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Padres Press Clips Saturday, July 2, 2016

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Myers named top NL player for June MLB.com Cassavell 3

Padres land 6 of Top 30 international prospects MLB.com Sanchez 5

Padres survive Yankees' four-run ninth MLB.com Cassavell/Hoch 7

Hedges continues his assault on PCL pitching Padres.com Center 10

Schimpf elated by first career homer MLB.com Cassavell 12

Pomeranz looks to pad All-Star resume vs. Yanks MLB.com Collazo 14

Maurer weathers storm for first career save MLB.com Collazo 15

Dave Winfield, the original Padres superstar MLB.com Schlegel 17

Padres place righty Johnson on disabled list MLB.com Cassavell 21

Padres unveil new Hall of Fame Plaza MLB.com Cassavell 24

One pitch turned 1998 World Series San Diego Padres MLB.com Bloom 26

Defensive player of the month: Padres catcher Derek Norris ESPN.com Simon 29

Myers stays hot with 2-run homer as Padres beat Yankees 7-6 Associated Press AP 31

Padres most aggressive team as international signing UT San Diego Kenney 33

period opens

Minors: Austin Hedges blasts 2 more homers UT San Diego Sanders 35

'Geeked' Maurer survives first save chance UT San Diego Sanders 37

Brandon Maurer to get 'first crack' at saves UT San Diego Sanders 39

Padres Hall of Fame opens at Petco Park UT San Diego Kenney 41

Johnson to DL; Dominguez recalled UT San Diego Kenney 43

Padres seek 2nd straight win vs Yankees STATS, LLC STATS, LLC 44

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Yankees-Padres preview STATS, LLC STATS, LLC 45

Myers Stays Hot, Padres Beat Yankees NBC San Diego Togerson 48

Padres Preparing To Spend Insane Amount of Money NBC San Diego Togerson 49

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Myers named top NL player for June Padres slugger equalled team mark with 21 extra-base

hits in month

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | 43 minutes ago

SAN DIEGO -- Wil Myers capped his incredible June by taking home his first National League Player

of the Month Award on Saturday.

Myers set a franchise record with 11 June homers -- tying him with the Cubs' Kris Bryant for the NL

lead. He batted .327/.529/.765 while equaling a franchise mark with 21 extra-base hits in a single month.

With his massive performance over the past month, Myers thrust himself squarely into the mix to

represent the hometown Padres at the All-Star Game presented by Master Card. With 19 homers, he'd

also appear to be a prime candidate for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby.

For Myers, his recent performance has been a reminder of what he's capable of doing, when healthy. Over

the past two seasons, he played in just 147 games combined due to wrist injuries, while posting sub-par

numbers. He hit just 14 home runs in 2014-15 -- five fewer than he's hit already in the first half of '16.

"This [month] is probably the most meaningful [in my career], coming after two years of not

doing anything, being in and out of the lineup," Myers said earlier this week. "I'm finally getting

consistent at-bats, so I've been able to do this -- and I know this is something I'm very capable

of doing."

Myers entered June coming off a month in which he posted a .576 OPS. But around the end of

May, hitting coach Alan Zinter installed a small leg kick in Myers' swing to help with timing, and

the results have been palpable.

Along with the offensive numbers, Myers hasn't committed an error this season, and he owns

the highest Ultimate Zone Rating among first basemen. He's also swiped 12 bags -- more than

any other player at his position.

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Myers is the first Padres player to take home a monthly award since Chase Headley won in back-

to-back months in August and September of 2012. (Coincidentally, Headley is in town this

weekend with the visiting Yankees.)

And if there was any question as to whether Myers' success would continue in July, he erased

those doubts against New York on Friday, going 2-for-3 with a homer, a walk and a stolen base.

"I wasn't too worried about the calendar flipping," said Padres manager Andy Green with a wry grin. "I felt pretty good about where his swing was."

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Padres land 6 of Top 30 international

prospects By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 9:00 AM ET

The Padres are blowing past their bonus pools, stocking their Minor League system with a large group of

international prospects the organization hopes will be in the Major Leagues one day.

According to industry sources, the Padres agreed to a $4 million deal with shortstop Luis Almanzar,

ranked No. 3 on MLB.com's International Top 30 Prospects list , along with shortstop Gabriel Arias,

ranked No. 5, for $1.9 million; outfielder Jeisson Rosario, ranked No. 9, for $1.85 million; shortstop Jordy

Barley, ranked No. 15, for $1 million; shortstop Justin Lopez, ranked No. 27, for $1.2 million and

Mexican outfielder Tirso Ornelas, ranked No. 28, for $1.5 million.

The club has also agreed to an $830,000 deal with catcher Alison Quintero, along with right-handed

pitchers Michel Miliano for $450,000 and Jose Manuel Guzman for $400,000. The club agreed with

infielder Tucupita Marcano for $320,000.

There are two more players from Mexico with deals: Right-handed pitcher Martin Carrasco for $115,000 and center fielder Augustin Ruiz for $80,000. Add right-handed pitcher Luis Patinio from Colombia for $130,000, and it's quite a haul for San Diego. The Padres might not be finished. Right-handed pitcher Sung Chia Hao from Taiwan has been linked to the Padres for a bonus in the $500,000 range. The Padres have also been linked to left-handed pitcher Adrian Morejon and outfielder Jorge Luis Ona from Cuba, both of whom have yet to be declared free agents by Major League Baseball.

The club did not confirm the deals.

As for Almanzar and Arias, they are considered among the top overall infielders in this year's

class, and Rosario is considered by some to be the best teenager outfielder from the Dominican

Republic this year.

Barley has been clocked at 6.4 seconds in the 60-yard dash several times and glides around the infield on defense. Lopez turns heads with his defensive prowess. He has excellent body control and has a knack for making the game look easy.

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In accordance with the Collective Bargaining Agreement, each team is allotted a $700,000 base

and a bonus pool with four slot values based on the team's record in 2015 for the international

signing period, which started Saturday. San Diego's overall pool total for this year's signing

period is $3,347,600, which means the signings will thrust them into the maximum penalty.

Teams that exceed the pools by 0-5 percent have to pay a 100 percent tax. Teams that exceed

the pools by 5-10 percent are not allowed to sign a player for more than $500,000 during the

next signing period, and they have to pay a 100 percent tax on the pool overage. Teams that

exceed the pools by 10-15 percent are not allowed to sign a player for more than $300,000

during the next signing period, and they have to pay a 100 percent tax on the pool overage.

The Padres are in the most severe penalty for exceeding their pool by 15 percent or more and

will not allowed to sign a player for more than $300,000 during the next two signing periods.

They must pay a 100 percent tax on the pool overage.

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Padres survive Yankees' four-run ninth By AJ Cassavell and Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 3:30 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- There were no imaginary arrows being shot after the Padres' thrilling 7-6 victory over the

Yankees on Friday night at Petco Park. Only new closer Brandon Maurerleaping off the mound,

pumping both fists and screaming toward the heavens.

"That's as loud of a roar as I've seen come out of him at any point in time," Padres manager Andy Green

said of the typically low-key Maurer, who has been given first crack at ninth-inning duties in the wake of

Rodney's trade to Miami. "He's fired up about getting the save, rightfully so."

Trailing, 7-2, entering the ninth, New York stormed back, cutting the deficit to one and putting the tying

run on third base. But Maurer got Brett Gardner to bounce harmlessly to short, and in doing so, picked

up his first career save.

The Padres grabbed the lead with a three-run first, before rookie second baseman Ryan

Schimpf launched his first career home run in the second inning. Wil Myers followed suit in the fifth

with his 19th of the season, and his 13th at home. He's already two shy of tying Petco Park's single-season

home run record -- with three months to play.

Both of the homers came against Nathan Eovaldi, who allowed six runs on seven hits over 4

1/3, while striking out two. Friday's start marked the sixth straight in which the Yankees right-

hander allowed at least four runs.

"I believe Evo can do it; I really do," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I believe he can

change this around. He's got too good of stuff for this to continue."

Meanwhile, Padres starter Colin Rea celebrated his birthday in style, as the Padres picked up

their third consecutive win with the 26-year-old on the hill. Efficiency has eluded Rea recently,

but he's made up for it with craftiness, as was the case during his six solid innings Friday. Rea

allowed just four hits and one earned run -- on a homer by Yankees catcherBrian McCann --

and he struck out five.

"When you don't have your best stuff, that's really when you've got to bear down," said Rea.

"There's going to be plenty of games all year where you just don't have your stuff. It gives me a

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lot of confidence that we were able to move the ball around to both sides of the plate, make

pitches when we needed to."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Rally in the ninth: Trailing by five going to the ninth, the Yankees staged a furious rally as all

three batters reached against an ineffective Matt Thornton. Alex Rodriguez greeted Maurer with

a pinch-hit RBI single, and Didi Gregorius drilled an RBI double, giving the New York contingent

of the crowd something to cheer about. A groundout and a wild pitch made it a one-run game,

but Carlos Beltran was stranded at third base representing the tying run as Maurer got Gardner

to ground out.

"It's important to win the first game if you want to try to win the series," Gardner said. "I'm happy

about the way we fought there in the last half inning; made it exciting, made it close. Some guys

came through with some really big at-bats against some tough pitching. Just came up short."

That's a start: After Rea escaped a bases-loaded jam in the first, the Padres scratched their first run across in the bottom of the inning when ground balls by Yangervis Solarte andMelvin Upton Jr. sneaked through the infield. Derek Norris followed by plating the two of them with a rocket double into the left-field corner, giving the Friars a 3-0 lead.

