Who's your Padre?

Padres announced Spring Training schedule ...

2009-11-20T16:28:38Z

Here's a story I posted on Thursday night about the Padres Spring Training schedule for 2010.
For a link to the schedule itself, click here.

-- Corey Brock, Padres.com, Twitter: @FollowThePadres

The Padres announced their 2010 Spring Training schedule on Thursday, one that has them opening with a familiar foe.

The Padres will play their annual charity game against the Seattle Mariners on March 4 before officially starting the Cactus League season the following day with another game in Peoria against the Mariners.

This will be the Padres' 17th spring in Peoria.

San Diego pitchers and catchers are set to report to the Spring Training facility Feb. 18, with their first workout set for the following day.

Position players are scheduled to report on Feb. 24 with the first full-squad workout set for the following day.

The Padres will play a 32-game Spring Training schedule, with Channel 4 in San Diego schedule to televise five of those games. All Spring Training games, with the exception of the charity game, will be broadcast on XX 1090, the Padres' flagship station.

Games on Friday, Saturday and Sunday during Spring Training will be covered live in Spanish on XEMO 860 AM.

The Padres will close Spring Training with two games in California, one in Anaheim against the Angels on April 1. The following day, the Padres will face with Class A affiliate in Lake Elsinore.

The Padres open the 2010 regular season on April 5 against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix. The home opener is set for April 12 against the Atlanta Braves.

Tickets for all Padres games at the Peoria Sports Complex will go on sale on Saturday, Jan. 9, at 8 a.m. PT. Tickets may be purchased online at padres.com, via phone at 800-677-1227 or in person at the Peoria Sports Complex.

Individual game tickets are priced from $6 to $23 with discounts available for group purchases and season ticket packages. For more information, contact the Peoria Stadium Box Office at (623) 773-8720.

Padres with money to spend? ...

2009-11-19T23:47:56Z

I had lunch with new Padres general manager Jed Hoyer on Thursday and it sounds like the team will have some money to spend in free agency, even though the payroll, once again, is going to be in the $40 millions, much like it was a year ago ($43 million).

The Padres have moved some big contracts off the books in the last year -- Jake Peavy and Brian Giles -- and even though they could end up paying their arbitration-eligible players like Heath Bell, Kevin Kouzmanoff, Kevin Correia and Mike Adams in upwards of $12 million, they figure to still have money to spend.

Here's a story I wrote for Padres.com on Thursday about the team as free agency is set to start at 9 p.m. PT. today.

-- Corey Brock Padres.com, Twitter: @FollowThePadres

A Padres primer for arbitration ...

2009-11-13T16:07:56Z

It's time to turn an eye toward one of the Padres important off-season tasks: Deciding what to do with their four arbitration-eligible players: Pitchers Heath Bell, Kevin Correia, Mike Adams and third baseman Kevin Kouzmanoff.

I should rephrase that a little. The decision isn't so much what to do with these guys, as I think it's pretty obvious the team will tender each of them. But it stands to reason that several of these guys, especially Bell, Correia and Kouzmanoff, are likely in line for significant raises.

The reason you tender all of these guys, of course, is because they all factor in the future of the team. And none of the four players are going to break the bank, with Bell in line for the biggest bump.

How does arbitration work? Basically, players with three to six years of Major League service time are in their arbitration years. Once they reach six years, they can qualify for free agency.

Here's a look at the service time (years and days) of the Padres up for arbitration and what they made last season (base contract):

Mike Adams, 3 years, 19 days ($414,800)

Heath Bell, 4 years, 99 days ($1.255 million)

Kevin Correia, 5 years, 27 days ($750,000)

Kevin Kouzmanoff, 3 years, 3 days ($432,000)

I will say the Padres will probably save some money with Kouzmanoff because he didn't win the Gold Glove this week. We're not talking a lot here, but I'm sure that would have been good for a bump, even more so if the team went to arbitration with him.

Want more information on how this process works? Padres exec Paul DePodesta tackled it last year and did a far better job explaining it than I can, and, of course, it has a Padres slant.

My guess? None of these guys make it to arbitration and deals get done before the start of Spring Training. Bell might be a little sticky, but he wants to be here and is thankful for the opportunity the team has given him.

-- Corey Brock

What will the Padres do with Adrian Gonzalez?

2009-11-12T22:07:01Z

On Wednesday, San Diego first baseman Adrian Gonzalez won his second Gold Glove Award, though his conference call with reporters centered more on his future with the team more so than any 3-6-3 double play he started in 2009.

