Padres Press Clips Friday, August 14, 2015
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Padres Press Clips Friday, August 14, 2015 Article Source Author Page Upton’s power indeed plays anywhere UT San Diego Sanders 2 Minors: Spangy fills up El Paso box score UT San Diego Sanders 5 Rockies matters: Ross seeking 1st Coors win UT San Diego Sanders 7 Rea clan comes out in force for prospect’s debut MLB.com Maiman 8 Spangenberg close to returning Padres.com Center 10 Kelich, Herrera turn in strong starts on the farm Padres.com Center 12 Padres-Rockies Friday night preview Stats, Inc. Massoth 14 1 Upton's power indeed plays anywhere Padres left fielder continuing to slay Petco Park's reputation By Jeff Sanders | noon Aug. 13, 2015 Justin Upton’s reputation as a legit power threat solidified over the first eight years in the majors. Alonzo Powell’s opinion formulated much earlier in the Midwest League, Upton’s first minor league stop as the Diamondbacks’ No. 1 overall pick. One blast in particular at South Bend that year, a three-run rocket out against the Dayton team that Powell was managing, still resonates with the Padres’ assistant hitting coach. “You just knew he was going to be good,” Powell recalled. Good in the upper levels. Good in the majors. Good just about anywhere, including cavernous Petco Park. HOME AND AWAY Bucking more than a decade of trends at Petco Park, Justin Upton has been much better at home than on the road in 2015. Though he has sustained two injuries while on the road, these splits have perplexed even Upton. “The road can be a grind,” he said, “… but that does surprise me. I usually play a little bit better (than that) when I'm playing on the road. Even though the average is down, I usually hit for some power.” Home : .301 avg., .370 OBP, .581 SLG, 15 HRs, 37 RBIs, 38 runs (186 ABs) Away : .209 avg., .301 OBP, .325 SLG, 5 HRs, 26 RBIs, 22 runs (206 ABs) PETCO PINNACLES A look at where Justin Upton ranks in single seasons in Petco Park history (minimum 200 plate appearances): Batting average .306 | Dave Roberts (2006) .305 | Mark Loretta (2005) .301 | Chris Denorfia (2013) .301 | Justin Upton (2015) 2 Homers 15 | Justin Upton (2015) 15 | Will Venable (2015) 14 | Adrian Gonzalez (2008) 13 | Jedd Gyorko (2013) 13 | Chase Headley (2013) Acquired over the offseason to inject oomph to a lineup that was historically inept in 2014, Upton has effectively laid waste to the notion that the Padres’ home park was a place where power goes to die. In fact, the 27-year-old outfielder has gotten so comfortable in the Gaslamp district that he might be one of the few hitters ever to sorry to leave Petco Park for a series at Coors Field, where his career OPS (.803) is more than 100 points below the .926 mark he has in 98 career games at the Padres’ downtown locale. OK, that last part isn’t entirely true. “I do like playing in this stadium; I see the ball well,” Upton said with a laugh. “But every time you go to Colorado you’re excited about a park that favors hitters.” Over the years, Petco has invited the exact opposite sentiment from hitters, from visitors to the inhabiting Padres themselves. The picture of Phil Nevin doubling into the deepest corner in right center and gesturing toward the press box during the park’s debut season embodies the sort of frustration that Upton has easily eluded while blasting a franchise-record-tying 15 homers in his first season as a full-time tenant. More than that, Upton is on pace to become just the fourth Padre to hit better than .300 over 200 plate appearances since the stadium opened in 2004, his slugging percentage is better at Petco (.561) than anywhere else he’s played more than three games and his homer rater (one every 16 plate appearances) bests his showing at any park in which he’s had more than 100 plate appearances. Yes, even hitter-friendly Chase Field, his home for the first six years of his career. 3 “I've heard guys say that at some point in the year, the air's going to get thick here,” Upton said with a shrug. “I haven't seen it yet. I like hitting here. I always have, since I was coming as a visitor, too. I don't know what it is.” Powell’s summation goes beyond studies that have revealed that right-handed power plays at Petco (hence the addition of Upton, Matt Kemp and Wil Myers). “Here, he's got that line-drive capability that can get through the so-called heavy air here at Petco,” Powell said. “If you look at his track record, he’s got a swing that plays anywhere.” 