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Padres Press Clips

Wednesday, March 14, 2018

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Fernando Tatis, Luis Urias sent down by Padres SD Union Tribune Acee 2

Adam Cimber has done work to not get left out by Padres SD Union Tribune Acee 3

Clayton Richard remains on track for opening day start for SD Union Tribune Acee 4

Padres

Second base competition is what it's about for Padres SD Union Tribune Acee 6

Top prospects Tatis, Urias sent to Minors camp MLB.com Kelly 8

Padres wowed by Tatis' talent, leadership skills MLB.com Cassavell 10

Lin: As spring training begins to wind down, Padres still The Athletic Lin 12

battling it out

Andy’s Address, 3/14 FriarWire Center 14

#PadresOnDeck: Like Tatis Jr., Potts Came in Strong in FriarWire Center 16

Second Half of 2017

#TodayInPeoria: Rotation Battle Heating Up FriarWire Lafferty 17

#PadresOnDeck: Austin Allen Climbs as Catching Field FriarWire Center 18

Gets Crowded

Andy’s Address, 3/13 FriarWire Center 19

Relievers show their stuff in Padres' victory over Cubs SD Union Tribune Acee 22

Kevin Towers Was One of a Kind Forbes.com Bloom 23

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Fernando Tatis, Luis Urias sent down by Padres

Kevin Acee, SDUT, 3/13/18

Two young Padres prospects stoked the imaginations of players, coaches, members of the front office and

fans this spring training.

In announcing Tuesday that their time in major league camp had ended, Padres manager Andy Green

intentionally threw a damp cloth on the fire, stressing that the careers of infielders Fernando Tatis Jr. and

Luis Urias are just beginning.

“It’s time for those two guys to start to get their season going,” Green said Tuesday morning. “… It’s,

‘Go down to work in relative anonymity, hopefully, and forget about the big leagues for the moment and

get better at the respective levels where you’re going to play.’ There’s a lot to like in both of them and

there is a lot of work for both of them.”

After stringing impressive springs in their first major-league camps on the tail of astounding seasons in

2017, it is possible and even probable that both players will wear Padres uniforms this season.

Urias, 20, had eight hits in 28 at-bats, got on base at a .394 pace and hit five doubles. Tatis, 19, hit .281 in

32 at-bats, with a .333 OBP. He hit three doubles and a home run.

They both played defense — Urias primarily at second base, Tatis at shortstop — with a rare smooth

athleticism. Tatis ran the bases with a speed that belied his 6-foot-3 frame. Urias’ plate discipline is

advanced beyond his experience.

While the organization never really considered starting either off in the majors, they acknowledged

privately that both had proved they could play in the big leagues now.

However, it is the long view that the Padres are keeping in focus.

Tatis, a consensus top-10 prospect in all of baseball, hit .278 with 22 homers as he rose from low-A to

Double-A last season. Urias, generally ranked as one of the best 40 prospects in the minors, led the

Double-A Texas League with a .385 OBP in ‘17.

“The mark of real big leaguers is their consistency — guys who can do it day in and day out. It never

wavers never changes. Both of them have the ability to do everything on a day-to-day basis. But do they

do that every single day? … The upside is definitely there. There is a lot to like. They are impressive

young players that have work in front of them. Neither one of them is a finished product.”

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Adam Cimber has done work to not get left out

by Padres

Kevin Acee

Adam Cimber didn’t even make it out of minor league camp last spring.

Now he’s still hanging around his first major league camp in mid-March, signing autographs after

working a scoreless two-thirds of an inning against the heart of the Chicago Cubs order.

“It’s fun,” Cimber said Tuesday. “It’s cool to be tested and challenged, and I’m excited they had faith in

me and I had the opportunity.”

It was practically unfathomable to anyone in the organization even a short while ago, but the 27-year-old

career minor leaguer has a real chance to be in the Padres’ bullpen come opening day or soon afterward.

“He’s in the mix,” manager Andy Green said. “He didn’t come into camp as one of the first names I

would have said that about, but he’s pitched himself into the mix.”

The right-handed Cimber, who throws sidearm, has created this opportunity by not surrendering a run in

six innings over seven appearances. He has allowed just two hits.

Like many minor league pitchers, he worked mostly late innings early in spring, facing mostly minor

league batters and other non-roster invitees.

His recollection of his one-batter appearance against the Giants last week: “Madison Bumgarner started

that game. I got out there and was thinking, ‘MadBum was on this mound. This is pretty cool.’ ”

He has been called on earlier the past two games.

After Cimber started the fourth inning Saturday against the Indians, Rajai Davis became the first batter to

reach base against him, getting there on an error. Jose Ramirez followed with a single. Edwin

Encarnacion then flew out to center, and Cimber got out of the inning on a double play grounder

from Yonder Alonso.

Tuesday against the Cubs, Cimber came on with one out in the fifth to face the Cubs’ 2-3-4 hitters. Kris

Bryant reached on a single to the hole at shortstop that may have been reversed by replay if it were the

regular season. Cimber proceeded to strike out Anthony Rizzo and got Willson Contreras on a grounder to

second.

All three batters fell behind against Cimber. Rizzo and Contreras fouled off multiple offerings, as Cimber

mixed his pitches and the batters appeared to not see the ball well.

The strikeout of the left-handed Rizzo was particularly indicative of how far Cimber has progressed.

He ended up with a 2.90 ERA in 80 innings between Double-A and Triple-A in 2017, but he began the

season staying behind in Arizona in extended spring training. The Padres wanted him to work on his

approach with left-handers.

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He spent several hours over two days watching video of Orioles reliever Darren O’Day, a right-handed

sidearmer who has success against lefties. Then Cimber and Garvin Alston, who is now the pitching

coach for Twins, went to work on the field. Where Cimber used to simply try to stay away from lefties

down and away, he learned to sequence different pitches all over the zone.

“I think my game plan before,” he said, “was I really didn’t have a game plan.”

He was actually slightly better against left-handed hitters (.210 batting average against) than righties

(.217) last year. The previous season, also spent between Double-A and Triple-A, lefties hit .358 off him.

Now he’s striking out Rizzo and getting another tough lefty, Alonso, to ground into a double play.

“Absolutely I have,” Cimber said when asked if he has gained confidence with each successful outing.

“Going into camp I was looking to hang around as long as I could. Now it’s a few weeks in, and I’m

starting to see better hitters. It’s a lot different perspective.

