Padres Press Clips Thursday, October 5, 2017

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Padres have talent coming, but will also seek external UT San Diego Lin 2 options this offseason

Petco Park set to provide unique golf experience MLB.com Cassavell 4

5 essential offseason objectives for Padres MLB.com Cassavell 6

Padres' 2017 one of growth, development MLB.com Cassavell 9

Renfroe up for Roberto Clemente Award MLB.com Newman 12

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Padres have talent coming, but will also seek external options this offseason Dennis Lin More than 1,100 miles separate San Antonio from . More than 600 lie between El Paso and downtown San Diego. In 2018, several baseball players could traverse the distance relatively easily.

The Padres on Sunday finished their regular season, and thus their entire season. A roster loaded with youth but not premium talent went 71-91. Flipping that record will require help from a variety of sources.

Internal reinforcements appear to be close. While the Padres endured growing pains, their affiliates largely experienced success. -A San Antonio fielded multiple minor league stars; near the end of the season, the Missions featured three top-100 prospects in Cal Quantrill, Luis Urias and Fernando Tatis Jr. Low Single-A Fort Wayne, where Tatis Jr. thrived before jumping two levels, hosted a similarly intriguing group.

“There’s been a lot of positives on the minor league side,” General Manager A.J. Preller said. “Some guys have definitely put themselves in the conversation maybe a year or so earlier than if you had tried to map it out on paper from a prospects standpoint. … We’re starting to blend in more and more guys we think are big-league players, and I think it’ll make for a really interesting spring training.

“In terms of the competitive cycle, I think we’re still pretty realistic. I think we understand there’s going to be some growth for guys. At the big-league level, that’s always the hardest place for guys to come up and have immediate success.”

That statement certainly applied in San Diego. Hoping to move a step closer to contention, the Padres also will look outside the organization this offseason.

Shortstop, of course, has been a glaring need for the last decade.

“We’ll look at the guys that are available in free agency and possible trades, and then we’ve got to weigh that out versus some guys who are starting to come through the pipeline that we feel like are major league shortstops,” Preller said. “I think ultimately it’s an area we’ll address, but that is going to be the discussion ... how far away we think some of these guys are and then what’s the acquisition cost in terms of dollars or players to get somebody that we can plug in and play there right now for next year.”

Tatis Jr. is central in that discussion. At 18, he has established himself as the crown jewel in a deep farm system. Some talent evaluators think he will be ready for the majors before the end of

2 next season. At 6-foot-3, he is tall for his position, but the Padres do not envision him moving off it anytime soon.

“We think he’s a shortstop,” Preller said. “That’s where we’re evaluating him, and we feel like he’s a guy that has a chance to impact on both ends of the ball, offensively, for sure, and defensively.”

The Padres are guaranteed to sift through free agency for pitching options. Bringing back Jhoulys Chacin would help, though the right-hander is due for a significant raise after making $1.75 million this season. Starting-pitching prospects such as Quantrill, Joey Lucchesi and Jacob Nix could arrive in San Diego sometime in 2018, but asking them to provide consistent innings would be a bit premature.

“Some of the younger starters — (Dinelson) Lamet, (Luis) Perdomo — and then some of the group that’s in the minor leagues, I think we’ll start seeing more and more of those guys,” Preller said. “But I think we’ll be looking to the outside as well, to look and find some guys that we feel like can potentially pitch toward the front of the rotation and solidify the rotation for the next year.

“You always look to tinker with the bullpen,” Preller added. “Even if you have a dominant unit back there, bullpen success year to year changes.”

The volatility of relief pitching could prompt the Padres to move All-Star Brad Hand, whom they decided to retain at the July 31 trade deadline. Hand is under club control through 2019, and the asking price will continue to be high.

“He was similar to a few years ago when we had (Craig) Kimbrel,” Preller said. “We talked to teams about Kimbrel at the trade deadline in ‘15. There were teams that reached out early in that offseason and said, ‘OK, we’re still interested.’ I would expect that to probably be the case, but we’ll see how that plays out.”

Other trade candidates could come from an increasingly crowded picture at second base — “Luis Urias would be a guy for us that we’ll look at sooner rather than later,” Preller said — and the outfield, where the Padres may have a surplus if Alex Dickerson makes an effective return from back surgery.

“We’re comfortable bringing everybody into camp and letting them compete,” Preller said. “You need more than just your two starters at second base and third base. I think as we go into the offseason we’ll get hit on that depth that we have, and when you have areas of depth it potentially gives you the ability to improve the team in another spot. We’ll play that out. That’ll be one of the questions for the offseason.”

