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Padres Press Clips Thursday, August 4, 2016 Article Source Author Page Padres eye future with revamped farm system MLB.com Cassavell 2 Ed-win: Padres overpower Brewers in finale MLB.com Cassavell/McCalvy 7 Blashtoff: Rookie launches 1st career homer MLB.com Collazo 10 Schimpf snags NL rookie honors for July MLB.com Cassavell 12 Coming off strong start, Friedrich gets ball vs. Phils MLB.com Collazo 14 Hand to rotation next year ‘really intriguing’ MLB.com Cassavell 15 Capps, Ross among Padres progressing MLB.com Collazo 17 Fowler criticism of Kemp, jettisoned veterans signals Padres shift UT San Diego Miller 19 Jackson nearly complete in Padres win UT San Diego Sanders 23 Carter Capps hopes to return by spring UT San Diego Sanders 26 Pregame: Schimpf named NL Rookie of Month UT San Diego Sanders 28 Minors: Reyes drives in six runs for Storm UT San Diego Sanders 30 Padres rout Brewers 12-3 as Guerra has rare rough outing Associated Press AP 32 Padres slug their way to series win NBC San Diego Togerson 34 All 30 MLB stadiums, ranked USA Today Joseph/Berg 35 Petco Park named best ballpark in baseball FOX 5 Phillips 36

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Padres eye future with revamped farm system Preller has loaded up Minors with series of smart trades over past nine months

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- The first domino fell in November.

Closers are luxuries, and when a team has other needs to fill, they're almost always trade bait. The San

Diego Padres had organizational needs to fill, so they dealtCraig Kimbrel to the Red Sox and received

four prospects in return.

On the surface, it was a run-of-the-mill offseason deal, one club looking to contend immediately and one

looking to build for its future. For the Padres, it signified more. The Kimbrel trade marked a philosophical

turning point.

In the preceding year, a number of trades and free-agent signings had left San Diego's farm system

depleted. Burdensome contracts presented serious obstacles toward replenishing that depth.

"There was opportunity in the short term to try to take a chance to put a competitive team on the field,"

said Padres general manager A.J. Preller of his team's spending spree during the 2014-15 offseason. "But

there was also understanding at the time that we were going to acquire assets that potentially could be

valuable to other teams. ... As a baseball group, you're always talking about: 'Here's the best possible

scenario, but also here's other scenarios.'"

The best-case scenario did not play out. San Diego finished 74-88 in 2015 and had already parted with

many of its top youngsters.

"That's your lifeblood," Preller said of the farm system. "You need to fill your organization with talented

guys."

It was Preller's job to replenish the Padres' so-called "lifeblood," and in 2016, he has taken a three-

pronged approach to doing so. In a nine-month span, San Diego entirely restocked its farm system. The

Padres have acquired eight of their top nine prospects since the 2015 season ended, and 20 of their top 30.

Gone are Trea Turner, Joe Ross, Zach Eflin and Matt Wisler. In are Anderson Espinoza, Manuel

Margot, Josh Naylor and Cal Quantrill. Here's how the Padres got there:

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The Draft

Top 30 Prospects: No. 5 Cal Quantrill, RHP, Stanford; No. 9 Eric Lauer, LHP, Kent State; No. 14

Buddy Reed, CF, Florida; No. 26 Reggie Lawson, RHP, Victor Valley HS (Victorville, Calif.); No. 28

Mason Thompson, RHP, Round Rock (Texas) HS

After sacrificing their first-round pick in 2015 to sign James Shields, the Padres were on the opposite

side of the equation in '16. Ian Kennedy and Justin Uptondeclined qualifying offers, giving San Diego a

pair of additional first-round selections.

Throw in a lottery round B pick, and the Padres owned six Draft choices among the first 85 -- the most in

the Majors.

All spring, Preller insisted, "the Draft is not a crapshoot." It became a catchphrase of sorts for him during

Draft week.

With a steady dose of early selections, the Padres found themselves in on players at every tier, putting

additional burden on the amateur scouting department. In a normal year, a handful of players simply aren't

options because of Draft position.

San Diego didn't have the luxury of leaving stones unturned in 2016. The team drafted Stanford's

Quantrill at No. 8 overall, a certifiable risk, given that he hadn't thrown an inning since coming off

Tommy John surgery. High-school righty Thompson was also returning from the same operation. Lawson

dealt with an oblique injury during his senior year of high school.

The Padres' Draft strategy, it seemed, was to use their plethora of picks to create a margin for

error that allowed them to take risks on players they might not have otherwise selected.

"It's not risk," scouting director Mark Conner said at the time. "We're getting guys with upside

and feel like once we implement them into our system of player development, it's going to come

to fruition.

"It's a probability play for us that other people see as a risk because they didn't do the same

work."

International signings

Top 30 Prospects: No. 6 Adrian Morejon, LHP, Cuba; No. 13 Jorge Ona, OF, Cuba; No. 21 Luis

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Almanzar, SS, Dominican Republic; No. 22 Gabriel Arias, SS, Venezuela; No. 29 Jeisson Rosario, OF,

Dominican Republic

Like the rest of the baseball world, the Padres loved Yoan Moncada. Easy to see why. Moncada

-- MLBPipeline.com's No. 2 overall prospect -- came to San Diego's backyard in July and took

home MVP honors at the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game, launching a mammoth home run off

the second deck in left field.

A year prior, the Padres had considered doling out serious money for Moncada. But Preller's

tenure was just beginning. Continuity was lacking on the scouting staff, and San Diego hadn't

yet invested elsewhere during that signing period.

If Moncada agreed with the Padres, they would've been hit with the maximum penalty, forced to

sit out the following two signing periods with only Moncada to show for it.

"Do we try to invest in Yoan Moncada?" Preller asked. "Or do we try to invest in a large group?"

Seventeen months ago, Moncada cost the Red Sox $63 million, including taxes. That's

approximately what the Padres have spent while running riot on the international market this

year. They've inked eight of the Top 30 International Prospects, and about 30 overall -- with

more likely to sign.

Of course, this is a group of players who are mostly half a decade away from making a big

league impact. But Preller stressed the importance of bringing them along together.

"We want to have a program where we have our own guys come up through our system and

learn the Padre way of playing baseball, from the time they're 18, 19, 20 years old," Preller said.

"That's a good plan; probably as good a way to build a championship club as possible."

