Richard makes spring debut today

Rain wiped out Sunday’s scheduled contest against the Seattle Mariners, as storms wiped out the entire Cactus League slate.

The Padres will give Clayton Richard the ball today against Colorado (3:05 p.m. Eastern). Richard — making his spring debut — finished his 2009 season on a high note, allowing just two runs in his final 19 innings of work.

Richard (9-5, 4.41) has a firm grip on the fourth spot in the starting rotation, placing him behind Chris Young, Kevin Correia and Jon Garland.

The news on utility infielder Jerry Hairston, Jr’s hand is questionable after he was hit by a pitch during Saturday’s loss to the Mariners. Hairston went 3-for-3 before he was plunked.

OF Scott Hairston was also hit by a pitch on Saturday but said he was “seeing improvement” on his bruised left hand. Manager Bud Black said he expects Scott Hairston to return to the lineup as soon as later this week.

Tags: Chris Young, Clayton Richard, Jerry Hairston Jr., Jon Garland, Kevin Correia, Scott Hairston

Gallahger takes early lead in race for fifth spot

In the race for the fifth spot in the Padres rotation, score Round 1 heavily in favor of Sean Gallagher.

Gallagher tossed two perfect innings during Friday’s 9-3 win over Seattle, allowing just one walk. It was an encouraging sign for the righthander, who began last season in the Oakland organization, missed three months with knee surgery and was then traded to San Diego to complete the deal that made Scott Hairston an Athletic (very, very briefly).

Last March began with promise for Gallagher, who was considered a lock to make Oakland’s rotation, but was sent down to Class AAA Sacramento after opposing hitters treated his stuff like extended batting practice.

Friday’s effort was a sign that this March could be markedly different.

“First outing in spring last year went alright,” said Gallagher, who oushined fellow rotation candidates Mat Latos and Wade LeBlanc, both of whom pitched two innings before Gallahger tossed the fifth and sixth. “This year I feel amazing. No pain in the knee or shoulder.

Aaron Poreda also moved ahead of Latos and LeBlanc, pitching two scoreless innings while striking out three Mariners.

Latos, who got the start, allowed one run and a walk while LeBlanc gave up four hits and allowed a run.

“It will be a good competition, and these guys sense it,” said manager Bud Black.

Tags: Aaron Poreda, Mat Latos, Sean Gallagher, Wade LeBlanc

Spring has (officially) sprung….

….and it didn’t look good.

OK, OK, it’s the first spring game, but losing 9-3 to Seattle stings, be it March 4 or August 4.

First off, the good:

*Non-roster invitee Matt Stairs immediately helped his cause to make the Opening Day roster with a fifth-inning homer off of Shawn Kelly.

*Chris Young allowed a run on three hits in his only inning of work, but Young looked relaxed on the mound, striking out two Mariners.

Today marked the first time in almost nine months that Young pitched. He threw 33 pitches and felt optimistic about his progress.

“Physically, I felt good. I wasn’t happy with my command, but I think part of that is the nerves and adrenaline of being back out there,” he told MLB.com. “I had to dial it back (with) the last couple of hitters.”

*LF Kyle Blanks went 2-for-2 with a run-scoring double.

Friday will see three hurlers — Sean Gallagher, Mat Latos and Wade LeBlanc — go two innings each against the Mariners. For Gallagher, who is out of minor league options, the stakes will be a bit higher.

All three are competing for the fifth spot in the rotation. The early line has Latos in the lead, with Gallagher and LeBlanc even.

Young making solid progress

Tags: Chris Young, Kyle Blanks, Mat Latos, Matt Stairs, Wade LeBlanc

The Unusuals of Camp Padre

Contrary to belief, non-roster players:

*Don’t eat separately from the players on the 40-man roster.

*Are not initiated in a Rush Week.

*Are not forced to sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” in front of the veterans at dinner.

For a team supposedly on a bee line to a top 5 pick in the 2011 amateur draft, the Padres don’t have an abundance of non-roster players, thus eliminating the scenario similar to the first “Major League” movie.

San Diego has only 12 non-roster invitees in camp:

P: Simon Castro, Cory Luebke, Wynn Pelzer, Mark Worrell.

C: Mitch Canham, Michael Collins, Chris Stewart.

INF: James Darnell, Logan Forsythe, Lance Zawadzki.

OF: Chris Denorfia, Matt Stairs.

Of the not-so Dirty Dozen, only three stand a legitimate chance to making the Opening Day roster.

*Zawadzki: Mentioned in a Feb. 10 blog, Zawadzki is a versatile player who will make a run at winning the utility infielder role. Zawadzki has an intriguing power-speed combination (.285-15-77-17 in the minors last season) and has more upside than challengers Jerry Hairston, Jr. and Oscar Salazar.

Chances of making the Opening Day Roster: 30%.  Zawadzki will likely head to Class AAA for seasoning, but will make his big league debut at some point this season.

*Denorfria: The one-time Cincinnati Reds prospect spent 2009 in the Oakland organization. This may be Denorfria’s last chance at an extended stay in the majors. He’s long teased his employers with his potential, but Denorfria faces an uphill climb.

