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Padres Press Clips Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Article Source Author Page Kennedy, Padres crushed by Mariners UT San Diego Lin 2 Myers aggravates wrist in batting practice UT San Diego Lin 6 Criticism of Black misses the mark UT San Diego Canepa 8 Shields receives ALCS ring from Royals UT San Diego Lin 10 Tulowitzki would be welcome addition UT San Diego Kenney 12 Minors: Jankowski’s streak comes to an end UT San Diego Sanders 13 Padres stung by six Mariners home runs MLB.com Brock/Johns 14 Homers continue to plague Padres pitchers MLB.com Brock 17 Myers day to day with sore left wrist MLB.com Brock 19 Norris not concerned by drop in walk rate MLB.com Brock 20 Shields receives ALCS ring from Royals’ Moore MLB.com Brock 21 Shields looks to stop Walker, streaking Mariners MLB.com Brock 23 Could Colorado Rockies’ Troy Tulowitzki be Padres’ next star target? LATimes.com Shaikin 24 Long ball dooms Padres in rout against Mariners NBCSanDiego.com Wood 25 Mariners play long ball in 11-4 win over Padres Associated Press Booth 26 Rea lowers ERA to 1.13 with Double-A San Antonio Padres.com Center 28

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Kennedy, Padres crushed by Mariners Seattle hits six home runs in 11-4 drubbing By Dennis Lin10:27 P.M.MAY 12, 2015Updated11:43 P.M.

SEATTLE — The Padres lost Wil Myers to a sore left wrist before Tuesday's opener at Safeco Field.

Then they essentially lost the game in the first inning.

The Mariners' 11-4 drubbing of the Padres began as an ugly combination of lost opportunities and, more worrisome, a lost fastball. It devolved into a one-sided slugfest as Seattle finished with six home runs, tying a Safeco record and plunging San Diego's staff deeper into its malaise. Nelson Cruz's eighth-inning solo shot meant the Padres had allowed 50 home runs this season, surpassing the Brewers (49 allowed) for worst in the majors.

"We’ve been in, overall, too many bad counts, and too many fastballs and breaking balls are being left out over the plate," Padres manager Bud Black said. "That explains it. Pretty simple. Guys aren’t intending to do that. They’re trying to exeucte their pitches, but right now, overall, the first month-and-a-half here, too many pitches not executing."

In the latest loss, the fireworks opened against Ian Kennedy, who'd put together his best performance of the season last week in San Francisco. Tuesday in Seattle, he looked thoroughly out of sorts.

The Mariners (15-17), who'd been averaging fewer than four runs per game, hit that number before they made their second out. Kennedy threw 35 pitches in the first, including a 92 mph fastball to former teammate Seth Smith, the Mariners' leadoff hitter.

He wouldn't throw a faster pitch all night.

"It wasn't quite the hop to the fastball we saw up (in San Francisco)," Black said. "It's unexplainable. He's probably going to make 29 starts, and it's just one of those nights.

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Kennedy entered the evening averaging a career-high 92.9 mph with his four-seam fastball. By the second inning, he was consistently throwing 88 mph meatballs.

"I was falling behind a lot of guys," said Kennedy, who fell to 2-2 as his ERA rose to 5.92. "Early on, I threw a lot of pitches. ... Going out there today, it was kind of a normal warm-up and everything else. I just felt out of sync (in the game)."

Even before the second, Kennedy's velocity had waned. He gave up a ground-rule double to Dustin Ackley, the Mariners' No. 2 hitter, on a first-pitch, 90 mph fastball. Robinson Cano redirected an 84 mph change-up for a single, not fooled by the speed differential. Kennedy walked Cruz, baseball's leading home-run hitter. Then he grooved a 1-0, 91 mph fastball to Kyle Seager, who did his best Cruz impression, lining a three-run shot over the wall in right-center.

Kennedy followed with another walk, whereupon pitching coach Darren Balsley visited the mound for a brief chat and Kennedy responded by striking out the next two batters. But the damage already had been emblazoned on Safeco's gargantuan scoreboard: The four runs matched the Mariners' season-high for a single inning and represented the most first-inning runs they also scored four May 27, 2013, against the Padres and left-hander Clayton Richard.

Kennedy threw another inspiring, albeit scoreless frame in the second. In the bottom of the inning, it was the offense's turn to disappoint. After Mariners lefty James Paxton, who was struggling himself, issued a trio of two-out walks, Clint Barmes stepped to the plate. The Padres' shortstop and No. 9 hitter popped out to end the threat.

The scene would be nearly replicated in the top of the fourth when Barmes looked at strike three, again for the third out, again with the bases loaded.

In the meantime, Kennedy looked less and less himself. In the third, he left a change-up over to the plate to Logan Morison, who golfed a solo shot for a 5-0 lead. In the fourth, after Kennedy issued his third walk of the game, Balsley emerged from the dugout again. Again, Kennedy responded with consecutive strikeouts to end the inning, reaching back to fan Cruz on a 92 mph fastball.