Schimpf's shot: Schimpf entered his at-bat in the second inning hitless in his previous 13 at-bats,

but he launched Eovaldi's 2-2 splitter into the Beach section in right-center field. The power

shouldn't come as much of a surprise. At the time of his callup, Schimpf's 15 homers were the

most for Triple-A El Paso, and he's launched at least 20 Minor League homers in every season

since 2012.

"It's definitely pretty cool," Schimpf said. "Took a while. I didn't know it was gone, to be honest

with you. I was just running hard trying to get as many bases as I could. Definitely a good feeling

when it got over the fence."

Eovaldi stumbles again: For the sixth straight start, Eovaldi struggled, as he served up two

homers to increase his career-high total to 17. Command has been the biggest issue with

Eovaldi, whose ERA has swelled from 3.71 at the end of May to its current resting spot of 5.54.

In his last six starts, Eovaldi has permitted 31 earned runs on 45 hits in 30 1/3 innings,

accounting for an unsightly 9.20 ERA over that span.

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"I've just got to do a better job of repeating my mechanics," Eovaldi said. "I feel like I get into

those tough situations and I try to do too much. I try to make perfect pitches and leave them in

the middle, and they get hit."

QUOTABLE "I wasn't too worried about the calendar flipping. I felt pretty good about where his swing was." -- Green, on Myers' homering in July after setting the franchise record in June

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Schimpf became the second Padre in history to record his first career homer against the

Yankees. The other? Current Yankees third baseman Chase Headley, who went deep on June

18, 2008, in the Bronx.

WHAT'S NEXT

Yankees: Ivan Nova will be looking to snap a three-start winless streak on Saturday as the

Yankees and Padres meet in the second game of a three-game series. Nova has some history

with the Padres; he was selected by San Diego in the 2009 Rule 5 Draft, but was returned to the

Yankees at the end of Spring Training. The right-hander has posted a 9.00 ERA over his last

three starts, taking two losses.

Padres: Making his final start before All-Star rosters are announced, Drew Pomeranz gets the

ball against the Yankees Saturday night, with first pitch slated for 7:10 p.m. PT. Pomeranz, a

fringe candidate for a spot on the National League team, sports a 2.76 ERA and a .190 batting

average against -- trailing only Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw and Cubs aceJake Arrieta.

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Hedges continues his assault on PCL

pitching Catcher hits two more homers for six RBIs

By Bill Center / San Diego Padres | 37 minutes ago

Triple-A El Paso catcher Austin Hedges hit two, three-run homers Friday night to lead the Chihuahuas to

a 9-2 victory over Reno in west Texas.

Hedges, 23, has gone 26-for-52 in a 13-game hitting streak with 10 home runs to push his homer total to

13 on the season while raising his batting average to .389.

Of course, he wasn't the only El Paso hitter having a big night as the Chihuahuas improved to 48-33 to

move to 15 games above .500 for the first time in franchise history. Owners of the Pacific Coast League's

best record, the Chihuahuas lead the Pacific Southern Division by 5 ½ games.

Right fielder Hunter Renfroe (.329) was 3-for-5 Friday night with a RBI and two runs scored. Second

baseman Carlos Asuaje (.321) was 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and two runs scored. Center

fielder Manuel Margot (.300) was 2-for-5 with a double and two runs scored. Left fielder Jabari

Blash (.262) was 2-for-5.

Starting right-hander Carlos Pimental (8-4, 6.00 earned run average) held Reno scoreless on four hits and

two walks with four strikeouts over five innings.

Right-hander Leonel Campos (3.31 ERA) allowed two hits and a walk with three strikeouts in a scoreless

inning. Right-hander Derek Eitel (2.63) allowed two runs on two hits and three walks with two strikeouts

in an inning. Left-hander Daniel Moskos (3.19) allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in two

scoreless innings.

AROUND THE FARM:

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (3-5, 25-53) - Tulsa 5, MISSIONS 3: RF Nick Schulz (.297) and 3B River

Stevens (.265) were each 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. CF Franchy Cordero (.429) hit a two-run

double in four at-bats. Starting RHP Seth Simmons (2.45) allowed a run on four hits with six strikeouts in

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five innings. RHP Yimmi Brasoban (1.46) allowed

two hits with two strikeouts in two scoreless innings. RHP Adam Cimber (2-2, 2.10) gave up four runs

(one earned) on four hits in an inning to take the loss. RHP Jason Jester (1.61) struck out two in a perfect

inning.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (4-5, 36-43) - Lancaster 5, STORM 1: CF Michael Gettys (.421)

was 2-for-4 with a RBI. Starting RHP Brett Kennedy (2-6, 4.66 ERA) allowed four runs on seven hits

with seven strikeouts in four innings. LHP Brad Wieck (1.54) allowed two hits and a walk with three

strikeouts in a scoreless inning. RHP Martires Arias (4.54) gave up a run on three walks and no hits with a

strikeout in an inning. RHP Colby Blueberg (1.83) allowed two hits and a walk with three strikeouts in

two scoreless innings. LHP Trevor Seidenberger (6.28) allowed a hit with three strikeouts in a scoreless

inning.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (4-5, 40-39) - LAKE COUNTY 3, TinCaps 2: RF Alan Garcia (.250)

was 2-for-3 with a double. 1B Brad Zunica (.248) had a two-run homer in four at-bats. Starting RHP

Jacob Nix (3.88) allowed a run on four hits with six strikeouts in five innings. LHP Nathan Foriest (4.61)

struck out five in three perfect innings. RHP Gerardo Reyes (3-2, 2.10) allowed two runs (one earned) on

two hits and a walk in one-third of an inning to blow the save and suffer the loss.

SHORT SEASON SINGLE-A TRI-CITY (10-5) - DUST DEVILS 3, Everett 2: 2B Nate Easley (.306)

was 3-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored. LF Josh Magee (.205) was 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly,

two RBIs and a run scored. SS Jose Savinon (.355) was 1-for-3 with a run scored. 1B Chris Mattison

(.219) was 1-for-2 with a walk and a RBI. Starting RHP Braxton Lorenzini (1-1, 7.15 ERA) allowed two

runs on a hit and two walks with four strikeouts in five innings. LHP Joey Lucchesi (2.57) pitched a

perfect sixth. RHP Jesse Scholtens (1.23) allowed two hits with three strikeouts in two scoreless innings.

RHP David Bednar (0.00) allowed a hit with a strikeout in an inning for his first save.

ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (6-3) - The Arizona Padres were off Friday.

DSL PADRES (10-13) - BLUE JAYS 7, Padres 5: RF Jaffe Garcia (.227) was 3-for-4 with a double and

three RBIs. 1B Felix Suarez (.238) was 2-for-5 with two runs scored. Starting LHP Cristian Machuca (0-

3, 5.09 ERA) allowed five runs on 11 hits and a walk with five strikeouts in five innings. RHP Jose

Hernandez (2.08) allowed two unearned runs on two

hits and three walks with a strikeout in three innings.

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Schimpf elated by first career homer By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | 3:17 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- Don't be fooled by Ryan Schimpf's stature. Over the past five years, the Padres' 5-foot-9

rookie second baseman has hit for power practically everywhere he's been.

As of Friday night, that list now includes the Major Leagues.

In the second inning of the Padres' tense 7-6 victory over the Yankees, Schimpf launched his first career

homer -- a solo shot into the beach area in right-center field.

"It's always been my game, ever since I was little -- big-swing guy, trying to drive the ball every time,"

Schimpf said. "That's how I've always been. But I don't want to be swing big, miss big. I want to go up

there and put together a good at-bat, try to hit the ball hard."

That's precisely what Schimpf did to the 2-2 splitter that Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi left over the

middle of the plate. Schimpf's rocket left the bat at 106 mph and was projected to travel 409 feet,

according to Statcast™.

"It's definitely pretty cool," Schimpf said of his first homer. "Took a while. I didn't know it was gone, to

be honest with you. I was just running hard, trying to get as many bases as I could. Definitely a good

feeling when it got over the fence."

After a scramble in the stands, lifelong Padres fan Patrick Whinnery wound up with Schimpf's prized

home run ball. When the Padres sent messengers to retrieve it, Whinnery said all he wanted in return was

the opportunity to present the baseball to Schimpf in person.

"I just want to give the man his home run ball back," Whinnery said. "It's the first time I've ever caught a

home run, so I just want to shake his hand, thank him for the experience."

Sure enough, after the game Schimpf emerged from the clubhouse with a broad smile. He

chatted and took pictures with Whinnery and his fiance for a few minutes, before signing a

different baseball for them.

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For Schimpf, the home run marked a sigh of relief after 13 consecutive hitless at-bats had

dropped his batting average to .103. Still, his on-base percentage sits at .310 thanks to nine

times on base via walks and hit-by-pitches.

"I've been feeling good, going deep into the count," Schimpf said. "But I've just been missing

some pitches I shouldn't be missing -- just getting under a few of them."

Since 2012, Schimpf's power has been the one consistent aspect of his offense. Even when his

average and on-base percentage slumped in the Blue Jays' system, he managed at least 22

long balls every season.

The Padres signed the left-handed-hitting infielder to a Minor League deal before the season,

and the power kept coming. At the time of his callup, his 15 dingers led Triple-A El Paso.

