Padres Press Clips Thursday, April 2, 2015

Home , Jandel Gustave, Marcos Mateo, Mike Dee, Peter Seidler, Ron Fowler

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Valverde opts out Padres deal UT San Diego Lin 2

Padres front office still has work to do UT San Diego Calkins 3

Shields 'ready to rock and roll' UT San Diego Lin 6

Spring recap: Solarte, Gyorko homer UT San Diego Lin 8

Which of these 5 Padres fans are you? UT San Diego Garin 9

Fowler: I didn't get into this to lose UT San Diego Lin 13

Leitner optimistic about Padres season UT San Diego Canepa 16

Shields sharp in short tuneup for Opening Day MLB.com Brock 18

Buddy system: Black leans on newcomers to help lead MLB.com Brock 20

Medica, Almonte among Padres sent to Minors camp MLB.com Brock 22

Valverde opts out Padres deal Veteran reliever will attempt to find another big-league opportunity By Dennis Lin9 A.M.APRIL 2, 2015

PEORIA, ARIZ. — Jose Valverde will attempt to find opportunity with another big-league roster. The veteran reliever opted out of his minor league contract after learning he will not make the Padres' Opening Day roster. At 37, he is a free agent again.

The right-hander signed in January, upon the recommendation of then-Padres executive Omar Minaya. The numbers weren't favorable from the start, with former Tigers teammate Joaquin Benoit locked in as the closer and a slew of options to set him up. Valverde, who once piled up saves, had been released by the Tigers and Mets since late 2013.

After auditioning in the Dominican Winter League, Valverde appeared rejuvenated this spring. His fastball sat in the mid-90s. He was back to using his signature, the splitter. In 8 2/3 Cactus League innings, he allowed five runs, four earned, while issuing a walk and recording eight strikeouts. He did surrender two home runs, a familiar problem from his last couple stints in the majors.

To return there, he'll have to latch on with a different club. Even after his release, the Padres have Benoit and eight other relievers in major league camp. Odrisamer Despaigne could go into the bullpen as a long reliever if he doesn't win the No. 5 starter's job.

Overall, the Padres have 33 players remaining in camp, 30 if you don't count Josh Johnson and Cory Luebke, who are making their way back from Tommy John Surgery, and Jandel Gustave, the Rule 5 pick who seems likely to return to the Astros.

Sunday at noon is the deadline to set the 25-man roster.

Padres front office still has work to do

By Matt Calkins8 A.M.APRIL 2, 2015

What you are about to read is ungratefulness in its purest form.

It is an homage to greed, entitlement, and eternal dissatisfaction with the status quo.

Yes, the Padres made a tsunami-sized splash this offseason. Between Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, James Shields, Wil Myers and Derek Norris, it seems GM A.J. Preller rubbed a magic lamp and got five wishes.

But don't for a millisecond mistake this upgraded product for a finished one. If San Diego wants to end its near-decade-long playoff drought, then, sorry — it's going to have to do more.

The Padres may look better with their shirts off than most of the National League, but that doesn't mean they're best equipped to win the fight. They acquired four former All-Stars and a recent Rookie of the Year, but left a whole lot of holes unfilled.

So once everybody sobers up from the well-deserved toasts they've been giving the front office, it's time to make one more plea: Finish this product...or finish well short of expectations.

It's a well-known fact that San Diego ranked last in Major League Baseball in batting average, runs, and slugging percentage last year. The team had born-and-bred Americans begging for soccer to spontaneously appear on the field just to see some scoring.

The only thing worse than bad baseball is bland baseball, and the Padres were three hours of C- Span. So Preller whipped out his magic wand and poof, power returned to Petco Park.

Kemp and Upton bring with them four 25-plus home run seasons apiece. Myers hit 13 dingers in 88 games two years ago, while Norris, the catcher, tallied 10 in 127 games last year.

It's exciting and refreshing and contrarian to everything we've come to expect about Padres baseball. It also won't be enough.