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Petco Park set to provide unique golf experience New nine-hole course to challenge players at 'The Links'

By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | 10:00 AM ET

SAN DIEGO -- After 81 home games this year, Petco Park will conclude its regular season by playing host to nine holes for nearly 3,000 golfers this weekend.

For the third year in a row, the Padres partnered with Callaway Golf to create "The Links at Petco Park," a nine-hole course located entirely within the confines of the stadium.

"It's just such a unique concept," said Jaclyn Lash, the Padres director of special events. "From my perspective, we've learned so much about building a golf course within a ballpark that we've perfected it more and more. Each year it gets better, and this year is our best year yet."

The Padres had already sold out all public tee times before the course opened Thursday morning. It features four new tee box locations, five different elevations and a unique scoring system: At each hole, golfers are permitted two shots, taking the best one. They're given a birdie, par or bogey, based on proximity to the flag.

This year's course was designed to challenge avid golfers a bit more than in years past, with bunkers and trees designed to make pin-seeking riskier. Once the Padres had established the tee boxes throughout the park, the design was sent to Gil Hanse, the golf course architect who designed the 2016 Olympic course in Rio.

"This course has a bite to it this year, for sure," said Nate Adelman, Callaway's marketing manager who helped create the concept. "If you're a really avid golfer, you'll come out here and appreciate the realism to a real golf course."

The course begins with a tee box on the third-base line hitting toward the first hole location in left field. It progresses to the upper deck, where the course's longest hole begins behind home plate and extends 167 yards into right field. 4

Hole 5 features a tee box behind home plate. And the course finishes with various holes beginning in left field -- including one under the scoreboard and another from atop the Western Metal Supply Co. Building.

"The Padres couldn't do it without us, we couldn't do it without the Padres; it truly is a collaboration to build something we couldn't do by ourselves," said Adelman. "The Padres know their facility better than anybody else, they know the cool parts of the park that they want the public to be a part of. And because of the character in this building, there are so many unique parts."

Added Lash: "We try to activate our ballpark here at Petco Park 365 days a year. It really is more than just a ballpark. Anything we can come up with creatively to activate the ballpark, we're going to look to do."

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5 essential offseason objectives for Padres By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | October 2nd, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- With the 2017 campaign in the books, a busy offseason awaits Padres general manager A.J. Preller.

San Diego exceded a few external expectations with a 71-91 record. But even with a young and developing roster, there are a number of holes that need to be filled by the start of the 2018 campaign.

Here's a breakdown of the five most pressing items on Preller's agenda this offseason.

Listen to offers for Brad Hand

Perhaps no reliever was more coveted at the Trade Deadline than Hand. Without an offer he deemed viable, Preller elected not to deal the 27-year-old left-hander. Sure enough, Hand posted a 1.95 ERA in the second half and will be in high demand once again this offseason.

If the situation sounds familiar in San Diego, it's probably because two years ago, Preller balked at dealing midseason. Then, the offseason came, and he found a suitor willing to offer four intriguing prospects, two of whom -- and Carlos Asuaje -- were playing regularly by the end of this season.

"We had Kimbrel in that situation," Preller said. "We talked to a few teams about Kimbrel at the Trade Deadline in '15. We get into that offseason, we had a couple teams reach out early, said, 'We're still interested.' I would expect that to probably be the case [with Hand]."

Hand, who posted a 2.16 ERA and 104 strikeouts in 79 1/3 innings, has two years of team control remaining. He'd be a fit just about anywhere. If Preller doesn't want to move Hand, maybe it's time the Padres consider an extension.

Sign a bridge to Tatis at short

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Three offseasons in a row, Preller has brought a stopgap solution at shortstop on board, much to the chagrin of Padres fans. Veterans Clint Barmes, Alexei Ramirez and Erick Aybar hardly inspired excitement for the future.

It's a bit different this offseason, with the emergence of Fernando Tatis Jr., one of the sport's fastest rising prospects. The 18-year-old standout could be making an impact by 2019, leaving Preller without reason to spend big bucks on a shortstop this winter.

"We'll look at the guys available in free agency and possible trades," Preller said. "And then we've got to weigh that out versus some guys who are starting to come through the pipeline that we feel are Major League shortstops." Among the candidates to fill the void for 2018 are J.J. Hardy, Alcides Escobar and Aybar.

