Who's your Padre?

Manny Ramirez at PETCO Park ...

2009-07-04T01:24:00Z

It was during his daily gathering with the media Friday when Padres manager Bud Black was asked about what many anticipated would be a pro-Los Angeles Dodgers crowd and, to some degree, a pro-Manny Ramirez crowd, at PETCO Park.

"This is a home game for the San Diego Padres," Black said.

It was difficult to tell as much in the final hours leading up to Friday's game between the home team, the Padres, and the Dodgers, who cordially welcomed Ramirez back to their lineup after his 50-game suspension.

Three hours before game time, Ramirez spoke with reporters in an interview room, and out from under sunglasses, proclaimed: "It's Showtime."

It sure was. The mood at PETCO Park was decidedly different. It was almost festive and not just because of the Padres annual postgame fireworks show, which is also a big hit in these parts but because of Ramirez.

It almost felt like the postseason here, with all the cameras pointing in the direction of the Dodgers' dugout and then all of them trained on Ramirez during batting practice, getting shots of each and every swing he took.

That teammate Andre Ethier launched several pitches into orbit, over the right field fence didn't draw nearly as much attention as Ramirez rolling over on an outside pitch, sending it weakly toward where the second baseman stands during a game.

Seriously, Tommy Lasorda could have been marching around in his birthday suit and no one would have noticed. Well, other than security.

At 5:31 p.m., a procession of police officers, each wearing a fluorescent yellow bid, made their way onto the field, marching down the third base line toward the outfield where they were met by several red-jacketed security employees.

While the field was busting with photographers and onlookers - really, the scene looked more like a postseason game than a regular-season affair featuring a team [Padres] that's 10 games under .500 - the press box was just as busy.

The media lunchroom was turned into a workroom. The New York Times, USA Today, Boston Globe and the Asahi Shimbum are all here. Did we mention that the Dodgers pitcher, Hiroki Kuroda, gets the start? Hence the Japanese media.

Outside, fans lined up early to make their way into the stadium, many wearing Dodgers shirt, Ramirez jerseys and even a few of those deadlocked wigs that have now become commonplace at Chavez Ravine. There were signs, most in favor of Ramirez's return.

Fans pushed themselves up against the visiting dugout to get a peek at Ramirez. Many more gathered near the side of the dugout during batting practice. They wanted to get autographs, a batting glove maybe, anything.

If is a Padres home game it sure doesn't feel like it. And the game hasn't started yet.

-- Corey Brock, MLB.com, http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres

Interviews about ... bees?

2009-07-03T02:37:25Z

Crazy day here at PETCO Park, I'll let my story on the 52-minute bee delay cover it as well as the videos below with Padres left fielder Kyle Blanks and head groundskeeper Luke Yoder.

EnjoyI Corey Brock, MLB.com, http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres

The latest on Jake Peavy ...

2009-07-01T03:32:11Z

Happy Tuesday from PETCO Park. Got a few story links for you from what's shaping up to be a busy day at the ballpark.

First, as always, check into http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres for the latest on Padres news you can't get anywhere else.

As for today, here's the latest on pitcher Jake Peavy. He was looked at today by the medical staff.

Also, pitcher Shawn Hill is done for the year and, possibly, parts of next season after having Tommy John surgery on his right elbow last week.

First baseman Adrian Gonzalez injured his right knee in Tuesday's game. The team is calling it a strained right knee. He'll be looked at again on Wednesday where we will likely get a time line on how much time he will miss, if any.

Also (again) former Arizona manager Bob Melvin will be joining the Padres, possibly as early as Wednesday. Stay tuned. He'll likely be an adviser to GM Kevin Towers.

Cheers, Corey Brock
Check us out on Twitter and at Padres.com

Padres: Updates on Peavy and Blanks ...

2009-06-30T03:23:39Z

Thanks for following the Padres here and at http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres, your one stop for Padres news, notes and everything else. Thanks, Corey

Have a look at our story on Jake Peavy, who will have his ankle looked at on Tuesday for the first time since going on the disabled list on June 13. We'll know more Tuesday afternoon before the Padres face the Houston Astros.

