Padres Press Clips Friday, March 18, 2016

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Blash’s blasts, Weddle’s barbs fuel sports week UT San Diego Miller 2

Cashner allows first runs this spring UT San Diego Lin 5

Thornton on LaRoche, kinds in the clubhouse UT San Diego Lin 7

Padres sign Mike Olt to minor league deal UT San Diego Lin 10

Projecting the Padres’ 25-man roster UT San Diego Sanders 13

Roster rankings: No. 11 UT San Diego Sanders 16

Jay, Kemp homer as defense hurts Cashner MLB.com Cassavell 17

Padres intrigued by potential of basher Blash MLB.com Cassavell 19

Padres sign Olt to Minor League deal MLB.com Cassavell 21

Padres sign 3rd baseman Olt to minor league contract Associated Press AP 22

Matt Kemp homers off as Padres fall to Giants 8-4 Associated Press AP 23

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Blash's blasts, Weddle's barbs fuel sports week Miller's lap through sports worlds hits Padres, Chargers, Aztecs — and the best player in college basketball By Bryce Miller | 6 a.m. March 18, 2016 A little bit about a lot …

There’s no doubt Padres perked up when JabariBlash hit another homer. Blash is the most intriguing, high-ceiling guys among the team’s group of affordable Rule 5 pickups. When you see Blash in person, you understand why.

He’s still learning how to protect a big strike zone. The man who hit 14 homers last August alone, though, gives you a chance to put a on the board every time he digs in. The guy needs to be on the 25-man roster. … This week, I wrote about the remarkable, under-the-radar career of the San Diego State basketball player Skylar Spencer. The senior became the winningest player in Mountain West Conference history when the Aztecs beat IPFW on Monday in the opening round of the NIT. Once I posted a link to the social media platform Twitter, Spencer responded from somewhere in the bowels of Viejas Arena. The line from Spencer, a low-scoring defensive specialist, proved as humble as it was funny: “when you get an A on a group project but didn't do anything.” The decision by LSU to skip the NIT is a head-scratcher. Tigers Johnny Jones said preparing the team for next season was the primary reason, but injuries also factored into it. Some message, huh? If things don’t go perfectly, pack it up and quit. This wasn’t a team that finished a dozen games under .500 with a roster that dwindled to four players. The Tigers finished 19-14 and remained in the hunt for a conference title until the final weekend of the regular season. LSU was embarrassed by Texas A&M, 71-38 on Saturday in the SEC tournament. What happened to the “get knocked down, get back up” lessons you’re taught all the way back to youth sports?

Bad look. Bad call. … 2

The rift between the Chargers and longtime starter Eric Weddle continued all the way through free agency, apparently. Weddle texted the U-T’s Kevin Acee after agreeing to a deal with Baltimore. It was easy to read between the lines: “I couldn’t be more excited and pumped to be a part of a championship organization who wanted me from Day One.” Championship team jab? Check. Wanted me from Day One jab? Check. …

As a voter for the Wooden Award — given annually to college basketball’s best player — I’m not allowed to reveal my picks in advance. What I will say, though: Denzel Valentine of Michigan State had a nice season, huh? Since assists became an official statistic, no other player has finished the regular season averaging 19 points, 7 rebounds and 7 assists.

In the Spartans’ five losses, Valentine either was absent or lacked help. The Dec. 29 loss to Iowa? Didn’t play. The other four losses? He averaged 22 points, with almost 7 rebounds and 6 assists.

Oklahoma’s Buddy Hield is a legit finalist in the two-player race. The pure shooter could become the better pro. Did I mention Valentine had a nice season? …

One of the most optimistic bits of news quietly trickling out of spring training in Peoria, Ariz.: Early on, new Alexei Ramirez is proving to be exactly what the Padres hoped he would be.

The veteran, heading into Thursday night, led the team in RBIs and was tied for the lead in hits. That, while playing the type of solid defense that surprises absolutely nobody. Signing Ramirez seemed like a smart move at the time. So far, there’s no reason to feel differently. …

A Sports Illustrated story this week on former San Diego State starKawhi Leonard mentioned that he still slides behind the wheel of the 1997 Chevy Tahoe he drove in high school and uses coupons from a sponsor to buy chicken wings — despite his most recent $94 million contract.

