Padres are finally potent, but still battle identity crisis

SAN FRANCISCO - In his nine years playing against them, Matt Kemp formed a distinct – and accurate – impression of the San Diego Padres as a team that typically had solid pitching but struggled to score.

With a whirlwind of December trades, new general manager A.J. Preller addressed that stubborn problem by acquiring Kemp, fellow slugging outfielders Justin Upton and Wil Myers and catcher Derek Norris.

That part of the mission was accomplished, as San Diego has scored the most runs in the National League despite getting shut out by the San Francisco Giants on Monday and Tuesday.

"Definitely the identity has changed. I feel like we can score runs with the best of them, as people have seen,'' Kemp said before the Padres broke out for 16 hits in a series-ending 9-1 win over San Francisco on Wednesday. "We're in every single game, even when we are down. That is the sign of a good team, a team that doesn't give up when it's down two or three runs. Two or three runs with the lineup we have really isn't anything.''

Now they need to solve the rest of the puzzle.

The holes that remained after the roster makeup have cropped up, most noticeably an infield with three regulars batting in the .200 range or under in second baseman Jedd Gyorko, shortstop Alexi Amarista and third baseman Will Middlebrooks. The infield has also committed 11 of the Padres' 22 errors, the fifth-highest total in the majors and the reason for their 16 unearned runs, tied for the second highest in the NL.

Even more startling has been the performance of a pitching staff that brought back most of the key figures who helped compile a 3.27 ERA last season – second best in the NL – then added a No. 1 starter in James Shields and the game's top closer in Craig Kimbrel.

With Kimbrel sporting an unsightly 5.06 ERA and his setup men enduring ups and downs, the Padres hardly resembled the club that finished in the top three in the league in ERA three of the last five years. Ian Kennedy's best start of the season Wednesday – one run allowed in seven innings – helped bring down this season's figure to 3.88, but only the Milwaukee Brewers have served up more home runs than the 36 yielded by Padres pitchers.

"The bullpen has been a little bit variable, which for us is not common,'' manager Bud Black said. "That will sort itself out. I still think our pitching hasn't hit its stride, both starters and relievers.''

That helps explain why, a month into the season, the Padres continue to search for a formula that will render consistent results. They started the year 10-5, lost seven of their next eight before sweeping the Colorado Rockies at home last weekend and head into Arizona at 15-14, still unsure of who they really are.

Another possible explanation may be the unsettling impact of the offseason overhaul, which left the Padres with a new outfield, staff ace and closer, in addition to a new third baseman in Middlebrooks.

Norris, who spent the last three seasons with Oakland Athletics teams known for their tight bond and frequent platooning, said it may take a club with several new faces 30-45 games to mesh.

"Everyone gets along great. We haven't had any issues with that at all,'' Norris said. "But as far as knowing each other's roles and really buying into that concept, sometimes it takes a little longer.''

Even before they get there, the Padres have delivered more action than previous editions that routinely finished at or near the bottom in a number of offensive categories. The Padres have already scored at least seven runs in eight games. Last season at this time they had yet to tally that total once.

They're also the only team in the majors that can boast five players with at least 15 RBI, an indication their offensive surge may last even as their unsustainable batting average with runners in scoring position – .308 – eventually drops.

So Preller has succeeded in making the Padres interesting and lively again, after four consecutive seasons of losing records and minimal. The next step is blending together all the elements to mount a challenge to the Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers, the NL West's dominant teams over the last few years.

"To win you need every component,'' Preller said. "Obviously, pitching and defense are a big part of it, but I think you need everything. Identity-wise, we're hoping to build more of a complete team. The last few years we had one side of the coin. We're just trying to balance it out. The better teams in the National League are well-rounded, balanced clubs. We've got to get to being more that way.''

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