There's a reason, you see, that the sabermetrics-based website fangraphs.com forecasts just 83 wins for this team. There's a reason that ESPN's Buster Olney — who thought the Padres were a playoff team last year — left them out of his postseason predictions, as did his college David Schoenfield.

There is no doubt that the Padres narrowed the gap between themselves, their division rivals and the rest of the NL. But that doesn't mean there aren't still plenty of gaps on their roster.

Take, for instance, the outfield's defense.

According to FanGraphs, Padres right fielders had 14 defensive runs saved per 150 games last year, their center fielders had seven, and their left fielders had minus-six. On the other hand, Matt Kemp had minus-one defensive runs saved, Will Myers had minus-11, and Justin Upton had minus-8.

In other words, if the projections hold up, the outfield will cost the Padres at least 35 more runs than the 2014 team did. And when you consider that most of Myers' not-so-flattering numbers came when he was in right, a less demanding position than center, it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that that stat gets worse.

Then, of course, there's the infield.

Forget that this team lacks a legitimate leadoff hitter or true shortstop. For the moment, try and find the silver lining in a first baseman (Yonder Alonso) who hit .240 last year, a second baseman (Jedd Gyorko) who hit .210, a shortstop (Alexi Amarista) who hit .239, and a third baseman (Yangervis Solarte) who hit .260. Not easy to do, is it?

So even if the forever fragile Kemp stays healthy, and even if Myers' second-year slump (he hit .222 while battling injuries last year) proves to be an anomaly, this lineup may have some looooong intermissions between show-stopping numbers.

But enough with that 600-word buzzkill.

What the Padres' front office did this offseason was phenomenal. Ownership doled out the money, and Preller maximized every cent without giving up a key pitcher from this formidable staff. Bravo.

Still, now that winning has clearly been established as Priority 1, let's see if the Padres can't punctuate this sentence.

Maybe it means handing over some prized prospects for a leadoff man. Maybe it means dipping into the overcrowded bullpen to shore up the infield. Maybe it means Preller cooking up another magical concoction that none of us could even conceive of.

There just needs to be something.

The Padres spent the offseason moving mountains. Even so, they are still a steep hill to climb.

Shields 'ready to rock and roll' Opening Day starter throws three scoreless innings in preparation for Dodger Stadium By Dennis Lin5:04 P.M.APRIL 1, 2015

PHOENIX — The Padres played Wednesday at Camelback Ranch-Glendale, the spring home of both the Dodgers and the White Sox.

This particular game was against the latter team, attended by fewer than 3,000 fans, a drop compared to the sea that will surround James Shields only days from now.

Monday, the right-hander will start the Padres' season opener at Dodger Stadium, where he's never pitched, never even been since his youth in southern California.

In Wednesday's 8-2 victory over the White Sox, Shields had an ideal final tune-up, throwing three scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks and striking out two. The shortened outing was by design. Shields plans to go as deep into Monday's game as he can.

"I'm healthy," he said after throwing 35 or so pitches, well under his prescribed maximum of 50. "Ready to rock and roll.

"I got some good work in today. I felt really good in my delivery. Overall, my body felt really good."

The spring-training numbers, even if Shields has never put much stock in them, bear that out. He posted a 2.79 ERA over 19 1/3 innings, yielded 13 hits and five walks, struck out 23.

"I thought his stuff was really crisp, really liked the fact that his fastball had life to it," Padres manager Bud Black said. "He had good location, some devastating change-ups, a couple good cutters. He threw the ball extremely well. ... That was a good one to end on."

Next up: Chavez Ravine.

"I haven't really put too much thought into it yet, but growing up, it was always a dream of mine to be able to pitch in Dodger Stadium, let alone Opening Day," Shields said. "I'm pretty excited about it."

The Padres took a 5-0 lead in the first inning, three of those runs scoring on Jedd Gyorko's second home run of the spring. Gyorko, the starting second baseman, was batting .188 a little more than a week ago. After Wednesday, he was at .283.

Yangervis Solarte, who started at third base, also hit his second homer, a two-run shot in the fifth. He finished 3-for-4, is hitting .310 and has bounced around between third, second and first in Cactus League play. With Will Middlebrooks the likely starting third baseman, Solarte is all but a lock to make the roster as a utility man.

