Awards, new players in and other players exiting marked an eventful month for the Padres, but by the start of August, they were still clinging to first place.
July saw Trevor Hoffman closing in the All-Star Game, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez awarded the National League Player of the Week, the team embark on an 11-game road trip and finish the month back on top by a game and a half as of Aug. 1.
Some of their younger players really hit their stride in July. Gonzalez earned his Player of the Week honors for the week of July 17-23 by leading the league in six offensive categories: batting average (.607), slugging percentage (.964), on-base percentage (.645), hits (17), and total bases (27) and was tied for the league lead in runs (9). That week also saw Gonzalez hit two home runs, four doubles and five RBI. He hit at least once in all seven games. This included four three-hit games, one of which was a two-homer effort on July 17 at Philadelphia.
Second baseman Josh Barfield found himself in second place in the league in hits, with 40, for the month of July. He trailed Chase Utley of the Phillies by only four hits. Meanwhile, Gonzalez was only two back of Barfield, with 38.
Closer Trevor Hoffman blew a save in the All-Star Game on July 11, then went on to blow three of his next seven save opportunities. However, on July 29 he was back on track, allowing only one hit in sealing the victory for San Diego at Colorado.
It was a much-needed win for the Padres, since they went on to drop three of four in Colorado, whittling their tenuous lead in the National League West down to less than two games.
Earlier in the month, the writing was on the wall, and everyone had only to read it: Third baseman Vinny Castilla was cut on July 19. The 39-year-old was acquired just last November in a trade with the Washington Nationals for pitcher Brian Lawrence. Manager Bruce Bochy called the decision to cut Castilla “difficult,” though he was hitting .232, with four home runs and 23 RBI. The Padres alternated Mark Bellhorn and Geoff Blum at third base before acquiring Todd Walker from the Cubs on July 31.
Walker brings with him to San Diego a career average of .289, with 277 doubles, 104 home runs, 528 RBI and 624 runs in 1,226 games. This season, the 33-year-old is batting .277, with 16 doubles, six home runs and 40 RBI. Over 11 seasons, Walker has also played for Minnesota, Colorado, Cincinnati and Boston. He was traded for 19-year-old minor league right-handed pitcher Jose Ceda.
Castilla’s cut also made way for the Padres to sign veteran right-handed reliever Scott Williamson on July 22, also from the Cubs. He was traded for two other minor league pitchers. Williamson, 30, was 2-3 with a 5.08 ERA in 31 relief appearances for the Cubs this season, with 32 strikeouts. So far in three appearances, he is 0-1, with five hits, two earned runs and a 6.75 ERA.
Chan Ho Park, however, was just assigned to the 15-day disabled list on July 26 for abdominal pain. Prior to the injury, he was 7-6, with a 4.63 ERA in 21 games this season.
August sees the Padres at Petco far more often, without any road trips like their recent 11-game excursion. They start out at home to Houston through Aug. 3, then host Washington Aug. 4-6. They are then away to New York and Houston from Aug. 8-13, when they return home to host other division rivals San Francisco, Arizona and Los Angeles respectively. The Padres finish the season away to other division rivals Colorado and Arizona.