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LOS ANGELES DODGERS
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The Dodgers' pitchers are getting up to speed in a hurry, and the timing is just right with the postseason starting this week.
The pitching staff appeared to be in turmoil in the closing weeks. Clayton Kershaw and Hiroki Kuroda missed time with injuries and Chad Billingsley had one start skipped because he was struggling.
Order appears to be somewhat restored just in time to face a St. Louis team that fronts its rotation with Cy Young Award candidates Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.
Randy Wolf will start Game 1 of the NaL Division Series, while Kershaw will go in Game 2. Both are left-handers going up against the Cardinals' right-handed power.
Wolf has been the steadiest Dodgers pitcher. His 11-7 record might not show it, but his 3.23 ERA gives a solid indication of how he has pitched in a career-high 34 starts.
Kershaw, coming off a separated right (non-throwing) shoulder had 10 strikeouts Saturday as the Dodgers ended a five-game losing streak and clinched the NL West by defeating the Rockies.
Kuroda will miss the series with a bulging disk in his neck. Billingsley is expected to pitch in Game 3, while Vicente Padilla likely would go in Game 4 if necessary.
Padilla struck out 10 in five innings in the season finale and appeared to nail down the last playoff starting spot. Doug Mientkiewicz, in his first start at first base, delivered three hits, but isn't on the playoff roster. The Dodgers' 95-67 record is their best since 98-64 in 1977.
NOTES, QUOTES
CF Matt Kemp was hit by a pitch and grounded out in his only plate appearances Sunday and ended the season with a .297 average. Kemp was trying to become the first player in Dodgers history with a .300 average, 25 homers, 100 RBIs and 30 steals.
C Russell Martin stole the 60th base of his career Saturday to set the Dodgers' record for most steals by a catcher. He passed Johnny Roseboro. Martin's 11 steals this year led all major league catchers.
Wolf's Game 1 start will be his first appearance in the playoffs in his 11-year career.
BY THE NUMBERS: 14-4 -- The Dodgers' record against the second-place Rockies, who will enter the playoffs as the NL's wild-card team. It is their best record against the Rockies since going 15-4 against them in 2006. The Dodgers were 46-26 (.639) against the NL West, their second-best divisional winning percentage since they were 63-27 (.700) in 1974.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're fortunate to be in a situation that we can have fun like this where this final game is completely meaningless. We're just going to have fun with it." -- C Brad Ausmus, on filling in for manager Joe Torre on Sunday, one day after the Dodgers snapped a five-game win streak to finally clinch the NL West.
ROSTER REPORT: LF Juan Pierre stole two bases Sunday to finish with 30. It is his ninth consecutive season with 30 or more steals. The second steal of the day came just just before Jason Repko struck out for the final out.
Padilla struck out 10 Rockies on Sunday, the second consecutive day a Dodgers starter struck out 10. Kershaw did it Saturday. It was the second time this season two Dodgers struck out 10 or more in back-to-back games. Billingsley and Kershaw did it in April.
Ausmus took over as manager for the final game. Torre has a tradition of letting a veteran player manage his team if the final game has no impact on the standings. The hitting coach for the day, Jim Thome, delivered a pinch single in the eighth inning, so Ausmus called his own number and entered the game as a pinch runner.
EX-INDIAN FACTOR: RHP Jeff Weaver; RHP Guillermo Mota; 3B Casey Blake; 1B Jim Thome;
INF Ronnie Belliard; LF Manny Ramirez.
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Hiroki Kuroda (neck stiffness) was scratched from his Oct. 3 start. He will miss the NL Division Series.
INF Ronnie Belliard (strained left groin) did not play Sept. 28-Oct. 2. He appeared as a pinch hitter Oct. 3 but did not play Oct. 4. He is day-to-day.
RHP Charlie Haeger (bruised right leg) hasn't pitched since Sept. 28.
RHP Jason Schmidt (strained right shoulder) went on the 15-disabled list retroactive to Aug. 6, and was transferred to the 60-day DL on Aug. 27.
OF Xavier Paul (staph infection) went on the 15-day DL retroactive to May 21, and was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 27. His recovery was slowed in July by a microfracture in his left ankle.
LHP Eric Milton (lower back strain) went on the 15-day DL June 28 and was transferred to the 60-day DL July 20. He had surgery July 14.