"He hit for us last year, he's hitting for us this spring," Black said. "He'll be a big part of our team."

Spring recap: Solarte, Gyorko homer Recapping this afternoon's Padres spring training game By Chris Schubert4:39 P.M.APRIL 1, 2015

PHOENIX, ARIZ. — The Padres brought their bats to Camelback Ranch Wednesday afternoon, striking early with a five run first inning. James Shields started for the Padres, as they defeated the Chicago White Sox by a score of 8-2.

On the mound:

 Shields, in his final tune-up before getting the start on Opening Day April 6th, threw three scoreless innings.  He allowed three hits and struck out two in his short outing.

At the plate:

 That five run first inning was capped off by a Jedd Gyorko three-run home run, his second of the spring.  Yangervis Solarte had a good day at the plate, going 3-for-4 including a home run onto the right-center field lawn. Solarte has played himself onto this Padres team, most likely as a utility infielder.  Will Venable also contributed at the plate, collecting two hits, one RBI and drew a walk.

Worth watching: A number of roster moves were made Wednesday morning. Jason Lane, Ramiro Pena, Marcos Mateo were reassigned while Abraham Almonte and Tommy Medica were optioned to Triple-A El-Paso. With only seven cuts remaining, there are still some major decisions that need to be made. The fifth and final rotation spot is still up for grabs and the Padres are looking to figure out their bench for the regular season.

Quotable: “Gyorko had a good at-bat, fouled a couple pitches, had a couple of balls he had to fight off to stay in the count and got a low fastball and squared it up. It was good for Jedd, that was a big blow for us," Padres manager Bud Black on Jedd Gyorko's three-run home run in the five run first inning.

Thursday's game: The finale of the Cactus League season takes place Thursday, as the Padres return to play one more in front of the home crowd at Peoria Sports Complex. RHP Tyson Ross will get the start for the Padres taking on the Milwaukee Brewers and RHP Matt Garza at 12:05 PM PT. 8

Which of these 5 Padres fans are you? From diehards to foodies, there's something at Petco Park for all types of fans By Nina Garin2:08 P.M.APRIL 1, 2015

Baseball is back in San Diego. But unlike Boston or New York, where seemingly everyone is obsessed with baseball, this city has varying degrees of enthusiasts.

Sure, we have the die-hards who go to every homestand, but we also have everything from foodie fans to 20-somethings stopping at Petco Park before heading to a Gaslamp nightclub.

Though the Padres’ first game is Monday in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, the team will play its home opener next Thursday against the San Francisco Giants.

Thankfully, with Petco Park’s constant upgrades and high-quality food, there’s something to do no matter how much you love — or don’t love — the game.

DIE-HARD FANS

A Padres fan shows off his autographs after spring training practice. — K.C. Alfred How to spot them: Wearing vintage giveaway items, like Phil Nevin T-shirts or brown and gold floppy hats.

Favorite places to congregate: Right field, hanging K’s every time a pitcher strikes out a batter; in their seats watching the game (and secretly hoping they make it onto the brand-new video board).

Grub time: Die-hard fans support local institutions like Phil’s BBQ, Hodad’s and Rimel’s Rotisserie. This year, another local favorite joins the list: Pizza Port. Padres chief hospitality officer Scott Marshall said the craft beer and pizza spot will have five locations throughout the park.

Can’t-miss die-hard giveaways and events: Even though they’ll probably be there anyway, die- hard fans will be especially excited for Opening Day, plus there will be free season calendars; on July 18, there will be Petco Park replicas given away; Sept. 26 is Padres Team Photo day, and Oct. 1 (Closing Day) is the Shirts Off Their Back ceremony.

Did you know?: A new, high-definition video board will be debuted this season to showcase replays, statistics and other information. The team says the high-tech board, which is 61.2 feet tall

9 by 123.6 feet wide and covers 7,564.32 square feet, will be the largest in the National League (and third-largest in Major League Baseball).

