Padres Press Clips Friday, January 20, 2017

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1 Padres Press Clips Friday, January 20, 2017 Article Source Author Page Solarte honored for strong spirit at BBWAA Dinner MLB.com Cassavell 2 Padres trio preparing for WBC 2017 MLB.com Cassavell 4 5 reasons Hoffman reaches Hall next year MLB.com Cassavell 5 Hoffman set up for 2018 Hall of Fame induction Padres.com Center 7 Padres roster review: Christian Friedrich UT San Diego Sanders 10 Trevor Hoffman Undoubtedly Belongs in The Baseball Hall of Fame USA Today Phillips 12 1

2 Solarte honored for strong spirit at BBWAA Dinner Padres third baseman showed perseverance after wife's passing By AJ Cassavell / 10:34 AM ET Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte was recognized for his perseverence Thursday night in Boston, where he received the Tony Conigliaro Award at the chapter's annual Baseball Writers' Association of America Dinner. Solarte was selected in December as the 18th person to win the honor, which is given each year to "the Major Leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage." Solarte's wife, Yuliett Pimentel Solarte, lost her battle with cancer on Sept. 17. Twice during the season, Yangervis left the club to be by her side, including just before her death. A group of media, executives, Red Sox officials and members of the Conigliaro family voted on the award after Solarte was nominated by the Padres. Conigliaro, a former Boston outfielder, was hit in the head by a pitch in 1967, shortening his career, and he passed away in '90 at age 45. "To be honest, when I first won it, I wasn't quite sure where it came from," Solarte said Monday. "Once I learned more about it, I really identified with it. It helped me, for a moment that difficult, to have that be recognized." It's been a busy week for Solarte, who received a two-year contract extension with a pair of club options last Friday. The deal could keep him in San Diego through the 2020 season. The Padres held an informal news gathering on Monday, where Solarte thanked the organization and fans for their support. During Solarte's absence from the team, the Padres hung a jersey in the dugout with Yuliett's name emblazoned across the back. When he returned at the end of September, he was greeted with an emotional standing ovation from the Petco Park faithful. 2

3 "Coming back and having that support meant a ton," Solarte said. "Just being here with my teammates... knowing that I'd be here, I could play here calmly and know that I have this family." Said Padres manager Andy Green: "He talks about this as his Padre family. You lose a wife -- no group, no extended family, no team can ever replace that. But it's nice to have a team that loves a guy and helps carry him through that." In parts of three seasons with San Diego, Solarte has emerged as a fan favorite. He batted.286/.341/.467 with a career-high 15 home runs in 109 games last season. But Solarte is beloved for more than just his numbers. "He's energy, he's life -- everybody gravitates to him because of those things," Green said. "He's always smiling, he loves to be at the yard. He's one of the guys, as we go into this season, we're expecting big things from." 3

4 Padres' trio preparing for WBC 2017 Chacin (Venezuela), Naylor, Romak (Canada) could advance to 2nd round at Petco Park By AJ Cassavell / 12:00 AM ET SAN DIEGO -- At least three players from the Padres' organization will take part in the World Baseball Classic this year -- and all three could play games at Petco Park, if they advance past the first round. Right-hander Jhoulys Chacin, who signed with the club in December, will pitch for Venezuela, sources said. Minor Leaguers Josh Naylor and Jamie Romak will play for Canada. Though they'll play in separate groups -- Canada in Pool C and Venezuela in Pool D -- both could advance to the second round's Pool F, which will take place at Petco Park from March "If they're interested in doing it, we're supportive of the WBC," Padres manager A.J. Preller said earlier this offseason at the General Managers Meetings. "It's really good for the game. I've enjoyed watching it over the years, scouting it. Anything that grows the game is important. If they're lucky enough to be selected, it's an honor." Chacin, who came to San Diego after spending last season with the Angels and Braves, is expected to start for Venezuela, but he could serve in a bullpen role as well. Naylor, the Padres' No. 4 prospect, is a 19-year-old first baseman with an impressive bat. If he reaches the second round, he'd be playing in Petco Park for the third time in less than a year. Naylor took part in the All-Star Futures Game in July and the Padres Futures Game in October. He combined to go 4-for-7 with a homer, a double and four RBIs. Romak was acquired as a Minor League free agent this offseason. The 31-year-old utility man -- who can play both corner-infield and outfield spots -- spent last season playing in Japan. His last big league experience came in 2015 with the D-backs. 4

