sign in sign up
<<
Home , Bobby Klaus, Carlos Asuaje, Chris Cannizzaro, Chris Gomez, Gary Ross (baseball), Hunter Renfroe

Padres Press Clips Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Article Source Author Page

Padres roster review: Carlos Asuaje UT Sanders 2

Chris Cannizzaro, first Padres All-Star, dies UT San Diego Kenney 4

Offseason: Slow going for Blash in Dominican UT San Diego Sanders 9

San Diego a playground for young talent in ‘17 MLB.com Cassavell 11

Former MLB Cannizzaro dies at 78 MLB.com Adler 14

We start Padres’ top 100 list with SS Gomez, C Cannizzaro Padres.com Center 15

Inbox: Will Lamet make the Padres’ staff? MLB.com Cassavell 17

2016: The Year in San Diego Sports NBC San Diego Togerson 20

1

Padres roster review: Carlos Asuaje

Jeff Sanders Contact Reporter

Sizing up the Padres’ 40-man roster, from A to Z, heading into the 2017 season.

CARLOS ASUAJE

 Position: Second base, utility  2017 age: 25  Acquired: In the trade (November 2015); 11th round draft pick in 2013 (Nova Southeastern)  Contract status: Added to the 40-man roster in September 2016; won’t be arbitration-eligible until 2020 at the earliest  Key stats (AAA): .321 avg., .378 OBP, .473 SLG, 9 HRs, 69 RBIs, 98 runs, 10 steals (134 games, 597 plate appearances)

Stat to note 13.7 – While the and Asuaje’s home park in El Paso in particular influenced a banner year in -A, cutting his rate to a career low in a free-swinging league is yet another sign that Asuaje is ready to jump to the majors.

Trending Up – The former Red Sox farmhand was not only a mid-season and postseason All- Star and the PCL’s rookie of the year, he represented the Padres in San Diego in the All-Star Futures Game in his first year in the organization. His batting average was a career-high, while his OPS jumped from .708 in a lackluster year at -A Portland to .851 with the PCL champion Chihuahuas. Asuaje also swiped a career- high 10 bases before his September call-up, when he .208/.240/.292 with two doubles, two RBIs, a walk and four over seven games.

2

2017 outlook Added to the 40-man roster last September, Asuaje will be looking to land a big league job in his second with the Padres. He’s a distant third behind Ryan Schimpf and in the battle for second base, but could factor into the competition for a bench role now that utility man Alexi Amarista has moved on. Although Asuaje played second, third and left field last year for the Chihuahuas, he’d have a much easier time winning a job if the Padres felt comfortable using him in a pinch a , a position he last played in 2014. Without a proven starter at shortstop, they’ll need their utility infielder to pick up innings at the position in 2017.

3

Chris Cannizzaro, first

Padres All-Star, dies

Kirk Kenney Contact Reporter

Chris Cannizzaro kept a Western Union telegram framed on a wall of his Rancho Penasquitos home.

The telegram was from Bowie Kuhn, the commissioner of , and it informed the Padres catcher that he had been named to the 1969 National League All-Star team.

It read, in part: “While I am certain that you already heard of these events, it gives me great pleasure formally to invite you as a member of the All-Star team to attend the commissioners reception and Centennial dinner.”

It was one of the proudest baseball moments for Cannizzaro, an original member of the Padres who was the first All-Star in franchise history. He was honored by the Padres in a pregame ceremony over the summer during the -up to the 2016 All- Star Game hosted at .

Cannizzaro, who had been suffering from lung cancer and COPD, died late Thursday night at the age of 78.

“He taught me a lot about pitching and how to be a player,” said former Padres , who was teammates with Cannizzaro on the Padres’ 1974 team. “He was hard-nosed, old school. He fit me perfectly, to tell you the truth.

“When we got done playing, I started doing some baseball camps. He was always one of my coaches, probably for 18 years doing baseball camps for kids, Chris was always there. We had a great time giving back to the kids, teaching them how to play, and laughing. It was always really good with Chris.”

4

During a 13-year career in the major leagues from 1960-74, Cannizzaro was regarded as a hard-nosed defensive catcher with a strong arm who batted .235 over 740 games spread among six teams.

Cannizzaro played for the original Mets — and one-of-a-kind manager Casey Stengel — after being drafted off the St. Louis Cardinals during the 1961 expansion draft.

He joined the Padres during spring training in ’69 after being traded from Pittsburgh just days before the expansion franchise’s inaugural season began. Cannizzaro was behind the plate on opening night, catching for starter in a 2-1 win over the Astros at .

He spent two full seasons with the Padres before being traded to the Cubs early in the 1971 season. Cannizzaro returned to the Padres in 1974 for his final season in the majors.