Also, just because Interleague play has ended does not mean we won't see any more of Kyle Blanks, as the Padres will look for ways to get his bat in their lineup, especially when facing left-handed pitchers.

Finally, you will be able to watch the Padres on live in-market online viewing, thanks to an agreement between MLBAM and Cox.

Cheers, Corey

http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres

About that Padres pitching staff ...

2009-06-27T21:21:51Z

A reminder, to stay on top of all the latest Padres news, check out http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres. Thanks, Corey

Now, about that pitching ...

It's been a rough go of it for the Padres starting pitchers, namely Wade LeBlanc and Walter Silva who have combined to allowed 12 runs on 12 hits while getting only 11 outs the last two games.

No, that's not going to cut it. You already saw LeBlanc dispatched to Triple-A Portland after his start on Thursday against Seattle. Silva gets a little more rope, if for no other reason than these Padres have no one else to call on.

Well, other than prospect Mat Latos, who, as we've discussed before, will probably be here in San Diego at some point this season. But at this rate, we might see Latos sooner than later.

The Padres are 6-16 in June and have a 5.78 ERA. They're 10 games under .500. To stay that they're missing Jake Peavy and Chris Young would be a tremendous understatement. To stay alive in baseball, to stay near .500, to have any kind of success, you need starting pitching.

The Padres simply aren't getting enough of it.

So where to turn?

In the short term, I expect Josh Banks to get the start Tuesday against the Astros where LeBlanc would have taken his turn. Beyond that? There's no immediate help in Portland as Matt Buschmann has a 6.48 ERA, Cesar Ramos is on the disabled list and Will Inman has struggled since a promotion from Double-A San Antonio.

Cesar Carrillo has a 5.13 ERA in San Antonio and Stephen Faris has a 4.97 ERA and has lost nine games. Latos? He's 4-1 with a 1.89 ERA. Like I said before, his success coupled
with the ineffectiveness of guys like LeBlanc and Silva might push his timetable.

So what's the next move? Brian Lawrence, Mike O'Connor? Or, how about promoting Latos and casting aside workload concerns? Promote him after the break, carefully monitor his innings and shut him down at, say, 120 innings.

Does that work for anyone else?

Cheers, Corey Brock
MLB.com
http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres

Kyle Blanks, on his way to PETCO Park ...

2009-06-19T16:31:38Z

Here's the story I've been working on since early this morning (two cups of coffee in already) on top prospect Kyle Blanks, who will be at PETCO Park tonight for the start of a three-game set against the Oakland A's.

We'll have the story up at Padres.com in a bit, but here's a sneak preview. As always, stop by the our Twitter for all the latest Padres news. http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres

SAN DIEGO - Kyle Blanks, considered the Padres top prospect, is on his way to PETCO Park.

Blanks, a first baseman and outfielder with Triple-A Portland, is expected to have his contract purchased by the Padres on Friday when he will be added to the 40-man roster.

The left-handed heavy Padres open a three-game series against the Oakland A's on Friday and will be facing three left-handed starting pitchers in the series. The Padres are hitting .215 as a team against left-handers this season.

Blanks, the Padres 2008 Minor League Player of the Year and Texas League Player of the Year, is a right-handed hitter and was hitting .283 with 12 home runs and 38 RBIs for Portland.

Blanks, in his first season at the Triple-A level, has a .393 on-base percentage and is hitting .370 in June. He hit his 12th home run of the season on Thursday for the Beavers.

Blanks has mostly played first base this season but has made 15 starts in left field. The decision to have him take fly balls in the outfield in Portland was made late in Spring Training as Kevin Towers, the general manager of the Padres, wanted to see if Blanks took to the position after he arrived in Portland.

All-Star and Gold Glove winner Adrian Gonzalez currently plays first base for the Padres and Towers has said he's not on the trading block.

The move wasn't unlike the one Chase Headley made a year ago, when the third baseman was moved to the outfield. Headley, though, had the benefit of Spring Training in 2008 to learn the position before he was recalled from Portland by the Padres in June.

Several current members of the Padres who have played with Blanks this season say that the 6-foot-6, 285 pound Blanks held his own in the outfield, broke well on balls, both in front of him and behind him. Many said Blanks athleticism made learning a new position easier.

