Padres' improved bench, bullpen help ignite fast start
By Tom Krasovic
STAFF WRITER
The moaning began in November and droned on into spring training.
When will the Padres spend big money? What is Kevin Towers doing to improve the team? Where are the big names? Isn't this the same team that went 87-75 and finished third in the NL West last year.
It was all noise to Towers. The general manager knew he had given Bruce Bochy two gifts that would elate any manager: a strong bullpen and a strong bench. Maybe it wasn't evident to Joe Fan or many pundits, but Towers had improved his ballclub. Towers didn't make the Big Splash. It was more like several drips from a faucet, emitting gritty, low-profile veterans such as Mark Sweeney, Rudy Seanez, Chris Hammond, Geoff Blum, Dennys Reyes, Damian Jackson and others.
Now just past the quarter mark of the season, the Padres (25-16) lead the division going into tonight's game at Seattle, and their strong B&B – bullpen and bench – are a big part of the reason.
"We felt that would be two of our strengths – our bullpen and our bench," Towers said. "That's why we felt like we'd be improved from last year. We felt we improved our bullpen. And our bench was strong. We felt it was worth three to five more games."
Key position
player acquisitions
Mark Sweeney
Outfielder
.371, 13-for-35,
2 HR, 3 2B, 8 RBI
Robert Fick
infielder
.400, 4-for-10,
1 HR, 1 2B, 4 RBI
Geoff Blum
infielder
.254, 16-for-63,
3 HR, 2 2B, 7 RBI
The bullpen? It leads the NL in ERA (2.93), innings (138), victories (11) and lowest on-base-plus-slugging percentage allowed (.638). Right fielder Brian Giles says the team's success starts with the bullpen. And after the Padres swept three games from Atlanta this week, Braves star Chipper Jones praised San Diego's bullpen while predicting an NL West title for the club.
The bench? Its skills are diverse, none more impressive than its pinch-hitting numbers, which lead the NL in combined on-base plus slugging percentage (.869) and runs (12) and is second in batting average (.323) and slugging percentage (.477). The bench, replenished from Triple-A, helped the club overcome injuries to regulars at shortstop and in center field, plus a dislocated shoulder to utilityman Eric Young.
Given a franchise-record payroll, yet one that is some $20 million-$25 million smaller than those of the rival Dodgers and Giants, longtime friends Towers and Bochy have shown new CEO Sandy Alderson they can stretch extra dollars. Alderson seems impressed. He said yesterday he has begun talks on a contract extension for Bochy. And he praised Towers' creations, particularly a bullpen that recently dominated the Central-leading Cardinals and the East-leading Braves.
"There's a lot of credit that has to go to Kevin Towers for what he's achieved with the bullpen. Not through big bucks, but through scouting," Alderson said.
Bochy said he has never had so many relievers able to get big outs. Fronting closer Trevor Hoffman, five relievers have worked as setup men: 2004 holdovers Scott Linebrink and Akinori Otsuka, and offseason additions Seanez, Hammond and Reyes.
Seanez, the jujitsu workout warrior from El Centro, has liquidated right-handers (.094 batting average in 32 at-bats). Hammond, whose goal is to reprise a 59-mph change-up that nearly put Astros slugger Lance Berkman in traction, has tormented hitters, especially left-handers, who are 1-for-17 against him. Though wild spells have hurt Reyes, the lefty's curves and sliders give Bochy a contrasting look.
The three acquisitions cost Towers $1.85 million, pocket change compared with the bloated contracts given starting pitchers such as Kris Benson (Mets) and Eric Milton (Reds) last offseason.
Key relief pitcher
acquisitions
Rudy Seanez
2-0, 1.37 ERA,
25 strikeouts
Chris Hammond
4-0, 1.80 ERA,
10 strikeouts
Dennys Reyes
2-0, 3.27 ERA,
16 strikeouts
Bochy's bench is further making him look like Boris Spassky when playing baseball chess. A former backup catcher, Bochy loves to keep reserves involved, and he already has won several games by creating mismatches. Talent helps. Last summer, Towers undermined his manager, never finding productive bench talent for the summer push. Veteran pinch-hitters Darren Bragg and Dave Hansen, brought to the club midseason, fizzled as the Padres chased the Dodgers. The pinch hitter Towers most desired was Sweeney, but Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd wouldn't give him away.
Towers got Sweeney last winter on the free-agent market for $575,000, a price the veteran lefty already has repaid on the field. Sweeney's OPS is a Bondsian 1.094, including .994 as a pinch hitter. Home runs, doubles, singles, sacrifice flies, useful groundouts and walks – Sweeney has provided at crucial times.
"I counted them up: Sweeney is responsible for five wins this month," said Padres broadcaster Tim Flannery, a former utilityman.
"He's the hottest hitter in baseball," yelled Padres leadoff man Dave Roberts after Sweeney came through again last week.
Towers also brought back Robert Fick, giving Bochy a second veteran left-handed bat off the bench.
Dodgers manager Jim Tracy likely wishes he were so lucky. One stealth reason the Padres roared past the Dodgers this month is that Bochy's lefty pinch hitters – crucial given the majors' dearth of decent left-handed relievers – were far superior to L.A.'s unproven tandem of Paul Bako and Jason Grabowski.
"I believe you need experience to do this job, because most bench guys, when you play, it's at the end of a game," Fick said. "It's good to have that experience. It's good to have that ability to adjust. We've got a lot of guys who know how to do it. The guy I'm most impressed with is (reserve catcher/outfielder) Miguel Ojeda."
Said Sweeney: "The great thing about it is we all understand our roles. Sure, we want to be out there playing, but we're all just trying to put in our piece."
