Searching for hits, Headley gets breather

CLEVELAND -- Struggling third baseman Chase Headley got a rare start off on Wednesday -- well, sort of.

Headley, who had three hits in his first 28 at-bats this season, didn't start the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Indians. Alexi Amarista got the start at third base instead.

Headley was expected to be in the lineup for the second game.

"It's been frustrating, obviously. You want to get off to a fast start and help the team win," Headley said. "But it's approximately 30 at-bats. I'm just not hitting the pitches I need to hit."

The Padres had a season-high in runs (six) and hits (15) in Tuesday's 8-6 loss to the Indians, but Headley went 0-for-5.

"When I look at the at-bats and swings [on video] … it's not far off," he said.

While Headley is never big on taking days off, he didn't mind so much getting a break in the first game on Wednesday. After Thursday's off-day, the Padres play 20 games in 20 days before their next day off on May 1. Headley also indicated that he's had some soreness in his left knee of late, the same knee he had surgery on in October to repair a torn meniscus.

"Doubleheaders are tough. … So it's nice to get one [start off] and I'll try to use it to my advantage this morning," Headley said.

Black has a much deeper history with Headley than he does any other player on the 25-man roster, as Headley made his Major League debut in 2007, Black's first season. The conversations that he has with Headley are different than the ones that hitting coach Phil Plantier has, as those talks are surely more technical in terms of hitting.

"We talk about his approach, how he's seeing the ball, his defense," Black said. "I worry about all of my players. Do I worry about some more than others? Yes. Do I worry about him more than others? No."