Padres Press Clips Thursday, January 26, 2017

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1 Padres Press Clips Thursday, January 26, 2017 Article Source Author Page Padres switch healthcare providers after 36 years UT San Diego Lin 2 Padres Luis Urias rising on prospects lists UT San Diego Lin 5 Padres Hall of Famer Jones fighting throat cancer Padres.com Center 8 Margot among Pipeline s top OF prospects MLB.com Mayo 10 1

2 Padres switch healthcare providers after 36 years Dennis Lin Contact Reporter For the first time since 1981, when Tony Gwynn was drafted and Ozzie Smith dazzled at Jack Murphy Stadium, the Padres have a new healthcare provider. The organization s contract with Scripps Clinic expired at the end of UC San Diego Health, led by new head team physician Catherine Robertson, has become the Padres medical arm. Scripps had partnered with the Padres for well over three decades. Through the years, the clinic s physicians treated such franchise luminaries as Gwynn, Trevor Hoffman, Ken Caminiti and Jake Peavy. We have enjoyed the 30 years that Scripps Clinic and Scripps Clinic Medical Group have provided medical and orthopedic care for the Padre organization and its players, Scripps orthopedic surgeon Steven Copp said in a statement. Truly it was a labor of love for us and was supported by the skill and expertise of the physicians involved. We are saddened by the end of that relationship but will continue our mission of education of future orthopedic surgeons in the realm of sports medicine, research to advance the care of the athlete and the exceptional care of the world class athlete or the weekend warrior. Padres General Manager A.J. Preller said the organization had considered re-upping with Scripps. Obviously, with the long-term relationship with Scripps, it was really a difficult decision, Preller said. There were two really good medical groups the decision came down to. Ultimately, the separator for us with UCSD was their research capabilities. As we continue to look into innovation in different areas of baseball operations, including player care, we thought their research and development component would serve us well. 2

3 The switch in providers is not believed to be a result of the 30-day suspension Preller served after a Major League Baseball investigation determined that the Padres had withheld medical information from the Boston Red Sox. Both Padres ownership and Preller have publicly defended themselves, saying there was no intent to deceive other clubs. Preller has vowed that the Padres will be best in class in complying with the league s record-keeping guidelines. Still, Preller has continued to draw scrutiny from some in the industry. The GM had previous brushes with league rules, and the long-term ramifications of his recent discipline remain to be seen. Meanwhile, UC San Diego has gained a significant partnership after losing another; the health system had been the official provider for the former San Diego Chargers, who relocated to Los Angeles this month. Robertson, who had been a Chargers team doctor, is a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at UC San Diego who specializes in injuries of the shoulder, knee and hip. She received her medical degree and completed her residency in orthopedic surgery at UC San Diego School of Medicine. She completed her fellowship at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York, working with some of the preeminent sports medicine surgeons in the country. Robertson also has been a team physician for the San Diego Sea Lions women s professional soccer team, the UC San Diego Tritons and the Scripps Ranch High football team. She replaces Heinz Hoenecke, a Scripps orthopedic surgeon who spent 19 seasons with the Padres, including 10 as the head team physician. In an to the Union-Tribune, Hoenecke said his involvement became more limited after August, when he announced to his partners at Scripps and the Padres that he planned to step down as head team physician. Hoenecke described the decision as a personal one. A lifestyle change was also due to pursue other items in my bucket list, Hoenecke wrote in the . I will now be able to refocus on research and innovations in orthopedics that are both passions of mine. 3

4 Had Scripps relationship with the Padres continued, Daniel Keefe, an orthopedic surgeon who joined the organization in 2006, likely would have assumed the role of head team physician. Jan Fronek, another Scripps surgeon who worked for the Padres, had been with the team since 1985 and shared the responsibility of lead doctor with Hoenecke. 4