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The context about how much Leonard has meant to the NBA’s Spurs came from San Antonio GM R.C. Buford. The team had to figure out the transition from prime-of-careers Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker to aging Duncan, Ginobili and Parker. Buford: “He changed the course of our organization. He gave us a second wind. He was the breeze in our sails.” There are more of those kinds of details, by the way, in a terrific piece about Leonard by the U-T’s Mark Zeigler that published in October. ...

An ESPN story explained how Little Rock basketball coach Chris Beard broke his right hand by doing his best Roberto Duran impression on a dry-erase board Sunday at halftime of the Sun Belt Conference title game. Beard, as San Diego State fans painfully remember, left Viejas Arena with a plodding 49-43 victory Nov. 21 and motored into the NCAA Tournament. No damage was reported — human or hardware — unless you count the Aztecs’ pride. …

The leaked NCAA Tournament bracket on Selection Sunday was a crime with few victims. Stretching out the show to two hours — including Charles Barkley’s epic struggle with an inanimate object (hint: touch screen) — became almost unbearable. As it became more evident that the bracket was legit, the best partbecame clear. The leak probably ensured the show will dial back to something reasonable — and watchable.

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Cashner allows first runs this spring Padres' No. 3 starter gives up five runs, two earned By Dennis Lin | 10:40 p.m. March 17, 2016 PEORIA, ARIZ. — On the latest warm night in Arizona, the fly balls carried and carried. Padres and Jon Jay, facing right- hander Jake Peavy, launched their first home runs of the spring, both over the right- field wall at Peoria Stadium. Meanwhile, allowed his first runs of the spring. The Padres' No. 3 starter was immune to neither the conditions nor a bit of mid-March sloppiness.

Making his third start in Cactus League play, the right-hander went four on 67 pitches (39 strikes), surrendered five runs (two earned) on two hits and two walks, and notched a pair of . The Padres wound up with an 8-4 loss Thursday, dropping to 4-11 in the Cactus League.

"I thought he had a lot of movement on his two-seam (). It was running out of the zone a little bit on him," Padres manager Andy Green said. "He had a little bit of a tough time commanding the corners, but that movement's a nice thing for him to have."

Two of the runs off Cashner came in the top of the first, one on a 3-0 homer by San Francisco's Jarrett Parker. Cashner opened the second with consecutive walks, prompting a visit from pitching coach Darren Balsley, before a double play and another grounder got him back to the dugout.

The other three runs came in the third. All were unearned, though Cashner did not help himself much. A baserunner who reached on an error scored on a wild pitch. A double, a hit-by-pitch and a two-run single followed.

Cashner allowed more unearned runs last season than any other big-league .

"He needs to go on the mound every day believing he has the potential to stop any threat at any time, because he's that good," Green said. "...Just got to keep battling and get better at that."

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For Cashner, his fourth and final was much more to his liking. He used his change-up, and to induce three quick groundouts.

Kemp finished with his first three-hit game of the spring, upping his average to .318.

Rule 5 reliever Josh Martin, who followed Cashner, allowed three runs on four hits. The Padres got scoreless innings from Daniel McCutchen, Kevin Quackenbush, and Jose Dominguez.

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Thornton on LaRoche, kids in clubhouse Padres reliever shares thoughts on ex-teammate's retirement, children in clubhouses By Dennis Lin | 7:27 p.m. March 17, 2016 PEORIA, ARIZ. — Here in Cactus League territory, the Padres are based out of the Peoria Sports Complex, just a 20-minute drive from the at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. A recent controversy involving now-retired first baseman Adam LaRoche, at least in the case of one former teammate, has brought them even . Tuesday, LaRoche, a veteran of 12 major league seasons, abruptly announced he was “stepping away” from the game. The cause soon leaked out: White Sox vice president Ken Williams had asked LaRoche to reduce the time his 14-year-old son, Drake, spent around the team.

