PITTSBURGH _ Chris Paddack leaned against the railing in the visitor's dugout at an empty PNC Park early Friday afternoon, taking in the sights and smells every ballpark offers and the spectacular view of downtown that this one does.
He has done so in every ballpark he has visited this season, his first in the major leagues.
Friday was different.
He had spent 10 days, mostly holed up first at a hotel in Rancho Cucamonga and then in his San Diego apartment after being optioned to Single-A on June 12.
"It was 10 days that felt like a month," said Paddack, who will be officially recalled and start against the Pirates on Saturday.
The Padres told Paddack before the season it was likely he would spend some time in the minors as they limited his workload this season. He threw just 90 innings between Single-A and Double-A last season, his first back from Tommy John surgery. He is already at 65 2/3 innings this year.
"That's where a lot of people don't understand the business side of baseball," Paddack said with a smile. "(The Padres) are looking out for my future, looking out for my career. I respect they did it now. I was having a little rough patch. I got back to myself. It's good to be back to be part of the guys again."
The Padres won six of Paddack's first seven starts as he posted the lowest ERA (1.55) and WHIP (0.68) among all qualifying major league starters. They lost four of his past five, as he posted a 5.76 ERA and 1.32 WHIP.
His change-up, which had so baffled hitters at first was now being struck more, while he also wasn't throwing it where he wanted quite as much. He did not pitch in a Single-A game but worked in two bullpen sessions with Lake Elsinore Storm pitching coach Pete Zamora.
"I got back to myself _ mentally, physically," Paddack said. "Got to work on my change-up a little bit. It was more arm speed than anything, slowing up a little bit. Good hitters, good video guys are going to pick that stuff out. I just reminded myself who I am, what got me here."
Paddack's time down coincided with the Storm being in Rancho Cucamonga for four days and then the Single-A All-Star break. So that he didn't have to ride the team bus back and forth from Lake Elsinore, the Padres put him up at a hotel next to the ballpark in Rancho Cucamonga. After that, he returned to San Diego and worked out at Petco Park in the mornings, leaving before most players arrived.
"It was tough being away from the guys, but it was a good thing," he said. "Took a little breather, was able to get back within myself."