LHP Will Ohman (sore left shoulder) went on the 15-day DL May 29, and was transferred to the 60-day DL on July 30. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Inland Empire on June 16, but was shut down June 24 due to an ailing elbow. He had season-ending shoulder surgery Sept. 29.
LHP Travis Schlichting (back) was recalled from the minors and placed on the 60-day DL Sept. 1.
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COLORADO ROCKIES
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Manager Jim Tracy announced Ubaldo Jimenez would start Game 1 of the NL Division Series against the Phillies on Wednesday at Citizens Bank Park. Aaron Cook, while he wasn't formally designated, is the obvious choice to start Game 2 on Thursday.
Jimenez was 15-12 with a franchise-record 3.47 ERA for a starter during the regular season. He worked at least six innings in 29 of 33 starts, including 28 of the final 29, and he allowed three or fewer runs in 28 of those six-plus-inning starts.
Cook gave up one run in 13 innings after missing a month with right shoulder soreness. He is likely to start ahead of Jason Marquis, who failed in his fifth consecutive shot at a 16th victory in Sunday's 5-3, regular-season-ending loss to the Dodgers.
Cook is 1-1 with a 3.75 ERA in two career starts at Citizens Bank Park, a hitter-friendly ballpark where his hard sinker can be a salvation.
Marquis gave up four runs and four hits in the first inning Sunday. In his past eight starts, he is 1-5 with a 6.25 ERA.
Jason Hammel, the Rockies' fifth starter, also pitched Sunday, working two scoreless innings.
Jorge De La Rosa, who leads the staff with 16 wins, pitched three perfect innings but then had to come out of Saturday's start with tightness in his left groin after throwing his second pitch in the fourth. A decision on whether he will be on the postseason roster won't be made until after he throws a bullpen session during a Tuesday workout in Philadelphia.
Manager Jim Tracy said the fact that De La Rosa's start could be pushed back until Game 3 or 4 at Coors Field next Saturday and Sunday would work to De La Rosa's benefit. While Tracy said the reports were that De La Rosa was experiencing soreness Sunday, De La Rosa was upbeat.
"It's not that bad," he said. "I will be ready. This is my first postseason. I will be able to pitch."
De La Rosa began the season 0-6 with a 5.43 ERA in his first 10 starts but finished 16-9 with a 4.38 ERA. According the Elias Sports Bureau, De La Rosa is the third pitcher in major league history and the first since the 1800s to win at least 16 games in a season he was 0-6 or worse through May 31. The two others, who both did it for the NL's Louisville Colonels, were George Hemming, 18-20 in 1893, and Bert Cunningham, 17-19 in 1899.
In addition to the health of De La Rosa, the Rockies have some concern about their late-inning, left-handed bullpen situation. Franklin Morales, who went 6-for-6 in save situations with six scoreless one-inning appearances Sept. 2-11 while Huston Street was injured, has struggled, never more so than Saturday. In the Dodgers' division-clinching win, Morales gave up four hits, five runs and two walks (one intentional) in one-third of an inning.
In his past nine games, Morales has allowed 14 hits and 12 runs (10 earned) in 4 1/3 innings with eight walks and five strikeouts. In other words, Morales has gotten 13 outs while allowing 22 baserunners, 12 of whom scored, in his past nine games.
The Phillies lineup emphasizes left-handed hitters, so the Rockies will have to decide whether in addition to lefty Joe Beimel they want to carry Morales or instead choose veteran lefty Randy Flores, who has been used more as a specialist to face one or two hitters.
Jason Marquis gave up four runs in the first inning on Sunday, allowing four hits and a walk, hitting a batter but striking out the side as the Dodgers batted around. It was the latest struggle for Marquis, who finished the season 15-13 while making five unsuccessful attempts to win a career-high 16th game. Brad Hawpe hit his 23rd homer for the Rockies, who set a franchise record with 17 strikeouts, including 10 in five innings against Vicente Padilla.
NOTES, QUOTES
The Rockies set a franchise record for wins (92-70), breaking the mark of 90-73 set in 2007. The Rockies' 41-40 road record was their first winning road record in the franchise's 17 seasons. The previous best was 39-42 in 2007.
The Rockies went 4-14 against the Dodgers, going 2-7 at both Coors Field and Dodger Stadium.
Colorado was shut out Saturday for the ninth time. All those games were on the road.
The Rockies went 74-42 (.638) under manager Jim Tracy, who took over May 29 after the club was 18-28 under Clint Hurdle.