"He takes an aggressive pass," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Almost every year in recent

years, he's hit 20-plus home runs in the Minor Leagues. [The power] is in there; it's not shocking

when he does that. I think he felt that was about time that he hit one. ... He's going to hit a few

more when he gets his opportunity."

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Pomeranz looks to pad All-Star resume

vs. Yanks By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com | 3:50 AM ET

Drew Pomeranz takes the ball for the Padres on Saturday in the second game of this weekend's

Interleague series against the Yankees in what will be his final start before All-Star rosters are announced.

Pomeranz put himself in great position to make his first All-Star team through the first two months of the

season, when he posted a 2.48 ERA over 10 starts to put him among the National League leaders. During

June, however, he was more solid than elite (with a 3.30 ERA over five starts).

"I had everything working those first two months," Pomeranz said. "[June was], obviously, my worst

month. I had a few bad starts mixed in there. But even in the bad starts, I still had a lot of good.

"[Making the All-Star team is] hard not to think about, obviously, but it's something that I can't control.

… I'm just trying to keep it going."

Ivan Nova gets the ball for New York, and although he has a 5.32 ERA this season, he has fared

extremely well in Interleague Play throughout his career, with a 2.88 ERA in 15 games (14 starts).

Things to know about this game

• Nova has faced the Padres just once in his career, on Aug. 3, 2013. In that game, he tossed seven shutout

innings and struck out eight.

• Padres manager Andy Green said Brandon Maurer will get the first crack at ninth-inning duties now that

closer Fernando Rodney has been traded to the Marlins. Maurer entered this series with a 5.73 ERA and

somewhat surprising reverse platoon splits. He's held lefties to a .183 average, while righties have hit .295

against him.

• New York shortstop Didi Gregorius is coming off his best month of the season, finishing June with a

.337 average and 11 extra-base hits.

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Maurer weathers storm for first career

save By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com | 2:43 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- The first day as the Padres' unofficial closer, Brandon Maurer was thrown into what he

said was the most stressful situation he's been in during his Major League career, as he helped San Diego

stave off a late Yankees rally to grab a 7-6 win.

"What should have been going through my mind is, 'Remember to breathe,'" Maurer said after recording

his first career save Friday night at Petco Park. "I forgot to I think for a little bit out there. I got so

wrapped up in it. But it was exciting."

Maurer entered with two runners on in the top of the ninth inning after Brian McCann had already

scored one of four ninth-inning Yankees runs. Maurer allowed an RBI double and an RBI groundout and

threw a wild pitch that gave the Yankees another run before gettingJacoby Ellsbury and Brett

Gardner on groundouts to end the game.

"It's exciting," Maurer said about pitching in that situation in the ninth inning. "It's something I've

always wanted to do, so having the chance to do it tonight -- first day into it -- it was good.

"[Hopefully I] keep it less stressful next time."

Friday's game was the first this season in which the Padres didn't have closer Fernando

Rodney to go to in these situations, as he was traded to the Miami Marlins on Thursday's off-

day.

Maurer began the season as the team's primary setup man, before going through an eight-

game stretch at the beginning of June in which he allowed 13 earned runs over seven innings.

In the other 30 2/3 innings this season, Maurer has posted a 3.23 ERA.

While Maurer has been given the first shot at closing games, manager Andy Green said Ryan

Buchter would be next in line. Buchter has posted a 2.91 ERA over 34 innings this season,

striking out 50 batters and walking 18.

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"In an ideal world, you've got someone like Fernando Rodney at the back end of your bullpen

closing out games," Green said. "We've got guys who are going to grow into that role, that's kind

of where we are as an organization right now.

"We've got young guys who have all the potential in the world to pitch in that inning and all the

ability in the world to get the three outs that are necessary, but not the experience of having

done it before." While he avoided writing a closer's name in ink, Green talked about the

importance of establishing defined roles for this group of relievers -- which lacks the personnel

needed to manage a game strictly off lefty-righty matchups.

"If you don't have that personnel, it doesn't make sense to do it just to appear that you know

what you're doing," Green said. "So you try to get guys to pitch in situations they can succeed

in.

"I think basically where we're at right now, it would benefit us to find a guy like boom, this is the

[eight-inning guy], this is the [ninth-inning guy]. A lot of it is because we just don't have these

huge matchup-advantage guys."

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Dave Winfield, the original Padres

superstar The big slugger ripped the franchise's first-ever All-Star

Game hit on his way to a Hall of Fame career

By John Schlegel / MLB.com | July 1st, 2016

In the summer of 1978, Dave Winfield's baseball career already had traveled a long way from his native

Minnesota, where he spent his formative years as a multi-sport star. He was even further away, literally

and figuratively, from Cooperstown, where he'd eventually take his legacy. In July '78, Winfield was in

San Diego for Major League Baseball's All-Star Game. Since his 1973 debut, the towering, athletic

outfielder quickly had become the face of the Padres franchise, a rising superstar on the field at San Diego

Stadium alongside the game's elite performers in the Midsummer Classic.

Winfield was all of 26 years old when baseball's summertime exhibition fixed its bright spotlight on what

was known as America's Finest City, a Major League town for just a decade by that point. All eyes turned

to Southern California for a beautiful summer evening of baseball. Winfield was one of two Padres

representing the home team, the other also a future Hall of Famer: veteran pitcher Rollie Fingers. But

there was no mistaking that the fan favorite was the 6-foot-6 young man who had jumped straight to the

Big Leagues from the College World Series, during which he led the University of Minnesota to the semi-

finals and earned MVP honors.

"I was an All-Star for a second year, and the people were proud," says Winfield, the No. 4

overall pick of the 1973 Draft and now a special assistant to the executive director of the Major

League Players Association. "When we got to the introductions, I got by far the loudest ovation

even though I wasn't a starter that year. You step out of line to tip your cap, you step back and

they cheered some more. I'll remember that forever."

Despite being a reserve, Winfield added to his All-Star Game lore in '78 by scoring during the

National League's game-winning, eighth-inning rally, becoming the first Padres player to score a

run in an All-Star Game. Just a year earlier, he had knocked the team's first Midsummer Classic

hit. Two decades and 12 All-Star Game appearances later, he would become the first inductee

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ever to wear a Padres cap on his plaque at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. And this year,

he and Trevor Hoffman are serving as spokesmen for the 87th MLB All-Star Game.

It's safe to say that Winfield was the franchise's first true superstar, an athlete whose talents

would rank him among the game's elite for years to come. Certainly, Tony Gwynn became Mr.

Padre and took his place alongside Winfield in the Hall, while Nate Colbert and Randy Jones

already had placed their stamp on the team in the 1970s. But not even Gwynn could top

Winfield's 465 home runs, 1,833 RBI or .475 slugging percentage, all of which catapulted him

into Cooperstown.

In the summer of '78, Winfield was just beginning a journey that would lead him through some

fitful years in Yankees pinstripes and ultimately to a World Series ring with Toronto. He was five

years into a Big League career that started without a day in the Minor Leagues after he was

drafted by four franchises -- MLB, plus the NBA, ABA and NFL -- in three different sports. (The

NFL's Vikings selected Winfield although he did not play college football.) He went with the

Padres and baseball, and the rest is history.

Just a week before the Padres selected a 21-year-old Winfield, though, it looked like Major

League Baseball and San Diego were about to part ways. Less than five years after becoming

an expansion franchise in 1969, the Padres announced in May 1973 that they'd be moving to

Washington, D.C., the next season for financial reasons -- a move that Ray Kroc ultimately

scuttled by purchasing the club. Through all that turmoil, the Padres drafted and signed a player

who stands as by far the most successful first-round draft pick in club history.

Bob Chandler, a longtime broadcaster for the Padres, recalls how the stunning news about the

organization's future was so quickly followed by the team's decision to draft Winfield behind

David Clyde (Rangers), John Stearns (Phillies) and Robin Yount (Brewers). "Just a week later

they draft Winfield, and the team was so bad that when they brought Winfield in for a few days

to work out, he was better than most of the players we had," Chandler says. "It was kind of

devastating in a way. You could see this kid -- he was raw but he had such ability. He could run,

he could throw, he could hit with power, and you thought, 'Oh my God, the team's going to move

to Washington and we're never going to have him in San Diego.' And then five years later, he

plays in the All-Star Game in San Diego."

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It didn't take long for the Padres to figure out they had something special on their hands. A two-

sport star with the Golden Gophers -- he also played NCAA basketball -- Winfield was drawing

the attention of baseball scouts with his pitching as much as with his hitting.

"When the Padres drafted him, I remember he asked Donnie Williams, the scout who signed

him, 'Do you want me as a pitcher or an outfielder?' And Donnie said, 'Big boy, we want you to

swing that bat every day,'" Chandler recalls.

Winfield played his first full season in 1974 alongside Willie McCovey while the Padres, in their

first year under Kroc's ownership, drew more than 1 million fans for the first time. Winfield

continued to improve until he earned an All-Star nod for the first time in '77 at Yankee Stadium,

where he developed an affinity for being among the very best in the game right away.

"Once I went in the locker room and you had the captains of the teams -- Joe DiMaggio was the

American League's and Willie Mays was the National League's -- I looked up and down the

roster; I liked it. You had the Big Red Machine and the Pittsburgh Lumber Company and

previous Cy Young Award winners," Winfield says. "I thought, 'I'm going to come back. I want to

do everything I can to continue to perform at that level and return.' It's like anything: Once you

achieve a certain height, a certain level of play, you want to continue at that level."

