Padres Press Clips Thursday, March 23, 2017

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1 Padres Press Clips Thursday, March 23, 2017 Article Source Author Page Dealing with 'dead arm,' Jered Weaver records UT San Diego Lin 2 just two outs in latest start Padres announce FanFest details UT San Diego Lin 3 Padres announce details for 2017 FanFest FOX Sports STAFF 4 With no roster guarantee, Aybar guides competition MLB.com Cassavell 5 Weaver out in 1st, Bethancourt sharp vs. Royals MLB.com Cassavell/ Flanagan 7 Weaver dealing with typical spring 'dead arm' MLB.com Cassavell 8 Schimpf says he'll be up to speed by opener MLB.com Cassavell 9 1

2 Dealing with 'dead arm,' Jered Weaver records just two outs in latest start BY: DENNIS LIN San Diego Union Tribune Jared Weaver s right arm, in the pitcher s words, felt a little like a wet spaghetti noodle on Wednesday. Pitching with the condition known as dead arm, Weaver clipped the first batter he faced, Kansas City s Paul Orlando, and after a pair of strikeouts, the fourth batter he faced, Salvador Perez. The Padres right-hander then surrendered a double, another double and a single. With that, his day was done. He d recorded two outs, allowed four runs and thrown 31 pitches, 16 for strikes. The start tied for the shortest of his Cactus League career. The Padres went on to lose, 6-2, to the Royals at Surprise Stadium. Just kind of dealing with a little dead arm, Weaver said. It s kind of one of those things where you feel good, but your arm just doesn t quite want to work the way you want it to. It was a bit erratic, and I couldn t really find the zone. I m trying to go down and away and missing up and in. It s not really how I am. Weaver had gone two innings in his first start this spring, then 2 2/3 innings in his next. In his last turn, he completed four frames of a minor league game. His dead-arm phase, he said, set in around the time of his latest bullpen session. The syndrome, often described as a general, non-specific fatigue, is not an uncommon affliction this time of year. It kind of pops up, Weaver said, and you just work through it, keep throwing, throw through it, and everything works itself out. Weaver, who threw 67 pitches in his minor league start, said he did not harbor concerns about his ability to prepare for the Padres season-opening series. The team may opt to put him on a back field for his final spring start, to ensure he throws at least 80 pitches. He said he s battled this almost every spring, manager Andy Green said. Long term, I don t think it s a concern. At this juncture of Weaver s career, however, even routine aches and pains tend to be magnified. Wednesday, the 34-year-old s velocity was roughly where it has been throughout the spring he 2

3 topped out at 84 mph but the lack of control, combined with the lack of zip, resulted in a drubbing. I ll stay on top of it treatment-wise and strengthen it up, Weaver said. It s pretty much what I ve done in the past. A week or two, and it should be all right. FanFest details The Padres announced details for this year s FanFest event, which will take place April 1 at Petco Park. Gates will open at 10 a.m. to the general public. Admission is free, but those looking to attend must pre-register at padres.com/fanfest. Current and former players, coaches and broadcasters will be available to sign autographs during the event. The Padres will take batting practice on the field at 1 p.m. For full details, go to padres.com/fanfest. Notable Padres center fielder Travis Jankowski (.383) and infielder Cory Spangenberg (.306) each went 2- for-3 in the loss to the Royals. Both of Spangenberg s hits were doubles. Outfielder Jabari Blash (.244) narrowly missed what would have been his sixth Cactus League home run, settling for a hard-hit double in three at-bats. Potential uber-utility player Christian Bethancourt went longer than a full inning on the mound for the first time, recording four outs in relief. He allowed a hit, no walks and no runs. The more he pitched, the more comfortable and confident he looked, Green said. I thought, hands down, this was his best day on the mound. Relievers Brandon Maurer (3.00 ERA) and Brad Hand (0.00 ERA) each notched a perfect inning. Center fielder Manuel Margot (knee) received a handful of at-bats in minor league games Wednesday. On Thursday, he could play in his first Cactus League game since March 5. The Padres 32-man ping-pong tournament has been whittled to a final four: left-hander Ryan Buchter, catcher Luis Torrens, infielder Yangervis Solarte and outfielder Hunter Renfroe. Padres announce FanFest details BY: DENNIS LIN San Diego Union Tribune The Padres on Wednesday announced details for this year s FanFest event, which will take place April 1 at Petco Park. 3

