Phillies have to time get offense going - but not much

SAN DIEGO - Consider everything, from the 17 players who have spent time on the disabled list to Charlie Manuel's filling out 84 different lineups in 128 games to the many regulars who have endured cold streaks at some point. Then, remember this: The Phillies entered Friday only three games back of the first-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East.

"I feel very fortunate," Manuel said.

Problem is, the time for feeling fortunate is running short. After Friday, the Phillies will play 34 more games. They took that three-game deficit behind the Braves into Friday's play, and by no means does that instill fear in this group. (Does seven back with 17 to go ring a bell?)

The prevailing theme this season was, "There is time." There was time when the Phillies struggled through June and July. And certainly, there is still time. Six games remain against Atlanta in September. But given that the Phillies haven't gained ground on the Braves since Aug. 14, time can evaporate.

"Our hitting has to start coming together like it always has," Manuel said.

Manuel said he had faith in that because he has seen it before. But the fact remains that this group of Phillies has had more offensive cold streaks than any other Manuel team has had. At the start of this seven-game West Coast trip, the Phillies were held to three runs or fewer in four straight games. This season, they have had seven streaks of at least three games scoring three or fewer runs.

The 2006 team had seven streaks but none longer than three games. Earlier this season, the Phillies had a 12-game streak of scoring three or fewer runs.

"We can score runs tonight," Manuel said. "We can score runs tomorrow. We can score runs anytime. We just haven't been doing it."

On paper, Petco Park isn't exactly the best place to start something. The ballpark has a cavernous right-center field, where it is 400 feet to the fence. It is no coincidence that San Diego has the best staff ERA in the league at 3.30.

The Padres traded away their ace, Jake Peavy, last season. They've responded with dominant performances from many pitchers who were tossed away elsewhere.

"Their pitching is very impressive," Manuel said. "Their bullpen has some kind of numbers."

Then again, the Padres don't generate much offense, either. Entering Friday, San Diego had scored 23 fewer runs than the Phillies but had six more victories. The Padres' 565 runs ranked ninth in the National League and third in their own division, behind Colorado and San Francisco.

There is a difference, though, Manuel said.

"They have enough offense," he said. "They get their offense at the right time. They score when they have to. They pitch when they have to."

The Phillies are on pace to score 747 runs this season, which would be the lowest total under Manuel. (The 2002 Phillies scored 710 runs and went 80-81, the last time the franchise had a losing record.)

And yes, Manuel and his players have fallen back on the confidence from prior years. But the average age of this team is 31.9 years old, by far the oldest in the league. Los Angeles is second, with an average age of 30.3.

Manuel points to his regular lineup barely spending time together. Eventually, he said, it will jell.

"At the same time," Manuel said, "we need to get going."