“This time last year, I was pretty low. After wallowing in it a couple days, really taking the challenge, I

said, ‘I’m going to prove some people wrong and get better.’ ”

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Clayton Richard remains on track for opening day

start for Padres Kevin Acee

Clayton Richard will start an intrasquad game Wednesday.

It is a scheduled off day for the Padres, but this keeps Richard on track to start opening day, which

manager Andy Green has all but officially announced Richard will do.

Green has only allowed that the opening day starter can likely be inferred by counting back in five-day

increments from March 29.

The 34-year-old Richard started 32 games and pitched a team-high 197 1/3 innings for the Padres in 2017.

Extra bases

• Joey Lucchesi will also start in Wednesday’s intrasquad. Eric Lauer is scheduled to pitch

Thursday against the San Francisco Giants. The Padres will then decide whether Lucchesi and

Lauer are going down to minor league camp. The decision seems to be between one or both of the

lefties making the rotation at the season’s start or being likely call-ups in the season’s opening

months. The former still seems unlikely, but the Padres believe both have the mentality to endure

what would likely be a learning period in the majors.

• Green said Tuesday morning Jordan Lyles had “a chance to thrust himself back into” the

competition for a rotation spot with his afternoon start against the Cubs. Lyles allowed four runs in

the third inning, and Green seemed inclined afterward to move Lyles to consideration for a bullpen

spot. That leaves Lucchesi, Lauer, Luis Perdomo, Tyson Ross and Chris Young competing for two

spots behind Richard, Bryan Mitchell and Dinelson Lamet.

• The Padres’ depth of talent has attracted an increasing number of scouts to their minor league

workouts and intrasquad games, as well as their Cactus League games. The idea is that the team

might be willing to deal some players at all levels during the season, once they have assessed

where their major league team is at in terms of working toward being a contender in the coming

years.

6

Second base competition is what it's about for Padres Kevin Acee

This is a pivotal point in the careers of Carlos Asuaje and Cory Spangenberg.

If not a crossroads, it is at least an opportunity to make a significant turn one way or the other in an

organization they believe is changing for the better.

Ever since they arrived in Arizona, well before position players were required to be here, it has been with

the goal of returning to San Diego.

Almost certainly, after the Padres play their Triple-A affiliate on March 26, only one of the two second

basemen will be on the team flight home from El Paso and preparing to play opening day at Petco Park.

The other will remain in West Texas, left for the Chihuahuas.

There likely isn’t much time for either to be the Padres’ regular at second. Besides figuratively stealing

glances at each other, Asuaje and Spangenberg are looking over their shoulders at Luis Urias. Once the

season begins, it could be just a matter of weeks, maybe a month or so, before the Padres relent and

decide it’s time for Urias to be in the big leagues.

What is happening at second base this spring is, in essence, a snapshot of the Padres’ transformation.

No longer is this a franchise that must settle, where the best man winning didn’t necessarily mean the

Padres have the best man. A player earns his job here now, and everyone knows it and accepts it. And

loves it.

The contest to be the second baseman, as an example, is desperate and fierce. And friendly.

Between their alternating turns taking grounders, Spangenberg and Asuaje will often talk and laugh.

These moments shared between the two combatants for one job is as striking as any at Padres camp this

spring.

It’s an illustration of how competition is not only good for a team, it is good for a player. And it doesn’t

have to be antagonistic.

“It motivates you,” Asuaje said. “It keeps you on your toes. It keeps you working. You look at the guy

next to you and, sure, all of us think we’re the one on top, but at the same time you have a guy nipping at

your heels. It’s going to push you. As a young player, it’s good.”

The 26-year-old Asuaje, who was called up at the end of June and from that point forward played a solid

second base while hitting .270 and getting on base at a .334 clip, has a .400/.421/.743 hitting line this

spring.

Spangenberg, who moved to third base last year and hit .264 with a .322 OBP, has put up a .321/.367/.607

line this spring.

They both proclaim to be concentrating solely on their own games.

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So perhaps it is coincidence that they have practically matched each other at the plate since March 3,

when Spangenberg returned from a wrist injury suffered in the spring opener.

In that first game with both in the lineup, Asuaje tripled and doubled in his first two at-bats. Serving as

the designated hitter, Spangenberg went hitless his first three times up before hitting a home run in the

sixth inning.

Since that day, Asuaje is 9-for-20 with a home run; Spangenberg is 7-for-21 with a home run.

It’s so tight that manager Andy Green, who had previously plainly stated it was one or the other of the

left-handed hitters who would finish the spring with the big club, hedged just a bit this week.

“It’s tough right now,” Green said. “They both look really good. They both bring really great things to the

table. We’re not set in stone how we’re going to put the roster together all the way across. It’s going to be

tough the way we’re currently constructed to carry both of them, but it’s not an impossibility.”

Both speak about the future with the assumption they will be wearing a Padres uniform. Having been in

the system for a while and played at least parts of multiple seasons in the majors, they are both qualified

to assess that the future for the Padres is different, in part, because of the type of competition in which

they are engaged.

“If you look at how the spring has been going for us as a team, everyone is performing,” Asuaje said.

“Look at the quote-unquote position battles, everyone is performing. … It’s going to be a tough decision

for the front office. That’s our job. We want it to be a tough decision. Everyone is doing their part. You

can see the way we’ve been playing this spring. It’s helping us going into opening day. We’ve got some

good momentum going into the season, which we haven’t had in the past.”

Spangenberg, who turns 27 this week, might be the poster for what is happening with the Padres. Last

year, he was switched from second to third base a couple weeks into spring training. He was basically

handed the gig based on his versatility and potential. Truth is, he was good enough, the best option they

had.

He played in 129 games, made 115 starts.

Now he’s in a fight for a roster spot that might be temporary. And he knows it is a good thing.

“We haven’t had a winning season,” Spangenberg, a first-round pick in 2011, said of his time with the

Padres. “That’s what I want. I’ve seen a lot of losing. I’m sick of it, to be honest. That’s not what I’m here

for. … It’s definitely been frustrating. I want to help us turn the corner and start winning soon.”

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Top prospects Tatis, Urias sent to Minors camp

Matt Kelly, MLB.com, 3/13/18

Top prospects Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Urias have shown impressive flashes in Spring Training

action, but Padres fans will have to wait a little longer to see them again on a Major League field.

