Talkin' with Tony

Just got off the phone with the newest member of the Padres, first baseman Tony Clark, who is very excited to be a member of the Padres, his hometown team (Christian High in El Cajon and, of course, San Diego State University).

Clark will get some at-bats playing first base and will give manager Bud Black something that he did not have in 2007 -- a potentially potent bat off the bench with power. Clark said he's been working in the outfield in case he's called upon to play there in a pinch. FYI, he has only played one game in the outfield in his career, and it was in 2003.

I'll have more on this in my story on the site but I'll leave you with this nugget that from Clark after I asked him about weighing option in regards to playing time versus playing for a contender.

“You always look for opportunities to play. Any player worth their weight, want to play,” Clark said. “But that being said, when you don’t have a World Series ring on your finger, you’re still looking for that championship.

“Ideally, you look for both. But in the event you can’t have both, if your prospective is in the right place, you hope that at the end of the day that if I’ve had one at-bat on the year, then I pray that one at-bat made a difference.”

Heading to Peoria on Tuesday, Corey