DENVER - Padres general manager Kevin Towers said he's looking for pitching, bench help and possibly an upgrade at second base as the July 31 trade deadline nears.

Towers said he's not giving up on Marcus Giles, whom he acknowledges carried the club offensively in April and May. But a prolonged slump by the second baseman, who's hitting .238 and sat out four of the past six games, is enough of a concern that Towers is monitoring the market.

"It's kind of hard getting a read on what's out there," Towers said. "We're hoping some time off will get (Giles) back to where he was. But we need to keep our eyes open."

One intriguing name making the rounds is Mark Loretta, a former Padre now with the Houston Astros. Loretta, who's hitting .301, would fit the mold of what the Padres need: He's owed less than $1 million, he has played more than a dozen games at all four infield positions, and he has had success at Petco Park.

But Loretta isn't the only familiar name to have surfaced, as the Padres reportedly have interest in San Francisco's Ryan Klesko and Oakland's Mike Piazza, both of whom were Padres in 2006.

Other second basemen who could be available include San Francisco's Ray Durham, who is owed $7.5 million in 2008, and Tampa Bay's Ty Wiggington, a free agent-to-be.

Towers said the team will pursue another late-inning reliever and starting pitcher. Only two big-name starters - Jose Contreras of the Chicago White Sox and the Giants' Matt Morris - are on the market, and both are pricey. So Towers will likely look to the Triple-A level for a starter to give the club depth.

"There's no specific area," Towers said. "We're trying to improve our club, even if it means adding to the Triple-A club to give us some internal options."

Hampson back again

Justin Hampson needs only a few more trips between the big-league club and Triple-A Portland to be eligible for a set of steak knives.

The left-hander, who has a 2.30 ERA in 27 1/3 innings, was recalled for the third time this season to rest a weary bullpen that has averaged more than three innings pitched in the first 10 games after the All-Star break. Reliever Royce Ring was optioned to make room for Hampson.

"Our bullpen is so strong, it came down to a numbers thing," Hampson said of being sent down July 7. "It's like a roller coaster all season. But I'm happy to be back."

Another new lineup

Manager Bud Black's Monday lineup, which featured left fielder Milton Bradley hitting third, was the team's 75th different batting order in 98 games.

"(Milton's) been swinging the bat as well as anybody," Black said. "We're just tweaking it a little to see how it looks."

Et cetera

RHP Greg Maddux's steal of second base was the Padres' second this season by a pitcher and the 10th of the veteran's career. Maddux's last steal came on Sept. 30, 2006 for the Dodgers against San Francisco. … The Rockies held a moment of silence before the game for minor league coach Mike Coolbaugh, a Rockies farmhand in 1998, who was killed Sunday night after getting struck by a line drive.