Scoring runs has been a struggle for the Padres of late, scoring one run over 29 innings during a stretch that ended on Wednesday.

It's not time for Mat Latos ... not yet

2009-06-18T00:35:07Z

I just talked to Padres general manager Kevin Towers who told me that 21-year-old top prospect, right-handed pitcher Mat Latos, won't be recalled from Double-A San Antonio to fill a spot in the starting rotation.

The Padres had given the promotion of Latos some consideration recently, though, ultimately, have decided against such a move because of workload considerations -- not because they're worried about how he'll handle such a leap.

"He's on our radar ... he's making it tough," Towers said before Wednesday's game against the Mariners at PETCO Park. "I just think he's still inexperienced. He's never thrown more than 55 innings [in one season]. Even though he's flat-dominated, if we bring him up, he would could end with 150 or so innings. That's more than triple what he's used to."

Latos is a combined 6-1 with a 0.84 ERA between Class A Fort Wayne and Double-A San Antonio. The Padres allowed him to skip over advanced Class A Lake Elsinore. They keep pushing him and Latos keeps producing.

Latos is 3-1 with a 1.29 ERA in five starts. He has 34 strikeouts and 28 innings and eight walks. He struck out 12 in his last start with no walks.

Don't get the wrong idea here, Latos is coming, though it will likely be August or possibly September before you see him. Latos has already pitched 53 1/3 innings this season. His career-best is 56 innings between three stops a year ago.

"To me, a good barometer is to no more than double the innings," Towers said.

That means Latos has about 50 more innings left in him. Where those will be spread, with San Antonio or San Diego, will be decided soon enough. It just won't start this weekend, as the Padres will go with Wade LeBlanc on Friday against Oakland and Walter Silva Saturday.

What are your thoughts? Let Latos get more seasoning or bring him up now to learn on the run?

Cheers, Corey Brock
MLB.com
Padres.com
http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres

Your Monday must-reads ... Seattle edition

2009-06-16T14:40:16Z

Hey, the Mariners are in town, which takes me back to my Seattle roots, where I used to cover the Mariners for MLB.com and worked at the News Tribune in Tacoma, going way back. I've got several links for your perusal this morning.

First of all, a reminder to everyone that our following is growing by the day at http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres. Especially for the Facebook friends of the San Diego Padres, check in for your best source for the latest Padres news, notes and insights.

OK, to the links. Here's a few I posted over at http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres earlier today.

Preview of today's game. http://tinyurl.com/mjcezt. Note in there on Kouzmanoff cutting down his swing. Got to love fangraphs! (O-swing %).

Padres Minors: Story on LHP Nick Schmidt, a year after TJS. http://tinyurl.com/l96ydx. A recap of Mat Latos outing. http://tinyurl.com/lmyvat Maybe we'll see Latos on Saturday? Stay tuned.

My intern Amy Brittain put together a nice off-day story on #Padres catcher Nick Hundley's defensive development.http://tinyurl.com/ndgjnk Check out the quote from bench coach Ted Simmons. I think it's very telling.

Here's a link to my weekly interview on 1360 AM, talking Padres with my boys Josh and Brian. http://tinyurl.com/nh6zvj

We'll have more later, of course at http://twitter.com/FollowThePadres and Padres.com.

Cheers, Corey Brock
MLB.com

The flirtation with .500 ...

2009-06-13T20:31:01Z

Hey, I hate to be a downer here, but, well, I think the Padres flirtation with .500 baseball might be coming to an end.

The strained tendon in pitcher Jake Peavy's ankle, one that will sideline him until August at the earliest, coupled with the start of Interleague Play, is certainly enough to derail a team that for all of its warts, has been hanging around .500 for most of the season.

Sadly, I don't see how this current group can play at or stay near the .500 mark without Peavy anchoring the starting rotation. Chris Young, for as dominant as he can be, hasn't been able to piece together consistent starts in a while while he rest of the rotation, Correia, Gaudin and Geer haven't shown they can pitch consistently well.