What immediately became the biggest story in baseball has become the crux of a hot- button conversation about whether it’s appropriate to have children in sports locker rooms and, if so, to what extent.

While some observers believe the front office was justified in an attempt to enforce a workplace policy, those in the clubhouse have been adamant in their support of LaRoche, one of the sport’s most respected figures. Multiple reports emerged Thursday that White Sox players threatened to boycott a Cactus League game. According to a Yahoo account, ace Chris Sale liberally used profanity in a heated debate with Williams during a clubhouse meeting.

“I think every organization sets a policy. I think it’s something the players should do. I don’t think it should be coming from a front office,” said Padres reliever , who played alongside LaRoche in 2014 with Washington and spent parts of eight seasons with the White Sox. “It’s the players’ clubhouse. It’s their choice to do what they want to do, and I think it’s got to be a 100 percent player vote, too.

“But you have to have honesty there, and sometimes it’s uncomfortable saying you don’t want kids in the clubhouse, obviously. I guess it’s going to be a touchy subject for teams now, with this coming up, and teams are trying to nip it in the bud and not let it be a distraction for them, as it’s become for the White Sox.”

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Thornton was asked if he was surprised by LaRoche’s decision.

“I think if there’s one thing that would take Adam away from baseball, it would be his family,” Thornton said. “He’s 100 percent dedicated to his family, more than anything in his life, I believe. It doesn’t surprise me at all.”

A well-regarded clubhouse presence himself, Thornton has a six-year-old daughter and a two-year-old son. He said if his son were older he likely would bring him around the team on a regular basis. LaRoche did just that with Drake LaRoche, who, in fact, was a daily presence, even occupying a locker next to his father’s.

“Drake was always very respectful,” Thornton said. “I don’t know all the details in Chicago and what went down, but he was helpful with anything, never in the way, and a great kid.

“I think being a professional athlete has been a dream come true for me, and to be able to share it with your children is pretty special. My daughter was 2 when I made the All-Star team, and I had her on the field with me during the derby. She’ll probably never remember it, but I wanted her to be out there, I wanted her to experience it.

“Every situation is different, and age can play on that, but at the same time we’re away from our families so much that being able to be around them is very important, and if that’s spending time together at the ballpark, great. But what a great experience for Drake to be on the field all the time and to be out there playing catch next to his dad or helping out with fungoes or helping clubbies out with cleaning out the clubhouse. … There’s no problems with that.”

As for the Padres, manager Andy Green was diplomatic. The club has permitted children in the clubhouse throughout the years.

“I don’t have intimate knowledge of the (White Sox’) situation,” Green said. “Obviously, (LaRoche) is well within his rights to make the decision he feels he needs to make for his family, and the White Sox are well within their rights, from my

8 perspective, to kind of set whatever parameters they want for a workplace environment.

“We’ve had some internal discussions about the way we want to handle that. Baseball has always welcomed boys into the clubhouse. We welcome children into the clubhouse, and we choose to draw the line we see fit.”

Green indicated he will get more specific with team policies as the Padres move closer to the regular season and he has a better idea of the 25 players who will break camp with the team.

“I think we’ll get more particular about expectations as the numbers whittle down,” he said.

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Padres sign Mike Olt to minor league deal By Dennis Lin | 11:55 a.m. March 17, 2016 | Updated, 5:37 p.m. PEORIA, ARIZ. — The Padres have signed and former top prospect Mike Olt to a minor league contract. The deal does not include an invitation to major league spring training. Olt, 27, was released by the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday and quickly scooped up by a Padres organization lacking third-base depth. General Manager A.J. Preller has history with Olt; in 2010, Preller was part of a Rangers front office that drafted Olt 49th overall out of the University of Connecticut.

A considerable amount of right-handed power has not been enough to make Olt a reliable major leaguer, however. After hitting .288 with 28 home runs for Texas' Double-A affiliate in 2012, he received his first call-up. Since, he has hit just .168 with 16 home runs in parts of three seasons for the Rangers, Cubs and White Sox. He's struck out 148 times in 352 career at-bats. (Olt reported having vision problems in 2013, possibly the result of a concussion).

