Padres Press Clips Friday, December 16, 2016

Article Source Author Page

Yangervis Solarte wins 2016 Tony Conigliaro Award UT San Diego Lin 2

Offseason: Lemond, Greene named Australian all-stars UT San Diego Sanders 4

Minor moves: Coleman added to shortstop mix UT San Diego Sanders 6

After trying year, Solarte earns Conigliaro Award MLB.com Cassavell 8

Hoffman, Padres were equally great in 1998 Padres.com Center 9

Yangervis Solarte Wins Tony Conigliaro Award NBC San Diego Lanza 11

Padres INF Yangervis Solarte wins Tony Conigliaro Award AP 12

1

Yangervis Solarte wins 2016 Tony Conigliaro Award

Dennis Lin Contact Reporter

Yangervis Solarte has been selected the recipient of the Tony Conigliaro Award by a committee of media members, Major League executives, Red Sox officials and members of the Conigliaro family. The Padres third baseman is the 27th winner of the annual award, given to a major league player “who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage that were trademarks” of Conigliaro.

Solarte, who was nominated by the Padres’ community relations department, received 11 first-place votes from a 20-person panel. He finished ahead of Phillies catcher Tommy Jospeh and Royals catcher Salvador Perez in the balloting.

Solarte, 29, experienced both on-field success and personal loss in 2016. On Sept. 17, his 31-year-old wife and the mother of their three daughters, Yuliett Pimentel Solarte, died of complications related to cancer. Solarte left the Padres in July to spend four days at his wife’s side, and again in September when her condition worsened.

A week after Yuliett’s death, Solarte rejoined the club. His children and his mother accompanied him to San Diego.

“From the beginning of the season, my wife had always pushed me and hadn’t wanted her illness to get in the way of things,” Solarte said upon his return. “She always wanted me to play and to remember I have three daughters. She was always reminding me of that.”

Solarte finished the season hitting .286 with 15 home runs and 71 RBIs — all career highs. He missed six weeks early in the year due to a hamstring strain.

2

“He’s had a heck of a year,” Padres manager said in September. “With what he’s been through at home, his ability to still perform on a baseball field has honestly been astounding to me.”

“In the midst of a personally challenging year, and despite suffering the kind of loss that many of us can’t fathom, Yangervis showed up to the ballpark each day and played his heart out, always supporting his teammates with a smile,” Tom Seidler, the Padres’ senior vice president of community and military affairs, said in a release. “The spirit, determination and courage he has displayed through personal tragedy could not be more representative of what the Tony Conigliaro Award is about.”

In honor of Yuliett, the Padres donated to — and encouraged players and fans to support — the Friends of Scott Foundation. The San Diego-based nonprofit’s mission is to help children with cancer and their families by providing emotional and financial support.

A native of Swampscott, Mass., Conigliaro a home in his first at-bat at in 1964. A year later, the became the youngest player to lead his league in home runs, with 32. He also became the youngest player to reach 100 career home runs, doing so at 22 years and 197 days old.

Conigliaro’s promising career was derailed in 1967, when he was struck in the face by an errant pitch. He missed all of the 1968 season before returning to play two more years in Boston, hitting a career-high 36 home runs in 1970. Declining vision led him to retire in 1971. He attempted another comeback with the Red Sox in 1975, but ended his career after batting .123 in 69 plate appearances.

Conigliaro suffered a heart attack in 1982. He died eight years later at the age of 45.

The award that bears his name will be presented to Solarte at the 78th Boston Baseball Writers’ dinner, co-hosted by the Boston chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America and the Sports Museum, on Jan. 19.

3

Offseason: Lemond, Greene named Australian all-stars

Jeff Sanders Contact Reporter

Few things have gone right for Zech Lemond since the Padres selected him in the third round out of Rice in the 2014 draft.

Until now, that is.

The 24-year-old right-hander was named to the World All-Stars roster this week in the Australian Baseball League after striking out 12 through the nine scoreless innings to start his stint with the Canberra Cavalry. Lemond has walked four, allowed just four hits and hit a batter in earning a win through his first seven appearances out of the bullpen, momentum that should play well as he begins his fourth year in the Padres organization.

Lemond could use it, too.

His ERA has jumped from 3.43 in his draft year to 5.54 in 2015 at high Single-A Lake Elsinore to 7.30 in 20 games (14 starts, 81 1/3 innings) spread between Lake Elsinore and -A San Antonio.

