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Padres Press Clips Friday, May 4, 2018

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Monterrey trip a homecoming for Padres' Villanueva SD Union Tribune Sanders 2

Talking with .... Eduardo Ortega, Spanish-language voice of SD Union Tribune Sanders 5 the Padres

Matt LaChappa, the longest tenured Padre SD Union Tribune Sanders 7

Ty France's power surge continues with Missions SD Union Tribune Sanders 8

Villanueva's dreams come true in return MLB.com Sanchez 10

Ortega expects emotions to flow in Mexico MLB.com Cassavell 13

Padres again carrying the MLB flag to Mexico Padres.com Center 16

Why have the young, fast Padres been so dreadful at The Athletic Palmateer 19 baserunning this season?

Dodgers, Padres playing with full decks in ESPN.com Gomez 22

The Padres want to win over fans and become the team of Mexico ESPN.com Gomez 25

Fowler: Lucchesi, Lauer a Glimpse of ‘The Future of Padre ’ Friar Wire Lafferty 29

It’s been 19 years since MLB played in Mexico. Christian SB Nation Abaurrea 30 Villanueva is ready to bring it back.

Dodgers, Padres meet for weekend series in Mexico FOX Sports STATS 35

Padres 2016 Might Lay Groundwork for NBC Togerson 37

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Monterrey trip a homecoming for Padres' Villanueva Jeff Sanders The first time Bill McLaughlin sat down with , really had a conversation with him and his family, was across a dinner table at a Hilton in Guadalajara, Mexico.

It was the summer of 2008, McLaughlin’s second year scouting below the border for the . He had first encountered Villanueva — a 17-year-old, glove-first at the time (if you can believe that) — at a tryout in the state of Nayarit while he was playing for the Cancun- based Tigres de . McLaughlin’s colleague, Mike Daly, got his first good look at an international tournament in Canada. A.J. Preller was among the Texas bosses who approved talks to obtain Villanueva’s rights from the Tigres.

Real interaction with the prospect’s family, however, didn’t start until they met at the Guadalajara Hilton to sign on the dotted line.

Villanueva was seated with his mother, Rosario, and his oldest brother, Ernesto. They discussed his background in baseball, the process and a road map forward. Before all was said and done, McLaughlin assured Villanueva that the Tigres, in a tourist destination like Cancun, were an ideal Mexican team to belong to as a fallback.

What Villanueva said next struck McLaughlin.

“I’m never going to play in Mexico,” Villanueva recalled through an interpreter. “I was so confident at the time. I knew I was going to make it to the big leagues.”

Ten years later, Villanueva is going . Going home a hero, too.

As if it weren’t enough that the Padres’ 26-year-old will walk into Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey as the lone Mexican-born player in either clubhouse, he’s doing so as the reigning Rookie of the Month after he blasted nine home runs through his first 24 games, most among all first-year players and two shy of the league lead.

The first three homers arrived in one historic game at , just a short drive from the Mexican border. With Villanueva back among his countrymen this weekend as returns for its first regular-season games in Mexico since 1999, the stage is set as his journey — a path littered with injuries, position blocks and personal tragedy — comes full circle.

“Coming home as a major leaguer to play in Mexico as the only Mexican with the Padres, everyone is turning to him to do something,” said Eduardo Ortega, the Spanish-language voice of the Padres. “Everyone will be waiting for something big to happen for Christian.”

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***

Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey, home of the Sultanas, is about a 500-mile drive northeast of the municipal field that draws Jalisco’s most established baseball players for Sunday games.

Most are ages 30 to 35. Some are retirees from Mexican leagues. Nobody was under 20 when Christian Villanueva began playing on that field.

Except Villanueva. He was 13 — and unafraid.

“It was awesome to play in that stadium,” Villanueva recalled. “It always filled up. A lot of people came to see these retired players, but I was never nervous. I was always just really excited to be out there.”

Villanueva is the second-youngest child in a big baseball family. His father played as an amateur in the region. Villanueva started playing when he was 9 years old as one popular Mexican third baseman, , was finishing his first powerful run with the Rockies.

He also watched a lot of Braves star . During the week, he’d play in youth leagues. As he grew older, Villanueva and his older brothers often suited up together on the same adult teams.

“They definitely pushed me,” Villanueva said. “That motivated me to get to where I am.”

The oldest brother, Ernesto — 12 years Villanueva’s senior — stepped in as the family patriarch when their father died when Christian was 12, helping shuttle his gifted younger brother to and from tournaments. Another older brother, Eduardo, proved to be the heartbeat of his support system from afar any time Villanueva’s career appeared to stall, whether due to injuries or congestion in deep farm systems.

When Villanueva debuted last September in San Diego, eight years and three organizations into his professional career, Eduardo was prominently in his thoughts as he arrived at Petco Park’s home clubhouse. Eduardo had unexpectedly died months earlier as Villanueva was settling in for his first spring with the Padres.

“It’s always hard when you lose someone that close, when you lose a sibling,” Villanueva said. “At the same time, I have to keep going because a lot of what I do now, I do for him. I know he wanted to see me play. He wanted to see me triumph and have success.”

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Plenty of forks in Villanueva’s road might have led directly back to Cancun.

A knee operation shortened his first season in the Dominican Republic the summer after he signed with the Rangers. A fractured fibula wiped away his chance to improve on his first 20- homer season in the high minors in 2015. He’d been an all-star at several stops along the way — even cracked ’s top-100 prospects list in 2011 — despite elite talent blocking him at every corner.

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His original organization employed Adrian Beltre at third base in the majors and was developing Michael Olt and , among others, in the minors. When the Rangers included Villanueva in an 11th-hour deal with the Cubs to land for their 2012 playoff push, he was blocked again by ’s arrival as the No. 2 overall draft pick the following summer.

McLaughlin, who’d followed Preller to San Diego, noted all of this. He placed the appropriate phone call when Villanueva became a free agent after the 2016 season. His bosses, thanks to the due diligence of pro scouting director Pete DeYoung, were already thinking about a player who’d outgrown his original evaluation as an “athletic kid with an idea at the plate” and “ as the carrying tool.”

“A.J. is one of those guys who always has a catalog of players in the back of his mind, and Christian has always had talent,” McLaughlin said. “He just hasn’t had a lot of opportunity because he’s always been behind a lot of really good players. But he persevered. He never lost sight of his goal.”

The Padres provided that opportunity last September after Villanueva added 20 more homers in 109 games at Triple-A El Paso. When he four home runs in a 12-game audition, they traded , opening up an even clearer path to playing time.

The plan, at least in : Carry Villanueva, and Cory Spangenberg on the active roster and see if someone runs away with the job.

Villanueva’s three-homer game in early April — just the eighth in Padres history — altered the landscape quickly.

The way he came out of an ensuing 4-for-26 slump — in which he struck out 12 times without a walk — has the organization thinking this could be something sustainable.

“When he was the younger player coming up, he was a guy I thought had a pretty good approach,” Preller said. “As young hitters start to develop more power, they sacrifice their approach for that power, and what we’ve tried to push him on — and what he’s done a nice job the last few weeks — is the league is going to make adjustments to you. You have to be able to adjust back.”

The owner of a .333 on-base percentage in the minors, Villanueva walked for the first time in his 11th game. Nine extra-base hits and eight walks since have left his slugging percentage at .667, behind only ’s A.J. Pollock (.691) in the National League. His 1.051 OPS is behind only Washington’s (1.062) and Pollock (1.052), and his right-handed bat is entrenched in the Padres’ three-hole as he enters the Monterrey series.

In this moment, Cancun — a two-hour flight away from Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey — never looked so far behind him.

“I’m just really, really grateful,” Villanueva said. “I’m grateful to the Padres, to Andy (Green) for giving me this opportunity. Because that’s the only thing I needed. At this point, now that I’m up here, I’m not going to waste any second of it.”

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Talking with .... Eduardo Ortega, Spanish-language voice of the Padres Jeff Sanders Eduardo Ortega, a Tijuana native, is in his 32nd year as the Spanish-language voice of the Padres. The weekend series against the Dodgers in Monterrey will be his third regular season trip to Mexico with the Padres.

Union-Tribune: A weekend series against the Dodgers is a big gate to give up. Why is this trip worth it for the Padres?

Ortega: First of all, I would say it’s great for all of baseball, bringing Major League Baseball back to Mexico after 19 years. It’s to connect with a new generation. I am very happy and excited to see what Major League Baseball is doing internationally. They’ve opened offices a couple years ago and they are promoting the game and they are trying to bring a new generation to the Christian Villanuevas, people who are now the face of Mexican baseball. Every day, you see the media in Mexico … the headlines are about how the Mexican baseball players performed the night before. … I would say I’m happy to bring the Padres, which is for me as a Mexican is very special for the third time.