Olt opened 2015 as the Cubs' starting third baseman, but he suffered a fractured wrist two weeks in and was replaced by eventual Rookie of the Year . The White Sox claimed Olt off waivers in September before the signing of Todd Frazier made him expendable once again.

“He’s a guy that brings some power from the right side, plays a good third base,” Padres manager Andy Green said. “He’s somebody we felt good as an organization reaching out for and giving him an opportunity to re-establish himself as a player.

“He had some concussion problems awhile back, and I think getting over those concussion issues, there’s been some vision problems, and it’s just kind of set him back a little from what I hear,” Green said. “From what I heard from him personally, he feels really good. He’s not having any issues at all, and we’re excited to see him come in and compete.”

Yangervis Solarte is the Padres' expected starter at third, but in the event of an injury, the best option may be to shift second baseman Cory Spangenberg across the

10 diamond, though that would open another hole. Olt may open the season in Triple-A, but his presence at least provides organizational depth.

Olt also has experience at first base, where the White Sox mostly played him this spring. He went 2-for-11 in Cactus League games.

“We might see him for a (Cactus League) game or two,” Green said.

New representation

Padres right fielder Matt Kemp has switched agencies and is now a client of Reynolds Sports Management, which also represents teammate Melvin Upton Jr. and his brother, one-time San Diego Justin Upton. Kemp previously was represented by former major leaguer Junior Spivey, who took over as his agent after Dave Stewart became general manager of the .

“I am happy to announce I have joined the family at Reynolds Sports Management,” Kemp wrote on his Instagram account Thursday. “I am excited to get after it this season and continue my work both on the field and in the community.”

Stewart negotiated an eight-year, $160 million contract for Kemp before the 2012 season. He is owed $21.5 million in each of the deal's final four years, with the Dodgers paying $3.5 million of that amount annually.

New location

The Padres' six retired numbers that sat above the batter's eye at have been removed and are being relocated to spots throughout the plaza that greets fans entering through the home-plate gate. The Padres confirmed that a “corporate partnership is in the works that would include signage on top of the batter's eye.”

The aluminum numbers — 's No. 6, 's 19, 's 31, ' 35, 's 51 and Jackie Robinson's 42 — will be part of the Padres' “history throughout Petco Park” project.

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The numbers and the names of their corresponding players also will be displayed on the new “Ring of Honor” on the upper-deck facade above the Broadcast Center.

Notable

 FOX Sports San Diego and the Padres announced a 158-game broadcast schedule for the 2016 season. The remaining four games — on July 25, July 2, July 9 and Sept. 19 — will be carried nationally either on FS1 or FOX. Meanwhile, 150 games will be televised in Spanish on FOX Deportes San Diego. The complete broadcast schedule is available at padres.com.  Green said he is “not ruling out” Rule 5 pickup Jabari Blash in the competition for the starting left fielder's job. Blash entered Thursday hitting .182 (4-for-22) with two home runs, seven walks and 12 strikeouts in Cactus League play. “He’s still got a lot of at-bats ahead of him, and I don’t want to pigeonhole him for a bench role at this time,” Green said. “He is a guy that does have that power potential and walks and strikeouts. We knew all that coming into the equation.”  Green said opening-day starter may pitch in a minor league game Sunday, rather than face the Padres' opening-day opponent, the Dodgers. Left- hander Robbie Erlin likely would be the replacement against Los Angeles.  Padres shortstop prospect Javier Guerra went 1-for-3 with a home run for Panama in World Baseball Classic qualifying action Thursday.

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Projecting the Padres' 25-man roster A look at how things are lining up midway through Cactus League games By Jeff Sanders | 3:24 p.m. March 17, 2016 Wednesday’s break in Cactus League action affords us the perfect opportunity to assess the Padres’ camp to date and just what the 25-man roster might look like in three weeks. Sans unreported injuries to date or the whim of A.J. Preller – both of which could render this exercise meaningless in an instant – here’s our educated guess as to how things might shake out over the coming weeks:

(Sure a good lot of you will mock the “educated” part in the comment section below – have fun.)

