Visiting Rockies show surging Padres hope

Adrian Gonzalez and the surging Padres face an even hotter Colorado team this weekend. (AP photo)

One team has hope.  The other is hot.  The improving Padres are taking on the raging Colorado Rockies in a weekend series.

They’re must-win games for the Rockies, still hoping to chase down the Dodgers in the National League West.  It’ll be a good indicator of how far the Padres have really come in a short period of time if they can hold their own against Colorado.

The Rockies have won nine-of-10, but more importantly, have cut the Dodgers lead from 13 games to two.

Jim Tracy, the former Dodgers and Pirates manager, has seen his team put together two long winning streaks, sandwiched around strong spurts of victories.  And it is no longer just a Coors Field phenomenon, where once upon a time 18-17 games were the norm.  The Rox are 36-33 on the road, the fifth best away mark in all of baseball.

On June 3rd, after replacing Clint Hurdle, the Rockies were 20-32, not hitting, and feuding with their manager.  Tracy’s team promptly ripped off an 11-game winning streak.  That has been followed by runs of six, five, five, four, and four-game winning streaks.  Now they storm into Petco Park having reeled off another seven straight.

“I have resources to use.  Every 10 days, somebody steps up and carries us.  This is one special group of unselfish guys” said Tracy in a sitdown interview with SDNN in a quiet clubhouse before batting practice on Friday.

Prime examples include third baseman Garrett Atkins, who was in Hurdle’s doghouse, and benched in May.  He is hitting .320 in September.   Utility outfielder Seth Smith hit .421 on a homestand and drove in 14 runs.  Just-signed free agent Jason Giambi had two game-winning hits in his first two at bats with Colorado.

Once a power-hitting star ,Todd Helton, coming off back surgery is now hitting .327.  And the stories go on and on.

“I have been on the other end of all this,” Tracy said. ”I know what Bud Black has gone through.  We had 71 one-run games in the two years in Pittsburgh with a young team.  You get close but you don’t get it done.”  He was impressed with where San Diego has come from.

The Friars had their own nightmares early in the year, 13 losses in 15 games, plus the 1-10 skid right before the All Star game.  Now all is different, with a young team,  getting better starting pitching, timely hitting and gritty defense.

That combo has led San Diego to a 4-2 road trip, nine wins in 12-games, and an impressive 25-16 record since late July.

“Quality starts keep you in games,” Black said as he stared across the field at the smoke coming from Rockies bats during batting practice. “Hitting becomes contagious.  These guys like coming to the clubhouse now.”

The Padres have their own brand of fire and smoke.  Kevin Kouzmanoff was hitting .304 over a month before he went out with a calf injury.  Chase Headley’s batting average since early August was up to .295.  Will Venable was swinging at a .328 clip, and Adrian Gonzalez dragged his batting average from .249 to .279 in a five-week span.

Coupled with 10 quality starts from young pitchers Matt Latos and Clayton Shielfs, and the arrival of lefthander Wade LeBlanc, the outlook in San Diego is like the weather — good.  LeBlanc has allowed two runs in his last 13 innings, after his recall from Portland.  He had been sent down last month after allowing 12 runs in a 13-inning span.

Just ahead though is a 10-game road trip before the season ends at home with the Dodgers and Giants.

Notes:  Matt Latos is done for the season and will not making any additional starts.  He is working bullpen sessions trying to refine an erratic curveball.  Kyle Blanks will not be back either.  He is still wearing a boot for an injured achilles tendon.  Brian Giles may get an opportunity to pinch hit on the upcoming road trip after making progress from that strained knee.  Kevin Kouzmanoff will sit out the home stand, but may be ready for the road trip.  He has stiffness and soreness in his calf.  Aaron Poreda, one of the pitchers who came in the White Sox Jake Peavy trade, is working on pitch location, and will not get a start, but will work out of the bullpen.

Tags: bud black, Colorado Rockies, Jim Tracy, San Diego Padres, SDNN

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