CASUAL FANS

Now that he's with the Padres, the Padres hope slugger Matt Kemp can stir up Padres fans the way he did Dodgers followers in past visits to Petco Park. — Sean M. Haffey How to spot them: You’ll find casual fans at games against popular teams like the Dodgers, Giants or Cubs, usually decked out in brand-new Padres gear.

Favorite places to congregate: These fans head straight for the Western Metal Supply Building to watch part of the game from the rooftop balcony.

Grub time: They tend to stick to classic ballpark food like hot dogs, nachos, beer and peanuts. If the Friar Franks (hot dogs) taste different this year, Marshall said it’s because the local Tarantino Gourmet Sausage company will be providing meat for the hot dogs (and continue to sell its already popular sausages).

Can’t-miss casual giveaways and events: One of the best giveaways is the Padres Hoodie on May 16; Padres replica jerseys will be given away May 30 and Aug. 8; and the Summer Sky Blast fireworks show (versus the Dodgers) is June 13.

Did you know?: This season, surf and skate retailer Sun Diego will debut kiosks around the park. Marshall said fans can pick up flip-flops in Padres colors as well as sunglasses, dresses and other fashionable Padres-themed items. How to spot them: Wait, there’s a game? These fans spend most of the game standing in line for food.

Favorite places to congregate: Anywhere but their assigned seats.

Grub time: This season, The Patio Restaurant Group (The Patio on Lamont Street, The Patio on Goldfinch) will open a spot in Left Field, where fans can find sophisticated ballpark fare. Foodies can also sample San Diego favorites that include burritos from Lucha Libre and seafood from Anthony’s Fish Grotto. Also new this season is cold-brew coffees from Mission Beach’s Swell Coffee Roasting Co.

Can’t-miss foodie giveaways and events: Every Tuesday night home game will be Taco Tuesday featuring $1 steak and chicken street tacos at locations around the ballpark. There will be a Wine Fest on Aug. 21 before the game.

Did you know?: Despite the many food options, hot dogs are still the top-selling item at Petco Park, Marshall said.

FAMILY DAY OUT

How to spot them: They’re the ones carrying lots of bags and chasing after young children.

Favorite places to congregate: The Park at the Park, where fans can bring food from home and have a picnic on the grass. Or playing with sand toys at “The Beach.”

Grub time: To families, the frozen lemonade vendor is everything. Thankfully there’s also Hodad’s, Rita’s Italian Ice (On Wheels), Bumblebee Seafood and Phil’s BBQ for additional options. If you’re venturing inside the main seating area, you’ll find the Baked Bear ice cream sandwiches at a new location at the Mercado.

Can’t-miss family giveaways and events: The coveted Padres beach towel will be given away June 27. Along with Military Sundays, all Sunday home games feature KidsFest, complete with activities, jumpies, music and giveaways.

Did you know?: Family Packs are available starting at $89 and come with four seats as well as vouchers for hot dogs and soda. Those are available online at padres.com/scholarshare. Petco Park offers free admission to children under 36 inches tall, as long as they’re accompanied by an adult with a valid ticket.

PADRES PARTY FANS

How to spot them: These fans show up way after first pitch, dressed in the outfits they’ll be wearing to the club later.

Favorite places to congregate: Only the newest and coolest spots for these fans, which means they’ll be at the new Deep Eddy Vodka Hideaway, a lounge-inspired area that will serve cocktails and Zenbu sushi.

Grub time: Party fans tend to be health-conscious, and they can pick up fresh fruit, salad, smoothies and other items at Cardiff’s Seaside Market outpost. Other spots for cool kids include

11 the Stone Brewing on the top deck, which will serve its famous hemp seed pretzels, and the many craft beer kiosks throughout the park.

Can’t-miss party giveaways and events: Opening Day is the hottest ticket in town, and they’re giving away free fedoras, so of course, party fans will be there. There’s a postgame laser show happening April 11; beer festivals on April 24 and Sept. 4; and cocktail festivals on July 17 and Aug. 7. Gates open at 5 p.m. for these special events.