And so he did the very next year, when the game was played before his home fans in San

Diego. By then, his name was more recognizable around the game, and he was front and center

as the city basked in a rare showing in the national sports spotlight.

In a short time in San Diego, Winfield had already made his mark as a pioneer for professional

athletes working in the community by establishing the Dave Winfield Foundation and famously

starting his Winfield Pavilion, which donated tickets to thousands of youngsters each season. At

that '78 All-Star Game, he held a party for those kids, who then attended the first open All-Star

practice session ever on the day before the game. The event inspired the idea for a day of

activities, such as the Home Run Derby, on the eve of the Midsummer Classic.

The 1978 Padres wound up being the first winning ballclub in franchise history, fueled by

Winfield, Ozzie Smith and Gaylord Perry, who won that year's Cy Young Award. Winfield was an

All-Star for four straight years with the Padres, who struggled in the standings after that high in

'78. He left San Diego on shaky terms with management and signed with the Yankees for what

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was then the richest contract in baseball history: 10 years, $23.3 million. He also enjoyed stints

with the Angels, Blue Jays, Twins and Indians after his auspicious start in San Diego.

After his playing career ended, Winfield rejoined the Padres organization as an executive vice

president for more than a decade, bringing his baseball career full circle, back to the place

where a young man straight out of college got the opportunity of a lifetime to be a baseball

superstar. "I appreciate that, having been a first-round pick, I was able to go directly to the Major

Leagues [with] no Minor Leagues experience," Winfield says.

"I negotiated it at the beginning, but I had to earn it after a year and Spring Training. I earned

the ability to stay. What I tell people is you search for that key to unlock your talent, and I was an

avid student who wanted to be as good as I could be. It took a number of years, but my sights

were high, my trajectory kept getting better, and I didn't really settle for being mediocre.

"I had no idea I would play for six teams in both leagues, both coasts. I appreciate all that has

happened along the way."

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Padres place righty Johnson on

disabled list By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | July 1st, 2016

SAN DIEGO -- Struggling Padres right-hander Erik Johnson landed on the disabled list Friday with a

right elbow sprain. Johnson, who came to San Diego in last month's James Shields trade, had an MRI

exam on the elbow, but results were not immediately available.

The 26-year-old sustained the injury during the fifth inning of his start, Tuesday against the Orioles. He

completed the frame, but was removed afterward.

Right-hander Jose Dominguez, who turns 26 next week, had his contract selected from Triple-A El Paso

on Friday, and he'll take Johnson's roster spot. There is no timetable for when Johnson could return, but

the Padres hope to have a better idea this weekend.

"Frankly, at this point in time, we don't know," said Padres manager Andy Green. "... Hopefully it's

nothing severe, but until we get a chance to look at the MRI -- maybe we know by tomorrow what the

results are."

Johnson has endured a shaky start to his Padres tenure, as he's posted a 9.15 ERA in four starts while

allowing nine home runs. The Padres have lost all four of his outings.

As for Dominguez, it's his first chance with the Padres after he spent parts of three seasons in the big

leagues with the Dodgers and Rays. He owns a 3.79 ERA in 27 outings, but has struggled with his

control, walking 25 in 35 2/3 frames.

"If he attacks the strike zone and pitches ahead, he's going to be very, very effective," Green said. "He

was a guy for us who we needed to take a look at before we bypass and start looking at a crop of younger

guys. I think he warrants an opportunity."

The Padres will need to make another roster move before Sunday's game, when Andrew Cashner is

slated to return from the disabled list. Green hinted that Dominguez's spot could be safe, and that the club

might opt to send down a position player, giving some help to a taxed bullpen.

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Clemens arrives in San Diego

Right-hander Paul Clemens arrived in San Diego Friday -- and was given the locker vacated

by Fernando Rodney, who was dealt to the Marlins Thursday afternoon.

Clemens will begin his tenure with the Padres as a reliever, but Green said he could develop into a starter.

He posted a 4.30 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP in 14 appearances -- all starts -- for Triple-A New Orleans this

season.

"I've always preferred starting, but I've done a multitude of roles," Clemens said. "Whatever the Padres

feel is the best chance to help them win, I'll go out there and do that job."

On multiple occasions, Green has compared Clemens' curveball to that of Drew Pomeranz, who has been

wildly successful with San Diego -- in large part because the club encouraged him to throw the pitch more

frequently.

That's the plan with Clemens, who has thrown his hook about 17 percent of the time during parts of three

seasons in the big leagues. The Padres want that number to go up -- and don't be surprised if it nearly

doubles.

Clemens said he's well aware of the Padres' reputation for allowing struggling pitchers to prosper. Most

notably, pitching coach Darren Balsley has helped revive the careers of current Padres starters Tyson

Ross, Christian Friedrich and Pomeranz.

"I definitely think this is going to be a very good spot for me," Clemens said. "I've always known I have

the stuff to pitch in the big leagues. As far as putting it all together, using all my stuff, I still think I have a

little ways to go."

Spangenberg headed to Arizona

Injured second baseman Cory Spangenberg will travel with the club to Arizona next week, where he'll

continue rehabbing his strained left quad at the Padres' complex in Peoria.

"It feels good right now," said Spangenberg. "There's no pain, there's no tightness right now. It's looking

hopeful."

The 25-year-old second baseman took another step in his recovery Friday when he took ground balls for

the first time. He also ran 30-yard dashes at what he equated to 50-60 percent.

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"I'm hoping he's off for a rehab assignment before the All-Star break," Green said. "That's what I'm

hoping for. He's got to continue to build up."

Worth noting

• According to MLB.com's Jim Callis, the Padres have signed University of Florida center fielder Buddy

Reed, their second round pick in last month's Draft. Terms of Reed's signing bonus were not disclosed.

With Reed's deal, the Padres have now inked all 13 of their selections from the first 10 rounds of the

Draft.

• First-round pick Cal Quantrill made his professional debut Thursday night, tossing two scoreless innings

in the Arizona Rookie League. Quantrill, who was appearing in his first game action since Tommy John

surgery last March, allowed two hits and struck out two.

• The Padres activated Buddy Baumann from the disabled list Friday and optioned the lefty reliever to

Triple-A El Paso -- where he's been pitching for the past month in a rehab stint. Baumann, who was

recovering from a lower back strain, has allowed two earned runs on six hits in 12 1/3 innings for the

Chihuahuas.

• To make room for Baumann on the 40-man roster, the Padres transferred right-handerCesar Vargas to

the 60-day disabled list. Vargas suffered a flexor strain in his right elbow in May and wasn't projected to

return within the next month anyway, making the transaction a "no-risk" move, according to Green.

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Padres unveil new Hall of Fame Plaza By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | July 1st, 2016

SAN DIEGO -- The Padres Hall of Fame is officially open.

In a ribbon-cutting ceremony Friday afternoon, the Padres unveiled their Hall of Fame Plaza located at the

K Street entrance behind left field. The Hall includes an interior exhibit, which puts San Diego's baseball

history on display, and an exterior courtyard with plaques to honor the Padres who have been inducted

into the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

Friday's ceremony featured several current members of the Padres Hall of Fame -- which until now, did

not have a specific home at Petco Park. Former left-hander Randy Jones -- the first member to be

inducted, outfielder Dave Winfield and shortstop Garry Templeton were all on hand for the festivities.

So, too, were Tony Gwynn's wife, Alicia, and Tedd Williams' daughter, Claudia. Williams -- who was

born and raised in San Diego and played for the Padres in the Pacific Coast League from 1936-38 -- was

inducted into the Padres' Hall before Friday's game against the Yankees in an on-field ceremony.

"Today we're here to celebrate the opening of our Hall of Fame, which is so cool, and it's something that's

long overdue," said Padres managing partner Peter Seidler, during the unveiling. "Randy was inducted

into the Hall of Fame in 1999. And today -- with other great Padres that are part of our Hall of Fame -- we

now have space in our building for our fans, people that love baseball and people that love San Diego."

And there's plenty of space for those fans to check out the Hall of Fame's new digs. The area is 3,500

square feet -- 2,000 square feet for the interior and 1,500 square feet for the courtyard.

The interior features a wall covered by a timeline of baseball in San Diego. That timeline is divided into

three sections -- "Baseball in San Diego," "The PCL Padres" and "The National League Padres," which

understandably takes up the largest portion.

Along the timeline are artifacts from Padres history -- such as Jones' Cy Young Award from 1976, and

Gwynn's Silver Slugger Award from the 1994 campaign in which he batted .394. It also features more

obscure relics, like the box score from a 1874 contest between Old San Diego and Lone Star -- the first

baseball game ever played in the city.

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The center of the Hall is marked with 13 panels dedicated to each current honoree. (One of those panels --

belonging to Ken Caminiti, who will be officially inducted later this season -- remains covered by a

sheet.)

"There's still plenty of room in there for future players," said Jones. "I look forward to enjoying the Padres

Hall of Fame."

Said Winfield: "San Diego was where I got my first hit, first RBI, first everything. I was always indebted

to this organization. San Diego has always been good to me. But we're here for the Hall of Fame opening,

and look at it: It's beautiful."

The tour through the interior of the Hall concludes with an interactive video theater, which allows fans to

watch their own choice of video from different moments in Padres history. Across from the theater is an

all-time club statistics leaderboard.