“We wasn’t afraid to take charge,” Jones said. “Like young () could be stubborn, might say, ‘My ’s my best pitch.’ He’d say, ‘Well, you better learn how to use the .’ Chris Cannizzaro would make you learn how to use it, and he’d stay on you. He’d push you. That’s old school, and you needed that. I always enjoyed that. He loved to compete and play.”

In 1969, as the All-Star Game approached that year, speculation centered on either Padres Ollie Brown (batting .269 with 12 home runs and 41 RBIs) or Nate Colbert (.253, 14 HR, 34 RBIs) being the team’s representative in the game.

Cannizzaro was batting .245 with two homers and 25 RBIs. But it seemed the National League needed a catcher to fill out its roster, so he was the one who got the call.

During an interview with the Union-Tribune over the summer, Cannizzaro recalled being told he was an All-Star.

5

“(Padres manager) Preston Gomez told me and then everybody came up and congratulated me,” said Cannizzaro, who was on the road with the Padres in San Francisco when he found out.

Being named to the All-Star team is front-page news these days. Forty-seven years ago, it merited but a one-sentence mention in The San Diego Union.

Although it did include this quote from Cannizzaro: “My wife was so thrilled I couldn’t get her to stop crying.”

Cannizzaro roomed with knuckleballer Phil Niekro in Washington, D.C. He remembered warming up Cardinals left-hander Steve Carlton, the NL’s starting pitcher, before the game, then watching from the bench as the Reds’ started for the NL. Cannizzaro never did get into the game.

“I was hoping I would get to play, but it was a thrill just to be on the team,” Cannizzaro said after the game. “It was something I’ll never forget.”

Five decades later, Cannizzaro felt much the same way.

“It was a lifetime experience,” he said, “and I treated it as such. I was thankful.”

When his major league career ended, Cannizzaro spent the 1975 season as a player- manager for the Triple-A Hawaii Islanders before switching full-time to coaching.

He worked on the major league coaching staff of the from 1976-78. Cannizzaro served as the team’s bullpen coach, although he stuck around in the dugout for a game in 1977 when Braves owner Ted Turner decided to manage the team that night.

Cannizzaro coached in the Angels organization after leaving the Braves. He was named manager of the organization’s -A Redwood Pioneers in 1981.

Among Cannizzaro’s players for the Pioneers was Mark Smelko, a San Diego native who played baseball at San Diego State with Cannizzaro’s son, Aztecs Chris Cannizzaro Jr.

6

Smelko was well acquainted with the senior Cannizzaro by then. As a youngster, Smelko watched Cannizzaro work behind the plate with the Padres.

“Watching him throw,” Smelko said. “Oh, my gosh, he could throw.

“I appreciated the way he played the game. He’d stick his nose in and get run over and that kind of stuff. He was just a hard-nosed player who respected the game.”

Smelko’s appreciation for Cannizzaro grew when he managed Smelko in the minors.

A decade later, Smelko was coaching baseball at Monte Vista High when he bumped into Cannizzaro at the La Mesa Oktoberfest. The chance encounter led Cannizzaro to joining the Monarchs staff, where he coached from 1996-98.

“With as many things as he had been through, he made our teams and our kids and our coaching staff better,” Smelko said. “His greatest line was, ‘If you sleep with dogs, you get fleas.’ You start thinking about it and it’s like, ‘Yeah, you don’t do the right thing, bad things are going to happen,’

“The other thing he would say after games, win or lose, is, ‘Turn the page.’ He was very important to us.”

Cannizzaro stayed involved with baseball locally at the college level as well. He worked on staff at USD for head coach Rich Hill, another one of his son’s teammates at SDSU, from 1999-2006.

“It was an unreal experience for our players to have a veteran of major league baseball and a true ‘baseball guy’ around them all the time,” Hill said. “In this day and age in our game we’re surrounded by young assistant coaches all the time and he provided that elder leadership, that wisdom, that grandfatherly guy who was invaluable.

“And he was a true character of the game, believe me.”

In a story on mlb.com a decade ago, Cannizzaro spoke about what baseball meant to him.

7

“Life is good when you have a baseball uniform on,” he said. “It is so special to be able to teach kids how to win and to me teaching is winning.

“As long as you have a reason to learn you will love baseball, and I always will ’til the day I die.”

Cannizzaro is survived by his wife Janice, sons Chris Jr. and Ken, daughter Kimberlee, stepdaughters Marcia, Tricia and Jennifer and 11 grandchildren.

Services are private, but a public memorial is being planned for February.

8

Offseason: Slow going for Blash in Dominican

Jeff Sanders Contact Reporter

In 2016, Jabari Blash was tasked with wrestling away playing time from a trio of veteran . The job this spring is fending off the youngsters poised to take over the Padres’ outfield.

Some momentum would help. Of course, a healthy finger remains most important.

Toward that end, the middle finger strain that ended Blash’s season in mid-August has responded well in his assignment with Escogido in the Dominican Republic’s winter league. That news trumps the numbers that the 27-year-old has put up through his first 13 games: three hits in 26 at-bats (.115 avg.), two RBIs, three walks and nine strikeouts.

