PADRES 1988 : A Team With Lots to Prove : The Numbers Added Up to Last-Place Finish in 1987; New Equation Is Needed for Club to Reach, Top .500

Sixty-five games.

Say what you want about Tony Gwynn this or rookie of the year that. Talk about numbers such as .370 averages, 34-game hitting streaks and three consecutive homers to open a glorious home opener.

When discussing the 1988 Padres, only one number matters. Of the 162 games they played last season, they won 65. Sixty-five.

Basketball teams win more than 65. Most people live longer than 65. Your grandmother drives faster than 65. No matter what else happened last season to make you forget, the Padres have not forgotten. They still ended up the National League’s absolute worst team, 25 games out of first place in the National League West.

That home opener in which they set a major-league record with three consecutive homers to open a game? San Francisco ended up winning that game by seven runs. There’s your glorious.

It is from here that 1988 must start. And the road the Padres must take will be the hardest of roads. Some teams can get by on talk. Others, on the past. At this point, the Padres cannot sell either.

They must show proof. Maybe more than ever before in franchise history, that’s what the next six months will amount to. A season of proof.

Proof that nobody can be that bad. Proof that they haven’t fallen that much since 1984. Proof that this is very important to them, and you shouldn’t be laughing. The burden of this starts at the top and continues downward.

Manager Larry Bowa needs to prove that his clubhouse strategy can match the high level of his on-field strategy. In other words, he has to get through a summer without punching anybody out.

Veterans Eric Show and Garry Templeton and Tim Flannery, all in the final years of guaranteed contracts, need to prove themselves worthy of continuing their careers at salaries similar to those of their co-workers. In other words, the money is out there if they can jump at it.

Chris Brown must prove he can stay healthy. Benito Santiago must prove he can stay hot. Randy Ready must prove he can stay at second.

Andy Hawkins must prove that he can stay in San Diego. Lance McCullers must prove that it isn’t so important that Goose Gossage didn’t stay. Keith Moreland must prove that he doesn’t need Chicago. Tony Gwynn must prove that he doesn’t need spring training.

Stanley Jefferson must prove that he can exist on the same field with Bowa. John Kruk must prove that he can exist on the same field with left-handed pitchers.

Dickie Thon must prove that he can forget.

The only person who seemingly doesn’t need to prove anything is Chub Feeney, the club president, and that’s what has people worried.

Concerning all this, there are facts and theories, and although they don’t make much sense before a game is played, we will discuss them both before they all prove wrong.

First the facts: just two, both as plain as the smirk on Bowa’s face.

Fact One: If Chris Brown plays every day at third, if Randy Ready feels comfortable at second and if Stanley Jefferson matures in center field--none of those unthinkable tasks--the Padres have one of the best everyday lineups in the league.

Nobody can boast a catcher like Benito Santiago, a right fielder like Tony Gwynn, a fighter like left fielder Keith Moreland or a first baseman who can be the fourth-leading hitter in the league and still not have a shot at the cover of the media guide (John Kruk).

Last season, Bowa cried often about a lack of home-run power. This spring, after adding just Moreland, who has averaged 14 homers per big-league season, he hasn’t said a word.

A hint: He has realized that this team can both hit and run so well, especially at the same time, that it may not need a bomber.

Fact Two: Fact One will not be worth sunflower seeds unless there is marked improvement in the pitching.

Last season, the staff was 10th in the league in ERA. Tied for ninth in saves. Twelfth in allowed homers. Tenth in strikeouts. Eleventh in hit batters.

A reminder: The National League is composed of 12 teams.

The pitchers don’t just need improvement from last season . . . how about last week? The staff, which needed an impressive spring training from everyone, received it from just a few. Bowa’s only blatant generalization thus far: “The bullpen is in shambles,” he said last week.

“I don’t care who we have hitting,” he concluded. “This team is only going as far as our pitching takes us.”

And how far will that be? Privately, the Padres say they will buy champagne if they can win as many as they lose. Even though that’s 16 more victories than last year, playing .500 is a realistic goal with any pitching at all. In the questionable National League West, it should be good for as high as fourth place, maybe third.

The last time they played exactly .500 was 1983, and the year after that . . . well, let’s not get into that now. What would that prove?

The Padres say they are certain about only one thing: Even if they have to burn Atlanta, they will not finish in last place.

“No way,” pitcher Mark Grant said. “Like everybody says, it’s tough to repeat.”

