Green strikes a steady medium in a roller-coaster week

Bill Center, longtime sportswriter for U-T San Diego, is an employee of the Padres.
When you look back on it, the last week has been a wild roller-coaster ride for the San Diego Padres.
It opened with two uncompetitive, interleague losses at Seattle that resulted in Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler publicly criticizing the ballclub he passionately co-owns.
The Padres returned to Petco Park on Wednesday and scored 14 runs on 19 hits against the same Mariners. The next night the Padres scored 13 runs on 19 hits - setting a franchise record for runs and hits in back-to-back games at Petco Park - only to blow a 10-run lead for the first time in club history to lose 16-13.
Then starting right-handed pitcher James Shields - the costliest free agent signing in franchise history - was traded to the Chicago White Sox.
Since then, the Padres have won three of four - although the loss was again on a Sunday in a series finale . . . dropping the Padres to 1-18 this season when playing the last game of a series.
Through it all, however, rookie manager Andy Green has kept a steady hand on the helm.
Examples:
--Green after his team blew that 10-run lead: "Borderline inexplicable. It's one of those games you put behind you. I promise you, I've rehashed every at-bat in my head. Offensively, we had a lot of good at-bats up and down the lineup. It got away from us."
--Green talking about the bullpen in the wakes of the 10-run blown lead and the loss of innings-eater Shields: "We'll see some role changes in the bullpen. We might also use an eight-man bullpen at times to protect arms. Some of it will take a while to evolve. (Fernando) Rodney is still closing and we have to get him the ball more often with lead. Guys that get reshuffled a bit will be back in their roles later . . . we'll get them back to where they were and off and running."
--Green talking about how his club's been tested: "We've lost four starting pitchers and four starting infielders to injuries. We've been tested all year. I am pleased to see an upbeat positive attitude in clubhouse. I like where our heads are. The return to health is a big thing right now."
--On the designated hitter: "It's still baseball. The DH makes managing a little bit easier. You don't have to worry about hitting for the pitcher. I like baseball as it is. I'm a fan of the way the National League game is played. I don't mind a reprieve from it for a game or two. But I love the National League game. I love the chess match of what to do at the bottom of the order . . . when to hit for the pitcher, I like that extra layer."
NOTES FROM THE SCOREBOOK:
Some positive hitting updates (working down from the top of the batting order:
--Center fielder Jon Jay is 13-for-29 with two doubles, three RBIs and eight runs scored in a six-game hitting streak. He is hitting .373 (22-for-59) while hitting safely in 12 of his last 13 games with a home run, seven doubles and 13 runs scored.
--First baseman Wil Myers is hitting .386 (17-for-44) over his last 12 games with three homers, four doubles, 10 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
--Right fielder Matt Kemp has two doubles and four home runs over his last 14 games with 11 RBIs and 11 runs scored.
--Infielder Yangervis Solarte is hitting .378 (17-for-45) over his last 13 games with three doubles, four homers, 11 RBIs and 10 runs scored.
--Catcher Derek Norris is 9-for-23 over his six starts with two doubles, a homer, five RBIs and four runs scored to raise his batting average from .179 to .207.
--Shortstop Alexei Ramirez is hitting .353 (12-for-34) in a season-best nine-game hitting streak. The Padres have scored 15 runs in the first innings of their six games in June. They scored 14 runs in the first innings of their 53 games in April and May.
--Left-hander Christian Friedrich won his third straight start for the Padres in Monday night's 7-2 win over the Braves. In those three straight wins, the left-hander has allowed six runs (five earned) on 18 hits and seven walks with 16 strikeouts in 18 2/3 innings for a 2.41 earned run average.
--C Austin Hedges, who had surgery April 27 to remove the fractured tip of the hamate bone in his left hand, is catching games in extended spring training and is expected to rejoin Triple-A El Paso sometime next week.
--RHP Jon Edwards, who has been on the disabled list since the start of the season with a flexor strain, will have a MRI later this week on the injury. Edwards was warming up Sunday for his second rehab assignment when he shut it down after feeling pain.