4 Petco s Home Plate, East Village and Gaslamp gates will open at 10 a.m. to the general public. Padres Members will receive early entry beginning at 9 a.m. Free parking will be available in Padres-owned lots around the ballpark on a first-come, first-serve basis. Various Padres players current and former coaches and broadcasters will sign autographs at locations around Petco between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. The Park at the Park will host a KidsFest, a wiffle ball clinic with a Padres player and Q&A forums featuring players, coaches, executives and broadcasters. The annual Padres Foundation garage sale will take place inside the Park Blvd. gate., offering items such as game-used jerseys, batting helmets and 2016 All-Star Game memorabilia. FanFest attendees can watch batting practice, beginning at 1 p.m. Those who catch specially marked batting-practice baseballs will have the opportunity to win prizes. Anyone looking to attend FanFest must pre-register for free entry tickets at padres.com/fanfest. Fans can redeem up to eight tickets. For additional details on the event, go to padres.com/fanfest. Unlike last year s event, there will be no exhibition game at Petco Park. The Padres instead will face their High Single-A affiliate at The Diamond in Lake Elsinore on March 31. The regularseason opener is April 3 at Dodger Stadium, and the first home game at Petco Park is April 7 against San Francisco. Padres announce details for 2017 FanFest BY: STAFF REPORT FOX Sports SAN DIEGO The San Diego Padres today announced details surrounding 2017 Padres FanFest presented by T-Mobile. Padres FanFest will take place on Saturday, April 1 at Petco Park with free admission to the annual event. Fans looking to attend must pre-register for complimentary entry tickets at All fans can redeem up to eight (8) tickets. Gates for the event will open at 10:00 a.m. for the general public with fans being able to enter through the Home Plate, East Village and Gaslamp gates. Padres Members receive exclusive early access beginning at 9:00 a.m. Free parking will also be available in Padres-owned lots around the ballpark on a first-come, first served basis and are expected to fill quickly. Members will be able to pre-register for a complimentary parking pass through their online account to be presented on the day of the event. 4

5 2017 Padres FanFest presented by T-Mobile will be the first opportunity for fans to see the 2017 Padres at Petco Park. Additionally, the Park at the Park will feature KidsFest activations, including bounce houses, games, obstacle courses and face painting. The For those who Serve Military and First Responder Zone returns to FanFest this year. Other elements include a special clinic with a Padres player at the wiffle ball field at Park at the Park, and Q&A forums featuring Padres players, coaches, executives and broadcasters beginning at 11:00 a.m. on the Park at the Park stage. Fans will also be able to tour the recently opened Padres Hall of Fame located on K Street behind the left field seating area. A popular feature of FanFest, the annual Garage Sale benefitting the Padres Foundation will take place inside the Park Blvd. gate on Saturday. The Garage Sale will be open to all fans and provides the opportunity to purchase rare, one-of-a-kind Padres items, including game-used jerseys, batting helmets and 2016 All-Star Game memorabilia, with proceeds going to the Padres Foundation. The Padres Foundation prize wheel will also return at 2017 FanFest. For a suggested $5 donation, fans can spin the wheel and receive a Padres-themed prize, with proceeds benefitting the Foundation s community programs. Various Padres players, coaches, broadcasters and alumni will sign autographs at locations around the ballpark between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. on Saturday. Autographs will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to fans who wait in line, and are not guaranteed. In addition to participating in autograph sessions, fans will be able to watch batting practice, beginning at 1:00 p.m., with the opportunity to win prizes for those who catch specially-marked BP balls. The outfield grandstand seats will be open for batting practice with access via Park at the Park. Following batting practice, kids will have the opportunity to run the bases on the field. Standard Petco Park security and screening procedures will be in place for Padres FanFest. Reentry will be permitted for FanFest events, but fans who exit will be screened again upon re-entry into the ballpark. With no roster guarantee, Aybar guides competition BY: AJ CASSAVELL MLB.com The veteran shortstop is locked in a race for a starting job with Luis Sardinas. And given the constricts of the Padres' roster, the loser of that battle could be on the outside looking in when the 25-man squad is unveiled next week. To his credit, however, Aybar hasn't backed down from his role as a veteran presence on a young Padres offense. He's spent plenty of time working with Sardinas and Rule 5 Draft pick Allen Cordoba -- the very two players who could push him out of a roster spot. 5

