Padres sure know how to get other managers fired

Say this about the San Diego Padres:

They sure know how to be involved in the timing of somebody else’s manager being fired.

Back on May 7, the Padres hosted the Arizona Diamondbacks in an afternoon game. D-backs Manager Bob Melvin was out of work by that evening.

Now the Padres are in Colorado for a three-game weekend series vs. the Rockies.

Say goodbye to Colorado Manager Clint Hurdle.

Melvin’s undoing was never having a safe lead due to a horrible bullpen. (Just ask current manager A.J. Hinch.)

Hurdle raised expectations too high in Colorado with an amazing run at the end of the 2007 season that took the Rockies to the World Series. (Hey, they were never as good as that fluke of a three-week stretch.)

As for the Padres, they’ve done a magnificent job of saving the hide of their own manager … Bud Black.

His occupation was on the line from the beginning of 2009 with a contract that expires after this season and a team expected to do poorly this season.

Who would have ever thought that Black would outlast both Melvin and Hurdle?

San Diego Padres: Among the best in MLB?

Are the San Diego Padres really one of the best teams in MLB?

With a 6-2 start, you’d think so. With most “experts” picking them to finish last in the NL West (and possibly with the worst MLB record), you’d think not.

What makes this team go thus far in 2009?

Look no further than the bullpen.

Through eight games, it has been the best bullpen ERA in the majors. (Of course, San Diego started out the same way last year, only to implode on its way to a 63-99 record.)

Outside of Duaner Sanchez, Cla Meredith and Heath Bell, you’ve never heard of any of the guys in the bullpen. Bell won’t make people forget that Trevor Hoffman is the all-time saves leader; but he’s soon going to make people forget about Hoffman as the team’s closer (Bell is for real!)

The starting staff is solid at the top with Jake Peavy (until he gets traded) and Chris Young. When you consider No. 3 starter Walter Silva came to the U.S. on a tryout from Mexico last month, it tells you all that you need to know about the back end of the rotation.

Outside of cleanup-man Adrian Gonzalez, the lineup is either largely unproven or a couple of has-beens. Those has-beens, David Eckstein and Brian Giles, will make opposing pitchers rack up the pitch count … if nothing else.

Thus far, Eckstein is playing with the enthusiasm of a rookie. He can only hope that his enthusiasm spreads; along with his patience.

Nobody is petitioning yet for Bud Black to be the NL Manager of the Year.

But if he can keep this rag-tag bunch at or near .500 all year, he certainly needs to be considered.

Peavy needs to be more careful in words, deeds

Jake Peavy needs to grow up sometimes when it comes to the things he says and does.

The Padres’ ace pitcher stayed silent all winter when it came to possibilities of him being traded to the Chicago Cubs, etc. … which was probably his best course of action.

Why should he be silent more often?

Because as a celebrated athlete, Peavy does get caught up at times in thinking that he and his peers are above the law.

Rather than try to say it myself, consider a “right on” letter to the editor from Bob Bagnall of San Diego in the San Diego Union-Tribune on Sunday:

“So Jake Peavy asks, in reference to baseball players found to have used steroids, “How can you fault a guy for trying to make a living for his family?” Apparently Peavy makes no distinction between those who choose to adhere to laws, ethics, morals and values as they struggle to make livings for their families, and those who choose to ignore them.

So I guess someone robbing or cheating someone else should also be absolved as long as he makes it clear he's doing so to support his family. Unfortunately, Peavy has a history of acting as if sports stars are above the law. He was arrested and jailed after ignoring an Alabama airport official's request to move his unattended truck, responding “Write me a ticket” and “Call a real cop.” (“Peavy gets arrested on disorderly charge,” Jan. 5, 2007 U-T)

I'm a huge, lifelong Padres fan. And I hope Peavy spends his entire, sure-to-be-stellar career in San Diego. But I had also hoped that exposure to influences such as Bud Black and Greg Maddux had resulted in some necessary maturing on his part. His statement here makes me question that. Thank goodness Maddux is back in a coaching role, and Peavy also has an honorable teammate like Chris Young to show him the way. Hopefully he'll listen.”

Well said, Bob.

Peavy: Victim of dirty photo, or dirty pitcher?

So, Major League Baseball will be watching Jake Peavy for dirty play … or dirty fingers … when the Padres staff ace pitches Friday night against the Dodgers in Los Angeles.

We all know by now that Peavy was caught on Fox TV with dirty fingers (see photo above) during his start last Saturday against the Dodgers.

Peavy has laughed off the incident; Padres Manager Bud Black says it might just have been residue from the resin bag.

Black’s theory is interesting in that a white resin bag probably wouldn’t make someone’s fingers black.

Anyway, Peavy better hope he has a good start Friday against the Dodgers; a team against which he owns an incredible 10-1 lifetime record.

If he does well, Peavygate will most likely fade into the sunset. If not, there will be questions about everything he has accomplished thus far in his brilliant career.

Even though the Friday is only one start out of about 35 per season for Peavy, the lingering suspicions of Peavygate make it among the most critical starts of his career.

Padres hit the Wall in China

The Padres … or at least half of them … are finding out how the other half of the world lives this week in Beijing, China.