Did you know?: In the market for yoga clothes? Padres Studio 47 is a new retail shop decorated like a yoga studio that will sell high-performance workout clothes. Think Lululemon for Padres fans.

Fowler: I didn't get into this to lose Executive chairman has seen fire sale and, now, renewed excitement By Dennis Lin2 P.M.APRIL 1, 2015

On the morning of Dec. 19, Ron Fowler walked into a boardroom at the Hilton Chicago O'Hare. The day before, Fowler had attended a budgeting meeting for one of his beer-distribution companies in Portland, Ore., flown cross-country and stayed up late exchanging phone calls with Padres president and CEO Mike Dee. Now, he and several other Major League Baseball owners were convening with commissioner-elect Rob Manfred to discuss the structure of the league's various committees.

Terry McGuirk, Atlanta's chairman and CEO, entered the room shortly after Fowler, bearing official confirmation. McGuirk's Braves were trading Justin Upton to Fowler's Padres, the exclamation point on a torrent of activity. Just since the day before, San Diego General Manager A.J. Preller had acquired Matt Kemp, Derek Norris and Wil Myers. In a few hours, he would add Will Middlebrooks to the list.

"I think about the 24-hour period when all these things came to fruition," Fowler, the Padres' executive chairman, said recently. "I was tired as heck but very elated at what took place."

Fowler, by all accounts, is a youthful 70, a civic leader with passions for higher education and athletics. At the same time, his vast experience in San Diego -- he arrived here in 1974, embarking on what would become a highly successful career in the beverage industry -- attached particular meaning to the Padres' winter renewal. As he enters his third season as the franchise's control person, there remains much left to do.

"I didn't get into this to lose," Fowler said. "I could've retired from this gracefully. I love baseball. I'm as competitive as can be."

Last June, Fowler and Dee faced a room of reporters at Petco Park, insistent on the Padres' next course of action. More than a dozen games out of first place, they had just fired their general manager, Josh Byrnes. The Padres, Fowler said, would not reprise the fire sale of 1993. He emphasized that they could "build, and build rather dramatically."

His words were met with skepticism. Local and national media panned Byrnes' dismissal as short- sighted, the owners' aspirations as unrealistic. Privately, the most critical comments rankled the Padres' top executives.

"People basically questioned our intelligence, questioned whether we should be in the business," Fowler said. "Some of the stuff upset us. Frankly, some of the stuff that was written (ticked) me off because it was so off the mark. We knew we had to change things. I understood the fans' frustration, but I would tell you nobody was more frustrated than ownership and the team's leaders."

The Padres' response relied more on careful calculation than emotional impulse. Fowler, who paid his own way through the University of St. Thomas in Minneapolis, has sometimes described his career -- indeed, his approach to life -- as a "probability analysis." It was his business acumen that grew Liquid Investments from a $7 million enterprise to a wholesale beverage distributor with annual revenues of more than $270 million.

"He's going to get the best information he can, hire the best people he can, to make sure that probability analysis is supported by the best information," said Erik Judson, a former vice president of development with the Padres. "As you look at baseball, it is a probability game. There are no guarantees."

In August, after a lengthy interview process, the Padres introduced former Rangers executive A.J. Preller as GM. There was much public discussion that Fowler, Mike Dee and Padres lead investor Peter Seidler had gambled on a wild card, a relative unknown asked to serve as the face of a franchise. Yet, for the Padres' decision-makers, the Cornell-educated Preller represented a kindred spirit. "We wanted to find someone who was not the prototypical GM," Fowler said. "You sort of have to throw caution to the wind, but when you do that you have to analyze things and know what the risk, reward is. ... That's one of A.J.'s strengths. He looks at things, he analyzes them before he makes decisions. He needs to know the likelihood of success and also have options B, C, D, E, in case option A doesn't work out. That fits very well with how business people have to look at things."

According to Fowler, the Padres' current ownership group assumed control in August 2012 with a rudimentary knowledge of the inner workings of major league baseball. Under then-owner John Moores and CEO Jeff Moorad, the previous regime had grown disengaged, out of touch with the league office in New York.