Trades

Top 30 Prospects: No. 1 Espinoza, RHP (Pomeranz trade); No. 2 Margot, CF (Kimbrel trade); No. 4

Naylor, 1B (Cashner trade); No. 7 Javier Guerra, SS (Kimbrel trade); No. 8 Chris Paddack (Rodney

trade); No. 16 Enyel de los Santos, RHP (Benoit trade); No. 17 Logan Allen, LHP (Kimbrel trade); No.

19Hansel Rodriguez, RHP (Upton trade); No. 20 Carlos Asuaje, IF (Kimbrel trade)

Moving Kimbrel was only the beginning. In the two months leading up to Monday's non-waiver

Trade Deadline, the Padres flipped Shields, Fernando Rodney, Drew Pomeranz, Melvin Upton

Jr. and Andrew Cashner.

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In return, they received a total of eight players -- all of whom were younger than the five that

departed. Four of those players slotted right into San Diego's top 20 prospects.

Of course, the Kimbrel deal alone handed the Padres four of their current top 20 -- and two

players, Margot and Carlos Asuaje -- who could begin to impact the big league club before the

2016 season ends.

"You're constantly trying to build, you're constantly trying to add," Preller said. "There are all

different ways to do it. We've seen it on the pro scouting side, starting with the Kimbrel trade,

then the deals that we've had leading up to the Deadline -- [Pomeranz], Rodney, etcetera."

The Pomeranz and Rodney trades stand out in the bunch, mainly for the fact that neither were

with the organization a year ago. Preller bought low on the pair, and he sold high.

Rodney cost San Diego less than $1 million over three months. He netted Paddack, the

system's No. 8 prospect (who appears ticketed for elbow surgery). Pomeranz essentially cost the Padres Yonder Alonso. He netted them Espinoza, now the club's top prospect. (Alonso's OPS has not yet eclipsed .700 this season. Espinoza is the No. 20 prospect in baseball at age 18 and has drawn comparisons to Pedro Martinez.)

The vision

Preller is always eager to pore over his nightly game reports from Minor League managers and

staff. Given the recent influx of organizational talent, he's downright giddy when they come in

now.

"When you get these guys all on the field together -- that's what we've been building toward,"

Preller said.

There's inherent risk in putting the fortunes of a franchise on the shoulders of college-age kids.

But San Diego is playing a numbers game: bring in enough young talent and a percentage of it

will pan out.

It's not that simple, of course. Prospects don't grow into Major Leaguers on their own. The

biggest challenge remaining is for the Padres to develop their revamped farm system into big

league victories. If they don't, the past nine months will have been for naught.

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For now, however, the Padres feel as though they've stacked the deck in their favor, infusing

their farm system with an all-out assault on the Draft and the international and trade markets.

"We had talked about trying to line that all up together," Preller said. "You line up the timing of

those guys coming up together, playing instructionally together, playing their first season

together. Even if it's different age groups, it's guys that are going through their first experience in

professional baseball together.

"Hopefully, you have that come up together in the next couple years at Petco. We looked at [the

last year] as an opportunity to line that all up."

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Ed-win: Padres overpower Brewers in finale By AJ Cassavell and Adam McCalvy / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- The way Edwin Jackson was dealing on Wednesday afternoon, the Padres' offense didn't

need to do much. But the Friars broke out the lumber anyway, cruising to a 12-3 victory over the Brewers

in the rubber match at Petco Park.

In arguably his best outing since joining the Padres, Jackson tossed eight innings, allowing only three late

runs once the game was out of reach. He made his presence felt on offense, too, becoming the second

pitcher in Padres history to record an RBI, a steal and a win on the same day -- joining Adam Eaton, who

did so twice.

"In the National League, you get the chance to be a player again," Jackson said. "You feel like you're a

part of the game. … I know we're pitchers, but when you have a bat in your hand, you can help make or

break a game at the plate. I definitely wanted to come out and join the parade." Yangervis Solarte and Jabari Blash provided the power. Solarte, who finished 3-for-5 with three RBIs, put the game out of reach with a two-run, sixth-inning dinger. Then, Blash went to the opposite field in the seventh for his first career home run.

Brewers right-hander Junior Guerra struggled from the outset, allowing three runs in the first

inning -- although he got no help from a controversial ruling at second base on a double-play

ball. In his shortest outing of the year, Guerra surrendered four runs on six hits over just four

innings.

Scooter Gennett got the Brewers on the board in the eighth with an RBI single, andRyan

Braun followed with a two-run shot two pitches later. But that was all the offense Milwaukee

would muster, and the Brewers matched their most lopsided defeat of the season. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Three in the first: A non-call at second base extended the first inning for the Padres to score three runs against Guerra. With one out and runners at the corners, Solarte beat out a fielder's choice grounder while the game's first run scored. But Brewers manager Craig Counsell challenged, arguing that the runner advancing to second --Wil Myers -- broke the so-called "Chase Utley rule" by sliding wide of second base without trying to reach for the bag. By the new rule, such a slide would result in an automatic double play, thus ending the inning. But after a two-minute, 46-second review, the umpires decided Myers did not hinder or impede the fielder, and the inning continued with two outs and the Padres ahead, 1-0. Counsell had discussions with home-plate umpire Chad Fairchild between each of the next two half-innings.

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"I wasn't sure we'd win the challenge," Counsell said. "But it definitely deviated [Guerra's] path.

They're interpreting it more now than they were the first couple weeks of the season. We knew

they are interpreting it more." More >

Jank you very much: Travis Jankowksi impacted the game in every facet Wednesday afternoon.

The speedy center fielder ignited the first-inning rally with a leadoff double. He'd later showcase

his speed with a pair of steals and an infield hit. And he topped it all off with a brilliant diving

catch to rob Jonathan Villar in the top of the sixth.

"That's my main goal -- just get on base and let 2-3-4 drive me in," Jankowski said. "The main

thing is staying aggressive, but also being selective -- a patiently aggressive mindset."

We have Blashtoff: The Padres made things tough on Blash in his first big league stint, as he

received only 29 plate appearances during April and May. This time, San Diego vowed to get

Blash consistent playing time, and it has paid off thus far. Since he returned to the big league

club as a replacement for Matt Kemp, Blash is 4-for-12 with the home run and three walks.