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"It was nice to get through that and minimize it, but it was a frustrating outing," Kennedy said. "I'll try to figure it out by Sunday (Kennedy's next turn in the rotation), but it’s not fun when it happens."

Kennedy had little to nothing left after that. He was relieved by Shawn Kelley after a two-out single in the fifth, done after 4 2/3 innings, eight hits, three walks and 106 pitches.

Kelley didn't fare any better. The former Mariners reliever, making his first appearance since his return from the disabled list, served up a 444-foot home run to Mike Zunino to open the bottom of the sixth. A few minutes and two singles later, he yielded a two-run single to Cruz.

Billed as an offseason reinforcement for an already-stout bullpen, Kelley has allowed nine runs, eight earned, in 6 2/3 innings this season.

Up 7-0, the Mariners would spare the Padres from their fourth shutout loss in nine days. In the seventh, Barmes notched a one-out single, two walks ensued and Kemp reached on an error, driving in a run. Two batters later, Yangervis Solarte mustered a two-out, two run single.

Derek Norris cracked an RBI double in the top of the ninth, but it barely registered against the Mariners, who in the seventh got another home run from Zunino (this time a two-run moonshot), and then another (a solo shot by Justin Ruggiano). In the eighth, they got yet another (the third homer surrendered by reliever Frank Garces, a solo shot by Cruz, his 15th long ball of the season).

The Padres became a .500 team (17-17), a reality reflected in their season run differential (minus-4), a margin made possible by their opponents' 50 home runs. A year ago, the Padres allowed 117 homers in 162 games.

"You don’t expect that, especially with guys like (Andrew Cashner) and Tyson (Ross) and our pitching staff," said Kennedy, who gave up 16 home runs in 201 innings last season but has surrendered five homers in 16 1/3 innings this year. "The ship will kind of even out, I guess. It’s too early. We're just trying to figure it out."

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Notable

• The first time the Mariners hit six home runs in a game at Safeco was Aug. 27, 2004, against the Royals. Tuesday was the second time.

• Matt Kemp went 0-for-5. The Padres' No. 3 hitter is in a 4-for-40 slump that has dropped his average from .330 to .265.

• Third baseman Will Middlebrooks made his first start in six games and went 1-for-3 with a single and a walk. Prior to Tuesday, Middlebrooks, who just missed a home run on a warning-track flyout, hadn't had a hit in 22 at-bats.

• Right-hander Brandon Morrow, on the 15-day with right shoulder inflammation, has returned to San Diego and been examined by team physician Dr. Heinz Hoenecke. There are no immediate plans for Morrow to resume throwing. His DL stint is retroactive to May 3.

• Right-hander Josh Johnson played long-toss before Tuesday's game. Johnson's ongoing rehab from Tommy John surgery encountered a hiccup when he felt triceps soreness after throwing in an April 28 sim game. Black said the Padres will map out Johnson's return to the mound later this week.

• With James Shields starting Wednesday, the rest of the Padres' starting pitching is as follows: Ross will pitch the Padres' series opener against the Nationals on Thursday, Odrisamer Despaigne will start Friday and Cashner will throw Saturday.

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Myers aggravates wrist in batting practice Wrist is same one Myers jammed early last season By Dennis Lin6:58 P.M.MAY 12, 2015Updated11:25 P.M.

SEATTLE — Padres outfielder-first baseman Wil Myers was a late scratch from Tuesday's lineup because of a sore left wrist, which he aggravated during batting practice at Safeco Field.

Myers had first felt something in his wrist after sliding into a base during Sunday's game in Arizona. He jammed the same wrist in the fourth game of last season, played through that injury, then sustained a stress fracture in his other wrist at the end of last May.

"I felt it in the game Sunday," Myers said in the clubhouse afterTuesday's 11-4 loss to the Mariners. "Just one of those things. It felt like it did last year, a little bit, and I thought with the off-day (Monday) it would kind of go away. But I felt it today warming up in the cage and also felt it during BP. ... I took BP, and then I decided that was kind of it.

"Right now, it's kind of day-to-day and we'll know more (Wednesday)."

During Tuesday's game, Myers could be seen testing out his wrist in the dugout. At one point, he sat on a bench next to Glenn Hoffman, his left arm casually draped around the top of the bench as he casually chatted with the third-base coach.

"I can move it around," Myers said of his wrist. "It's just one of those things. On the follow-through of the swing, that's when I felt it."

In 134-at-bats this season, Myers is hitting .291 with 10 doubles, a triple, five home runs, 19 RBIs and three steals. Entering Tuesday, he led the majors with 28 runs scored, while his 16 extra-base hits from the leadoff spot were the most in baseball. His 134 at-bats also were the highest total in either league.

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With Yonder Alonso on the DL due to a bone bruise in his right shoulder, Myers had started the last two games at first base and was scheduled to be there again Tuesday. He's started 28 games in center field.

Yangervis Solarte, originally penciled in at designated hitter, took Myers' place at first. Abraham Almonte, playing center field, moved into the leadoff spot. Cory Spangenberg was inserted at DH.