The team's Nos. 1 and 3 prospects, respectively, Tatis and Urias were reassigned to Minor League camp

on Tuesday.

Tatis, the game's No. 2 shortstop prospect and No. 8 prospect overall according to MLB Pipeline, was

batting .281 (9-for-32) with a .469 slugging percentage in Cactus League play. The son of former Major

Leaguer Fernando Tatis has been lauded for his bat speed and ability to make adjustments at the plate, as

well as his ability to make highlight-reel plays in the field.

Urias, the game's No. 2 prospect at second base and the No. 36 prospect overall, leaves Major League

camp having batted .286 (8-for-28) with a .464 slugging percentage and five doubles. Signed out of the

Mexican League in 2013, Urias is seen as having an advanced knowledge of the strike zone and

impressive bat-to-ball skills.

"The upside is there," manager Andy Green said of Tatis and Urias on Tuesday. "They're impressive

young players. Neither one is a finished product. There's a lot to like in both of them and still a lot of

work."

Tatis and Urias, along with fellow standouts like pitchers MacKenzie Gore and Michel Baez, are strong

factors in the Padres owning baseball's No. 1 farm system, as ranked by MLB Pipeline.

9

Padres wowed by Tatis' talent, leadership skills Team's top prospect, still just 19, appears to be a star in the making By AJ Cassavell MLB.com @AJCassavell

Mar. 13th, 2018

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Padres knew Fernando Tatis Jr. was a special talent from the moment he arrived

in June 2016. They didn't know just how special until one September afternoon in Tempe.

As a 17-year-old shortstop, Tatis had wowed scouts all summer with his easy athleticism, big league

frame and smooth swing. But that was in Rookie ball. This was instructional ball, featuring the best young

talent from every organization.

In the first inning that day, Tatis smashed a single and stole second then third on the next two pitches. In

his next at-bat, he singled and stole two bases again. In his third at-bat, he launched an opposite-field

home run. For good measure, he added an excellent defensive play.

"He just took over the entire baseball game," said one member of the Padres' player development staff.

"He was so clearly the best player on the field that day. Then there was a week's worth of it. He hit oppo

home run after oppo home run, made play after play, and we were like 'Oh my God.'"

The legend was born, though it took some time to make its way into the national consciousness. Tatis was

still an unknown commodity, nowhere to be found on any prospect rankings.

Twenty months later, Tatis is the crown jewel of the Padres' top-ranked farm system. He's the

presumed shortstop of the future for a team in search of one since Khalil Greene's departure a decade ago.

More than anything, Tatis symbolizes an organization that spent two seasons infusing itself with young

talent through every available avenue. With those pieces in place, the Padres -- perhaps led by Tatis --

stubbornly believe they're destined to compete in the National League West for the better part of the next

decade.

The trade

In June 2016, James Shields was coming off nine seasons with 200 innings and more than 30 starts.

Reliable arms don't grow on trees, and Shields played a major role in the Royals' rebirth and push for the

2014 American League pennant. Tatis had yet to play in a professional game.

"You're always taking a risk on a player that hasn't played a game yet," said Padres general manager A.J.

Preller. "The further guys are away from the Major League level, the harder it is to project. You have so

much less information. We were giving up a proven Major League pitcher for a guy who hadn't played a

game."

On the day of the trade, the White Sox sat two games back of Kansas City in the Central. The division

was wide open. They needed a starter.

Preller, meanwhile, had begun tearing things down after his own ill-advised push for contention in 2015.

The Shields trade was one of seven that year in which the Padres netted prospects for a big league player.

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While working with the Rangers, Preller got his first glimpse of Tatis as a 14-year-old at a tryout. He

vowed to keep Tatis on his radar, and when trade talks developed in 2016, the Padres sent scout after

scout to White Sox camp.

"All the information basically came back the same," Preller said. "We had a chance to get an extremely

talented prospect, even though he hadn't played a game yet, and he should be the target."

On June 5, 2016, the deal was finalized: Shields and cash to the White Sox for Tatis and Erik Johnson.

Nearly two years later, Johnson is largely forgotten. But at the time, the 26-year-old righty was believed

by some to be the centerpiece of the return.

Outside scouting circles, Tatis was on nobody's radar. He was merely the son of the man who once hit two

grand slams in an inning.

"Most people didn't believe in me," said Tatis. "But they hadn't seen me play. What can I say? Now I'm

playing baseball, I'm showing what I've got, and here we are."

It didn't take long for Tatis to skyrocket through the prospect leaderboards. Last season, he batted

.281/.390/.520 and launched a franchise-record 21 homers for Class A Fort Wayne. At 18, he made the

jump to Double-A and held his own during San Antonio's playoff run.

"When we got him, it was very clear that our scouts had done their homework on the raw talent," said

Padres farm director Sam Geaney. "By instructional league, it was clear we had a pretty special talent on

our hands. Going into 2017, we had a good idea that this guy was probably our best position-player

prospect."

He's now widely regarded as one of the best in the game. Tatis is ranked No. 8 overall by MLB Pipeline

and No. 2 among shortstops. The Padres already have begun planning their future around him, shying

away from multiyear shortstops this offseason.

Instead, they traded for Freddy Galvis, who has one year remaining on his contract. That's not a

coincidence.

Big league talent

On Feb. 16, Tatis reported to Peoria as the youngest player in any Major League Spring Training. A week

later, in the Cactus League opener against Seattle, the righty-hitting Tatis drove a 1-2 fastball on the

outside corner off the back of the right-field bullpen.. 23rd, 2018

The organization had raved about his complete approach to hitting. It took two at-bats with the Padres for

him to reinforce that notion.

"You hear about prospects coming up, and you can be skeptical sometimes," said Wil Myers. "Then you

see it for yourself in person, and you know he's going to be a very, very good player. ... He's as good as I

heard."

Tatis played 12 Cactus League games, starting often and facing the league's top pitchers. He went 4-for-4

against the White Sox (as if to rub salt in the wound of his former club). Two days later, he lined an

opposite-field single against Madison Bumgarner.

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In all, Tatis would bat .281/.343/.469 before being reassigned to the Minors on Tuesday. It might not be

long before he's back for good.

, 2018

The future

The Padres conclude their developmental seasons with a prospects game at Petco Park. In 2016, they beat

the Rangers in Tatis' first game at his future home stadium.