Sort out the logjam at second and third base Preller has made it clear he doesn't view the excess options at second and third base as a problem. Cory Spangenberg, , Asuaje and Christian Villanueva could all compete for starting jobs next spring. No. 3 prospect Luis Urias isn't far behind them.

"We're comfortable bringing everybody into camp and letting them compete," Preller said. "You need more than just your two starters at second base or third base."

That said, it's very likely Preller will field calls on those positions. Solarte, in particular, seems like a nice trade piece, given his versatility, his experience and his team-friendly contract.

"As we go into the offseason, we'll get hit on that depth that we have," Preller said of the team's situation at second and third. "When you have areas of depth, it potentially gives you the ability to improve the team in another spot. We'll play that out."

Sign multiple rotation options

Five Padres starters are expected to return from various surgeries and be healthy by the start of camp come spring. All five have served in a rotation in the past. None of the five is a guarantee for an effective 2018 season.

With that in mind, Preller absolutely must add to the current mix, where Clayton Richard is the only lock. Dinelson Lamet, Luis Perdomo and Travis Wood will also return, and the Padres

7 are exploring the possibility of a reunion with Jhoulys Chacin, who is coming off his best season in four years.

"In an ideal world, it would probably be double-digit starters that you feel are realistic big league- type starting options," Preller said.

Hire a hitting coach

This one's as much Padres manager 's call as it is Preller's. But it's a priority nonetheless.

For the second year in a row, the Padres were the only team in the Majors with an on-base percentage below .300. They finished last in runs and batting average as well.

Preller and Co. have compiled a list of candidates and will begin the interview process this week. It could be a while before a decision is made, however, with the Padres likely to interview candidates from teams currently in the postseason.

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Padres' 2017 one of growth, development By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | October 2nd, 2017

SAN DIEGO -- Six Padres rookies played on Opening Day in Los Angeles -- a tone-setter for the youth-oriented approach the organization would take toward the 2017 season.

It was a year for development from the start, and the Padres certainly made plenty of strides -- with more than enough growing pains along the way.

With the franchise's 49th season in the rearview mirror, here's a breakdown of the five most important Padres storylines from the 2017 season.

1. Margot emerges as center fielder of the future No Padre impacted games more consistently this season than rookie center fielder Manuel Margot -- whether through his bat, his glove or his speed. Margot's numbers certainly weren't flashy, but he carved himself a niche as the franchise's center fielder of the future.

Margot entered the season as the Padres' top prospect. He missed four weeks with a calf injury in May. Upon his return, he began to wreak havoc on the bases and showcase his elite defense. At the plate, Margot always projected as an effective line-drive hitter. But he showcased his surprising power right away, beginning with two home runs against the Giants in the home opener.

Margot has professed his desire to become a superstar in the near future. He also wants to win a Gold Glove Award.

"You love to have a guy that had a very solid rookie campaign that can look back on his year and go, 'I'm better than that,'" Padres manager Andy Green said. "He's wired to succeed in the long ."

2. Hand still a Padre It was clear early on that Brad Hand would be one of the Majors' most sought-after targets at the non-waiver Trade Deadline. His 2016 success carried into '17 -- and then some. In July, Hand earned his first All-Star Game appearance. In September, he became the second Padres reliever in history to post consecutive 100-strikeout seasons, joining legendary closer .

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As a controllable reliever on a team that quickly fell out of contention, Hand garnered plenty of trade interest. More than half the league inquired about the left-hander's services in July, and with hours remaining before the Deadline, at least four teams were still in the mix.

Without an offer he deemed acceptable, general manager A.J. Preller chose not to sell. And, thus, Hand remains a Padre entering the offseason. He'll certainly be a hot commodity on the trade market. But Preller has already proven he's willing to hold onto Hand.

"I'm still happy to be here," Hand said. "Hopefully I'm here next year and for years to come."

3. Myers spins his tires Never one to shy away from lofty goals, entered 2017 eyeing a 40-40 season. Fresh off a six-year contract extension, Myers had emerged as a franchise cornerstone and got off to a torrid start in April.

Not much else went right for the slugging first baseman, who found himself mired in multiple prolonged slumps while taking a step back defensively as well. He finished with offensive numbers slightly below those of a league-average first baseman.

"This has been the toughest year I've ever had playing baseball," said Myers. "I need to be a lot better than that."

Fortunately for Myers and the Padres, there were flashes of brilliance interspersed among his extended struggles -- a reminder of what Myers is capable. He hit for the cycle in April. He led the team in homers and steals. Given his five seasons of big league experience, it's easy to forget Myers is only 26, with room for growth, like so many young Padres hitters.