A Rule-5 pick last year, Blash paired a .169/.298/.324 batting line with three homers, five RBIs and 34 strikeouts in 71 at-bats over his two stints in the majors. He fared much better at Triple-A El Paso – .260/.415/514, 11 homers, 30 RBIs in 62 games – but is far from guaranteed a spot on next year’s Opening Day roster.

Although Blash is now the oldest outfielder on the 40-man roster, top prospects (22) and Hunter Renfroe (24) and youngsters Alex Dickerson (26) and (25) figure to enter spring training with a leg up in what could be a position battle that lasts until camp breaks.

WINTER LEAGUE ROUNDUP

 Mexican: Once a top prospect in the organization, 2B Fernando Perez (Lake Elsinore) continues to show well this winter. He is hitting .315/.385/.454 with three homers and 14 RBIs in 43 games for Hermosillo. … RHP Cesar Vargas (San Antonio) struck out 13, walked six and allowed three 9

runs in 13 2/3 innings (1.98 ERA) out of the bullpen. … 3B Christian Villanueva (minor league signee) hit .278/.359/.444 with three homers and nine RBIs in 15 games for Obregon.  Venezuelan: SS Jose Rondon (San Antonio) singled three times Thursday, giving him 11 hits in his last 36 at-bats. He is hitting .263 with one homer, 15 RBIs and two steals in 55 games this winter in preparation to compete for the starting shortstop gig. … OF Rafael Ortega (minor league signee) hit .250/.336/.389 with five doubles, five triples and six RBIs in 28 games for Anzoategui.  Australian: C Marcus Greene Jr. (Fort Wayne) leads the league with 18 RBIs and remains tied for the lead with five homers. He is hitting .268/.286/.463 with 16 strikeouts. … RHP Zech Lemond (Lake Elsinore) has yet to allow a run in 10 innings. He has struck out 13, walked five, hit a batter and allowed four hits.

10

San Diego a playground for young talent in '17

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | December 30th, 2016

SAN DIEGO -- If 2016 offered a brief glimpse into the Padres' future, then the new season figures to put that future on full display.

The Friars enter 2017 with one of the most inexperienced rosters in baseball, staunchly committed to giving their youngsters a chance to shine.

"There's going to be opportunity for guys to establish themselves," Padres skipper said at the Winter Meetings.

Added general manager A.J. Preller: "That's probably going to be the direction that gets us into a winning environment -- is to find out about some of these guys."

Of course, the Padres' youth brings with it a number of question marks. Here's a look at the five most important storylines facing San Diego in 2017.

1. How well can the Padres develop their young talent?

Of all the questions facing the Padres in 2017, this will likely have the biggest impact on the direction of the franchise. And it applies on multiple levels. In the Majors, youngsters like Austin Hedges, Hunter Renfroe, Manuel Margot and Luis Perdomo quite clearly possess potential. They'll be given the chance to realize it on a regular basis in 2017.

Perhaps more importantly, the Padres' recent commitment to their farm system has the organization brimming with lower-level talent. The development of those players -- Anderson Espinoza, , and Josh Naylor among them -- could make all the difference down the road.

2. Is this the Padres' outfield of the future?

Margot and Renfroe, the Padres' Nos. 2 and 3 prospects, respectively, received their big league callups in September. But for all intents and purposes, 2017 offers the first chance for the rookie duo to make a mark on the organization. 11

Margot -- with his elite outfield defense and knack for hitting line drives -- and Renfroe -- with his overwhelming power potential -- could become fixtures in the Petco Park outfield. With Alex Dickerson and Travis Jankowski already on board, the Friars hope they have an outfield core in place for years to come.

3. Has the Hedges era begun?

For years, Hedges was the Padres' catcher of the future. As of Dec. 2 -- when San Diego dealt Derek Norris to the Nationals -- Hedges is now the catcher of the present.

Much has been made about Hedges' prowess behind the plate, and rightfully so. He's been touted across the baseball world as a brilliant defensive backstop, and there seems to be little doubt that the 24-year-old can handle a pitching staff.

But can he hit? He's done so in the Minors, posting a .326/.353/.597 slash line for Triple-A El Paso in 2016. Yet it hasn't carried over at the Major League level (in an admittedly small sample). Hedges will almost certainly get the chance to play every day in '17. And to take the next step, he'll need to start solving big league pitching.

4. Who eats the innings?

As it stands, none of the five rotation spots has been locked up -- though newly signed Clayton Richard and Jhoulys Chacin, as well as Perdomo and Christian Friedrich, are early favorites. Both Chacin and Richard reportedly turned down more lucrative offers elsewhere for a chance to start with the Padres. Chacin is currently pitching for Leones del Caracas in the Venezuelan Winter League. In five outings there, he has posted a 2.54 ERA.