At the K Street entrance -- which leads into Hall of Fame plaza -- are paintings of the four most legendary

Padres players: Jones, Winfield, Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman. Then, as fans approach the ballpark's

concourse, they come upon the Cooperstown wall, which features replica plaques for each Hall of Famer

to ever play for the Padres. The plaques for Gwynn and Winfield stand out, given that they're the two

players who sport Padres caps in the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y.

The plaza and the Hall will be open to all fans with a ticket at every Padres home game. It's a monument

to San Diego baseball, not just since 1969 -- when the Padres joined the NL -- but to the entirety of the

club's history and the history of baseball in San Diego.

"The team's main goal and objective was to tell the story of baseball in San Diego," said Cherie Morgan,

the lead designer of the plaza. "So we told it. And we did it through a combination of artifacts and

memorabilia and photographs, celebrating the achievements of the team and the important moments."

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One pitch turned 1998 World Series Former Yankees-Padres players recall pivotal at-bat in

Game 1

By Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com | @boomskie | July 1st, 2016

SAN DIEGO -- For those who played in and remember the 1998 World Series between the Padres and

Yankees, it's still known as the pitch.

Mark Langston threw it for the Padres during the seventh inning of Game 1 at the old Yankee Stadium

and Tino Martinez took it. It looked like the 2-2 pitch was right over the plate, but home plate umpire

Rich Garcia called it a ball.

Martinez hit the next one deep into the right-field seats for the grand slam that wound up burying the

Padres, who began that inning leading the Bombers by three runs. The Yankees went on to sweep the

series.

"Yeah, it changed the whole series, that's for sure," said former Padres right-hander Andy Ashby, the No.

2 starter on that team, in a recent phone interview. "But you look back on it, I didn't pitch well in Game 2.

We needed to win one of those first two games in New York, but we didn't do that. And that changed the

whole series."

Langston, now a radio voice for the Angels, still shakes his head in bewilderment every time he's asked

about that pitch.

The two clubs renewed their nearly 20-year-old rivalry with a three-game series at Petco Park that opened

on Friday night.

It's only the third time since the '98 Series that the Yankees have traveled to San Diego to play the Padres.

They won Games 3 and 4 of the series at what was then called Jack Murphy Stadium in Mission Valley

and then played again there in 2002.

New York's previous visit to Petco was just three years ago. The Yanks are 3-3 in San Diego, but they

won the two biggest games in the World Series.

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"It was a big series for Scott Brosius, who was dealing with the illness of his father," said Yankees

manager Joe Girardi, the backup catcher behind Jorge Posada on that team. "It was a World Series that we

felt like if we didn't win we wouldn't validate our year. And we were able to do that."

Brosius was the MVP of the series as the Yankees also came back from a 3-0 deficit to win Game 3.

Brosius hit a three-run homer off Padres closer extraordinaire Trevor Hoffman to provide the margin of a

victory in a 5-4 win. His father, Maury, died of colon cancer in 1999.

To Girardi's point, the Yankees won 114 games that regular season after opening 1-4. Their 125

wins overall are the most of any Major League franchise, coming during the era of the extended

playoff format.

In contrast, the Warriors just set a record by winning 73 games during the regular NBA season

but lost the championship to the Cavaliers in seven games.

"They talked about the Warriors needing to do that to validate their year," Girardi said. "But they

still had an unbelievable year. You don't know if anyone's ever going to win that many games

again during the course of the season, but the real prize is at the end."

Those 125 wins are probably going to be pretty tough to match.

"That's a lot of wins," Girardi added. "Seattle had a chance. They won 116 a couple of years

later but weren't able to win the World Series."

The Mariners won those 116 games during the 2001 season, but they were eliminated by the

Yankees in a five-game American League Championship Series.

Here's the thing about long-term success: The Mariners haven't been back to the postseason

since then and have never played in the World Series. Since 1998, the Padres haven't played

again in the Fall Classic and they've never won one in their 47-year history.

The Padres also lost to the Tigers in the 1984 World Series and are 1-8 in their two World

Series trips. They haven't been to the playoffs since 2006.

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Since 1998, the Yankees have played in the World Series five more times, winning for the last

time in 2009, Girardi's second year as manager. They went to the playoffs under Joe Torre 12

consecutive years from 1996-2007 and have won 27 titles overall.

Time passes and that 1998 Padres team takes on an almost mythical quality. That era was the

only one in which two of the greatest players in the club's history -- Hoffman and the late Tony

Gwynn -- were playing on all cylinders.

"That was a fun team," said Cole Hamels, the Rangers left-hander who grew up in San Diego. "I

was old enough to understand the stats and understood what the players were trying to do. I

was in eighth grade and just starting to get a good idea of the game of baseball."

That season, Hoffman had 53 saves in 55 opportunities and Gwynn batted .321 with 16 homers

and 69 RBIs. By the end of the 2001 season, Gwynn was finished. He was elected to the

National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2007. Hoffman pitched until 2010 and fell 34 votes short of

election to the Hall earlier this year, his first on the ballot.

Both are immortalized in the spanking new Padres Hall of Fame that opened on Friday in a

2,000 square-foot space behind the Western Metal Supply Co. building in the ballpark's left-field

corner. The late Ken Caminiti, the third baseman in 1998 and National League MVP two years

earlier, will be inducted next month.

The '98 Padres team won 98 games, by far the most in franchise history, but they ran into a

buzzsaw in the Yankees.

"We went into that '98 season saying we wanted to go to the playoffs, we wanted to win the NL

and we wanted to win the World Series," Ashby said. "It just felt different, and the attitude was

different. We fell short because we didn't win the World Series. We almost accomplished what

we wanted to accomplish. We wanted more, but we ran into a pretty good Yankees team."

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Defensive player of the month: Padres

catcher Derek Norris Mark SimonESPN Staff

The San Diego Padres' Derek Norris doesn’t fit the profile to be our Defensive Player of the Month Award winner. He’s a big-bearded, lumbering, 6-foot, 230-pound catcher. He's not rangy and

swift afoot like Royals outfielder Lorenzo Cain, nor quick in any direction like Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford.

But Norris is our choice to take the award for June.

Norris had seven defensive runs saved for the month, tied for second most behind Cain. Norris leads all catchers with 14 defensive runs saved this season.

When you think of the game’s top defensive catchers, Norris is far from the first that comes to mind. Yadier Molina, Salvador Perez, Buster Posey, David Ross and others probably top your list. But what Norris is doing for a struggling Padres team is making a big difference. Consider the following:

Through the end of June, the Padres were 31-29 when Norris started at catcher. When he didn’t, the Padres were 2-17. And we can rule out Norris’ bat as being high-impact, as he ended the month hitting .211 with a .265 on-base percentage and a .390 slugging percentage.

At month’s end, Padres pitchers had a 4.40 ERA in the 519 1/3 innings Norris caught. They had a 5.21 ERA in the 190 innings others caught. Opponents were hitting .251 and averaging 0.9 home runs per nine innings when Norris caught. They hit .279 and averaged 1.6 home runs per nine when others caught.

Among those for whom Norris made the biggest difference is former Padres and current White Sox starter James Shields. In seven games with Norris catching, Shields had a 3.00 ERA. In five games with Padres backup Christian Bethancourt catching, Shields’ ERA was 6.04. (And Shields has allowed 25 runs in 20 1/3 innings with the White Sox.) Want another example?

Look at Drew Pomeranz, who has turned into a pretty good pitcher this season. Pomeranz with Norris: 1.75 ERA, .165 opponents’ batting average, .524 opponents’ OPS in 11 starts

Pomeranz with Bethancourt: 6.00 ERA, .262 opponents’ batting average, .738 opponents’ OPS in four

starts.

What is it that Norris does well? The different components that make up defensive runs saved provide a few looks.

This season, Norris gets five runs saved for his pitch-framing work (the fourth-highest total in the majors), four for good fielding plays and defensive misplay avoidance (this primarily

30

incorporates blocking pitches in the dirt), three for the ERA difference between himself and other Padres catchers, one run for stolen-base rate (he's thrown out 29 percent of baserunners; the major league average is 26 percent) and one run for bunt defense.

This month was a good one for Norris when it came to pitch-blocking. Norris successfully blocked 99 pitches in the dirt and had only three wild pitches from his pitchers. His 97 percent block rate was fourth highest in the majors for the month.

Though Norris might not be the best in the game at any particular skill, he brings a little bit of everything to the table. And look at it this way: Imagine how much worse the Padres would be without him.

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Myers stays hot with 2-run homer as Padres

beat Yankees 7-6 Associated Press

SAN DIEGO -- With his 19th home run, Wil Myers is playing so well that his manager expects him to be San Diego's representative in the All-Star Game at Petco Park on July 12. And then there's 28-year-old rookie Ryan Schimpf, who hit his first big league home run Friday night, when the San Diego Padres avoided a total bullpen meltdown to hold off the New York

Yankees 7-6.

"It felt good to get it out of there for sure," said Schimpf, who played 733 minor league games before getting his first big league call-up on June 14.

He homered to right-center leading off the second inning.

"It's kind of always been my game, I guess, ever since I was little," said Schimpf, who hit 15 homers in 51 games at Triple-A before being called up. "Kind of a big-swing guy trying to drive the ball every time. That's just kind of how I've always been, but obviously I don't want to be big swing, big miss. I want to go up there and put together a good at-bat and hit the ball hard."

