PADRES NOTES: Giles hopes to be ready after All-Star break

By DAN HAYES - Staff Writer | Sunday, July 13, 2008 8:21 PM PDT ∞

SAN DIEGO ---- Brian Giles is hopeful he will return to the Padres' lineup in St. Louis on Thursday, though he admits he's unsure.

The outfielder's hamstring strain has limited him to one appearance as a pinch-hitter since July 6. Giles said he plans to test the hamstring at Petco Park on Wednesday before the team takes its charter flight to St. Louis.

"I haven't done any running since last Saturday," Giles said. "I know it's better. The (swelling) is not as present. It got really ugly."

Manager Bud Black said the team has taken a cautious approach in hopes that Giles can remain healthy for the rest of the season. The right fielder last started on July 5.

"Hopefully this has been enough," Black said.

Giles is hitting .301 with five home runs and 30 RBIs in 319 at-bats.

 

Bell bummed

Heath Bell was decidedly upset Sunday when he learned that Chicago reliever Carlos Marmol was asked to replace Kerry Wood on the National League All-Star team.

Bell is 6-3 with a 2.15 ERA in 46 games pitched, while Marmol's ERA soared to 4.13 after he allowed five runs in the ninth inning of a win on Saturday.

But Marmol wasn't selected over Bell by a manager's decision, Black said. Marmol finished ahead of Bell in the player voting and was selected as a replacement for that reason.

"I'm more (upset) than anything," Bell said. "(Marmol) is a friend and I'm happy for him, but my numbers are way better. I'm not knocking him."

 

Iguchi tees it up

Tadahito Iguchi will hit off a tee on Wednesday as he continues to recover from a dislocated shoulder he suffered on June 5. The second baseman, who will join the Padres on their 11-game road trip after the All-Star break, is also playing catch and feeling good.

"He's coming around," Black said. "He's a few weeks away."

Iguchi, who is hitting .259, has missed the past 33 games. The Padres have had players miss 686 games because of injury this season.

Bard's schedule

Catcher Josh Bard, who is rehabilitating a high ankle sprain, played for Single-A Lake Elsinore against Rancho Cucamonga on Sunday.

The plan is for Bard to start as the Storm's designated hitter on Monday before taking Tuesday off. Bard is also scheduled to catch five innings Wednesday, when pitcher Chris Young begins his rehab assignment, before joining the Padres' Triple-A Portland club on Thursday.

Black said he wouldn't be surprised if Bard joined the Padres in Pittsburgh on July 24.

 

Short hops

Farmhand Will Inman pitched a 1-2-3 inning for the U.S. team in the All-Star Futures Game at Yankee Stadium on Sunday. ... OF Chase Headley's 434-foot home run was tied for the eighth longest in Petco Park history. ... 3B Kevin Kouzmanoff's 3-for-4 performance has his average at .274 after he hit safely in 17 of the past 21 games. Kouzmanoff is hitting .341 (28-for-82) with nine doubles, a triple, four homers and 12 RBIs during that time. He was hitting .228 at the All-Star break last year.

First name only. Comments including last names, contact addresses, e-mail addresses or phone numbers will be deleted. Attempts to misrepresent your identity or impersonate any person will not be approved. All comments are screened before they appear online, so please keep them brief. Comments reflect the views of those commenting and not necessarily those of the North County Times or its staff writers. Click here to view additional comment policies.