The other spot could come down to a competition between Jarred Cosart, Paul Clemens and Cesar Vargas, but the Padres would like to add at least one more candidate to the mix before Spring Training.

Of course, an Opening Day staff almost never persists throughout the entire season. (By August, every member of the Padres' 2016 season-opening rotation was either hurt or traded.) With that in mind, youngsters like Dinelson Lamet, Walker Lockett and Michael Kelly could be given a first crack at the big leagues as the year progresses.

12

5. Time to commit to Myers?

Wil Myers was undoubtedly the biggest bright spot for the Padres in 2016. In his first fully healthy big league campaign, the 26-year-old first baseman earned an All-Star nod and established himself as a potential franchise cornerstone.

As it stands, Myers is set to remain in San Diego through the 2019 season. But his agent and the club are in early discussions regarding an extension. It's a move that makes plenty of sense, given that Myers will be in his prime when the Padres' lower-level talent reaches the Majors.

There are certainly question marks surrounding a possible extension, most notably Myers' history of wrist ailments. But his 2016 performance -- and the fact that he stayed healthy throughout the season -- might be enough to quell the Padres' concerns.

13

Former MLB catcher Cannizzaro dies at 78 Original '62 Met, first Padres All-Star played 13 seasons

By David Adler / MLB.com | December 31st, 2016

Chris Cannizzaro, an original 1962 Met and the first All-Star in Padres franchise history, died on Thursday at the age of 78.

The former catcher, who played in the Major Leagues for 13 seasons from 1960-74, had been suffering from lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. The Padres acknowledged his passing on Friday.

Cannizzaro was born on May 3, 1938, in Oakland. He began his professional baseball career with the Cardinals, making his MLB debut on April 17, 1960.

Before the Mets' inaugural season in 1962, New York drafted Cannizzaro with the 26th pick of the Expansion Draft. Cannizzaro played in 59 games for the Mets that season, and he spent four years in New York, leading the Major Leagues in caught-stealing percentage in '62 and '65.

In March 1969, Cannizzaro was traded to the Padres, who were about to begin their first season in the Major Leagues. Cannizzaro caught the first game in San Diego franchise history, a 2-1 win over the Astros on April 8. He went on to earn his only All-Star nod that season, in which he played a career-high 134 games.

In addition to the Cardinals, Mets and Padres, Cannizzarro also played for the Pirates, Cubs and Dodgers before his retirement in 1974. He finished his career with a .235 batting average and 18 home runs in 740 games, with a 41 percent caught-stealing rate. After retiring, Cannizzaro coached in the Padres, Braves and Angels organizations, as well as at the .

"Life is good when you have a baseball uniform on," Cannizzaro told MLB.com in 2002.

According to The San Diego Union-Tribune, a public memorial for Cannizzaro is being planned for February.

14

We start Padres' top 100 list with SS Gomez, C Cannizzaro Counting down the top 100 Padres contributors

By Bill Center / | January 2nd, 2017

We're starting a new list, looking at 100 players, officials and media members who have done the most for the Padres over the ballclub's first 48 seasons in the National League.

This is not a composite list. It is mine, and I invite you to disagree.

We'll work in reverse order, discussing two entries per day, Monday through Friday, for the first month of the year, then one per day until we reach No. 1.

Let's begin with Nos. 100 and 99:

100. Shortstop Chris Gomez

The nickname teammates gave Gomez speaks volumes. "Steady Eddie" played for the Padres from 1996 through 2001.

He was not the greatest shortstop the Padres ever had, nor the most productive. But Gomez, who did not enjoy the spotlight, had a knack for being in the right place at the right time and making the right play -- offensively and defensively -- with little fanfare.

During the Padres' National League West title run in 1996 and National League pennant drive in '98, the sure-handed Gomez made clutch plays in the field as well as delivering a number of clutch hits, particularly during the '98 season. Gomez batted .253 in San Diego with a .331 on-base percentage. He had 13 homers, 147 RBIs and 179 runs in 533 games with the Padres, but every one of those seemed to come in a clutch situation.

99. Catcher Chris Cannizzaro

15

Cannizzaro was far more than the Padres' first All-Star. Working with pitching coach Roger Craig, Cannizzaro helped develop a group of young pitchers into a staff that improved greatly during the Padres' first three seasons.

Cannizzaro, who died Thursday at the age of 78, joined the Padres for their inaugural season -- coming from Pittsburgh on March 28, 1969 with pitcher , in exchange for first baseman and second baseman .

Cannizzaro immediately became the Padres' starting catcher and hit .220 with four homers and 33 RBIs in a career-high 134 games as a 31-year-old. But it was his work with a young cadre of pitchers -- 21-year-olds , Al Santorini and , along with , Steve Arlin and Mike Corkins -- that made Cannizzaro a valued piece of the club.