Enough of the facts. Now for a few theories on what will determine the outcome of this season. The best thing about them is that they are impossible to prove.

The Hair-Raisers Theory--The Padres will be more exciting because of two players who have haircuts that, if your children came home looking like that, you would require the services of an emergency medical technician.

Mark Grant wears his blond hair spiked. And Shawn Abner--well, his sides are completely shaved and his top isn’t, and if you think it’s bad, his teammates are so upset they have imposed financial sanctions.

“We’re fining him 20 bucks for wearing it,” veteran Tim Flannery said, “and Stan Jefferson 20 bucks for cutting it like that.”

Fortunately for the Padres, both play the way they comb.

Grant, despite coach Pat Dobson’s effort to calm him down, still will be the excitable boy. He will run off the mound in pursuit of infield grounders, he will hop up and down after great outfield catches. He finished the spring strong, allowing the Angels one run in six innings this week.

Rookie Abner, after grass stains and hitting streaks and running into several walls this spring, is a Brett Butler prototype. As of this printing, he still hasn’t made the team, but either way, he will be in the big leagues within weeks.

If he sticks, he could begin the season platooning with Stanley Jefferson in center field, with a chance eventually to push Jefferson out of the position. A week ago, he had no chance to make the team. He went on a last-gasp tear of 10 hits in 18 at-bats to, in one week, put some heat on Shane Mack. That’s fast.

The Until-30-Minutes-or-Less-Do-Us-Part Theory--The Padre season may lack romance and happy endings, based on the struggles of pitcher Eric Nolte. A few nights before a big spring start, he proposed to girlfriend Torri Peterson. In his Yuma Days Inn hotel room. Over a Dominos Pizza.

“Put the ring right on the box,” said Nolte. “Ain’t that a typical jarhead Nolte maneuver?”

A few days later, he walked six in 4 innings and was banished to the bullpen. Don’t look for him to stay long, though. The Padres need a lefty in the rotation, and as soon as the kinks are worked out, he and his big-league ERA of 3.21 will be back.

The It’s-a-Dog-Eat-Deodorant-Can-World Theory--The Padres will be tougher this year because of the experiences of pitcher Greg Booker, last year’s forgotten reliever, who is coming off the spring of his life (2.14 ERA, seven strikeouts in 12 innings).

Talk about tough--just look at Booker’s left eyebrow. There’s this little white scar there. It happened when Booker was in the ninth grade.

“I was late for a sports banquet, and my older sister was in the bathroom washing her hair, so I ran in there and kicked her right in the butt,” Booker said. “I ran back to my room and dove on the bed giggling. No sooner do I roll over than here comes this deodorant can. My sister had a heck of an arm. Hit me right on my eye. Blood everywhere.”

The ending? A happy one.

“My sister was nice to me for at least the next week.”

So it is this year. The Padres are finally being nice to him, and he is kicking opponents. Or something like that.

The Ugly-Hat-With-Lures Theory--The pressure won’t get to these Padres because, if they follow the example of veteran starting pitcher Ed Whitson, the pressure won’t know where to find them.

When he isn’t throwing, Whitson has gone fishing. He proved that this spring when, on the day he was announced as the club’s opening-day starting pitcher, he was out on a Yuma lake with two friends catching 21 bass. The next morning, before going to the ballpark, he was out at 6:30 catching five more by himself.

He won’t be going out before opening night in Houston because he doesn’t fish on days he pitches. Or is it that he doesn’t pitch on days he fishes?

Either way, he ranked 10th in the league last year in fewest walks per nine inings (2.80), an incredible act of calm, considering that he didn’t win a game after July 31.

The Pitcher-With-Big-Shoulders Theory--The Padres will win some games on foresight and smarts because of the way they are handling pitcher Eric Show, starring in the summer debut of “The Man Who Is Hated by Chicago.”

Show, who nearly caused a riot in Chicago’s Wrigley Field last season when he accidentally beaned Andre Dawson, did not face the Cubs on either trip to their Mesa home this spring. On one of those days, he spent the game wearing sunglasses and a warmup jacket. The other time, he was scheduled in a “B” game at a different location.

With some quick calculating, it now appears that he won’t even have to visit Chicago during the regular season. Based on his unusual No. 3 spot in the rotation, and not counting for injuries or rotation changes at the All-Star break, Show will not be scheduled on either trip to Chicago.