A contingent led by Manager Bud Black is in Beijing to play the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday and Saturday nights (San Diego time) in a two-game exhibition series.

But the real adventure has been the sightseeing, according to media reports.

The San Diego contingent first took a trip to one of the Seven Wonders of the World – the Great Wall of China.

Then four Padres signed autographs at a mall … Heath Bell, Justin Germano, Trevor Hoffman and Kevin Kouzmanoff.

Baseball is basically a side-show to the city that will host the 2008 Summer Olympics.

What does this trip do for the Padres?

It gives those involved a chance to break the monotony during the middle of spring training, among other things.

Sure, they will be tired when they return to Arizona for spring training next week. Then it will set in that they had a once-in-a-lifetime trip.

Jet lag will also set in, but they’ll have plenty of time to get over it before the March 31 season opener vs. the Houston Astros.

Umpires need to show some class

The late Doug Harvey was the perfect example of how an umpire should conduct himself.

Harvey would get into a heated argument with the likes of Tommy Lasorda, Dick Williams or Whitey Herzog … then it was over.

The umpire would walk one way; the manager would go another. That was class.

Now we are in a society of classless umpires in Major League Baseball.

The latest example, of course, is Mike Winters.

We all know Winters called Milton Bradley a “f------ piece of s---” Sunday afternoon. Many have wanted to call Bradley that because of his previous actions; now Winters should be calling himself that for his behavior.

Bradley is no poster child for good conduct. His history tell us that.

But when Bradley reached first base in the eighth inning Sunday, it was Winters’ job to be an arbitrator. And a good arbitrator keeps the peace; he doesn’t stir the pot.

That is where Winters crossed the line Sunday. He has joined the likes of Joe West as classless umpires who think they are above the law – when they are supposed to be the law.

Winters has a history in these matters. Here's what Charlie Hayes of the Giants told the San Francisco Chronicle in 1998 after a run-in with Winters over a strike call at the plate:

"He told me to go (expletive) myself," Hayes said. "The next one who says that to me, I'm hitting in the mouth."

Not surprisingly, the two argued after the inning, Winters ejected Hayes, and teammates had to hold Hayes back from charging Winters.

Bradley probably would have at least bumped Winters and earned a suspension had Manager Bud Black not intervened. As it is, Bradley will be out for quite some time after tearing knee ligaments while Black was trying to hold him back.

Now, Bradley will be on the shelf all winter … and probably into next summer.

Winters? He should be spending his winters and summers on the sideline after crossing the line as an arbitrator.

Peavy: Another Koufax or Carlton?

Think about pitchers such as Sandy Koufax, Steve Carlton, Randy Johnson and Dwight Gooden for a minute.

What do they have in common?

Since 1940, they are the only men to lead the league in wins, earned run average and strikeouts.

There could soon be an addition to their exclusive club … or have you not noticed the type season Jake Peavy of the Padres is having?

Peavy leads the National League in wins (16), ERA (2.10) and strikeouts (206).

If he isn’t the frontrunner for the NL Cy Young award in 2007, then Mr. Ed wasn’t a talking horse.

Now, the Padres will try something unique by pitching Peavy on three days’ rest tonight at Arizona.

No less an expert than Tony Gwynn questioned the move on Channel 4 San Diego’s telecast last night and probably for good reason. Peavy was originally scheduled to pitch Friday night against Colorado, a much better hitting team than Arizona.

So far, everything has turned up roses for Peavy this year.

We’ll see if starting him tonight is a panic move or another in a long series of decisions by Manager Bud Black that turned out golden in 2007.

Peavy is fine: Or is he?

It’s just another start for Jake Peavy against the New York Mets tonight.

Or is it?

The Padres’ ace was pushed back three days in the rotation following the All-Star break because of sore biceps.

“We felt as though it's probably in the best interest of Jake and the club just to push him back a couple days, let his arm rest,” Padres manager Bud Black told Padres.com. “He went at it pretty hard in the first half, and his arm was getting a little weary leading up to the break, and we just felt as though the extra two days would benefit his arm.”

Peavy has only pitched one inning since July 5; that coming in his start for the National League in last Tuesday’s All-Star game.

The bump-back in the rotation may seem like no big deal, until you consider Peavy’s history.

There have been times in the past when the team said he had a little soreness, and that’s all turned out to be. Other times, it was more than soreness.

Peavy is 0-2 with a 3.32 ERA in his last three games. Is it a blip on the radar, or a sign to beware of possible things to come?

We’ll start finding out tonight.

Will Padres win the marathon?

Can the Padres continue to out-pitch everybody else in baseball?

Do they have the capability to start scoring runs more than once in a blue moon?

Will the additions of Michael Barrett and Milton Bradley mean anything to their offense?

Does Bud Black have it in him to continue being a master in utilizing his bullpen?

These questions, and more, begin to unfold when the Padres return from the All-Star break tonight with a three-game series at Arizona.

This may be a perfect time to catch the Diamondbacks. They are reeling from five straight losses, including three against lowly Cincinnati.

The Padres’ other main competitor in the NL West, the Dodgers, are making a pitch for anybody to become a starter on the mound.