"He was never comfortable the first time around," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He didn't

look stressed or anything like that. He just wasn't getting enough reps to really settle into

anything. … I think he's been great. I have no hesitation to continue to run him out there and

watch him do his thing." More >

Homer happy: Five days off to rest a sore right rib cage seemed to do wonders for Braun, who

homered in each of the final two games of the series, including his two-run shot in the eighth

inning off Jackson. Braun, who made his Major League debut at Petco Park in 2007, has eight

home runs in 23 career games here.

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

The Padres started five rookies on Wednesday -- Jankowski, Blash, second baseman Ryan

Schimpf, left fielder Alex Dickerson and shortstop Jose Rondon. All five either scored or drove in

a run or both.

• Schimpf snags NL rookie honors for July

DICKERSON, SOLARTE BANGED UP

Still feeling the ill effects from a right hip contusion he sustained last week, Dickerson was

removed after six innings, as a precaution, because he was feeling sore.

Solarte, meanwhile, came up hobbling after stepping awkwardly on the third-base bag for a

forceout in the seventh. He appeared to hurt his left calf on the play, but he remained in the

game and added a single an inning later.

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WHAT'S NEXT

Brewers: After a day off Thursday, the Brewers open a series against the D-backs at Chase

Field beginning at 8:40 p.m. CT on Friday. Chase Anderson, who was drafted and developed by

the D-backs and pitched for them in 2014 and '15 before a January trade to Milwaukee, will start

the opener against his former team.

Padres: Looking to build off his solid start last time out, Christian Friedrich takes the ball for the

series opener against Philadelphia. Following Thursday's off-day, first pitch is slated for 7:40

p.m. PT Friday night. Friedrich was especially effective with his breaking ball in his start against

Cincinnati on Saturday, allowing just one run over six innings in his first quality start since June

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Blashtoff: Rookie launches 1st career homer More comfortable at plate, outfielder hits solo shot vs. Brewers

By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- Jabari Blash launched the first home run of his career Wednesday afternoon, in the

Padres' 12-3 win over the Brewers, solidifying his arrival in the big leagues in a unique 2016 season.

The 27-year-old outfielder swung at the first pitch he saw out of David Goforth's hand in the seventh

inning and sent a 93-mph fastball over the fence in right-center field.

"Definitely [excited]," Blash said after the game. "First one of, hopefully, many to come."

The home run signifies the new comfort Blash has felt in the batter's box during his second stint with the

Padres this season. He opened the year with San Diego as a Rule 5 Draft pick and struggled to a

.120/.241/.160 slash line while serving as a reserve and finding playing time only sparingly.

After being designated for assignment, being reacquired by the Mariners and then traded back to the

Padres within a span of six days in May, Blash was sent to Triple-A, where he played every day and

displayed the power/patience combination that the Padres have been infatuated with. Blash hit 11 home

runs in 62 games while drawing 41 walks before earning a second promotion to the Padres -- this time,

coming with a regular role.

"He was never comfortable the first time around," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He didn't look

stressed or anything like that. He just wasn't getting enough reps to really settle into anything.

" ... I think he's been great. I have no hesitation to continue to run him out there and watch him do his

thing."

In his first four games since being activated Sunday vs. the Reds, Blash has hit .333 (4-for-12) with three

walks, starting every game in right field.

"You get more settled with the more at-bats you get," he said. "You see some pitches, you get the jitters

out and you get comfortable. … It's definitely different.

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"I'm not really thinking about much at the plate. My timing's there, I see the ball great, and I'm just trying

to put a ball in play. Earlier in the season, when you don't get your at-bats, your timing is off and you're

thinking about one or two things instead of just 'see ball, hit ball,' and stick with your approach."

The Padres gave Blash the tried-and-true silent treatment after his first big league homer -- hereafter

referred to as a "Blashtoff" -- after Wil Myers and Jon Jay got the team organized. Before the top of the

eighth inning, his teammates let him run on the field on his own to receive a standing ovation from the

24,124 fans in attendance at Petco Park.

But maybe the best moment in all of this will be when Blash calls his mother.

"I'm sure when I call her she's going to be screaming at first," he said. "You know, she gets way

more excited than I do. So I'm excited for that phone call."

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Schimpf snags NL rookie honors for July Infielder leads Majors with 9 home runs last month

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- A month ago, when then-Padres right-hander Andrew Cashner was ticketed to come off

the disabled list, San Diego was forced to make a decision in the infield. A roster overflowing with

second basemen needed to be trimmed, and rookie Ryan Schimpf was one of the likely options to be sent

down.

It's probably a good thing the Padres stuck with Schimpf.

He rewarded their faith by hitting .269/.387/.705 with a franchise rookie record nine home runs in July. In

the process, Schimpf took home the National League Rookie of the Month Award, becoming the fourth

Padre in history to earn those honors.

For some, the award would serve as validation. Schimpf, a 28-year-old rookie, toiled for seven years in

the Blue Jays' system without receiving a big league callup -- even though he had posted some massive

power numbers. But that's not the way Schimpf is viewing the recognition.

"I don't dwell on the past or think about the future," said Schimpf, who hit an RBI double in the

Padres' 12-3 win over the Brewers on Wednesday. "I say it a lot, I just believe in myself. Even in the past,

when I was in the Minor Leagues, I believed in myself, that I'd get here at some point."

Schimpf joins Xavier Nady, Khalil Greene (twice) and Josh Barfield as the only Friars to have

won the award. Barfield was the last to do so, in July 2006.

Out of the gate, Schimpf struggled after his mid-June callup, starting just 3-for-29. But the

Padres were adamant that his at-bats were quality and that they wanted a longer look at him

before making any final determinations on his skill set.

When the calendar flipped to July, Schimpf began raking. He launched his first career homer on

July 1, and he would hit eight more, leading the Majors during the month.

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"His first 30 at-bats, he had like two or three hits and didn't look so good, but he was taking his

walks, showing patience," Padres manager Andy Green said. "Next thing you know, he's leading

all Major Leaguers in home runs in the month of July. He's been a pleasant surprise."

In Schimpf's eyes, there wasn't much that changed from June to July. But he certainly started to

feel more comfortable.

"Just settling down, not trying to do too much," Schimpf said. "Early on, I was having some good

at-bats, just not many hits to show for it. It was just a matter of staying with the process and the

approach."

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Coming off strong start, Friedrich gets ball vs. Phils By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com

Jeremy Hellickson makes his first start for the Phillies since Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline,

matching up with San Diego's Christian Friedrich on Friday.