In his first 253 1/3 innings as a pro, Lemond is 13-19 with a 5.86 ERA, 196 strikeouts, 66 walks, a 1.56 WHIP and a .316 opponent batting average.

Lemond ranked 26th in ’s assessment of the Padres organization heading into the 2015 season before dropping out of the top-30. An 83-85 mph slider that profiled as a plus-plus pitch was one reason the Padres believed him to be the closest to the majors in his draft class, but he has yet to string much success since his initial aggressive assignment in the California League.

Catcher Marcus Greene Jr. is also an all-star on the World roster after blasting a league-best four homers through his first 16 games for Adelaide.

4

Acquired in the Will Venable trade in August 2015, the 22-year-old Greene is hitting .250/.273/.453 with 14 RBIs, two walks and 15 strikeouts in 64 at-bats. He hit .189/.268/.331 with six homers and 17 RBIs in 49 games at two A-ball stops upon returning from the procedure that limited him to 25 games in his last year in the Rangers organization.

WINTER LEAGUE ROUNDUP

 Dominican: Shut down the final weeks of the season due to a finger injury, OF Jabari Blash (El Paso) is off to a slow start for Escogido. The 27-year-old Blash is 2-for-22 with two RBIs, three walks and eight strikeouts through his first seven games. … CF Manuel Margot (El Paso) continues to lead the league with 14 stolen bases. He is hitting .259/.303/.343 with two homers, eight RBIs and six doubles. … RHP Rafael De Paula (San Antonio) has struck out seven and has yet to allow an earned run through his first 8 1/3 innings. He has allowed three unearned runs on six hits and three walks. … RHP Bryan Rodriguez (El Paso) has allowed seven runs – one earned – in 9 1/3 innings, while RHP Michael Dimock (El Paso) has allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings.  Mexican: A rotation option this spring, RHP Cesar Vargas has allowed three runs in 13 2/3 innings in his first action since coming back from last year’s season-ending elbow injury. He has struck out 13, walked six and scattered 15 hits in 10 games out of Hermosillo’s bullpen. … Teammate 2B Fernando Perez (Lake Elsinore) is hitting .344/.398/.505 with three homers and 13 RBIs in 36 games. … RHP Carlos Fisher, a minor league signee who pitched for -A Round Rock’s bullpen last year, has struck out 40 while fashioning a 1.68 ERA in 32 innings for Obregon.  Venezuelan: Recently re-signed to a minor league deal, C Hector Sanchez (El Paso) is 13-for-37 (.351/.415/.514) with a homer, three doubles and four RBIs through his first 11 games. He has struck out nine times and walked three times. … SS Jose Rondon (San Antonio) is hitting .252 with one homer, six doubles, three triples, nine RBIs and two steals in 43 games. … LHP Jose Castillo (Fort Wayne) has struck out seven through 11 1/3 scoreless innings, scattering nine hits and four walks. 5

Minor moves: Coleman added to shortstop mix

Jeff Sanders Contact Reporter

Today, Luis Sardinas is the clubhouse leader for starts at shortstop. The search for competition, to date, includes adding a 21-year-old who hasn’t ventured out of rookie ball in the Rule 5 draft and an early minor league signing in 29-year-old Dusty Coleman.

A 28th-round pick of the A’s out of Wichita State in 2008, Coleman appeared in five games in the majors in 2015 for the Royals (5 ABs, 3 Ks) after hitting .244/.321/.399 across parts of eight minor league seasons in Oakland’s and Kansas City’s affiliates.

The right-handed-hitting Coleman earned the cup of coffee by posting a career-best .805 OPS in 99 games for the Royals’ Double-A and Triple-A affiliates that year. He hit nine homers that year and blasted as many as 15 in 2011, when he also swiped a career-high 21 bases over 130 games between A-ball and Triple-A.

Coleman hit .244/.302/.418 with six homers and 26 RBIs in 63 games in 2016, most of them in the .

Given the lack of shortstops on the 40-man roster – Sardinas and Rule-5 pick Allen Cordoba, Coleman is a good bet to be in big league camp in February.

Meantime, the Padres have already lost the following minor leaguers to free agency: Right-handers Luis Diaz (Angels), Jose Dominguez (Giants) and Derek Eitel (Nationals), left-hander Frank Garces (Marlins) and outfielder Luis Tejada.