By Tom Krasovic
STAFF WRITER
The moaning began in November and droned on into spring training.
When will the Padres spend big money? What is Kevin Towers doing to improve the team? Where are the big names? Isn't this the same team that went 87-75 and finished third in the NL West last year.
It was all noise to Towers. The general manager knew he had given Bruce Bochy two gifts that would elate any manager: a strong bullpen and a strong bench. Maybe it wasn't evident to Joe Fan or many pundits, but Towers had improved his ballclub. Towers didn't make the Big Splash. It was more like several drips from a faucet, emitting gritty, low-profile veterans such as Mark Sweeney, Rudy Seanez, Chris Hammond, Geoff Blum, Dennys Reyes, Damian Jackson and others.
Now just past the quarter mark of the season, the Padres (25-16) lead the division going into tonight's game at Seattle, and their strong B&B – bullpen and bench – are a big part of the reason.
"We felt that would be two of our strengths – our bullpen and our bench," Towers said. "That's why we felt like we'd be improved from last year. We felt we improved our bullpen. And our bench was strong. We felt it was worth three to five more games."
Key position
player acquisitions
Mark Sweeney
Outfielder
.371, 13-for-35,
2 HR, 3 2B, 8 RBI
Robert Fick
infielder
.400, 4-for-10,
1 HR, 1 2B, 4 RBI
Geoff Blum
infielder
.254, 16-for-63,
3 HR, 2 2B, 7 RBI
The bullpen? It leads the NL in ERA (2.93), innings (138), victories (11) and lowest on-base-plus-slugging percentage allowed (.638). Right fielder Brian Giles says the team's success starts with the bullpen. And after the Padres swept three games from Atlanta this week, Braves star Chipper Jones praised San Diego's bullpen while predicting an NL West title for the club.
The bench? Its skills are diverse, none more impressive than its pinch-hitting numbers, which lead the NL in combined on-base plus slugging percentage (.869) and runs (12) and is second in batting average (.323) and slugging percentage (.477). The bench, replenished from Triple-A, helped the club overcome injuries to regulars at shortstop and in center field, plus a dislocated shoulder to utilityman Eric Young.
Given a franchise-record payroll, yet one that is some $20 million-$25 million smaller than those of the rival Dodgers and Giants, longtime friends Towers and Bochy have shown new CEO Sandy Alderson they can stretch extra dollars. Alderson seems impressed. He said yesterday he has begun talks on a contract extension for Bochy. And he praised Towers' creations, particularly a bullpen that recently dominated the Central-leading Cardinals and the East-leading Braves.
"There's a lot of credit that has to go to Kevin Towers for what he's achieved with the bullpen. Not through big bucks, but through scouting," Alderson said.
Bochy said he has never had so many relievers able to get big outs. Fronting closer Trevor Hoffman, five relievers have worked as setup men: 2004 holdovers Scott Linebrink and Akinori Otsuka, and offseason additions Seanez, Hammond and Reyes.
Seanez, the jujitsu workout warrior from El Centro, has liquidated right-handers (.094 batting average in 32 at-bats). Hammond, whose goal is to reprise a 59-mph change-up that nearly put Astros slugger Lance Berkman in traction, has tormented hitters, especially left-handers, who are 1-for-17 against him. Though wild spells have hurt Reyes, the lefty's curves and sliders give Bochy a contrasting look.
The three acquisitions cost Towers $1.85 million, pocket change compared with the bloated contracts given starting pitchers such as Kris Benson (Mets) and Eric Milton (Reds) last offseason.
Key relief pitcher
acquisitions
Rudy Seanez
2-0, 1.37 ERA,
25 strikeouts
Chris Hammond
4-0, 1.80 ERA,
10 strikeouts
Dennys Reyes
2-0, 3.27 ERA,
16 strikeouts
Bochy's bench is further making him look like Boris Spassky when playing baseball chess. A former backup catcher, Bochy loves to keep reserves involved, and he already has won several games by creating mismatches. Talent helps. Last summer, Towers undermined his manager, never finding productive bench talent for the summer push. Veteran pinch-hitters Darren Bragg and Dave Hansen, brought to the club midseason, fizzled as the Padres chased the Dodgers. The pinch hitter Towers most desired was Sweeney, but Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd wouldn't give him away.
Towers got Sweeney last winter on the free-agent market for $575,000, a price the veteran lefty already has repaid on the field. Sweeney's OPS is a Bondsian 1.094, including .994 as a pinch hitter. Home runs, doubles, singles, sacrifice flies, useful groundouts and walks – Sweeney has provided at crucial times.
"I counted them up: Sweeney is responsible for five wins this month," said Padres broadcaster Tim Flannery, a former utilityman.
"He's the hottest hitter in baseball," yelled Padres leadoff man Dave Roberts after Sweeney came through again last week.
Towers also brought back Robert Fick, giving Bochy a second veteran left-handed bat off the bench.
Dodgers manager Jim Tracy likely wishes he were so lucky. One stealth reason the Padres roared past the Dodgers this month is that Bochy's lefty pinch hitters – crucial given the majors' dearth of decent left-handed relievers – were far superior to L.A.'s unproven tandem of Paul Bako and Jason Grabowski.
"I believe you need experience to do this job, because most bench guys, when you play, it's at the end of a game," Fick said. "It's good to have that experience. It's good to have that ability to adjust. We've got a lot of guys who know how to do it. The guy I'm most impressed with is (reserve catcher/outfielder) Miguel Ojeda."
Said Sweeney: "The great thing about it is we all understand our roles. Sure, we want to be out there playing, but we're all just trying to put in our piece."
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