ROTATION (5)

 RHP Tyson Ross  RHP  RHP Andrew Cashner  LHP  RHP Brandon Maurer Reasoning: With new skipper Andy Green locking the top three slots into place in the first couple days of camp, much of the intrigue this spring revolves around just what the Padres do with the final two spots in the rotation. While who isn’t listed above – right-hander – may appear as an oversight, it’s certainly conceivable to see the Padres sending their top pitching prospect to Triple-A El Paso to start the year. This gives them an opportunity to at least see what Pomeranz – who’s controllable for three more years – looks like in the rotation. While the team appears committed to Maurer’s conversion to the rotation, his workload last year (51 IP), as well as Pomeranz’s (86 IP), ought to leave plenty of opportunities to ease Rea into the mix as the Padres keep an eye on everyone’s innings. Coming off season- ending surgery and an offseason bout of valley fever, right-hander could also start the season in the minors with an eye on supplementing innings in the majors as needed, whether it’s to govern young ’ workloads, as an injury replacement or as a fill-in for a traded hurler (Ross, Cashner and Shields’ rumors figure to persist). 13

BULLPEN (7)

 RHP Fernando Rodney  RHP Carlos Villanueva  RHP Kevin Quackenbush  RHP Nick Vincent  LHP Matt Thornton  RHP Josh Martin  RHP Luis Perdomo Reasoning: That’s right – two Rule-5 relievers, though it’s becoming increasingly difficult to view Martin (4.1 IP, 0 ER, 5 Ks) as anything but a legit middle reliever. Perdomo, on the other hand, is a stash candidate who could serve as another way to help the Padres monitor workloads for the likes of Maurer, Pomeranz and others who could land in the rotation from time to time. Villanueva, too, could serve as a long reliever as easily as a set-up, man while Thornton – who has two scoreless innings to start Cactus League action – provides valuable experience from the left side as a minor league signee, especially if the Padres want to at least start Pomeranz in the rotation. The closing gig remains Rodney’s to lose, while Quackenbush and Vincent both have good enough track records to entrust them with the middle innings. Signed to a minor league deal, look for LHP Buddy Baumann’s balky back to land him on the disabled list to start the year.

CATCHERS (2)

 Derek Norris (R)  Christian Bethancourt (R) Reasoning: So long as Norris remains in the organization, this is the configuration that makes the most sense because Bethancourt is out of options. Rather than pushing him through waivers, the Padres figure to option Austin Hedges to Triple-A El Paso, where he could stand a bit more seasoning on the offensive side after the Padres rushed him to the majors last year to back up Norris.

INFIELDERS (7)

 Alexei Ramirez (R) 14

(R)  Yangervis Solarte (S)  Cory Spangenberg (L)  (L)  (S)  Adam Rosales (R)

Reasoning: That’s right – no . He bombed when given the starting role last year, isn’t hitting much this spring and frankly isn’t as useful as the switch- hitting Weeks, who can back up in the outfield, as well as second and third base and shortstop. Rosales is even more versatile as a potential fill-in at all four infield spots and left field, while Wallace is the preferred left-handed bat off the bench and an occasional starter at first base. In latter scenario, Myers remains a candidate to pick up starts in left field, while Ramirez, Solarte and Spangenberg, meanwhile, are the unquestioned starters at shortstop, third and second base.

OUTFIELDERS (4)

 Matt Kemp (R)  Melvin Upton (R)  Jon Jay (L)  Jabari Blash (R) Reasoning: With Myers, Weeks and Rosales all capable of filling in in the outfield, the Padres can start the season with Blash on the roster and prospect Travis Jankowski receiving a bit more seasoning at Triple-A El Paso. That would leave Kemp as the unquestioned starter in right (his defense is what it is), Upton, Jay and Weeks covering center field, Jay seeing time at all three spots and Blash easing into action at the corners.