Third baseman Carlos Sosa has also been granted free agency, while Hector Sanchez and Jose Pirela have re-signed following their non-tenders.

6

SIGNED TO MINOR LEAGUE CONTRACTS FOR 2017

 C: Stephen McGee (Marlins), Hector Sanchez (Padres).  2B: Jose Pirela (Padres).  SS: Dusty Coleman (Royals).  OF: Rafael Ortega (Angels), Jamie Romak (Japan).  RHP: Logan Bawcom (Dodgers), Luis Eusebio (Carlos Fisher (Rangers), Aroni Nina (Royals), Andre Rienzo (Marlins).  LHP: Will Locante (D-backs).

REMAINING MINOR LEAGUE FREE AGENTS

 C: Miguel Del Castillo (25), Jason Hagerty (29), Jeff Ibarra (29), Hunter Redman (24), Ricardo Valenzuela (26).  1B: (30).  2B: Taylor Lindsey (25), Jemile Weeks (29).  3B: Mike Olt (28), Gabriel Quintana (24).  SS: Nick Noonan (27).  RHP: Daniel McCutchen (34), Aaron Northcraft (26), Carlos Pimentel (27), Seth Rosin (28).  LHP: Tim Berry (25), Daniel Moskos (30).

7

After trying year, Solarte earns Conigliaro Award By A.J. Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | December 15th, 2016

SAN DIEGO -- Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte was selected as the 18th winner of the Tony Conigliaro Award, given annually to "the Major Leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination and courage that were trademarks of Tony C."

The Award was voted upon by a group of 20 media members, executives, Red Sox officials and members of the Conigliaro family. Conigliaro, a former Red Sox outfielder, was hit in the face by a pitch in 1967, injuring his eye and ultimately shortening his career. He passed away in 1990 at the age of 45.

Solarte was nominated by the Padres after his wife, Yuliett Pimentel Solarte, died of cancer in September. Solarte had left the team to spend time at her side earlier in the year, and he returned in mid-September when her condition worsened. She passed away on Sept. 17.

"In the midst of a personally challenging year, and despite suffering the kind of loss that many of us can't fathom, Yangervis showed up to the ballpark each day and played his heart out, always supporting his teammates with a smile," Padres senior vice president of community affairs Tom Seidler said in a statement. "The spirit, determination and courage he has displayed through personal tragedy could not be more representative of what the Tony Conigliaro Award is about."

After his wife's passing, Solarte was told to take all the time he needed away from the club. Along with his three daughters, he returned to San Diego one week later.

While dealing with tragedy, Solarte posted a career year, batting .286 with 15 homers, despite missing more than a month with a hamstring injury. Upon his return, he capped a 14-game , the longest by a Padre all season.

"What he did last year was incredibly impressive, especially when you factor in what he went through on a personal level," Padres manager Andy Green said at last week's Winter Meetings. "[He] was constantly leaving the team to deal with some very, very difficult family issues." The Padres' organization came together for Solarte in his absence, hanging a jersey with "Yuliett" embroidered across the back. In one of the more emotional moments of the season, Adam Rosales -- who had replaced Solarte in the lineup -- homered the day after Yuliett's passing. Upon reaching home plate, he leapt onto the dish and mimicked Solarte's alligator clap -- his trademark celebration.

8

Hoffman, Padres were equally great in 1998 Most voters believed closer deserved Award

By Bill Center / | December 15th, 2016

If 1996 was exciting for the Padres, closer and the baseball fans of San Diego, then 1998 was off the charts.

"The 1998 season was the pinnacle," Hoffman said recently while reflecting on his Hall of Fame-worthy career.

"We had so many great players. We were stacked in the outfield, strong at the corners and had a horse behind the plate in Carlos Hernandez. And the starting pitching led by Kevin Brown, Andy Ashby and Joey Hamilton, and in the playoffs Sterling Hitchcock, was exceptional.

"Guys were unselfish in the bullpen. We checked our egos at the door. We had a lot of leaders, totally unselfish in their roles like Mark Sweeney. It was a truly great team and season."

The misfortune of those 1998 Padres -- like the 1984 edition against Detroit -- was to run into a team in the World Series that is ranked among the top dozen in the history of the game. Come the World Series, the Padres were swept by the .

But that didn't diminish at all what the Padres and Hoffman did in 1998.

The Padres set a franchise record with 98 wins and won their third West title by 9 1/2 games before defeating Houston and Atlanta en route to their second NL championship.