U-T: And the Padres, in a border city, are geographically situated where it would be especially beneficial to build that fan base.

Ortega: Oh, definitely. A lot of Mexican fans have followed this franchise from the early days. The Padres are the closest team to Latin America, geographically. It’s only 20 miles from Petco Park. It’s a beautiful experience for the families to come here. But the Padres first connected with fans in Baja on radio. This was Baja California’s team from the very first days. April 8, 1969, when they beat the Astros, 2-1, that game started the history of the relationship. It was broadcast on a Mexican-based station in Tijuana and now this is the 50th year. That’s the biggest connection – through the magic of radio. And through the years more have worn Padres uniforms than any other team. There have been a total of 25 Mexican players, including both Gonzalez brothers (Adrian and Edgar) from San Diego.

U-T: You weren’t old enough to be listening to that first game in 1969 were you?

Ortega: Oh no, my vivid memories start in the ‘70s. Because they had a Mexican , . He’s still an active pitching in Mexican baseball, a hall-of-famer in Mexican baseball and he owns all the records in Mexico – winter and summer. He was the first Mexican player for the Padres. Then from Monterrey we had Hector Torres and others through the years – the Tijuana native Andres Berumen. So I followed the Padres in that decade, in the 70s, with the fantasy of baseball every day. My brothers played baseball. I was the youngest of

5 four. I always played to be the broadcaster of their games in Tijuana. That was really my first contact of baseball and Padres baseball – through my brothers’ love for baseball.

U-T: What was it like for you to go back to Mexico with the Padres in 1996 for the first time?

Ortega: It was very emotional, very special. When I saw that game on the schedule in spring training, I said wow that will be the best for Mexican fans and for my career. When we were close to landing in Monterrey, I got very emotional. To look around and see and and and Steve Finley and all those guys, it was very, very special. I felt very proud and excited to share a major league team with Mexico. We had one of the best players ever in Tony Gwynn and Rickey and we had the biggest name in Mexican baseball history in the majors in . It was a like a movie. He threw the very first game outside the and Canada and he won it with six-plus innings against the Mets. I did the emcee ceremonies. Another memory I have is getting to introduce Mr. Hector Espino, the of Mexico. He owned all the minor league records in Mexico. … That’s what I remember most.

U-T: Are Mexican fans, generally speaking, more interested in a singular MLB team or the specific Mexican players in the United States?

Ortega: I would say, like any sport, they follow the favorite teams in their hometowns. Major League Baseball is the sport itself. They really understand how it important it is to have the best players in the whole world in their hometown, but the Mexican baseball fans follow the Mexican players on an everyday basis. They know who is who, who they are playing. That’s why I’m very excited for Christian Villanueva. He deserves this after everything he’s been through – more than eight years in the minor leagues, the injuries and the obstacles with the Rangers and the Cubs. Now he’s going home and I wish him the best to be the man the whole country expects him to be.

U-T: Do you have your home run call ready if he hits one?

Ortega: Oh, I am ready. I will keep it a surprise. Hopefully it happens. A Mexican player and in Mexico and as a Mexican broadcaster, that would be unforgettable.

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Matt LaChappa, the longest tenured Padre Jeff Sanders Matt LaChappa grew up a Padres fan. He was drafted into pro ball as a Padre. He never pitched above A-ball, the aftermath of two heart attacks that’s left him constrained to wheelchair for more than two decades.

But LaChappa remains a Padre to this day because Priscilla Oppenheimer, the former director of minor league operations, promised LaChappa’s parents to take care of their son upon the Padres selecting him in the second round out of El Capitan High in 1993.

To Oppenheimer, that meant allowing LaChappa to retain his insurance coverage long after his original contract expired.

“When he became a six-year free agent, I just renewed him for six more years," Priscilla told the Union-Tribune in 2006. "Nobody's said that I shouldn't, so I keep doing it. To me, it was the right thing to do. If they gave me any static about it, I would have taken it."

The gesture remains perhaps the best thing the Padres do.

As the 25th anniversary of LaChappa’s second-round selection nears, ESPN’s award-winning newsmagazine program E:60 will spend an hour on his story.

The show will air 6 a.m. Sunday on ESPN, 7 a.m. Sunday on ESPN2 and 8 a.m. Sunday on ESPNEWS.

Here is ESPN’s description of its story (click the photo above for the trailer):

“Born and raised on the Barona Indian reservation 30 miles from San Diego, left-handed pitcher Matt LaChappa became a hero to his tribe when he was drafted out of high school by the , twenty-five years ago. But on the night of April 6, 1996, LaChappa tragically collapsed and soon learned that he would never play baseball again. Today, LaChappa is still under contract to the organization, making him the longest-tenured player in the history of the Padres thanks to a promise that will never be broken.”

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Ty France's power surge continues with Missions Jeff Sanders Ty France punched his first ticket to an all-star game last year in San Antonio. A hot week could position him well in his return to the Texas League.

The San Diego State product hit his fifth homer of the season and drove in three more runs in the Missions’ 13-6 win over host Frisco on Thursday.

France, a third baseman, also walked three times and scored two runs in lifting his average to .274. The home run was his fourth in the last three days after homering twice Wednesday.

A 34th-round pick in 2015, France hit a career-high 14 homers in 2016 but managed just five in 97 games last year at San Antonio, where he hit .275/.341/.377 in his first 97 games in the Texas League, where he was an all-star for the first time.

France had plenty of help on Thursday in improving the Missions to 17-10 on the season.

Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. (.212) went 3-for-7 with a double, a triple, three RBIs and two runs scored and (.333) drove in two runs on his 14thdouble. Rod Boykin (.268) also drove in two runs on three hits.

Left-hander Dillon Overton (1-0, 3.18) turned in 2 1/3 scoreless innings in relief for the win.

Right-hander Miguel Diaz (3.06) allowed four runs on four hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings in the start.

Players of the month Before San Antonio’s game, Austin Allen, a 24-year-old by trade, was named the Texas League’s player of the month for April. He led the circuit in doubles (12), homers (eight), extra- base hits (20), (68), slugging percentage (.773) and OPS (1.195). Allen was a fourth- round pick out of the Florida Institute of Technology in 2015 and opened the season ranked No. 29 in the system by Baseball America.

In the , Buddy Reed, 23, was honored after leading the circuit in total bases (55), steals (13) and tying for the league lead in hits (34). Reed’s .366 batting average ranked second in April, while his five homers, .591 slugging percentage and .977 OPS ranked third.

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TRIPLE-A EL PASO (17-11)

• Reno 6, Chihuahuas 5: RF Franmil Reyes (.293) hit two more home runs in a three-hit game, giving him an organization-best nine on the season. His four RBIs upped his season total to 27. RHP Brett Kennedy (2.45) struck out seven but allowed five runs on eight hits and a walk in five innings. RHP (1-2, 7.71) allowed a run in 1 2/3 innings in the loss.

HIGH SINGLE-A LAKE ELSINORE (11-17)

• Storm 8, Inland Empire 5: 3B Hudson Potts (.255) hit his fifth homer, LF Taylor Kohlwey (.216) drove in three runs on his second homer and CF Buddy Reed (.356) went 3-for-5 with two doubles, a triple, an RBI and a run scored. DH Edward Olivares (.272) went 2-for-5 with a triple and a run scored. RHP Lake Bachar(2.05) closed the game with four scoreless innings for his first . RHP Pedro Avila (4.05) allowed five runs – four earned – in four innings.

LOW SINGLE-A FORT WAYNE (13-14)

• TinCaps 3, Beloit 2 (10): A second straight walk-off win clinched Fort Wayne’s first sweep of the season. LF Tre Carter (.212) plated the winning run via an RBI fielder’s choice. SS Justin Lopez (.230) went 3-for-4 with a double, triple and two RBIs and 3B Esteury Ruiz (.275) went 2-for-4 with a double and a run scored. RHP Osvaldo Hernandez (3.24) struck out six and allowed an unearned run on seven hits and no walks in six innings in the start. LHP Travis Radke (2.35) struck out five over three innings of one-run ball and RHP Evan Miller (1-0, 0.00) pitched a scoreless 10th for the win.

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Villanueva's dreams come true in Mexico return April's NL Rookie of the Month was born in Guadalajara By Jesse Sanchez MLB.com @JesseSanchezMLB 9:57 AM ET

All Padres third baseman Christian Villanueva ever wanted was a chance to show he belonged in the Major Leagues and make his family and friends back in Mexico proud.

Villanueva's dream had been slowed by injuries, but he never gave up. At one point, he was blocked at third base by Adrian Beltre in Texas, and later by Kris Bryant in , but he didn't quit. Now, the rookie from Guadalajara has found a home in San Diego, and he's returning to his country as a rising star.