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Roster rankings: No. 11 Yangervis Solarte Sizing up the players on the Padres’ 40-man roster. By Jeff Sanders | 8 a.m. March 18, 2016 No. 11 Yangervis Solarte  Position: Third base  2016 age: 28  Contract status: Will make $525,500 in 2016; Arbitration-eligible for the first time in 2017.  Key stats: .270 avg., .320 OBP, .428 SLG, 14 HRs, 63 RBIs, 63 runs, 1 SB, 56 Ks, 34 BBs, 571 Pas (152 games).  Trending: Up – In his first year as a full-time starter, Solarte’s production improved across the board with the exception of on-base percentage, which slipped a bit from his .336 mark in 2014. Of course, that’s a minor complaint considering that Solarte cut his rate from 10.8 percent to 9.8 percent, hit more line drives (25 percent) and saw his isolated power jump from .109 his rookie season to .158 last year. Better year, the switch-hitting Solarte is nearly as good from the right side of the plate (.263/.331/.499) as is from the left side (.270/.321/.404) for his career, him a steal for the price in 2014: Solarte and a pitching prospect to the Yankees for a half-season of .  2016 outlook: For nine seasons, Solarte fought to get to the majors. Last spring, Solarte emerged from a position battle with to emerge as a starter. This spring, Solarte is the unquestioned starter in San Diego.

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Jay, Kemp homer as defense hurts Cashner By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | 1:44 AM ET

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Jarrett Parker launched his third home run of the spring and added an RBI double, as the Giants slugged their way to an 8-4 victory over the Padres on Thursday night at Peoria Sports Complex.

"I turned Parker loose there 3-and-0 and that was a good piece of hitting," said Giants manager . San Francisco jumped on starter Andrew Cashner for two in the first and three unearned runs in the third -- the final two of which came on Trevor Brown's two-out, two-run single.

The Padres showcased some power themselves, as Jon Jay and Matt Kemp each went deep for the first time this spring.

Jay led off the bottom half of the first inning with a big fly just to the right of the batter's eye. Kemp, meanwhile, took Giants starter Jake Peavy to the opposite field in the third and finished 3-for-4 on the night, bringing his Cactus League batting average to .318

"He had some really good swings," said Padres manager Andy Green. "Obviously the oppo home run looked good, the line drive to end [his] game looked good, too. Sometimes all you need is a fister to start the day off, and then you start driving the baseball."

Peavy allowed both Padres homers and eight hits overall, as he continued to struggle in Cactus League play. The veteran right-hander has now allowed 14 runs (12 earned) in 12 2/3 innings.

"That's good work for him, a good four innings of work," said Bochy. "He used all his pitches very well tonight. I think that's a good day's work for him. Now, we'll take him up to five or six innings next time."

Cashner didn't fare much better in what became his first rocky outing of the spring (four innings, five runs, two earned runs, four hits). He was done in by an error on third baseman Yangervis Solarte, which led to three Giants runs.

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"He had lot of movement on his two-seam," Green said of Cashner. "It was running out of the zone a little bit, and he had a little bit of a tough time commanding the corners. But that movement is a nice thing to have."

San Francisco tacked on three more in the fifth -- including one on Parker's rocket double -- and the lead was never threatened after that.

Giants Up Next: After the removal of a cyst in his pitching arm set him back a couple of weeks, will make his Cactus League debut Friday night at 7:05 p.m. PT when the Giants host the Padres at Scottsdale Stadium. Cain was on the disabled list for 94 games last year, when he posted career-worst numbers, including a 5.79 ERA. Cain pitched a simulated game Monday, throwing 30 pitches to Giants teammates.

Padres Up Next: Brandon Maurer continues his quest for a rotation spot Friday night when the Padres head to Scottsdale to face the Giants. It's an important start for the right-hander, who is transitioning from his old bullpen role, as he's slated to throw four innings and will face several Giants hitters a second time

Padres intrigued by potential of basher Blash Outfield prospect racking up homers, walks but also strikeouts this spring By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | March 17th, 2016

PEORIA, Ariz. -- A bench is no place to hide a pick who isn't quite ready for the Major Leagues.