Chances of making the Opening Day Roster: 15% at best.Donorfria is just one of nine outfielders competing for a roster spot. It also doesn’t bode well when you’re rocking the No. 77, which screams “longshot.”

Stairs: The native Canadian has to be feeling good about his country’s performance in the Winter Olympics, and has to be feeling good about his chances. The 40-year-old provides a needed power source off the bench, can play both outfield corners, fill in for Adrian Gonzalez on occasion and is a veteran presence that would be welcome on a team such as the Pads.

Having played with nine teams during his career, Stairs would also be a much-needed tour guide for the youngsters. Samantha Brown he’s not, but he scores points for being well-traveled.

Chances of making the Opening Day roster: 60%. Combined with his aforementioned attributes, Stairs — who’d make a good manager someday — is an extra coach.

Tags: Adrian Gonzalez, Chris Donorfria, Lance Zawadzki, Matt Stairs

Kyle Blanks, Weight Watchers spokesman

Whippet-thin he’s not, but there’s less to love about Kyle Blanks these days.

And the Padres love it.

Blanks ended the regular season at 288 pounds, just a bit too much heft to carry about in left field. At that size, Blanks — originally a first baseman — made Houston’s Carlos Lee look like a runway model in the middle of New York’s Fashion Week.

Which is a nice way to say Blanks was pretty fat.

With an Opening Day spot in the middle of the lineup for the asking, Blanks said no to In and Out and extra helpings during the holidays. The big slugger got serious about losing weight and spent the winter under an intense workout under the watchful eye of Pads strength and conditioning coach Jim Malone.

The results were enough to make Valerie Bertinelli smile. The 6-6 Blanks has looked more agile in the first couple of days in camp and appears to be on his way to locking up the starting job in left field. A healthy Blanks is a (pardon the pun) big plus for the power-starved Padres; Blanks has 30+ home run potential and would be a welcome complement to All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.

A lighter Blanks could equal heavy production for San Diego. Malone deserves a huge tip of the cap, more so if Blanks can avoid the disabled list instead of missing more than a month with a strained arch in his right foot.

Who knows? Maybe Blanks and Bertinelli can tape a Weight Watchers commercial down the road.

You never know….

Tags: Adrian Gonzalez, Kyle Blanks

I, Adrian, do take thee, San Diego….

Adrian Gonzalez loves San Diego, so much so that he announced on Wednesday that he is “committed” to the organization until he’s told otherwise.

That has to be something of a relief to Padres fans, but as the regular season wears on to the tune of another San Diego loss, management probably won’t feel as committed to their slugging first baseman, who would net a princely haul of prospects/young major league talent the very second he is announced to be on the trade block.

But for now, Gonzalez’s teammates can move forward without having to asked how it would feel if their primary offensive weapon was traded.

Gonzalez, signed through the end of the 2011 season, will make $4.75 million this year, with a bump up to a $5.5 million team option with incentives next season.

“Stop the speculation,” he said to reporters.

Perhaps the Padres would be wise to listen to their sole All-Star.

Even better, they would be wise to begin working on an extension to keep the San Diego native in town beyond 2011.

By then, top OF prospect Jaff Daecker will either be on the big league roster or on the outer edge, Kyle Blanks adapts to left field, while 3B James Darnell has also began making an impact with the Padres.

Add to that the bevy of young arms — highlighted by RHP Mat Latos — and the club could be looking at a run toward .500 with the outlook of better days ahead.

Gonzalez did mention that “the next contract will be where I’ll look for what I deserve…what my value is,” a phrase that likely leaves Boston, New York and Chicago fans salivating at the thought of their teams pulling out their well-endowed checkbooks to welcome a hammer that will be only 29 when he starts shopping.

Enjoy him for now, San Diego.

Gonzalez 100% \’committed\’ to San Diego

Tags: Adrian Gonzalez

Catch as catch can: Hundley v. Torrealba

One of the (many) subplots that will dot Camp Padre between now and Opening Day is the clash between Nick Hundley and Yovit Torrealba for the right to earn the bulk of the work behind the plate.

As most young catchers are wont to do, Hundley (.238-8-30)  needed time for his bat to catch up to his defensive handiwork. With neither a Terry Kennedy nor Benito Santiago biding for time, the Padres had little choice but to let Hundley develop; a fractured left wrist put him on the disabled list for more than two months, while a sports hernia also hampered his production, but a promising September (.323-3-12) left the Pads with the impression Hundley was ready to hold the job full-time entering 2010.

That is, until Torrealba (.291-2-31) entered the new year without a job.

One of the unsung heroes of Colorado’s remarkable run to the playoffs, Torrealba signed a free agent deal with San Diego early last month, providing the club with a solid defensive presence behind the plate. Torrealba hit .294 down the stretch last season, but his lack of power and a dependence of Coors Field to enhance his numbers leaves one to suspect that if Hundley progresses at the plate, Torrealba’s role will be that of backup/defensive replacement.

