PEORIA, Ariz. —— It would be stretching the truth to claim that the fifth spot in the Padres' rotation cost them a division title last season. It would be accurate, however, to state that it hurt them dearly in the chase, which ended six games short of the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Six games, coincidentally, was the number lost by the three pitchers whom the team tested as its fifth starter after it unloaded Ismael Valdez at the July 31 trade deadline. Zero was the number of games won in that span by Sterling Hitchcock, Dennis Tankersley and Justin Germano, who took turns pitching miserably while registering a collective 8.15 ERA in eight starts among them.

So even though the Padres don't expect many position battles in spring training, the one to succeed the established quartet of Woody Williams, Adam Eaton, Jake Peavy and Brian Lawrence in the rotation is of particular significance to a club that hopes to break through to the playoffs this season.

"It's very important to have five established starters," Padres manager Bruce Bochy said. "As long as a guy knows he's going out there every fifth day, he's going to pitch better. We need to get a fifth guy, stay with him and give him an opportunity to develop some confidence."

New left-hander Darrell May is the clubhouse leader to fill the role, and he could use a jolt of confidence. May, whom the Padres acquired in a Nov. 8 trade that sent Tankersley and outfielder Terrence Long to the Kansas City Royals, is coming off a nightmarish season that saw him flirt with 20 losses (9-19 record), post a bloated 5.61 ERA and finish tied for second in the American League by allowing 38 home runs. Those numbers represented a steep fall for a pitcher who went 10-8 with a 3.77 ERA the previous year.

"There is no explanation," May said of his 2004 season. "It was just downright ugly."

May, 32, is a finesse pitcher who relies on cut fastballs and sliders thrown low in the strike zone to retire hitters on fly balls. Last season, those balls were flying out of the park, a development that prompted a concerned May to tinker with his mechanics. After the All-Star break, he reverted back to his original form, but by that point he was wracked with self-doubt.

"It seemed like every time I made a mistake, I was getting hammered last year," May said. "In '03, I was able to get away with stuff, but that was because I was keeping the ball down so well."

The Padres believe that they will see a May closer to the 2003 version because the spacious outfield of Petco Park will swallow many a drive that went for a home run in Kansas City. They would prefer that May win the job, too. Besides the fact that he is owed $3.15 million this year, the club likes the idea of carrying at least one starting southpaw in a division that features left-handed sluggers such as Barry Bonds, Shawn Green and Todd Helton.

Bochy has liked May since last spring, when he faced the Padres in an exhibition.

"He just dealt," said Bochy, who compared May's pitching style to that of lefties Tom Glavine and Kirk Rueter. "I think it was the fifth inning before we even got a hit."

Should May falter in spring training, a knuckleball specialist and a couple of kids are waiting in the wings. Bochy named Steve Sparks, a nonroster invitee who pitched for Arizona last season, and Germano and Tim Stauffer, both 22-year-old right-handers, as other contenders for the rotation's fifth spot.

The youngsters are eager to show their stuff. Germano was 1-2 with an 8.86 ERA in five big-league starts last year, but he excelled at Triple-A Portland and is considered to have outstanding control. Stauffer, the fourth pick in the 2003 amateur draft, breezed through three minor-league levels and is one of the organization's top prospects.

"Without a doubt in my mind I have the stuff to pitch here," Germano said.

"But I have to stay focused on the mental side and not be in awe of who I'm throwing against."

Said Stauffer: "I think they're looking for somebody to step in and be with them most of the year. If it works out to be me, that's great."

Contact staff writer Brian Hiro at b_hiro@hotmail.com.