But Padres left fielder Jabari Blash has turned heads with his power and his patience this spring, and he's doing his best to prove he's ready for that chance.

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"I've been through the grind before in the Minor Leagues," Blash said. "I understand how to keep my body healthy and what it takes to last through September. I'm definitely excited for the opportunity here."

Padres manager Andy Green was quick to point out the difficulties of Blash's potential bench role, but he also kept open the possibility of the 6-foot-5, 235-pound slugger winning a starting job.

"Coming off the bench in the Major Leagues is a very difficult job," Green said. "In his position, from a power hitter's perspective -- they need more timing, they need more at-bats. That's just how it usually works.

"But he might very well be our starting left fielder. There's time for that to continue to develop. We're not going to rule that out right now."

Blash, who came to the Padres as a piece in the trade that sent andMarc Rzepczynski to Oakland, remains a long shot to be given a starting nod out of the gate. But his power and his ability to reach base have thrust him to the forefront of the battle for an outfield spot.

As a Rule 5 Draft pick of the A's, Blash, ranked as the Padres' No. 16 prospect by MLBPipeline.com, would need to remain on the team's big league roster for the entire season or be offered back to the Mariners -- his original club -- after clearing waivers.

If you're a fan of the three true outcomes, Blash is your guy. His mantra at the plate is to be "dangerously disciplined," and entering play Thursday night, 70 percent of his at-bats had resulted in either a strikeout, a walk or a home run.

At times this spring, Blash has appeared overmatched -- including a stretch of 11 at-bats during which he struck out eight times. But he has complemented those stretches with reminders as to why he's here in the first place.

Blash put an emphatic halt to that dry spell Monday with a towering home run down the left-field line that seemed to hang in the air forever -- the type of moonshot only a handful of hitters on each team are capable of.

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"He's got an obscene amount of power," said Green. "You see that in his batting practice. So far in spring, he's basically been a three-outcome guy. He's been a walk, a punchout or a home run. I think in time you're going to start seeing some base hits and some doubles. There's a lot to like." Blash has always been a deep-ball threat -- and never more so than last season at Tacoma, where he homered every 8.9 at-bats and posted an obscene .376 isolated power mark.

He has just four hits (two of them homers) in 22 at-bats this spring, but still owns a .400 on-base percentage thanks to seven walks.

And about that 40 percent strikeout rate ...

"It's still early, and the timing isn't there at times," Blash said. "The sliders look a little better than they usually do.

"But I definitely feel confident. I'm not going to strike out this much during the season. I'm going to put a lot of balls in play and help this team get some runs in."

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Padres sign Olt to Minor League deal Former elite prospect will not compete in big league camp By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | March 17th, 2016

PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Padres have signed third baseman Mike Olt to a Minor League contract. The deal did not include an invitation to big league Spring Training, and Olt reported to Minor League camp Thursday.

Once a highly touted prospect, Olt was released by the White Sox on Tuesday. In parts of three big league seasons, he has batted .168/.250/.330 with 16 homers.

Selected in the first round of the 2010 Draft out of UConn, Olt spent parts of four seasons in the Rangers organization. Current Padres general manager A.J. Preller was a part of the front office that drafted him. Olt was dealt to the Cubs in 2013, and he played 89 games with them in '14 and seven more last April. However, he didn't see any playing time there after Kris Bryant was called up. Olt was selected off waivers by the White Sox in September.

"He's a guy that brings some power from the right side and plays a good third base," manager Andy Green said. "He's somebody that we felt good, as an organization, reaching out for, bringing him in and giving him the opportunity to re-establish himself as a player here." Olt has two singles in 11 at-bats this spring. With Yangervis Solarte at third and a number of other utility options who can play the hot corner, Olt won't factor into the equation for a Major League roster spot. Worth noting • Tyson Ross is currently in line to pitch Sunday against the Dodgers, but the Padres will most likely skip his start, with the April 4 season opener against Los Angeles on the horizon.