That the Padres are entering a stretch of 14 consecutive games against teams that are from the American League, beginning Saturday, won't help either. Remember, the Padres were 3-15 last season in Interleague Play and I don't think it's any secret that the AL is by far the superior of the two leagues. Better players, better hitters.

Care to guess what the Padres record will be by July 1? It might not be pretty, though I do think there are ways to help the team stay close to .500. Here's a few thoughts.

* When Everth Cabrera comes off the disabled list Friday, stick the 22-year-old in the starting lineup at shortstop and leave him there. I think we can all agree that Cabrera has the most upside of any of the shortstops the Padres have used this season and he represents the future for the team at that position. You didn't sacrifice a spot on the 25-man roster because you think he's a nice guy. He's hitting during his Minor League rehab stint and his defense is better than anything yo have going. Everth Cabrera, your starting shortstop.

* Also, promote Minor League pitcher Mat Latos, who is considered the prized arm of the farm system. Yes, he's 21 and doesn't have a vast Minor League resume. You know who else did not? Jake Peavy, who jumped from Double-A to the Major Leagues. Latos is someone who might grow bored with the Minor Leagues and I believe you have to keep pushing these guys to see what they can handle. He's 6-0 with a 0.56 ERA in two Minor League stops with 49 strikeouts and 11 walks in 48 innings. He'll be here and it will be before September.

* Promote outfielder Drew Macias from Portland and work him into your outfield rotation with Headley, Hairston (when he returns from the disabled list) and Giles (leaving TGwynn alone in center, I like what he brings). I would say even give him some of the at-bats Giles was getting. Give him some of the at-bats Headley is getting. Macias is an athlete, is a good defender and can hit. I don't know if he'll ever be an everyday player, but he deserves a longer look.

In case you're wondering, I'm close on calling for Kyle Blanks to be promoted. He's hitting .343 this month and has his average back up to .271. He's hitting with power, taking walks and has played 13 games in left field. If you promote Blanks, he's coming up here to play every day, not sit on the bench. That means a dramatic shift in personel. I don't think the Padres are quite there yet.

Anyway, a few ideas on a day where I got to the ballpark here in Anaheim way too early. Let me know what you think.

Cheers, Corey

About tomorrow's draft ...

2009-06-09T00:19:03Z

So the Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is tomorrow, three days of fun that start Tuesday with at least the first round being televised by the MLB Network. I don't know just how excited the general public will be about the draft, but it's a good first step to get this thing into prime time.

Anyway, about the Padres, who will select third behind the Nationals and Mariners. I think that, by now, we all know the direction the Nationals are going. I'm going to attempt to avoid dropping the name of you-know-who into this blog because, honestly, it's been a bit much.

The Padres, by now, know who they want and have a backup plan in place if Dustin Ackley of the University of North Carolina goes to Seattle at No. 2. I've heard that plan is prep outfielder Donovan Tate of Georgia, a potential five-tool player.

Picking Tate would represent a hug shift away from the draft plan the Padres have stuck to in recent years, drafting college players who are close to being finished products and that can move quickly through the farm system. With Tate, should the Padres go that route, you have to give him 4-5 years to know what you have. That's how it is with high school players.

There are other options at No. 3 that could be very enticing, like pitcher Aaron Crow, who was selected ninth last June by the Nationals but could not agree to terms. He's a guy who could move fast and could help the Padres in possibly fewer than two years.

But I think the Padres are generally happy with the progress of some of their Minor League arms this season -- Latos, Luebke, Schmidt has thrown well after missing '08 -- that I think they can afford to choose Tate, who pegs as the best high school position player in the draft.

What are your thoughts? College player vs. high school players? Best player available vs. a player who could help this team sooner than later?

Cheers, Corey

Cliff Floyd is here, so now what? ...

2009-05-30T22:41:34Z

It finally happened on Saturday: The Padres activated Cliff Floyd from the disabled list. I joke a little here because this is something we've been talking about since Opening Day, really, and especially the last few when it became apparent he was getting closer.

So, Floyd is here and, probably will get an at-bat tonight in the role the Padres intended to use him when they signed him to a one-year, $750,000 contact in early February. Drew Macias, as I've said countless times here, a player I like, was sent back to Portland.

