Padres Press Clips Friday, August 8, 2014 Article Source Author Page From the Farm, 8/5/14: Verbitsky, Cressley part of Northwest League Whitewash FriarWire Center 2 Preller has the Tools and Background FriarWire Center 4 From the Farm, 8/6/14: Rondon Paces Lake Elsinore FriarWire Center 6 Solarte making a new home with Padres UT San Diego Sanders 8 Minors: Liriano finishes HR shy of cycle UT San Diego Lin 11 Morning links: Evaluating Black next? UT San Diego Sanders 13 RIVALS QUESTION HIRING, BUT PADRES BACK NEW GENERAL MANAGER Fox Sports Rosenthal 14 1 From the Farm, 8/5/14: Verbitsky, Cressley part of Northwest League Whitewash By Bill Center Pitching dominated the Northwest League All-Star Game Tuesday night as the game at PK Field in Eugene ended in a 0-0 tie after 10 innings. Emeralds’ right-handed closer Bryan Verbitskywalked one in a hitless inning. Right-hander Aaron Cressley allowed a hit and a walk with two strikeouts in his scoreless innings. Franchy Cordero played the entire game and went 1-for-4. First baseman Marcus Davis had a hit in two-at- bats. Center fielder Auston Bousfield,second baseman Jalen Goree and catcher Miguel Del Castillo, who finished the game at third base, were all 0-for-1. ON THE MOVE: INF Cody Overbeck was reinstated from the Temporary Inactive List at Double-A San Antonio, to replace C-1B Jason Hagerty, who was placed on the seven-day disabled list. Around the Farm: TRIPLE-A EL PASO (56-62): CHIHUAHUAS 4, Reno 2 – LF Jake Goebbert (.287) was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Starting RHP Donn Roach (4-4, 4.36 ERA) allowed two runs (one earned) on seven hits and two walks with four strikeouts over seven innings. LHPBobby LaFromboise (4.07) allowed two hits in a scoreless inning. RHP Jerry Sullivan(2.59) walked the bases loaded but struck out two in a scoreless inning to get his seventh save. DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (57-58, 21-24): Arkansas 3, MISSIONS 2 (12 innings) – 3BAdam Buschini (.232) hit a two-run homer for both of San Antonio’s runs. RF Yeison Asencio (.283) was 2-for-5 with a walk. Starting RHP James Needy (2.77) allowed two runs on five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in seven innings. RHP R.J. Alvarez(0.27) struck out one in a perfect inning.RHP John Hussey (4.14) allowed three hits and two walks with a strikeout in two scoreless innings. RHP Josh Geer (6-11, 3.86) gave up an unearned run on a hit with a strikeout in one inning to suffer the loss. SINGLE-A (high) LAKE ELSINORE (63-52, 23-22): Inland Empire 9, STORM 0 – Starting RHP Colin Rea (9-6, 3.95) allowed three runs on four hits and a walk with six strikeouts in six innings. RHP Joe Church (5.16) struck out one in a perfect inning. RHPTony Rizzotti (27.00) allowed two runs on two hits with a strikeout in an inning. RHPCoby Cowgill (6.82) allowed four runs on three hits and a walk in an inning. SINGLE-A (low) FORT WAYNE (51-62, 21-23): TIN CAPS 7, Lansing 1 – CF Nick Schulz (.317) hit his fifth homer – and third in two games – in three at-bats with three RBIs and two runs scored. SS Trea Turner (.466) was 3-for-5 with his second homer and two RBIs. 1B Jake Bauers (.313) was 3-for-4. 2B Fernando Perez (.283) was 2-for-5 with a RBI. Starting LHP Jeff Enloe (4-3, 2.38 ERA) allowed four hits with three strikeouts over six shutout innings. RHP Jorge Guzman (2.25) allowed two hits with two strikeouts in an inning. RHP Eric Yardley (3.25) allowed a run on two hits with a strikeout in two innings. SINGLE-A (short season) EUGENE (22-29, 7-6): The Northwest League was off for its All-Star Game. 2 ARIZONA ROOKIE PADRES (10-25): ANGELS 8, Padres 7 (13 innings) – 1B Jonas Lantigua (.245) had two homers in five at-bats. Rehabbing SS B.J. Guinn (.800) was 3-for-3 with a triple and two runs scored. 2B Daniel Bravo (.314) was 3-for-6 with a double. CF Michael Gettys (.307) was 2-for-6 with a triple and a RBI. RF Luis Barahona(.261) was 2-for-6 with a RBI. Starting RHP T.J. Weir (0.57 ERA) struck out one in a perfect inning. RHP Elvin Liriano (1.52) struck out one in 1 1/3 perfect innings. RHPsTyler Wood (1.66) and Malcom Diaz (4.26) each struck out two in two perfect innings. LHP Maxwell McNabb (0-3, 6.27) allowed a run on two hits and four walks with a strikeout in 2 1/3 innings. DOMINICAN SUMMER LEAGUE PADRES (13-43): WHITE SOX 3, Padres 2 – 2BManuel Vizcaino (.275) was 3-for-4 with a double, a triple and a steal. LF Ronaldo Contreras (.211) was 3-for-5 with a RBI. SS Westhers Magdaleno (.169) was 3-for-5 with a double. 