Padres outlook

Sports Illustrated baseball writer Jeff Pearlman breaks down the National League champions

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Posted: Saturday October 17, 1998 02:27 PM

Bruce Bochy's Padres return to the World Series for the second time after a 14-year hiatus AP

Skinny: The Padres have defeated two teams with 100 wins. The Padres have defeated two teams with 100 wins. The Padres have defeated two teams with 100 wins. This sentence, or some variation, will be uttered again and again and again and again. Guess what? It don't mean squat. The Yanks are too good.

Hitting: The Padres are a very streaky team with the stick. Against Houston and Atlanta, they scored enough runs to win. In an August swoon, they scored enough runs to lose to the Chargers. The heart of the lineup -- Steve Finley, Tony Gwynn, Greg Vaughn, Ken Caminiti, Wally Joyner, Jim Leyritz -- is juicy, but not nearly as citrus as New York's. To win, the Pads will need major contributions from Quilvio Veras in the leadoff spot, as well as oft-used (and somewhat erratic) reserves John Vander Wal and Ruben Rivera. Chris Gomez's well-timed clutch at-bats would be a boost.

Pitching: Right now, the Padres -- who not long ago drooled over Hideki Irabu -- boast the best starting staff in baseball. Kevin Brown is King Nasty, Evil Dictator of the Slider. Sterling Hitchcock, another New York refugee, won the NLCS MVP. Andy Ashby is better than Andy Pettitte, and Joey Hamilton -- who may or may not be used -- was very good against the Braves. One thought: In last year's Cleveland-Florida World Series, the Indians beat Brown around like a piss-happy mutt. He'll be thinking about that.

Bullpen: The San Diego bullpen always centers around indomitable closer Trevor Hoffman, who is, uhhhm, indomitable. His top two set-up men, Dan Miceli and Donne Wall, are on impressive playoff rolls, and righty Brian Boehringer, used infrequently, was clutch in Game 6. The weak links are veteran lefties Randy Myers and Mark Langston, who were both very, very effective ... during the Reagan years.

Defense: No problems here. San Diego was excellent against Atlanta, especially the swift Ruben Rivera in left and the cagey Joyner at first. Gwynn, no longer a vacuum in right, still adjusts well to tough shots. The Gomez-Veras DP combo, though not one of the league's most publicized units, features two terrific mitts. At third, Caminiti still owns a rifle.

Bench: Leyritz, obscure for most of his career, has emerged as one of baseball's best post-season hitters. Vander Wal, late of Colorado, has shown a knack with both glove and bat. Rivera is a future star, and Andy Sheets isn't the worst shortstop around (at least as long as Jackie Gutierrez exists). Where have you gone, Juan Bonilla ?

Strategy: The Padres are not stupid. The Yankees are a much better team, with Skillful players up and down the roster. That means San Diego will do everything -- use as many arms as needed -- to keep the score down and hope for 1-0, 2-1, 3-2 wins. Really, it's more hope than strategy. Brown, Hitchcock, Ashby and Co. must be excellent.

Prediction: Yankees is seven.  

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Mark Bechtel on the Yankees Mark Bechtel on the ALCS: A comedy of errors Jeff Pearlman on the NLCS: These Braves are hard to love
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