Said manager Andy Green: "It was fun to see. ... There's a lot of positives to pull from it and he's going to continue to get opportunities." Colin Rea (5-3) pitched six strong innings for the Padres, who snapped a three-game losing streak and handed the Yankees their fourth loss in six games. The righty held New York to two runs, one earned, and four hits while striking out five and walking one. The Padres, who traded closer Fernando Rodney to Miami on Thursday, then gave up four runs in the ninth. After Matt Thornton allowed pinch-hitter Alex Rodriguez's RBI single that pulled the Yankees to 7-3, Brandon Maurer came on with two on and none out in the ninth. He allowed Didi Gregorius' RBI double and Aaron Hicks' RBI groundout before his wild pitch brought in another run. Pinch-hitter Carlos Beltran doubled and advanced on Jacoby Ellsbury's groundout before Maurer got Brett Gardner to ground out to earn his first save.

Myers didn't slow down even though the calendar has turned to July. He had 11 homers, 33 RBI and 21 extra-base hits in June.

Myers hit a two-run, opposite-field shot to right off Nathan Eovaldi in the fifth.Travis

Jankowski was aboard on a leadoff single.

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"I wasn't too worried about the calendar flipping," Green said. "I felt pretty good about where his swing was and what he feels like, takes his walk, steals a base, homers. It's what he's been doing for a while now, so he better be an All-Star."

New York's Brian McCann homered with one out in the sixth off Rea, his 13th. The Padres jumped on Eovaldi for three runs in the first, on an RBI single byMelvin Upton Jr. and Derek Norris' two-run double.

Ellsbury hit an RBI single for the Yankees in the second.

Eovaldi (6-6) lost his fourth straight start, allowing six runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings, struck out two and walked three.

`He's got good stuff but consistently he has to locate or he's going to get hit," manager Joe Girardi said. "He had two outs and he didn't make pitches."

Said Eovaldi: "I've got to do a better job of being able to locate my pitches in big situations."

THE SPLENDID SPLINTER

The Padres inducted San Diego native Ted Williams into their Hall of Fame, which opened earlier Friday. Williams, who attended Hoover High, played for the Padres of the Pacific Coast League in 1936 and 1937 before being sold to theBoston Red Sox. San Diego didn't get a major league franchise until 1969. Williams became good friends with Tony Gwynn in the 1990s.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Yankees: Beltran didn't start because of a tight right hamstring.

Padres: RHP Erik Johnson was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to Wednesday, with a right elbow sprain. Manager Andy Green said Johnson had an MRI but the results weren't yet available.

UP NEXT

Yankees: RHP Ivan Nova (5-5, 5.32) is scheduled to start the middle game of the series Saturday night. Padres: LHP Drew Pomeranz (7-7, 2.76) is scheduled to start for San Diego.

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Padres most aggressive team as international signing period opens Club signs eight of the top 50 prospects and smashes organization's spending records on foreign amateurs

By Kirk Kenney | 10:46 a.m. July 2, 2016

As expected, the Padres opened the international signing period on Saturday with a bang.

The organization was the most active in baseball, with signings completed or imminent with a

dozen players — including eight of the top 50 prospects ranked by Baseball America — in the

early hours of the opening day of the signing period.

The Padres' 12 signings (at this point) were twice as many as those reported by Baseball

America for the Astros, Brewers, Cardinals and Phillies, which each had six players.

In the process, the Padres smashed their club records for overall and individual spending on

signings.

The most they ever spent on the international draft in one year was $5 million in 2008. They

spent nearly that much Saturday on one player alone.

Luis Almanzar, a 16-year-old Dominican shortstop rated No. 2 by Baseball America received a

$4 million bonus. The largest bonus the team had previously given to an international amateur

was $2 million to right-hander Adys Portillo, a 2008 signee who never made it past Double-A

with the organization.

Other Dominican players signed include outfielder Jeison Rosario (No. 6, $1.85 million), right-

hander Michael Miliano (No. 48, $450,000) and shortstop Yordy Barley (No. 50, $1 million),

right-hander Jose Manuel Guzman ($40,000), outfielder Carlos Batista ($350,000) and catcher

Juan Vazquez ($100,000).

Venezuelan players expected to be signed later in the day were shortstop Gabriel Arias (No. 4,

$1.9 million), catcher Alison Quintero (No. 22, $830,000), shortstop Justin Lopez (No. 28, $1.2

million) and shortstop Tucupipa Marcano ($320,000). Also signed was Mexican outfielder Tirso

Ornelas (No. 34, $1.5 million).

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Like Almanzar, all of the players ranked among the top 50 prospects are 16-year-olds.

The Padres have a bonus pool of $3,347,600 for the 2016-17 signing period. By spending in

excess of that amount, they are subject to a 100 percent penalty for any overages.

Exceeding their bonus pool by more than 15 percent this year means the Padres will be

restricted to signing players for no more than $300,000 each in the next two signing periods.

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Minors: Austin Hedges blasts 2 more homers Recapping the previous day of action for the Padres' minor league affiliates

By Jeff Sanders | 8:16 a.m. July 2, 2016

Austin Hedges’ power surge is not slowing down.

The owner of 23 homers in 325 minor league games coming into the season, Hedges hit his

12th and 13th of the season in Triple-A El Paso’s 9-2 win over Reno on Sunday night.

Hedges (.389) drove in six runs on the two blasts, his 11th in his last 13 games. He has driven

in 38 runs in 30 games this season.

Hunter Renfroe (.329) went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored and Manuel Margot (.300),

Carlos Asuaje (.321) and Jabari Blash (.262) each had two hits.

Right-hander Carlos Pimental (8-4, 6.00) struck out four and scattered four this and two walks

over five scoreless innings.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (25-53)

Tulsa 5, Missions 3: RHP Adam Cimber (2-2, 2.10) allowed four runs – one earned – in an

inning of relief after RHP Seth Simmons (2.45) struck out six and allowed a run in five innings in

the start. CF Franchy Cordero (.429) doubled in two runs and RF Nick Schulz (.297) and 3B

River Stevens (.265) each had two hits.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (36-43)

Lancaster 5, Storm 1: RHP Brett Kennedy (2-6, 4.66) struck out seven and allowed four runs in

four innings. CF Michael Gettys (.421) went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while SS Javier Guerra (.203)

went 1-for-3 and committed his 22nd error.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (40-39)

Lake County 3, TinCaps 2: RHP Jacob Nix (3.88) struck out six and allowed a run in five innings

and LHP Nathan Foriest (4.61) struck out five over three perfect innings. RHP Gerardo Reyes

(3-2, 2.10) allowed two runs – one earned – while recording one out in the ninth. The TinCaps’

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lone runs crossed the plate on a two-run homer from 1B Brad Zunica (.248), his ninth of the

year.

SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (10-5)

Dust Devils 3, Everett 2: RHP Braxton Lorenzini (1-1, 7.15) allowed two runs in five innings. LF

Josh Magee (.205) went 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored and 2B Nate Easley (.306) went

3-for-4 with a run scored and his third steal.

ROOKIE DSL PADRES (10-13)

Blue Jays 7, Padres 5: RF Jaffe Garcia (.227) drove in three runs on three hits, including a

double, 1B Felix Suarez (.238) went 2-for-5 with two runs scored and SS Luis Guzman (.246)

singled in a pair of runs. RHP Meliton Reyes (3-0, 1.45) struck out five and allowed two

unearned run over five innings.

37

'Geeked' Maurer survives first save chance Padres survive shaky ninth to beat Yankees; Myers, Schimpf homers pace offense

By Jeff Sanders | 10:55 p.m. July 1, 2016 | Updated, 12:12 a.m. | July 2, 2016

First, Ryan Schimpf hit his first career homer. Then, Wil Myers hit his first homer on the first day

of a new month. Then, the Padres survived the first save situation of the post-Fernando Rodney

era.

Indeed, there was some relief in Brandon Maurer’s roar after the right-hander recorded final out

for his first career save in a 7-6 win in front of the remnants of a sell-out crowd of 41,321 at

Petco Park.

“I’m still a little jittery,” Maurer said after the Yankees’ four-run ninth inning on Friday night

threatened to extend the Padres’ skid to four games. “Pretty excited. Pretty excited. I was

geeked up.”

Maybe a little too geeked.

Hours after Padres Manager Andy Green tapped the 25-year-old Maurer as the first in line to

replace Rodney as closer, after six solid innings from Colin Rea, after scoreless appearances

from left-handers Brad Hand and Ryan Buchter, veteran left-hander Matt Thornton turned the

Padres’ five-run advantage into a nail-biter.

He walked the first batter, hit the next and allowed a shift-beating single to pinch-hitter Alex

Rodriguez to fetch Green from the dugout in a 7-3 game.

Thornton was out. Maurer was in. Two runners were on. And nobody was out.

“What should have been going through my mind was remembering to breathe,” Maurer said. “I

forgot to a little bit out there. I got so wrapped up in it. It was exciting.”

Again, maybe a little too exciting.

Didi Gregorius doubled in a run immediately, the Yankees picked up another run on Aaron

Hicks’ groundout and one more on a wild pitch before Carlos Beltran’s pinch-hit double put the

tying run in scoring position.

38

Then it was standing 90 feet away from the plate after Jacoby Ellsbury grounded out to second.

Then it was headed to the dugout as Maurer exhaled loudly on the mound after fetching one

more groundball off the bat of the speedy Brett Gardner.

Ballgame.