In the clubhouse afterward, Tatis addressed the team unprompted. He told his teammates not to let up in

their offseason work and that he believed in the direction of the system.

"It was cool to see," Geaney said. "The emotional maturity and the personal growth, I think that was a

point we all thought was significant -- to stand up in front of his peers and deliver that message."

The Padres haven't been shy about accelerating Tatis' path. He could earn a September callup this year,

and he has vowed to be "knocking on the door" by then.

Next spring, Tatis could compete for a roster spot. And soon enough, he could anchor a young lineup that

includes Myers, Eric Hosmer, Manuel Margot, Austin Hedges, Hunter Renfroe and Luis Urias -- all

of whom are controlled through at least 2022.

"This is just the beginning," Tatis said. "We've got to grind every day now."

This is just the beginning -- for his own career, and perhaps the revitalization of the San Diego Padres.

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Lin: As spring training begins to wind down, Padres

still battling it out By Dennis Lin Mar 13, 2018

PEORIA, Ariz. — The Padres’ two best positional prospects exited major-league camp Tuesday morning,

headed for the minor-league side of the spring training facility here. In one case, a muddled picture gained

a sliver of clarity.

Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. never drew legitimate consideration for the opening-day roster. He could

land at Petco Park by September, but his immense talent makes it easy to forget he turned 19 in January.

Until Tatis forces his way up, veteran Freddy Galvis is expected to provide stability at short.

Luis Urías’ reassignment, meanwhile, reinforced the fact that second base is a two-man competition.

Urías, 20, could debut in the majors well before the final month of the season. Until then, Carlos Asuaje

and Cory Spangenberg are embroiled in an either-or proposition. Room for both left-handed hitters does

not exist.

The Padres face similar conundrums in left field and the rotation. They remain several stratospheres

below the 1939 Yankees, but the vibe at the Peoria Sports Complex has been markedly different than in

recent years. When the Padres complete their March 26 exhibition in El Paso, a few competent major-

leaguers figure to be left behind.

“This is what a roster’s supposed to look like on the fringe, instead of the last couple years,” manager

Andy Green said. “… This time, you’re looking at the bottom part of the roster. You’re talking about real

baseball players that have earned their way to the big leagues and have hit in Triple-A. Those are the

problems championship organizations have across the board. We’re starting to see it in a few areas.”

With the Padres approaching the late stages of spring training, the organization’s increased depth has

manifested itself in the form of difficult decisions. Below, an update on three tightly contested position

battles:

Left field

Whether they come in left, at second or through some mixture of both, José Pírela has earned regular plate

appearances. The 28-year-old was the team’s most productive hitter after arriving from El Paso last June,

and this spring, he has retained that title. He hustles, works long hours and is generally a manager’s

dream.

Pírela’s right-handedness means Franchy Cordero is the most obvious fit as a platoon partner. Cordero’s

big-league track record consists of 99 plate appearances, 44 of which ended with a strikeout, but Wil

Myers may be the only teammate who can rival his power-speed combination.

That Pírela is a lock does not help Hunter Renfroe’s chances of making the team. Though he tries, Pírela

offers uncomfortable defense at second, even in a limited platoon capacity. That role would have to grow

if the Padres also carry Renfroe. The possible inclusion of a fifth outfielder — either Travis Jankowski or

Matt Szczur — would render two right-handed left fielders even more redundant.

In all likelihood, the Padres will have to start Cordero or Renfroe in Triple-A, a level both players would

handle with relative ease. The readiest solution appears to be a trade. Since Eric Hosmer’s signing,

Renfroe has attracted some outside interest. By moving him, the Padres would risk seeing Renfroe

blossom elsewhere, but given their depth, it may be a risk worth taking.

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Second base

Spangenberg suffered a minor wrist injury early in camp, preventing him from accruing as many plate

appearances as Asuaje. The latter has taken advantage of the situation. Tuesday, Asuaje raised his spring

average to .400 with his second Cactus League home run, a single and a double. The three hits came

against three different left-handed pitchers.

The positives outweigh the limitations for Asuaje, a diminutive infielder who has thrived on being

underestimated. Spangenberg, who has hit .321 with two of his own home runs, is more of a known

commodity; injury and inconsistency have kept the former first-rounder from reaching his potential.

Both Spangenberg and Asuaje have minor-league options, and the Padres could make use of that

flexibility this summer. Neither player is viewed as a first-division starter, a label that might apply to the

second baseman nipping at their heels.

Talent evaluators believe Urías could produce in the majors today. The Padres agree with that assessment,

though they’d like the prospect to receive regular playing time when he does surface. For now, Urías will

prepare to begin his season at El Paso.

Rotation

Some scouts have suggested that prospects Joey Lucchesi and Eric Lauer have been the Padres’ two most

impressive starters this preseason. The reviews for the left-handers have leaned toward glowing, even as

the club continues to wonder about its other options.

Clayton Richard, Bryan Mitchell and Dinelson Lamet — three arms with significant question marks —

are the favorites to start. Two jobs are “wide open,” Green said. At this juncture, three familiar faces —

Chris Young, Tyson Ross and Robbie Erlin — are squarely in the conversation.

Non-roster invitees, Young and Ross have pitched as well as could have been hoped. Young has only

strengthened his candidacy for a starting or long-relief role. Ross, more than a year removed from surgery

to correct thoracic outlet syndrome, looks to be ahead of ex-Rule 5 draftee Luis Perdomo.

After showing some promise the last two seasons, Perdomo has yet to take a noticeable step forward, and

the club may opt to continue his development in Triple-A. Erlin, in his first healthy spring since Tommy

John surgery, also might have an edge on Perdomo.

The Padres have contemplated extending Matt Strahm’s rehabilitation through the end of spring; the left-

hander underwent knee surgery last summer. Another rotation hopeful, Jordan Lyles, watched his Cactus

League ERA drop a tick Tuesday. It now stands at an unsightly 12.38.

14

Andy’s Address, 3/14 Andy Addresses bullpen, coach Schumaker

By Bill Center

As everyone knows, the Padres have pitched position battles going on in left, at second and for the backup

catching job.

But there are also battles going on for a half dozen pitching spots on the staff.

Padres manager Andy Green Tuesday said Clayton Richard, Bryan Mitchelland Dinelson Lamet “have

a leg up” for the first three spots in the rotation. That leaves two spots yet to be determined.