For the record, the Padres don't have to do anything with Gonzalez. He's under contract for the next two years and might be the biggest bargain in the game, as the team will pay him $4.75 million in 2010 with a club option of $5.5 million for 2011.

Yes, Gonzalez, whose value by Fangraphs for 2009 was rated as $28.4 million, which was 10th best among all position players in the game, is a immense value, which is why new Padres GM Jed Hoyer really doesn't have to do anything in regards to Gonzalez.

For now.

But Hoyer told MLB.com on Wednesday that he'll meet with Gonzalez's agent, John Boggs, sometime next week in San Diego. Both sides have said it will be more of a meet-and-greet session and anything akin to an exchanging of numbers.

But it stands to reason both sides will have at least a better idea of where the other stands after the meeting.

Are the Padres interested in extending Gonzalez? Does he want to play this current contract out and eventually become a free agent? Gonzalez said that he wants to see what the team will do this off-season to improve itself.

Gonzalez's value has never been higher and if the Padres believe they won't be able to afford him at the end of this deal or that they can't make an extension happen, will they decide to move him now, getting a package of prospects and/or Major League-ready talent that can help them contend quicker in the National League West Division?

Stay tuned. This could get interesting.

-- Corey Brock

If you've got Padres questions ...

2009-10-10T21:40:27Z

Now that we're officially in the off-season, I wanted to let you know I'll be taking your questions about the Padres and posting replies on Padres.com once a week.

Here's how the drill works:

Write me at: corey.brock@mlb.com

Put the word 'Mailbag' in the subject line.

Include a good question.

Include your first name and hometown.

It's that simple.

Corey Brock, MLB.com

The Padres: 2010, looking ahead ...

2009-10-08T16:38:34Z

As promised, a day after we bid farewell to the 2009 season -- for some of you, apparently, it was not quick enough -- let's look ahead to the 2010 season.

Now, with a new GM coming aboard, we don't know exactly how he'll handle the roster moving forward, what he'll see as needs, etc.

But we do know how outgoing GM Kevin Towers would have gone about the job. I talked to him during the final days of the regular season, and this was his, if you will, off-season wish list.

1. Right-handed hitter, preferably for center field
2. Another starting pitcher
3. Help for the bench, likely someone to backup Eckstein and Cabrera
4. Another left-handed reliever
5. Making a decision on the catching position. Retaining Blanco or finding an upgrade.

Here's a position-by-position breakdown of the Padres moving forward.

Given the Padres won't be big players in the free agent market, what would you like to see them do moving forward? Do you trade Heath Bell or Adrian Gonzalez, keep one, keep them both? What is the missing piece?

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, @FollowThePadres

The Padres: Looking back at 2009 ...

2009-10-07T15:02:27Z

Happy Wednesday everyone from Philadelphia. Getting ready for the start of the NLDS and I wanted to get caught up on some Padres things.

Here's a look at a story I wrote the other day about the 2009 season, complete with a pretty cool photo gallery and some video highlights of the past season.

One of the topics in the story addresses the defining moment of the season. There's really no right or wrong answer here. I picked the walk-off, grand slam Everth Cabrera hit against the Mets in August.

What was it for you? What was your "defining" moment from 2009?

Coming tomorrow, we'll spin things forward and talk about 2010.

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, @FollowThePadres

Kevin Towers, the gunslinger ...

2009-10-06T16:15:35Z

Sorry, it's been a busy last couple of days. In Philadelphia getting ready to help cover the NLDS.

I'll provide a few blogs during the week that will serve as talking points moving forward into the off-season.

The first regards the dismissal of longtime GM Kevin Towers.

Here's my story from a few days ago about Towers time in San Diego and the link to the story from Saturday when CEO Jeff Moorad talked to reporters about his decision not to retain Towers.

For me, KT was a dream to deal with. Always returned calls, was open, candid and helped me a lot as someone new to the beat. And, of course, he's an Oregon Ducks fan, as am I.

Here's a line from that Towers story that I thought summed things up nicely.

"If you were to define a gunslinger, you think back to throwback, old-school guy," Towers said. "... That's the way I was taught when I played [from] coaches, rival executives, scouts, players, teammates. That's the way I was taught to do it.

"When I think of a gunslinger, I think of a guy who shoots first or throws the first punch. He wins the battle. K.T. was always about winning the battle."

What are your thoughts on the decision to remove Towers as GM? As you excited about the prospect of a new GM? What do you want in a new GM?

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, @FollowThePadres

Ruining the party ...

2009-09-30T22:10:51Z

It might not matter by the time you read this, but the Padres managed to put the Dodgers NL West Division title celebration on hold with a 3-1 victory on Tuesday at PETCO Park.