“You want to see somebody rise up in that situation,” Green said. “That’s as loud of a roar as

I’ve seen come out of him at any point in time. He was pretty fired up about getting the save and

rightfully so.”

The offense did the early heavy lifting.

Strengthening his case for an All-Star invite, Myers homered on the first day of July, singled and

swiped his 12th base, Derek Norris doubled in a pair in a three-run first and Schimpf hit his first

career homer in the second to support a strong six-inning start from Rea (5-3).

The 25-year-old right-hander struck out five, scattered four hits and a walk and allowed his only

earned run on Brian McCann’s sixth-inning solo shot. The other run crossed the plate in the

second when Norris’ passed ball set up Ellsbury’s run-scoring single an inning after Rea fetched

a groundball from Chase Headley to end a bases-loaded threat.

Schimpf answered an inning later with a home run onto the pier, his first since hitting 16 in less

than half a season at Triple-A El Paso.

“It felt good,” said Schimpf, who is hitting .125 early in his first big league call-up. “Obviously

been grinding at-bats out the last couple days. Really just trying to go up there, put together a

good at-bat and hit the ball hard. I got a good pitch to hit, squared it up just right and it felt good

to get it out of there, for sure.”

The Padres tacked on two more in the seventh when Myers hit his 19th homer just right of

center field.

Eleven of those blasts came in June, when Myers led the majors in RBIs (33) and extra-base

hits (21) and was tops in the NL in total bases (75).

His June .765 slugging percentage ranked behind only Brandon Moss among NL hitters and his

11 homers and 25 runs scored tied Kris Bryant for the most in the NL.

“I wasn’t too worried about the calendar flipping,” Green said. “I felt really good about where his

swing was. He’s takes his walks, steals a base. That’s who he’s been for a while now.

“He better be an All-Star.”

Yankees starter Nate Eovaldi (6-6) allowed six runs on seven hits – including both Schimpf’s

and Myers’ homers – and three walks in 4 1/3 innings.

Headley went 0-for-3 in his return to Petco Park before he was pulled from the field during a

double-switch in the sixth inning.

39

Brandon Maurer to get 'first crack' at saves Padres right-hander has 14 strikeouts, one earned run in last 9 2/3 innings

By Jeff Sanders | 6:26 p.m. July 1, 2016

From Trevor Hoffman to Heath Bell to Huston Street to Joaquin Benoit to Craig Kimbrel to

Fernando Rodney, ninth-inning decisions have left little to the imagination during the Padres’

stay at Petco Park.

That’s not the case this weekend.

With Rodney traded to the Marlins on Thursday, the Padres entered the weekend with an idea

but not an anointed closer: Brandon Maurer.

“We clearly don’t have that easily identifiable closer that we had before,” Padres Manager Andy

Green said Friday afternoon. “We knew going into the season that (Rodney) was going to be the

guy and he was unbelievable. … Replacing him is not the easiest thing and I don’t think we’re

going to come out and say this guy is ‘our closer’ but when you look at the way things are set up

in our bullpen, I really like the way Brandon Maurer has rebounded from his rough stretch.

“I think we’re inclined to give him the first crack at the ninth inning.”

That rough stretch – 12 earned runs in four innings from May 30-June 8 – led Green to call on

newcomer Ryan Buchter for a save opportunity while Rodney was away from the team. Since

then, the 25-year-old Maurer has struck out 14, walked one and allowed just one earned run

over his last 9 2/3 innings, thanks in large part to the return of his power slider.

His release point is back out in front of his body and the slider is pushing 90 mph now when it

was sitting in the mid-80s in the height of his struggles.

“Not only with my slider, just having that same plane working with my fastball so I could throw

my fastball in a way that looks like it could be a slider,” Maurer said. “I’ve noticed a big

difference.”

Green has too – enough to give Maurer the first save chance despite his 5.73 earned-run

average sitting nearly three runs higher than the 29-year-old Buchter’s (2.91), a revelation in his

own right since signing as an unheralded free agent this December.

40

Buchter is coming off his worst outing of his season – 5 ER in 1/3 of an inning – but figures to

factor into the ninth-inning rotation at some point in the coming weeks as the Padres sort out the

back end of their bullpen.

In fact, both Maurer and Buchter were preparing for the roles to develop organically before

Green tipped his hand Friday afternoon.

“I think it will just play itself out,” Maurer said.

Said Buchter: “A fight for the position wouldn’t be so bad. I don’t think anybody knows anything

as of yet. You just wait ‘til your name’s called.”

41

Padres Hall of Fame opens at Petco Park Franchise celebrates its minor and major league history with a nod to San Diego's baseball history as well

By Kirk Kenney | 5:14 p.m. July 1, 2016

Randy Jones was known for a sinker not a cutter, but Jones handled the scissors flawlessly at

Petco Park on Friday afternoon during the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Padres Hall of Fame.

“Though the Padres Hall of Fame was created in 1999 in honor of the club’s 30th anniversary, it

lacked a true home until now,” Padres President and CEO Mike Dee said. “San Diego has an

incredibly rich baseball history, but that story has largely gone untold at Petco Park.

“This project has been a labor of love for many people within the organization, and it’s a

testament to ownership’s commitment to celebrating the history of the franchise. We are excited

for generations of fans to experience this very meaningful addition to the ballpark.”

The Padres Hall of Fame Plaza is located beyond the left field wall, just inside the ballpark gate

adjacent to the intersection of Tony Gwynn Drive and K Avenue.

Fans for Friday night’s game against the Yankees will get the first glimpse of the Hall of Fame,

which encompasses 1,500 square feet of outside space and 2,000 square feet of inside space.

“It exceeds my expectations,” Jones said. “What they’ve done with the history of the franchise is

phenomenal. Going back to the PCL start here and how it’s been an integral part of San Diego

for centuries, literally, is great.”

Among those joining Jones for the opening ceremony were former Padres Dave Winfield and

Garry Templeton, Alicia Gwynn, the wife of Tony Gwynn, and Claudia Williams, the daughter of

Ted Williams. Claudia Williams threw out the first pitch before Friday's game during a pregame

ceremony in which her father was inducted into the Padres Hall of Fame. Williams played for the

minor league Padres in 1936-37.

Images of Jones, Winfield, Gwynn and Trevor Hoffman are on the brick facade above the

entrance to the Hall of Fame.

42

Another feature in the outside courtyard is a wall titled Padres in Cooperstown that includes the

plaques of 16 Hall of Famers who either played or coached with the minor league or major

league Padres.

On the wall (in order of their induction at Cooperstown), are Ted Williams (1966), Billy Herman

(1975), Bob Lemon (1976), Bobby Doerr (1986), Willie McCovey (1986), Gaylord Perry (1991),

Rollie Fingers (1992), Larry Doby (1998), Sparky Anderson (2000), Tony Perez (2000), Ozzie

Smith (2002), Goose Gossage (2008), Dick Williams (2008), Ricky Henderson (2009), Roberto

Alomar (2011) and Greg Maddux (2014). Mike Piazza (2016) will be added after this month’s

induction ceremonies in Cooperstown.

Pedestals honoring Winfield (2001) and Gwynn (2007) — the two players in franchise history

inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame as Padres — stand in front of the wall.

A front display window recognizes the team’s 23 Gold Glove winners, 19 Silver Slugger awards,

nine Reliever of the Year awards, fur Cy Young Award winners, two National League champions

and the cycle Matt Kemp hit for last year in Colorado.

Inside, the Hall of Fame’s timeline takes fans not just through Padres history but baseball history

in San Diego.

It is broken into three categories: Baseball in San Diego, Before the Padres, 1871-1935; The

PCL Padres, A Franchise is Born, 1936-68; National League Padres, 1969-present.

Historical photographs line three walls and begin with the first game played in San Diego in

1871 and end with an overhead sunset photo of Petco Park. Mixed in with the photos are

significant artifacts — like Steve Garvey’s bat from Game 4 of the 1984 National League

Championship Series — from key moments in franchise history.

In the center of the room are illuminated panels with pictures and career information on each of

the 13 members of the Padres Hall of Fame.

One nice touch was on a wall that included a list of Padres all-time leaders. There was a nod to

the most popular owner in the franchise's history, with the Ray Kroc fan tracker, which read

"89,359,821 fans served since 1969." The attendance figure will be updated nightly after games.

Th Hall of Fame experience concludes with three state-of-the-art Sony 4K projectors linked to

an interactive kiosk. Fans can press any of several screens and the projectors play videos on

past, present and even future Padres now playing for the franchise’s minor league affiliates.

“I think what you’re going to find is parents today that were little kids watching me pitch and

watching Dave Winfield hit home runs in the 1970s,” Jones said, “now they’re going to be

walking through explaining to their kids what it was like when they were kids. And now we’re

starting a new generation and over the next 25-30 years this is going to perpetuate.”

On game days, any fan with a ticket can visit the Padres Hall of Fame from the moment the

gates open until the end of the eighth inning. In addition, the Hall of Fame has been added as

the last stop on tours of Petco Park.

43

Johnson to DL; Dominguez recalled Padres right-hander out with elbow sprain, while team shuffles roster following Rodney trade

By Jeff Sanders | 3:12 p.m. July 1, 2016 | Updated, 6:39 p.m.

In relaying the lay of the land in the Padres’ bullpen following the Fernando Rodney trade,

General Manager A.J. Preller said he expected some minor league arms to carve out roles in

the majors.

First up: Right-hander Jose Dominguez.