This weekend, Villanueva will be the the lone Mexico-born starter on the field during the three- game series between the Padres and Dodgers at Estadio Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico. Tonight's series opener will air live on MLB Network at 9 p.m. ET.

Villanueva is having a breakout season -- earning the National League Rookie of the Month Award for the month of April -- and can't wait for the games to begin.

51 AM ET "Personally, I'm anxious and maybe a little nervous, but I know it's going to be fun and I'm so happy we are able to bring the best baseball in the world to Mexico," Villanueva said in Spanish. "I always give 100 percent, but there's going to be something special and an extra energy playing in front of your people and representing Mexico on a big stage. I can't even imagine what it is going to be like."

The games mark the third regular-season series to be played in the city, and the first regular- season games in Mexico since the Padres and the Rockies played in MLB's first international in 1999 in Monterrey. The Padres also played a three-game series against the Mets in the city in '96.

"We are excited," Dodgers said. "Obviously, the relationship with the Mexican fan base with the Padres and the Dodgers, it makes sense. We are trying to get through this series [against the D-backs], but once we do that, I know our guys will be looking forward to getting down to Monterrey."

On Friday, Rockies mascot Dinger and Twins mascot TC Bear will visit children at the Centro de Rehabilitacion Infantil Teleton in Coahuila. Then on Saturday, MLB, the Dodgers and Padres will dedicate the refurbishments made to the computer center at the Club de Niños y Niñas de Nuevo León. MLB and the will play host to a Play Ball event at Estadio Monterrey on Monday. A Little League game will follow.

The series is the Dodgers' fourth trip to Mexico, and the first for regular-season games following preseason contests against the Mexico City Red Devils in 1964, the Brewers in '91 and the Mets in 2003.

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Major League teams most recently visited Mexico in March 2016, when the Padres and Astros played two exhibition games in Mexico City. There was also a qualifying round for the '17 in Mexicali in March 2016. Guadalajara later played host to Pool D of the Classic a year later.

"Being a Mexican, it's emotional for me, but also special for the Padres, my team," said Padres Spanish broadcaster Eduardo Ortega, who is in his 32nd season with San Diego. "I've been fortunate enough to call Padres baseball games in Spanish in Canada, in China in Beijing, Hawaii in '97. ... But this particular trip is, I think, the most important for me. It just means so much to bring Major League Baseball [to Mexico]."

2nd, 2018 This season, there were 11 players born in Mexico on Opening Day rosters and inactive lists, a group made up of Villanueva, 's Victor Arano, Arizona's and Fernando Salas, Toronto's , and Jaime Garcia, White Sox Miguel Gonzalez and , Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias and 's Hector Velazquez.

On the amateur side, more than 60 prospects from Mexico have signed during the current international signing period. Last year, MLB opened an office in Mexico City and an academy in Culiacan for players ages 13-17 as part of a partnership with the Sinaloan state government.

"Major League Baseball is exposing the game to people outside of the country, and I think that's a very positive thing and I'm very supportive," said Dodgers Hall of Fame Spanish broadcaster Jaime Jarrin, who famously served as Fernando Valenzuela's interpreter during the 1980s. "I vividly remember being there with Koufax and Drysdale in 1964 and with everyone in 1991. Those trips were great, very nice, and I'm sure this will be great, too."

The Dodgers' history with Monterrey spans more than half a century. In 2009, the club played host to members of the 1957 Little League World Series championship team from Monterrey, the first Mexican team to win the LLWS, at . More than 50 years earlier, the Mexican Little Leaguers spent the day at with the Dodgers.

Overall, there have been 19 Mexico-born players to suit up for the Dodgers, with the most famous being Valenzuela, who will throw out the first pitch for Friday's series opener. The Padres have had 23 players born in Mexico play at least one game for them. More could be on the way.

Padres Luis Urias, the club's No. 3 prospect, is from Sonora, Mexico. The Dodgers' No. 2prospect , who is of Mexican descent and played for Team Mexico in the 2017 Classic, was called up from Triple-A last week.

"It's going to be a really special experience, because my family is going to come out and enjoy it with me," Verdugo said. "Playing for Team Mexico, the fans supported me and I felt like I showed well and played well, so they were definitely cheering me on. I'm looking forward to going back there and hearing them cheer us on."

Villanueva is looking forward to making his own mark in Monterrey. He'll be carrying his father, Jesus, and brother, Eduardo, both of whom died before they could see him play in the Major Leagues, in his heart. 11

"This is something I will never forget, and I hope the people receive me well because I am representing them and everyone in my family who inspired me," Villanueva said. "This is also for my young son. My dreams are coming true and he is living them with me. He might not recognize it, but one day he can look at what his father did and be proud."

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Ortega expects emotions to flow in Mexico

Padres' Spanish-language broadcaster will call all three games in Monterrey By A.J. Cassavell MLB.com @AJCassavell May 3rd, 2018

Twenty-two years ago, when the Padres' team plane touched down in Monterrey, Mexico, for the first time, Eduardo Ortega needed a moment to catch his breath.

"I got this shock," said Ortega, who is in his 32nd season as the Padres' Spanish-language broadcaster. "It was so emotional. It really got to me. I just looked around and said, 'Wow, I've got Tony Gwynn, Rickey Henderson, [Ken] Caminiti, all the big stars.' And the plane landed in Mexico? I just couldn't believe it."

The Padres are headed back this weekend for a three-game series with the rival Dodgers, two clubs steeped in tradition in Mexico. Ortega believes he'll be overcome with the same emotions when the team plane arrives at Mariano Escobedo Airport on Thursday afternoon.

There isn't much that Ortega hasn't seen or accomplished during an illustrious 38-year career calling games in Spanish. He's broadcast postseason games since 1993. Ortega has called 18 All-Star Games and 23 World Series. He was the longtime voice of the and has been the lead Spanish play-by-play voice for the World Baseball Classic since its inception.

Still, Ortega views this weekend's series as something of a personal highlight.

"I've been fortunate enough to call Padres baseball games in Spanish in Canada, in China in Beijing, Hawaii '97. ... But this particular trip is, I think, the most important for me," Ortega said. "It just means so much to bring Major League Baseball [to Mexico] right now."

It's still hard for Ortega to believe he'll be at the center of another Padres trip to his home country, the third in franchise history during the regular season. San Diego played three games against the Mets in Monterrey in 1996, Major League Baseball's first foray outside of the United States or Canada during the regular season. In '99, the Padres returned, playing a single game against the Rockies to open the season.

"Knowing him, this weekend will mean the world for him to go back and represent baseball in his country," said broadcast partner Pedro Gutierrez, who has worked with Ortega for a decade. "But the thing I find magical about him is that he won't give it an extra effort, because he always gives that same effort, whether it's in or the next trip in and Washington or it's winter ball in Mexicali. It will be the same high-standard broadcast he's always done, because that's what he gives of himself to every broadcast."

Ortega grew up in Tijuana, one of four brothers. During their afternoon excursions to the local ballfield, Ortega took it upon himself to be the announcer of the action. From the time he was 14 years old, Ortega recalled mimicking the voice of Mario Thomas, then the Spanish-language play-by-play voice of the Padres.

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On nights the Padres were on television, Ortega retreated inside and turned the game on but with the volume down. He'd sync the radio to the TV to hear Thomas' smooth voice over the telecast.

At 20, Ortega got his start in broadcasting, calling games in both the Mexican Winter League and the Mexican Summer League. It was then that he made his first trip to Monterrey, which he called the country's "baseball capital," citing the local Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame.

Before his full-time gig with the Padres, Ortega also spent time as a radio DJ.

"That's where he got his out-there personality, his flair," said Gutierrez. "He brings a little bit of Latin spice to the broadcast, and that's where he got it from."

Gutierrez, also a Tijuana native, has known Ortega for decades. Ortega's influence, Gutierrez says, got him into broadcasting in the first place.

"By far, he's a better human being than a broadcaster," Gutierrez said. "And that's saying something, because he's the best broadcaster in Spanish that you could ever find."

Already there's a special twist to this particular trip to Monterrey for Ortega. Padres third baseman Christian Villanueva, a native of Guadalajara, has burst onto the scene as the National League's top rookie through the season's first month.

A backup third baseman when the season began, Villanueva leads Major League rookies with nine homers, and he's hitting .299/.384/.667 entering Friday's game.

"In '99, it was special to see Vinny Castilla playing in Mexico," Ortega said. "He was in his prime then, and he's been one of the biggest position players from Mexico ever. Now we're watching Christian Villanueva do what he's doing in his rookie year. Mexican fans get very excited to see position players [in the Majors], because there are only a few. Most are pitchers."

Ortega says he's noticed Mexican baseball fans -- ever eager to embrace one of their own -- gravitating to Villanueva. He cited the technology that allows fans from all over the world to follow Villanueva's every at-bat.