I must admit, for the first time in a wild, there was some electricity at the ballpark, though some of that might have come from fans dressed in blue and white. Whatever. There was a buzz there.

The Padres continued their nice run since July 28 with the same formula that has allowed them to go 35-23 since then: Strong starting pitching, great work from the bullpen and enough offense to make it stand up.

I thought left-handed pitcher Cesar Ramos pitched well and might have earned another start in the regular-season finale on Sunday against the Giants. Better still, Ramos is a lifelong fan of the Dodgers, as you can read here in my game story.

How big a fan? The guy skipped school to go see games.

SAN DIEGO -- By his own estimation, Cesar Ramos figures he attended every Dodgers home opener from the time he was 8 to 18, which meant that a shift in plans from where he normally was supposed to be on those sun-splashed afternoons.

"Oh yeah, I would skip classes to be there," Ramos said, almost proudly. "... That was something I wouldn't miss. They [Ramos' parents] understood. They're Dodgers fans."

Anyways, what were your thoughts on Tuesday's game? Does waylaying the Dodgers for even one night mean anything to you or is seeing the Padres continue to develop their young talent what excites you the most at this point in the season?

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, @FollowThePadres, Facebook

Speed ... it shows up everywhere

2009-09-28T22:16:33Z

Last week in Denver, I sat down with Padres general manager Kevin Towers to talk about a few things, things we'll discuss here on the blog, on Twitter and I'm sure on the Facebook page in the coming weeks.

One of the things I asked Towers about was the element of speed and the upgrade in athleticism this team has over the 99-loss team of a year ago or, really, even the one that started the year in April.

I'm not just talking stolen bases here, though it's worth noting that the Padres have more than twice as many stolen bases this season (79) than a year ago (36). But the speed shows up on defense -- think Everth Cabrera ranging in the hole for a ball or Will Venable laying out for a ball -- as well as taking an extra base on a throw home, etc.

Here's a snippet from the story that can be found at Padres.com:

"To me, where speed really shows up is late in ballgames. The eighth or ninth inning and you have a guy like (Everth) Cabrera gets on," Towers said. "It can change the whole game. It's almost more dangerous than the one power hitter.

"The speed guys are less prone to the strikeout. They put the ball in play. They put a lot of pressure on the opposing team late in the ballgame."

What are your thoughts about the speed and athleticism of this team? Is this what you want to see. Is this the type of players the Padres need to have to have success at PETCO Park and beyond?

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, @FollowThePadres, Facebook

More affordable tickets in 2010 ...

2009-09-25T17:56:49Z

Here's a snippet from a story I wrote yesterday about the Padres plan for more affordable ticket options for 2010.

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, @FollowThePadres, Facebook

DENVER -- Holding true to a mantra that they want to "create affordability," the Padres announced on Thursday that a majority of their tickets for 2010 will either be reduced or remain at the pricing level they were this season.

Season tickets for next season will come at a 35 percent discount from individual tickets. As for those individual tickets, 60 percent of those that are sold will go for less than they did this season.

"We sent out a survey to our fans and conducted focus groups, and one of the things that came back consistently was that the economy has affected people," Padres COO Tom Garfinkel said before Thursday's game at Coors Field against the Rockies.

"This [new pricing plan] is a testament to our commitment to that. It allows us an opportunity to create affordability."

San Diego vice chairman and CEO Jeff Moorad made the announcement on Thursday and said in a statement: "When we closed our transaction, I said affordability was a critical goal of our ownership group," Moorad said.

"We are now providing our fans with more affordability, more options and enhanced value. We are excited about next season and inspired by the loyalty and emotional attachment of Padre fans."
The Padres begin next season on April 5 in Arizona and will play their first game at home at PETCO Park on April 12 against Atlanta.

"We proactively asked our fans what was important to them and they told us that this economy has affected everyone and affordability was a priority. We listened and we're responding," Moorad said.

"We want to do everything we can to make it easier for fans to watch what will continue to be an energetic, athletic and youthful brand of Padres baseball."

Heath Bell isn't happy about his 2009 ...

2009-09-25T00:56:30Z

I had a chance to talk to Padres closer Heath Bell the other day about his season, one that now includes 40 saves, an All-Star appearance and, since he's arbitration eligible, likely a contract for 2010 that will exceed the one he agreed to last season.

For all that, Bell isn't satisfied. He's not happy about the way he's pitched lately and he really didn't want to blow more than four saves, which is what Trevor Hoffman did last season. So far, Bell has blown six saves.