Left fielder Greg Vaughn -- who had 50 home runs, 119 RBIs and 112 runs scored -- was the only Padre to have a career year offensively in 1998. But every Padre regular had an on-base percentage of over .300.

"We created runs," recalled Hoffman. "We were great at scoring exactly when we needed to score. Like we talked about, everyone was picking up everyone else. I don't think [shortstop] Chris Gomez had a lot of RBIs, but I remember him driving in a lot of game-winning runs. The entire team played that way."

9

The 1998 Padres won a lot of close games. And close games meant a lot of opportunity for Hoffman, who did have a career year.

Hoffman had 54 save opportunities in 1998. He blew just one. His 53 saves tied the then NL record for saves in a season and was his career high. His 1.48 ERA was also the lowest of his career. Hoffman successfully converted 98.1 percent of his save chances in 1998. The Padres were 62-4 in games he pitched.

Hoffman pitched 73 innings over 66 games in 1998. He allowed 41 hits and 21 walks -- for a 0.849 WHIP -- with 86 strikeouts (or 10.6 per nine innings). Opposing hitters batted .165 against Hoffman. And his ERA in save situations was an incredible 0.49.

Hoffman placed second in the NL Cy Young Award voting for the first of two times in his career (he also placed second in 2006). And most felt he was robbed.

Tom Glavine of the won the award. But Hoffman had 13 first-place votes to Glavine's 11. Six voters left Hoffman off their ballots. Hoffman is one of two pitchers in the history of the award to not win the Cy Young after drawing more first-place votes.

In addition to placing second in the Cy Young Award voting, Hoffman was seventh in the NL Most Valuable Player voting.

The night of July 25, 1998, was particularly notable at Qualcomm Stadium. Hoffman's trot from the bullpen was accompanied by AC/DC's "Hell's Bells" for the first time. And on that night, Hoffman successfully converted his 41st straight save to tie a Major League record.

Hoffman struck out Houston's Moises Alou to preserve a 6-5 lead and tie the consecutive saves record. The next night, Alou homered off Hoffman to end the streak.

"That's the beauty of baseball right there," said Hoffman. "You can never get too high. Great checks and balances. It's both exhilarating and humbling. The highs and lows are what makes the game great. At some point, the game brings everyone to their knees."

10

Yangervis Solarte Wins Tony Conigliaro Award By Victoria Lanza San Diego Padres third baseman Yangervis Solarte was selected by the executives, officials and the Conigliaro family as the winner of the 2016 Tony Conigliaro Award on Thursday.

The Conigliaro award is granted to a “Major Leaguer who has overcome adversity through the attributes of spirit, determination, and courage.”

While Solarte had a successful season on the field finishing the year with a career high of 71 RBIs and 15 homeruns, his true battle occurred off the field. On September 17, Solarte lost his wife, Yuliette Pimentel Solarte to complications of cancer. Yuliette left behind their three young daughters.

Solarte returned to the field a week after his wife’s death accompanied by his mother and three daughters. During his emotional return the third baseman received a standing ovation when he went to the plate as a pinch-hitter. He singled one into left and as he reached first base he made a gesture to the sky to recognize his late wife.

The Conigliaro award originated in 1990 in memory of former Boston Red Sox outfielder Tony Conigliaro. Conigliaro was struck in the face by a pitch from Angels in 1967 that fractured his left cheek bone and dislocated his jaw.

Solarte received 11-first place votes and a total of 62 points. The award will be presented at the 78th Boston Baseball Writers dinner on January 19.

11

Padres INF Yangervis Solarte wins Tony Conigliaro Award

The Associated Press•Dec 15, 2016, 2:46 PM

BOSTON (AP) -- San Diego Padres infielder Yangervis Solarte is the winner of the 2016 Tony Conigliaro Award.

The annual honor goes to a baseball player who overcomes adversity through ''spirit, determination and courage.'' Solarte's wife, Yuliett Pimentel Solarte, died of cancer in September at the age of 31.

Despite missing time to be with his wife and take care of his three daughters after she died, Solarte played in 109 games, batting .286 and setting career highs with 15 home runs and 71 RBIs.

Conigliaro was the youngest player to lead his league in home runs. But he was never the same after he was beaned by Angels pitcher Jack Hamilton in 1967. Conigliaro died 1990 at the age of 45, eight years after a massive heart attack.

The award will be presented at the 78th Boston Baseball Writers' dinner on January 19.

12