Quick, sports fans, name the San Diego Padres’ starting outfield. . . . Time’s up. Let us guess. You didn’t get past Tony Gwynn Jr., and you know him only because his dad was famous. The Padres may be the most nondescript team in the National League West, if not the National League. But somehow they are leading the division. If April provided one strong indication, it’s that no NL West team is going to pull away any time soon. As injury-plagued and off-key as the Rockies have been, manager Jim Tracy noted, “We’re right there snuggled in with everyone else.” Here’s a capsule look at where the division stands one month into the season (with all statistics going into Friday’s games):
San Diego Padres
They can’t hit or score runs. So how are the Go-Go Pads in first place? Opponents are hitting .233 vs. San Diego pitching. . . . Location, location, location: Jon Garland, a contact pitcher, has a 0.75 ERA at Petco Park, where a man can afford to be a contact pitcher. . . . The Padres have a lot of quiet strengths, their bullpen among them. They went into Friday having six relievers with ERAs of 2.19 or lower. . . . Colorado’s own Chase Headley is not only hitting .333, he’s on pace for 40-plus steals.
San Francisco Giants
Pablo Sandoval went into Friday with a league-leading .373 batting average. . . . The Giants are getting amazing production out of the No. 8 hole — .414 (29-for-70) with 11 RBIs and a .629 slugging percentage. . . . How good is San Francisco’s pitching? The Giants are holding opposing No. 3 hitters to a .195 batting average. . . . Good thing Benjie Molina’s deal with the Mets fell apart. He’s hitting .350.
Arizona D-backs
If they gave out a free- agent signee of the month award, Kelly Johnson would get it. Dude leads the league in home runs (nine), extra-base hits (17) and slugging percentage (.787). . . . Why did Dan Haren pinch hit the other day at Coors Field? He’s 7-for-15 with a 1.000 OPS. . . . Chris Young last April: Um, don’t ask. This April: 21 RBIs. Took him until July 4 to reach 21 a year ago. . . . Arizona’s issue is in the ninth inning, where Chad Qualls, a would-be setup man, allowed 15 hits and four walks in his first nine innings.
Colorado Rockies
Carlos Gonzalez hitting in the five hole with Brad Hawpe on the DL. Question is, is CarGo moving back to the leadoff spot when Hawpe returns? . . . Todd Helton: 53rd in the league in hitting, zero homers, four RBIs in 70 at-bats. . . . Troy Tulowitzki is shaking off a typical slow start. He’s .300-plus and ranks second in the league in doubles and multihit games. . . . Ubaldo Jimenez (5-0, 0.79 ERA, one no-hitter) on the verge of the second NL pitcher of the month award in franchise history. The first? Shawn Chacon (2003).
Los Angeles Dodgers
Dodgers are losing and bickering, with Matt Kemp’s agent all over general manager Ned Colletti for suggesting on an L.A. radio station that Kemp has put it in cruise control after signing a two-year, $10.45 million deal. . . . Kemp is 3-for-8 stealing bases. Rafael Furcal is picking up the slack, 8-for-9 in swipes. . . . Dodgers’ team ERA (4.97) enough to make Sandy Koufax’s elbow flare up. . . . Jonathan Broxton, 1-0 with a Bluto (0.00) ERA and 11 strikeouts in seven innings. Now for the interesting stat: only one save.
