Padres Press Clips Tuesday, March 14, 2017

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1 Padres Press Clips Tuesday, March 14, 2017 Article Source Author Page Dickerson suffers setback to back injury MLB.com Cassavell 2 Spangenberg hits pair of doubles, scores lone run MLB.com Cassavell 4 Padres add Cuban lefty to international haul MLB.com Cassavell 6 World Baseball Classic round at Petco Park March Padres.com Center 7 Hessler, Edwards among 10 sent to Minors camp MLB.com Cassavell 10 Pipeline report: Prospects in Padres camp MLB.com Mayo 11 Luis Perdomo solid in latest start UT San Diego Lin 13 Padres to sign Cuban left Osvaldo Hernandez UT San Diego Lin 14 Padres Alex Dickerson has setback, questionable for opening day UT San Diego Lin 15 1

2 Dickerson suffers setback to back injury Left fielder's Opening Day status in question By AJ Cassavell / March 13th, 2017 PEORIA, Ariz. -- Alex Dickerson's ailing back flared up again Sunday night, and the Padres left fielder was scratched from Monday's lineup against the Cubs, a setback which raises questions about his status for Opening Day. Dickerson, who batted.257/.333/.455 during his rookie season last year, was expected to receive the bulk of the playing time in left field this season. He missed the first two weeks of Cactus League play, before debuting as a designated hitter on Saturday. Monday's game was supposed to be Dickerson's first appearance in the outfield. But his back began to stiffen following Sunday's workout. "You get a little bit more concerned for him breaking with the club, and his ability to get through this," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He's a guy, to us, that's a big part of what we do in the outfield. It's tough to lose him right now. We're still hopeful that the spasm he's feeling in his back releases, and he's able to get back on the field pretty quickly. But when you have a relapse in that area, that's concerning." Dickerson burst onto the scene last July, his first full month in the big leagues. He batted.303/.343/.621, and was instrumental in the Padres' National League-record-tying 25-game home run streak. At the end of that month, however, Dickerson collided with center fielder Travis Jankowski, hurting his hip and back in the process. After missing a few games, he played through the injury, but mostly struggled the rest of the season. It's unclear whether the two injuries are related. "He's dealt with some back things throughout his life," Green said. "In dealing with those things, he's learned how to manage them. It's just flared up on him a couple times in spring. And as the clock ticks [toward Opening Day], it becomes more concerning." Jankowski, Hunter Renfroe and Manuel Margot remain favorites to break camp with the big league club. That could leave Jabari Blash and Collin Cowgill fighting for Dickerson's presumed spot. Prospect Franchy Cordero may have an outside chance as well. Worth noting 2

3 Ryan Schimpf is still fighting a nagging oblique issue. The Padres second baseman was initially slated to play Monday, but his side tightened up following Sunday's workout. Green indicated that the injury isn't as serious as the one that has sidelined Dickerson. Right-hander Colin Rea has not yet begun playing catch in his recovery from Tommy John surgery in November. He met with Dr. James Andrews last week, and was cleared to begin throwing. Rea will miss the 2017 season regardless, so the club plans to take a slow approach to the steps in his recovery. The Padres remain hopeful that center fielder Margot will return to workouts after Tuesday's off-day. Margot, the club's top prospect per MLBPipeline.com, has been out since March 5 with a sore left knee. 3

4 Spangenberg hits pair of doubles, scores lone run By AJ Cassavell / March 13th, 2017 PEORIA, Ariz. -- Ian Happ's red-hot bat powered the Cubs to a 3-1 victory over the Padres on Monday at Peoria Sports Complex. Happ -- the Cubs' first-round Draft pick in 2015 and their No. 2 prospect, per MLBPipeline.com -- has raked for the better part of the past week. He had three hits, including a monster, two-run home run in the second inning, on Monday, and he's 9-for-11 with three homers over his past four games. San Diego got a run back in the bottom of the third, when third baseman Cory Spangenberg created a run by himself. He smacked a hustle double into the right-center field gap, then stole third. The throw from catcher Willson Contreras hit Wil Myers, the batter, squarely in the back, and the ball ricocheted into the dugout allowing Spangenberg to score. (Myers was OK and remained in the game.) That would be the only run allowed by Cubs starter John Lackey, who tossed three innings and struck out one. As Lackey headed to the visitor's clubhouse, he stopped by the Padres' dugout to say hello to Jered Weaver, who was the right-hander's teammate on the Angels from "It's kind of weird," Lackey said of their time together. "Some days it feels like it wasn't that long ago, and some days it feels like it was 100 years ago. We had a lot of good years. When he came up, I took care of him, and the last few years, he's been sending me cleats and stuff like that, hooking me up. It's kind of come full circle. He's a good buddy and I'm happy he's still going." Contreras added an RBI double for the Cubs. Padres starter Luis Perdomo surrendered two runs -- both on Happ's homer -- while striking out a pair over 3 2/3 frames. It was the second outing of the spring for Perdomo, who is a favorite for one of the two remaining rotation spots. Cubs up next: Lefty Brett Anderson will make his second spring start -- and fourth appearance -- on Tuesday when the Cubs host the Brewers at Sloan Park at 3:05 p.m. CT. Anderson, who missed most of last season following back surgery, is the leading candidate for the fifth spot in the rotation. 4

