Playing Hard to the Finish

By Bill Center

By Bill Center

One of the things I respect most about Bud Black is his integrity.

The Padres manager does things the right way.

Case in point — the Padres final series of the 2014 season this weekend in San Francisco.

Black would love to take a longer look at some of his younger players as the Padres start planning for 2015.

But as long as the Padres are playing games that impact any team’s post-season chances, Black is going all out to win.

We’re talking about the Pittsburgh Pirates here as well as the Giants and Dodgers.

Even if the Dodgers eliminate the Giants Wednesday night in the race for the National League West title, the Giants are in line to be one of the two wildcards. And the homefield for next Tuesday’s National League wildcard team could go right down to Sunday’s season finale.

The Pirates and Giants go into the final five days of the season with identical records. But if the season ended today, the wildcard game would be played in Pittsburgh.

If this weekend’s four-game series against the Giants in San Francisco has any bearing on the National League West or National League wildcard races (all the way down to the homefield advantage of the wildcard game), Black plans to run out his best possible lineup.

“I’d love to get longer looks at some of the younger players,” said Black. “But as long as the final four games influence any playoff situation, we’re going as hard as we can. You owe that to the game and the teams involved.”

Because of that, Black has not named his pitchers for the final two games of the season.

Right-handers Andrew Cashner and Ian Kennedy will start the first two games of the series, Thursday and Friday, respectively.

But before Tuesday’s game, Black said there is still a chance that right-hander Odrisamer Despaigne could start during the season’s final weekend in San Francisco. Despaigne and left-handers Robbie Erlin (who gave up two runs over four innings against the Rockies Tuesday night) and Eric Stults are the candidates to start the final two games.

Despaigne blanked the Giants over seven innings last Friday night. But as he left the mound in his last inning, the Cuban felt a “pinching” in his latissimus dorsi muscle. Tuesday afternoon Despaigne threw a bullpen and looked to be okay.

“He wants to pitch,” said Black. “We will see.”

Black recently said he remembers times in his playing career when he his team was in playoff races influenced by non-contenders not giving their all in the final weeks of the season.

“We’re playing it hard to the end,” said Black.

PADRES PUZZLER: With five games to go, the Padres staff earned run average is 3.22. What is the single-season record for the lowest staff ERA in Padres history?

WALKING MEN: Yasmani Grandal and Jedd Gyorko have drawn a total of 15 walks over the last seven games. Grandal has eight walks in his last seven games while going 6-for-16 with three doubles, three RBIs and four runs scored. That’s an on-base percentage of .583. Gyorko has seven walks in his last seven games while going 5-for-23 with a double, a RBI and seven runs scored. That’s a .400 on-base percentage.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Second baseman Gyorko reached base three times with a single and two walks on his 26th birthday Tuesday. He is the 28th Padre to reach base three or more times on his birthday. With his hit, Gyorko improved to 10-for-17 (.588) lifetime against Rockies LHP Jorge De La Rosa. He is hitting .308 (36-for-116) during his two seasons against the Rockies.

IMPRESSIVE START: Rookie right-handed reliever R.J. Alvarez, who came to the Padres in the trade that sent Huston Street to the Angels, struck out the side Tuesday night against Colorado. In his last seven outings, Alvarez has worked 6 1/3 straight hitless innings with three walks and eight strikeouts. His earned run average is down to 1.29.

BOYER’S RETURN: Right-handed reliever Blaine Boyer, who had been sidelined 27 games since Sept. 4 with a “balky shoulder,” returned to action Tuesday night against the Rockies. Boyer allowed a hit in one inning as his ERA dipped under three to 2.97.

PADRES PUZZLER ANSWER: 3.22 in 1971.