With Kevin Towers fired Saturday as San Diego's general manager, Rockies GM Dan O'Dowd, who was hired Sept. 20, 1999, is now fourth in terms of tenure on his current job. Ahead of him are San Francisco's Brian Sabean, hired Sept. 30, 1996; Oakland's Billy Beane, hired Oct. 17, 1997; and the New York Yankees' Brian Cashman, hired Feb. 3, 1998.
BY THE NUMBERS: 17 -- Strikeouts Sunday by the Rockies, a franchise record. The Rockies struck out 16 times Aug. 20, 1998, at Montreal and May 1, 2003, against the Reds. The Rockies' previous high this season was 15 strikeouts, done three times. They set a franchise record with 1,277 strikeouts, surpassing the previous record of 1,209 set in 2008.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "Talent took over to a certain extent, but this is a special group of guys. We came together and created memories for a lifetime." -- Closer Huston Street, on the Rockies being 20-32 and 15 1/2 games behind on June 3 and then finishing 72-38 and winning the wild card.
ROSTER REPORT INF Omar Quintanilla, who has been on the roster all season, made his fifth start Sunday and second at shortstop. He went 1-for-4. Quintanilla's other starts were Aug. 23 and Aug. 7-8 at second base and May 20 at short.
Jimenez finished with a 3.47 ERA, the lowest ever for a Rockies starter. The previous record of 3.66 was set by LHP Joe Kennedy in 2004. Jimenez also pitched 218 innings, the third-highest total in club history. RHP Pedro Astacio worked 232 innings in 1999, and RHP Darryl Kile threw 230 1/3 innings in 1998. Jimenez's 198 strikeouts represented the second-highest total behind Astacio, who had 210 strikeouts in 1999.
Six players are being sent to the Arizona Instructional League. INF/OF Mike McCoy and OF Matt Murton, and RHPs Juan Rincon and Joel Peralta will stay in workout routines in case an injury develops during the postseason. Also joining the instructional league program in Tucson are RHPs Jhoulys Chacin and Esmil Rogers.
EX-INDIAN FACTOR: RHP Rafael Betancourt; RHP Matt Herges; RHP Juan Rincon: LHP Alan Embree (DL).
MEDICAL WATCH:
RHP Manuel Corpas (bone chips in right elbow) went on the 15-day DL retroactive to July 21, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on Aug. 22. He had arthroscopic surgery July 24. He was in the Rockies' Instructional League program in late September.
LHP Alan Embree (broken right tibia) went on the 15-day DL July 11 and had surgery that day, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on Aug. 12. He joined the Rockies' Instructional League program in late September.
SS Chris Nelson (right wrist surgery in June 2009) was recalled from the minors and placed on the 60-day DL Sept. 8.
RHP Greg Reynolds (inflamed bursa sac below right shoulder blade) was recalled from the minors and placed on the 60-day DL Sept. 1.
LHP Greg Smith (lower back strain) was recalled from the minors and placed on the 60-day DL Sept. 1.
LHP Jeff Francis (left shoulder surgery in February 2009) went on the 60-day DL April 5. He is in the Rockies' Instructional League program, but he will not pitch this year.
RHP Taylor Buchholz (partial tear in right ulnar collateral ligament) went on the 15-day DL March 27, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on April 22. He threw a simulated game June 10, but after feeling renewed pain, he had season-ending Tommy John surgery June 17.
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SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS
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The Giants overachieved. They weren't supposed to contend, but were in the wild-card hunt until the final week. Their rotation, featuring Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain, made them a formidable opponent even though the offense was meager.
In the third year under manager Bruce Bochy, the Giants were 88-74, a vast improvement over last year's 72-90.
Pablo Sandoval emerged as a solid No. 3 hitter, and Juan Uribe, who signed a minor league contract in the offseason, finished as the No. 5 hitter. The team will try to re-sign him. Late in the season, Eugenio Velez and Andres Torres gave the Giants speed at the top of the lineup.
But the offense mostly was disappointing, starting with outfielders Fred Lewis, Aaron Rowand and Randy Winn -- the starting alignment at the beginning of the season.
Shortstop Edgar Renteria, who lacked range, a strong throwing arm and a consistent bat, was close to a bust in the first year of his two-year, $18.5 million contract. The Giants went through lots of ineffective second basemen (Emmanuel Burriss, Kevin Frandsen, Velez) before acquiring Freddy Sanchez in late July, but Sanchez was shelved most of his time in San Francisco with shoulder and knee injuries.