5 Padres up next: The Padres have their second off-day of the spring Tuesday, before heading to Goodyear to face the Reds at 1:05 p.m. PT on Wednesday, live on MLB.TV. Clayton Richard will get the start for the Padres. Jarred Cosart is throwing on Tuesday's off-day. 5

6 Padres add Cuban lefty to international haul Hernandez, 18, reportedly signs for $2.5 million By AJ Cassavell / March 13th, 2017 PEORIA, Ariz. -- Nearly nine months after the signing period opened, the Padres haven't yet slowed their international spending spree. On Monday, San Diego agreed to a $2.5 million contract with 18-year-old Cuban left-hander Osvaldo Hernandez, according to MLB.com's Jesse Sanchez. Hernandez features a four-pitch mix, with a fastball that touches the mid-90s and three above-average offspeed pitches. The club has not confirmed the signing. Because the Padres have already blown past their international bonus pool allotment, the Hernandez signing comes with a 100 percent luxury tax -- essentially making the deal worth $5 million to the club. Already, the Friars have inked seven of MLBPipeline's top 30 international prospects from Lefthander Adrian Morejon -- who received an $11 million bonus -- headlines that group and is the organization's No. 5 prospect overall. Outfielder Jorge Ona (No. 9), shortstop Luis Almanzar (No. 20) and outfielder Jeisson Rosario (No. 21) also check in on the Padres' top 30 list. But the Padres' investment in the amateur international market runs deeper than just a few names at the top. The club has signed more than 40 players during the current signing period, and ownership has spent north of $80 million (including penalties), a total that more than doubles that of the next closest club. In 2016, Hernandez pitched for Cuba during the 18-and-under Pan American Championship in Mexico. He faced the United States twice, allowing three runs on five hits in 9 2/3 innings. 6

7 World Baseball Classic round at Petco Park March Fourth international tournament underway By Bill Center / San Diego Padres March 13th, 2017 Are you wondering about the significance of the World Baseball Classic? Well, check out the recent celebrations by Israel, Japan and the Dominican Republic as they advanced through the earlier rounds. And read about the disappointment experienced when Korea failed to advance and when Mexico was upset by Italy in Mexico. The World Baseball Classic is very much a part of baseball. And that part is coming to San Diego and Petco Park. Second round games of the fourth World Baseball Classic will be played at Petco Park from March with a possible tiebreaker game on March 19. San Diego will host up to seven games in six days involving the top two teams from Pools C (United States and the Dominican Republic) and D (Puerto Rico and Venezuela). The second round games at Petco Park begin Tuesday, March 14 with pool winners Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico playing at 6 p.m. PT. The United States debuts Wednesday, March 15 against Venezuela. The United States is scheduled to play March 15, 17 and 18. There will be single games Tuesday-Friday with a day-night doubleheader Saturday. The United States and the Dominican Republic play in the second game. If necessary, there could be a play-in game at Petco Park Sunday at 3 p.m. PT. The Dominican Republic is the defending WBC champion. Petco Park hosted the finals of the first WBC in 2006 when Japan won the first of its two straight titles. This year's finals will be held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles March