"We made a number of mistakes, assumed some things that weren't true," Fowler said. "We worked hard, but not smart. ... We were not in the room for a lot of critical meetings. We'd hear things third-hand."

For instance, Fowler said, they originally believed they were "in the queue" to host an All-Star Game, which was not the case. They did not have an initial understanding of MLB's debt service 14 rules, which generally limit a team's debt to 10 times its annual revenue (the owners did not take out any debt when they purchased the team).

Over the last two years, the Padres spent considerable time on the phone and in person with league officials, asking questions on a wide variety of subjects. They increased their committee membership from one to a half-dozen. They crafted and submitted a bid to host an All-Star Game.

In January, Bud Selig, the outgoing commissioner, awarded the 2016 Midsummer Classic to San Diego. At the owners meetings, Manfred appointed Fowler as head of MLB's labor committee.

"We are now what I'd call insiders in baseball," Fowler said. "We have very strong people in critical positions. I think we're far more engaged in how the process of baseball works and how you go about things than when we first got involved."

Fowler plans to be so with the Padres for at least another five years, health-willing. This offseason, he declared it "a great time to be a Padre," though he knows the proof is in April through September and, he hopes, beyond. He vividly recalls the Padres' World Series runs in 1984 and 1998. Now, he calls this the most enthused he's seen the fan base since Petco Park opened in 2004, an event he helped bring about -- Fowler chaired the task force that selected the eventual site of the stadium.

"I knew he just had a good nose for business and an entrepreneurial flair," said Seidler, whose investment firm, Seidler Equity Partners, has more than $1 billion in capital under management. "His passion and energy, when you meet him you like him. The more you get to know him, the more likable he is and impressive he is. The value that he's brought to the Padres organization and our franchise is magnificent."

Leitner optimistic about Padres season

By Nick Canepa1 P.M.APRIL 1, 2015

To say Ted Leitner is looking forward to this Padres season is like someone in a hospital bed saying they can’t wait to go home.

The Pads figure to be good, probable contenders, but no matter what, thanks the manic offseason dealings of new GM A.J. Preller, they have to be better than the 2014 outfit, which was the worst- hitting team I’ve seen in my lifetime.

“Thank you, A.J. Preller,” Leitner says. “I can’t wait. At least last year there was good pitching, I will say that.”

Now that Jerry Coleman sadly no longer is with us, there can’t be many broadcasters who’ve seen more bad baseball than Uncle Teddy. It’s amazing he can find his way home. So many players he’s seen haven’t been able to — at least home on a diamond.

Since getting the Padres’ play-by-play gig in 1980 — all the while working his Bronx tonsils around Aztec football and basketball (even the awful Clippers) and 25 years as Ch. 8’s sports anchor — Leitner figures he’s called over 4,000 baseball games, although “baseball” wasn’t always being played.

“Oh, yeah, 4,000 easy,” he says. “My God, if I had to get a real job, I don’t know what I would have done.”

And how many of those were bad?

“Oooh, a big percentage,” he says with a chuckle. “It has to be the majority, same with the Aztecs, before they got good. But doing so many losses and bad games makes you appreciate the good so much more.

“I’ve had a lot of losing seasons. There were a lot of limited players, guys who could hit but couldn’t play defense, guys who could play defense and couldn’t hit. There’s nothing like winning. When the Padres are winning, I want to run to the ballpark every day.”

Leitner, 67, made his big money as anchor, but I’ve known him since he came here from Philadelphia in 1978 to do the Aztecs (he was at games with me when Tony Gwynn played basketball), and he’s often said the thing for him is play-by-play. He loves it so much he’s even

16 paid for private planes so he could bounce from an Aztecs game to a Padres game on the same day.

“The only reason I got the Padres’ job is because the team named Jerry manager in 1980 and he recommended me for it (Coleman doubled as the team’s director of broadcasting then),” he says. “I’m forever grateful. When Jerry came back the next year they could have gotten rid of me, but Jerry wanted me to stay on.”

