|
Mother Nature helped give
Barry Bonds
the night off. His manager may give him another one.
Coming off the first rainout in San Diego since 1998, the Giants will continue their season-opening three-game set Wednesday
against the Padres.
It was just the 16th rainout in Padres history and first at Petco Park. They had played 635 consecutive home games since they
were washed out on May 12, 1998, at Qualcomm Stadium.
Manager
Felipe Alou
wasn't clear whether Bonds would play Wednesday. The original plan was to play him Monday and Tuesday, then rest him Wednesday
so he can play in the Giants' home opener on Thursday afternoon against Atlanta.
''As far as I'm concerned, he's playing tomorrow,'' Alou said. ''But I have to be sure, so we'll wait until tomorrow. It would
be tough for even a younger guy to play Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
''It's a long day Thursday and everyone wants to play in the home opener.''
Tuesday's rainout will be made up as part of a day-night doubleheader on July 1.
Bonds remained at 708 home runs after going 1-for-4 with a ground-rule double in the first inning of a 6-1 loss in the season
opener Monday.
One fan tossed a syringe near Bonds as he came off the field and he picked it up in his glove and carried it off.
''If that's what they want to do, embarrass themselves, then that's on them,'' Bonds said. ''That has nothing to do with me
at all.''
Bonds has 81 career homers against the Padres, his most against any opponent. However, he is batting just .222 (10-for-45)
with four doubles and two homers in 14 career games at Petco Park.
The 41-year-old Bonds was booed repeatedly by the large crowd, no doubt because of the allegations in the recently published
book ''Game of Shadows'' detailing his involvement with performance-enhancing drugs.
''The team is used to it, I'm used to it and it seems to me Barry's not worried about it,'' Alou said.
Khalil Greene
keyed San Diego's victory with a homer and three RBIs, and ace
Jake Peavy
allowed one run and four hits over seven innings for the win.
Mike Piazza
made his Padres debut a success with a solo homer in the second inning.
Starter
Matt Morris
again is scheduled to make his San Francisco debut. The 31-year-old right-hander spent his first eight seasons with St. Louis,
going 101-62 with a 3.61 ERA.
However, his ERA climbed over 4.00 for the first time each of the last two years and he signed a three-year deal with the
Giants in the offseason.
Although this will be Morris' first major league game not wearing a Cardinals' uniform, his battery mate is expected to be
Mike Matheny
, who caught him while playing for St. Louis from 2000-04.
Last season, Morris won his first eight decisions, but slumped to 4-8 with a 5.32 ERA over his final 15 starts.
Morris is 4-1 with a 2.55 ERA against San Diego in 12 career appearances, including 10 starts. He also won Game 3 of last
year's Division Series at San Diego with St. Louis by allowing two runs and five hits over six innings in a 7-4 victory.
Shawn Estes
, who pitched for the Giants from 1995-2001, makes his season debut when he takes the mound for San Diego.
Estes won 15 games for Colorado in 2004 before going 7-8 with a 4.80 ERA in 21 starts for Arizona last year. He's joined his
fourth different team in the division after signing a one-year deal with the Padres in the offseason.
''Sometimes you want it to rain,'' Estes said Tuesday. ''Today wasn't one of those. I was looking forward to getting out there.''
The veteran southpaw has emerged as the No. 2 starter for the defending NL West champions, who are depending on a revamped
rotation after trading
Adam Eaton
to Texas in the offseason. Eaton was sidelined for two months with an ankle injury last season, limiting him to four starts
after the All-Star break.
Estes is 1-2 with a 5.81 ERA in five career starts against the Giants.
|
