Obviously an NBA championship and two post-season quality baseball teams that draw 3 million each doesn't merit that much cachet. Los Angeles moved from No. 8 last year to No. 5, but ranks behind Pittsburgh and No. 2 Philadelphia (which won championships in the last 12 months), plus No. 3 Boston and No. 4 Chicago (which didn't).

Of course, part of the problem there is that LA and Anaheim -- which for most other purposes are considered part of the same Southern California market -- are treated as separate entities in this ranking.

Yet East Rutherford, N.J., where the Giants, Jets and Nets play, apparently is treated as part of New York, while Phoenix is grouped with Tempe (and presumably Glendale, Ariz., where the Cardinals and Coyotes -- for now -- still play.) And Detroit, Chicago, Oklahoma City and Oakland are other cities where a nearby college town is included in the metro area. And shouldn't San Francisco and Oakland be considered the Bay Area market, just like LA and Orange County are SoCal? Just asking.

(And if, as they say, championships are only one criteria but not the main one, why's Pittsburgh No. 1?)

Some other quirks affecting local communities:

-- Landing an AVP tour event certainly helps a city's stature. Riverside was No. 245 in 2008, No. 184 in 2009.

-- Conversely, landing spots on the Manny Rehab Tour doesn't help. Lake Elsinore dropped from 351 to 353 and San Bernardino from 359 to 361.

-- Last year Irvine and Fullerton were both on the list, due to their status as Big West outposts (and, presumably, appearances at the College World Series). This year, evidently, both were folded in with Anaheim, which was 17th last year but dropped to 21 this year. (Why? Who knows.)

Here's the full list, and here's where SoCal cities ranked (last year's ranking in parentheses):

The setup: Cabrera had tripled leading off the inning against Jon Garland, and was still at third after pitcher Clayton Richard had grounded to short. Left-hander Scott Elbert replaced Garland and got Tony Gwynn Jr. to hit a sharp grounder to second baseman Orlando Hudson. Cabrera was running on contact, and Hudson threw home and got Cabrera in a rundown.

Catcher Russell Martin ran Cabrera back toward third before tossing the ball to Loretta, the third baseman. But fielder and runner collided, and as the ball squirted away Loretta caught Cabrera in a leg-lock right out of WWE.

It didn't impress third base umpire Greg Gibson, who called obstruction on Loretta and awarded Cabrera home plate.

"I never had control of the ball, and if you hit the runner it's obstruction," Loretta said.

"I wasn't really trying to wrestle with him. I had to move in toward him, and then he was right there and we ended up in a knot. It was a takedown, I guess.

"It's one for the video boards."

San Diego's 5-0 victory over the Dodgers, coupled with Colorado's 10-6 victory over Milwaukee, trimmed the Dodgers' lead over the Rockies to 2 1/2 games. The Rockies play the Brewers again today, while the Dodgers are idle, before LA and Colorado play a season-ending three-game series at Dodger Stadium beginning Friday.

Padres left-hander Clayton Richard one-hit the Dodgers for seven innings before turning it over to the bullpen, while Kevin Kouzmanoff's three-run homer in the fourth off Jon Garland was the big blow for San Diego.

Meanwhile, Joe Torre shook up the batting order, dropping Andre Ethier to the seventh spot against Padres left-hander Clayton Richard, one of the guys acquired in the Jake Peavy deal.

The lineups:

Dodgers (93-65)

Rafael Furcal ss
Orlando Hudson 2b
Manny Ramirez lf
Matt Kemp cf
James Loney 1b
Mark Loretta 3b
Andre Ethier rf
Russell Martin c
Jon Garland (11-12, 3.90) rhp

Padres (73-85)

Tony Gwynn Jr. cf
David Eckstein 2b
Adrian Gonzalez 1b
Chase Headley lf
Will Venable rf
Kevin Kouzmanoff 3b
Nick Hundley c
Everth Cabrera ss
Clayton Richard (4-2, 4.58) lhp

"Casey's a little sore but better, and Belliard's better, but he won't even take any ground balls until tomorrow," Torre said. " ... Our number one priority at this point in time is to make sure that these guys get well. Otherwise, it doesn't go away."

Blake said he would "push" for tomorrow, but was more likely to aim for Friday, following Thursday's off-day.

"Of course, I want to get in and help the team clinch, but right now it's not about that," he said. "It's about making sure I get enough at-bats before the playoffs."

Tonight's lineups:

Dodgers (93-64)

Rafael Furcal ss
Orlando Hudson 2b
Andre Ethier rf
Manny Ramirez lf
Matt Kemp cf
James Loney 1b
Russell Martin c
Juan Castro 3b
Chad Billingsley (12-10, 4.07) rhp

Padres (72-85)

Tony Gwynn cf
David Eckstein 2b
Adrian Gonzalez 1b
Chase Headley lf
Will Venable rf
Kevin Kouzmanoff 3b
Nick Hundley c
Everth Cabrera ss
Cesar Ramos (0-1, 1.69) lhp

Moorad wouldn't provide the exact number of employees who were laid off or identify any of them. He said the team would be adding positions in areas such as ticket sales and working with corporate partners.

Moorad heads a group that has bought about 35 percent of the team from John Moores. Moorad said the slumping economy contributed to Thursday's moves, which also coincide with the team's summer slump.
The Associated Press

--Joe Beimel on a return to the Dodgers?: "I love the organization," he said of the Dodgers. " . . . If I could, I'd go back."

Ben Bolch also tells us that Beimel has a Nationals robe in his locker, similar to the one he wore with the Dodgers.

--Chris Young took exception to the ovations Manny received at Petco Park this weekend.

"I think it sends the wrong message to kids," Young said. "Juan Pierre should be the one getting those ovations, in my opinion."

--Immediately after the Padres fell to the Dodgers it was announced that they had traded Scott Hairston for two minor leaguers and a player to be named later. Paul DePodesta breaks it down.

Fewer than 8,000 tickets remain for the game on Saturday, July 4, a 1:10 p.m. PT start. Tickets are also available for the homestand finale, Sunday, July 5, when the Padres and Dodgers are set to play at 1:05 p.m.

"We are pleased to announce our third sellout this season," said Padres President and COO Tom Garfinkel. "The entire weekend series will be a great opportunity to celebrate and honor America through our national pastime."

The Padres' previous sellouts of 2009 came on Monday, April 6 (Opening Day) and Saturday, April 25. The team had four sellouts last season.

Inland Empire 66ers

Manny Ramirez dh
Preston Mattlingly lf
Trayvon Robinson cf
Pedro Baez 3b
Scott Van Slyke rf
Adolfo Gonzalez 2b
Jaime Ortiz 1b
Alex Garabedian c
Christian Lara ss
Steve Johnson rhp

Lake Elsinore Storm

Brad Chalk cf
Beamer Weems ss
Matt Clark 1b
Keoni Ruth 2b
Felix Carrasco dh
James Darnell 3b
Angel Mercado rf
Danny Payne lf
Ali Solis c
Nick Schmidt lhp

-- Ramirez will get four at-bats tonight and then probably come out, according to Inland Empire manager Carlos Subero. He is scheduled to play four games with the Sixers, tonight and then all three games of their series against Rancho Cucamonga which begins Sunday in San Bernardino.

-- Going into the game, Lake Elsinore is in first place in the Cal League South in the second half ... then again, they're only 2-0. (They were 39-31 and in second place in the first half). Inland Empire is 0-2 this half, after going 32-38 in the first half ...

-- Storm picked this night to go retro, with brown and gold jerseys modeled after the old Padres uniforms. I'm half-expecting Randy Jones to come out and throw the first pitch.