strained hamstring, will play a couple more games before the Reds will consider activating him. He began the assignment Tuesday night with Triple-A Louisville. Stitched USA Soccer Jerseys . The 25-year-old native of Milford, Conn., has 18 points in 41 games this season. The five-foot-eight 166-pound centre also has 28 points (10-18) in 15 games with AHL Oklahoma City. Fake USA Soccer Jerseys .J. Hardy finally got in on the fun Saturday, against a likely opponent. https://www.cheapusasoccer.com/ . Dancevic won his singles match on Friday, defeating Go Soeda 6-4, 7-6 (2), 6-1, to even the best-of-five series at a game apiece. World No. 18 Kei Nishikori defeated Peter Polansky in the opening match, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. USA Soccer Gear . Minutes before the final whistle of Sporting Kansas Citys 3-0 victory over a shorthanded Montreal Impact squad on Saturday afternoon, Saputo tweeted: "Our fans deserve better. USA Soccer Pro Shop . Ted Ligety, Mikaela Shiffrin, Bode Miller and Tim Jitloff underlined the squads enormous potential on the Rettenbach glacier in Austria.LOS ANGELES -- Commissioner Don Garber thought he knew what Major League Soccer was getting into when the Los Angeles Galaxy signed David Beckham more than four years ago. Garber now realizes he had no idea what the Beckham Experience would mean for his fledgling league. A few days before Beckham plays for his first MLS title in the final days of his Galaxy contract, Garber says the league doesnt regret inviting the English superstar to become the face of MLS in 2007. "I underestimated the power of his celebrity by a long shot," Garber said in an interview with The Associated Press. "I think we underestimated the challenge of (Beckham) playing for England, and we didnt expect his desire to go out on loan (to AC Milan). But I also totally underestimated how hardworking and tough he is. He will play through injury and fatigue. That warrior-like mentality was like nobody expected in MLS. This guy wants to win, and hell do anything. Hes been great for our league and for our game." Garber spoke at length about MLS past while outlining his goals for the leagues future, from an expansion franchise in the New York area to the growing role of supporters in MLS competitive culture. Hes also hoping the Beckham experience lasts for at least another year, putting his weight behind the Galaxys bid to persuade Beckham to stick around after his best MLS season concludes this year. "I find it amusing that when David came into the league five years ago, many sports media pundits were saying how much hes over the hill," Garber said of Beckham, whose services are coveted by Paris Saint-Germain and a handful of British clubs. "You dont hear that any more, and this is five years later." Garber also is happy about the Galaxys serendipitous appearance in the MLS Cup on Sunday on their home field. Los Angeles faces the Houston Dynamo on Sunday at Home Depot Center. "At times Im almost envious of other leagues championships when it ends up with a dream matchup," Garber said, citing the recent appearances of marquee franchises such as the Yankees, Lakers and Packers in other sports championship contests. "Those matchups always seem to deliver greater value to their league in the years to come, and we have not really experienced that." The Galaxy are playing the final in their home stadium, just the third time thats happened in MLS 16 seasons. A similar coincidence boosted the popularity of the New England Revolution in 2002, even though they lost the league title to Los Angeles at home. Garber confirmed MLS is likely to change the championship format soon from a neutral-site game to a championship matchup at the home of the highest-seeded club. "Theres something much more special when the home team is involved," he said, suggesting the league will consider additional channges to the playoff format in the off-season.dddddddddddd With exponential growth in attendance and television exposure this season, along with a 19th franchise joining the league in Montreal next year, its clear MLS is making progress in the long-growth strategy Garber has espoused since moving to MLS in 1999 from a job with the NFL. Yet Garber also feels the leagues 35 designated-player signings have been crucial to its growth into a reputable league. "Its hard for any young, emerging business to not be guilty at times of overhype," Garber said. "While at times I regret how hyped we were when Freddy Adu came into the league (in 2004) or when David came in, I dont regret the excitement that David created by coming in. I had the expectation that MLS would become more popular, that wed see improved ratings and a different attitude." MLS television ratings rose on each of its platforms this season, and attendance grew more than 7 per cent. MLS will appear on the new NBC Sports network next year in a lucrative deal, and the Galaxy announced a reported 10-year, $55 million deal with Time Warner Cable Sports new network on Friday -- a tenfold increase on its last deal. Merchandise sales also are up, driven by the new layer of star players and MLS attention to eye-catching design with an international flair. Yet Garber said hes most pleased by the growth of what he calls "the supporter culture" around each team. From Seattle to Philadelphia, MLS fans are emulating the involved attention given to soccer clubs on other continents in increasing numbers -- and in surprising ways. "When youre a fan of other major leagues in America, the experience is somewhat similar," Garber said. "Youre in a bright facility and youre watching your team, but there is an institutionalization of sport that in many ways forced the fan to be an observer more than a participant. In soccer, the fan is that third key constituency. Weve even seen the downside of that, but thats very positive for us today. Thats what we want to instil and create in our fans." Garber is pleased to see a proliferation of "20- to 30-year-old hipsters" in MLS crowds, wearing team garb and reveling in a sporting pursuit with a different flavour than the standard American sports enthusiast. Garbers passion for stirring fan support is the main reason MLS is focused on putting its 20th franchise in the New York area. The commissioner scoffed at recent reports that the New York expansion plan had stumbled, insisting the league will figure out a plan to create a natural rival for the Red Bulls. "We believe that big markets need rivalries," Garber said. "If we truly are engaged in the unique dynamic that drives our sport, inner-city rivalries are a big part of driving fan passion." ' ' '