And when it comes to the bullpen, the situation is even wider open . . . and Green hasn’t said if he’ll go

with a seven or eight-man bullpen.

Certainly left-handed closer Brad Hand has won a spot. Ditto for Japanese submariner Kazuhisa

Makita, Kirby Yates and Craig Stammen. And at least one of the three (or four) remaining spots in the

bullpen will likely go to a starter who doesn’t win a spot in the rotation.

But how does it shake out after that . . .

“There are still a couple bullpen spots wide open,” Green said earlier this week. “Spots are totally up for

grabs right now, nobody has said ‘that’s mine.’ Guys have come off the periphery that have thrust

themselves into consideration.”

“That’s why you don’t answer questions on Feb. 15. If you asked me on Feb. 15 and I had answered it, I

would have told you two or three guys (competing for the bullpen) wouldn’t be in camp right now. They’d

be in the minor leagues. And I would have told you that a couple of guys we’ve sent out would still be in

camp.”

“That’s why you just let it play out. It’s hard to answer questions before guys have the opportunity to show

what they’ve done in the off-season. There’s definitely an add-on . . . four guys in camp right now that I

wouldn’t have expected to still be with us. And that’s a credit to them.”

Green said there could be one (Hand) to four left-handers in the Padres bullpen when it all shakes out.

“I’d like another lefty,” said Green. “I want as many options as possible. Do we have to carry a second left-

hander? No. But I’d definitely like another one. We could, honestly, have three down there . . . it wouldn’t

shock me. We could have four. Anywhere from one to four is possible.”

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Green talked again about the value of having first-year coach Skip Schumaker working with the Padres

young outfielders and baserunners.

“He’s important,” Green said of Schumaker. “I’ve thought so for a couple years, as I’ve kind of pursued

him. I think he’s the kind of guy who connects well and has an edge that people respond well to. They

know he is incredibly consistent.”

“I think he’ll draw things out of Wil (Myers) and Hunter (Renfroe) in the outfield. Honestly, there are

different guys out there who are being challenged in many different ways right now. Skip does a great job

of doing that.”

“On the bases, he’s going to be relentless all year. I’ve already seen that in spring training. We take a ton of

risks in spring games, I don’t read too much into guys getting thrown out or guys getting picked off. You

want that aggression in spring. But he’s having great conversations with them after they are aggressive.”

“That’s what I like. He doesn’t allow you not to be aware of the little things. He challenges them every

single day.”

16

#PadresOnDeck: Like Tatis Jr., Potts Came in Strong

in Second Half of 2017 By Bill Center

When Padres manager Andy Green Tuesday morning discussed the strides made by Fernando Tatis

Jr. during the second half of his 2017 season at Single-A Fort Wayne, he just as well could have been

talking about another teenage prospect in the TinCaps lineup.

Like Tatis Jr., third baseman Hudson Potts turned it on at Fort Wayne last summer while playing

immediately to Tatis’ right for most of the season.

Overall, Potts, who won’t turn 20 until next Oct. 28, hit .253 last season at Fort Wayne with 23 doubles,

four triples and 20 homers for 69 RBIs. He did draw only 23 walks while striking out 140 times.

But Potts hit .290 over the season’s final 57 games with 12 homers, a triple and 13 homers for 42 RBIs.

And from Aug. 1 on, Potts hit .347 (41-for-118) with 10 doubles and nine homers for 27 RBIs. Over the

season’s final 30 games, Potts had a .385 on-base percentage and a .661 slugging percentage for a 1.046

OPS.

And, yes, there might be a reason for Pott’s slow start. He was 18 throughout the 2017 season — or 3.2

years below the average age of a Midwest League player. And over the course of 125 games, Potts had

only three at-bats against pitchers who were younger than him.

The 6-foot-3, 205-pound Potts was one of three first-round picks the Padres had in the 2016 draft. He was

the 24th overall pick out of Carroll High in Southlake, Tex.

He split his first professional summer between the Arizona Rookie League — where he hit .295 with 12

doubles, two triples and a homer for 21 RBIs in 43 games — before advancing to Short-Season Single-A

Tri-City. He hit .233 in 16 games and overall finished with a slash line of .280/.338/.366/.704.

He got off to a very slow start as an 18-year-old at Single-A last spring before he caught fire during the

first week of July. The second-half surge in the Midwest League boosted Potts to №17 on the Padres’ list

of top 30 prospectsassembled by MLB Pipeline.

Potts figures to advance to Advanced Single-A Lake Elsinore this spring, where he will be one of the

younger players in the Advanced Single-A California League.

17

#TodayInPeoria: Rotation Battle Heating Up Ornelas hits HR against Toros; comeback win on Day 27

By Justin Lafferty

Manager Andy Green hasn’t said it quite yet, but the schedule has lined up for veteran lefty Clayton Richard to be the Padres’ Opening Day starter.

The big mystery is who will pitch after him. Dinelson Lamet is a lock for a spot, with Luis Perdomo and Bryan Mitchell looking like likely members of the rotation, too. Beyond that? Chris Young, Matt Strahm, Joey Lucchesi, Tyson Ross, Robbie Erlin and a few others are fighting to make the 25-man roster in some fashion.

Both Perdomo and Young threw bullpen side sessions this morning, as Green starts to get closer to announcing his 5-man rotation. Additionally, Brad Hand, entrenched as the closer, pitched on Field 6 today.

The Tijuana Toros finished a two-game series today at Peoria Sports Complex, facing a group of Padres that included Tijuana native Tirso Ornelas.

The Padres’ №15 prospect — who just celebrated his 18th birthday on Sunday — homered against the defending Mexican League champs.

Pedro Avila, the system’s №26 prospect, started the game for the Padres, who also sent Kyle Lloyd to the mound. Outfielders Tre Carter and Jack Suwinski, both 2016 draftees, were other notable participants. The Toros defeated the team of Padres farmhands, 5–3.

Prior to the friendly game with the Toros, Padres outfielders sent some baseballs flying over the fences at Peoria Sports Complex.

The Tijuana Toros weren’t the only Toros in town. Members of the Toros del Este, a Dominican Winter League team, visited old friend Manuel Margot.

This afternoon was a fun one in Peoria, as the Padres rallied from a 4–0 deficit to defeat the Cubs, 7–5. Carlos Asuaje went 3-for-3 on the day with a pair of runs scores and two RBIs.

