Padres Are Thinking Too Much : Slump Continues in 5-3 Loss to Cubs

Damn the shadows. Damn the sun. Damn ABC.

That was the shop talk around the batting cage before the Padres’ 5-3 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Monday afternoon/evening. They said playing a network television game at 5 p.m., even if it meant playing in front of the folks back home, was detrimental to their hitting.

Batting coach Deacon Jones, who is supposed to prevent anything detrimental from happening, said he didn’t want to hear it.

“That’s just defeating yourself before the game has started,” he said.

So did the Padres lose this one at 3:30 p.m? No one is sure. But it’s clear they’re in a batting slump, and it’s clear that batting slumps are caused mostly by thinking too much.

It is Jones’ job to keep their minds clear.

“See the ball,” he says to them in the cage. “Relax.”

And it just isn’t working. Monday, Cub starter Steve Trout, who’d easily beaten the Padres in Chicago two weeks ago, left after just three innings because of elbow pain. Good news?

It wasn’t. Terry Kennedy had homered off Trout in the second, but Cub relievers proceeded to yield just two more runs. Meanwhile, Chicago overcame a 2-0 deficit by scoring three times in the fifth off Dave Dravecky, who was criticized afterward by Manager Dick Williams for his pitch location.

And, later, after the Padres had tied the game at 3, Davey Lopes doubled off reliever Roy Lee Jackson, stole third and scored on Keith Moreland’s single through a pulled-in infield.

The Cubs scored again in the ninth on Bob Dernier’s RBI single off Jackson. And Lee Smith, needing a quick pep talk from first baseman Leon Durham after he’d walked Graig Nettles with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, earned his 22nd save.

“We’re relying on the big blow,” Kennedy said of the poor Padre hitting. “And they (the home runs) aren’t coming often enough. The pitching isn’t bad. They’re giving up their three runs a game like always. It’s not only the pitchers’ fault.”

Was their a slump as bad as this last year?

“No,” said Dick Williams. I don’t remember one for so long.”

The sad stats:

Tony Gwynn --17 of 83 since June 27th, the day he injured his left wrist sliding into Mr. Collision himself, Mike Scioscia.

Kevin McReynolds-- 1 for 20 since the All-Star break.

Steve Garvey --only eight RBIs since June 28.

Gwynn swung nicely in the batting cage, saying “You betcha” out loud as he belted balls to left field and then over the fence. So maybe he’s coming around. Garvey had two singles and an RBI on Monday night, so maybe he is, too.

But McReynolds came up with runners on in the fourth and fifth and did nothing. In the fourth, fifth and sixth innings, the Padres stranded six runners, which means it’s not all McReynolds’ fault. But he’s fighting himself.

Jones says he’s opening up too soon on his swing.

Williams moved him up to the cleanup spot in the batting order Monday night, because he’d hit .316 (6 for 19) lifetime against Trout. And then Trout leaves. Nice luck.

Anyway, Dravecky doesn’t seem to have much luck either. He pitched 3 innings of no-hit baseball Monday before Lopes (who else?) singled, but still was in a groove when he then recorded the first two outs in the fifth. But Larry Bowa singled to center (blooper). Pinch-hitter Gary Woods singled to left (broken bat). Dernier had an RBI-double (another blooper). Ryne Sandberg had a two-run single.

Williams took him out.

“He (Dravecky) had a two-run lead and the eighth-place hitter up (Bowa) and two men out . . . ,” Williams said. “Maybe once in a while we can win 2-0. LaMarr (Hoyt) has done it . . . A little more punch would help, but a little more consistent pitching would help, too.”

Said Dravecky: “I feel very good right now. I couldn’t be in a better groove. In a couple of situations, my pitches haven’t been down, and I’ve been hurt.”

Garvey tied the game with his single off George Frazier in the fifth. But with runners on first and second, McReynolds struck out.

Lopes’ double off the left-field wall to start the eighth eventually became the winning run. Lopes stole third base twice Monday, giving the 39-year-old outfielder 35 stolen bases this season.

Kennedy, the catcher who couldn’t throw him out, said: “I think the Cardinals have started a fad . . . When I was playing with the Cardinals, Lou Brock told me it’s easier to steal third. You can’t do anything about the fast guys.”

Smith, though, walked in slowly from the bullpen to pitch the eighth. In the ninth, with two outs, he walked Nettles, who had pinch-hit for Jackson. Durham walked over to him.

“He was overthrowing,” Durham said. “I just told him to ease up. He was throwing too hard, thinking too much.”

Oh, it’s contagious.

Padre Notes Terry Kennedy’s home run off Steve Trout was significant in that he was the first left-handed hitter to homer off Trout since Al Woods did it on July 9, 1982. And that was 482 innings ago. “Well, that’s the first slider he’s hung to me in five years,” Kennedy said. “I didn’t want to let it pass.” Kennedy also collected his 400th career RBI. “Good. Only 600 to go for my goal. Only nine catchers have 1,000 RBIs. And (Gary) Carter will get his. That’ll be 10. Ah, I don’t know if I’ll be catching that long. Let’s not get rash here.” . . . Kennedy on the made-for-television starting time: “We have more different starting times than any bleeping team. If we didn’t have those Thursday day games, we’d be five games better.” . . . Trout’s elbow began bothering him, and Manager Jim Frey came out to talk to him after his first pitch in the fourth. “When I got out there, he says: ‘It’s bothering me.’ He was hurt, and let me know about it, which is what he should do.” Trout had missed five starts with an inflamed ulnar nerve, but unknown this injury is different. . .