Look at what he’s had to call. The Aztecs football program declined after he showed up. Not many good years. And with the exception of a few seasons, 1984-85 being the highlight, SDSU basketball wasn’t good and then terrible until Steve Fisher showed up in 1999. The Padres have had a few excellent years (1984 and 1998), and a smattering of decent seasons and players, but mostly Ted has been calling defeats.

“During the ‘80s and ‘90s, for the most part the baseball season was done by March and sometimes April,” he says. “And that makes broadcasting hard, making chicken salad. The hardest thing for us is trying to make it interesting when it’s not.

“So I was thrilled when they hired Mike Dee (as president and CEO), because he had worked here with Larry Lucchino (the genius of a Padres president who got Petco Park built). He hires A.J. Preller and we’ve seen an amazing transformation. I’m so anticipating this season. I’m thrilled for (manager) Bud Black and I’m thrilled for me.”

There were times, when Sandy Alderson was club president, Leitner seemed to live season-to- season, not knowing he’d be brought back.

“I don’t think Alderson liked me personally or professionally,” he says. “He wanted me fired, I know it; philosophically I didn’t have a rabbi in my corner. It was year-to-year with him and Garfinkel, and I never assumed anything, even though I felt I had built a large fan base. But before they left, to their credit, they told me they liked me.

“As Lucchino told me: “Ted, you’re like anchovies. An acquired taste.”

I hate anchovies. I like Ted. And if anyone in this town deserves to watch good baseball, it’s Ted Leitner.

Shields sharp in short tuneup for Opening Day Padres ace tosses three scoreless frames; Gyorko, Solarte go deep

By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | April 1, 2015

PHOENIX -- Jedd Gyorko drilled a three-run home run, Yangervis Solarteadded a two-run shot and James Shields was sharp in his final tuneup for Opening Day as the Padres defeated the White Sox, 8-2, on Wednesday at Camelback Ranch. Gyorko's home run came as part of a five-run first inning off White Sox pitcherJeff Samardzija, who like Shields will also start Opening Day.

Shields allowed three hits over three scoreless innings with two strikeouts. His next start will come Monday in the season opener against the Dodgers.

"Three innings was kind of the ideal, I think I ended up throwing 30-35 [pitches]. I think I got some good work in today. I felt really good in my delivery today. Overall, my body felt really good. I'm ready to go," Shields said.

"He felt as though he's in a good spot," manager Bud Black said. "I thought his fastball had life to it, he had good location, threw some devastating changeups and some good cutters. He pounded the strike zone."

Samardzija allowed five runs on six hits in four innings with three strikeouts. He'll start Monday against the Royals to get the season underway.

"Everyone's feeling good right now and the team is where we need to be," Samardzija said. "I think everyone is ready to get this thing going, for sure." Solarte had three hits for the Padres, while Carlos Quentin and Will Venableeach drove in a run. Adam Eaton, Micah Johnson and Tyler Flowers each had two hits for the White Sox. Up next: The Padres play their final Cactus League game at 12:05 p.m. PT on Thursday, when they face the Brewers at the Peoria Sports Complex. This will be the final spring tuneup for Padres pitcher Tyson Ross, the No. 2 starter in the team's rotation. Ross looks regular-season ready, as he's allowed two earned 18 runs and struck out 17 in his past two outings, spanning 11 innings. He had 12 strikeouts the last time out against the Rangers over six innings. The game will be broadcast live on an exclusive free webcast on padres.com.

Buddy system: Black leans on newcomers to help lead Kemp, Shields step to fore as ninth-year Padres manager embraces roster makeover

By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | April 1, 2015

PEORIA, Ariz. -- San Diego Padres manager Bud Black is preparing for his ninth season with the team. He recently took a few minutes to answer questions from MLB.com about the upcoming season, the role of leadership on the team, power in the game and the teaching component that goes on at the big league level.