With that in mind, Ortega says this weekend's trip to Monterrey comes at the perfect time for the Padres as an organization.

"We'll connect with a new generation of fans," Ortega said. "And it's great to do it with Christian - - not just for the romantic part of the story. ... He's talented. He's a great player, and now he gets to go to Mexico and share his talent with his own people."

Sharing his talent with his own people -- that's precisely what Ortega will do when he settles into the radio booth at Estadio Monterrey.

Ortega is one of the definitive voices of baseball in Mexico. He's been a Ford C. Frick Award finalist twice, and he remains a strong candidate to be the first Mexican elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame.

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"It will be very special, sharing and showing the culture of Mexican baseball to the world, the way we enjoy baseball," Ortega said. "Loud, noisy, very enthusiastic and passionate about the sport."

As much as anyone, Ortega is an integral part of that culture -- and has been for nearly four decades.

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Padres again carrying the MLB flag to Mexico Club to play 3 games against Dodgers in its 4th trip to country By Bill Center San Diego Padres May 3rd, 2018

Shortly after the Padres returned from their historic first trip to Mexico in 1996, Tony Gwynn summed up the significance of the journey in seven words.

"I think the Padres qualify as ambassadors," the late Hall of Famer said.

If that wasn't the case 22 years ago, it certainly is now as the Padres make a fourth visit to Mexico -- and a third to Monterrey -- this weekend to play the in a three- game series.

No team has planted the flag of Major League Baseball in more foreign lands over the past 22 seasons than the San Diego Padres -- four trips to Mexico, the historic Paradise Series in Hawaii in 1997 and the 2008 trip to China.

Padres manager recently discussed the importance of taking Major League Baseball to foreign lands.

"Everybody feels it is incredibly important to spread baseball internationally," said Green. "Baseball in Mexico, baseball in Latin America, it's the No. 1 game down there. I know some people might argue soccer, but from my perspective it's baseball.

"For us, this weekend is an opportunity to go to another place and share Major League Baseball with the world. We hope we have a ton of fans in Mexico. My guess is with Luis Urias coming and Christian Villanueva already here, we're probably gaining more and more fans by having great Mexican players.

"But for us, it's just the opportunity to play in an exciting venue and be around people who don't typically get to see Major League Baseball games in person and bring that to them. It's fun for us."

The Padres visited Monterrey from Aug. 16-18, 1996, with the in the first regular-season series played outside the mainland United States or Canada.

Less than three years later, the Padres opened the season against the on April 4, 1999, in Monterrey. And in March 2016, the Padres and Astros played a Spring Training series in Mexico City.

The Padres, of course, have maintained close ties with Mexico, most notably Tijuana and Baja California, since the club entered the National League in 1969. Over the years, a Major League- high 25 Mexican citizens have played with the Padres.

Presently, Villanueva is on the Padres' Major League roster and Urias is ranked as the Padres' No. 3 prospect by MLB Pipeline as a 20-year-old with Triple-A El Paso. 16

Villanueva, a 26-year-old native of Guadalajara, not only returns to his homeland as the Padres' starting third baseman, but he was named the NL Rookie of the Month for April earlier this week. He hit .321 in March/April with eight home runs to lead all Major League rookies.

2nd, 2018 "From Christian Villanueva's perspective, he's going to have a lot of fun," Green said. "It's fun to see guys get an opportunity to play in their home country in a Major League uniform ... and for all the people who knew them growing up to watch them. I think especially for Christian, it's going to be exciting.

"Christian is pumped. We called him the Presidente earlier because Mexico is going to be welcoming him home big time. He's been great. I can't imagine how proud he will be to go back to his home country and be the starting third baseman on a Major League team. I'm sure this is something he's dreamed about his whole life, the opportunity of playing before his countrymen."

"Mexican baseball fans keep track of the number of players on teams in the Major Leagues," Eduardo Ortega, the Spanish-language voice of the Padres, said recently as he discussed the Padres' relationship with their neighbors to the south. "They celebrated last September when Villanueva joined the Padres. And they await the arrival of Luis Urias in San Diego. Fans in Mexico know that the Padres care about Mexico. They know that Alfredo Harp Helu owns part of the Padres.

"And this trip is a great time to plant the seed with the next generation."

Of course, the Dodgers are also extremely popular in Mexico. Former Dodgers pitcher Fernando Valenzuela ranks as the most popular Major Leaguer ever from Mexico.

Ironically, it was Valenzuela who won the first game the Padres ever played in Mexico ... as a Padre.

That was on Aug. 16, 1996, in the Padres' first game in Mexico. The Padres defeated the Mets, 15-10, in the opener of a three-game series. Steve Finley, Ken Caminiti, John Flaherty and all homered for the Padres.

The game that everyone remembers from that historic series was the "Snickers Game" in the Aug. 18 rubber match.

Dehydrated and suffering from food poisoning, Caminiti received two liters of fluid before the finale in Monterrey -- then ate a Snickers candy bar just before taking the field. The third baseman then homered in his first two at-bats to lead the Padres to an 8-0 win.

Buoyed by the success of the first regular-season series in Mexico, Major League Baseball asked the Padres to play a three-game Paradise Series against the Cardinals at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii from April 19-20, 1997 -- opening another frontier.

On April 4, 1999, the Padres and Rockies played the first International Opening Day game in Monterrey. The Rockies won, 8-2.

At that time, Major League Baseball had played six games outside North America. And the Padres were participants in all six. 17

Then came the 2008 Spring Training trip to China -- the Padres won the second of two games against the Dodgers after the first ended in a tie. Those games were played at Wukesong in Beijing, which hosted baseball for the 2008 Olympic Games. During the trip, the Padres and Dodgers visited the Great Wall of China and Padres players hosted a clinic at the Fengtai School.

"We were aware the entire time that we were making history," said outfielder , who had a two-run double in the Padres' victory in China. Who was credited with the win? Josh Geer.

And the Padres' most recent trip was the two-game 2016 exhibition series against Houston at Fray Nano Stadium in Mexico City.

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Why have the young, fast Padres been so dreadful at baserunning this season? By Dustin Palmateer May 2, 2018

There are a number of reasons why this Padres team should be good at baserunning. They’re a young, fast team with no regular position player older than 28, and young legs tend to work better than old ones. According to Statcast’s Sprint Speed leaderboard, and Franchy Cordero are both top-20 speedsters, and Jose Pirela isn’t too far behind. Among regulars, only and Christian Villanueva could be classified as “slow,” at least compared to the average footspeed present at their defensive homes, and neither would be mistaken for a Molina brother. If those factors don’t convince you, consider the Padres squad from just a year ago. That team ranked fourth in the majors in Baseball Prospectus’ Baserunning Runs, and it’s not a stretch to expect some of that performance to carry over, even if the names have changed. Go back a year further even and you’ll find that the 2016 Padres ranked second in the league in Baserunning Runs. Even if that specific team hasn’t stayed in tact, maybe an overarching philosophy under manager Andy Green has. Well, we’re a month into the season and not only are the Padres not good at baserunning, they’re bad. According to both BP’s BRR (30th) and FanGraphs BsR (26th) — acronyms for metrics that attempt to measure a team’s proficiency in total baserunning, not just steal attempts — the Padres rank toward the back of the league in total baserunning, trailing the leading teams by something like 10 runs. Why are they so bad, though? You might first guess it’s because of stolen bases. Not quite. The old sabermetric tenet still holds: Unless a team is really good or really bad in this department, steals just don’t matter that much in the big picture. San Diego is neither. The Padres have 16 steals on the year, which is two more than the league average mark. They’ve also been caught eight times, making their 67 percent success rate good for just 21st in the league, below the threshold of where stealing makes much sense. Manuel Margot, poised for a possible breakout, is just 3-for-4, held back by a .241 on-base percentage. , who stole 48 bases between 2016 and 2017, has played only 10 games all season and currently sits idly on the disabled list. And Freddy Galvis, a 78 percent base stealer coming into the season, has just one successful base theft in four tries. Despite moderate struggles in this area, however, the Padres have lost only half a run. The Cardinals are more than twice as bad on steal attempts, but rate as one of the league’s best baserunning teams. Last season, the spread between the best base stealing team (the -led Nationals, +2.95 runs) and the worst (the Mets, -2.82 runs) was not quite six whole runs. So what about running into outs? The TOOTBLAN is the bane of every manager’s existence, that head- shaking moment when an otherwise good inning goes awry. Maybe these Padres have so many talented speedsters, they’ve simply been unable to harness all that youthful aggression, running themselves into out after out. Nope — that’s not it either. San Diego’s only been thrown out nine times on the bases (not including steals), per Baseball Reference, just one more than the league average. The Padres haven’t been good in this category or on steal attempts, but neither area explains their subpar baserunning numbers overall.