What's your take on Bell? Is he being a little hard on himself? Do you like him as the closer moving forward into 2010 and beyond or do you think the team should move him a trade during the winter?

Here's a snippet of the story:

"You've got to take the good with the bad," Bell said. "I'm trying to keep the team in the game. I've pitched two or three times in this bad spell where we have come back to win the game. That's all that matters."

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, @FollowThePadres, Facebook

What is Chase Headley's role in 2010? ...

2009-09-22T15:45:46Z

Happy Tuesday from Denver, where it's cold, like it-feels-like-I'm-back-in-Seattle cold. OK, it's 48 degrees this morning, but, apparently, three years in San Diego has spoiled me.

Anyway, the Padres arrived here late last night after a wild victory in Pittsburgh, where they took three of four games. They start a three game series today against the Rockies, who are tying to hang on to the NL Wild Card spot.

Looking at the game last night, Chase Headley had five hits, including the game-winner in the 11th inning. He's put together a very nice second half and is hitting .311/.386/.461 since the All-Star break. Walks are up, strikeouts are down. He hit .232 in the first half.

So I'm wondering about his future with the Padres, specifically, where does he end up playing next season. Will we see him again in left field, where he's gotten better defensively but still isnt' -- and this really isn't a knock on him -- the kind of defender the Padres likely want out there moving forward.

Do you think the Padres will move him in a trade? I know for certain that at least a couple of NL teams have shown interest in Headley this season. If the Padres opt to move Kouzmanoff -- I'm not convinced that's a good idea, either -- does Headley slide back to third base?

Other than Adrian Gonzalez and Kouzmanoff, Headley has had the most productive bat on the team this season. He has 45 extra-base hits, has shown, like a lot of other players, to be a much better hitter on the road than at home, can run a little (nine steals) and isn't afraid to take a walk. The downside? The strikeouts and his defense.

What do you think will happen to Headley in 2010? Is he in your starting lineup, if so, where?

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, Twitter: @FollowThePadres, Facebook

Wondering about Luis Durango ...

2009-09-21T15:03:11Z

Good morning everyone, getting ready to start another week -- and we're running out of them very quickly -- of the season. The Padres wrap up a four-game series today in Pittsburgh before they begin a three-game series in Denver on Tuesday.

I've got a question for you. What are your thoughts on speedy outfielder Luis Durango, who has, to say the least, run himself into some sort of prominence in his week or so with the team. The 23-year-old was at it again on Sunday, turning a walk into a stolen base, moving to third on an error by the catcher (trying to throw him out) and then scoring on a fly ball to left field.

Last week, of course, he had three hits, none leaving the infield, stole a base and managed to score the winning run on a ball hit to Justin Upton, who might have the best arm in baseball.

Really, it's reminded me of the way Everth Cabrera has run himself into runs this season. That kind of speed is impressive, it's rare and it can be, when used smartly, a legitimate weapon to beat teams.

Do you want to see more of Durango over these final weeks of the regular season? Would he be talking at-bats away from anyone else. I'm asking this as Kevin Kouzmanoff is set to come back and reclaim third base with Chase Headley moving back to the outfield.

I'm not entirely sure Durango is a prospect. He has, from what I've seen, one legitimate tool: His speed. He had 11 extra-base hits in 456 at-bats this season, though he's willing to take a walk (.390 on-base percentage).

Is there room on the 25-man roster for Durango next season. Let's hear your response on here and as on the Padres Facebook page.

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, @FollowThePadres, Facebook

The development of Everth Cabrera ...

2009-09-17T23:49:01Z

Happy Thursday everyone, here's a little off-day Padres reading and a question to tie you over until the team begins a four-game series in Pittsburgh.

My story, linked here, is about the development of 22-year-old Everth Cabrera, from a Rule 5 draft pick in December to the Padres everyday shortstop moving forward.

Here's a small snippet for you:

"Every general manager is asking me how we got that shortstop," Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. "Middle infielders who can run and play defense like Everth are, well, those guys are hard to find. Yes, he has exceeded our expectations."

Cabrera, a Rule 5 Draft addition from the Colorado Rockies, is hitting .263 with 23 steals in his first taste of the Major Leagues. He's probably stolen more runs than he's driven in (28), adding to his worth, especially at a premium position.

At any rate, where does Cabrera's development this season rank on your list of highlights?

What is your favorite storyline from the 2009 season? Cabrera, Mat Latos, adding young talent in two trades, avoiding 100 losses, the All-Star seasons of Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell.

Let's hear what you have to say.

Corey Brock, MLB.com, Padres.com, Twitter: @FollowThePadres