2B Jose Savinon (.306) was 2-for-5 with a double and a RBI. Starting RHP Ernesto Montas (2-4, 2.00) allowed three runs on six hits and a walk with three strikeouts in five innings. RHP Emmanuel Ramos (2.73) struck out one in two perfect innings. 3 Preller has the Tools and Background By Bill Center The truth about leadership is that you never know if a person is cut out for the role until they are cast into the position. That goes for almost every job of leadership out there – from running a restaurant to heading a Fortune 500 company to commanding an Army. Results are the ultimate judge. A.J. Preller has been at work as the General Manager of the Padres for a matter of hours. And if my initial read on the Padres 10th General Manager is correct, the 37-year-old has already plunged into the job. I have to admit, I am impressed by Preller. I think he has all the makings of a solid General Manager. People in the know like his acumen for his new job. They give him very high marks in the scouting and player development, two areas that the Padres need to address and put on solid ground moving forward. From what I have heard, few in baseball spend more hours studying players than Preller. And from what I have been told, he knows how to process and use the information he compiles. “This is a very smart man,” Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler said of Preller Wednesday afternoon after introducing the Cornell graduate as the Padres General Manager. But let’s face it, Preller has never been a General Manager before. He has assisted General Managers and earned very high marks in other jobs in baseball. But this is the first time he’s fulfilled a position that he says was on his radar as a youth. Preller Wednesday afternoon said he had dreamed about being a General Manager since he was in elementary school. Most kids that age are thinking about being a fireman or a cop or, yes, a ballplayer. But how many kids say “I want to be a General Manager?” So getting his “dream job” just didn’t happen overnight. Preller has been preparing for his new position for most of his life. But the question remains, can he do it? There are those out there who will tell you Preller is a demanding boss, a workaholic who demands total commitment from his staff. I say great. I like the idea of the Padres being in the hands of a passionate workaholic with what appears to be the right background for the job. If some can’t handle that, so be it. Is Preller the demanding boss that some claim him to be? My guess is yes. And I see absolutely nothing wrong with that. I like hard-nosed, passionate bosses who know what they are doing . bosses who will be working 18 hours a day to achieve success and surround themselves with knowledgeable people who also work hard. 4 Two things struck me about Preller during our talk Wednesday. Before taking the Padres job, Preller was scouting the Area Code Games in Long Beach for the Rangers Tuesday. Upon reaching the decision to take the Padres job, Preller booked an overnight flight back to Dallas to tell his bosses with the Rangers face-to-face that he was going to accept the Padres job. He then flew to San Diego for the Wednesday press conference announcing his acceptance of the position. Secondly, several times during our talk, Preller mentioned mistakes he had made earlier in his career. I like leaders who are not afraid to say they’ve made mistakes in the past. Usually, they’ve learned and grown. I think A.J. Preller has all the attributes you’d want in a general manager. Like I said, I’m impressed. I think he has the background. But only time will tell. That goes with any leadership role. PADRES PUZZLER: What is the significance of Aug. 6 in Padres history? WHAT A RELIEF: Three right-handed Padres relief pitchers – Joaquin Benoit, Blaine Boyer and Dale Thayer recently had their earned run averages dip back under 2.00. Benoit has worked 6 2/3 scoreless innings over his last six appearances (with a win and three saves to drop from 2.04 to a 1.75 ERA.