4 Minors: Spangy fills up El Paso box score Recapping the latest action from around the Padres' farm system By Jeff Sanders | 8 a.m. Aug. 14, 2015 Cory Spangenberg's rehab assignment might be coming to an end. Playing his second game at Triple-A El Paso, Spangenberg homered, walked twice, stole two bases and scored two runs, including the game-winner on Hector Gomez's ninth-inning single in a 5-4 win over Las Vegas on Thursday. Spangenberg also played all nine innings at second base. He is on the disabled list with a bone bruise in his left knee. Gomez's hit was one of three in the game. Right-hander Chris Smith (3.64) allowed four runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings of a no-decision, while right-hander Jay Jackson (2-3, 2.03) struck out two in the ninth for the win. DOUBLE-A SAN ANTONIO (51-66) • NW Arkansas 3, Missions 1: RHP Casey Kelly (1-7, 3.97) struck out five but allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits and five walks. CF Alberth Martinez (.291) went 2-for-3 with his 10th homer. HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (43-73) • Bakersfield 11, Storm 5: 3B Chase Jensen (.282) drove in three runs on a triple. RHP Kyle Lloyd (5-9, 4.84) allowed eight runs (five earned) on six hits in two innings in 5 1/3 innings. LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (61-53) • TinCaps 3, Quad Cities 0: CF Michael Gettys (.228) hit his second homer during a 2-for-4 day. RHP Dinelson Lamet (4-6, 3.18) struck out seven and scattered six hits and three walks over five shutout innings. 5 SHORT-SEASON TRI-CITY (29-24) • Boise 4, Dust Devils 0: RHP Angel Mejia (2-3, 6.02) allowed two runs (one earned) in five innings. LF Jose Carlos Urena (.292) and C A.J. Kennedy (.279) each had a single and a double. ROOKIE AZL PADRES (17-25) • Padres 4, Rangers 2: 2B Tyler Moore (.195) doubled in two run and DH Jonas Lantigua (.247), SS Daniel Bravo (.295) and 3B Carlos Sosa (.190) each had two hits. RHP Austin Smith (6.55) struck out two over two scoreless innings. 6 Rockies matters: Ross seeking 1st Coors win Padres right-hander has a 3.75 ERA in six career appearances in Colorado By Jeff Sanders | 5 a.m. Aug. 14, 2015 Though Tyson Ross arrives at Coors Field looking for his first win in Colorado, he hasn't exactly been torched by the Rockies in six appearances (four starts). Though he has allowed three homers in 24 innings -- an expected boost of more than tewice his career 0.5 homer/nine-inning rate -- opposing hitters have a .250/.349/.359 batting line in 108 plate appearances against Ross. To date, that has equaled a 3.35 career earned-run average at Coors Field … with Troy Tulowitzki on the roster. The Rockies remaining, however, have a .265/.324/.368 career batting line against Ross, with outfielder Charlie Blackmon (.308/.357/.615) accounting for the lone home he has surrendered to that bunch. All told, the remaining Rockies have accounted for five RBIs, 17 strikeouts and five walks in 74 plate appearances against Ross. New shortstop Jose Reyes, as well as Kyle Parker and Michael McKenry, have yet to face Ross. TRENDING • Good thing Ross has a decent history against OF Carlos Gonzalez, over of 13 homers and 29 RBIs over his last 24 games. The Padres right-hander has held him in check, limiting him to a double, an RBI and a walk in eight plate appearances. He has struck out three times. • 2B D.J. LeMahieu is batting .348/.420/.449 with seven steals in his last 24 games entering Thursday, while Blackmon has six steals and a .266/.314/.436 batting line over that stretch. Ross allowed three steals in the first three innings in his last start. KEY INJURIES • OF Corey Dickerson is on the 15-day disabled list with a right rib fracture. He could returned later this month. • 1B Justin Morneau is on the 60-day disabled list with concussion symptoms. He is questionable to return this season. • RHP Kyle Kendrick could return to the rotation later this month. He is on the 15- dayDL with right shoulder inflammation. 7 Rea clan comes out in force for prospect's debut By Beth Maiman / MLB.com | August 13th, 2015 SAN DIEGO -- It's not a simple trip to get to Petco Park from Cascade, Iowa. First, you have to make a three-hour car ride just to get to Chicago before you hop on a four-hour flight to San Diego. But that's the journey more than 70 people made to watch pitcher Colin Rea beat the Reds, 11-6, in his Major League debut on Tuesday.