Cannizzaro was with the Padres from 1969-71 and returned in '74. He had a .238 career batting average while with San Diego, with eight homers and 107 RBIs in 292 games. He was selected over Nate Colbert and Ollie Brown as the Padres' first All-Star, although Cannizzaro did not appear in the 1969 Midsummer Classic.

16

Inbox: Will Lamet make the Padres' staff? Beat reporter AJ Cassavell answers questions from San Diego fans

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | January 2nd, 2017

The Friars shored up their starting five with the additions of Jhoulys Chacin and Clayton Richard last month. But there's still work to be done -- both in the rotation and in the 'pen. Offensively, shortstop is the most glaring hole. But the market is thin, and it's unclear how general manager A.J. Preller wants to fill that void. With that in mind, here are some of your most pressing Padres questions, as the calendar turns.

The Padres are pursuing a shortstop to compete with Luis Sardinas. Are they looking for an MLB- ready young shortstop or an established veteran? -- Aaron C., San Diego • Submit a question to the Padres Inbox

If it's the right fit, the Padres would gladly take either option -- and they've already inquired about on both ends of the spectrum. They've pursued trades for young shortstops with upside. And they've looked into signing -- or trading for -- a veteran.

San Diego seems more inclined to go after a talented but unproven youngster. Sure, the farm system is deep at short. But it's an extremely volatile position. The more talent the club can add, the better. After all, the Padres have been searching for their "shortstop of the future" for the better part of the past decade.

What are the chances Dinelson Lamet makes the 2017 club? -- Kevin F., Escondido, Calif.

Will Lamet crack the squad out of camp? His chances aren't great. After all, a year ago, he opened the season at Advanced Lake Elsinore. But don't rule it out entirely. The Richard and Chacin signings probably take Lamet out of the rotation battle. But some feel his fastball/slider combo could play well in the bullpen. As it stands, the Padres fully expect Lamet to begin the season as a starter at Triple-A. But he stands to earn a big league bullpen job if he can impress this spring. The Padres have reiterated that they view

17

Lamet as a starter in the long term. But a Major League relief role could offer the club's No. 18 prospect some critical experience.

What Minor League arms do you expect to make an impact this year? -- Roy T., Citrus Heights, Calif. Even if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster, I expect Lamet to make an impact. I'd also guess that by the end of the season, Walker Lockett gets a chance, as well. But the Padres could see a bigger boost from the youngsters in their bullpen. Jose Torres got his callup in late September, and he showed off a very lively arm. Phil Maton made the jump from Class A to Triple-A last season, and he pitched some important innings in El Paso's run to the Pacific Coast League title. The Padres like the life on Maton's fastball, and the 23-year-old righty could make an impact sooner than you'd think.

With the patchwork rotation, do you see the Padres being more creative with their starters and relievers -- possibly trying a four-man rotation and/or using guys in Andrew Miller-type roles? -- Terrence D., San Diego I wouldn't expect anything close to a four-man rotation, especially considering the young arms that the Padres are trying to develop. There's no reason to push Luis Perdomo more frequently than once every five days. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if the Friars went with something of a six-man hybrid, inserting an extra starter when there isn't an off-day.

As for the second part of the question, manager Andy Green could get very creative with his bullpen use this year. Carter Capps should be healthy by April, and if he returns to his old form, the back end of the 'pen could surprise some people. It's easy to see Brad Hand being given an Andrew Miller-type role this year -- a Miller lite, if you will. He's certainly capable of pitching multiple innings. And he's a strikeout threat against both lefties and righties -- making him a great option in almost any high-leverage situation. If Hand can thrive in that role, he could be an appealing chip come trade season.

Any idea who the closer might be? Is that person here, or will it be a trade or free-agent signing? The Padres aren't opposed to adding another late-inning reliever to the mix. But, as I mentioned, they're already bullish on the back end of their bullpen. Hand, Ryan Buchter and Capps are all solid options for the closer role, but Brandon Maurer figures to get the first shot.

Maurer struggled with his slider early in the season, but he was actually quite good during the second half. In 29 appearances after the break, Maurer posted a 3.10 ERA. It should come as

18 no surprise that he began to improve once his slider velocity returned. With his strong finish, Maurer earned himself first crack at the closer role. But the Padres have no shortage of late- relief options.

19

2016: The Year in San Diego Sports It was a trying year, to say the least By Derek Togerson So I was asked to do what we in the media refer to as a “year-ender.” It’s a look back at the last 12 months in the San Diego sporting landscape. But the request was to do it with a bit of optimism. After hearing that caveat my first thought was “Can I just donate a kidney? That would be easier.”

I mean let’s face it, 2016 was not exactly the best year for San Diego sports. We almost lost our football team only to find out we’re probably going to lose our football team … our baseball team traded away pretty much every familiar face … our teams missed the NCAA Tournament … and arguably the most recognizable athlete from our town got in trouble with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

So let’s take a walk down amnesia lane, month by month, to see why 2017 can really only be an improvement.

