The Padres were looking for protection for 1B Adrian Gonzalez. In the season-opening series against the Dodgers, Joe Torre refused to let Gonzalez beat him and pitched around the cleanup hitter. Gonzalez walked four times with runners in scoring position. The Padres' No. 5 hitter, Kevin Kouzmanoff, went 0-for-4 behind Gonzalez in those situations, prompting manager Bud Black to say adjustments might have to be made. With Kouzmanoff off to a 1-for-7 start in runners-in-scoring-position situations, Chase Headley moved up to the No. 5 spot, while Kouzmanoff was dropped to No. 6.
PLAYER NEWS: --1B Adrian Gonzalez, hitting in the No. 4 spot between Brian Giles and Chase Headley, saw his eight-game hitting streak snapped Thursday night. But he drew two walks and has reached base in all 10 of the Padres' games. He has a .405 on-base percentage.
--RF Brian Giles continues to struggle at the plate, although he has made a series of running catches in right. He is 1-for-21 (and 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position) over the last five games. His season average is down to .128 with a .209 on-base percentage.
--RHP Heath Bell picked up his fifth save Thursday, becoming the first Padre closer to get five saves in the first 10 games of the season. Yes, that includes Trevor Hoffman.
--RHP Walter Silva will miss Sunday's scheduled start due to soreness in his right forearm. He could go on the disabled list. Silva suffered the injury while hitting Monday.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Walter Silva (soreness in right forearm) will miss his scheduled start on April 19. He could go on the disabled list.
OF Cliff Floyd (right shoulder strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 5. He could begin a rehab assignment in mid-April.
RHP Cha Seung Baek (strained right forearm) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 30.
RHP Mike Adams (right shoulder surgery in October 2008) went on the 15-day disabled list April 2, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 5. He had not resumed throwing from the mound as of March 27.
RHP Mark Worrell (Tommy John elbow surgery in March 2009) went on the 15-day disabled list April 2, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 5. He is out for the season.
RHP Mark Prior (right shoulder surgeries in April 2007 and June 2008) was progressing as the Padres broke camp. "If he's healthy, Mark's my ace in the hole," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. If Prior continues to advance, he could join the Padres in May.
ROTATION:
RHP Jake Peavy
RHP Chris Young
RHP Walter Silva
RHP Kevin Correia
RHP Shawn Hill
BULLPEN:
RHP Heath Bell (closer)
RHP Cla Meredith
RHP Duaner Sanchez
RHP Luke Gregerson
RHP Edward Mujica
RHP Eulogio De La Cruz
RHP Edwin Moreno
RHP Luis Perdomo
CATCHERS:
Nick Hundley
Henry Blanco
INFIELDERS:
1B Adrian Gonzalez
2B David Eckstein
SS Luis Rodriguez
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff
INF Everth Cabrera
INF Edgar Gonzalez
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Chase Headley
CF Jody Gerut
RF Brian Giles
OF Scott Hairston