Myers has said he didn't feel fully recovered from his right-wrist injury until late December; the left-wrist injury healed as he wore a cast on the other wrist. He returned after six weeks on the DL last season, but ineffectively, finishing the year with a .222 average and six home runs in 134 at-bats.

There is evidence that the first, lesser injury affected him, too; he was hitting just .227 at the time of the right-wrist fracture.

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Criticism of Black misses the mark By Nick Canepa6 A.M.MAY 13, 2015

Bud Black has not contributed to one Padres victory. He is to blame for every Padres defeat.

That’s how a certain slice of the baseball team’s fan cake sees it. Really. You know who you are. It’s all the manager’s fault.

And here I thought we might be over all this when Bruce Bochy — who couldn’t manage a 7-11 here (and I probably have a thousand hidden emails somewhere to prove it) — was fired, went to San Francisco and won three world championships, and is headed to Cooperstown. But I guess not.

Because a whole lot of folks believe the Padres would be all but unbeaten today if Black’s pink slip were showing, if he were canned during the offseason and some magician had been brought in here to run all this talent that new General Manager A.J. Preller accumulated.

I won’t say managers don’t contribute, nor do I say there aren’t, as in every endeavor, good bosses and bad bosses. But baseball is different — not just different from every other sport and game, but every other conceivable endeavor.

Because baseball is founded on failure. The most successful team is not necessarily the one that succeeds the most, but the one that fails the least.

The best players in the game will fail at the plate at least two-thirds of the time over their career. The best team in baseball more than likely will lose at least 60 games and of course win at least 60. It’s the other 42 games that matter — how you do in the other 42.

Now the question is: How many of those 42 can one manager turn into victories? Answer: Not many. Maybe a handful a season. Coaches make a difference in football and basketball. John McGraw wouldn’t have the Padres in first place right now.

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Bud Black isn’t perfect. He makes mistakes. Some are head-scratchers. Baseball is the ultimate second-guessing sport. But how can we identify, for certain, that anything he’s done thus far has contributed to a defeat? Or a win, for that matter.

We can think so. It’s easy to think so. But this isn’t the Seahawks’ Pete Carroll failing to run the ball from the Patriots’ 1-yard line at the end of the Super Bowl.

Black uses the players he has. If they score 10 runs one night, he has no hand in it. If they score two and lose, it’s his fault. He cannot hit. He cannot pitch. If Craig Kimbrel blows a save, should the manager be scolded for using his closer?

In May, you can’t manage to win one game. In October, yes. No manger was vilified more than the Royals’ Ned Yost last year. I mean ripped. He came within a game of a title.

Black is in a contract year, and much is expected of this season. His team hasn’t been awful, but not terrific, either. It has had problems running the bases and, as predicted, defensively. It can score many runs one night and not so many the next.

I’ll admit that the expectations, not just from the fans but from the Padres’ front office, have Black on the hot seat. And I’m not saying he shouldn’t be, because it’s baseball, and the manager always is first to take the hit. Fair or unfair, that’s how it goes; that’s how it always goes.

I like Bud. I think he’s a good manager. But he knows the drill, knows it better than all of us. Baseball is a production business, and Black has had himself a real nice honeymoon and survived multiple owners and GMs because the Padres haven’t had enough to win. I do know that, in 2007, with a $30 million payroll, his team won 89 games (of course, he only had something to do with the 73 losses).

The Padres are competitive and are in the playoff thicket. They are not as good as the Dodgers, which doesn’t really matter here. They’re so much better than they were a year ago, so much more fun to watch. For whatever reason, their pitching hasn’t been what it should be. Does this mean Darren Balsley suddenly doesn’t know how to coach pitchers?

It’s players, folks, and a bunch of luck, because it’s baseball. It’s too soon for everything. And managing is overrated. You may not buy it, but it is.

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Shields receives ALCS ring from Royals Pitcher says he probably won't be wearing it "until I get the World Series ring" By Dennis Lin7:35 P.M.MAY 12, 2015

SEATTLE — James Shields received a reminder Tuesday of what he and a number of others accomplished last October. Royals General Manager Dayton Moore made a stop at Safeco Field to present the pitcher with his 2014 American League championship ring, which was commissioned after Kansas City's historic 8-0 run to the pennant.

The ring -- crafted in 10-karat white gold, featuring an interlocking design of the KC logo and a baseball diamond over a custom blue stone -- is the second such keepsake of Shields' career; in 2008, he won the AL with the Rays.

That time, he helped Tampa Bay advance to its first-ever World Series. Last October, he helped the Royals advance to their first World Series since 1985. Both times, Shields came up short of his ultimate prize.

"I’m probably not going to be wearing both those (AL championship rings) until I get the World Series ring," the Padres right-hander said.

At the same time, Tuesday's gift was a welcome sight.

"It was pretty nice of him to do that," Shields said of Moore. "It's always special to get a ring. ... We had a good run last year, and it was a pretty special team. To be able to have something to solidify what you did throughout the season is pretty nice."