5 Padres' Luis Urias rising on prospect lists Dennis Lin Contact Reporter A major haul of talent arrived on the outermost shores of San Diego last summer, perking the ears of officials throughout baseball. In a partial realization of General Manager A.J. Preller s plan, the Padres spent upward of $80 million on the amateur draft and international signings. Many of the acquisitions, while not nearly old enough to drink, possess the upside that might eventually lead to champagne celebrations. Amid the commotion, arguably the fastest riser was one who predated Preller s hiring. Luis Urias, still only 19, has surged on prospect lists and recently was ranked No. 6 in one of the sport s deepest systems by Baseball America. A precociously gifted hitter and a versatile defender, the 5-foot-9 second baseman is impressing evaluators both outside and within the organization. He s a very skilled player, Preller said. He s always been very advanced for his age. Probably the biggest thing we ve seen in the last two years is he s added some physical strength. That s shown up in some more extra-base hits, more gap-to-gap power. Urias opened last season as the youngest player in the California League. He finished the year hitting.330 with a.397 on-base percentage for High Single-A Lake Elsinore. He also held his own in a brief injury-replacement stint with Triple-A El Paso, going 4-for-9 at the plate. The campaign included the first six home runs of Urias professional career, 26 doubles and dual recognition as the Cal League s MVP and Rookie of the Year. During a loaded October exhibition, Urias looked like one of the best players on the field in the Padres Futures Game at Petco Park. In addition to a leaping interception of a line drive, he went 2-for-4 with a double off the left-field wall. 5

6 I didn t expect to be the MVP and all that, but I think the key was to go out to the field every day trying to get better, trying to do something every day, to have fun first of all and help the team win, Urias said Wednesday as the Padres concluded their annual minicamp in San Diego. I was very happy to know that all the hard work showed. Urias, whose older brother, Ramon, plays in the Mexican Pacific League, was signed by the Padres near the end of A native of Magdalena de Kino, Mexico, he debuted in rookie-ball the next year and has since earned a reputation as one of the minor leagues top hitters. Through three seasons, Urias has hit.317 with a.395 on-base percentage. He showcased his mastery of the strike zone in 2016, walking more times (45) than he struck out (37). Urias bat-to-ball skills are enhanced by a simple right-handed swing geared toward line drives. A leg kick introduced in June resulted in a few fenceclearers, though Urias acknowledged that power may never be a focal point of his game. Old style that isn t appreciated anymore, a rival scout, providing an assessment, wrote in a text. Gamer, overachiever. Smart, instinctive. Tools are not great but plays above them. In an age when seemingly every other middle infielder is posting 20-homer seasons, Urias frame and lack of physical projection prevent him from being considered an elite prospect. Yet more than a few evaluators see the skill set of a major league regular. Urias has drawn comparisons to Placido Polanco, another 5-9 infielder who hit for a high average during a 16-year big-league career. Like Polanco, Urias plays second base but also has experience at third and shortstop, the position he originally signed to play. The Padres intend to continue giving him opportunities on the left side of the infield. 6

7 He ll get some time moving around, Preller said. He can catch and throw, he s an accurate thrower, good arm strength. From a development standpoint this year, he ll get a chance to do a little bit of everything. One area for growth, Urias said, can be found on the basepaths. An average runner, he swiped eight bases last season but was caught stealing 13 times. I would like to help my team in that part, to have more stolen bases, Urias said. I ve been working on my upper body, too. Hitting home runs isn t the idea, but I would like to have more homers, he added, laughing. Urias, who said he admires the game of Houston Astros dynamo Jose Altuve, likely will begin the season with Double-A San Antonio. He hopes to represent the Padres in the All-Star Futures Game in Miami this July, and to officially debut at Petco Park before the end of the season. While the latter may have to wait another year, Urias already has advanced further than his age, and stature, might suggest. Notable The Padres announced outfielder Jabari Blash cleared waivers and was outrighted to El Paso. Blash had been designated for assignment last week. The former Rule 5 draft pick is expected to compete for a roster spot in spring training. Veteran utility player Adam Rosales signed a one-year contract with the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday. Rosales made the Padres roster on a minor league deal last spring and hit.229 with a career-high 13 home runs. 7