"We're kind of pondering Tyson and the Dodgers and the best course of action," Green said. "You don't really want to throw your Opening Day starter against the team he's going to face on Opening Day." Ross will most likely get his work in on the Padres' back fields instead, and left-hander Robbie Erlin could start in his place, Green said.

• The Padres announced their regular-season broadcast schedule Thursday. All 162 games will be aired on either FOX Sports San Diego, FS1 or FOX, while 150 games will be televised in Spanish.

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Padres sign 3rd baseman Mike Olt to minor league contract 1 hour ago AP - Sports

PEORIA, Ariz. (AP) -- The have signed third baseman Mike Oltto a minor league contract.

Olt was scheduled to work out with minor leaguers Friday. The deal didn't include an invite to big league camp.

The once highly touted Olt was released by the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. He hit .191 in 102 games with the Cubs and White Sox last season.

Padres manager Andy Green says they wanted to give the 27-year-old Olt ''an opportunity to reestablish himself as a player.'

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Matt Kemp homers off Jake Peavy as Padres fall to Giants 8-4 PEORIA, Ariz. -- Matt Kemp hit his first home run of the spring and singled against erratic Giants starter Jake Peavy in the San Diego Padres' 8-4 loss to San Francisco on Thursday night. Kemp who entered hitting .222, finished 3 for 4. Jon Jay also homered off Peavy and added an RBI groundout. "I thought overall that's the best we've swung the bats, top to bottom," Padres manager Andy Green said. Peavy allowed three runs and eight hits in four innings, working out of jams to prevent more damage. In 12 2/3 innings over four appearances, the 34-year-old right-hander has given up 27 hits and 14 runs.

"My body felt a little bit better today," Peavy said. "It was nice to have a night game and work your way into the day. Your body is allowed to wake up. It was fun to get out there and get better. I made some bad pitches, of course. But for the most part, I'm happy with the contact."

Padres starter Andrew Cashner allowed five runs -- two earned -- and four hits with two walks and a hit batter in four innings. Jarrett Parker hit a solo homer in the first off Cashner, who entered having not allowed a run in five innings. doubled, bunted for a single and had a sacrifice fly for the Giants. STARTING TIME

Giants: Peavy threw 47 of 73 pitches for strikes and walked one.

"I didn't want to show our hand too terribly much," Peavy said of facing an NL West foe. "Threw a lot of . . Until that last inning I felt I was getting better and better."

Padres: Yangervis Solarte's error at third led to three unearned runs in the third. But the first run scored on Cashner's wild pitch. "I thought he had a lot of movement on his two-seam (fastball) and it was running out of the zone a little bit on him," Green said.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Giants: Ace (foot, ribs) had a successful bullpen session and manager Bruce Bochy said they'll decide Friday when he'll make his next appearance. ... CF Denard Span (right shoulder) improved enough a day after being hurt diving for a ball to take at-bats in a minor league game. Bochy expects him to start Friday night. ... RHP , hit in the head by a line drive Monday, remains on schedule to make his next start. . OF Kyle Blanks (Achilles) was a late scratch. Padres: LHP Buddy Baumann (back) remains limited in workouts and has yet to throw in a game. PITCHERS HIT

It's that time of the spring when NL pitchers hit for themselves. Peavy grounded out twice. Cashner reached on 's error at third and aggressively took second as Alexei Ramirez drew a throw advancing to third. SHIELDS UPDATE 23

While the Padres were off Wednesday, RHP James Shields pitched in a minor league game to stay on schedule to start the season's second game. Shields' 59-pitch outing lasted 3 2/3 innings. He gave up three hits and no runs, walked two and struck out three. LOOKING AHEAD

Padres manager Andy Green indicated RHP Tyson Ross, scheduled to start the April 4 opener against the Dodgers, might pitch in a minor league game Sunday to avoid seeing Los Angeles. UP NEXT

Giants RHP Matt Cain faces Padres RHP Brandon Mauer in Friday night's rematch.

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