Hellickson's name was all over the trade market with many teams searching for starting pitchers, but

Philadelphia ended up holding onto the 29-year-old righty, who has posted a 3.70 ERA in 131 1/3 innings

this season. In his past seven starts, Hellickson has 2.27 ERA with 28 strikeouts and six walks. The

Phillies are 6-1 in those games.

Friedrich, meanwhile, is coming off of his best start in more than a month. He limited the Reds to just one

run over six innings thanks to a lively fastball and good spin on his breaking ball.

"I thought he was as good as he's been since he's been with us," Padres manager Andy Green said about

his outing.

Things to know about this game

• Wil Myers, who has cooled off since his torrid June, has hit .364/.364/1.000 in 11 at-bats vs. Hellickson,

including two home runs.

• Maikel Franco hasn't homered in the five games he's played in Petco Park, going just 1-for-20 (.050)

with a double in San Diego in his career.

• Cesar Hernandez and Tommy Joseph were the Phillies' best hitters during the month of July. The two

combined to hit .331 (54-for-163) during the month with six doubles, two triples and six home runs.

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Hand to rotation next year 'really intriguing' Padres have considered experimenting with lefty as starter in 2017

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- In the span of three months, Brad Hand has carved himself a vital role within the Padres'

bullpen -- after he began the season with no role at all in Miami.

The veteran left-hander, claimed off waivers in the season's opening week, has been a revelation for San

Diego. He owns a 3.09 ERA and has allowed just 44 hits in 58 1/3 innings.

Next year, however, could see Hand in a bit of a different role. The Padres have had discussions about

potentially experimenting with the 26-year-old southpaw as a starter when they arrive at Spring Training

next year.

"It's a really intriguing idea, because I think his stuff plays as a starter," Padres manager Andy Green said.

"He didn't take off the way they wanted to in Miami, but that doesn't mean he can't do it. I like his pitch

mix, and it's something that as a starter, it fits."

As a starter with the Marlins, Hand struggled, posting a 4.86 ERA with a 1.46 WHIP. But that's not

necessarily an indicator of his future performance as a starter.

After all, both Tyson Ross and Drew Pomeranz struggled as starters early, to the point where many felt

they'd be best suited as relievers. Ultimately, of course, Pomeranz and Ross proved their mettle in the

rotation, and Hand says he'd be eager to do the same, if given the chance.

"It's been nice, being in the bullpen through the year," Hand said. "But I still think I can start. I've been a

starter in the Minor Leagues. That's always what I've done. The bullpen thing, to me, was kind of new,

and it's been a learning process."

To be sure, the reliever-to-starter transition isn't always a smooth one. Padres closer Brandon

Maurer began Spring Training this season attempting to make the same transition. But he struggled

mightily as he searched for a reliable third pitch.

In fact, Maurer's rotation foray carried negative effects into the regular season. His experimentation with a

curveball seeped into his power slider and actually decreased its velocity. Only recently -- after not

throwing a curveball for three months -- has Maurer's slider returned to its high-80s velo.

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On the other hand (pardon the pun), Hand likely wouldn't need to add to his mix. He already throws both

a slider and a curveball with regularity -- and to much success (though he's shied away from his changeup

this season).

"He's so good in the bullpen that it would be difficult, and I think he's really fallen in love with the role,"

Green said. "But it's a four-pitch mix; it's a four-pitch mix that plays.

"I've brought it up on a couple of occasions about the possibility for the future. I think probably for the

foreseeable future, this year, we're pretty much committed to leaving him in the bullpen, unless something

happens where we don't have any options. But I don't know that it's out of the realm of possibility that we

would consider that going into next season."

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Capps, Ross among Padres progressing Newly acquired reliever 'ahead of schedule'; right-hander back on mound

By Carlos Collazo / MLB.com

SAN DIEGO -- Going into last Monday's non-waiver Trade Deadline on the disabled list, Carter

Capps wasn't expecting to be traded from the Marlins. But the 25-year-old said he couldn't have asked for

an easier transition to San Diego after learning from his wife that he was going to the Padres.

"She saw it on Twitter," Capps said with a laugh. "Pretty typical these days, I guess."

Capps was one of the league's best relievers in 2015 -- his 1.10 FIP was the lowest among pitchers with

30 or more innings -- before undergoing Tommy John surgery on March 8. He is ahead of schedule in the

rehab process, already throwing 75 times from about 45 feet Wednesday, and he is hoping to throw again

Thursday.

"Everything's felt good," Capps said. "Back to throwing and just feeling good. … Obviously, the goal is to

be back by spring."

Padres manager Andy Green said that Capps has been in the weight room constantly since joining the

team, but he might need a bit of cautioning going forward.

"I think he's the kind of guy that you've got to pull the reins in on," Green said. "He just wants to go, go,

go, is what I've been told. And his throwing, the way the ball's coming out, it's way more live than it

should be at this point in time.

"I don't know how you take that, if that's a good thing or a bad thing, but he definitely wants to be out,

wants to be throwing, wants to be moving forward. He's definitely -- by doctors and training regimen

schedules -- he's ahead of schedule."

Ross gets back on the mound

After suffering a setback in his rehab from right shoulder inflammation, thanks to a left ankle injury that

prevented him from throwing on a slope, Tyson Ross finally got back on the mound Tuesday.

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Green said that Ross threw five pitches to a catcher standing up, and five to a catcher down, in what was

simply a "test it out" session.

"It was good, so I think he's scheduled for a bullpen in the next few days, and that [rehab] progression

begins again," Green said. "I don't think it's going to take as long as it did last time. He's still going to

have to throw a number of 'pens before he throws to hitters, but he's been throwing 275 feet. His shoulder

feels good."

Ross hasn't thrown in a game since Opening Day, but Green is hopeful that the 29-year-old will be able to

make a few starts for the Padres in September.

"I can still see a scenario where he gets three or four starts before this year is over," Green said. "We build

him up, [he] goes through Minor League rehab, by the time their season is ending, he ends up pitching

with us for September."

Injury updates

• While the team is still waiting to announce an official diagnosis for Colin Rea, Green was not expecting

the 26-year-old to be back any time soon.

"More than likely, it's going to be a long road back for him," Green said.

• Jon Jay (right forearm fracture) was walking around the clubhouse without a cast or brace Wednesday,

but he is still a few weeks from picking up a bat and taking swings. Green said that he was doing

exercises, and he wanted to see him get a month of baseball in before the season's end. In that scenario,

Jay would not go back to an everyday center-field role, but he would get regular playing time at all three

outfield spots while allowing the current outfielders to continue getting on the field regularly, as well.

