Week begins in Bay Area

If it wasn't for the wacky comeback on Sunday against the Dodgers, last week's six divisional games at Petco would have been a complete disaster. The Friars saw their team batting average at home continue to drop (it's now .200) as they lost five of the games and were blanked twice. Vinny Castilla is struggling the most in the unfriendly confines than any of the other regulars. After heading into San Diego's most recent homestand batting .333 average/.370 on-base percentage/.458 slugging percentage, Castilla went 3-for-27 in eight home games with only one RBI, one run and two walks against 10 strikeouts during that stretch -- with all three hits coming in one game -- to lower his batting numbers to .253/.298/.333. Castilla is now batting .178/.204/.200 (8-for-45) at home this year, compared to .367/.429/.533 (11-for-30) on the road, and in 24 career games at Petco he is batting .207/.232/.356. The good news? The Pads begin this week with four road games before returning to the "chamber of doom" for a weekend series with the Cubs, at which point Castilla owners should look for an alternative at the corner.

Pads-Giants Preview (May 1-2 at AT&T Park, San Francisco)

MON., 5/1 -- Jake Peavy, RHP (1-3, 5.17 ERA/1.28 WHIP) at SF: Jamey Wright, RHP (2-1, 3.34/1.21)

Key matchups: Brian Giles (11-for-30, 10 walks) and Castilla (2-for-6) each have a homer in their careers against Wright. Khalil Greene is 3-for-6 with two doubles and Dave Roberts is 5-for-14. ... Earlier this season vs. the Giants in San Diego, Peavy gave up only one run in seven innings, while striking out five, to get the victory. In 14 career starts against Frisco, Peavy is 7-3 with a 3.15/1.26.

TUE., 5/2 -- Woody Williams, RHP (1-1, 3.04/1.20) at SF: Matt Morris, RHP (2-1, 5.19/1.42)

Key matchups: With his rediscovered knuckleball, Williams has spun three consecutive quality starts, but had no wins to show for them (2 no decisions, 1 loss). ... Earlier this year against the Pads at Petco, Morris went 6 1/3 innings and gave up only one run, en route to the win. Adrian Gonzalez is 3-for-3 with a home run off Morris, while Giles is 10-for-26 with two doubles and two homers. Mike Cameron (6-for-12) also has gone deep off the veteran righty.

MIRABELLI BACK TO BOSTON... After strangely trading 2B Mark Loretta to the Red Sox for C Doug Mirabelli, the Friars have oddly sent the backup catcher back to Bean Town for another backup, Josh Bard, a minor league pitcher and a player to be named or cash. Evidently, Bard just wasn't cutting it as Tim Wakefield's personal knuckleball catcher (10 passed balls) in Boston, so it was real chummy of the Pads to help the Sox out, wasn't it? Especially in time for their big three-game series with the Yankees beginning tonight. Don't anticipate Bard catching when the knuckleball-throwing Williams is on the hill. That will evidently be left to Mike Piazza, who already has a difficult enough time throwing out baserunners, let alone having to try it while catching floaters.

LINEUP NOTES: BELLHORN AT FIRST FOR RESTING GONZALEZ... In an effort to bring his team out of its funk last week, manager Bruce Bochy had Mark Bellhorn at first base and batting fifth, giving Gonzalez his first day off in Sunday's finale with the Dodgers. Cameron was in the No. 2 spot, with 2B Josh Barfield hitting eighth.

Questions? Comments? Feel free to e-mail me at dmfilip@hotmail.com.