Try this. Stand on one leg for approximately five months. Then midway through the fifth month, have someone smash the big toe (or second toe) of the leg still holding you up. Seem difficult? I’m not done. Now call on some of the strongest bullies in your neighborhood to take some swings at you while offering a coveted reward to whoever can knock you down. How long do you think you could last?

For the San Diego Padres they’re hoping they can last another month and a half if they plan to succeed in the postseason. For some months San Diego has been relying almost entirely on their stellar pitching staff as the offense has been struggling to keep their foot planted on the ground. Now, with the injury to pitcher Chris Young, this task has gotten that much more difficult.

The good news is that the month of August has proven that there might be some bats in the lineup yet. Surprisingly, the Friars are averaging 5.15 runs per game in the month compared to 4.42, 4.03, 4.76, and 3.69 for the four previous months. If they continue this trend throughout the month they will score nearly 150 runs, 26 more than their one-month high from June.

Unfortunately they still trail the Diamondbacks for the division title and are neck and neck with the Phillies for the wild card. Many are looking at the upcoming series with these two teams as the critical turn for the Padres. Yet manager Buddy Black sees things a bit differently.

“Every series we play we feel is important,” said Black, “whether it’s April or whether it’s late August…We’re getting to the point where we know what’s ahead of us… We’re going to win by playing sound, not making mistakes. If we lose it isn’t because the other team beat us but because we beat ourselves. That’s the overriding theme that I’m going to deliver here as we move through August and into September.”

That’s the kind of attitude the team needs to exude. With the possibility of standing on two legs for the remainder of the season, San Diego must trust in the players they have right now and use the month of August as an example of what this offense is capable of.

“We’re not getting down,” said outfielder Milton Bradley. “We don’t read the paper. This is the time when outside influences coming in bring negativity and a lot of different stuff. (We) really need to bind together as a team.”

It is important to note here that the word “bind” is an active verb, meaning these players have to actively connect with one another for support and advice. In Bradley’s case, he has taken the golden opportunity to connect with future Hall-of-Famer Greg Maddux and has gleaned some valuable insight that the rest of the team should adhere to.

“I’ve been around Maddux a lot,” said Bradley. “When I shag (balls) in the outfield, I stand next to him; when I sit on the bench, I sit next to him; when I play cards on the plane, I sit next to him. I’m soaking up as much as I can.

“He really does his homework. He always says, ‘Don’t underestimate your opponent.’ Whether he’s pitching to the pitcher or the number four hitter, he’s got the same intensity, the same focus. He’s instilled that in me a little bit. You think you’ve got a pitcher that you should get some hits off of and you don’t and you didn’t really do your homework then it’s your own fault. So I study the sheet on everybody and watch the video and do all I can (to prepare for the game).”