The Padres put right-hander Erik Johnson on the 15-day disabled list Friday with an elbow

sprain and recalled the 25-year-old Dominguez from Triple-A El Paso. They also activated the

recently claimed Paul Clemens, moved right-hander Cesar Vargas (elbow) to the 60-day

disabled list and optioned left-hander Buddy Baumman to El Paso after activating him from the

60-day disabled list.

Dominguez was 3-3 with a 3.79 ERA, 36 strikeouts and a 1.49 WHIP in 35 2/3 innings in the

Pacific Coast League. He converted six of his eight save opportunities.

Baumann started the season on the disabled list with inflammation in his back. He was 1-0 with

a 1.46 ERA, 13 strikeouts and a 0.97 WHIP in 12 1/3 innings during a rehab stint that was due

to expire this weekend.

Acquired in the James Shields trade, Johnson had allowed nine homers and 20 earned runs in

19 2/3 innings since joining the Padres. He had an MRI on Friday afternoon after feeling

discomfort in his elbow in the fifth inning of his last start.

Clemens won one of his two starts with the Marlins but had allowed seven earned runs, five

homers and eight walks in 10 innings. He is expected to work out of the bullpen to start his stay

with the Padres.

44

Padres seek 2nd straight win vs Yankees The San Diego Padres look for their second win in a row against the New York Yankees at Petco Park on Saturday night.

STATS LLCJul 2, 2016 at 1:32p ET

SAN DIEGO -- Ivan Nova finally gets a chance to pitch at Petco Park Saturday night.

He came close in 2009 when he spent spring training in the Padres camp as a Rule 5 draft pick. But just

before the season started, the Padres elected to return Nova to the Yankees rather than keep the then 22-

year-old on the major league roster for a full year.

It is a decision the Padres have regretted.

Nova was in the major leagues by the end of the 2010 season and has compiled a 44-41 record since.

He makes his first start at Petco Park in the second contest of a three-game set between the Yankees and

the Padres.

The right-handed Nova, who is 5-5 with a 5.32 ERA in 16 games (10 starts) faces left-hander Drew

Pomeranz (7-7, 2.76).

Although he went into spring training battling Brandon Maurer for the No. 5 spot in the Padres rotation,

Pomeranz has clearly become -- because of injuries to Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner and the trade of

James Shields to the Chicago White Sox -- the No. 1 starter in the Padres rotation.

"We didn't know what we really had with Drew until we saw his curve and started having him use it

more," Padres manager Andy Green said. "It is one of the best curves in the major leagues. Most pitchers

work off their fastball. With Drew, it's the breaking ball."

Including his last start, Pomeranz has allowed zero earned runs in six of his first 15 starts and two or

fewer in another four. Opposing hitters are batting .190 against Pomeranz, which is the third-best mark in

the National League. Pomeranz also ranks sixth with 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

"I recently got away from some things that were working for me," said Pomeranz, who had allowed 11

runs in in 16 innings over three starts before allowing only three hits over seven shutout innings in his

most recent start in Cincinnati on Sunday.

Nova, 29, makes his 11th start of the season on Saturday after making his first six appearances of the

season out of the bullpen. He has allowed at least three runs in each of his last seven starts after giving up

just one run in each of his first three starts.

45

"Ivan has struggled recently," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "But the stuff is there. We've seen it

earlier this season and before. Like a couple other pitchers, we have to get him back on track."

Nova last started June 27 against the Texas Rangers and allowed four runs on six hits over five innings.

He didn't figure in the decision for only the second time in his last 34 starts.

Nova has worked five or fewer innings in each of his last three starts after going at least six innings in five

straight.

46

Yankees-Padres preview SAN DIEGO -- Ivan Nova finally gets a chance to pitch at Petco Park

Saturday night.

Stats LLCJul 2, 2016 at 4:51a ET

SAN DIEGO -- Ivan Nova finally gets a chance to pitch at Petco Park Saturday night.

He came close in 2009 when he spent spring training in the Padres camp as a Rule 5 draft pick. But just before the season started, the Padres elected to return Nova to the Yankees rather than keep the then 22-year-old on the major league roster for a full year.

It is a decision the Padres have regretted.

Nova was in the major leagues by the end of the 2010 season and has compiled a 44-41 record since.

He makes his first start at Petco Park in the second contest of a three-game set between the Yankees and the Padres.

The right-handed Nova, who is 5-5 with a 5.32 ERA in 16 games (10 starts) faces left-hander Drew Pomeranz (7-7, 2.76).

Although he went into spring training battling Brandon Maurer for the No. 5 spot in the Padres rotation, Pomeranz has clearly become -- because of injuries to Tyson Ross and Andrew Cashner and the trade of James Shields to the Chicago White Sox -- the No. 1 starter in the Padres rotation.

"We didn't know what we really had with Drew until we saw his curve and started having him use it more," Padres manager Andy Green said. "It is one of the best curves in the major leagues. Most pitchers work off their fastball. With Drew, it's the breaking ball."

Including his last start, Pomeranz has allowed zero earned runs in six of his first 15 starts and two or fewer in another four. Opposing hitters are batting .190 against Pomeranz, which is the third-best mark in the National League. Pomeranz also ranks sixth with 10.4 strikeouts per nine innings.

"I recently got away from some things that were working for me," said Pomeranz, who had allowed 11 runs in in 16 innings over three starts before allowing only three hits over seven shutout innings in his most recent start in Cincinnati on Sunday.

Nova, 29, makes his 11th start of the season on Saturday after making his first six appearances of the season out of the bullpen. He has allowed at least three runs in each of his last seven starts after giving up just one run in each of his first three starts.

"Ivan has struggled recently," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "But the stuff is there. We've seen it earlier this season and before. Like a couple other pitchers, we have to get him back on track."

Nova last started June 27 against the Texas Rangers and allowed four runs on six hits over five innings. He didn't figure in the decision for only the second time in his last 34 starts.

47

Nova has worked five or fewer innings in each of his last three starts after going at least six innings in five straight.

48

Myers Stays Hot, Padres Beat Yankees Another big night for the likely All-Star 1st baseman

By Derek Togerson

In the month of June Padres 1st baseman Wil Myers hit .327 with 11 home runs and 33 RBI.

He even scored 25 runs. It appears that kind of production was not confined the calendar.

Myers went deep again on the first day of July, a 2-run shot over the right-centerfield wall to

help the Padres take game one of a 3-game series against the Yankees 7-6 at Petco Park. Wil

also lined a single to left field and walked to bolster his All-Star resume.

The long ball was the 19th homer of the season for Myers. He was joined on the “touch ‘em

all” team by rookie infielder Ryan Schimpf, who smacked the first home run of his big league

career in the 2nd inning off Yankees starter Nathan Eovaldi.

It helped give Padres starter Colin Rea the breathing room he needed after a shaky start. Rea

needed 27 pitches to get through the first inning but didn’t allow a run to score. After that

Colin, who celebrated his 26th birthday on Friday, settled in and threw just 63 pitches over the

next 5.0 innings to earn the win.

San Diego led 7-2 at the start of the 9th inning. After trading closer Fernando Rodney to the

Marlins the Padres had to find somebody new to handle the final three outs. They settled on

Brandon Maurer, who had his work cut out for him in his first chance.

Matt Thornton came in and walked Brian McCann before hitting Starlin Castro with a pitch

and giving up an RBI single to the pinch-hitting Alex Rodriguez. With two runners on and

nobody out Maurer came in and immediately gave up a double to Didi Gregorius that cut the

Padres lead to 7-4. An RBI groundout and a wild pitch brought in two more runs before

Carlos Beltran laced a double to left-centerfield to put the tying run in scoring position.

But Maurer was able to get Jacoby Ellsbury and Brett Gardner to ground out for the final two

outs, stranding Beltran and giving Maurer his first save of 2016. The Padres can win the series

with a win Saturday night. Drew Pomeranz takes the mound against Ivan Nova.

49

Padres Preparing To Spend Insane Amount of

Money San Diego has plans to sign several International free agents

By Derek Togerson

For the Padres, 2016 has not gone according to plan. But help might be on the way. In, like,

eight years.

On Saturday, July 2nd, Major League Baseball’s International signing period opens and the

Padres are expected to go crazy. They’re rumored to be the favorites to land three of the top

six players on the market (according to Baseball America rankings), two of them from the

Dominican Republic and one from Venezuela.

The Friars are also said to be on the frontrunners on a few highly regarded Cuban prospects,

although it’s not certain when (or if) they’ll be cleared and made available by MLB. The

kicker here is how much cash the Padres are willing to spend to do this.

MLB gives you a certain amount of money based on your finish from the year before. You’re

allowed to go over your pool allotment but there’s a tax for doing so. The Padres have a pool

allotment of about $3.3 million.

If they land all the players they've been linked to it will cost them about $30 million, and

that’s just for the players themselves. The tax for going over your allotment is one dollar for

every dollar you go over. So if the Padres really go $27 million over their pool they’ll have to

pay a $27 million tax.

That is astonishing for a franchise that has a well-earned reputation of frugality. The

ownership group led by Ron Fowler and Peter Seidler has put its faith in General Manager

A.J. Preller, who came to San Diego with the reputation of being a wizard with Latin

American players.

Keep in mind, all this cash will be to lock up a bunch of 16-and-17-year-old kids, which

would appear to be a huge gamble. But is it really? That is among the questions I asked A.J.

about what could be a defining moment in Padres franchise history.