Speaking before a good-size audience at the Dec. 19 Hall of Champions luncheon in Balboa Park, Bud Black, the new manager of the San Diego Padres, was confident that the team will be a strong contender and optimistically painted a World Series picture for the near future.
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 it 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 said his players will accept the challenges with intelligent base running.
“It (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 the 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.”
As 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 for the Angels last year, the team was third in ERAs in the American League.
The Padres added four-time Cy Young winner Greg Maddux to the corps that includes Jake Peavy, Chris Young and Clay Hensley and is anchored by closer Trevor Hoffman
As for the fifth spot, he called off Tim Stauffer and Mike Thompson but did not mention David Wells.
“We’re going to spring training with them vying for that spot ” unless Kevin (Towers, general manager) comes up with somebody else.”
Black dissected his new team for the crowd.
“Two young catchers, Josh Bard and Rob Bowen, are ready to be in the prime of their careers,” he said. “Adrian Gonzalez had a break-out year. At his age, the sky’s the limit. He can be a rock there, years to come. Khalil Greene 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.”
For this year’s season, Black said he sees the Padres leading the league.
“We have the character to win a World Series, and I think we can do that for San Diego,” he said.