• Green said it was looking "less and less likely" that Cesar Vargas (right flexor strain) will pitch this

season. With Vargas and Jon Edwards (right flexor strain), the team would still want to make sure both

are built up and healthy going into the offseason so complications don't arise in Spring Training.

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Fowler criticism of Kemp, jettisoned veterans signals Padres shift Franchise front office conducts 'town hall' meeting with anxious fans to explain plan, sell substance over sizzle By Bryce Miller | 6 a.m. Aug. 4, 2016

Executive Chairman Ron Fowler is the unscripted, unrestrained and unwavering voice

of the plan the Padres began selling to ticket holders Wednesday night.

The late-afternoon gathering at Petco Park started as a “town hall” meeting for fans

following the dizzying selloff of recent months.

The huddle behind the third-base dugout crackled, though, as Fowler and the

franchise detailed reasons to peel the house down to exposed nails and studs.

In Fowler’s mind, the Padres hoping to earn your dollars next season and beyond will

ditch the drama and dirty the uniforms. To his thinking, those Padres will embrace

effort and eighty-six entitlement.

“I’ll be damned if we’re going to pay high-priced talent to sit on their butts and not

perform,” Fowler said.

In Atlanta, which picked up slugger Matt Kemp, they’re likely to call it thin skin from

a former employer. In Chicago, where the White Sox plucked pitcher James Shields, it

might sound like a seller’s sour grapes.

In San Diego, though, Fowler’s calling it a future reshaped between the ears as much

as the baselines.

Earlier this season, Fowler criticized Shields ($75 million contract and all), saying he

upset the MLB Players Association in the process. On Wednesday, he took aim at

Kemp — on pace for 100 RBIs while admitting in a letter on The Players’ Tribune that

he had built a reputation for “being selfish, lazy and a bad teammate.”

20

Kemp thanked San Diego and its fans, but the breakup will be remembered for a

comment to an MLB.com reporter in Atlanta that he had “never really played in a

baseball town before.”

“We made a conscious decision to ship them out because we want people that are

prepared to improve,” Fowler said. “If you’re making a lot of money and you think

you’re already there, you’re not going to get better.

“… They had a bad attitude. You saw Kemp’s letter. Talk about a bunch of b.s.”

Fowler, no one’s word-mincer, complained about players he felt were sometimes

inclined to simply show up: “Most of ’em are gone, thank God.”

That, in a no-nonsense nutshell, is what the Padres are selling to fans.

You might not know the names in 2017, but you’ll smell the sweat and sense the

progress. The plan always has been to build depth, the sales pitch goes, even as the

Shields-Kemp-Justin Upton stab at bottled lightning fizzled.

“That was a bad experiment,” Fowler said. “The chemistry wasn’t there. But we took a

run at it.”

To the Padres credit, they listened Wednesday. They made ticket holders feel heard,

valued and important. They opened the books, discussing how the millions were being

spent.

When the team said it would read submitted questions, the skeptic in you wondered if

the team would edit out the edginess and angst. It didn’t. The 350-or-so ticket holders

pulled no punches.

The first question to Fowler, President Mike Dee and General Manager A.J.

Preller: When will we stop trading our big-league talent?

The next: Any current players whose jerseys are safe to buy?

The next: When do you expect the team to compete at a championship-level caliber?

The next: Why should we renew (tickets) for a stream of minor-league players?

The next: Will there be a discount on season tickets?

No tomato cans there.

21

Preller said the team has no reason or plan to peddle in player-churn long term. There

simply wasn’t enough legitimate talent in the organization, he argued. The weeding-

out process has accomplished its weeding, essentially.Share

Dee said the minor-leaguers of yesterday can be the big-leaguers of today after a 12-3

win against Milwaukee: “Jabari Blash (homer) was a major league player on the field

today. Ryan Schimpf (named N.L. rookie of the month for July) is a major league

player.

“I’d like to tell you we’re breaking up the ’98 Yankees, but we’re not. This was a team

that underachieved. Let’s get some younger, hungry players in here that you can be

proud of that lay it on the line.”

The answer that likely fell most flat came from the refreshingly honest Fowler, who

blunted any consideration of a price decrease as the Padres retool. Cutting even a

negligible amount would illustrate to the “we’re all in this together” crowd that, well,

they’re truly in it together.

Dee, meanwhile, earned applause for sharing that the team is reworking the new

ticket-exchange policy that frustrated many fans — including a sparkplug of an

attendee named Lydia who yelled, “It sucks!” The new policy, Dee said, will include

10-, 20- and 30-game packages to create more flexibility on games and nights.

He collected more support for spilling that the team will return Friday night start

times back to 7:10 p.m.

But the baseball product, ultimately and understandably, constituted the bottom line.

If recent weeks amounted to organizational surrender, as many fans stubbornly

maintain, there’s a number to consider. The franchise will spend more than $80

million on international signees and amateur draft selections this year — shattering

the franchise standard.

That smells like building more than banking.

22

Whether it’s successful or not remains to be seen. Whether it’s sellable or not remains

to be seen, too.

But the Padres placed their front-office chins in harm’s way. They listened.

And that’s a start

23

Jackson nearly complete in Padres win Jackson pitches eight strong innings, steals base, drives in run By Jeff Sanders | 3:45 p.m. Aug. 3, 2016 | Updated, 5:21 p.m.

Edwin Jackson took four pitches in the sixth inning, then took a lead at first base and

took off for second.

Why not?

The 32-year-old journeyman had everything else working.

On a Wednesday afternoon in which a crowd of 24,124 at Petco Park witnessed the

first steal of a 14-year career, Jackson was even better on the mound.

A lot better.Share

Backed by an offense that managed a little bit of everything – from Jabari Blash’s first

career homer to Yangeervis Solarte’s two-run job to two more steals from Travis

Jankowski – Jackson struck out five and didn’t walk a soul over eight strong innings

in a 12-3 win that clinched a series victory over the Brewers. He also doubled in a run,

walked and scored after attempting just the second steal of a career that’s seen him

play for 11 organizations.

Yes, Wednesday was a fun day at the park.

“It’s definitely fun when you’re in the National League,” Jackson said after allowing

three runs in the eighth inning to spoil his bid for a complete game. “You get to be a

player again. You get to feel like you’re part of the game. … I know we’re pitchers, but

at the end of the day, when you have a bat in your hand, you can help make or break a

game at the plate.