Three of their top five starters are shelved with injuries: Jason Schmidt, Randy Wolf and Hong-Chih Kuo.

Maybe the Padres can distance themselves from the NL West for the time being. But no matter what happens right after the All-Star break, remember there is still a long way to go.

The Dodgers seemingly took themselves out of contention by losing 13 of 14 games coming out of last year’s break. Then they won 15 of 16, propelling themselves on their way to an eventual first-place tie with the Padres in the NL West.

The marathon is still on. Let’s see which team crosses the finish line first.

Black is managing quite well

Bud Black is doing a masterful job of managing the Padres thus far.

The rookie skipper has made almost all of the right moves and can be praised for two things in particular: his patience and handling of the pitching staff.

Patience was a virtue when Black stuck by rookie third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff while most others wanted him sent to the minors early in the season.

And being a former pitcher and pitching coach, Black has shown he knows how to manage a pitching staff. He certainly deserves much credit for the Padres having the lowest ERA in the major leagues.

Sure, he’s not perfect. He wasted reliever Cla Meredith on an intentional walk Tuesday night because Royce Ring did not have enough time to get warmed up while Greg Maddux was getting battered around in the seventh inning.

But that was an exception.

Black could definitely be considered a frontrunner for Manager of the Year at the halfway point of 2007.

Black manages Peavy well

Bud Black has done a masterful job of managing San Diego Padres pitcher Jake Peavy.

Black continues to move Peavy up in the rotation after off days to maximize his ace’s production, especially at home.

Through Black’s maneuverability, Peavy has pitched the first and last games on each of the last two homestands. In fact, Peavy will make his first road start in his last five appearances when he pitches tonight at Washington.

Not that the star right-hander has failed away from home. In his last road start May 6 at Florida, he allowed just one run and one hit in seven innings while striking out 10 and earning the victory.

Oh, and there’s another part to Black’s strategy of pitching Peavy tonight and moving Justin Germano back to tomorrow.

It means that the Padres top three starters – Chris Young, Greg Maddux and Peavy – will likely pitch in that order during a three-game home series against the hated Los Angeles Dodgers that starts Tuesday.

This blog first predicted on April 27 that Peavy would be the National League’s All-Star starting pitcher this year. That hasn’t changed with his 7-1 record and 1.47 ERA.

Black deserves credit for doing an all-star job of setting up Peavy in his rotation.

Cameron may need vision test

Mike Cameron of the Padres probably needs to be checked by an optometrist.

Cameron has misjudged at least four balls in the twilight this season. He’s also not making as many of the spectacular plays that have made him a three-time Gold Glove award winner.

Obviously, he is not tracking the ball as well as he used to.

Manager Bud Black excuses Cameron’s misplays by saying that Darin Erstad normally missed one ball per homestand because of the twilight when he played for the Anaheim Angels. That was Erstad. He’s the same guy who misjudged a fly ball in the twilight this year in Anaheim during his first game back with the Chicago White Sox.

Cameron was not losing balls in the twilight last season. He also seemed to be getting better jumps on the ball in 2006.

Let’s just hope this is an early-season bump in the road; not a developing pattern.

In the meantime, the Padres should have Cameron’s eyes checked out; just to be sure there is no lingering impact from the brutal collision he had in the Petco Park outfield with then New York Mets’ teammate Carlos Beltran in August 2005.

There's still a long way to go!

There are still 160 games to go. You hear that all the time when a baseball team starts 2-0. But why not enjoy the Padres so far?
Jake Peavy was spectacular on opening day. Chris Young didn't have his good stuff in Game 2, but so what? The team won without an above average outing from its starter.
And what do you think Bruce Bochy is thinking about in the Giants dugout? He has left Cla Meredith, Scott Linebrink and Trevor Hoffman behind in the bullpen. Now he has Brad Hennessey, Jack Taschner and Armando Benitez in their place. Ouch! If you think the Padres are a potential sinking ship, just look at the Giants. Their bullpen has about as much spark as Chargers' General Manager A.J. Smith has personality.
Tonight will be interesting with Clay Hensley facing Matt Morris of the Giants. Morris has turned into an average pitcher, at best. Hensley is up-and-coming, but he needs to get over that blister problem on his pitching hand.
Are you all looking forward to the Padres' home opener Friday night? Not me. I'm more interested in the second home game on Saturday night. Tony Gwynn always said the REAL baseball fans come out the second night. Let's face it: Mr. Hall of Famer knows what he is talking about.
One note of caution. Don't be fooled by the Padres averaging six runs in their first two games. This is a team with a pop-gun offense that is going to struggle to score runs. If it is to win a third straight NL West title, it will probably be because of the bullpen again.
It's April; everybody's eyes are on a new season. Just don't let the first week fool you. I remember the original Padres in 1969 won their first three games, then won only 49 more over the next six months. In Jerry Coleman's year as manager, the team started 5-2 the first week and was running the bases like crazy. By the end of the season, Coleman was run out of town (at least as manager.)
It's way too early to judge Bud Black now. He looks like a genius so far. We'll see over the next 160 games ... starting with a potential three-game sweep tonight at San Francisco.