4. Zinter out as on-base woes persist

For the second year in a row, the Padres' offense couldn't get out of its own way. They finished last in the Majors in runs, average and on-base percentage in 2017. And while they set a franchise record, it wasn't enough to save the job of hitting coach Alan Zinter.

The Padres parted ways with Zinter in early September and have already begun their search for a new hitting coach. Entering 2018, there is no bigger area for improvement than in the team's ability to reach base.

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"As we go through the process of searching for the next hitting coach, how we get on base better is going to be right at the top of the list of things we're going to talk about," said Green. "We have to do that in order to be successful.

"There's a lot to like about this club -- the resiliency, the fight, the overall vibe, energy. On-base [percentage] is not one of those things to like. We have to get better."

5. Youngsters offer hope for future The Padres entered the season with a goal to give their talented young players a season's worth of experience at the big league level. Mission accomplished. Margot, Hunter Renfroeand Austin Hedges endured the grind of a big league season for the first time. Meanwhile, rookies Dinelson Lamet and Carlos Asuaje served as pleasant surprises after early callups.

Every one of those players mentioned above -- and Myers, too -- is under team control for at least the next five seasons.

"We're pretty close-knit, and for the future, that's great," Asuaje said. "We're going to be playing for each other for a long time."

If everything goes according to the Padres' plan, 2017 will mark the year that their young core established itself in San Diego.

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Renfroe up for Roberto Clemente Award Annual honor recognizes MLB player who best embodies philanthropic spirit of late Hall of Famer

By Mark Newman / MLB.com | October 2nd, 2017

Voting is underway through Friday to help decide the overall winner of the prestigious Roberto Clemente Award, which goes to a player who best represents the game of baseball through extraordinary character, community involvement, philanthropy and positive contributions, both on and off the field.

Major League Baseball's 30 nominees (one from each organization) have focused their community work on important issues ranging from awareness and fundraising of childhood cancer and other illnesses, education, outreach to underserved children and communities in the U.S. and abroad, care for veterans and more. Here is the list, with full information on each candidate's community involvement:

Angels: Cameron Maybin A Boys & Girls Clubs of America alumni, Maybin gives back to youth in big ways, and the Angels wanted him to be their honoree even after his move to the Astros at the Trade Deadline. Astros: Jose Altuve In addition to the Altuve who bangs out hit after hit, there's the Altuve who signs autographs faithfully before every game, the Altuve who hosts youth clinics and the Altuve who tirelessly supports kids with cancer. Athletics: Liam Hendriks Hendricks' charitable efforts have extended around the globe, including this year's work with Big League Impact and Striking Out Poverty to help end poverty in the Dominican Republic. Blue Jays: Marcus Stroman Stroman is devoted to affecting the lives of others while leaving a legacy in communities across Canada, through such means as children's hospital visits, Boys & Girls Club interaction, and speaking at schools. Braves: Jason Motte With his "K Cancer" T-shirts widely recognized, Motte's foundation provides care and comfort to those affected by cancer and has raised more than $1.1 million for cancer research, projects and programs. 12

Brewers: Matt Garza Garza's outreach focuses on underserved youth, helping those impacted by domestic violence, and former military members. Cardinals: Adam Wainwright Wainwright has reached out by providing water solutions to more than 100,000 people in Latin America and Africa, donating $1 million to an athletic complex at his Georgia prep alma mater, making significant contributions to Cardinals Care and creating two foundations. Cubs: Anthony Rizzo Diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma at age 18, Rizzo overcame that disease and then became a champion for pediatric cancer patients and their families. D-backs: Paul Goldschmidt Goldschmidt supports Phoenix Children's Hospital with a level of volunteerism, leadership and financial commitment that has benefited multiple areas of the hospital for lasting impact. Dodgers: Justin Turner Turner commonly makes community appearances on behalf of the Dodgers, and his foundation supports homeless veterans and children battling life-altering illnesses. Giants: Buster Posey Posey is arguably the face of MLB when it comes to fighting pediatric cancer. He not only drives substantial funding and awareness, but also provides special experiences for patients and their families. Indians: Carlos Carrasco Carrasco has made significant contributions to his struggling native country of Venezuela, such as funding the shipment of medical supplies to hospitals there or donating equipment to youth seeking to follow in his footsteps. Mariners: Robinson Cano One of many examples of Cano's impact was when he donated 10 ambulances, purchased in the U.S., to communities in need in the Dominican Republic that did not previously have access to emergency response vehicles. Marlins: Dee Gordon After losing his mother to an act of domestic violence when he was a boy, Gordon was inspired to create Flash of Hope in her honor, providing resources to kids who cope with a similar fate. Mets: T.J. Rivera The Bronx native overcame his fear of public speaking and then became an inspired force in the community for the Mets, from handing out turkeys to working with Special Olympics and foster children.

