Padres Notebook: Defensive lapses bother Bochy most
By: JOHN MAFFEI - Staff Writer | ∞
SAN DIEGO ---- Two days after poor play prompted him to call a team meeting, Padres manager Bruce Bochy still was not a happy camper Friday.
Bochy is especially unhappy with his team's defensive play.
The Padres entered Friday with 18 errors, the most in the National League, and had a fielding percentage of .978, worst in the NL.
"Every game, I expect us to play major-league baseball," Bochy said. "We didn't make these kind of mistakes last year. We played bad baseball on that last road trip.
"Offensively, we're starting to come out of it. I know the defense will get tighter. We haven't caught the ball as well as last year."
Asked if the defensive lapses were chronic, Bochy said: "It depends on the time it consumes. A half-season of this would be chronic. It's not chronic in April. The mistakes we're making are magnified because we're playing in our division, but a nice winning streak would solve everything.
"Arizona was with us a week ago, but they reeled off six wins in a row and are in first place now. Obviously, we're not off to a hot start, but we will find our game. I guarantee you, in September the NL West will be a tight race."
Injury update
Short hops
Tennis star Anna Kournikova, representing the Boys & Girls Clubs of America, threw out the first pitch Friday. OF Brian Giles served as the catcher, and he gave Kournikova a big hug and kiss after the pitch. ... Gary Wilson, principal at Torrey Pines High, delivered a nice rendition of the national anthem before the game as 1,200 students and faculty from the school looked on.
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