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Brewers-Padres Preview

Jul 31, 2009 - 8:50 PM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Milwaukee (51-51) at San Diego (41-62), 10:05 p.m. EDT

With the San Diego Padres well out of contention, the team's first three-game winning streak in more than two months may not be enough to entice a big crowd to Petco Park for a three-game set with the Milwaukee Brewers.

The possibility of the Padres trailing a close game in the ninth inning, though, just might.

All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman returns to San Diego on Friday night for the first time since leaving his longtime home as the Brewers begin a critical nine-game road trip.

Hoffman lacks the dominant fastball that many of baseball's top closers have had in their arsenals, but that hasn't kept the 41-year-old from notching 577 career saves in his 16 major league seasons.

Through 2008, all but two of his 554 saves came with San Diego (41-62), where Hoffman was a six-time All-Star, thrilling fans as he entered from the bullpen to the tune of AC/DC's "Hells Bells."

As he looked to extend his career last offseason, though, San Diego and its record-setting pitcher parted ways. Hoffman signed a one-year, $6 million deal with Milwaukee after the Padres took a $4 million offer off the table.

Hoffman has looked like his old self with the Brewers (51-51) after posting a 3.77 ERA - his highest since 1995 - in his final season with the Padres. He has a 1.80 ERA in 31 games with Milwaukee, has converted 23 of 25 save opportunities and made his seventh All-Star team earlier this month.

"I've been happy with the consistency that I've been able to bring," Hoffman said. "I just have to stay in the moment."

With the Brewers in contention in the crowded NL Central and wild card races, Hoffman claims to see the trip to San Diego as nothing more than a chance for three wins - and possibly three saves.

"It's a business trip, it's a normal road trip, I'm just going to go home," he said. "So, obviously it's the first time for a lot of stuff right now, but I'm looking forward to being on the other side."

Prior to Friday's trading deadline, the Padres dealt ace Jake Peavy to the Chicago White Sox for four young pitchers - Clayton Richard, Aaron Poreda, Dexter Carter and Adam Russell. Peavy, who won the 2007 NL Cy Young Award after going 19-6 with a 2.54 ERA and 240 strikeouts, has been out since June 13 with a strained tendon in his right ankle.

San Diego had baseball's worst offense in Hoffman's last season (3.93 runs per game), and has been even worse (3.69) in 2009. The Padres, though, totaled 17 runs in winning the final three games of a four-game set in Cincinnati this week.

Will Venable, who had just five RBIs in 38 games before Thursday, drove in four on four hits in a 7-4 series-ending win.

"He has a ton of ability and upside," manager Bud Black said. "He played four years in college at Princeton, and he's just got to keep playing. He'll get plenty of chances."

San Diego hadn't won three straight since a 10-game streak May 15-25.

The Brewers, meanwhile, had to scramble to avoid losing three of four to the only team in the NL worse than the Padres. Yovani Gallardo struck out 11 over seven innings Thursday as Milwaukee salvaged a split with Washington by winning 7-3.

Beyond Gallardo, though, the Brewers' starters are 24-30 with a 5.72 ERA. To make matters worse, Jeff Suppan was placed on the disabled list Thursday with a strained oblique.

"We'll patch it together," manager Ken Macha said. "It will be a challenge for us."

Braden Looper (9-5, 4.79 ERA) will start the series opener hoping to bounce back from his first loss in eight starts. The right-hander allowed five runs, seven hits and four walks over six innings Sunday in a 10-2 defeat to Atlanta.

Looper is 3-0 with a 3.48 ERA in four career starts against the Padres. First baseman Adrian Gonzalez, though, is 6 for 12 with two homers off him.

Right-hander Chad Gaudin (4-9, 4.57) will get the ball for San Diego seeking his first win since June 28. He has a 3.64 ERA in five starts since then, but an 0-3 record due largely to a paltry 1.82 run support average in that span. Gaudin gave up a run over five innings Sunday at Washington, but didn't factor in the decision in the Padres' 3-2, 10-inning loss.

Gaudin is 1-0 with a 4.91 ERA in four career relief appearances against the Brewers.