Venable has eyes on the prize

Outfielder sees doc after girlfriend, team notice day-night splits

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By Corey Brock / MLB.com

06/26/10 7:16 PM EST

• Hairston Jr. gets extra hacks in Friday
• No real answers for road success
• Leitner recalls pair of 2001 no-hitters

MIAMI -- Not long after the end of last season, Will Venable's girlfriend, Kathryn, had a simple observation that got the Padres outfielder thinking.

"She said that I might want to ask someone about my [day-night] splits ... because they were so drastic," Venable said.

Venable hit .385 in day games with a .667 slugging percentage in 2009, but .209 in night games with a .358 slugging percentage.

Venable intended to see an ophthalmologist, but Spring Training rolled around and he never got the chance.

When that drastic split began to play out again this season, Venable decided to see an ophthalmologist, this time at the urging of the team.

Venable found out he didn't have "anything wrong with my eyes" though he was fitted for a pair of glasses to wear occasionally to help strengthen his eyes. Venable said that he's also doing eye exercises, as well.

He's been wearing the glasses off and on for the past month, too soon, he said, to know if they're really helping him.

That said, in his last six games, Venable is hitting .350 with three home runs, including a two-run shot in Friday's 3-0 victory over the Marlins. He's also knocked in 10 runs over that span.

This season, Venable is hitting .303 in day games with a .545 slugging percentage. But in night games -- and the Padres, like every other team in baseball, play more night games -- he's hitting .213 with a .353 slugging percentage.

Hairston Jr. gets extra hacks in Friday

MIAMI -- Shortly after the end of the Padres' 3-0 victory over the Marlins on Friday, players scattered in different directions -- some to the training room, some for dinner, others mostly likely for the air-conditioned comfort of the team hotel.

San Diego second baseman Jerry Hairston Jr. was in no hurry to leave Sun Life Stadium. In fact, Hairston grabbed a bag of baseballs and a bat and headed to the hitting cage near the visiting clubhouse.

Alone.

Hairston, who went 0-for-4 with a strikeout in the game, wanted to work on a few things regarding his swing, and he remembered a lesson his father, former Major League outfielder Jerry Hairston, told him.

"I learned a long time ago from my dad that you never leave the stadium angry," Hariston said. "It could take two minutes, five minutes or 30 minutes, but you always want to leave on a positive note."

Hairston hit balls off a batting tee, picked them up and started over again while the rest of his teammates prepared to leave the ballpark.

"What happened was I put myself in a good position to hit, and I just didn't get on top of a couple of balls," Hairston said. "He [Marlins pitcher Chris Volstad] threw a good game. I just wanted to stay on top of a couple of things and I wanted to correct them."

No real answers for road success

MIAMI -- The Padres' 3-0 victory over the Marlins on Friday marked their 20th victory on the road this season.

A year ago, the Friars didn't win their 20th road game until Aug. 25 when they topped the Braves in Atlanta.

So, naturally, San Diego manager Bud Black must have a reasonable explanation for this.

Right?

"Pitching and defense," Black said, citing what essentially have been the calling cards of the team this season. "I think we pitch well no matter where we play. Our offense picks up a little bit [on the road]."

Actually, the Padres are hitting better at home at spacious PETCO Park (.255) than the road (.235). San Diego has a 2.80 ERA in 39 home games, and a 3.36 ERA away from home.

Leitner recalls pair of 2001 no-hitters

MIAMI -- When the Rays were no-hit Friday by the D-backs' Edwin Jackson, it marked the first time since 2001 that a team was no-hit twice in the same season.

That team? The 2001 Padres, who finished 73-89 and were famous -- or infamous -- for being no-hit by A.J. Burnett of the Marlins and later Bud Smith of the Cardinals.

Longtime Padres radio broadcaster Ted Leitner said he remembers the night Burnett walked nine in a game on May 12, 2001, at Qualcomm Stadium.

"I remember the Burnett no-hitter because of all the walks," Leitner said. "How bizarre. Who throws a no-hitter with nine walks? It's exciting, but it's not something where you're going to be ranting and raving since we lost."

The second no-hitter also occurred at Qualcomm Stadium -- the Padres moved to PETCO Park in 2004 -- when Smith defeated the Friars on Sept. 3 of that season.

Corey Brock is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

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