It was a season not unlike the one 30 years ago, when the Royals went to the World Series for the first time and beat the Cardinals in seven games.

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"I thought it was cool that Dayton flew out here specifically to present James with the American League championship ring," said Padres manager Bud Black, who pitched for the Royals' 1985 team. "I know James truly appreciated the gesture. He had a big smile."

Black's 1985 ring, of course, is the kind Shields is seeking. Shields' ring, of course, is a bit flashier.

"They get blingier and blingier as each year goes on," Black said.

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Tulowitzki would be welcome addition But if Padres want to add $20 million to payroll, why not spend it on more pitching? By Kirk Kenney5:49 P.M.MAY 12, 2015

After the Padres' freewheeling offseason, it seems San Diego is now going to be a possible destination every time a big name is mention for a possible trade.

The Padres were mentioned recently on MLB radio when Josh Hamilton trade rumors heated up and now they're out there again with rumors that Colorado shortstop Troy Tulowitzki may ask to be traded.

The New York post reports that Tulo will meet Thursday with his agent, Paul Cohen, to decide whether he should ask for a trade. The Rockies are headed nowhere fast again, so it will be no surprise if Tulowitzki asks to go somewhere he can make a difference.

Tulowitzki obviously would be an upgrade for the Padres at the position over Alexi Amarista and Clint Barmes, but the Padres offense has been among the most productive in the major leagues in the early going this season.

Consider this: Tulo is owed $114 million through the 2020 season. If you're going to add another $20 million to the payroll — and no one says the Padres are — then why not spend it on some more pitching? You can never have enough of it.

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Minors: Jankowski's streak comes to end Recapping Tuesday's Padres minor league games By Jeff Sanders8 A.M.MAY 13, 2015

Travis Jankowski's on-base streak has come to an end.

Double-A San Antonio's speedy center fielder went 0-for-4 Tuesday, snapping a streak in which he reached base in 27 straight games in a 3-2 loss to Corpus Christi.

Right-hander Colin Rea continued his run of dominance with one unearned run allowed in five 2/3 innings, lowering his ERA to 1.13. He struck out five and allowed three hits and a walk. 3B Casey McElroy drove in both of San Antonio's runs with one hit in four at-bats. The Missions fell to 14-18 after right-hander Lance McCullers, a top Astros pitching prospect, struck out six over four perfect innings in relief.

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (19-14)

• Reno 6, Chihuahuas 4: LHP Robbie Erlin (5.15) allowed three runs in four innings while striking out five. C Rocky Gale (.328) went 2-for-4 with a double.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (15-17)

• Inland Empire 8, Storm 5: 1B Marcus Davis (.248) hit his third homer and went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and SS Jose Rondon (.303), CF Auston Bousfield (.298) and DH Kyle Gaedele (.256) each had two hits. RHP Ryan Butler (3-2, 1.96) allowed four runs on 10 hits in five innings.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (10-19)

• Lake County 5, TinCaps 0: RF Franmil Reyes (.232) doubled and tripled for two of Fort Wayne's five hits in the game. RHP Ernesto Montas (2-2, 4.06) allowed five runs in six innings.

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Padres stung by six Mariners home runs By Corey Brock and Greg Johns / MLB.com | May 12, 2015

SEATTLE -- Catcher Mike Zunino launched two of Seattle's team-record-tying six home runs on Tuesday at Safeco Field and James Paxton picked up his first victory of the season as the Mariners topped the Padres, 11-4, for their fourth straight win. Nelson Cruz capped Seattle's home run barrage with his Major League-leading 15th homer in the eighth inning. Zunino went 3-for-4 with three RBIs,Kyle Seager had a three-run homer and Logan Morrison and Justin Ruggiano added solo shots as the Mariners equaled the club record for a game at Safeco Field.

"Talent will play in this league, because you play 162 games," said Mariners manager Lloyd McClendon, whose offense came into the game ranked 14th in the American League in scoring. "And we have talent on this club. We have guys with track records and I believe what the numbers say in the book are going to come to fruition, and I think you're going to start to see that." Padres right-hander Ian Kennedy surrendered four runs in the first and finished with five runs and eight hits over 4 2/3 frames as his record evened at 2-2 with a 5.92 ERA. San Diego dropped to 3-5 on its current road trip and 17-17 overall. Paxton (1-2, 4.31 ERA) allowed just three hits over six scoreless innings, but walked five and had to escape two bases-loaded jams before turning the game over to his bullpen. Despite three runs charged to reliever Danny Farquhar in the seventh, Seattle improved to 4-0 on its 10-game homestand and 15-17 overall. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Seager puts a bow on four-run first: The Mariners teed off early on Kennedy, who gave up four hits and two walks to the first six batters he faced. Seager provided the big blow when he jumped on a 1-0 fastball with a three-run shot to right field -- his fourth long ball of the season -- after Robinson Cano's RBI single got Seattle on the board. The damage would have been worse for Kennedy, but Seth Smith was thrown out by right fielder Matt Kemptrying to stretch a leadoff single.

