Shakeup could soon be in store in San Diego
Posted: Fri May 9 3:33 PM
By Scott Garbarini, Contributing MLB Editor
(Sports Network) - Citizens of San Diego may be renowned for their laid-back and easy-going approach to life, but the patience of the hometown Padres' brass has got to be wearing thin with the way the team has performed over the past three weeks.
After being swept by the Atlanta Braves to conclude a miserable nine-game road trip, the Padres have now lost 17 times in their last 21 outings. That unwanted record is the franchise's worst over that span of games since San Diego also went 4-17 during a portion of the 2003 season, when the club placed at the bottom of the National League standings with a 64-98 overall mark.
The Padres seem on their way to a similar horrid showing in 2008. Entering Friday's play, San Diego holds the worst record in the majors at 12-23 and hasn't strung together back-to-backs wins since April 13-15.
With each passing loss, it's become increasingly evident that some segment of change is going to be necessary if the Padres still have aspirations of competing with the likes of Arizona and Los Angeles in the rugged NL West. While San Diego's never been an offensive juggernaut since moving into spacious Petco Park in 2004, the team usually compensated for its lineup shortcomings with exceptional pitching depth. That no longer appears to be the case, as the rotation members have struggled to find consistency behind ace Jake Peavy and a once-bulletproof bullpen has shown a number of chinks in the armor over the season's first month.
Manager Bud Black took one step towards finding a solution this past week, when the second-year skipper bumped Justin Germano from a starting role and into the bullpen and inserted long reliever Wil Ledezma into the rotation. The initial results were encouraging, as Ledezma limited Atlanta to one unearned run over four innings in his first season start on Thursday.
The Padres' biggest problems still remain on offense, as the team ranks last in the majors in both batting average (.232) and on-base percentage (.304) and is tied with San Francisco for the fewest runs (117) in baseball.
The weakest link on the league's weakest unit has been aging center fielder Jim Edmonds, who's batting a paltry .178 with one home run in 90 at-bats. A possible sign of the coaching staff's waning confidence in the injury-prone 37-year-old came during Wednesday's 5-2 loss to the Braves, when Edmonds was lifted in favor of Rule 5 draftee Callix Crabbe to bat in the ninth inning.
Edmonds' startling lack of production has lent to speculation that the Padres may soon cut ties with the eight-time Gold Glove winner, although the organization would have to eat nearly $5 million in guaranteed salary if Edmonds is released. San Diego does have a veteran alternative at the position in Jody Gerut, who's batting .308 with five home runs at Triple-A Portland.
Another possible answer could come from top prospect Chase Headley, a 24-year- old switch-hitting outfielder who's been tearing up Pacific Coast League pitching as of late. A second-round selection in the 2005 draft, Headley has batted .463 (19-for-41) over his last 10 games with Portland to raise his season average to .304.
WELCOME BACK
Pitcher Shawn Estes made his first major league appearance in more than two years when the oft-injured left-hander took over for Ledezma in Thursday's game. Estes worked 1 2/3 innings and was charged with allowing two runs, both of which were unearned due to a costly error by Crabbe at second base.
Estes last pitched in the majors on April 5, 2006 and made just one start for the Padres that year before having to undergo Tommy John surgery on his elbow. The 35-year-old returned to competitive action in June of last season, compiling an 0-2 record and a 4.45 earned run average over 28 1/3 innings pitched at three stops in the minors.
The veteran hurler was brought back by San Diego on a minor-league deal during the offseason but failed to win a roster spot in spring training. Estes pitched well at Triple-A Portland, where he went 4-2 with a 3.67 ERA in six starts, and was promoted to the big club when the Padres placed reliever Kevin Cameron on the disabled list Thursday.
"It was exciting," Estes told the team's official site when asked about his long-awaited return to the majors. "I had the adrenaline going. I don't think I felt my legs for six pitches,"
Estes broke into the big leagues with San Francisco in 1995 and had his best season with the Giants in 1997, when he amassed a 19-5 record and a 3.18 ERA and earned a spot on the NL All-Star team. He owns a 99-90 all-time mark over 275 career appearances (273 starts) while playing for seven different teams.
STILL STUCK ON 349
Career victory No. 350 for Greg Maddux remains an elusive milestone for the legendary Padres pitcher, who failed on his fourth attempt to record the feat during Sunday' 10-3 loss at Florida. The four-time NL Cy Young winner was tagged for five runs (4 earned) and 11 hits by the upstart Marlins in 5 2/3 innings of work.
Since registering his 349th career win at Los Angeles on April 13, Maddux has gone 0-3 with a 5.54 ERA in four starts. The 42-year-old's next attempt at the benchmark victory will come on Saturday against Colorado.
Only eight pitchers in major league history have amassed 350 all-time wins, with Roger Clemens the last to accomplish the feat on July 2, 2007. The embattled Clemens ended his career with 354 victories.
WHO'S HOT
First baseman Adrian Gonzalez is one of the few Padres swinging a hot bat. The left-handed slugger hit safely in all nine games of the road trip and batted .375 (15-for-40) with four home runs and eight RBI over the course of the trek. He leads San Diego with a .307 average, eight homers and 25 RBI for the season.
WHO'S NOT
Left-handed relief specialist Joe Thatcher fell to 0-4 on the year after giving up the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning in Thursday's 5-4 loss to Atlanta. The Indiana State alum has surrendered 13 runs in 17 1/3 innings over his 16 appearances in 2008, while opposing batters have hit .357 against him so far this season.
Shortstop Khalil Greene went just 5-for-30 (.167) on the recent road trip, dropping his season average to an anemic .209. The defensive whiz also has just one homer in 129 at-bats after slugging a career-high 27 a year ago.
ON DECK
The Padres will square off against an old nemesis when they return home on Friday, as the division-rival Colorado Rockies visit Petco Park for a three- game weekend set. Colorado has won seven of its last encounters with San Diego, including that memorable 9-8, 13-inning thriller at Coors Field last October that propelled the Rockies into the 2007 postseason.
Peavy (4-1, 2.22) will go head-to-head with Aaron Cook (5-1, 2.40) in a battle of aces in the series opener, with Maddux (2-3, 4.09) opposing youngster Ubaldo Jimenez (1-2, 5.82) on Saturday. Greg Reynolds is slated to make his major league debut for the Rockies in Sunday's finale, while Chris Young (2-3, 4.31) takes the mound for the home team.