Sandoval is the only everyday player who's safe, though Rowand likely will remain a regular if only because he has three years remaining on his $60 million contract. The rest of the lineup is up in the air. The Giants might bring back Sanchez to play second, and either Nate Schierholtz or John Bowker could start in the outfield.
If the Giants land a third baseman, Sandoval would play first. If they get a first baseman, he'd play third. Buster Posey might be the opening day catcher if Bengie Molina isn't re-signed, and another prospect, Madison Bumgarner, has a chance of cracking the rotation.
With a solid starting staff (Lincecum, Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, Barry Zito) and closer (Brian Wilson) accompanying an inadequate offense, it's possible the Giants could trade a pitcher for a hitter. If so, they'd prefer to move Sanchez instead of Cain.
Free agency is another possibility, but it's questionable how much they'd be willing to pay.
Either way, it's clear the offense needs an upgrade. If it's not fixed, the Giants would need to overachieve again if they want to contend next year.
NOTES, QUOTES
3B Pablo Sandoval homered in the top of the 10th inning to beat the Padres 4-3 in the season finale. The shot to center was the seventh furthest hit ball at Petco Park, according to the Padres. Sandoval finished his first full season with a .330 batting average, second in the NL to Marlins SS Hanley Ramirez. Sandoval led the Giants with 25 homers and 90 RBIs.
LHP Randy Johnson pitched one inning of relief in the season finale, giving up an unearned run, and might have thrown his final pitch in the majors. Johnson, 46, said he hasn't decided whether he'll retire. His last batter was 1B Adrian Gonzalez, who struck out. Other Giants relievers of note were LHP Jeremy Affeldt, who threw two scoreless innings and finished with an NL-low 1.73 ERA, and RHP Brian Wilson, who threw a scoreless 10th for his 38th save.
RHP Matt Cain finished his season Saturday with a loss, leaving him 14-8 with a 2.89 ERA, a big improvement over his 2008 season (8-14, 3.76). Cain wants to improve further in 2010, saying, "I'll think back to some of the mental parts that I messed up. That's a big part of the game." A win in his finale would have tied RHP Tim Lincecum (15-7) for the team lead.
LHP Barry Zito feels good enough to play catch, confirming his left forearm injury isn't serious. He took a liner off the arm Friday, prematurely ending his final 2009 start. X-rays were negative. Zito finished 10-13 with a 4.03 ERA, his third consecutive losing season after signing with the Giants for seven years and $126 million. Of the three years, this was easily the best. "I think I made a lot of strides this season," he said. "I put it together in the second half for the most part. I got back to some of the things I was used to doing earlier in my career. I'm excited about next year and hope to be doing that from the start."
RHP Joe Martinez left the team before the weekend to join the Giants' Instructional League in Arizona. It was an up-and-down season for Martinez, who took a liner off his head April 9 in his second big-league appearance, sustaining a concussion and three small fractures, and didn't pitch again until Aug. 5. He was 3-2 with a 7.50 ERA in nine games, including five starts.
BY THE NUMBERS: 2,861,113 -- The Giants' home attendance, 2,730 short of matching last year's. The Giants drew 3 million-plus their first eight years of their downtown ballpark but fell below in the two years without Barry Bonds.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "You can see relieving's not my gig. I guess they call that a senior moment, don't they?" -- LHP Randy Johnson, 46, who began walking back to the dugout after closing out a victory over the Diamondbacks. He noticed his teammates remained on the field, so he returned for some high-fives.
ROSTER REPORT:The Giants had a winning record after four consecutive losing seasons, and the next step is to contend for a division title. They have one of the deepest rotations in the majors but one of the weakest offenses despite the emergence of INF Pablo Sandoval.
BIGGEST NEEDS:
The Giants, last in the NL in walks and on-base percentage, 15th in homers and 14th in slugging percentage, need a major boost offensively. An improved 3-4-5 alignment -- the season ended with Pablo Sandoval, Bengie Molina and Juan Uribe, all free-swingers -- is necessary. The Giants' situational hitting was sub-par, and many hitters didn't get bunt signs because they couldn't be relied on to put one down.
FREE AGENTS:
C Bengie Molina, INF Juan Uribe, INF Rich Aurilia, OF Randy Winn, LHP Randy Johnson, RHP Brad Penny, RHP Bobby Howry.