The Padres are off Wednesday, but workouts will continue. The next game is Thursday, 6:40 p.m. PT against the Giants. Fans can listen along on 97.3 FM.

18

#PadresOnDeck: Austin Allen Climbs as Catching

Field Gets Crowded By Bill Center

Austin Allen has hit at every stop he’s played thus far in the Padres system.

Last season, the 6-foot-4, 225-pound, left-handed hitting catcher batted .283 for Advanced Single-A Lake

Elsinore. He set career-highs almost across the board, finishing with 31 doubles, a triple and 22 homers for

81 RBIs in 121 games and 515 plate appearances.

He also drew 44 walks and had a .353 on-base percentage and a .497 slugging percentage for a .849 OPS.

Allen’s production has made him a Padres’ top-30 prospect each of the past two seasons by the MLB

Pipeline. This season, he’s ranked at №29.

But Allen’s path to the Major League roster has become a bit tougher for Allen as he’s climbed steadily

through the Padres system.

The Padres’ varsity catcher is just over a year older than the 24-year-old Allen. And over the past 15

months, the Padres have added a number of catchers in 2016 Rule 5 pick Luis Torrens and high 2017

draftees Luis Campusano(second round), Blake Hunt (compensation round B) and Jonny Homza.

Campusano, who was the 39th overall pick of the draft, is already the Padres’ 24th-ranked prospect by

MLB Pipeline. Hunt was the 69th overall pick in the 2017 draft.

Still, Allen moves forward. He was a party to the Padres’ Major League camp this spring. And the natural

order of progression would place him at Double-A San Antonio this season.

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Allen was the Padres’ fourth-round pick in the 2015 draft out of Florida

Tech University. He debuted that summer with Tri-City of the Short-Season Single-A Northwest League

and hit .240 in 53 games.

Allen drew considerable attention in 2016 while with Single-A Fort Wayne. He was named to the Midwest

League’s Mid-Season and Post-Season All-Star team s and was the league’s Player of the Month for April.

He hit .300 in 109 games with 22 doubles, seven homers, 61 RBIs, a .364 on-base percentage and a .425

slugging percentage for a .789 OPS.

19

Andy’s Address, 3/13 Andy Addresses sending Tatis Jr., Urías to the minor league camp

By Bill Center

The Padres Tuesday morning sent two of their top three prospects — shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. and

second baseman Luis Urías — to their minor league camp.

Tatis Jr., 19, is the Padres top-ranked prospect according to MLB Pipeline and the eighth-best prospect in

all of the minor leagues. He hit .281 (9-for-35) in a dozen Cactus League games with three doubles and a

homer for eight RBIs. He also stole three bases and finished with a .343 on-base percentage and a .469

slugging percentage for a .812 OPS.

Urías, 21, is the Padres №3 prospect and ranked №36 in all the minor leagues. He played in 16 spring

training games, going 8-for-28 (.286) with five doubles and three RBIs. He had a .394 on-base percentage

and a .464 slugging percentage for a .858 OPS.

Tatis Jr. and Urías are each ranked the second-best prospect in the minor leagues at their respective

positions.

“It’s time for those two guys to start to get their season going as we start to extend more and more guys

here,” Padres manager Andy Green said during his daily media briefing.”

“We gave them one last start yesterday where they played the whole game. We talked prior to that game

that it would be their last game in the Major League camp.”

“Both made positive impressions. The upside is definitely there. There is a lot to like. They are impressive

young players that still have work out in front of them. Neither one is a finished product.”

Green said there was too much hype surrounding the pair in camp.

“In this day in age, where everybody hypes everybody so much, it almost adds onto it when you start saying

good things about them,” said Green. “They get contacted by fans, media, social media, it’s relentless, a

constant barrage for young guys now. Fifteen years ago, you would have hardly known who those guys

were coming into camp.”

“But now everyone talks about them. For me, it’s about going down and getting to work in relative

anonymity and hopefully forget about the big leagues for the moment and get better at the respective level

where you are going to play. There’s a lot to like in both of them and there’s still a lot of work to do for

both of them.”

20

“Fernando has confidence, you can see that. I think the most impressive thing to me that I wasn’t expecting

is the way he runs the bases. He flies. I’ve seen the power, I’ve watched some of the highlight reel plays.

He flies. When he grounds out, he is flying down the line. When he hits the ball in the gap, he’s flying

around the bases. He looks as fast as anyone in the Major Leagues. He is moving. You don’t typically see

that in that type of body.”

“The mark of real big leaguers is their consistency. Guys that can do it day in and day out. It never waivers,

never changes. Both of them have the ability to do everything on a day-to-day basis, but do they do that

every single day? There’s just work on both sides of the ball.”

“I love what Tatis did last year, watching his walk rate spike from where it was at the beginning of the year

to where it was at the end of the year. We challenged him to have disciplined at-bats, he did that. That

challenge still remains in the field, work to get better with the glove on your hand. There’s stuff he can

continue to improve and we’ve talked to him about those things.”

Green discussed the competition for the five rotation spots and said Dinelson Lamet has joined Clayton

Richard and Bryan Mitchell for three of the five spots. He also spoke highly of veteran minor league free

agents Tyson Rossand Chris Young.

“Tyson is doing a really nice job, so is Chris Young,” said Green. “Luis Perdomohas shown us stuff that

we like and have liked for some time. I think it’s still an open competition. Clayton is obviously in the

rotation. Dinelson Lamet and Bryan Mitchell probably have a real leg up on guys. Those last two spots,

they’re available.”

“I think Robbie Erlin threw the ball pretty well (in a B game Monday), especially the first two innings. The

third inning, I think they felt he labored a little bit and a (three) guys got him, hit home runs. Overall, he

came away feeling good. I need to check in with him today. I haven’t had a chance to see him and talk to

him personally about how he feels. From what I understand he is doing well.”

“It’s getting tight now, guys are going five innings. Can’t even get two (starters) into a nine-inning game.

So we have 11 guys in camp technically competing to be starters. I’d expect that to be whittled down in the

next couple of days.”

“The great thing about our minor league system, we’ve got so many guys here that we can create games

whenever we need to. But it’s not the same scenario as facing big league hitters at the beginning of a

game.”

“To be honest, the way spring training works, you start Bryan Mitchell and he works through the A lineup

of a team at the beginning of a game and by the time you go to your second starter it’s virtually all minor

leaguers. You’re not facing the same caliber of hitter. So you don’t want to read too much into results, you

want to read more into execution, the way their pitches look the way their body language, the way they

recover.”