“You definitely want to come out and try to join the parade, get a hit and run the bases

and join the action a little bit.”

There was plenty to go ‘round.

24

At least on the Padres’ side.

They chased Brewers right-hander Junior Guerra (4 IP, 4 ER) before the fifth inning,

piled on four more runs in the sixth and celebrated Blash’s first career home run to

lead off the seventh with a silent treatment.

Of course, that’s not the greeting that the 27-year-old Blash is expecting upon phoning

his mother back in the Virgin Islands to relish a blast that arrived after six years in the

minors, a frustrating stint as a Rule-5 outfielder and return to the Pacific Coast

League.

“I’m sure she’ll be screaming,” Blash said after his opposite-field homer left the bat at

106 mph, traveled 369 feet and opened up a 9-0 lead.

As far Blash, he was still smiling afterward.

Finally, he’s feeling at ease after going 3-for-25 as a seldom-used bat off the bench

over the first month-and-half of the season.

“You get more settled with more at-bats,” said Blash, a career .501 slugger in the

minors who is 3-for-9 in this second stint with the Padres. “You see some pitches, get

the jitters out and get comfortable.”

Added Padres manager Andy Green: “He was never comfortable the first time around.

He didn’t look stressed, but he wasn’t really getting enough reps to really settle into

anything. I still go back to the walks he takes – he’s getting hit a few times now, too –

and you add in the power and that plays offensively. …

“I have no hesitation running him out there and watching him do his thing.”

Jackson (2-2, 5.00 ERA) certainly did his thing while winning for the second time

since joining the Padres as upon his release from the Marlins in early June.

The first was an unlikely no-hit bid that Jackson took into the seventh inning here. On

Wednesday, he retired the first 11 batters before Ryan Braun dribbled a ball up the

middle for an infield single in the fourth inning.

25

Jackson, though, stranded Braun with a strikeout of Hernan Perez, shook off Kirk

Nieuwenhuis’ one-out double in the fifth and escaped back-to-back one-out singles in

the seventh by fetching a pop-out and a groundball with his pitch count still at a

comfy 89 pitches.

Given a lead that grew to 11-0 a half-inning later, the leash was plenty long when the

Brewers finally broke through in the eighth on Scooter Gennett’s run-scoring single

and Braun’s two-run homer.

Jackson exited after throwing 74 of his 108 pitches for strikes. It was the fourth time

in his career that he had completed eight innings without issuing a walk.

“He was in the zone, for me,” Green said. “If he stays away from walking people,

there’s not that many times in his career that he’s gotten consistently hit. He just has

a tendency to get himself in a jam with a walk or two. He was in the zone from the

first pitch and stayed there through the eighth inning.

“He was outstanding.”

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Carter Capps hopes to return by spring Former Marlins reliever underwent an elbow reconstruction in March By Jeff Sanders | 1:26 p.m. Aug. 3, 2016 | Updated, 5:37 p.m.

On March 8, Carter Capps’ season ended with a successful elbow reconstruction. On

Monday, the 25-year-old right-hander learned that not even Tommy John could help

him hide from Major League Baseball’s trading deadline.

The source?

His wife, via Twitter.

“Pretty typical these days, I guess,” Capps said with a laugh.

He added: “You always have it in the back of your head, but that definitely wasn’t at

the forefront. I did not expect to get traded, but I’m glad I (landed) in such a good

organization. The training staff here is awesome. I’ve got to meet with them and go

over what we’re trying to do.”

Already four months into his rehab when he was included in the deal that sent

Andrew Cashner to the Marlins, Capps threw 75 pitches from 45 feet upon arriving

Tuesday.

“The goal is to be back by spring,” Capps said. “That shouldn’t be an issue. That

should put me right at 12 months, so I’m looking forward to that and hopefully have

no issues, no setbacks.”

A healthy Capps figures to factor into the back end of the Padres’ bullpen in 2017.

Armed with an unorthodox hop-step delivery and a fastball that averaged 98 mph last

year – second only to Aroldis Chapman among relievers – Capps fashioned a 1.16 ERA

in 31 innings last year. Over that stretch, he struck out 58, walked seven and allowed

only 18 hits as, as Padres manager Andy Green put it, a “dominant reliever, one of the

best in the game.”

27

Green has positive reports on the first up-close impression, too, as Capps shifts his

rehab to San Diego.

“He’s the kind of guy you have to pull the reins in on,” Green said. “He wants to go,

go, go. His throwing, the way the ball is coming out, is way more live than it should be

at this point in time.

“He definitely wants to be moving forward and by doctors’ and training regimen

schedules is ahead of schedule.”

Back where baseball belongs

Baseball was a demonstration sport when Mark McGwire took the field at Dodger

Stadium in the 1984 Olympics, but the USC product was an immediate fan.

Especially because amateurs comprised the playing field. That doesn’t appear to be

the case when the sport returns to the Olympics in 2020 but McGwire is among those

glad to see the sport return to the program.

Really, baseball never should have been excluded in the first place, he said.

“It surprised me because of some of the other sports they kept,” McGwire said.

“Baseball should be in the Olympics. It’s as big as soccer and all the other sports, so

I’m glad it’s back.”

He added: “Growing up in and playing at ‘SC and then playing at Dodger Stadium as a

California kid representing your country with all the other No. 1 picks, it was

awesome. And I was glad they kept it amateur. I’m not a big fan of professional

athletes laying in the Olympics.

“I’m a big fan of amateur athletes playing in the Olympics.”

28

Pregame: Schimpf named NL Rookie of Month Early notes, tidbits and a look at today’s lineups and pitching matchup By Jeff Sanders | 12:30 p.m. Aug. 3, 2016

Even after seven years in the minors, Ryan Schimpf doesn’t have much use for

validation. He got it anyway.

The Padres’ 28-year-old second baseman on Wednesday was named the National

League Rookie of the Month after leading the majors with nine home runs in July. His

.705 slugging percentage last month ranked third in the majors behind Mitch

Moreland (.750) and Daniel Murphy (.744), while he led all NL rookies in OPS (1.092)

and extra-base hits (15) a month after collecting three hits in his first 38 plate

appearances.

“We’re really pleased with where he’s come from,” Padres manager Andy Green said.