The biggest decision is whether to bring back Molina, the cleanup hitter the past three years. He's 35, and the Giants have C Buster Posey waiting in the wings. It might work out if Molina agrees to a one-year deal. Uribe, who arrived last winter on a minor league contract, was a valuable addition and will cost more than his $1 million salary to be retained. The Giants say they're interested in Penny, but it's questionable whether they'll pony up. Aurilia and Johnson might retire.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE:
RHP Tim Lincecum, RHP Brian Wilson, RHP Justin Miller, LHP Jonathan Sanchez, 1B Ryan Garko.
Lincecum is due a major raise, perhaps breaking Jonathan Pabelbon's record for highest salary for a pitcher eligible for arbitration for the first time ($6.25 million). The record for a hitter was Ryan Howard's $10 million. The Giants might prefer to negotiate a long-term deal while trying to keep the 2010 salary down. The Giants want to keep Wilson and Sanchez, though Sanchez might be trade bait. Miller was to have arthroscopic elbow surgery.
IN LIMBO:
As the Giants pursue a hitter or two, they'll likely dangle pitching, including LHP Jonathan Sanchez. Teams might prefer RHP Matt Cain, which would be a blockbuster, but the Giants are hesitant to break up the top end of their rotation. The Giants have an $8.1 million option on 2B Freddy Sanchez, who was acquired in July but was ineffective because of shoulder and knee injuries.
MEDICAL WATCH:
2B Freddy Sanchez (arthroscopic left knee surgery in September 2009) is expected to be fully recovered by spring training.
RHP Justin Miller (right elbow inflammation) was scheduled to have arthroscopic surgery Oct. 5. He is expected to be fully recovered by spring training.
LHP Noah Lowry (left forearm surgery in March 2008, left elbow surgery in September 2008, rib-removal surgery in May 2009) has a questionable future.
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ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS
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If there were any question about Brandon Webb's importance to the Diamondbacks, the answer was made clear during his absence in 2009.
Arizona had the third-worst record (70-92) in its 12 seasons despite strong offensive seasons from Mark Reynolds and Justin Upton.
Webb lasted only four innings in the season opener before missing the rest of the year with a shoulder injury that eventually required a surgical cleanup, and the D-backs were unable to mount any sort of threat in the NL West after winning it in 2007 (at 90-72) and leading it for five months before a late tailspin in 2008 (82-80).
Dan Haren stood tall in a career-best season, and Doug Davis and Max Scherzer (and Jon Garland before he was traded) were adequate for a team that was built around dependable starting pitching. But replacing the staff ace with a cast of No. 6 starters was hardly a recipe for contention.
The D-backs won their first game in a slugfest but never were above .500 thereafter, and their sputtering start begat a managerial change May 7, when 2007 NL Manager of the Year Bob Melvin was replaced by A.J. Hinch, promoted from player development despite no coaching or managing experience at any level. The D-backs were 58-75 under Hinch.
There were some gaudy numbers on the offensive side. Reynolds took an even wider swing on the Jekyll-Hyde pendulum in 2009 than he did in his first full season in the majors the year before. He had 44 home runs, 102 RBIs and 24 stolen bases -- the only major-leaguer with at least 40, 100 and 20 in those categories. At the same time, Reynolds hit .260 and struck out 223 times, breaking his own major league record (204) set last season. He also had a NL-high 24 errors, 19 at third base and five at first, although that was down from his major league-high 35 last year. At the same time, he does make plays, and he has an athletic flair.
Upton, too, had a strong offensive season but a lackluster defensive one in his second full year. He joined Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda as the second player in major league history to hit at least .300 with 25 homers, 80 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in a year played primarily at age 21. Upton finished at an even .300 with 26 homers, 86 RBIs and 20 steals. At the same time, he led major league outfielders with 12 errors and was removed from one game for failure to hustle. He still has trouble with balls to his right.
The D-backs were very poor defensively overall, and they compounded errors of commission with an apparent lack of focus or concentration. They had 124 errors, second worst in the NL and second worst in franchise history, and only two NL teams permitted more unearned runs.
Fundamental work and attention to detail will be stressed next spring, Hinch said.
Chris Young, under contract through 2013, regressed, and injuries other than Webb's -- Conor Jackson missed the final five months with a viral infection known in Arizona as "valley fever;" Eric Byrnes missed six weeks with a broken hand (and has not recovered from an injury-plagued 2008); and Chris Snyder basically missed the second half of the year -- took their toll.