MLB.com: In regards to leadership, you told me early on that you empoweredMatt Kemp and James Shields, two newcomers, as guys who wanted to be leaders with this group. Why them? Black: From the other side, I saw a certain element to Kemp's game, his presence, with how he played, and talking to others about him, he had those (leadership) qualities. Where he's at in his career, with what he wants to accomplish, when we talked about this, he was extremely on board. He wants to be out front of a club. He says the right things, goes about it the right way. And everything I've heard about Shields, he's done that everywhere he's been. Talking to Joe Maddon and Ned Yost, he lives that every day. He's all about winning and comes every day with an edge. That sets a great example for our players.

MLB.com: I had someone describe to me what A.J. Preller did to this roster in the offseason as a "grand experiment." I know I've never seen anything quite like it before. You've had six weeks in Arizona with these guys. How have the new guys assimilated themselves into the mix and how do you think it will work going forward? Black: First, I don't see it as an experiment. I think a lot of the moves that A.J. and his front office made were calculated and measured to what we needed as a team. I don't sense we're mixing a bunch of pieces together to see if they work. In six weeks, I do see things coming together, players integrating together, seeing a team build. We feel good about the new acquisitions. The holdovers here are excited about the new guys and the new guys are excited to be Padres. MLB.com: We've talked in the past about how one of the top, most sought-after commodities in the game is top-line, starting pitching. It seems like it's shifted to power; with the scarcity of offense and power in

20 the game. Do you feel like the offensive numbers in the game have slid some, and to that end, do you think you'd address some needs in that area? Black: I do think the game has subtly shifted back toward the pitcher. Pitchers have made great strides, even at the amateur level, most notably with velocity in all pitches, sliders, even hard slurves, those have risen to levels we haven't seen before. But we feel we have legit guys, guys who have raw power, power that has played in the big leagues. This is different than we've had before, where we have had to press it with hit and run, running the bases aggressively and putting pressure on the defense. MLB.com: Your staff has always struck me as a real "teaching staff." With a little bit of an older group, especially with the guys coming in, does the teaching component shift a little? Black: It does, but you still teach. When you have a number of guys with big league service time, Kemp, (Justin) Upton, Shields, the teaching becomes more subtle, fine. You're talking more about intricate things. But the teaching never stops. You'll find that most great players never want to stop learning. I remember when we had (Greg) Maddux in 2007-08, and here was a guy on his way to becoming a Hall of Famer and one of the best pitchers of all time, and he still had a thirst for more information, he was open to it. Most players want to get better and you get better by learning, listening and taking in information.

Medica, Almonte among Padres sent to Minors camp Lane, Mateo and Pena join pair of outfielders

By Corey Brock / MLB.com | @FollowThePadres | April 1, 2015

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Padres, continuing to inch closer to finalizing their 25-man roster, sent five players to Minor League camp Wednesday.

San Diego reassigned left-hander Jason Lane, right-hander Marcos Mateo and infielder Ramiro Pena to Minor League camp. The club also optioned infielder/outfielder Tommy Medica and outfielderAbraham Almonte to Triple-A El Paso.

"They played well. We told them that if they played well and perform as things change throughout the course of the season, we'll see those guys in San Diego," manager Bud Black said of Thursday's moves, referring specifically to Medica and Almonte.

ATL@HOU: Almonte scores Markakis with an RBI single With Wednesday's moves, the Padres have 34 players in big league camp, though 32 are healthy. Pitchers Josh Johnsonand Cory Luebke will begin the season on the disabled list as they are working their way back from Tommy John surgery.

Lane posted an 8.49 ERA in 11 2/3 innings, while Mateo had a 5.40 ERA in 10 innings. Both figure to be part of the staff in El Paso.

Pena, a versatile infielder, hit .267 in 30 at-bats. Medica hit .421 with four home runs and 12 RBIs in 38 at-bats. After a scorching start, Medica had one hit in his last 11 at-bats. Almonte hit .263 in 38 at-bats.

There's a good chance the Padres will wait until Saturday, when they play an exhibition game at Petco Park against the Mexico City Red Devils, before they make their final roster decisions.

Black has yet to announce who the Padres' fifth starter will be -- Brandon Morrow or Odrisamer Despaigne -- and is still sorting through how the bullpen and five-man bench will look when the team opens the season Monday against the Dodgers.