Hey, I love Portland as well, but Macias has probably seen enough of the Rose City to last him for a while. I think he'll be back at some point. He's certainly showed he can play at his level.

As for Floyd, Padres manager Bud Black said Saturday that there won't be any limitations in how he's used, though don't expect to see him in the field. The Padres would likely turn to Chris Burke and Edgar Gonzalez to see time in the outfield in a pinch before asking Floyd to do so.

As for Floyd, his knee, the one that needed draining last month, is playable. There is still pain there but it's not anything that will prevent him from swinging the bat or turning on a ball. He's dealing with it and likely will for a while.

The hope, of course, is that Floyd can provide a little thunder off the bench for the Padres. I can see him getting one at-bat a night and, when the Padres head to Anaheim for Interleague play on June 12, he'll likely be the designated hitter.

What does Floyd have left? Will he be an upgrade over Tony Clark, who essentially filled this role a year ago until the Padres traded him back to Arizona after the All-Star break. I know there are those who would have preferred that Macias stayed. I can't argue against that.

So what are your thoughts? Do you want to see a week of Floyd before passing judgment? Or would you have preferred Macias stayed and got the at-bats Floyd is going to get?

Cheers, Corey

Moves are coming ...

2009-05-27T16:20:43Z

A year ago, during the Padres free-fall, general manager Kevin Towers repeatedly dipped down to Triple-A Portland and waded into the waiver pool for potential upgrades to the roster, anything to stem the flow of one loss that followed another.

Remember Sean Henn? How about Bryan Corey, Jared Wells, Brett Tomko, Brian Falkenborg. I could go on here but I think you get the point. This was a bad team and Towers, tired of seeing the same results, did what he could to improve the roster.

Of course, those guys weren't the answer and, in many cases, weren't much better than those they replaced.

That brings us to this season.

The Padres are preparing to make some roster moves in the coming days where they will add players to the 25-man roster, players who should upgrade the roster. Unlike 2008, the Padres are more or less dealing from a position of strength, not weakness.

"The people who are coming back should make us better," Towers said this week. "There's going to be some tough decisions, some guys who were a part of this run (10-game winning streak)."

Cliff Floyd will likely join the team in Denver, which means Drew Macias is likely heading to Triple-A Portland. As I've stated time and time again here before, I like Macias a lot. I think that he can produce at this level. If he is indeed the one to go, he'll back back. This is a case where Minor League options make him the most expendable.

Now we can argue the merits of what Floyd has to offer and that Macias might give you the same offensively, but Floyd is being paid $850,000, has a track record and figures to be a nice bat off the bench for manager Bud Black.

Another move that could happen sooner than later is the addition of reliever Mike Adams to the bullpen? Remember, Adams was Black's MVP from the bullpen for 2008 (yes, and that includes Hoffman and Bell) when he had a 2.48 ERA and was one of the few bright spots on the team.

Adams is working his way back from labrum surgery in October. He hasn't had any setbacks along the rehab trail and figures to make this bullpen, this improved bullpen, only better. Like the Floyd move, this addition should help the team.

We'll see eventually how these two help the team, but it's safe to say that Towers feels a lot better about these moves than the ones he made a year ago.

Cheers, Corey

What to think about this winning streak ...

2009-05-24T17:30:44Z

Did anyone see this coming? Drop six in Houston and Chicago, staring at a 13-22 record with the Reds, Giants and Cubs coming to town, each with at least two formidable pitchers on the mound against the Padres team that has struggled mightily on offense?

Did you see eight consecutive victories? I sure didn't, only because I hadn't seen this run of quality pitching from this bunch since, well, the first 12 games of the season and even then it wasn't nearly this good.

Numbers to crunch: In this blissful run, San Diego's starting pitchers have a 2.22 ERA. The bullpen has a 0.34 ERA. Those are pretty sick numbers. Teams just don't do this kind of thing, especially with teams who have as many unproven arms in the bullpen as the Padres do.

It's a nice sample size, to be sure, but let's not fool ourselves. This can't last forever. And you know what? That's fine. Because these guys, Mujica, Burke, Gregerson, have shown they can indeed get Major League hitters out. OK, Burke doesn't have the greatest sample size but I like his makeup and love how much his ball moves.