If he does, look for Christmas in May or July.

“Because I’m wearing a Santa Claus suit,” said Show, who is certain that this year will be better only because it cannot get any worse.

The That-Myth-About-Lightning-Stinks Theory--The Padres will be led by a rookie, or history will fall on its face. For the previous eight seasons before Benito Santiago won National League rookie of the year last year, the winner’s team always produced a second consecutive rookie of the year the next season.

Beginning in 1979, the Dodgers had two in a row. Then two more in a row. Then the New York Mets had two in a row. Then the St. Louis Cardinals had two in a row.

And that’s just recently. An amazing four other times in the 40-year history of the award, a team won it back-to-back.

Now it’s San Diego’s turn, which means that reliever Candy Sierra, outfielder Shawn Abner or second baseman Roberto Alomar should have good things coming.

Sierra is still too unproven, and Abner might not get enough at-bats. This means the favorite must be Roberto Alomar, who hit .360 this spring.

Which presents a a slight technicality. The Padres aren’t even allowing Alomar in the big leagues yet. According to Feeney, who sent Alomar down last week, it was something about history warning against it.

The Eyes-of-Texas-Are-Two-Different-Colors Theory--The Padres will play confused because their two top players with red hair and Southern accents and roots in Dallas couldn’t be any more different if they were J.R. and Bobby.

One one side of the clubhouse will be Keith Moreland, whose field manner reminds one of the bruises found on his legs (diving) and arms (sliding).

On the other, pitcher Jimmy Jones, whose manner is so mannerly, sometimes Larry Bowa would like to impolite him in the nose.

Moreland will be a leader among position players, and Jones easily could be a leader among pitchers. Some of the club’s hopes rest with what each does with their emotions.

When worse meets worse, will Moreland be afraid to verbally trash the clubhouse? And will Jones be one of the guys who will listen?

CAREER LEADERS

BATTING AVERAGE

(300 or more games)

Tony Gwynn .335

Gene Richards .291

John Grubb .288

Dave Winfield .284

Broderick Perkins .276

GAMES

Dave Winfield 1,117

Gene Richards 939

Nate Colbert 866

Garry Templeton 858

Terry Kennedy 835

AT-BATS

Dave Winfield 3,997

Gene Richards 3,414

Garry Templeton 3,082

Nate Colbert 3,080

Terry Kennedy 2,987

RUNS

Dave Winfield 599

Gene Richards 484

Tony Gwynn 471

Nate Colbert 422

Terry Kennedy 308

HITS

Dave Winfield 1,134

Gene Richards 994

Tony Gwynn 988

Terry Kennedy 817

Nate Colbert 780

DOUBLES

Dave Winfield 179

Terry Kennedy 158

Tony Gwynn 143

Nate Colbert 130

Garry Templeton 128

TRIPLES

Gene Richards 63

Tony Gwynn 39

Dave Winfield 39

Clarence Gaston 29

HOME RUNS

Nate Colbert 163

Dave Winfield 154

Clarence Gaston 77

Terry Kennedy 76

Gene Tenace 68

RUNS BATTED IN

Dave Winfield 626

Nate Colbert 481

Terry Kennedy 424

Clarence Gaston 316

Steve Garvey 316

EXTRA-BASE HITS

Dave Winfield 372

Nate Colbert 315

Terry Kennedy 241

Tony Gwynn 216

Gene Richards 212

TOTAL BASES

Dave Winfield 1,853

Nate Colbert 1,443

Gene Richards 1,321

Tony Gwynn 1,311

Terry Kennedy 1,217

STOLEN BASES

Gene Richards 242

Alan Wiggins 171

Tony Gwynn 155

Ozzie Smith 147

Dave Winfield 133

PITCHING WINS

Randy Jones 92

Eric Show 70

Dave Dravecky 53

Clay Kirby 52

Andy Hawkins 46

SHUTOUTS

Randy Jones 18

Steve Arlin 11

Eric Show 10

Clay Kirby 7

SAVES

Rollie Fingers 108

Rich Gossage 83

Gary Lucas 49

Luis DeLeon 31

Lance McCullers 26

INNINGS PITCHED

Randy Jones 1,766

Eric Show 1,156

Clay Kirby 1,128

Dave Dravecky 900

Andy Hawkins 885

STRIKEOUTS

Clay Kirby 802

Eric Show 686

Randy Jones 677

Dave Dravecky 456

Tim Lollar 454