8 Padres Hall of Famer Jones fighting throat cancer After being diagnosed in November, 67-year-old's prognosis is good By Bill Center / San Diego Padres 13 minutes ago Padres pitching legend Randy Jones is fighting throat cancer. "I feel positive," Jones said earlier this week. "They caught it early. It's all in the throat and not in the lymph nodes. I'm beating this thing." The 67-year-old member of the Padres Hall of Fame was diagnosed with throat cancer in November, and he has been undergoing radiation and chemotherapy treatments since Dec. 12 at Sharp's Hospital. "I've completed 90 percent of my treatment," said Jones, who has been told by his physicians that the cancer is linked directly to tobacco. "I chewed as a player," said Jones. "I smoked cigars most of my adult life. I started dipping eight or nine years ago. There's a link, it's all related. But I'm lucky because I've been told this is a low-risk cancer. Again, it's in my throat, right above my vocal chords. "It's a tough grind, but I have to get it done. Food right now tastes terrible. I've lost 10 pounds. But I'm following orders. They tell me what to do and I do it. I'm on a 'keep it simple, stupid' program. I just say yes to all orders." Jones was one of the Padres' first stars as a player from , and he remains one of the franchise's most popular personalities among fans as well as past and current players. The left-hander was the first Padres pitcher to win a National League Cy Young Award, as well as being the first Padre to start an All-Star Game. There would be noticeable spikes in attendance on nights when Jones pitched at the peak of his career. Jones' primary weapon as a pitcher was a sinker that had even the best hitters pounding the ball into the ground. All-time hits leader Pete Rose once became so frustrated with facing Jones that the switch-hitter went to the plate hitting left-handed. 8

9 "All I ever wanted to do was get hitters out on as few pitches as possible," said Jones, who was known for pitching complete games in under two hours. Jones' 1976 season is arguably the greatest ever by a Padres pitcher. He was with a 2.74 ERA in 40 starts. He worked 315 1/3 innings with 25 complete games. He also started and won the All-Star Game, won the NL Cy Young Award and finished 10th in the NL Most Valuable Player Award voting. Jones led the NL that season in wins, starts, complete games and innings pitched. Those four marks also remain Padres single-season records. Jones also won 20 games in 1975, when his 2.24 ERA led the NL. He finished second in the voting for the Cy Young Award and 10th in the MVP Award voting. He was also an All-Star in 1975 and picked up the save in the NL's win. "Pretty good trick," Jones joked last summer. "I finished the 1975 All-Star Game and got the save, and started in 1976 and got the win." No one else has achieved that double. A fifth-round pick in the 1972 Draft out of Chapman University, Jones posted a record with a 3.30 ERA in 264 games (253 starts) with the Padres. Jones ranks second on the Padres' all-time list in wins. He ranks first in starts, complete games (71), shutouts (18), double plays induced (176) and innings pitched (1,768). He is fifth in career ERA and ninth in opponents' batting average (.256). Jones was a member of the Padres' inaugural Hall of Fame class of "My goal is to join the team in Peoria [Ariz.] in mid-march for the last two weeks of Spring Training," said Jones. "I told them to have my uniform ready. I'm looking forward to being back at my regular activities with the club by Opening Day." 9

10 Margot among Pipeline's top OF prospects By Jonathan Mayo / 8:46 AM ET There's a new king in town, at least on the Top 10 outfielders list. For three years in a row, Twins center fielder Byron Buxton topped this list, the last positional ranking before the Top 100 is revealed on Saturday. But Buxton graduated off of lists during the 2016 season, leaving the door open for a new No. 1 in the outfield. That honor now belongs to Andrew Benintendi of the Red Sox, who was No. 5 on this list a year ago. He is one of five holdovers from the 2016 list, though he won't be eligible much longer. Assuming Benintendi makes Boston's Opening Day roster, he will graduate -- surpassing rookie status of 130 at-bats -- almost immediately. That's OK, because there are a ridiculous number of talented outfielders ready to take his place, starting with the Nationals' Victor Robles, who debuts on this list at No. 2, and Austin Meadows, who was No. 4 on this list, right behind Benintendi, last year. 8. Manuel Margot, Padres Anyone who watched the Futures Game saw what Margot can do defensively in center field, and he was rated as one of the top defensive prospects in the game in a recent poll conducted by MLBPipeline.com. His speed can work on the basepaths as well, and he's no slouch at the plate, ready to impact the Padres' lineup with a future as a dynamic top-of-the-order presence. 10