Bud Black, the San Diego Padres’ new manager, is confident the team will be a strong contender and optimistically paints a World Series picture for the near future.
He expressed those feelings and much more before a good-size audience at the Hall of Champions luncheon in Balboa Park on Dec. 19.
He covered all the bases: pitching, bunting, power, base running and strengths – everything that produces a winning combination. He has World Series rings as proof this can be done, as a pitcher for Kansas City in 1985 and as a pitching coach for the then Anaheim Angels in 2002.
He acknowledged the loss of stolen base threat Dave Roberts to free agency and the San Francisco Giants but felt his players will accept the challenges with intelligent base running.
“[Base stealing] is a weapon, absolutely,” he said.
“Getting good jumps off second base, guys who will take an extra base when a ball’s hit in he gap is as important.
“As far as a pure stolen base runner, we might not have a guy who leads the league. But we’ll challenge certain pitchers who don’t have a good move to first base or catchers who don’t have good arms,” Black said.
Being a winning pitcher with 18 years’ major league experience, he welcomes his strong pitching staff whose ERA topped the National League last year. As pitching coach, his Angels last year were third in ERA in the American League.
The Padres added four-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux to the corps that includes Jake Peavy, Chris Young, Clay Hensley and closer Trevor Hoffman.
As for the fifth spot, he called off Tim Stauffer and Mike Thompson but did not mention David Wells.
“We’re gong to spring training with them vying for that spot,” he said, “unless [General Manager] Kevin [Towers] comes up with somebody else.
“I do believe in the bunt when it is in order, and we’ll make that and the hit and run priorities in spring training. I’ll get guys in motion.”
Other comments about the team he’s inherited:
“Two young catchers, Josh Bard and Rob Bowen, are ready to be in the prime of their careers. Great with pitchers, which is so important.”
“[First baseman] Adrian Gonzalez had a breakout year. At his age, the sky’s the limit. He can be a rock there for years to come.
“Khalil Greene (shortstop) is a great defender with a lot of sock in his bat.
“Trading away Josh Barfield may not have been favorable, but the acquisition of Marcus Giles for second was great. And in third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, we got a good player with home runs in his game. He’ll make the plays in the field.
“In the outfield, we have a Gold Glover in Mike Cameron, who’ll cover a lot of ground in center. Brian [Giles] was not up to his capabilities last year, but hitting coach Merv Rettenmund will make adjustments in his swing. In right, we’ll be patient with Terrmel (Sledgehammer) Sledge. He has pop in his bat and will be given a higher number of at-bats.
“I’ll tell the players in spring training what they did the last two years has set the foundation of what we want to do in the future.
“We have the character to win a World Series and I think we can do that for San Diego.”