5 5 reasons Hoffman reaches Hall next year By AJ Cassavell / January 19th, 2017 SAN DIEGO -- The disappointment in Padres country was palpable following Wednesday's announcement that legendary closer Trevor Hoffman had missed out on the Hall of Fame by five measly votes. "I don't take being on the ballot lightly," Hoffman said in a statement. "I'm grateful for every vote, and I'm truly humbled to have come so close. I hope to one day soon share a Hall of Fame celebration with my family and friends." That day might not be far off. In the wake of Hoffman becoming only the sixth player in history to finish within one percentage point of election, here are five reasons to believe he won't fall short on next year's ballot. 1. Voting trends Sure, Wednesday's news was tough to take for Padres fans. But in reality, Hoffman's jump to 74 percent this year practically guarantees his induction. All five players who missed out by 1 percent are currently enshrined. And the past nine players on the ballot after hitting the 70 percent threshold were elected the following year. Need more assurance? Take a look at the two inductees this year who were returning to the ballot. Tim Raines received 22.6 percent of the vote in his second year, while Jeff Bagwell accrued 56 percent. Under modern voting rules, every player to surpass 50 percent in his second year ultimately reached the Hall. (Gil Hodges received exactly 50 percent in 1971 but hasn't been enshrined.) By these precedents, Hoffman isn't just knocking on the door; he's about to kick it down. 2. A decluttered ballot Regardless of your thoughts on the rule limiting writers to 10 votes, there's no denying its impact. According to Ryan Thibodaux's BBHOF Tracker -- which keeps track of ballots as they are made available to the public -- at least four writers would've voted for Hoffman if given more space. Without the rule in place, it's likely Hoffman would already be in. Next year, Bagwell, Raines and Ivan Rodriguez will no longer be on the ballot. Among firsttimers, Chipper Jones is the only surefire pick (though Jim Thome's case is strong as well.) It's a crowded ballot, but less so than in And those extra spots could make all the difference. 5

6 3. He's in the public eye Let's face it, this was Raines' year -- at least in terms of the buildup to the announcement. That's understandable. It was his final shot, and -- after 10 long years -- he got the call. In a similar vein, Bagwell had spent seven years on the ballot, and he also finished with more than Hoffman's 67.3 percent in The attention given to Raines and Bagwell undoubtedly forced a few voters to rethink their choices. Now, it's Hoffman's turn to step into the spotlight. Come voting season, his name will be at the forefront, causing many to take another look at his candidacy. 4. Love for relievers By now, you've heard the arguments against Hoffman: He didn't pitch enough innings and therefore didn't garner enough overall value. His career WAR, after all, is only 28 according to baseball-reference.com. But take a look at the state of affairs in the Major Leagues this offseason. Three of the seven biggest free-agent contracts have been given to relief pitchers. More than ever, teams are making certain they have dominant arms to lock down the highest-leverage innings. Hoffman, behind only Mariano Rivera, was perhaps the second best in history at doing so. 5. Hall of Fame numbers OK, OK, let's get into Hoffman's actual case for the Hall of Fame. The four points made above are relevant. But they're merely an analysis of voting trends and voter tendencies. Ultimately we're asking one question: Was Trevor Hoffman a Hall of Famer? Hoffman pitched 18 seasons in the Majors, finishing second all-time with 601 saves. In that regard, he and Rivera are so far ahead of the pack that they're the only two members of the 600- and 500-save clubs. Among relievers with 1,000 innings pitched, Hoffman's save percentage (88.8) is second, his ERA (2.87) is eighth, his ERA+ (141) is fourth, his opponents' batting average (.211) is second, his WHIP (1.06) is second and his K rate (25.8) is first. Are those the numbers of a Hall of Famer? This year, 327 voters thought so. Only a handful more will be needed in 2018 for Hoffman's plaque to hang in Cooperstown. 6

7 Hoffman set up for 2018 Hall of Fame induction This year's vote a disappointment, but... By Bill Center / San Diego Padres January 19th, 2017 I am both ticked and encouraged today. Trevor Hoffman should be in the Hall of Fame. He's not. And that's an injustice. But he will be in the Hall of Fame. That I can assure you. I have been voting for the Hall of Fame since 1995, and I'll be the first to admit I don't understand the electorate. Some voters will never vote for a player the first time his name appears on the ballot. Some voters have decided that no one from the PED era should ever enter the Hall of Fame. Others don't like designated hitters. And as we know in San Diego, some will never vote for a closer. I have long been of the opinion that you are either a Hall of Famer or you are not. Hoffman is a Hall of Famer. Well, not right now. Sadly, he missed the mark by 1 percent in his second year on the ballot. That translates to five votes. Sadly, II, eight known members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America who voted for Hoffman last year did not vote for him this time. But I'm a cup-mostly-full type of person. I see Hoffman making the Hall of Fame in his third season of eligibility next year. After missing by 34 votes in his first year on the ballot, Hoffman missed by five this time. Next time is the charm. Since 1969, only one man who received 70 percent of the vote was not later voted in. No one who fell 1 percent short failed to make it. I'll go out on a limb here: I'd be mortified if he didn't easily surpass the required 75 percent next year. 7

