Richards, bullpen provide sneak preview

SAN DIEGO -- With an unprecedented 60-game season on the horizon, now is probably a good time to begin recalibrating your nightly expectations for Padres starting pitchers.

For instance, Garrett Richards was sharp over 4 2/3 innings Monday night in the Padres’ 1-0 exhibition loss to the Angels at Petco Park. He didn’t pitch long enough to qualify for a win. But in a regular-season game, his performance would’ve probably been perfectly adequate -- considering the depth of the Padres' bullpen and the added urgency on every game.

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“That’s certainly possible,” said rookie Padres manager Jayce Tingler. “The main objective tonight was to get Garrett up and down five times. … I do think the plan each and every night is to have some options and be able to use our bullpen guys, for sure.”

It's pointless to dissect Tingler’s pitching strategy from an exhibition game in which he mapped out his relievers beforehand. But it also shouldn’t surprise anyone if Tingler asks his starting pitcher to chew up four-plus innings, before mixing and matching the rest of the way with his bullpen. That’s especially true given that teams will open with 30 players on the roster this year, and the Padres might carry as many as 10 relievers on Opening Day.

Richards allowed just an unearned run while striking out five Angels on Monday night. He was hit hard by his close friend Mike Trout, who walked, doubled and lined sharply to third base. But Trout is the consensus best player in baseball. He hits everybody hard. Richards was otherwise extremely sharp.

“It's definitely all coming together right now, so I feel like I'm in a good place,” Richards said.

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Nonetheless, with men on the corners and two outs in the fifth inning, Tingler called on lefty reliever Matt Strahm to face the lefty-hitting Tommy La Stella, who popped harmlessly to third base. What followed was a glimpse at all the bullpen weapons Tingler has at his disposal. Craig Stammen, Emilio Pagán, Drew Pomeranz and Kirby Yates all pitched scoreless relief.

“The biggest thing is just understanding that you can literally be used at any point in the game,” Pagán said last week. “You've got to take your routine that you've done to get ready for a certain inning throughout your career and kind of form it into something completely new altogether.”

On paper, the Padres have one of the best bullpens in baseball. Why wouldn’t Tingler use it?

Bonus baseball
The Padres and Angels combined for only an unearned run over the first nine frames Monday night. But when the game had technically ended, the two sides kept playing in an effort to get a feel for the new extra-innings rule in which an automatic runner starts each inning at second base.

The rule -- as it is intended to -- sparked quite a bit of offense. The Angels plated two runs against Padres right-hander Javy Guerra (though only one was earned, because Guerra’s inherited runner does not count against his line). The Padres scored a run in the bottom half of the frame and had the bases loaded when the inning was cut short because Keynan Middleton had reached his pitch count.

The two teams played the top half of the 11th inning, as well, but Pierce Johnson’s frame also came to an early end because of pitch count, though he didn’t allow a runner to score.

New position, same Manny
Last week, Tingler indicated he'd be active in trying to get the most out of Manny Machado's elite glove -- even if it means exposing the veteran third baseman to some new defensive positioning.

Against certain left-handed hitters Monday night, Tingler stationed Machado in short right field as part of the team's shift. It paid off on one occasion as Machado ranged to his left to rob Matt Thaiss of what appeared to be a clean single. Machado fielded, spun, and threw to a retreating Eric Hosmer at first base.

Machado almost never played on the right side of the second-base bag last season. But the Padres' thinking behind shifting him is simple. He's arguably their best defender, so why not put him into a spot where he's more likely to field the ball?

“We’d been doing it in Spring Training out in Arizona a little bit just with the idea that Manny’s pretty sure-handed with the glove,” Tingler said. “At times, we’re going to put Manny where we think a high percentage of ground balls are going. We think it’s good to move him around and stay athletic. That’s all it is.”

Quotable
“He's watched all of my games from center field, so I don't think anyone's had a better look at what I bring to the table than him. ... He didn't hit a homer off me, I guess that's a win for me. But it just shows how good a hitter he is when you're facing him. I made some pretty good pitches tonight, and he hit the ball hard.” -- Richards, on facing Trout

Worth noting
• Richards was asked how it felt to make a start in an empty ballpark: “From the baseball aspect, it was completely normal,” he said. “You definitely don't feel the highest adrenaline rush possible -- I'll say that. But just getting out there and competing, facing another team other than your own team elevates you a little more as well. ... I didn't find a struggle trying to get ready for the game. But I will say, it's definitely not the energy we're used to.”

• For much of Spring Training, Tingler seemed poised to bat Fernando Tatis Jr. leadoff, followed by Tommy Pham and Machado. On Monday, however, Trent Grisham started in the No. 2 spot with Pham hitting fourth. Tingler seemed to indicate that that’s a possibility against right-handed pitching. The lefty-hitting Grisham has shown a penchant for reaching base. But Tingler added that the team is still experimenting with its lineup options.

• Richards found himself in a first-inning jam, but he got some help from his batterymate. With Trout attempting to steal third base, catcher Austin Hedges delivered a perfect strike to Machado to nail Trout by several feet.