21

“Lamet has done some really good things. We’re very pleased with the way he threw the last time out in the

big league game and then his back field game. He’s done some really nice things. He did some great things

last year, too. We’ve obviously been Dinelson Lamet fans here for a while. He’s moving closer.”

Green discussed right-handed reliever Carter Capps, who is battling back from thoracic outlet surgery.

“There’s some things to like about Carter Capps in the direction he is going,” said Green. He feels healthy,

which is a great place to be given where he’s been over the last year. It’s not the velocity he once had.

We’re going to have to see how effective he can be at that velocity.

“He is a relentless competitor who has handled coming back from a tough surgery. He feels good and is

moving around the field well. No arm issues whatsoever. I think we’re happy where his health is. Now it’s

see if his stuff will continue to feel as he looks good. I think we’d love to see his velocity continue to

spike.”

“This guy prior to what he did in Florida, where he was hoping, was throwing at a hundred (mph) in Seattle.

It’s not like he hasn’t thrown 100 without a hop before. I love the competitor, love how relentless he is.

Can we get him back to where he once was? There’s still some mechanical things he’s working through

there.” Capps pitched a perfect inning Tuesday to pick up the save in the Padres’ 7–6 win over the Cubs in

Peoria.

Second baseman Carlos Asuaje was 3-for-3 with his second homer, two RBIs and two runs scored to raise

his spring batting average to .400. Manuel Margot was 2-for-3 with a RBI. Hunter Renfroe was 2-for-3

with a double and a RBI. Franchy Cordero (.364) had a RBI triple in his only at-bat. Christian

Villanueva (.367) was 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

Kazuhisa Makita struck out two in a scoreless inning. “Makita is fitting in nicely,” said Green. “His

teammates like him. We had Maki Monday with the music. It was good. They are enjoying him and he’s

fitting in nicely.”

Starting pitcher Jordan Lyles allowed four runs on five hits and two walks with two strikeouts in three

innings.

22

Relievers show their stuff in Padres' victory over

Cubs Kevin Acee

Score: Padres 7, Cubs 5

Batter’s box: Manny Margot went 2-for-3 to improve his spring average to .229. … Franchy Cordero

tripled, his first, to go with five doubles and an inside-the-park home run this spring. … Hunter

Renfroe went 2-for-3 with a double. … Eric Hosmer was 0-for-3 and is hitting .161 in 31 at-bats. He hit

.172 in spring training last season and went on to hit a career-high .318 during the season.

Balls and strikes: After starter Jordan Lyles worked three innings, it was a day for relievers to get tested.

… Matt Strahm allowed a hit and a walk in 1 1/3 innings. He is likely headed to extended spring or could

end up in the bullpen. … Career minor leaguer Adam Cimber entered with one out in the fifth inning,

allowed an infield single to Kris Bryant, struck out Anthony Rizzo and got Willson Contreras on a

grounder. He has allowed two hits in six scoreless innings this spring. … Robert Stock, another of the

career minor leaguers that has surprised by still being in the running for a bullpen spot this late, allowed

one unearned run in the seventh. Of the 14 pitches he threw, three were 100 mph, six were 99, three were

98, one was 97, and he mixed in an 84 mph curve. … Phil Maton, looking to retain his spot in the pen,

pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts. … Kazuhisa Makita also pitched a perfect inning with two

strikeouts.

Extra bases: Jose Pirela scored from first on Renfroe’s double, which was tougher than it sounds. It was

a line drive that bounced off the wall back to the fielder. Pirela not only ran well but perfectly rounded

both bases and just beat the tag on a relay. … The umpires inadvertently showed how they affect pace of

play. There were at least two calls each way that appeared to be reversible by replay had it been the

regular season. Reviews would have added to the 2:32 game time.

On Deck: Off day. The Padres host the San Francisco Giants on Thursday night.

23

MAR 14, 2018 @ 09:47 AM 133

Kevin Towers Was One of a Kind

Barry M. Bloom , CONTRIBUTOR

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Life can be short, sweet and at the same time somewhat cruel. And thus, it was

for Kevin Towers, the former general manager of the Padres and D-backs, who died on Jan. 30, after a 13-

month battle with a rare and virulent form of thyroid cancer.

He was 56 and he will be memorialized on Wednesday night by the D-backs and Reds at the spring

training ballpark called Talking Stick at Salt River Fields. The Padres already staged a memorial for

Towers last month at Petco Park. Baseball people flew in from all over the country for that one.

There's good reason. Towers was one of a kind. Even through his illness, he remained a consultant for the

Reds under friend Walt Jocketty, joining Cincinnati after his departure from the D-backs in 2014.

Renowned in Major League Baseball among executives, scouts, players and the media who covered him

as a players’ GM, he was known simply by many as K.T.

He enjoyed playing golf with the boys and had relationships off the field with players and outside the

press box with reporters, who he treated like friends and colleagues.

“He had a tremendous scouting background, obviously,” said Trevor Hoffman, the newly minted Hall of

Fame closer who played for Towers on the Padres from 1996 until leaving San Diego as a free agent after

the 2008 season. “A guy who could see talent. A super great communicator. A guy who wasn’t afraid to

tell you what he thought.

“He wasn’t afraid of the information flow. I think that’s what made him genuine and what made him

likeable and loveable at the same time. He was certainly loved.”

I covered him from Day 1 in 1996 when he took over for Randy Smith as GM of the Padres until he was

fired in Arizona in 2014. He was personable, funny and never took himself too seriously. He was almost

honest to a fault. He was incredibly glib at the press conference marking the end of his Padres tenure. And

as the record of the D-backs team he put together plummeted, he said he ought to be held accountable.

“I should be fired,” he said.

When Tony La Russa took over as D-backs chief baseball officer, he asked Towers to remain in some

undetermined capacity. Towers declined, saying the new GM didn’t need to have him hovering over his

head. That new GM was good friend Dave Stewart, the right-hander who doubled as assistant GM and

pitching coach in 1998 when Towers led the Padres to only their second National League pennant. They

were swept by the Yankees in that World Series. Stewart wound up living in K.T.’s condo when K.T.

returned to his home in Del Mar, Calif.