8 The word is out. I saw and heard it yesterday afternoon from media members I respect around the nation after Hoffman fell painfully short. There was disappointment Hoffman came so close and missed. A number of "Hoffman deserves election" tweets were posted, shared and retweeted. We saw the same thing last January when Tim Raines and Jeff Bagwell missed. Both made it this year. Pressure is mounting. And next year will be a watershed balloting in the Hall of Fame voting. For the first time, every ballot will be made public. Those who oppose a legitimate candidate will have to face the music. If nothing else, I think the combination of not-so-subtle peer pressure and the transparency of open voting will push Hoffman over the top -- along with "guilt" votes from some of those eight who switched their votes against Hoffman this year. Hoffman deserves to be in the Hall of Fame and will be. Honestly, I didn't think he would make it last year. And I thought it could go either way this year. I don't see it that way next year. I think Hoffman makes it with ease. How can I be so confident? I've been part of this electorate long enough to understand all the inconsistencies. Anti-positions ease with time. Hoffman will join the most elite fraternity in sports. Some voters will continue to voice their disapproval of closers and designated hitters. But that position is softening. As for those who oppose all players from the steroids era, I'd like to make two points. There was never a steroids question with Hoffman. Never! Need evidence? The man lost a kidney as an infant. Anyone who knows anything about steroids, knows what that means. So, a very clean Hoffman was retiring known juicers during the game's murky steroids era. 8

9 As one Twitter contributor so eloquently mentioned yesterday -- and I apologize because I can't find the original tweet for credit -- "... you're missing the point. Hoffman was dominant against the steroid guys... and yet he's still kept out?" I'd like to make another point. Many voters who have used the character clause as a way of blocking suspected PED violators from entry to the Hall of Fame haven't used it to support a class act like Hoffman. That point, too, was stressed yesterday by nationally respected writers. As disappointed as he had to be after coming so close, Hoffman took the high road Wednesday when the 2017 results were announced. "I don't take being on the ballot lightly," Hoffman responded. "I'm grateful for every vote and I am truly humbled to have come so close." Pure class. And it won't go unnoticed. Trevor Hoffman will make the Hall of Fame in

10 Padres roster review: Christian Friedrich Jeff Sanders Contact Reporter Sizing up the Padres 40-man roster, from A to Z, heading into the 2017 season. CHRISTIAN FRIEDRICH Position: Left-handed pitcher Acquired: Signed as a free agent in March 2016; Originally a first-round draft pick in 2008 (Eastern Kentucky University) 2017 Opening Day age: 29 Contract status: Agreed to a $1.79 million contract in 2017 to avoid arbitration; won t be a free agent until 2020 Key stats: 5-12, 4.80 ERA, 100 strikeouts, 52 walks, 1.42 WHIP,.259 avg. against, 129 1/3 IP 924 games, 23 starts) Stat to note 20.4 The percentage of curveballs thrown in his first year away from calling thinaired Coors Field his home park, a career-high. Opponents also managed a.388 slugging percentage against Friedrich s curve in 2016, the lowest numbers against that pitch in his four years in the majors. Trending Up A whirlwind 2016 began with the Angels claiming Friedrich and then sending him back to the Rockies due to concerns with his shoulder. The Rockies then released Friedrich, clearing the way for the Padres to sign him to a minor league deal. They then kept him out of Cactus League action, started him in the minors in late April and recalled him to San Diego in mid-may. From there, Friedrich was a regular in the rotation, setting career-bests in innings, WHIP, opponent batting average and ERA. He turned in at least six innings in 11 of his 23 starts, allowed two or fewer runs in 10

11 nine of those starts and struck out nine or more batters twice. It was especially satisfying that both of those games came against the Rockies, a team perpetually in search for pitching that had given up on their former 25 th overall pick before the start of spring training. Of course, Friedrich s first significant stay in a rotation wasn t without its speedbumps: He walked four or more batters in five starts, allowed four or more runs in 13 starts and battled through fatigue down the stretch after spending the previous two seasons in the Rockies bullpen outlook An elder statesmen of sorts on a rebuilding team, the 29-year-old Friedrich enters spring training as a favorite to lock down a rotation spot. However, the search for starting pitching has been a priority this winter and the additions of the likes of Clayton Richard, Jhoulys Chacin and Trevor Cahill (the team has not confirmed this one) figures to add pressure to that battle this spring. For Friedrich, the challenge is providing more consistency than he did even while taking a giant step forward in