"I felt like I was falling behind a lot of guys," Kennedy said. "Early on, I threw a lot of pitches. I felt that Cano hit a pretty good pitch. But he's one of the best hitters in the game. I fell behind Seagar. … I fell behind a lot of guys."

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Had a shot: Despite being in an early hole, the Padres loaded the bases in the second and fourth innings against Paxton. But each time, Paxton wiggled free of trouble -- against the same hitter. He got Clint Barmes on an infield pop-up to end the second inning and then struck him out to finish the fourth. It was a homer party: The Mariners needed someone to step up and help Cruz carry the offensive load and that someone has been Morrison in the month of May. LoMo torched his fifth home run in the past 10 games with a solo shot in the third off Kennedy and has now has six homers on the year. Zunino followed with his first blast leading off the sixth against Shawn Kelleyand his fourth homer of the year was a prodigious poke measured at 444 feet to center field by Statcast™. Zunino added a two-run shot in the seventh and Ruggiano followed with his first of the season in the same frame off reliever Frank Garces. Cruz finally joined the fun in the eighth inning with a blast measured at 422 feet to left-center field.

Bases (half) full: The Padres were 0-for-4 with the bases loaded early on Tuesday, but finally broke through when Yangervis Solarte dumped a soft single into center field to score two runs. That hit was just the fourth this season for the Padres (in 24 at-bats) with the bases loaded. QUOTABLE "It was just one of those nights, I guess. I didn't hit mine that well, but good enough to get it over the fence. I'll take it. And Seager hasn't hit one in a while, so it was good to see him bust out. Zunino? He's strong like bull. If he barrels it, it's going to go." -- Morrison, on the home-run barrage. SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS • When the Mariners jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first, it was their most first-inning runs since scoring four -- also against the Padres -- on May 27, 2013, with Clayton Richard on the mound.

• Seattle evened its record at 8-8 in games when scoring four or more runs. Last year, the Mariners went 67-12 in that situation. TOO MANY LONG BALLS A year ago, Padres' starting pitchers allowed 84 home runs. After Kennedy allowed two Tuesday to the Mariners, that number for the starting staff currently stands at 34 after 34 games. As a whole, the Padres pitching staff has allowed 50 home runs this season, the most in the big leagues. "I think, overall, we've been in too many bad counts and too many fastballs and breaking balls left out over the plate. Right now, overall, the first month and a half here, [it's been ] too many

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pitches not executed. We've got to do a better job of making pitches," said Padres manager Bud Black. More > WHAT'S NEXT Padres: James Shields (4-0, 4.25 ERA) will look to remain unbeaten Wednesday when he faces the Mariners in the series finale. Shields has struggled keeping the ball in the ballpark lately, as he's allowed seven home runs in his last two starts. Mariners: Young right-hander Taijuan Walker (1-3, 8.13 ERA) makes his seventh start of the season and the first of his career against the Padres in the 7:10 p.m. PT series finale. Walker allowed three runs on five hits over five innings in a no-decision in his previous outing against the A's.

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Homers continue to plague Padres pitchers Staff allows six long balls in tough loss

By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | May 12, 2015

SEATTLE -- Off the top of his head, Padres manager Bud Black couldn't tell you with any certainty what has gone wrong each and every time an opposing batter has connected for a home run this season.

But Black is sure of one thing: He's tired of seeing the other team circle the bases.

"We've got to do a better job of making pitches," Black said. That didn't happen nearly enough in the Padres' 11-4 loss to the Mariners on Tuesday at Safeco Field. The Padres allowed six home runs, the first time since 2004 a team has hit six home runs in a game in this ballpark, one that has long favored pitchers. San Diego starting pitcher Ian Kennedy allowed two of those home runs, including a three-run shot to Kyle Seager that came as part of a four-run first inning. Reliever Shawn Kelley allowed one home run and Frank Garces allowed three more.

The Padres have allowed the most home runs (50) in the big leagues, just ahead of the Brewers (49). "I didn't know that," Kennedy said, when told of this dubious statistic. "I knew we've given up quite a few homers. You don't expect that, especially with [Andrew Cashner and Tyson Ross] and our pitching staff.

"But it will even out. It's still early. We're still trying to figure it out."

San Diego starting pitchers have allowed 34 of the home runs. The relievers have been especially hit hard, as they allowed 33 home runs all of last season. Now, they're nearly halfway to that mark on May 12.

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Black was asked if there's anything in particular he's seeing from his vantage point as to why foes are connecting for home runs at an alarming rate.

"I think, overall, we've been in too many bad counts and too many fastballs and breaking balls left out over the plate. Right now, overall, the first month and a half here, too many pitches not executed. We've got to do a better job of making pitches," Black said.

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Myers day to day with sore left wrist By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | May 12, 2015

SEATTLE -- Wil Myers, who leads the Padres in both hits and runs scored, said that he's day to day with a sore left wrist, one that he originally hurt on Sunday against the D-backs.