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So what does? It turns out these Padres haven’t been aggressive enough. BP breaks down its baserunning metric into categories, allowing us to examine a team’s performance in specific areas. As Ben Lindbergh once explained, BRR tracks “advancements on stolen bases (SBR), non-hit balls on the ground (GAR), non-hit balls in the air (AAR), hits (HAR), and other advancement opportunities (wild pitches, passed balls, balks—OAR).” Here’s how the Padres stack up in each category so far this season.

They’ve been really bad advancing on hits and ground ball outs. In advancing on base hits, the Padres’ - 3.67 mark is almost a full run worse than the second-worst team, the Nationals, and nearly two runs off the 28th-ranked Red Sox. The same is mostly true in the ground advancement column. The Padres lead only the Diamondbacks by a narrow margin, and their -2.7 tally is some 6.5 runs off league-leading ’s pace. Thanks to data available on Baseball Reference, we can take an even look at the Padres’ struggles advancing on hits.

In 50 opportunities after a single with a runner on first, the Padres have gone first-to-third just seven times, whereas a normal team would have turned that trick 16 times. Do the same exercise for the other two situations in the above table, and the Padres have lost out on 20 extra bases on hits alone through the season’s first month. Their 29 percent Extra Bases Taken percentage ranks 29th in the league, ahead of only the and 13 percentage points below the average team. Let’s look at the tape. Here’s Christian Villanueva at first after a line drive into right field. Note Villanueva’s first mistake. After breaking toward second on contact, he pauses to make sure the ball gets through the infield. At that point, Villanueva was already going to be doubled off if caught the liner, so he should have just continued on toward second after that first break forward. Ultimately, Villanueva’s lacking speed couldn’t make up for the initial gaffe, even though it took the slow-moving a while to corral the ball. Now, a second example. In this situation, the bases are loaded for pitcher . Ross singles into right field, and only the runner on third trots home. Austin Hedges plays it station to station, only advancing from second to third. It isn’t a given that Hedges should have scored here, but perhaps a bigger secondary lead or a quicker jump on contact would have put him in better position to do so. The , Andrew McCutchen, wasn’t playing particularly shallow, plus he lost all forward momentum as he gloved the ball. He also has more of a centerfielder’s arm, rating six runs below average by UZR’s ARM measure over his career. Hedges only getting to third also stopped any other advancement from the rest of the runners on base, and the Padres only got one more run in the inning. All hope is not lost. San Diego sits at 10-20, so the finer points of baserunning are unlikely to derail any playoff bid. It’s still early in the season, perhaps too early to make team baserunning metrics fully reliable. Every chance to advance isn’t created equal — with the ball’s depth or the fielder’s arm changing from chance to chance —and so it’s possible the Padres have been bitten by some misfortune. In my viewing of games over the last few weeks, I didn’t find a ton of obvious blunders. On the other hand, these Padres are fast and young and out of contention, so they should be pushing their limitations on the base paths. There’s probably more to learn from ultra-aggressive baserunning than from the opposite, and there are runs — and wins — to be gained too. In the previous two seasons, the Padres gained 27.4 runs on the bases over the average team, and nearly 60 runs over the worst baserunning team

20 in that stretch. Let’s hope they use the rest of this season to test their wheels — and smarts — on the bases.

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Dodgers, Padres playing with full decks in Monterrey 9:45 AM PT Eric Gomez, ESPN.com

MONTERREY, Mexico -- Blink for a minute at the Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey and you might think you’re at a bona fide big league ballpark.

The home of the upcoming sold-out Mexico Series between the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers underwent a $5.2 million facelift earlier this year in preparation for Mexico’s first MLB regular-season games in 19 years. Monterrey, a metropolis of about 4.5 million in the country’s northeastern sector, will play host to MLB regular season games for a third time, having already done so in 1996 and 1999.

To prepare for Major League Baseball’s arrival, concrete benches in the bleachers were replaced with seats, setting capacity to 22,061 at Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey. A second big-screen monitor was put in over the right-center field and the clubhouse and dugouts were remodeled. The audio system was revamped, and an LED lighting system was installed to illuminate the all-new .

“Be prepared. When you get to that stadium, it’s on the level with some of the best in Major League Baseball,” said Chris Roberson, a 38-year-old former Phillies outfielder on his eighth season with Monterrey’s summer-league team, the Sultanes de Monterrey.

Roberson is confident the stadium will amaze the fans who visit it this weekend. The ninth-round 2001 draft selection for Philadelphia, Roberson’s career in the majors spanned all of 85 games from 2006 to 2007. After time with Triple-A affiliates for the and , the Oakland native made Mexico his year-round home in 2010, playing for Monterrey in the summer, Hermosillo and later Mexicali in the winter under Mexico’s year-round baseball schedule.

“It would’ve been nice to stay and watch the games live,” said Roberson. “Say hi to some old teammates, but it is what it is.”

A California native, Roberson is a dual Mexican citizen through his marriage to Mexican-born Yaneth, and played for Team Mexico at the 2017 World Baseball Classic. With Sultanes, Roberson’s average has never dipped below .300 in his eight seasons. They call him Mr. Consistencia, and he once hit for the cycle in 2014.

“The fans here are great, the support is always huge. It’s just a baseball town,” Roberson said.

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Monterrey is the only city in Mexico to ever host MLB regular season games. It has also long been a destination for major American sports leagues when it comes to exporting their product south of the border.

In August 1996, the Padres moved three home games to Monterrey, playing against the New York Mets. In 1999, the Padres and Rockies celebrated the first Opening Day game played outside the United States or Canada. And 19 years later, Monterrey will once again play host to the Friars -- this time against the Dodgers.

The NFL awarded Monterrey a preseason game as part of the American Bowl series, featuring the Dallas Cowboys and the Kansas City Chiefs on Aug. 5, 1996 -- just 11 days before the Padres and Mets squared off in the city. The Chiefs overwhelmed the defending champion Cowboys 32-6 in front of a sold-out crowd at the Estadio Universitario, a soccer stadium located in the same complex as the Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey.

The NBA has also found its way to the city, staging a preseason game in 2006 between the Golden State Warriors and Denver Nuggets. The game featuredMexican-born Nuggets forward Eduardo Nájera at the Arena Monterrey. Three years later, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Phoenix Suns faced off in Monterrey.

Though Monterrey has managed to attract three major American sports leagues, baseball remains the favorite among fans -- after fútbol of course. The city is home to the widely supported and successful Tigres UANL and the Rayados of Mexico’s Liga MX. Nevertheless, Sultanes executives are intent on expanding the relationship to the point of bringing an MLB to the city at some point, even if it’s in the distant future.

“I’ve always said it, someday Mexico will have a big league team and the city [the team will play in] is Monterrey,” said Sultanes president José Maiz last November, at the unveiling event for this May’s series between the Padres and the Dodgers.

Maiz has been associated with the sport since childhood. As a child, he pitched and played outfield for the first foreign team ever to win the Little League World Series. On Aug. 23, 1957, with Monterrey’s Industrial Little League squad, Maiz was on the field for the only in a Little League World Series final, besting La Mesa, California by a score of 4-0.

As an adult, Maiz became a successful businessman and the owner of Constructora Maiz Mier, a construction company in Monterrey. In 1986, he took over Sultanes, guiding the team to four Mexican summer league league titles.

Eight years later, when Major League Baseball was taking applications for the expansion franchises (eventually awarded to Phoenix and Tampa), Maiz submitted a bid for Monterrey.

A financial crisis in Mexico, in which the peso lost much of its value in December 1994, later dubbed the “Tequila Effect,” forced Maiz to withdraw his bid.

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In 2004, when the , then under MLB’s direct administration, were being shopped around to different markets before their eventual move to Washington, D.C., Maiz once again pushed for Monterrey.

At the time, Maiz was competing for a 22-game package, with the eventual hope of convincing MLB they were ready for a full-time franchise. Though then- called Monterrey’s bid “formidable”, the games were eventually awarded to San Juan, Puerto Rico for the 2004 season. With more games on the horizon, Monterrey is once again keen to make its case.

“There is truly a large opportunity to have a Major League team in Mexico,” said Rodrigo Fernández, of MLB Mexico.

Though Fernández and Commissioner have spoken highly of one day moving into the Mexican market for good, the possibility still seems set for the long-term.

“We don’t have a big league stadium in Mexico,” said Fernández. “I’m referring to one with 40 to 45,000 seats, with all the amenities you’d find in the United States.”

That statement seemingly rules out Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey, with a capacity of about half the number Fernández and MLB require.

Roberson, nevertheless is confident about what his stadium -- and his city -- can offer. Perhaps expansion is not realistic in the short term, but a positive impression in Monterrey this weekend could make MLB look to the city again in the future.