8 The top two teams from San Diego will advance to Dodger Stadium along with the top two teams from the other second-round series currently underway in Japan. Host Japan, Cuba, Israel and the Netherlands are playing in that series. Petco Park is hosting much more than the World Baseball Classic, however. Fans are invited to participate in the two-day free World Festival at the World Baseball Classic. Additionally, World Baseball Classic ticket holders will have the opportunity to participate in themed pregame happy hours and "KidsFest," a family-friendly day highlighted by a "PLAY BALL" Youth Baseball Challenge. The World Festival at the WBC will be held in Park at the Park at Petco Park and will be open to the public prior to games on Thursday, March 16 and Friday, March 17. The Festival will feature food offerings from seven of the original participating World Baseball Classic countries, including poutine (Canada), fried rice bowl (China), Cubano sandwiches (Cuba), spicy Italian sausages (Italy), hummus plate (Israel), yakisoba noodle bowl (Japan) and street tacos (Mexico). There will also be country-specific entertainment, such as Lion Dancers (China), Manny Cepeda Trio (Cuba), Roman Holiday (Italy), Taiko Drummers (Japan), Ballet Folklorico and Mariachi (Mexico) and a "Todo Mundo" performance representing Latin America. Other entertainment activities include flag face painting, air hockey, photo booth, MLB inflatables, soccer kick and more. The World Festival will begin each day at 11:00 a.m. PT and end at 3:30 p.m. PT. The World Festival is free and open to the public. Neighboring businesses and convention-goers are invited to explore the World Festival and its food options for lunch. KidsFest will be held on Saturday, March 18 and will feature a full day of youth-focused activities, including the "PLAY BALL" San Diego Youth Baseball Challenge. Four teams comprised of youth from the Boys and Girls Club of Greater San Diego, Tijuana Boys and Girls Club, the local Pony League and Military Families, will play two five-inning plastic bat & ball games at Park at the Park. The final teams will continue on to the Championship round of the tournament for a chance to be recognized on-field during pregame ceremonies at one of the World Baseball Classic games at Petco Park. All teams will receive WBC uniforms consisting of a t-shirt and a hat. Entrance to KidsFest, as well as the postgame Laser Show following the Saturday evening game, is included in the price of admission. 8

9 In addition, there will be a Party in the Park before the March 16 game. Fans are invited to attend a pregame happy hour with live music and drink specials. Thursday is also College Night, with specially priced tickets for college students with a valid student ID at the rooftop of the Western Metal Supply Co. Building. On Friday March 17, fans 21-and-older are invited to celebrate St. Patrick's Day by enjoying a pregame beer festival featuring beers from around the world. The event will also take place at the Park. Both events require a game ticket to attend. Ticket packages and single tickets for the World Baseball Classic in San Diego can be purchased at The full six-game package starts at $78.00 ($13 per game) and includes the possible Sunday tiebreak game. A World Baseball Classic Value Package, which includes two tickets, two hot dogs and two beverages for $39.50, is also available. To complement the WBC experience, noisemakers and flags will be allowed into Petco Park. Permissible items include bongos/congas, buleadors, claves, cowbells, guiros, guitars, rattles and tambourines. 9

10 Hessler, Edwards among 10 sent to Minors camp By AJ Cassavell / March 13th, 2017 PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Padres trimmed their big league roster by 10 players on Monday, but few -- if any - - of the decisions qualified as a surprise. Among the players sent to the Minors, only relievers Jon Edwards and Keith Hesslerentered camp with a serious chance to crack the Opening Day roster. The lefty Hessler was a bullpen longshot. Edwards, meanwhile, missed the 2016 season with a flexor strain in his right elbow, and has felt some forearm tightness this spring. "Last season, he was a guy we had penciled in as competing for a back-end-of-the-bullpen job," Padres manager Andy Green said of Edwards. "He'd thrown the ball really well the previous September, especially, and you could see he had the potential to be an impact reliever for us -- just hasn't been healthy." Edwards, Jason Jester, Kyle McGrath, Brad Wieck, Nick Buss and Jose Pirela were reassigned to Minor League camp. Hessler, Javier Guerra, Jose Rondon and Jose Ruiz -- all of whom are on the 40-man roster -- were optioned. It's a critical season for Guerra, who was one of the Padres' top prospects when he came over from the Red Sox in the Craig Kimbrel trade in The 21-year-old shortstop struggled at the dish in '16. In sporadic playing time, Guerra finished 0-for-14 in the Cactus League. But Green came away impressed by his spring nonetheless, citing a pair of hits -- including a homer -- in a "B" game against Seattle. "Defensively, he was outstanding," Green said. "[He] had some good at-bats, competitive at-bats. Energy was great, effort was great, I felt good about his game." In the bullpen, Jester, McGrath, Wieck and Ruiz aren't quite big league ready, and were never Major League options for the Opening Day roster. Buss and Pirela will likely provide outfield depth for the Padres at Triple-A El Paso. Rondon, the club's No. 24 prospect per MLBPipeline.com, will provide the same option in the infield. 10