On the positive side, Miguel Montero developed into a middle-of-the-order threat when he received regular playing time after the June injury to former starting catcher Snyder, and with Upton-Montero-Reynolds in some combination of No. 3-4-5 in the batting order, the D-backs appear to have abundant production moving forward. Chad Qualls had 30 saves in his first season as a closer and will be in that role next year despite knee surgery that caused him to miss the final month of the season.
The team battle-tested young hitters Gerardo Parra and Brandon Allen and relievers Juan Gutierrez, Daniel Schlereth, Esmerling Vasquez and Clay Zavada and found some positives for the future. Gutierrez was 8-for-8 in save opportunities after Qualls went down.
NOTES, QUOTES
OF Chris Young homered in the finale and was 5-for-11 in the season-ending, three-game series in Chicago to finish with a .212 average and 15 homers. "It felt good to come back and find my swing back a little bit and get my aggressiveness back," he said. Young is under contract through 2013 after signing a long-term deal in April 2008.
3B Mark Reynolds struck out in eight of his final nine plate appearances to finish with a major league-record 223 strikeouts, breaking the mark of 204 he set last year. Reynolds is the only player in MLB history to strike out 200 times in a season. He also was the only player in the majors with at least 40 homers, 100 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. He hit 44 homers while knocking in 102 runs and stealing 24 bases. Reynolds also led the NL with 24 errors.
OF Justin Upton this year joined Hall of Famer Orlando Cepeda as the only players to hit .300 with 25 home runs, 80 RBIs and 20 stolen bases in the year they played primarily at age 21. Upton, who turned 22 on Aug. 25, struck out in all four plate appearances in the season finale but still finished the season hitting .300 with 26 homers, 86 RBIs and 20 stolen bases. Cepeda turned 22 on Sept. 17, 1959, the year he hit .317 with 27 home runs, 105 RBIs and 23 stolen bases.
OF Eric Byrnes was 5-for-9 with two homers, five RBIs and a stolen base in the season-ending series in Wrigley Field, finishing a down year with a flourish. Byrnes hit .226 with eight homers and 31 RBIs in 83 games, and expects to report to Licey of the Dominican winter league on Dec. 10 and play through the playoffs. The idea is to make up for lost at-bats after missing 10 weeks with a fractured left hand. Byrnes is owed $11 million in 2010 and has a no-trade clause, so odds are he'll return.
RHP Billy Buckner (4-6, 6.40 ERA in 16 games, 13 starts) went 2-1 with a 3.93 ERA in six September/October starts, a showing that should give him some momentum for a spot at the back end of the rotation entering spring training. "I knew it was a big opportunity, and I wanted to make the best of it," Buckner said.
BY THE NUMBERS: 5 -- Consecutive seasons in which RHP Dan Haren has accumulated at least 215 innings after tossing a career-high 229 1/3 this year. He is the only pitcher in baseball with a streak that long.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "I think a lot of people have the wrong idea about how I feel about the strikeouts. I don't want to. I don't enjoy it. But when I say I don't care, I mean I don't let it bother me. I go out there every day and, you know, give it hell. If I punch out, it (ticks) me off at that moment, but I'm not going to carry it to my next at-bat. That's what I mean when I say, 'So what?'" -- 3B Mark Reynolds, who set a major league record with 223 strikeouts.
ROSTER REPORT: For the second consecutive year, the Diamondbacks enter the offseason in search of a second baseman and at least one starting pitcher. They also must decide whether to pick up RHP Brandon Webb's $8.5 million option for 2010 within five days of the end of the World Series, a deadline that occurs before they will see him throw off a mound following August shoulder cleanup surgery. They have no veterans in the bullpen aside from closer Chad Qualls, and they would like another.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The D-backs must add at least one starter, even if (as expected) they pick up Webb's option. Webb, RHP Dan Haren and RHP Max Scherzer would be locks for the rotation, but another veteran will be sought because of uncertainty below them. RHP Billy Buckner appears to have pitched well enough down the stretch to be given first shot, but his resume is hit-and-miss. RHP Jarrod Parker, the ninth player taken overall in the 2007 draft, will be a candidate if the elbow soreness that sidelined him the last month of the Class AA season does not need surgical attention. The D-backs appear to have identified 2B Tony Abreu as the player to be named in the Aug. 31 deal that sent RHP Jon Garland to the Dodgers, although Abreu has filed a grievance that could lead to his gaining a year of arbitration eligibility. But if Abreu is their man, their position grouping is all but set.
