Padres Week 8 Recap against Reds, Rockies and Twins

Thursday @ Reds: 0-5 Loss

Thursday @ Reds: 6-1 Win

Cincinnati Series Recap:

This week began with an extremely eventful Thursday, as San Diego made a trade (Kyle Blanks to the Athletics for two prospects) and played a doubleheader against the Reds. On the field, it was a classic "you're only as good as that game's starting pitcher" storyline, as Johnny Cueto dominated game one (tossing a complete game three-hit shutout) and Tyson Ross controlled game two (seven innings of three-hit, one-run ball).

That being said, there were positive signs from the bats in both games. Cueto has been one of the elite pitchers all season long, but the Padres actually managed to get ahead in the count in the majority of at-bats against the Reds ace. Now, this obviously didn't manifest itself into runs, but it will more often than not. Sometimes you have to look big picture, and the willingness to take some pitches and work the count is a step in the right direction ... especially when the power potential is there.

Rene Rivera, Everth Cabrera, and Yonder Alonso all clubbed homers in the nightcap, as six starters recorded a hit and scored a run. Finally, the Padres offense displayed the type of depth that is needed when the big bats are struggling to produce runs. San Diego scored a run against four of the five Cincinnati pitchers in this game, demonstrating the ability to adjust throughout the game. Funny what a little confidence can do, and for the first time this season, the Padres are rolling.

The bullpen used the strikeout to work out of a few jams on its way to four shutout innings in the double dip. The San Diego 'pen, the top group in the league based on ERA, has been an underrated unit that should be considered the number one strength of this team. The starting pitching has been solid for the most part, and should the relievers continue to succeed at such a high level, the Padres current 5-1 stretch is not a surprise.

Friday @ Rockies: 1-3 Loss

Saturday @ Rockies: 8-5 Win

Sunday @ Rockies: 6-8 Loss in 10 innings

Colorado Series Recap:

In a series that featured offense in the final two games, it was San Diego's missed opportunity to win a game that was played at their pace that prevented them from winning this three-game set against the red-hot Rockies. In a nip-and-tuck game one, the Padres only mustered two hits through the first eight frames, and while they mounted a rally in the ninth (three hits and a run), the three-run hole was ultimately too large, wasting a golden opportunity on a rare off night for Colorado's offense.

The lineup finally woke up, but was that a result of the environment? Hitting in Coors Field obviously has its benefits, but there were some signs that this series may serve as a bit of a turning point for the Padres bats. In addition to scoring 14 runs over the final two games of this series, San Diego drew 12 walks while striking out 13 times, a much improved ratio from the first month of the season. They also got consistent production from the top of the order, with the first four batters drawing six free passes and Everth Cabrera recording two hits, a home run, and a steal (his fifth in 11 games) in the final game. I have faith that the middle of this order will provide power (especially on the road), making the ability to clutter the bases an important one. While it was good to see the injury plagued Carlos Quentin connect for a pinch-hit homer, the 2014 Seth Smith storyline continued. He reached base three times (scoring twice and driving in two more) in the game and two clubbed a solo homer in the series finale. The lifetime .269 hitter is batting .333 this season (.440 thus far in May) and has proven to be an ideal three-hole hitter, leading all regulars not only in home runs, but also in walks and OBP.

Normally I would frown upon the pitching staff for their lackluster statistical performance (5.53 ERA, 1.5 WHIP, and four-to-three strikeout to walk ratio), but facing the Rockies in Colorado is no small task, especially when your ace is placed on the 15-day DL. Despite facing an elite offense with their best arm, you could make the argument that San Diego's starting pitchers were than better those of the home team (5.51 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, and five-to-four strikeout to walk ratio). It was the bullpen that was a bit more hittable than normal (17 hits allowed in 12 innings of work), giving the Rockies the opportunity to secure two of these three games in the later innings.

This series was not a step backwards, but it was a wasted opportunity for a team that has very little room for error. With Andrew Cashner on the shelf, the bats are going to need to stay hot as they return home and the bullpen is going to have to regain their elite form that they've displayed for the majority of the season.

Tuesday vs. Twins: 3-5 Loss

Wednesday vs. Twins: 0-2 Loss

Minnesota Series Recap:

On the heels of losing the series to the Rockies, San Diego returned home only to be outdone by the Twins. Despite strong starting pitching (only nine hits allowed in 13.2 innings) the home team has lost both games of this series against a Twins team that ranks among the bottom five teams in ERA.

The underwhelming Twins starting staff has struck out 13 batters and walked just one up to this point, a trend that the Padres need to reverse sooner rather than later if they want to take advantage of a light schedule in the coming week. On a positive note, the top half of the order has been heating up, and while this didn't directly result in run production during this series, it will pay off in the long term. The 3-4-5 hitters recorded all but one hit on Tuesday while Seth Smith (three hits) and Chase Headley (two hits) led the way on Wednesday. The offense as a whole has been better about coming up with clutch hits, but the issue remains getting runners on-base and putting their hitters in a position to deliver a run-scoring hit. Part of the issue has been their unwillingness to take pitches, and the Jedd Gyorko/Yonder Alonso duo was a prime example of that last night. Two hitters that are supposed to set the tone for the rest of the offense went 1/8 and saw only 17 pitches. It's no secret that this offense is going to struggle to put runners on base, but without patience, even the worst big league staff can render the Padres helpless, thus explaining how San Diego can come in to this series with hot bats and only account for three runs.

The bullpen was good again, giving up just two hits in 4.1 innings of work, but both hits were home runs and gave the Twins breathing room. In what was an otherwise difficult week, the Padres did receive good news about their ace, as Andrew Cashner avoided the Tommy John plague and should be pitching sooner rather than later.

Weekly Grade: C-

This grade may be a little high, but if the Padres are going to lose five of seven games, this is how I want them to do it. I have faith that the pitching will continue to be solid, so the signs of life (no matter how brief) from the offense provides me with a bit of optimism. If Carlos Quentin can stay healthy, they have a few players in the middle of the order that are capable (although they haven't shown it this year) of driving in runs, and with the Everth Cabrera/Seth Smith combination doing a decent job at setting the table, there is hope. That being said, good teams win the games they are supposed to, and the Padres have a week full of such games on the schedule. The grading scale will be much tougher, as they host the Cubs for a four-game set and then travel to Arizona for a three-game date with the big league's worst team. It’' put-up or shut-up time as far as results go, as this is a week that they need a minimum of four wins, if not five or six.

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