Padres Notebook: Petco fences could be moved in next year

By: BRIAN HIRO - Staff Writer | Saturday, July 16, 2005 10:18 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- By next season, two years after it opened, the area of Petco Park that has come to be nicknamed "Death Valley" could become a bit more forgiving.

Padres chief executive officer Sandy Alderson said in a radio interview this week that he has considered the possibility of moving in the fence in right-center field, where the distance from home plate is a daunting 411 feet.

"I don't have any preconceived ideas when it comes to the field," Alderson said Saturday. "I have an open mind. We'll take a look at it."

Padres left fielder Ryan Klesko, who has been the most vocal critic of the ballpark's dimensions, said he has heard talk that the fence ---- which angles out in right-center ---- might be evened off to reduce the distance by about 10 feet. In an amusing coincidence, Klesko hit a towering 424-foot home run into the sand pit beyond that section of the fence on Saturday night.

"If they're ever going to get hitters here as free agents, I think they know they have to move it in," said Klesko, who has hit half of his 16 homers this season at Petco. "But whether it takes five or 10 home runs away from me, I'm not really worried about it. We're more concerned with going to the playoffs. We'll deal with that when the time comes."

Right fielder Brian Giles, a left-handed slugger like Klesko, has been more affected by the configuration than his teammate, with all but one of his nine homers coming on the road.

"I'd like to see (the wall) come in," Giles said. "We'll see how far they bring it in, though."

Stand and deliver

Damian Jackson heard the snickers when he unveiled an unorthodox batting stance while playing for the Chicago Cubs' Triple-A affiliate in Iowa last season. No one is laughing anymore.

Jackson extended his hitting streak to a career-high 11 games on Saturday night, during which he is batting .429 (18-for-42). He has received 27 starts at second base while Mark Loretta has been out because of thumb surgery, but Loretta's return this week will force manager Bruce Bochy to get creative with the versatile Jackson.

"Obviously, we'll have to find a place in the lineup for him the way he's playing," Bochy said. "I'll try to get him in there as much as I can."

Former Padre Trenidad Hubbard, whom Jackson describes as his best friend in baseball, convinced a skeptical Jackson to change his stance when they were minor-league teammates last year. He points his toes toward second base rather than the Padres dugout, which leaves his hips open and helps him cover the inside part of the plate better.

"A lot of people questioned it, but I knew right away that this was something that was going to work for me, that I should stick with," Jackson said. "It was just a matter of discipline, trying to incorporate it daily. Right now I'm probably swinging the bat better than I ever have."