Myers, the center fielder who has been getting starts of late at first base, was scratched from Tuesday's starting lineup against the Mariners after aggravating the wrist.

"I hoped [with] the off-day [Monday] it would kind of go away," Myers said. "But I felt it today in the cage and during BP. I took BP and felt that was kind of it."

Myers said the wrist pains him most on the follow-through of his swing.

San Diego manager Bud Black said Myers initially hurt the wrist sliding into a base and when he placed his left hand on the ground during the slide.

Myers, who is hitting .291 with five home runs and 19 RBIs, has had issues with his wrists in the past, but this isn't the right wrist he broke in an outfield collision last May while with the Rays.

Myers did jam his left wrist four games into the season in 2014, but that eventually healed. Myers entered the game with the most hits (34) and runs (28) on the team. He would have started his fourth consecutive game at first base on Tuesday, after moving from center field after Yonder Alonso landed on the disabled list over the weekend.

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Norris not concerned by drop in walk rate By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | May 12, 2015

SEATTLE -- When told his walk rate has essentially plummeted from where it was the last two seasons to where it is today, Padres catcher Derek Norris didn't feign shock or disappointment.

"If I had to choose between a walk or getting a pitch to hit, I'll take getting a pitch to hit," Norris said on Tuesday, before the Padres opened a two-game series against the Mariners.

Norris' walk rate (walks per plate appearance) the last two seasons with the A's was 12.2 percent. This season, it's 2.5 percent. But his slugging percentage is up in that same stretch (from .405 to .470) as is his OPS (.760 to .792).

"It's not so much my walk rate is down, but I'm getting pitches to hit and more often early in counts. The guys behind me have been doing so much damage that they're not trying to get me to chase a 3-2 slider, they don't want to walk me with the guys behind me." When Norris has hit second in the lineup -- as he did on Tuesday and has done against most left-handed pitchers -- he's hit ahead of Matt Kemp (.275) and Justin Upton (.294, team-leading eight home runs).

By no means, Norris said, is this a result of being away from the A's, where patience is preached.

"Nothing has changed. I'm just being aggressive in the strike zone," he said. "I'm getting better pitches to hit. If [opposing pitchers] plan on nibbling later on, or like if I'm hot and those guys behind me aren't, then maybe I'll take more walks."

Norris went into Tuesday's game with a .322 on-base percentage and three walks in his first 118 plate appearances. He had a .354 on-base percentage from 2013-14 with the A's.

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Shields receives ALCS ring from Royals' Moore Right-hander recalls amazing run with Kansas City last October

By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | May 12, 2015

SEATTLE -- On Tuesday, James Shields received his American League Championship Series ring from his run with the Royals, which is a keepsake like the one he received after the 2008 season with the Rays.

But don't look for Shields to wear either of them anytime soon. He's holding out for something much more significant and momentous.

"I'm probably not going to be wearing those until I get the World Series ring. I think the World Series one is the one I'm going to be wearing the most," Shields said.

For now, Shields had the chance to savor his latest ring, one adorned with plenty of diamonds to commemorate the Royals' AL pennant a year ago.

He received the ring earlier in the day from Royals general manager Dayton Moore.

"Dayton texted me a couple of weeks ago and told me he was going to be out this way and he wanted to give me my ring," Shields said. "… That was pretty nice of him to do that. It's pretty special to get a ring."

One side of the ring had Shields' name etched on it. The other was the record of 8-0, which is reference to the Royals' postseason run leading up to the World Series that they lost in seven games to the Giants.

What did he think of the ring?

"They did a great job on it. It looks pretty nice," he said. "There's a lot of diamonds. It's pretty blingy."

For as focused as Shields is on winning games for the Padres and his start Wednesday against the Mariners, getting the ring and sliding it onto his finger brought back fond memories of a year ago, when the Royals stormed through the postseason before running into the red-hot Giants.

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"We had a good run last year and it was a pretty special team. It's an accomplishment. We had a long season last year," Shields said.

Shields' manager, Bud Black, got a big kick out of seeing Shields get the ring -- for a completely different reason. That's because Black has his own Royals ring, although his is from when the team won the 1985 World Series.

"It was sort of cool, because I have a Kansas City ring. So it was cool to see that after 30 years," Black said.

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Shields looks to stop Walker, streaking Mariners By Corey Brock / MLB.com | 5/13/2015 2:10 AM ET

It will be James Shields against Taijuan Walker on Wednesday as the Padres and Mariners conclude their brief, two-game series at Safeco Field.

Walker is getting the start for Seattle after manager Lloyd McClendon flip-flopped him with Roenis Elias, primarily because he wanted the left-handed Elias to match up against the Red Sox on Thursday. Walker will try to extend the Mariners' winning streak to five games after Tuesday's rout over San Diego.

Shields will look to remain unbeaten in 2015 as he makes his eighth start of the season. He will also try to cut down on the long ball, as he's allowed seven home runs over his last two starts.