6 "It's really not about thinking about competition," Aybar, who drove in a run in Wednesday's 6-2 loss, said through an interpreter. "I'm just going to do what I've done my whole career. We're a team here. I'm going to help guys, talk to guys and be the person I've always been and not really think about the fact that I'm competing for a spot. That has to be out of my head." Aybar plans to let his on-field performance do the talking. Thus far, he's been the most impressive shortstop candidate, hitting.293. Defensively, Aybar was one of the game's better shortstops for half a decade. But he's seen a steep decline over the past four years. During the offseason, Aybar had sports hernia surgery and says it's helped with his quick movements. "Any time you're not able to go 100 percent, it's going to affect you," Aybar said. "For me last year, I didn't feel great going side to side or breaking really sharply, whether it was coming in or moving laterally. Now, I don't have any effects of that. I feel like I can do all those things." At 33, Aybar will never be confused for the Padres' shortstop of the future. It's fair to ask how exactly he fits in the organization's youth movement. Last season, the Padres also experimented with a stopgap veteran in Alexei Ramirez. That didn't go well. Before the Padres signed Aybar, manager Andy Green spoke with several people in the Angels' organization, who raved about Aybar's leadership qualities. "Coaches loved him, players loved him, it's easy to see why," Green said. "His mind works really well on a baseball field. He's invested in other people, and he plays with some joy out there. There's a lot to like." Said Jered Weaver, Aybar's teammate in Anaheim and now with the Padres: "He's going to help out the young kids. He's very smart out there. He's one of those guys that is one step ahead of the play before it happens. He's a great veteran presence and one of the best teammates I've ever had." Aybar's Padres fate will soon be determined. He could very well miss out on an Opening Day roster spot, while a pair of youthful higher-upside options take his place. The thing is, when Aybar signed with the Padres, it was in part because he wanted to be around that youth. "It's such a young team," Aybar said. "You have a lot of youth both on the position-player side and the pitching side. You've got young guys that are ready to give it 100 percent. That was pretty exciting.... I think I can help in a lot of different areas, just being able to be with the guys, working together, being around them and giving advice." 6

7 Weaver out in 1st, Bethancourt sharp vs. Royals BY: A.J. CASSAVELL MLB.com SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Cheslor Cuthbert hit a two-run double as well as his first spring home run, and Mike Moustakas hit his fourth as the Royals beat the Padres, 6-2, on Wednesday at Surprise Stadium. Royals right-hander Nathan Karns, in his first start since winning the No. 5 spot in the rotation, was dominant. Karns went six innings and gave up four hits, no runs and no walks while striking out nine. He threw 72 pitches, 54 for strikes. Nathan Karns talks about his strong outing vs. the Padres, racking up nine strikeouts over six scoreless innings Right-hander Jered Weaver, likely in the lower part of the Padres' rotation, struggled with his command. Weaver -- who threw 31 pitches, 16 for strikes -- hit two batters and gave up three hits and four runs in just two-thirds of an inning. Afterward, Weaver said he's dealing with "a little dead arm," but noted that the same thing flares up almost every spring as he gets his arm back into game shape. Weaver's early exit got catcher/pitcher hybrid Christian Bethancourt into the game earlier than expected. Bethancourt entered with two outs in the third and put forth yet another solid showing. In his first multi-inning appearance, Bethancourt lowered his spring ERA to 1.35, allowing just one hit over 1 1/3 scoreless frames. "The more he pitched, the more comfortable and confident he looked," Padres manager Andy Green said. "I thought hands down this was his best day on the mound." Padres Up Next: Luis Perdomo has been arguably the Padres' best starter this spring. He gets the ball Thursday when the Friars play host to the Angels at 1:10 p.m. PT. Fellow youngster Manuel Margot -- the Padres' top prospect -- is slated to return from the sore left knee that has kept him out of action for half a month. Royals Up Next: The Royals are off Thursday and return to action Friday in Peoria against the Mariners in a 3:10 p.m. CT start, as left-hander Danny Duffy, likely the Opening Day starter, makes his first start since playing for the United States in the World Baseball Classic. Kelvin Herrera, Joakim Soria, Matt Strahm and Chris Young also are expected to pitch. 7