JANUARY The year started with the Chargers completing their 4-12 season in a 27-20 loss to the eventual Super Bowl champion Denver Broncos. Then they gave embattled head coach Mike McCoy a contract extension. Then they went to Houston expecting to have their Carson stadium plan approved so they could leave San Diego and head to Los Angeles. Dean Spanos went to Houston for the decision and had his teeth kicked in by NFL owners, who voted 30-2 to let Stan Kroenke move the Rams to Inglewood instead.

Of course all that did was start the next act in what was a comedy of errors that nobody found at all funny.

The Padres made a couple of nice additions, adding infielder Adam Rosales and reliever Ryan Buchter. But they made a not-so-nice addition with shortstop Alexei Ramirez. But, the All- Star game at Petco Park was just seven months away!

We did get to see one of the most interesting Farmers Insurance Opens of all time. After a couple of picturesque days of golf the weather over Torrey Pines was outright nasty. One of the very few players to finish his round on Sunday was Brandt Snedeker. By the time the day was over he was the clubhouse leader so he had to stick around for Monday to see if he had done enough to get in to a playoff. That takes us to …

FEBRUARY On February 1, Snedeker warmed up on the driving range, did not hit a shot, and won the tournament when nobody else could go get him.

20

The Padres started Spring Training with hopes of getting back to respectability. Signing closer Fernando Rodney was a nice addition. In fact he was soon to be on his way to the All-Star Game at Petco Park. Of course it would be in another uniform but THAT’S HOW 2016 WENT FOR US!

The Chargers made waves in February when they revealed they would be putting together a proposal to build a new stadium/convention center annex in Downtown San Diego. The plan was assembled without input from any of the local political structure, which immediately organized to start opposing it.

On the penultimate day of the month, however, we had some good news. Jimmie Johnson won the Folds of Honor QuikTrip 500 in Atlanta, the first victory in what would become a season for the ages for the El Cajon native.

MARCH

The month started with the Padres playing their annual Charity Game against the Mariners in Peoria. San Diego lost 7-0. Little did we know this would be a precursor of how the entire season would go. They also traded Ramona High School alum Nick Vincent to the Mariners.

The Aztecs basketball team lost in the finals of the Mountain West Conference Tournament to Fresno State, missing out on a trip to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2009. They ended up in the NIT, where they lost in the semi-finals to George Washington.

The Chargers released the details of their $1.8 billion stadium initiative, asking for $1.15 billion dollars in public money in the form of a hotel tax increase. With a republican Mayor. In , one of the most tax-averse states in the union.

In the Major Arena Soccer League, the Sockers lost to the Sonora Suns in the Pacific Division Final. After winning four straight league championships the Sockers ran their title-less skid to three straight seasons.

But, U.C. San Diego’s men’s basketball team made it to the 3rd round of the NCAA Division II West Region Playoffs, giving us something to keep March from completely stinking.

APRIL At the Masters Phil Mickelson, the most successful and recognizable golfer from our town, missed the cut at the Masters, a tournament he has won three times, after imploding with a 79 on Friday.

The Padres opened the 2016 regular season with a series against the Dodgers at Petco Park. Los Angeles won the opener 15-0, the only game San Diego ace Tyson Ross would pitch all season (shoulder and leg injuries ended his year after that loss) then were shut out 3-0 and 7-0.

21

Thank goodness for the Gulls! In their inaugural American Hockey League season San Diego’s professional hockey team went to the playoffs, knocking off Texas in the opening round before falling to Ontario in the Pacific Division Finals. The Gulls were easily one of the most fun stories in San Diego sports in 2016

The Chargers held a signature drive to try and get people to support their citizens’ initiative for a Downtown stadium/convention center. Even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell showed up to say we can have a Super Bowl if we build a new facility.

At the end of the month the Chargers had a really good NFL Draft. They took , and Jatavis Brown, all of whom turned in to impact players as rookies.

MAY

The Chargers had their rookie mini-camps and people raved about Bosa. Little did they know that trouble was brewing on that front.

Mickelson was caught in an insider trading scandal and ordered by the SEC to repay nearly $1 million. He allegedly received a stock tip from a notorious gambler and bought several shares, partially to repay a gambling debt.

But former SDSU star Kawhi Leonard gave us a positive when he was named the NBA’s Defensive Player of the Year.

So did Chula Vista native Paul Arriola, who played his first game as a member of the U.S. Men’s National Team and scored a goal in a friendly against Puerto Rico. Arriola also set up Bobby Wood for a goal in a 3-1 United States victory. He would score again in a World Cup qualifier in September against Trinidad & Tobago.

This month U.C. San Diego students voted to increase athletics fees and move the school from Division II up to Division I. In December the faculty would also vote in favor of making the move. By the end of the year the Tritons were only waiting on an invitation to join the Big West Conference to make the move official.