Things to know about this game

Walker, 22, has been touted as one of baseball's top up-and-coming right-handers, but is 1-3 with an 8.13 ERA in six starts this year in his first full season in the rotation. He's 4-6, 4.69 ERA in 17 career games (14 starts), but this will be his first time facing the Padres. He's 0-2 with a 7.00 ERA in two Interleague starts (vs. the Mets last year and Dodgers this season).

The Padres have amassed 10 come-from-behind victories, the second-highest total in Major League Baseball, trailing only the Dodgers, who have won 11 times after trailing at some point in the game. By comparison, the Padres totaled 30 comeback wins all of last season.

San Diego right fielder Matt Kemp played his first career game at Safeco Field on Tuesday though it didn't look like it. In the first inning, he grabbed Seth Smith's single off the wall in right field and fired a strike back into the infield to get Smith, who tried to stretch the single into a double.

Nelson Cruz entered Tuesday's game against the Padres with 15 home runs in Interleague Play since 2013. He had homered in four straight Interleague games entering Tuesday's game.

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Could Colorado Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki be Padres' next star target? By BILL SHAIKIN

If this is the year the Colorado Rockies finally trade shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, the San Diego Padres might well jump at the opportunity.

Tulowitzki and his agent, Paul Cohen, plan to meet Thursday to discuss whether the time has come to ask the Rockies for a trade, the New York Post reported Tuesday.

"To say that it is not a possibility would be silly," Cohen told the Post.

The Padres, built last winter to win this summer, entered play Tuesday tied for a wild-card spot. They added a new outfield -- Matt Kemp, Justin Upton and Wil Myers -- and star pitchers James Shields and Craig Kimbrel.

Although they rank second in the National League in runs -- trailing only the Dodgers -- their shortstops are batting .200. Alexi Amarista, a utility player who has drawn most of the starts at shortstop, is batting .183.

The Rockies might not relish the thought of trading Tulowitzki within the NL West, but trade partners might be limited for a 30-year-old with $118 million left on his contract through 2020. The four-time All-Star is batting .307 with two home runs in 28 games. His .812 OPS -- his lowest such figure since 2008 -- remains elite among shortstops.

The Rockies' ownership considers Tulowitzki a franchise player and favorite son; there is no guarantee the team would trade Tulowitzki even if he asks.

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Long Balls Doom Padres in Rout Against Mariners By Matthew Wood The Seattle Mariners went deep early and often against the Padres on Tuesday, slugging six home runs in an 11-4 rout. Kyle Seager got the long ball parade started with a three-run homer off Padres starter Ian Kennedy, who allowed five runs on eight hits and didn’t get through the fifth inning. “I think the problem was too many balls in the middle (of the plate) and not getting enough on the corners,” Bud Black said of the team’s pitching woes. The Padres (17-17) had chances, but left the bases loaded twice. Yangervis Solarte had a two-run single in the seventh to pull them within four runs. But the M’s (15-17) were right back at it with two more homers in the bottom of the inning. Nelson Cruz hit his MLB-leading 15th home run in the eighth. James Paxton pitched six scoreless innings for the win. Mike Zuzino added a pair of long balls for the hosts. The teams play again Wednesday night at Safeco Field before the Padres head home to host the Washington Nationals this weekend.

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Mariners play long ball in 11-4 win over Padres By TIM BOOTH AP Sports Writer May 13, 2015

SEATTLE (AP) The Seattle Mariners' powerful lineup finally broke out. Appropriately it was Nelson Cruz who capped the home run eruption.

Cruz hit his major league-leading 15th homer, Mike Zunino went deep twice, and the Mariners hit six long balls on their way to an 11-4 victory over the San Diego Padres.

''Talent will play in this league because you play 162 games. You' going to have spots where you have good luck here, good luck there, but in the end talent will play out,'' manager Lloyd McClendon said. ''We have talent on this club. We have guys with track records and I believe what the numbers say in the book are going to come to fruition and I think you're starting to see that.''

Cruz's drive came in the eighth inning off San Diego reliever Frank Garces, who had already given up homers to Zunino and Justin Ruggiano an inning earlier. The six homers were tied for the most hit by the Mariners in their park, the last coming in 2004 against Kansas City.

Zunino hit a 439-foot solo shot leading off the sixth inning then added a two-run homer in the seventh. Zunino began the night hitting .159, but finished with three hits - his first three-hit game of the season - and the second multihomer game of his career.

Zunino said getting two straight days off, not playing Sunday and an off-day on Monday, was a huge benefit physically and mentally.

''It's been a work in progress. It's one of those things where you try to get back to where you feel comfortable,'' Zunino said.

Kyle Seager and Logan Morrison also homered for Seattle. Seager lined a three-run homer, his fourth of the season, as part of Seattle's four-run first inning against San Diego starter Ian Kennedy (2-2). Morrison hit his fifth homer in the past 10 games with a solo shot off the top of the wall in right-center field in the third inning.

Kennedy lasted just 4 2-3 innings, and allowed two of the five homers. San Diego has given up 50 home runs this season, the most in baseball.