12 Trevor Hoffman Undoubtedly Belongs In The Baseball Hall Of Fame By: Ryan Phillips 18 hours ago Trevor Hoffman missed being inducted into the Hall of Fame this year by five votes. Five. Freaking. Votes. Despite a dominant career and sparkling numbers, the San Diego Padres closer has failed to reach the hall on his first two ballots. Some question the relative value of closers and use advanced stats to try and knock his case, but here s the bottom line: Trevor Hoffman is undoubtedly a Hall of Famer and deserves induction. I get that closers will never earn the respect of starting pitchers or position players, but the game has changed and specialization reigns. Closer is a legitimate position in baseball now and that should change the way Hall of Fame voters approach things. Hoffman was one of the two best to ever inhabit the closer role. If that isn t worthy of induction I don t know what is. Hoffman s numbers are, quite frankly, ridiculous. He played 18 seasons and in that time threw 1,089.1 innings in 1,035 appearances. He posted a 2.87 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and struck out 1,133 batters, had a K/9 rate of 9.4, which is a full point higher than Mariano Rivera s (8.2). In fact, Hoffman s K/9 rate of 9.4 is the best among relievers with at least 1,000 innings pitched. Between 1993 and 2010, Rivera and Hoffman were the only two pitchers in baseball who threw 1,000-plus innings and had an ERA under Rivera is undoubtedly the best closer of all time, even this San Diego native won t argue that, but Hoffman is No. 2 and there s a wide gulf between those guys and the rest of the closer class. Hoffman was the first pitcher in history to record 500 saves. He was the first to record 600 saves. He finished his career with 601, Rivera later passed him and owns the career mark at 652. Hoffman and Rivera each converted 89 percent of their save opportunities. The number of saves and save percentage are the only true way to measure the success of a closer. Regardless of what you think of the role, those guys were asked to finish close games. Did they do it? That s all I care about. Rivera and Hoffman did it better than anyone for nearly two decades. They converted a ridiculous amount of save opportunities and did so at the same percentage. During 16 years with the San Diego Padres, Hoffman converted 552 saves, before spending two seasons in Milwaukee. He was a seven-time All-Star, posted 30 or more saves 14 times and 40 or more saves nine times, and was a runner up for the National League Cy Young Award twice. In 1998, he turned in one of the best seasons for a closer in Major League history. He saved 53 of 54 chances while posting a 1.48 ERA and a career-best 0.85 WHIP. He did that in the heart of the steroid era, while also becoming the first closer to enter a game 12

13 to a signature song. While Rivera s Enter Sandman walk-out gets a lot of praise, no one has or will ever top Hoffman s slow jog to the mound while Hell s Bells played in the background. I ll be damned if that didn t give me chills every single time. Hoffman should have won the Cy Young in He garnered the most first-place votes, but was left off of several ballots because he was a closer. Tom Glavine won instead. What sets Hoffman apart from other pitchers of the roided-up, high-velocity era in which he pitched, is the fact that his fastball barely touched 90 mph. A pair of freak injuries took all the juice out of Hoffman s shoulder before the 1995 season. He couldn t blow the ball past guys anymore. Rather that overpower hitters, Hoffman had to use smarts, deception and location to get them out. His changeup was every bit as devastating as Rivera s slider, just ask hitters who had to face both. We ve reached a point where steroids cheats are now on Hall of Fame ballots, so I think we also need to give credit to guys who stayed clean. At any point he could have opted for the needle and added five miles per hour to his fastball. Others took that route, but he didn t. Instead, he decided to be smarter and more accurate. He painted corners, hid his changeup with arm action and mixed his sequences. He s an example of how a guy can overcome deficiencies without turning to pharmaceuticals. Yeah, I just gave a guy credit for not cheating, but when you consider the era he played in and who else is not on the Hall of Fame ballot, I think that s fair. At the end of it all, Hoffman was also one of the best people in baseball during and after his career. There is not a single person who doesn t rave about him. He spent two seasons in Milwaukee and to this day, people there talk about him. Go to a game at Miller Park and you ll see at least a dozen Hoffman jerseys. Tell me he didn t make an impact on the game and on that town. Hoffman is and was one of the best ambassadors for the game you ll ever find and, yes, that should matter. The Hall of Fame is supposed to honor greatness. I don t care if you don t like saves or relievers or whatever else your argument against including players who have that role may be. Trevor Hoffman was great at what he was asked to do. In fact, he is one of the all-time greats at it. That is enough to warrant inclusion in the Hall of Fame. Hoffman got 74 percent of the vote this year (75 is needed for acceptance) and virtually everyone agrees he will be inducted next year. But with another season of people nitpicking and Monday morning quarterbacking his greatness, I m worried. Hoffman was one of the most dominant pitchers of his era. Had he played in Boston or New York, his inclusion would have happened on the first ballot. The Padres were also yo-yoing between competing and rebuilding during much of his career. 13

14 Unfortunately, his unfailing devotion to San Diego has hurt his candidacy because the East Coast never got to witness his repeated, consistent dominance. That s a terrible reason to keep him from his rightful place in Cooperstown. The Hall of Fame will be made better by Hoffman s inclusion. There is no doubt he earned it. 14