“I’m telling you, they’re going to be impressed," Roberson said. "That place, with those fans [this] weekend -- it’s going to be amazing.”

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The Padres want to win over fans and become the team of Mexico 9:29 AM PT Eric Gomez, ESPN.com

TIJUANA, Mexico -- The kids from Tijuana’s municipal league were gathered at a park named after a local Major League Baseball player, Andrés Berumen, on a recent spring afternoon. Having just completed an hour-long training session, the 8- and 9-year-olds listened to their manager barking instructions before they were pointedly interrupted and asked to name their favorite baseball team.

“San Diego Padres,” said one, provoking a ripple of giggles.

And why not? Tijuana is, after all, only 18 miles from Petco Park, home of the Padres on the other side of the U.S. border.

“Los Doyers,” blurted another one, proudly adjusting his oversized cap to a chorus of approval.

It comes as no surprise that the mighty Dodgers are also popular here. Loyalty is seemingly split in these parts. The Padres are looking at ways to expand their reach and win fans over in places beyond their figurative backyard.

“We want to become the team of Mexico,” said Tom Seidler, the Padres’ senior vice president of community and military affairs. “Historically, there’s been a focus on Tijuana and Baja California. But we want to keep growing.”

That is precisely what the Padres intend to do, fanning out once again to play ball across Mexico. On Friday, they open a three-game series against the Dodgers in sprawling Monterrey, a commercial hub and the third-largest metro area in Mexico, after the capital, Mexico City, and Guadalajara. This will be the third time the Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey has hosted a regular-season MLB series in Mexico. In 1996, the Padres squared off against the New York Mets; three years later, they faced the Colorado Rockies. In addition, the Padres hosted the Mexico City Diablos Rojos, from the summer league, at Petco Park in the 2015 preseason. A year later, San Diego played two exhibition games in Mexico City against the . In the rarified air, at 7,380 feet above sea level, the teams combined for 39 runs in two games.

The Dodgers are just one team the Padres will need to overtake not just on the diamond, but also in popularity, to reach their objectives south of the border. To become Mexico's team, the Padres still have their work cut out.

A recent study conducted by MLB ranks the Padres as Mexico's eighth-most-popular team. The Yankees are first, the Dodgers are second and the Red Sox are third. The Cubs, Astros, Giants and 25

Blue Jays (with Mexican pitchers Jaime Garcia, Marco Estrada and Roberto Osuna all on the Toronto staff) all rank above San Diego. The data was based on Mexican fans’ selection of their favorite teams on the MLB At Bat mobile app.

During the course of the franchise’s history, the Padres have forged a consistent relationship with Mexico. In 1997, the team refurbished Campo Andrés Berumen as part of its Little Padres Parks program to provide quality fields for youth. The diamond is named for Berumen, the Tijuana native who played for the team in 1995-96.

The Padres were also the first to place an official team store outside the United States and Canada, operating one in Tijuana in 1996-2016. The store sold Padres tickets and gear, and even operated a shuttle to Petco Park. It was shuttered to make way for a partnership with Tijuana’s Liga Mexicana de Béisbol team, the Toros, which then became the outlet for Padres merchandise in Tijuana.

Further, Mexican billionaire Alfredo Harp Helú is a minority owner of the Padres, purchasing a stake in 2012. A lifelong baseball fan, Harp Helú has been the sole owner of the Mexico City Diablos Rojos summer-league team since 1994, and is believed to be the only Mexican national who is a member of an MLB ownership group. (The ' owner, , is Mexican- American).

Though the Padres are the closest big league team to the Mexican border, affinity for the Dodgers stems in large part due to the club’s association with legendary pitcher Fernando Valenzuela, a native of Navojoa, Mexico.

“I became a Dodgers fan, like many my age, because of Fernando,” said Oscar Robles, a former infielder and Tijuana native who played with both the Dodgers and Padres from 2005-07. “Since I was a child, that was my dream, to play for Fernando’s team.”

Valenzuela’s decade-long stint with the Dodgers was punctuated in popularity by the 1981 season. The pitcher won both the National League and Rookie of the Year awards, as part of a Dodgers squad that won the World Series over the Yankees. The superlative performances spawned Fernando-mania, with heightened attention around his starts.

“No single player created more baseball fans than Fernando," said Jaime Jarrín, the Dodgers’ longtime Spanish-language radio play-by-play announcer. "People in Mexico, Central America and South America became fans of the Dodgers.”

Towards the tail end of his career, Valenzuela joined the Padres from 1995-97, and started for them in the first MLB regular-season game played in Mexico; El Toro got the win in a 15-10 victory over the New York Mets on Aug. 16, 1996. Valenzuela even took part in the pregame festivities, tossing out the game’s first pitch in front of a delighted crowd at the Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey.

“In Mexico, Fernando is the transcendent name and talent,” Seidler said. “The Padres share a piece of his history, but Fernando-mania was with the Dodgers. We may have that [in the future].”

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A few Padres players in the pipeline could potentially catch the attention of fans in Mexico. One of them is 20-year-old Luis Urias. Born in Sonora -- the state Valenzuela also hails from -- he is baseball’s second-ranked prospect at second base.

Urias started the season at Triple-A El Paso, opening the door for a potential call-up at some point this season. Further down the pipeline is outfielder Tirso Ornelas, an 18-year-old Tijuana native currently with the Fort Wayne TinCaps.

“I think it’s very important for the Padres to have Mexican players fans can identify,” Robles said.

Though Urias and Ornelas have yet to reach the big leagues, red-hot third baseman Christian Villanueva has impressed Padres fans and management with his performance this season.

The 26-year-old Villanueva was named NL Rookie of the Month for April on Wednesday. Villanueva hit .338, with eight home runs and 19 RBIs during the month, and led all rookies in hits, RBI, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, runs scored and total bases.

“In Christian, if we have a Mexican player who gets fans watching baseball, that’s great,” Seidler said. “We want him to be in a Padres uniform -- it’s terrific for the game in Mexico.”

Once a top-100 prospect with the Cubs, Villanueva was stranded behind Kris Bryant in the team’s farm system. After signing as a free agent with the Padres in 2016, the Guadalajara native finally got a crack at the big leagues after eight seasons in the minors as a September call-up in 2017.

“It was really special,” Villanueva said in a telephone interview. “At the same time, you think about what comes next, and how you can stay [in the majors] for a long time.”

The third baseman is already being marketed as one of the players to watch in the upcoming series in Monterrey.

“I’m happy to be recognized by so many people [in Mexico],” Villanueva said. “I’ve worked very hard and thank God I’m reaping the rewards.”

Despite the fact that Arizona native Alex Verdugo of the Dodgers represented Mexico at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Villanueva figures to be the only Mexican-born player on either roster. His performance thus far this season means he’ll most likely bear the brunt of attention in Monterrey.

Though Seidler and the Padres are not expecting a level of excitement akin to the glory days of Fernando-mania, there is a hope the event is an exciting step toward the franchise's ultimate goal of overtaking its rival as Mexico’s most popular team.

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“Hopefully we have exciting, competitive games," Seidler said. "It would be great if Villanueva got a big hit and excites the fans there. I think it would be really exciting for us; anything that grows the fan base is great.”

After Major League Baseball announced annual games in Mexico through 2021, Seidler and the Padres are hoping they can be a consistent part of proceedings south of the border.

“If we could be a part of those games in Mexico, regardless of where they’re played -- Monterrey, Guadalajara, Mexico City or elsewhere -- that would be tremendous.”

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Fowler: Lucchesi, Lauer a Glimpse of ‘The Future of Padre Baseball’ Talented young southpaws have earned their spots in rotation

By Justin Lafferty

The future looks bright on Park Blvd. Third baseman Christian Villanuevatook home NL Rookie of the Month honors, outfielder Franchy Cordero has been launching must-see long balls and pitchers and Eric Lauer have shown grit and determination.

Padres Executive Chairman Ron Fowler went on flagship station 97.3 The Fan recently, talking about how the rookies and newcomers have impressed quite a bit this season.

“Some of the young guys are doing well,” Fowler said. “Lucchesi and Lauer, they’re here a little over a year after signing. There’s some of the young guys we expected to be good — Villanueva is playing extremely well. That’s another one. The young man Franchy Cordero looks like he has some incredible power, so there are some significant positives as we go into the remainder of the year.”

Lucchesi — slated to start the first game of the Mexico Series against the rival Dodgers — has fanned 35 batters in 32.1 innings. He’s 3–1 heading into Friday’s game in Monterrey, with a 2.78 ERA. Lucchesi, known for his animated delivery, has fooled batsmen with a cross between a and a , the “churve.”