“I think his first 30 at-bats, he had two or three hits and didn’t look so good, but he

was taking his walks and showing patience and the next thing you know he’s leading

all major leaguers in home runs in the month of July.”

That’s not all that Schimpf is doing.

His 13 walks tied with teammate Travis Jankowski among all rookies, while 19 f his

first 26 hits went for extra bases as his minor league skill-set began to translate into

major league production after a slow start.

Again, not that Schimp was looking for validation.

“I honestly don’t think about it that way,” said Schimpf, the only Padres rookie to ever

lead the majors in homers in a single month. “I don’t dwell in the past or think about

the future. I just believe in myself. Even in the past in the minor leagues, I believed in

myself that I would get here. I just keep trying to get better.”

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Notable

RHP Tyson Ross tested his sprained ankle off a mound on Tuesday for the

first time, throwing five pitches to a standing catcher and then five more to a

crouching target. He’s expected to throw a full bullpen in the next couple of

days. The hope, Green said, is that Ross will get three to four starts in the

majors before the end of the season.

As far as RHPs Cesar Vargas (elbow) and Jon Edwards(elbow) are

concerned, Green said Wednesday that there remains but a small window for

either to pitch again this season. The Padres would like to see both get on a

mound again before the season ends to prove they’re healthy, whether that’s

here or in Peoria, Ariz., when the team hosts its annual instructional league

(Sept. 12-Oct. 7).

Although the Padres have not yet revealed the results of RHPColin Rea's MRI,

Green conceded Wednesday that it was "more than likely a long road back" for

Rea. The Padres will likely reveal the results Friday. Rea left Saturday's start for

the Marlins with discomfort in his right elbow.

The Padres and Triple-A El Paso will announce the extension of their player

development contract Thursday. The Chihuahuas have been a Padres affiliate

since their inception in 2014.

ON DECK | Brewers (48-57) at Padres (46-61)

Game 3: 12:40 p.m. Wednesday

Brewers RHP Junior Guerra (7-2, 2.70 ERA)

Waived by the White Sox in October, the 31-year-old journeyman rookie has 11

quality starts in 16 trips to the mound. He beat the Padres with six shutout

innings in Milwaukee earlier this year.

Padres RHP Edwin Jackson (1-2, 5.46 ERA)

In his third start for the team, Jackson allowed four of his six earned runs in the

first inning. He has a 5.19 ERA over 17 1/3 innings with the Padres.

30

Minors: Reyes drives in six runs for Storm Recapping the previous day of action for the Padres' minor league affiliates

By Jeff Sanders | 11:31 a.m. Aug. 3, 2016

Franmil Reyes homered and drove in six runs on four hits, including a two-run single

in a three-run 12th that helped high Single-A Lake Elsinore survive a 10-9 win over

host Lancaster on Tuesday in the California League.

The home run was Reyes’ 11th of the year. The 2011 undrafted free agent also doubled

and scored three runs, lifting his average to .257.

Catcher Ricardo Valenzuela (.240) drove in a run on three hits, new first baseman

Josh Naylor (.238) drove in two runs on two hits and Edwin Moreno (.267) and

Michael Gettys (.291) each had two hits.

Right-hander Chris Huffman (3.58) allowed seven runs – four earned – in four

innings in the start.

Right-hander Phil Maton (1.42) struck out five over 2 1/3 perfect innings and right-

hander Martires Arias (2-4, 5.77) earned the win despite allowing two runs in two

innings.

The Storm are 54-55.

TRIPLE-A EL PASO (62-49)

Las Vegas 3, Chihuahuas 2: RHP Bryan Rodriguez (4-5, 5.23) allowed three runs on

six hits and three walks in 5 1/3 innings. C Austin Hedges (.350) went 2-for-4 with a

double, an RBI and a run scored.

DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (41-68)

Corpus Chrisi 4, Missions 2: 3B Josh VanMeter (.182) went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and

his first homer since a promotion to the Texas League. 29-year-old Elier Sanchez (0-1,

9.00), a Cuban free agent who signed with the Padres in February, allowed four runs

on five hits and two walks in two innings in his second appearance for the

organization.

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LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (52-56)

TinCaps 6, Lansing 3: C Austin Allen (.315) drove in three runs on two hits, SS Ruddy

Giron (.227) went 3-for-4 with two two doubles and 1B Nick Vilter (.218) hit his

second homer. RHP Jean Cosme (8-5, 3.61) struck out seven and allowed two runs on

four hits and two walks in five innings.

ROOKIE AZL PADRES (14-20)

Padres 8, Mariners 7: SS Hudson Potts (.319) went 2-for-5 with two RBIs, two steals

and three runs scored and DH Fernando Tatis Jr. (.262) went 2-for-4 with a double,

an RBI, a walk, two runs scored and a steal. RHP Emmanuel Clase (6.30) started the

game with six strikeouts and three runs – one earned – allowed in four innings.

ROOKIE DSL PADRES (23-26)

Padre 5, Orioles 1 (7): 3B Eugy Rosario (.336), 1B Elvis Sabala (.229) and 2B Luis

Guzman (.289) each had two hits. LHP Cristian Machuca (2-5, 5.01) struck out four

and allowed only an unearned run in a complete game victory.

Padres 1, Orioles 0 (7): LHP Adolfo Hernandez (1.61) struck out three and scattered a

hit and two walks over four scoreless innings and RHP Oliber Guzman (4-0, 2.05)

struck out three over three scoreless innings.

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Padres rout Brewers 12-3 as Guerra has rare rough outing SAN DIEGO -- Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell figured it was worth a chance to challenge a play at second base. However, the delay with the appeal might have hampered Junior Guerra on the mound.

Guerra had a rare rough second-half outing, allowing four runs and six hits in four innings of the Brewers' 12-3 loss to the San Diego Padres on Wednesday.

The trouble started in the first when Guerra allowed three runs. However, the Brewers argued Will Myers slid toward shortstop Orlando Arica at second to prevent a double play. The umpires checked the replay and didn't agree.

Having Guerra wait some five minutes until a verdict was delivered might have contributed to his ineffectiveness.

"Obviously we would have liked to have the double play in that situation," Guerra said through a translator. "But after that I had trouble finding the strike zone."

Added Counsell: "I wasn't sure we would win the appeal..it was a run so it was worth taking a shot."

Guerra (7-3), who had won four of his previous five starts, gave up the four runs in the first two innings.

Regardless of the first-inning doings, San Diego's Edwin Jackson was just too tough.