FREE AGENTS: LHP Doug Davis, LHP Scott Schoeneweis.
The D-backs offered Davis a one-year deal late in 2009, but he wanted multiple years, so talks broke off. Usually when a situation like that occurs, the D-backs move on, but Davis lives in Phoenix and might reconsider. Schoeneweis, who also lives in Phoenix, would be a candidate to return as a veteran bullpen presence.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: RHP Blaine Boyer, RHP Daniel Cabrera, SS Stephen Drew, OF/1B Conor Jackson, C Miguel Montero, INF Augie Ojeda, RHP Chad Qualls.
The D-backs have never gone to arbitration in general manager Josh Byrnes' four years, preferring to settle at the midway point if it even gets to the point where figures are exchanged. Drew, Jackson, Montero and Qualls certainly will be back. Ojeda is the Diamondbacks' best defender and wants to return. Jackson's case will be interesting, since he missed almost five months with "valley fever" following a 2008 season in which he hit .300 and earned $3.05 million for 2009 in his first year of arbitration. After a brief 2009 look-see, Cabrera appears too costly to gamble on.
IN LIMBO: RHP Brandon Webb has been so valuable when healthy that the D-backs appear likely to pick up his $8.5 million option rather than set him free.
1B/3B Chad Tracy will not return because the D-backs would rather pay a $1 million than pick up his $7 million for 2010.
OF Eric Byrnes has fallen to fourth-outfielder status, even fifth if Conor Jackson regains his health, and he will be shopped again, although he is owed $11 million in the final year of his contract in 2010 and has a no-trade clause.
C Chris Snyder signed a contract extension that will pay him $3.5 million in 2010 and $4.5 million in 2011, and the D-backs may look to move that money. Clubs no doubt will want to see him healthy in spring training before a deal could be made.
MEDICAL WATCH: Webb (right shoulder cleanup surgery in August 2009) is not scheduled to begin throwing until November. He will not have thrown off a mound by the time the D-backs must pick up his $8.5 million option, five days after the World Series ends.
OF/1B Jackson (valley fever) played in the D-Backs' Instructional League program in September and was scheduled to play winter ball.
RHP Chad Qualls (left knee surgery in September 2009) is expected to be ready for spring training.
C Snyder (microdiscectomy) is expected to be 100 percent when spring training begins after undergoing the same surgery LHP Randy Johnson has had three times.
RHP Jarrod Parker (right elbow soreness) was throwing in the Arizona Instructional League program after being shut down the final month of the Class AA Mobile season. He would be a candidate for the 2010 rotation if healthy.
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SAN DIEGO PADRES
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On July 27, the Padres were on course to lose 100 games. Over the final 62 games, San Diego went 37-25.
What turned the Padres around? And where do they go from here?
The same answer works on both questions: young players.
"I like the way we ended the season," said manager Bud Black, whose team's final 75-87 record represented a 12-game improvement over the 2008 season.
"Some players became -- position players as well as pitchers -- the players we thought they could become. Some guys cleared hurdles. As a group, we cleared a lot of hurdles. It's a big difference from a year ago.
"There is still room for improvement in a lot of guys. It's up to them to continue the growth."
The players Black is talking about include nine rookies: outfielders Will Venable and Kyle Blanks; shortstop Everth Cabrera; starting pitchers Clayton Richard, Wade LeBlanc and Mat Latos; and relievers Luke Gregerson, Adam Russell and Greg Burke.
Mix that in with improved second halves from the likes of third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff, outfielders Chase Headley and Tony Gwynn, catcher Nick Hundley, starting pitchers Kevin Correia and Tim Stauffer, and relievers Mike Adams and Edward Mujica, and the Padres made great strides.
"I think we've come out of the transition and are into that period when you look ahead with anticipation," veteran second baseman David Eckstein said. "We've got something going now. When we came out of spring training, that was not the case."
General manager Kevin Towers helped rebuild the Padres with three midseason trades. The first brought Gwynn from Milwaukee for outfielder Jody Gerut. The next sent outfielder Scott Hairston to Oakland for three pitchers, and the third sent pitcher Jake Peavy to the Chicago White Sox for four pitchers. Five of the newly acquired pitchers finished the season with the Padres.
The Peavy trade also trimmed $56 million from future payrolls, a critical consideration for a team whose 2010 payroll budget is projected for a bit over $40 million.