Lauer, the newest prospect called up, struggled in his first start — a rain-delayed game in the hitter’s haven of — but bounced back nicely against the Giants on April 30, striking out 7 in 5 innings. Lauer will start Sunday’s game, the final one in Monterrey.

Lucchesi and Lauer are the organization’s №9 and 12 prospects, respectively. Both pitchers looked worthy of a big league rotation spot in Spring Training, and are proving it now.

“Both Lauer and Lucchesi looked very, very good in Spring Training,” Fowler said. “It didn’t surprise me when A.J. (Preller) and Andy (Green) wanted to bring Lucchesi back when we unfortunately lost to surgery. … I think there’ll be more

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(promoted) before the summer’s up, but this is the future of Padre baseball — these young guys. They appear to be fearless. They like to just get the ball and go out on the mound and throw. They’re big personalities, they’re good guys and this is the future of Padre baseball.”

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It’s been 19 years since MLB played in Mexico. Christian Villanueva is ready to bring it back. The Padres and Dodgers square off for a series in Monterrey this weekend. By Nate Abaurrea May 3, 2018, 2:03pm EDT

This weekend, Major League Baseball will return to Mexico for regular-season action for the first time since 1999, when ’s Padres took on ’s Rockies in a season opening one-gamer at Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey.

That afternoon quickly became a glorified “Vinny Day” as Rockies star Vinny Castilla sent the Nuevo León crowd into a prideful frenzy, their heroic countryman producing a four-hit game while the Rockies took down the Padres, 8-2. This year’s three-game MLB en MX series will take place between the Padres and reigning National League Champion Los Angeles Dodgers, and features a young Mexican slugger, Christian Villanueva, who is smashing the ball right now and ready to build off the foundation laid by all of Mexico’s baseball legends.

Those 19 years since the last Mexico game may feel like ages to some; the first time MLB went to Mexico it returned after just three years. The Padres and New York Mets played a three-game set on the same ground in Monterrey in 1996, the first time the league had ever played games outside of the U.S. and Canada.

“In 1996, the Padres endeared themselves to the Mexican people forever,” said Eduardo Ortega, the Tijuana native and baseball broadcasting legend who has called 21 World Seriesand served as the Spanish language voice of the Padres for 32 seasons. “They brought arguably the most important Mexican baseball player of all-time, Fernando Valenzuela.”

Though the days of proper “Fernandomania” had diminished at the time of the game, the sheer fact that Valenzuela pitched a regular-season game on Mexican soil meant everything to those in attendance.

The landmark series opener featured Valenzuela, pitching at age 35, delivering a quality start and getting the win in a wild contest — the Padres jumped out to a 15-0 lead before a bullpen calamity episode led to them ultimately winning 15-10.

Steve Finley, the late Ken Caminiti, and Greg Vaughan all went deep for San Diego beneath the jagged peaks of Cerro de la Silla. (Finley will forever have a place in Mexican baseball folklore, having hit the first big fly of the historic series.) But despite the bonkers final score, the day was all about the hero on the hill.

“They were chanting Fernando’s nickname in the stadium as he was warming up in the bullpen,” Ortega remembered. “‘Toro! Toro!’ They even had him throw out the ceremonial first pitch. In a game he was starting! When have you ever seen that, the throwing out the ceremonial first-pitch? That’s how much they loved Fernando Valenzuela.”

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Three years later, MLB en MX was all about the Oaxacan hit-machine Castilla, known to his Rockies teammates as “Cuz”, the man who carried the generational torch lit by “Fernandomania” into a new era.

Castilla put Mexican baseball on his powerful shoulders throughout his career, and on that special day in Monterrey in 1999, his cuatro imparables gave thousands of fans, who adored him so, a story to forever share.

Two times in the space of three years, Major League Baseball traveled to Mexico for showcase games. Both times teams played to passionate crowds, the league promoted baseball stars from Mexico, and the events gave lasting memories to fans who loved and continue to love the game. Now, MLB is finally going back.

In 1931, a Sonoran born Angeleno named Baldomero Almada became the first Mexican to take the field in a Major League Baseball game. The Red Sox outfielder, who became better known to his teammates as “Mel”, carved out a decent career in the bigs, hitting .284 in seven Major League seasons in Boston, Washington, St. Louis, and Brooklyn.

Last September, the Padres called up Christian Villanueva from the Triple-A Chihauhuas of El Paso, making the power-hitting third-baseman from Jalisco the most recent Mexican international to get a taste of The Show.

“It’s an honor to be the 125th Mexican to make it to the Majors,” said Villanueva before a recent Saturday night game against the Mets at Petco Park. “It means a lot to be a part of a new generation of Mexican talent.”

A pro since age 18, the now 26-year-old Villanueva was essentially blockaded in two big league organizations by two perennial all-star corner-: Adrian Beltre in Texas, then by Kris Bryant with the Cubs.

Now it’s the former minor-league free-agent making all the noise. Villanueva’s electrifying start to 2018 (already being talked about in Southern California and beyond as a surefire Rookie of the Year candidate, notching a three-homer game April 2 against Colorado and hitting a 415- foot bomb in his first at-bat of that Saturday night showdown with the Mets) has fans on both sides of the frontera thinking back to another Mexican bopper who played third-base with finely tuned footwork, a velvet smooth glove, and a hellacious hose for an arm at the hot corner.

“Seeing what Christian is doing right now,” said Eduardo Ortega, “it reminds me quite a bit of the great Vinny Castilla.”

Those are meaningful words coming from someone with a nostalgic mind like Ortega. Villanueva himself speaks of the former Colorado Rockies star with deep respect.

“His fielding at third,” Villanueva said of Castilla, “the power he had at the plate, the way he hit to the opposite field, the way he carried himself; these are things that motivated me as a kid and helped me learn. He was my favorite player, and I’ve always dreamed of following in his footsteps.”

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It’s tempting to imagine Villanueva being the impetus for MLB’s return to Mexico, but it appears to be just a happy accident. MLB opened up an international office in Mexico City in 2016, and announced that a series would take place in Mexico that following fall, at a time Villanueva was by no means certain to even be on the Padres’ big league roster in 2018.

Flash forward to today, and Villanueva is mashing. He’s the new face of Béisbol Mexicano that has the people of Monterrey buzzing with anticipation. All these years after Castilla captivated that crowd, it’s still a third-baseman, and still a man with prodigious pop at the plate.

“We’ve been calling him ‘El Presidente’ in the clubhouse lately,” Padres manager Andy Greensaid in a recent conversation about Villanueva.

“We know those fans in Monterrey and the Mexican people and media at large are gonna be welcoming him home, big time,” Green continued. “I can only imagine how proud he’ll be to return to his native country as a Major League third baseman. This is such a special opportunity for Villa’, and I know he’s gonna be fired up and ready to go.”

“It’d be nice to do what Vinny did down there,” Villanueva said with a laugh.

The man across the Padres infield from Villanueva, marquee free-agent signing , spoke of what his Mexican teammate’s presence has done to add to the intrigue of the series against the Dodgers.

“Villanueva’s been getting us really pumped for this thing,” Hosmer said of the trip to Mexico. “He’s been letting us know a little bit about what to expect down there in Monterrey, the stadium, the fans. He’s excited to go back and play in his home country, and I think we’re all feeling that same excitement through him.”

While the series will officially be three Padres home games, and while the Padres have been a part of all three editions of MLB en MX, the crowd at Estadio de Beisbol Monterrey is expected to be very much in favor of the reigning NL champs. This isn’t lost on the young Mexican slugger.

“We can’t wait to see the people of Monterrey at these games,” said Villanueva. “We hope they come out and show their support —” [he pauses, then grins] “— for the Padres, not the Dodgers.”

Green was optimistic about the crowd, referencing Villanueva and highly rated infield prospect Luis Urias as people who could garner adoration from Mexican baseball fans.

“We hope we have a ton of Padres fans at the games,” Green said. “I think with Urias coming soon, and with Christian already being such a huge part of our ball club, we’ll be getting more and more fans in Mexico. This is something that’s important to us.”

Regardless of partisanship or the game’s outcome, it is surely going to be a marvelous, holiday- like atmosphere come the series opener, the same way it was in ‘96 and ‘99.

So, yes, MLB has a young star in Villanueva who the crowd will be cheering for. The Dodgers are still massively popular in the area. Major League Baseball wants to grow the game in Mexico. But still: 19 years? What were they waiting for?

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“Most people think it’s taken almost 20 years purely because of the economic hardships in Mexico,” said Ortega. “While I agree with that to an extent, I also think the time gap has been due to the evolution of Major League Baseball internationally.”

“These days,” Ortega continued, “The Show is bigger than just the U.S., Canada, and Latino America. MLB has gone to Japan for regular-season games. To Australia! All of these places matter. They are all doing great things for the game we love.”