0.34? Wow.

The hitting scares me a little and it has since, well, Opening Day. How often do you see a team hit .198 over eight games and never lose once? Again, that doesn't happen. But read between the lines a little. Look at the hits they are getting. Three chances with runners in scoring position on Saturday and two hits, the two-run double by Giles and a two-out single by Chris Burke.

Let's face it: The Padres have run into some pretty good pitching this week. Volquez, Arroyo, Harang, Zito, Sanchez, Lincecum and Zambrano. I don't think they would want to do that all over again, do you?

That brings us to today. Well, beyond today. The Padres head out for a six-game road trip to Arizona and Colorado starting Monday, two teams below them in the standings, two teams having all sorts of trouble of their own.

Is a 4-2 trip out of the question? Certainly not, even if the pitching slips a little -- they can't keep this up -- and the hitting picks up (it should on the road).

Cheers, Corey

Could a Peavy deal be in the works? ...

2009-05-21T07:19:13Z

It appears a team from Chicago -- no, not the Cubs -- might be making a play for Padres pitcher Jake Peavy.

According to a baseball source late Wednesday, a potential trade between the Padres and White Sox was being explored.

San Diego general manager Kevin Towers didn't return a message on Tuesday and Peavy himself, when asked about the rumor of a potential deal said "I only know what you guys [media] knows."

Peavy, who has a no-trade clause, has stated before that his intention is to remain in San Diego and, at the very least, the National League.

Another potential stumbling block is the remaining money left on the contract Peavy signed in December of 2007.

Peavy, who is making $11 million this season, will make $15 million in 2010, $16 million in 2011 and $17 million in 2012. The Padres hold a team option for $22 million with a $4 million buyout.

Peavy was nearly traded in the off-season to the Cubs, who pulled the plug on a potential deal at the Winter Meetings in December. The Padres were actively shopping Peavy because they were trying to shed payroll to get close to the $40 million majority owner John Moores sought.

The Padres, should they make a deal for the 2007 National League Cy Young Award winner, would certainly want some pitching in return. Left-hander Aaron Poreda, a first-round Draft pick in 2007, would be the kind of frontline starter the Padres would desire.

Peavy is 3-5 with a 3.82 ERA this season and is coming off a complete-game victory over the Reds on Sunday where he allowed one run with eight strikeouts and no walks. He threw a career-high 92 strikes in that game (against 29 balls).

Peavy has an 89-67 record with a 3.21 ERA in 208 career starts, all with the Padres.

-- Corey Brock

About that team meeting ...

2009-05-16T19:27:46Z

Apparently, Padres manager Bud Black held a team meeting in Chicago after Thursday's 11-3 loss to the Cubs. It was a meeting where, as closer Heath Bell said Friday, "Bud was a little heated."

Hey, it makes perfect sense.

The team had lost 20 of 24 games going into Friday's game, a game the Padres would win 5-3 over the Reds, getting their first victory by a starting pitcher (Kevin Correia) in a month (April 16).

The fact that the mild-mannered Black apparently raised his voice or whatever he did behind closed doors is a little interesting, but not surprising. I'm not entirely sure it's newsworthy ... though some of my colleagues might disagree.

I guess it makes for good newsprint ... Black rips team, team goes out and wins. What if the Padres had lost last night? Does that diminish the impact of Black's message? No, not at all. Would this meeting have been written about as much as it was? Probably not.

So, in my mind, it's not really news.

Don't get me wrong. I would love to have been a fly on the wall inside that cramp, dank visiting clubhouse in Chicago to hear what Black had to say. And I certainly don't think it's wrong to ask players or even the manager himself what the general message was.

But that's the business of the manager and his players. I understood why someone from a local television station asked Black twice about the meeting on Friday. Black respectfully declined to comment, as he should have.

I think the fact that there was a meeting, that there had to be a meeting is more so the news here than the message delivered. That thing had gotten so bad that Black had to have such a meeting is news, not what he said behind closed doors.

I think we can all guess what he had to say. Play better. Maybe in different words, but that's the message. Play better. I'm just not going to beat him over the head to get him or the his players to repeat that message.

Cheers, Corey