JUNE

This is the month that things really started going crazy. In the first week the Padres traded James Shields to the White Sox for Erik Johnson and Fernando Tatis Jr., the first sign that the youth movement was fully on. By the end of the month they had also traded Rodney to the Marlins for Chris Paddack. In between they found a massive positive when they stumbled upon Ryan Schimpf. The elderly rookie (he’s 28 years old) 2nd baseman ended up third on the team with 20 home runs in just 276 at-bats.

22

Things started unraveling for the Chargers in June. They submitted their signatures on the citizens’ initiative with no problem but found out their plan would need two-thirds approval from voters, not the simple majority they had expected. That put the Bolts behind the proverbial 8-ball and they decided to scale back the campaign for the measure knowing it would be a lost cause. NO tax increase of any kind in California will garner 66% approval. Also in June first round pick Joey Bosa decided he was not going to practice until his contract situation was sorted out. That set off another round of the team horribly botching a contract negotiation, something fans in San Diego have become all too familiar with.

Back to baseball for a moment: the Padres selected Stanford right-hander Cal Quantrill with the 8th overall pick in the MLB Draft. He signed 11 days later. The Friars also selected one Quinn Hoffman in the 36th round. However, Trevor’s son decided going to play at Harvard was a better bet at this point in his career. It’s a cliché but he made the smart move. You don’t turn down an Ivy League education for the bus leagues!

And in the first round of that draft La Costa Canyon outfielder Mickey Moniak was selected first overall by the Phillies. He joins San Diego products , Adrian Gonzalez, , and (who played for the San Diego Show and San Diego Stars travel ball teams) as the first player taken in the Draft.

JULY

The Padres went temporarily insane in July. They spent a whole lot of cash on international free agents. Exact numbers for Venezuelan players are not made public because of the potential for danger to the players’ families but by the time the year was over the Friars had committed what is believed to be more than $80 million to players from Cuba, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia and Taiwan, most of them still teenagers.

But the All-Star Game at Petco Park was a smashing success. , who would have one of the greatest offensive seasons in San Diego Padres history with 28 home runs, 28 doubles and 28 stolen bases, participated in the Derby and was hitting cleanup as the National League’s . threw a scoreless inning. USD product hit a first inning home run. But the American League won the game 4-2. Multiple writers and baseball executives raved about San Diego as a host city and openly campaigned to have the Midsummer Classic return.

Not long after that game the Padres traded Pomeranz to the Red Sox for super-prospect Anderson Espinoza. By the time the month was over the Friars had also dealt Melvin Upton Jr., Andrew Cashner, Colin Rea, Tayron Guerrero and Matt Kemp for a bunch of prospects, quick fixes in the rotation, or cash.

The Chargers started training camp (without Joey Bosa) and in the first week lost wide receiver Stevie Johnson to a season-ending knee injury. That would once again become a theme for the Chargers in 2016. 23

The Albion Pros and North County Battalion both reached the playoffs of the National Premiere Soccer League in their inaugural seasons, proving again San Diego is one of the best soccer markets in the nation.

AUGUST

Much like the entirety of the United States Olympic team, Olympians from San Diego had a fantastic showing at the 2016 Rio Games. No fewer than 15 athletes who either live or grew up in America’s Finest City won a medal. Bonus points since none of them made up a story about being mugged.

The Padres took a misstep this month when they had to take Colin Rea back from the Marlins after Miami realized he had a serious elbow issue. This, along with the Pomeranz trade, sparked an investigation that revealed the team had been keeping two sets of medical records, a big-time NO-NO. General Manager A.J. Preller ended up suspended for a month and eventually, although it’s not been proven, there has been rampant speculation that the scandal contributed to former C.E.O Mike Dee leaving the organization.

The Chargers played their preseason games, starting with a tilt against the Titans in Nashville where running back Melvin Gordon found the end zone for the first time on an NFL field. That turned out to be an indicator that Gordon was in for a Pro Bowl-caliber year.

SEPTEMBER

Joey Bosa ended his holdout and signed a 4-year contract but tweaked a hamstring and missed the first four games of the season. They could have used him.

The Chargers opened the season with a game in Kansas City and things could not have been going better. They jumped out to a 21-3 lead and looked ready to demolish their division rivals until wide receiver Keenan Allen tore his ACL. The team was not the same after that, blowing the first of what would be many double-digit leads in the 4th quarter of games and losing 33-27 in overtime. The Bolts would beat the Jags then lose to the Colts on the road.

The Aztecs football team opened the season with three straight wins and found themselves ranked in the Top-25.

The Padres finished the regular season with a whimper, getting swept by the Diamondbacks in the season’s final series (which actually stretched in to October). By losing three straight they “earned” the third overall pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. But the Friar Faithful had a reason to get excited.