Fantasy-wise, Hundley has more potential, although you may want to say a prayer for your team if either he or Torrealba is the answer to your catching question. Hundley’s no Joe Mauer, but it’s not a stretch to project him for .260-15-60 with enough at-bats. In a National League-only draft/auction, Hundley is a good end game proposition with upside.

It begs to reason that if Torrealba can produce just two homers while playing in Colorado, his production will be tempered greatly by spending half his time at Petco Park. He is nothing more than a part-time option who benefited from a torrid (for him) stretch last August and September and played it into a $1.25 million deal.

Considering the Rockies offered him a two-year, $5.6 million deal to be a cushion should Chris Ianetta flounders again, you have to think that sunny weather, cool millitary uniforms and an endless array of attractive women in summer dresses and high heels played better than two more years of 40-degree June nights and four-hour ballgames that run well into the next day.

The winner of this clash needn’t worry about some hotshot prospect on the farm. Dusty Ryan — who came over from Detroit — is more of a hitter (and not much of one at that). Ryan has pop and can draw a walk, but lacks the overall skills to be nothing more than a part-timer at this point.

As for homegrown catching prospects, Jason Hagerty shows the most potential. A fifth-round pick last summer, the former Miami (Fla.) star is a switch-hitter with promising power, but his .225 average at Eugene was coupled by his woeful 8-for-41 numbers in throwing out runners. Hagerty will likely begin 2010 at Class AAA Portland, but 2011 appears to be a more realistic target date for him to make his major league debut.

Tags: Dusty Ryan, Jason Hagerty, Nick Hundley, Yovit Torrealba

The only four names you need to know for 2010

USA Today Sports Weekly unveiled its annual 100 Names You Need to Know for the 2010 baseball season this week, but there’s only four that matter to Padres fans.

See? That’s 96 percent of the work out of the way.

RHP Mat Latos, OF (for now)/1B Kyle Blanks, LHP Wade LeBlanc and OF Aaron Cunningham represented San Diego on the list, with Latos (6th) and Blanks (9th) among the top 10 players.

LeBlanc ranked 47th, while Cunningham was ranked 91st.

Cunningham, who came to San Diego as part of the Kevin Kouzmanoff deal with Oakland, is the most intriguing. Cunningham (.302-11-48-11 in AAA last season) has a path to the starting job in right, but will get a stiff challenge from Will Venable.

In a worst case scenario, Cunningham and Venable will time-share the position in a platoon.

Latos is slated to be the number two starter behind Chris Young, while LeBlanc projects as the fourth starter. Latos is already a fantasy darling (peek out Seth Trachtman’s review of him in The Magazine), while LeBlanc could provide stability in the back of the rotation — pending his control issues.

Then there’s Blanks, all 6-6, 270 pounds of him. An offseason conditioning program helped him lose 15 pounds of what was once a near 300 lbs, but that power….oh, that power. Aside from Adrian Gonzalez, Blanks will be the one player that keeps the fans in the seats.

One has to get the sense that Blanks’ time in left is simply borrowed. With Gonzalez trade talk brewing again, the expectation is that Blanks will return to his natural position of first base at some point.

Keep in mind that the list of prospects are for their 2010 impact. Uber-stud OFers Jaff Decker and Donovan Tate are at least a season away, while RHP Simon Castro may be a strong first half away from a trip to Petco Park.

Tags: Aaron Cunningham, Kyle Blanks, Mat Latos, Wade LeBlanc

Who am I (And where do I play)?

Do you know me? I spent most my 2009 season between Class A and Class AA, quietly hitting a combined .285 with 15 homers, 77 RBIs and 17 steals. I rotated between second, third and shortstop and can play some outfield.

I followed that up with a .324-2-18 with nine steals in the Arizona Fall League, earning an AFL rising stars nod, but for all of my stellar numbers, the Padres didn’t add me to the 40-man roster.

Who am I and why should you remember me?

My name is Lance Zawadzki. I’ll be 24 years old on Opening Day and can switch-hit with pop from both sides. You should keep me in mind once you tire of another lazy flyout from David Eckstein, and if you play fantasy baseball, you should definitely keep my name (Zawadzki with two z’s) stashed away late in your draft/auction or minor league draft.

My guess (and your hope) is that a strong start in the minors will compel the Padres to give me a phone call. I’ll keep my bags packed in the event they do. As far as where I play? It doesn’t matter. Just stick in the lineup 3-4 times a week and I could be a pleasant surprise.

Considering the doom and gloom associated with the parent club, wouldn’t a pleasant surprise be welcome.

Hope to hear from you,

Lance

Tags: Fantasy Baseball, Lance Zawadzki

Friars Get Their Innings Eater in Jon Garland

Just wanted to get this out and will exbound on what I think this means for the Padres.
Reportedly $6.5 million for one year. Very nice “stop-gap” and has gone over 190 innings the last 7-8 years.
It’s just too bad he doesn’t strike out more batters but he should be a steady positive influence in the clubhouse and on the field.
Nice signing by Jed Hoyer, I wonder what enticed Garland to come to San Diego for one year?

Tags: Jed Hoyer, Jon Garland