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Nationals: Ryan Zimmerman Zimmerman's ziMS Foundation is dedicated to the treatment and ultimate cure of multiple sclerosis, which affected his mother. He also donated $1 million to support his alma mater Virginia's baseball program. Orioles: Chris Davis In 2016, Davis and his wife announced a partnership with the University of Maryland Children's Hospital, serving as ambassadors in helping to raise awareness for childhood illnesses. Padres: Hunter Renfroe Delivering toys to students enrolled at a school serving homeless youth, participating in baseball clinics for underserved kids, supporting Boys & Girls Club youths and military families, and personal visits to a children's hospital are just some of Renfroe's selfless acts. Phillies: Cameron Rupp The catcher uses his platform to bring awareness to the many animals in need, supporting the Pennsylvania Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PSPCA), and Rupp also is active in fighting ALS and helping Philadelphia's disaster preparedness. Pirates: Josh Harrison Harrison's "Blessings in a Backpack" initiative mobilizes communities, individuals and resources to provide food on the weekends for elementary school children across America who might otherwise go hungry. Rangers: Cole Hamels Hamels' foundation has provided more than $3.9 million to support education globally. Rays: Evan Longoria Longoria is dedicated to several charities in the Tampa Bay region, including Moffitt Cancer Center, the Rays Baseball Foundation and Pet Pal Animal Shelter in St. Petersburg. Reds: Scooter Gennett On the same day he tied a Major League record with four home runs in one game, Gennett visited the P&G Cincinnati MLB Youth Academy for the "Baseball Fantasy Camp for Kids" with Miracle League athletes. Red Sox: Rick Porcello A fixture in the Boston community from the moment he arrived, Porcello has donated time and money to support the Red Sox, the Red Sox Foundation and his teammates' charitable efforts. Rockies: Ian Desmond The five-time Heart and Hustle Award winner is a big supporter of the Children's Tumor Foundation, specifically focusing on neurofibromatosis, a genetic disorder that causes tumors to grow along nerve tissue, including the brain and spinal cord.

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Royals: Drew Butera Many on social media are aware of Butera's interaction with fans and eagerness to promote charity initiatives, such as the case of a boy battling cancer who colored his hair blue and was subsequently invited by Butera to a ballpark VIP experience once discharged from a hospital. Tigers: Miguel Cabrera The mission of his foundation is to revitalize neighborhood baseball fields and provide academic college scholarships, and its grant recipients have included the Clark Park Coalition and the Miracle League of Michigan in the greater Detroit community. Twins: Joe Mauer Among his wide body of community involvement, he and his wife recently donated funds to renovate a sports-themed playroom at Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare Hospital, providing a respite from medical treatment. White Sox: Jose Abreu Abreu's Amigos, a community program with the Easter Seals Metropolitan Chicago Therapeutic School and Center for Autism Research, seeks to provide opportunities for students with special needs to develop social skills in recreational settings. Yankees: Brett Gardner Gardner is an avid supporter of the Ronald McDonald House in both South Carolina and New York. He also tirelessly educates youths about the dangers of performance-enhancing drugs, hosts a Thanksgiving luncheon for active-duty soldiers and more.

"This award represents everything Roberto stood for as a good Samaritan," said MLB goodwill ambassador Vera Clemente, Roberto's wife. "Through the Roberto Clemente Award, today's players are recognized for these same qualities."

Each club nominates one current player to be considered for the Roberto Clemente Award in tribute to Clemente's achievements and character. The Puerto Rico native and Hall of Famer, who spent his entire career with Pittsburgh, died on New Year's Eve 1972 in a plane crash while attempting to deliver relief supplies to Nicaragua following an earthquake.

The Roberto Clemente Award winner will be selected among the group of nominees via a blue ribbon panel that includes individuals connected to the game, including Commissioner Rob Manfred, representatives from MLB-affiliated networks (MLB Network, FOX Sports, ESPN and TBS) and MLB Advanced Media, as well as Vera Clemente.

The winner of the fan balloting will count as one vote among those cast by the blue ribbon panel.

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