And that's what the Padres will have to do this afternoon in Houston when they take on Johnson and the Houston Astros in the opener of a National League division series. The Astros already had the best offense in the league, and by adding one of the dominant pitches in baseball to their rotation, they became the favorite to win the pennant in the eyes of many. Recalling the American League division series last year between Baltimore and Seattle in which the Orioles beat Johnson twice, Padres centerfielder Steve Finley said the Padres must remember the Big Unit is human.
People make it out to be an impossible task, but that's far from the truth.
There is the matter of shutting down Houston's well-balanced attack, however. We've done it enough that we sort of expect to do it. I'm sure it's on the other teams' minds, too. Coming back against the Padres could be a tall order, however. San Diego turned baseball into an eight-inning game this season with closer Trevor Hoffman, who converted 53 of 54 save opportunities.