And that may be the biggest reason why it’s taken MLB so long to go back — they were busy growing the game elsewhere. The MLB office in Mexico City is the sixth such office to open up worldwide, joining Beijing, London, Santo Domingo, Sydney, and Tokyo. MLB has already announced that teams will play in Japan in 2019. While the NFL has kept its focus on England, MLB has, much like the NBA, been looking to grow everywhere.

With Villanueva on their side, the Padres have a player who resonates with Mexican fans. His notoriety is a product, in part, of the digital age: children and young adults in Mexico being able to follow his every move, each game, each at-bat, abilities not possible for generations before.

”Baseball has no borders,” Ortega said emphatically. “I don’t think MLB ever forgot about Mexico, and now is the perfect time to make a return.”

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Dodgers, Padres meet for weekend series in Mexico STATSMay 4, 2018 at 12:58p ET

Two of the top young pitching prospects in the are matched for the first time Friday night in … Monterrey, Mexico.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres open a three-game series in Mexico on Friday night with right-hander Walker Buehler starting for the Dodgers against left-hander Joey Lucchesi of the Padres.

Buehler is rated the No. 1 pitching prospect in the Dodgers system. Lucchesi is the No. 7 pitching prospect in the Padres system.

The 23-year-old Buehler was the Dodgers’ first-round pick (24th overall) in the 2015 draft out of Vanderbilt University. The 6-foot-2, 175-pounder made his major league debut last season and finished with a 7.71 in eight relief appearances. He will be making his third start this season.

Lucchesi was San Diego’s fourth-round draft pick in 2016 out of Southwest Missouri State. The 6-foot-5, 227-pounder made his major league debut in the Padres’ second game this season, gaining his promotion from Triple-A when right-hander Dinelson Lamet went on the disabled list for eventual Tommy John surgery.

Buehler is 1-0 with a 1.80 earned run average in his two starts, each of which lasted five innings. He has allowed two runs on 10 hits and four walks with 11 . He has a 1.40 WHIP in a small sample size.

Lucchesi’s sample size is much larger. He has made six starts and worked 32 1/3 innings. He is 3-1 and has given up 26 hits and 10 walks for a 1.11 WHIP to go with his 2.78 ERA. He is the only San Diego pitcher with a winning record and his ERA is the lowest among the Padres starters.

Both Buehler and Lucchesi were winners in their last outings with near identical lines. Buehler gave up two runs to the Giants in San Francisco. Lucchesi held the Mets to two runs in 5 2/3 innings at Petco Park in San Diego.

However, the venue for the first meeting of Buehler and Lucchesi could steal the show.

Two teams with strong ties to Mexico will be meeting for the first time in the country. This will be the Padres’ fourth trip to Mexico since 1996 and their third to Monterrey. This is not the first time the Padres and Dodgers explored a foreign land together. They played an exhibition series in China in 2008.

“Everybody feels it is incredibly important to spread baseball internationally,” said San Diego manager Andy Green. “Baseball in Mexico, baseball in Latin America, it’s the No. 1 game down there. I know some people might argue soccer, but from my perspective it’s baseball.

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“For us, this weekend is an opportunity to go to another place and share Major League Baseball with the world. We hope we have a ton of fans in Mexico.”

Twenty-two years ago, the Padres and New York Mets played a historic three-game series in Monterrey. They were the first two teams to play a major league series outside of the continental United States or Canada.

The winner of the first game in that series for the Padres was Fernando Valenzuela, a Mexican native who originally became a superstar with the Dodgers.

This time the Padres return with another player who has excited Mexico’s baseball fans. Third baseman Christian Villanueva on Wednesday was named the National League Rookie of the Month for hitting .321 with eight homers during the season’s first month.

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Padres 2016 Might Lay Groundwork for World Series Run Player acquisition from two years ago could be historically good By Derek Togerson Published at 4:31 PM PDT on May 3, 2018 | Updated at 4:30 PM PDT on May 3, 2018

The 2018 Padres have not been very good. They also have not been very exciting or fun to watch.

EXCEPT … for a few youngsters who give us hope that the future is, indeed, going to be bright.

Outfielder Franchy Cordero is launching into the Troutosphere (Cordero has three HR of 450-plus feet, more than anyone else in baseball). Infielder Christian Villanueva went on a dinger binge of his own and if his glove can start matching his bat he could be an All-Star in the next few years. Lefty Joey Lucchesi has impressed with his stuff and composure.

Other than that it’s been a lot of “Wow this is not real good.” Well, it was that way until 1st baseman Eric Hosmer started heating up. Speaking of Hosmer, a lot of people scratched their heads when they threw nine figures at the former Royals All-Star.

One of the major concerns was we’ve known for two years that the Padres are in a rebuild, so why are we suddenly throwing all that cash at a guy when we’re still trying to bulk up the system?

Which is certainly a valid concern. Obviously the Friars are nowhere near being contenders right now so what’s up with signing Hosmer when it’s going to take a while to compete?

So I did a little looking and it would appear the Padres had one year that looks like it’s going to be so insanely good that the whole process was accelerated. A quick look back:

When Padres General Manager A.J. Preller arrived in San Diego in August of 2014 he was given the seemingly impossible task of reshaping the organization from tip to tail.

He started the process with a cannon shot across the bow of Major League Baseball.

Matt Kemp, , Wil Myers, , … the names that Preller brought in were huge. Their production, however, was not. So aside from Myers

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the Padres sold off parts to start truly bulking up their farm system. Usually a complete rebuild takes a few years.

But then 2016 happened.

The sheer volume of high-end talent that was injected to the Padres organization is staggering. Just take a look at how things went during the calendar year of 2016.

International Signings:

• RHP Michel Baez (Padres 5th-ranked prospect, MLB 40th-ranked prospect) • LHP Adrian Morejon (Padres 6th-ranked prospect, MLB 48th-ranked prospect) • SS Gabriel Arias (Padres 10th-ranked prospect) • OF Tirso Ornelas (Padres 14th-ranked prospect) • OF Jorge Ona (Padres 17th-ranked prospect) • OF Jeisson Rosario (Padres 18th-ranked prospect) • SS Luis Almanzar (Padres 26th-ranked prospect)

Trades:

• RHP James Shields to the White Sox for SS Fernando Tatis, Jr. (Padres 1st-ranked prospect, MLB 8th-ranked prospect) and RHP Erik Johnson • RHP to the Marlins for RHP (Padres 22nd-ranked prospect) • RHP and RHP to the Marlins for 1B (Padres 15th-ranked prospect), RHP , RHP • LHP to the Red Sox for RHP (Padres 7th-ranked prospect)

Drafted:

• RHP Cal Quantrill (Padres 4th-ranked prospect, 38th-ranked MLB prospect) • INF Hudson Potts (Padres 16th-ranked prospect) • LHP Eric Lauer (Padres 12th-ranked prospect; 2nd pitcher from draft class to reach MLB) • OF Buddy Reed (2nd in the California League with a .343 batting average) • RHP Reggie Lawson (Padres 30th-ranked prospect; Leads California League in ERA as a 20-year-old; 27 K, 7 BB, 1.44 ERA) • RHP (Padres 24th-ranked prospect) • LHP Joey Lucchesi (Padres 9th-ranked prospect; 1st pitcher from draft class to reach MLB; leads all National League rookies in ERA, starts, ) • RHP (35th round pick, Padres 27th-ranked prospect)

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Rule 5 Draft

• RHP Miguel Diaz (was a reliever in San Diego in 2017, now stretching out to be a starter at Double-A San Antonio and has allowed just one run in his last 16.2 innings)

Free Agent Signings:

• INF Christian Villanueva (leads all NL rookies in HR, RBI, OPS) • RHP (leads Padres relievers in innings the last two years)

Waiver Signings:

• April 8, signed LHP off waivers from Miami; Hand was an All-Star in 2017 and signed a 3-year contract through 2020 (club option for 2021)

Add it all up and that’s 18 of the Padres’ top-30 prospects … four of the Top-50 prospects in all of baseball … an All-Star reliever … and a guy who is already making a case to win the 2018 National League Rookie of the Year award (Villanueva, who might get pushed by Lucchesi for the honor).

Now I know the prospect rankings are always arbitrary and no guarantee of future success. In 2015 there were 16 guys ranked ahead of Aaron Judge and in 2011 there were nine guys in front of . Of course two of them were and Bryce Harper, but you get the picture.

Any team would be hard-pressed to find a single year where it added as many potential impact players as the Padres did in 2016. We already see a few of them becoming the biggest contributors on the big league club as rookies. If the rest of the crop, and 2017 additions like MacKenzie Gore, follow suit that #Padres2020WorldSeriesChamps hashtag on Twitter won’t be wishful thinking.

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