Jackson (2-2) retired the first 11 batters he faced, and the Brewers didn't put a runner in scoring position until Kirk Nieuwenhuis doubled in the fifth.

"He pitched well," Counsell said. "The key for him is to keep the ball down. If a guy like that keeps the ball down he can be effective.

Jackson signed a minor-league contract with the Padres in June after starting the season in Miami's bullpen. He gave up three runs -- two on Ryan Braun's homer -- and eight hits with five strikeouts over eight innings.

The Padres made it 8-0 on Yangervis Solarte's two-run, two-out homer in the sixth. Blash homered in the two-run seventh.

"Some days you have good days and some days you have bad days," Guerra said. "Unfortunately it was a bad game for me and I have to keep working hard."

TRAINER'S ROOM

Padres: RHP Tyson Ross (right shoulder, left ankle) reported no setbacks a day after an abbreviated throwing session off the mound. There's a chance Ross, who last pitched on opening day, will return before the season's end.

UP NEXT

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Brewers: RHP Chase Anderson (6-10, 5.13) makes his second career start against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday as Milwaukee continues its six-game road trip. Anderson, who beat Arizona on July 25, aims for his third straight win despite having no quality starts over his last eight outings.

Padres: LHP Christian Friedrich (4-6, 4.72) looks to recapture the form he flashed when winning three straight decisions in May and June as he faces the visiting Philadelphia Phillies on Friday. He's coming off a rocky outing, surrendering five runs on six hits in three innings against the Washington Nationals on July 24.

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Padres Slug Their Way To Series Win Offense shows up big against the Brewers

By Derek Togerson The Padres started five rookies in Wednesday’s series finale against the Brewers. This is not exactly the youth movement we’ve been hearing about but if it keeps yielding the same results the Friars will certainly take it. San Diego whipped Milwaukee 12-3 to win the 3-game series at Petco Park. The Padres had five rookies in their starting lineup, including Ryan Schimpf, who on Wednesday found out he was named the National League Rookie of the Month for July. Schimpf led the Major Leagues with nine home runs for the month and finished July with an absurd 1.092 OPS. On Wednesday Schimpf added another extra-base hit to his resume. He doubled in a run in the 7th inning but still may have had the least impact on the lopsided outcome. Leadoff hitter Travis Jankowski had a pair of hits, stole two bases, scored three runs, and made a stellar diving catch in centerfield ... Jabari Blash hit his first career MLB home run, a laser that just snuck over the right field wall (making Twitter explode with the #Blashtoff hashtag) … Alex Dickerson doubled, drove in a run and scored another ... and Jose Rondon had a single and scored a run. Not bad production from the young lineup assembled by Padres manager Andy Green (a rookie skipper) but he sees a lot of work still to be done. "I think it's good," said Green. "I go back to the process right now. There are things we can improve on today. Today's a great game, you win 12-3, but there are still things you can do better. Each one of those guys has something that occurred during the game that they could capitalize on to a higher degree. Pleased with the final result? Sure. But I think where our focus is going to remain the rest of the year is on the process and how we execute in those situations." The offense didn’t need to be that good with veteran Edwin Jackson on the mound. The 32-year-old starter took a shutout in to the 8th inning before giving up three runs, two of them on a Ryan Braun home run to center, but by then it was too late to make a difference. Jackson finished the 8th inning to get his second win of the season. The Padres scored in the first, third, sixth and seventh innings and every time a run crossed the plate one of their rookies was involved somehow but the biggest day belonged to 3rd baseman Yangervis Solarte (an old man in his third big league season). Solarte had three hits, including a long 2-run home run in the 6th inning, drove in three runs and scored three runs. 1st baseman Wil Myers and catcher Christian Bethancourt also had a pair of hits. In fact, every member of the Padres starting lineup had at least one knock. The Padres are off on Thursday then start a 3-game set against the Phillies on Friday night at Petco Park.

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All 30 MLB stadiums, ranked By: Andrew Joseph and Ted Berg | August 3, 2016 10:48 am

All 30 Major League ballparks share one fantastic quality: People play baseball

there. But the stadiums differ greatly from there, from the shapes of their playing

fields to the style of their architecture to the comfortability of their seating to the

quality of their food. This list aims to rank them, in order, based on the overall

ballpark experience while enjoying a game. Neither of us has been to all 30 active

big-league parks on our own, but we combined to cover them all, and we’ve both

been to more than half the active stadiums and a handful of defunct ones.

For this list, we considered each ballpark’s general atmosphere and design, plus its

location, amenities, food, and quirks. We independently ranked all the parks we had

been to, then combined our rankings into this master list.

What follows here is entirely subjective, and we understand the very personal

devotion you may feel to your home team’s stadium, a place you may have formed

some of your most prized memories. All of these parks feature baseball, so every

single one offers something to love unequivocally. This is only our best effort at

ordering them by how fun they are to visit:

1. Petco Park – San Diego Padres

Petco Park is For The Win’s undisputed best ballpark in baseball. Really, it’s great. From the expansive views of the downtown San Diego skyline, to the vast local beer and food options, to the perfect weather, Petco Park is everything MLB teams should want for their ballparks. All that’s missing is a winning team, but we can’t blame the stadium. Petco Park rocks. — Andrew Joseph

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Petco Park named best ballpark in baseball POSTED 11:12 AM, AUGUST 3, 2016, BY SANDRA PHILLIPS, UPDATED AT 11:15AM, AUGUST 3, 2016

SAN DIEGO – It’s not a secret that the San Diego Padres are having a tough

year, but at least the organization can celebrate one thing – best Major

League ballpark.

USA Today ranked all 30 MLB ballparks and Petco Park topped the list. The

newspaper admitted the ranks were subjective, yet explained what went into

it: general atmosphere, design, location, amenities, food and quirks.

Petco Park was the “undisputed best ballpark in baseball” for its expansive

views of the San Diego skyline, vast local beer and food options – and no

surprise – the perfect weather.

“Petco Park is everything MLB teams should want for their ballparks. All

that’s missing is a winning team, but we can’t blame the stadium. Petco Park

rocks,” Andrew Joseph of USA Today said.

1. Petco Park – San Diego Padres

2. AT&T Park – San Francisco Giants

3. PNC Park – Pittsburgh Pirates

4. Wrigley Field – Chicago Cubs

5. Dodger Stadium – Los Angeles Dodgers