The won the Pacific Coast League championship behind the most potent offense in the minor leagues. Outfielder Hunter Renfroe was named MVP of the PCL while infielder Carlos Asuaje earned Newcomer of the Year. They were both called up to the big 24 club, along with outfielder Manuel Margot and catcher Austin Hedges, at the end of September. All of them made a contribution but it was Renfroe’s prodigious power that had people buzzing. He became the first person ever to hit a home run on the very top of the Western Metal Supply building in left field.

OCTOBER

The Aztecs opened the month with a loss on the road against South Alabama, knocking them back out of the Top-25. They did win the next four when Mountain West Conference play started and running back Donnel Pumphrey became a national topic of conversation with his quest to become a Heisman Trophy candidate.

San Diego State also named John David Wicker its new Director of Athletics in October. In August Jim Sterk had left the school for the same position at Missouri.

The Chargers opened the month by losing another monster 4th quarter lead, this time handing Drew Brees and the Saints a pair of 4th quarter in a 35-34 New Orleans win. The next week in Oakland Bosa finally showed up and had a pair of sacks but another rookie, punter , botched a punt and dropped a snap on what would have been a game-tying field goal try in a 34-31 loss to the Raiders. Back-to-back wins over the Broncos and Falcons showed the Bolts have the ability to beat anybody … but another loss in Denver kept the Bolts from being able to reach the .500 mark.

The University of San Diego Toreros made us take notice of their football team in October. During the month ’s team went 5-0 and outscored its opponents 210-33 in the process.

But the biggest sports story of the entire year had a San Diego influence. The FINALLY won the World Series with USD star Bryant at 3rd base, former Padre Anthony Rizzo at 1st base, and a front office filled with former Padres executives like Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod, the architects of the roster that broke the Curse of the Billy Goat.

NOVEMBER

In a year full on nonsense, thank goodness for Jimmie Johnson. The Granite Hills High School alum won the final NASCAR race of the season at Homestead Miami Speedway to clinch his record-tying 7th series championship. Johnson now has as many points titles as Dale Earnhardt and Richard Petty, making him arguably the greatest driver in NASCAR history.

The Chargers kept their playoff hopes alive with wins over the Titans and Texans but hurt them with a loss to the Dolphins, a game where Philip Rivers threw four in the 4th quarter of a 31-24 Miami win. 25

The Aztecs saw their Mountain West Conference winning streak come to an end with a 34-33 loss at Wyoming.

But, the Toreros won the Pioneer League and then won their first FCS playoff game, beating Cal Poly SLO on the road 35-21.

MLB postseason awards were handed out and Bryant was named the National League MVP while Rancho Buena Vista High School alum and former Padres bench coach Dave Roberts won the National League Manager of the Year award for leading the Dodgers to another N.L. West division title.

Oh, there was also that little vote on Measure C. The Chargers convadium initiative only garnered 43% of the vote. Chargers Chairman Dean Spanos then started holding every Bolts fan hostage when he said he would not make a decision on moving to Los Angeles or not until after the season ends. DECEMBER

The speculation on whether or not the Chargers will stay in San Diego hit a fever pitch this month. Spanos was quoted as saying he was leaning towards moving the team to L.A. but still had not made a final decision. The team even reached a lease agreement on 100,000 square feet of office space in Costa Mesa that it can possibly use to build offices and a nearby practice facility.

In the meantime the team launched itself on a 4-game losing skid, including a Christmas Eve loss on the road to the 0-14 . Through all of this head coach Mike McCoy somehow kept his job.

The Aztecs beat Wyoming in Laramie to win the MWC Championship Game, its second straight conference title, then went to Sin City and whipped Houston 34-10 in the Las Vegas Bowl. In the process Pumphrey finished his career and ’s all-time leading rusher in the eyes of the NCAA, an amazing accomplishment for a kid who is 5-foot-9 and weighs 180 pounds.

The Toreros had their season come to an end with a 45-7 loss in the FCS playoffs at North Dakota State, who had won five consecutive national championships. USD also named Bill McGillis the Director of Athletics after Ky Snyder was promoted within the University. In women's basketball La Jolla Country Day alum Kelsey Plum broke the all-Time Pac-12 Conference scoring record. The Washington Husky star did it in style, too, dropping 44 points on Boise State that game.

Also, to Padres were not done making moves, signing left-hander Clayton Richard and right- hander Jhoulys Chacin to free agent contracts and traded catcher Derek Norris to the Washington Nationals for right-hander Pedro Avila.

26

In high school football both Madison High School and Cathedral Catholic High School won California State Championships.

IN CONCLUSION That’s the big stuff and a little bit of the small stuff from this year in San Diego Sports. I know you all have things I missed so please, let me know on Twitter (@DerekNBCSD) if I did or what you think were the high and low points of the 2016 year in San Diego sports. One thing I sincerely hope for in 2017 is trying to find a positive spin is not nearly as difficult as this year was.

27