''I was falling behind a lot of guys early on, threw a lot of pitches,'' Kennedy said.

Seattle starter James Paxton (1-2) threw six shutout innings for his first victory. Paxton was inconsistent, but limited the Padres to three hits and pitched out of bases loaded situations in the second and fourth innings. Paxton said his arm felt too lively and he had trouble keeping his pitches controlled.

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''I was a little bit all over the place and want to clean that up, but felt like the ball was coming out really good,'' Paxton said.

PAXTON'S ESCAPE

In both the second and fourth, Paxton got the first two outs with ease and then fell apart. He walked three straight batters in the second all on full counts, before getting Clint Barmes to pop out, also on a 3-2 pitch. Paxton threw 38 pitches in that inning, 30 of them to the final four batters.

Paxton was in the same situation in the fourth, giving up two-out singles toJedd Gyorko and Will Middlebrooks, and another 3-2 walk to Cory Spangenberg. This time Paxton struck out Barmes looking.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: Wil Myers was a late scratch from the lineup after aggravating a sore wrist during batting practice. ... RHP Josh Johnson played long toss on Tuesday and will get a throwing schedule finalized in the next few days as he continues his recovery from Tommy John surgery. Johnson threw a simulated game recently but as a precaution the Padres slowed his progress. His next step will be another simulated game.

Mariners: RHP Hisashi Iwakuma is being shut down from throwing for the next 10-14 days after still having tightness in his strained right lat muscle following a throwing session last week. Iwakuma has been on the disabled list since April 24.

UP NEXT

Padres: RHP James Shields (4-0) will try and become the first San Diego pitcher to start a season 5-0 since Justin Germano in 2007. Shields allowed five earned runs in each of his last two starts but came away with victories in both.

Mariners: RHP Taijuan Walker (1-3) looks for his first win at home this season. Seattle adjusted its rotation to have Walker throw against the Padres and line up three left-handers to pitch against Boston in a four-game series this weekend.

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Rea lowers ERA to 1.13 with Double-A San Antonio

Torres hitting streak reaches 12 games, Jankowski streaks stopped

By Bill Center Right-hander Colin Rea continued his run of excellent starts for Double-A San Antonio Monday night. Rea, 24, allowed one unearned run on three hits and a walk with five strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings. The only run charged against Rea was a result of his own throwing error. Rea, the Padres 12th-round selection in the 2011 draft out of Indiana State University, is 1-1 for the Missions this season with a 1.13 earned run average over 47 2/3 innings in seven starts. He has allowed 32 hits with 43 strikeouts against seven walks. Rivals are averaging 0.82 runners per inning against Rea. Meanwhile, low Single-A left fielder Nick Torres (.345) went 1-for-4 Monday to extend his hitting streak to 12 straight games. But Double-A center fielder was 0-for-4, ending two streaks. Jankowski (.333) had hit safely in 10 straight games. He also failed to reach base, ending a streak of 27 straight games reached base. Low Single-A Fort Wayne promoted right-handed starting pitcher Chris Huffman from short-season Single-A Tri-City and placed right-handed pitcher Seth Lucio on the temporary inactive list. AROUND THE FARM: TRIPLE-A EL PASO (19-14): RENO 6, Chihuahuas 4 – C Rocky Gale was 2-for-4 with a double. Starting LHP Robbie Erlin (5.15 ERA) allowed three runs on three hits and two walks with five strikeouts in four innings. RHP Jay Jackson (0-1, 1.69 ERA) allowed two runs on three hits and a walk with three strikeouts in 2 2/3 innings to take the loss. RHP Leonel Campos allowed two hits with two strikeouts in 1 1/3 scoreless innings. DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (14-18): Corpus Christi 3, MISSIONS 2 – 3B Casey McElroy (.288) drove in both Missions runs with a single. 2B Diego Goris (.279) and C Jason Hagerty (.190) were each 1-for-3 with a run scored. LHP Brandon Alger allowed a run on a hit and a walk with a strikeout in 1 1/3 innings. RHP Adam Cimber (0-1, 3.24 ERA) allowed a run on two hits in two-thirds of an inning to suffer the loss. HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (15-17): Inland Empire 8, STORM 5 – Starting RHP Ryan Butler (3-2, 1.96) allowed four runs on 10 hits with a strikeout in five innings in his worst start of the season. 1B Marcus Davis (.248) was 3-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs scored. DH Kyle Gaedele (.256) was 2-for-4 with a triple and RBI. CF Auston Bousfield (.298) was 2-for-4 with a RBI. SS Jose Rondon (.303) was 2-for-5 with a double and a RBI. LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (10-19): Lake County 5, TIN CAPS 0 – RF Franmil Reyes (.232) had a double and triple in four at-bats. Starting RHP Ernesto Montas (2-2, 4.06 ERA) allowed all five runs on 10 hits and two walks with three strikeouts in six innings. LHP Kyle McGrath (3.00 ERA) allowed a hit with five strikeouts in three scoreless innings.