11 Pipeline report: Prospects in Padres' camp By Jonathan Mayo / March 13th, 2017 PEORIA, Ariz. -- There is a whole different feel in Padres camp this spring. General manager A.J. Preller flipped the switch to a full-on youth movement in 2016, and there is a definite feeling of exuberance and optimism, even if it's more of a long-range hope at this point. It truly was an all-hands-on-deck effort, with every department kicking into high gear. The pro scouting department identified targets on the trade market, landing five prospects in the top 15 of San Diego's deep Top 30 Prospects list. The amateur scouting department had six picks in the top 85 in the 2016 Draft and made the most of it, with five of them landing in the Top 30. Not to be outdone, the international scouting department did some serious July 2 shopping, signing seven of MLBPipeline's Top 30 international prospects. The end result of all of this? A lot of fun for farm director Sam Geaney and his staff with all of this talent in Peoria for their collective first Spring Training as Padres. "On the player development side, we are reaping the benefits on what was a very strong year on the amateur draft side," Geaney said. "Cal Quantrill, Hudson Potts, Eric Lauer, and adding guys later like Mason Thompson. Then you look at the July 2 class and the international work that our guys did, signing guys like Luis Almanzar, Gabriel Arias and Jeisson Rosario. Then there are the Cuban guys, Adrian Morejon and Jorge Ona, who are kind of in a different category. Then you look at some of the pro scouting acquisitions, Anderson Espinoza, Fernando Tatis and Josh Naylor. All three departments contributed to get us the players we have now." If Geaney sounds a bit like a kid ticking off his action figure collection, who can blame him? There is an enormous amount of talent now under his care, a group that made the Padres the fourth-best farm system in baseball. Now in their third year as the group running things in San Diego, Geaney feels they are set up to shepherd this young, mostly far away talent up the organizational ladder. "When the talent really started to arrive in the last year, we were ready for them," Geaney said. "I like when we play other teams in instructional league or in Spring Training games, to see where we stack up. It is a super, super talented group of young kids that we have. To get them all on the field at the same time, it's really exciting." 11

12 Some talent ready now Of course, not all of the prospects are years away like those mentioned above. There are some very good young players who knocked down the big league door and are ready for a longer shot in San Diego. Hunter Renfroe had a ridiculous 11-game debut last September, largely because he "arrived with a swing that he trusted and an approach he thought would work," according to Geaney. His next challenge will be how he adapts when the league adjusts to him this season. Manuel Margot got 10 games during his debut, and while it wasn't quite as stunning, he showed the same speed and defensive ability that makes Geaney say that "hopefully he's the guy playing center field for us for the next several years." Add in catcher Austin Hedges, who broke through last year, and there's the hope that trio will fill in behind Wil Myers and form a very strong nucleus. "I think looking at this group of guys, it's a unique Major League camp," Geaney said. "There are no real established veterans. We're looking to create a culture at the big league level, a lot of things those guys how they impacted the organization on the Minor League side on their way up, hopefully it carries over." Breakout candidate It won't be easy to break into the Padres' Top 30, but one young talent not on the list worth keeping an eye on is infield Eguy Rosario. Signed in August 2015, Rosario was hitting.341/.421/.470 with 21 steals at age 16 in the Dominican Summer League last year, so San Diego brought him to the United States and gave him seven games in the Rookie-level Arizona League. He promptly went 11-for-29 (.379) and didn't turn 17 until the end of August, leaving the Padres excited to see what the second/third baseman might do for an encore. "He was pretty eye-opening," said Geaney, describing Rosario as a Howie Kendrick-type player. "There's some maturing that needs to happen, but he could see full-season ball as a 17-year-old at some point this year." 12

13 Luis Perdomo solid in latest start Dennis LinContact Reporter Right-hander Luis Perdomo, one of at least six pitchers competing for two jobs in the Padres rotation, allowed two runs over 3 2/3 innings Monday in a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs at Peoria Stadium. Both runs came on a homer by Ian Happ. The start was Perdomo s third this spring and second in Cactus League play; the 23- year-old s previous turn was in a B game against minor leaguers. Against the defending World Series champions, Perdomo yielded four hits and two walks, striking out two. He zipped through an eight-pitch first inning, inducing two groundouts before striking out former Padres outfielder Jon Jay on three pitches. After a fourth-inning walk, Perdomo was lifted at 62 pitches (37 strikes). Happ had some good swings. Outside of that, I thought that was really good, manager Andy Green said. I love seeing him get his outs on the ground. Thought he threw a couple good sliders that inning. Threw a lot of change-ups today, trying to get a feel for it. It was kind of hit-or-miss, but it s a pitch he s working on, so that s good to see, too. At the plate, Padres center fielder Travis Jankowski and third baseman Cory Spangenberg each collected a pair of hits, with Spangenberg adding a steal. First baseman Wil Myers drove in San Diego s lone run with a single. The Padres backend-bullpen trio of Brad Hand, Brandon Maurer and Ryan Buchter recorded three scoreless innings. Relief prospect Phil Maton struck out the side in the ninth. 13

