NewsFloyd 'feels like a new man' with Friars
San Diego (28-33) at Los Angeles (31-29), 12:35 p.m. PT
By Corey Brock / MLB.com
06/14/09 2:37 AM ET
ANAHEIM -- It probably didn't seem fair that after his first start of the season on Friday that Cliff Floyd was on the bench for Saturday's Interleague game against the Angels because a left-handed starting pitcher (Joe Saunders) was on the mound.
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But Floyd, who got his first hit in a Padres uniform during Friday's loss to the Angels, will be back in the lineup on Sunday in the final game of a three-game series in Anaheim as the designated hitter.
Floyd went 1-for-4 with a walk in five plate appearances in an 11-6 loss to the Angels. He singled sharply to right field in his first at-bat in the first inning off Angels starter Matt Palmer. Floyd grounded out to shortstop in the fifth inning, though the Angels had a shift on him, meaning his ball up the middle would have normally been a single.
"I guess they remember that I'm a pull hitter," Floyd joked.
But Floyd, who was 0-for-6 as a pinch-hitter before Friday's game, was happy with his night. He saw pitches, got a hit and, generally, felt like a regular player again.
"I felt good, I felt like a new man out there," said Floyd, who missed the first 48 games of the season, first with a shoulder strain and then fluid in the knee. "I just felt good swinging the bat."
Floyd will resume pinch-hitting duties next week when the Mariners and A's come to PETCO Park but figures to get six games as the designated hitter the following week when the Padres travel to Seattle and Texas for five road Interleague games.
"I thought he swung the bat well -- bat speed was solid -- I like the base hit on a breaking ball," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He took a walk, he's seeing the ball. I thought the bat speed was good."
Pitching matchupSD: RHP Chris Young (4-5, 4.76 ERA)
Young struggled against the Dodgers on Tuesday, tying a career-high by allowing four solo home runs. In all, the right-hander allowed five runs on six hits over five innings. He was simply hit hard as he threw just 77 pitches and walked one batter before being removed after the fifth. Young is 3-2 with a 5.50 ERA against the Angels in seven career starts. LAA: RHP Jered Weaver (6-2, 2.31 ERA)
Despite having what he considered an off night in terms of "stuff," Weaver battled through five shutout innings Tuesday against the Rays and left having allowed only two runs in six innings. The issue was fastball command, but he compensated by keeping Rays hitters off-balance with a crisp breaking ball and an effective changeup. He has won five out of his past six decisions and has allowed more than one earned run in only five of his 12 starts this season. This is Weaver's first appearance against the Padres. He is 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in five career appearances at National League ballparks. Tidbits
Injured outfielder Scott Hairston, who went on the disabled list on June 3 with a strained left biceps, has progressed in his rehabilitation to the point where he's moved to exercises for the biceps itself, said Black. "The program of resting and getting treatment is over," Black said. "He's not swinging the bat yet, but the biceps is being tested." Hairston would be eligible to come off the disabled list on Wednesday, though the team hasn't determined if he'll be ready at that point. ... Going into Saturday's game, Padres third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff was hitting .429 with 11 RBIs in his last five games. Kouzmanoff had three hits on Friday, including a two-run home run. In Interleague Play, Kouzmanoff is hitting .333. ... Adrian Gonzalez's streak of 10 consecutive games with a walk ended on Friday. ... With Saturday's loss, the Padres are 83-113 all-time in Interleague Play dating back to 1997. Tickets
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• Monday: Off-day
• Tuesday: Padres (Kevin Correia, 3-4, 4.80) vs. Mariners (Felix Hernandez, 6-3, 3.06), 7:05 p.m. PT
• Wednesday: Padres (Chad Gaudin, 2-5, 6.16) vs. Mariners (Garrett Olson, 1-1, 4.26), 7:05 p.m. PT
Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