However, instead of being congratulated for his work this season, Towers was unceremoniously fired by first-year CEO Jeff Moorad on the final weekend of the season -- recreating doubt about the future of the team.
"Following Sandy (Alderson), it was like we finally had some positive direction again with what Kevin did rebuilding this team during the second half of this season," one veteran said. "Now you have to wonder about what the direction is again. A lot of us believe firing Towers sent out the wrong message at a very crucial time."
Black believes most of his young players haven't approached their ceilings and also believes they will continue to work hard in the future.
But after 14 seasons of Towers being in control, what will the next GM do?
The Padres need a right-handed hitter who can play center field. They must decide between Kouzmanoff and Headley at third base, consider an overall upgrade at catcher and sort out their rotation from nine candidates at the end of this season.
NOTES, QUOTES
3B Kevin Kouzmanoff set an NL record with a .990 fielding percentage. He committed three errors in 309 chances, becoming the first third baseman in league history to have fewer than six errors with more than 300 chances. His percentage topped the old record of .987 set by Vinny Castilla in 2004. Kouzmanoff also was hit by a pitch for the 11th time this season Oct. 3 to become the Padres' career leader with 36 HBPs. Gene Tenace had held the record.
LHP Wade LeBlanc went 1-4 with a 10.17 ERA in his first two cameos with the Padres last year and early this year, allowing 37 hits over 25 2/3 innings. In seven starts since returning to the majors Aug. 29, LeBlanc went 3-0 with a 2.57 ERA. He gave up just 27 hits in 42 innings.
Rookie SS Everth Cabrera started the last 97 games after coming off the 60-day disabled list June 19, but he made 15 errors in his last 29 games. He had been sidelined with a broken hook of the hamate bone in his left hand.
1B Adrian Gonzalez was walked intentionally Sunday with the tying run on base in the 10th inning, denying him a chance at his 100th RBI. Gonzalez became the 15th player in MLB history to fall short of 100 RBIs while hitting at least 40 homers. He led the majors with 119 walks.
RHP Heath Bell was the NL leader with 42 saves. He squandered only six save opportunities.
BY THE NUMBERS: 1,922,603 -- The Padres' home attendance this season, the first time they've fallen short of 2 million since 1995. The 21 smallest crowds in the six-season history of Petco Park came this season.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "This throws everything we've done this year into the Dumpster." -- RHP Mike Adams, upon hearing the news that GM Kevin Towers had been fired.
ROSTER REPORT: Fifteen Padres made their major league debuts and the team employed 19 rookies. Most of the top prospects at Class AAA Portland ended up in San Diego, as the Padres finished the season with the youngest roster in the major leagues. They also finished on a 37-25 run. The future no longer looks bleak.
BIGGEST NEEDS: The longest tenured general manager in the major leagues, Kevin Towers, was fired after 14 years. His yet-to-be-named successor inherits a ton of young players -- eight of whom were acquired by Towers this season in deft midseason trades. The Padres need a right-handed-hitting center fielder, a backup infielder who can play shortstop, a possible upgrade at catcher, and a decision on who will play third base: Kevin Kouzmanoff or Chase Headley.
FREE AGENTS: RF Brian Giles, C Henry Blanco.
Towers had expressed interest in re-signing Blanco, who provided leadership to young Latin American players, the young pitchers and C Nick Hundley. Native San Diegan Giles, who was injured most of the season after having his option picked up for $9 million last winter, has played his last game for his hometown team.
ARBITRATION-ELIGIBLE: RHP Heath Bell, RHP Kevin Correia, RHP Mike Adams, RHP Cha Seung Baek, RHP Shawn Hill, 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff, INF Luis Rodriguez.
The Padres will non-tender Baek and Hill, who were injured most of the season. Ditto for Rodriguez. But Correia, Bell, Adams and Kouzmanoff are core players. The Padres finished the season with a $25 million team on the field. There is probably room in the budget to negotiate contracts with the four.
IN LIMBO: With Kyle Blanks likely in left field next season and Will Venable in right, Chase Headley needs a new position. His natural spot is third base, where Kevin Kouzmanoff has better run-production numbers and just set an NL record with a .990 fielding percentage. One likely will be traded. The Padres will be shopping for a right-handed center fielder or catcher. The team has no option contracts.
MEDICAL WATCH: RHP Chris Young (right shoulder surgery in August 2009) is expected to be ready by spring training.
OF Kyle Blanks (plantar fasciitis in right foot) missed the last month, but expects to be ready by spring training.
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