8 Weaver dealing with typical spring 'dead arm' BY: A.J. CASSAVELL MLB.com SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Considering that Jered Weaver's job depends on the stability of his right arm, he probably doesn't want to be comparing it to "a wet spaghetti noodle" with 12 days until the regular season begins. Weaver, who didn't last through the first inning in Wednesday's 6-2 loss to Kansas City, says he's been "dealing with a little dead arm" since his most recent bullpen session. But the veteran righthander was quick to note that the feeling is nothing out of the ordinary in terms of his spring progression. "Everything feels good, your arm kind of feels like a wet spaghetti noodle -- it just doesn't really want to go in the direction you want it to go," Weaver said. "That's how it was kind of feeling before.... I've dealt with it pretty much every spring. It kind of pops up, and you just work through it." Weaver said his spring dead-arm phase typically lingers for a week or two before subsiding. He suffered a noticeable lack of command Wednesday, hitting two batters and allowing three hits during Kansas City's four-run first. After signing him to a $3 million deal in February, the Padres were understandably cautious with Weaver on Wednesday, removing him with two outs in the frame. But the veteran right-hander plans to pitch through it. "I'll stay on top of it, treatment-wise, and strengthen it up," Weaver said. "It's pretty much what I've done in the past. A week or two, and it should be all right." Ultimately, if Weaver's arm is structurally sound, Wednesday's 31-pitch outing still serves as a minor setback. He had planned to push his pitch count into the 70s against Kansas City. Now, Weaver has two starts left to build his arm to a regular-season level. The Padres are mulling whether one of those outings should come in a back-field game, where they can ensure he hits certain pitch count and innings threshholds. "He said he's battled this almost every spring," said Padres skipper Andy Green. "Long-term, I don't think it's a concern." 8

9 Schimpf says he'll be up to speed by opener BY: AJ CASSAVELL MLB.com PEORIA, Ariz. -- Ryan Schimpf's name hasn't been on the lineup card often this spring. That doesn't mean he hasn't been getting adequate work on the Padres' practice fields at the Peoria Sports Complex. Schimpf -- who missed time early in camp for the birth of his son, and later with left oblique tightness -- has played in only five Cactus League games. He's 2-for-14 and has yet to establish a rhythm at the plate. Padres manager Andy Green discusses the value of Ryan Schimpf's power bat in the team's lineup "There were probably only a couple days, maybe only two days, where I didn't do any baseball activity," Schimpf said. "For the most part I was doing as much as I could. The important thing was I was taking care of my body and getting my body feeling good. I don't remember the exact schedule, but I was still taking ground balls, still getting cuts in the cage." Schimpf burst onto the scene with his brilliant second half last season. After being called up in mid-june, he launched 20 dingers and finished with an.869 OPS. This spring, he finds himself in a battle for a starting job with Cory Spangenberg. Given the time Schimpf has missed, it's fair to say he has ground to make up. It's unclear where, exactly, that positional duel is taking place. The Padres are determining whether second or third base is the best place for Yangervis Solarte. Schimpf and Spangenberg will compete for the other spot. At the beginning of camp, second base was the most likely possibility. Now, the Padres seem content with all three players at either spot. In any case, Schimpf says he's ready for both, and he touted the value of versatility. "It's important, especially in the National League," Schimpf said. "There's always constant movement, double switches and all that. So versatility definitely helps. It gives us more options." 'If you don't like it, make a better pitch' Count Padres skipper Andy Green among those who don't mind the raw emotion of the World Baseball Classic. 9

10 "That stuff doesn't bother me at all," Green said, when a reporter alluded to some particularly jubilant home run trots. "If you don't like it, make a better pitch. That's always been my perspective. If somebody has flair in the game, have flair." Green added that he won't encourage his players either way. For those who don't readily show their emotions, there's no need to coax it out of them, he said. Similarly, he saw no purpose in trying to force his players to dial back their excitement. "I'm not out there encouraging it actively," Green said. "But I think people love personality. I think people love real substance in competition. Baseball doesn't always give the opportunity to show those types of raw emotions. You saw the raw emotions in those games through the WBC. People enjoy that." FanFest details announced The Padres announced the details of their 2017 FanFest presented by T-Mobile, which will take place April 1 at Petco Park. Gates are slated to open at 10 a.m. PT for the general public. Entry is free, but fans in attendance must pre-register for up to eight tickets. Current and former players, coaches and broadcasters will be available for autographs throughout the event. The Padres will take batting practice at 1 p.m., and kids will have the opportunity to run the bases afterward. 10