Really, though, K.T. never got over the breakup with the Padres. It was like a beloved spouse walking out

on him. He took the job in Arizona almost reluctantly to maintain his profile as a GM. But he never liked

it at the barn-like enclosed Chase Field. He often told me he pined for the beautiful days at Petco Park

where he was a fixture on the field during batting practice and in the press dining room.

24

But he wasn’t the same guy with the D-backs. He was rarely around. The man who loved to schmooze

barely schmoozed in Arizona. During those four years, he was happiest when the D-backs played the

Padres in San Diego. He was around. Vibrant. Back in his element.

Towers built four National League West winners in San Diego, adding a fifth division title with the D-

backs in 2011.

He was a right-handed pitcher picked No. 1 by the Padres in 1982 in what was then called the secondary

phase of the annual amateur draft, but he ultimately had Tommy John surgery and never threw a pitch in

the Major Leagues. A scout in the Padres system, he was elevated to replace Smith as general manager

under new owner John Moores and president Larry Lucchino in 1996 and remained in that job until 2009.

For most of those years, Towers was paired with manager Bruce Bochy, who left for the Giants after

back-to-back division titles in 2005–06. The Padres haven’t made the playoffs since.

“The Padres never would have had the success in those years without Kevin Towers, who made me look

good,” said Moores, who divested himself of the team in 2012. “He was the best general manager the

Padres ever had.”

Towers was responsible for trades that netted the Padres the likes of Greg Vaughn, Kevin Brown, Adrian

Gonzalez and Heath Bell, just to name a few. His signing of closer J.J. Putz as a free agent in his first

months as D-backs GM in 2010 made the team a winner. Putz registered a career-high 43 saves and

Arizona miraculously leapt from 65 wins in 2010 to 94 in ’11. In the interim between his Padre and D-

back positions, Towers worked for Yankees GM Brian Cashman as a west coast scout.

“He could build a bullpen,” said Ted Leitner, a play-by-play broadcaster on Padres games for 38 seasons.

“He could take something off the scrap heap and make something good of it. He did that here for years. I

mean, whoever. [Mike] Adams and [Scott] Linebrink and people nobody ever cared about. And suddenly,

they were either All-Stars or All-Star caliber. Daren Balsley and Bruce Bochy and Buddy Black had a lot

to do with that. But K.T. had a great eye.”

Towers was diagnosed with Anaplastic thyroid cancer in December 2016 after the Winter Meetings in

Washington, D.C. He had trouble breathing, an initial symptom of the disease, which is so rare it afflicts

only 600 patients in the U.S. annually, according to the Thyroid Cancer Survivor’s Association.

Its detection comes late and by that time the cancerous cells have already spread, which happened in

Towers’ case. It is resistant to known remedies for cancer, chemo and radiation therapy, and has no

known source or cure. At that point, surgery was done to remove a tumor from his chest that was causing

the breathing problem. But when surgeons found that the tumor extended into the thyroid, there was little

doctors could do for him.

Towers had dipped tobacco for years. He had chronic problems in his throat and several years ago had

part of his larynx transplanted. But according to research, neither of those things are considered the source

of this type of cancer.

He qualified in the past year for a trial drug program that gave him some relief and extended his life by

many months. But tumors remained around his heart. He was told that surgery to remove those tumors

might kill him, but that ultimately the disease would certainly kill him.

25

Still, Towers prevailed for months taking huge doses of chemo both orally and intravenously just to ward

off the cancer’s spread. He made trips last year to Petco Park during the World Baseball Classic and an

early Padres homestand, still scouting for the Reds. But ultimately, he could no longer attend the games

that he loved.

Many of his former players and managers went to visit him at his home up the coast from Petco where he

lived with wife, Kelley, a multiple survivor of breast cancer.

Hoffman, the NL’s all-time leader with 601 saves, was one of those frequent visitors.

“When I think of K.T. I think of a general manager, who was seen in the clubhouse, had the pulse of the

club,” Hoffman said. “A great relationship with our manager, Bruce Bochy. When I say seen, he still

knew how to get behind the guys, but still get things done.”

“I consider him one of my true baseball friends,” said Black, now the Rockies manager, who replaced

Bochy in San Diego and lasted beyond Towers’ tenure until he was dismissed in 2015. “He hired me in

San Diego. And if it wasn’t for him giving me an opportunity to manage, I don’t know if it ever would

have happened. I’m extremely happy he gave me that opportunity. He had great instincts for people, for

players and the game. I think he loved everybody who surrounded the game. Players, media, people who

worked in whatever organization he worked for. He loved the people in the game.”

Tower’s death came only four years after franchise icons Tony Gwynn and Jerry Coleman passed away,

Gwynn from cancer in his salivary gland, and Coleman after hitting his head in a household fall. Gwynn

won a record-tying eight NL batting titles in his Hall of Fame career, all with the Padres, and Coleman, a

second baseman for the Yankee championship teams of the early 1950s, broadcast Padres games from

1972 until his death. Long-time Padres coach Rob Picciolo died earlier in January because of an aneurism.

In addition to Gwynn from the 1998 team, Towers put together, Ken Caminiti died from a drug overdose

in 2004.

Towers was in the Padres organization in 1984, the first time the team won the pennant. Aside from

Gwynn on that squad, Alan Wiggins, Eric Show, Mario Ramirez, Champ Summers, coach Jack Krol,

manager Dick Williams and owner Joan Kroc have passed.

The D-backs also have had their battles with cancer. Managing general partner Ken Kendrick, club

president Derrick Hall and former bench coach Rod Gardenhire are all prostate cancer survivors. Hall’s

wife, Amy, is battling triple-negative breast cancer.

No matter what, Towers long had his proponents and supporters.

“I’ll never forget interviewing Brian Cashman at Mickey Mantle’s restaurant when the Padres played the

Yankees in interleague,” Leitner recalled. “And Cash said, ‘You know who I’d like to be when I grow up?

Kevin Towers.’ I said, ‘What do you mean, Cash?’ He said, ‘I’m an executive. I came to baseball as an

executive. He’s a scout. That’s what I’ve always wanted to be. To be a real scout and a real baseball guy.’

He said, ‘That’s K.T.’ And I thought, that’s a hell of a compliment.

“You know, it’s moving away from that, obviously, with metrics and laptops and very brilliant guys who

are very smart. But K.T. was one of those shoot from the hip, gut instinct guys, one of the great talent

evaluators. There are not many of those left. He’s an original. Big time.”