14 Padres to sign Cuban lefty Osvaldo Hernandez Dennis Lin Contact Reporter The Padres have agreed to sign Cuban pitching prospect Osvaldo Hernandez for $2.5 million, according to a source. The 18-year-old left-hander will join a record-breaking international class on which the Padres have spent roughly $80 million since July 2. Hernandez, who was declared a free agent last month, drew interest from several other teams, including the Astros, Cardinals and Braves. The 6-footer has a fastball that reaches 94 mph. His secondary pitches a curveball, slider and change-up are considered advanced for his age. Hernandez posted strong numbers in Cuba s 18-and-under national league last year and impressed scouts at the COPABE 18U Pan American Championship in October. In a start against the United States, he allowed one run over 5 1/3 innings, striking out five. The U.S. lineup included Hunter Greene and Royce Lewis, two potential options for the Padres when they pick third overall in this June s draft. In the goldmedal game, also against the U.S., Hernandez allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings of relief. Hernandez is the sixth Cuban prospect the Padres have added since the current international signing period opened. The others are left-hander Adrian Morejon, who received an $11 million signing bonus, outfielder Jorge Ona ($7 million), righthanders Michel Baez ($3 million) and Ronald Bolanos ($2.25 million), and lefty Ramon Perez ($400,000). The Padres long ago obliterated their $3.347 million bonus pool, and will pay a 100 percent tax for every dollar over that allotment. San Diego has interest in top Cuban outfield prospect Luis Robert and could make a strong run at him if he is cleared to sign before the current period closes in June. 14

15 Padres' Alex Dickerson has setback, questionable for opening day Dennis Lin Contact Reporter Padres outfielder Alex Dickerson s status for opening day is in doubt after he experienced a setback in his return from lower back tightness. Dickerson, who made his Cactus League debut Saturday, had been scheduled to start in left field Monday, but was scratched following what manager Andy Green called a relapse. The recurrence of Dickerson s injury increases the chances that non-roster invitee Jabari Blash, who entered Monday leading the Cactus League with five home runs, makes the team. Dickerson, who went 1-for-2 as a designated hitter Saturday, did not play in Sunday s game, though he did go through morning workouts and said he felt great, according to Green. He got home (Sunday), said it started tightening up on him and woke up this morning and it was pretty stiff, Green said. At this point in time, you get a little bit more concerned for him breaking with the club and his ability to get through this. He s a guy to us that s a big part of what we do in the outfield. It's tough to lose him right now. We re still hopeful that the spasm he s feeling in his back releases, and he s able to get back on the field pretty quickly. But when you have a relapse in that area, that s concerning. The Padres are hoping that Dickerson will combine with three other outfielders Hunter Renfroe, Travis Jankowski and Manuel Margot as part of a young core of position players. Dickerson, 26, forged a promising start as a rookie last season, but was not the same player after sustaining a bruised hip in a late-july collision with Jankowski. He finished the year hitting.257 with 10 home runs in 285 plate appearances. 15

16 Dickerson had been limited most of camp. During the opening weekend last month, his back tightened after he ran on a soggy practice field. He s dealt with some back things throughout his life, Green said. In dealing with those things, he s learned how to manage them. It s just flared up on him a couple times in spring. And as the clock ticks, it becomes more concerning. Blash, 27, struggled as a Rule 5 draftee last season, hitting just.169 in 84 plate appearances. All five of his Cactus League home runs came after he made a mechanical adjustment last month, but it remains to be seen if this is merely a spring mirage. The other non-roster outfielders in camp are Collin Cowgill and Rafael Ortega. For now, though, Blash s stock is rising. Margot, like Dickerson, is less than 100 percent; the center fielder tweaked his left knee in a March 5 game and has yet to resume full baseball activities. The Padres are hopeful that will happen after Tuesday s off-day. Ten down With the season just three weeks away, the Padres made 10 cuts Monday. Righthanders Jon Edwards and Jason Jester, left-handers Kyle McGrath and Brad Wieck and outfielders Nick Buss and Jose Pirela were reassigned to minor league camp. Right-hander Jose Ruiz, left-hander Keith Hessler and infielders Javier Guerra and Jose Rondon were optioned. The Padres now have 54 players in major league camp. Edwards, who missed all of last season due to elbow problems, is recovering from a recent bout of forearm tightness. The reliever threw a bullpen session Sunday. When I got this job before last season, he was a guy we had penciled in as competing for a back end of the bullpen job, Green said. He just hasn t been healthy. He s just got to go down, get innings, compete, show who he once was once again, and then he has an opportunity to pitch in our pen. 16

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