Padres Press Clips Sunday, May 28, 2017
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Padres Press Clips Sunday, May 28, 2017 Article Source Author Page With Manuel Margot on DL, Franchy Cordero gets first UT San Diego Lin 2 call-up Josh Naylor dominating in return to Cal League UT San Diego Sanders 4 Pickoff perfectionist Richard utilizing move MLB.com Cassavell 6 Richard solid, but hitting woes persist in loss MLB.com Collier/Cassavell 8 Padres call up Cordero for center field duty MLB.com Cassavell 11 Chacin looks for course correction on road MLB.com Melnick 13 Stephen Strasburg K's career-high 15, Nats down Padres Associated Press AP 14 3-0 Padres place Manuel Margot on DL ESPN.com ESPN NEWS 16 Andy’s Address, 5/27 Friar Wire Center 17 This Day in Padres History, 5/27 Friar Wire Center 19 Padres On Deck: RHP Nix Makes Solid 2017 Debut for Friar Wire Center 20 Single-A Lake Elsinore Happy Birthday to the Padres! NBC 7 Togerson 22 Strasburg Stymies Padres NBC 7 Togerson 23 1 With Manuel Margot on DL, Franchy Cordero gets first call-up Dennis Lin With Manuel Margot landing on the disabled list Saturday, the Padres gave another 22-year-old center fielder his first promotion to the majors, recalling Franchy Cordero from Triple-A El Paso. Cordero, originally signed for $175,000 in 2011, arrived in the visiting clubhouse at Nationals Park wearing a broad grin. “Just really, really excited,” the Dominican native said through an interpreter. “It’s something I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid. I didn’t really even have words when (El Paso manager Rod Barajas) told me the news.” Cordero was not in Saturday’s lineup, but he is expected to be the primary center fielder in Margot’s absence. In 42 games with El Paso, the 6-foot-3 prospect showed an intriguing combination of power and speed, hitting .289 with seven home runs and eight steals. His major league debut came in the form of an unenviable matchup in the seventh inning Saturday. Pinch-hitting against Washington Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg, Cordero struck out on four pitches. Manager Andy Green said after the game that Cordero will start Sunday’s series finale. “While Franchy’s here, it’ll largely be his opportunity,” Green said. “Other guys will play (center field) — he won’t be out there 10 straight days. But he’s going to play and play consistently. We brought him here to get a look at him and felt like he was earning that opportunity with what he’s done. “He’s an athletic guy that, moving around the field, he’s going to look every part a major leaguer.” A major league opportunity had not always been assured. Cordero’s development hit a snag after he reached full-season ball; the then-shortstop displayed excellent power potential but was plagued by strikeouts and defensive miscues. In 2016, after a full-time move to the outfield, he re-emerged as a name to watch, posting a .290/.344/.450 slash line across three levels. In Cactus League action this spring, he impressed while playing alongside major leaguers. 2 “I think it was really big,” Cordero said. “I was able to see major league pitching. I was able to see the best competition. Once I went down to Triple-A, I took that same approach I had in spring training that brought some success and applied it down there.” Margot’s stint on the 10-day DL is retroactive to May 25, but there is no timetable for his return. The rookie tweaked his right calf May 23, and has been diagnosed with a strained soleus muscle. “He’s just sore right now,” Green said. “We’ll take about four or five days, keep the workload really minimal, not do much at all. After that, see how he progresses.” 3 Josh Naylor dominating in return to Cal League Jeff Sanders The marching orders were simple when the Padres sent Josh Naylor back to the California League: Dominate. Save for a two-week spell on the disabled list, the 19-year-old first baseman is doing just that in his second go-round with high Single-A Lake Elsinore. The upside return in the Andrew Cashner trade, Naylor has not only pushed his batting average to .329 — good for second in the league — the 6-foot, 225-pound left-handed hitter has begun to tap into prodigious power potential he flashed with homers to left and right center at Petco Park last fall in the Padres Futures Game. After managing just three homers in 33 games last year with the Storm, Naylor has homered six times through his first 38 games, his .535 slugging percentage is nearly 100 points above his career rate and his on-base percentage is at a career-high .385. One key, Lake Elsinore hitting coach Raul Padron said, is staying on the fastball and staying in hitter’s counts. “He’s in the strike zone,” Padron said. “He’s doing a tremendous job with pitch selection. That’s huge for him. When he’s consistently getting ahead in the count – 3-1, 2-0, 2-1 – he’s going to see a fastball and that’s the pitch he wants.” The facial fractures Naylor sustained when a pickoff throw struck him in the face in late April have proved a scary but minor hiccup to date. He is hitting .368/.429/.544 with one homer and 12 RBIs in 15 games since his injury-induced layoff, as his decision to stand in on bullpens while on the disabled list went a long way toward maintaining his timing up his return. “He’s one of those kids who likes to work,” Padron said. “Not only that, he works hard and puts in quality work.” AROUND THE FARM El Paso (AAA): UT Jose Pirela’s 10 HRs through 39 games has already matched a career-high. He is hitting .313/.377/.578 with 29 RBIs and seven steals San Antonio (AA): RHP Michael Kelly (4-1, 2.59) has run his scoreless inning streak to 21. He leads the system with 57 strikeouts. Lake Elsinore (A+): RHP Jacob Nix made his 2017 debut Friday night after a groin injury kept him in extended spring training. He struck out five and allowed two runs on seven hits and a walk in five innings. 4 Fort Wayne (A): LHP Jerry Keel was promoted to the Texas League after going 3-2 with a 2.96 ERA, 50 strikeouts and a 1.09 WHIP in 48 2/3 innings at Fort Wayne. ORGANIZATIONAL LEADERS (Through Friday; min. 80 at-bats, 25 innings pitched) Batting average: .370 – OF Nick Buss (AAA) On-base percentage: .427 – INF Luis Urias (AA) Homers: 10 – UT Jose Pirela (AAA) Total bases: 90 – OF Franchy Cordero (AAA) RBIs: 35 – 1B Josh Naylor (A+) Steals: 14 – 2B Eguy Rosario (A) Wins: 5 – RHP Andrew Lockett (AAA) ERA: 0.69 – RHP Gerardo Reyes (A+) WHIP: 0.91 – RHP Rafael De Paula (AA) Saves: 8 – RHP Phil Maton (AAA) Strikeouts: 57 – RHP Michael Kelly (AA) SO/W: 7.75 – RHP Zech Lemond (A+) 5 Pickoff perfectionist Richard utilizing move By AJ Cassavell / MLB.com | @AJCassavell | May 27th, 2017 WASHINGTON -- On the mound, Clayton Richard is a perfectionist. That much holds true, even when he isn't throwing to the plate. The owner of one of the best pickoff moves in baseball, Richard again put it on full display Saturday afternoon, nabbing two over-aggressive Nationals baserunners in the bottom of the fifth inning in Saturday's 3-0 loss in D.C. As a sinkerballer who pitches to contact, Richard knows he's going to have traffic on the bases often -- in fact, no pitcher has allowed more singles this season. Richard also knows it's especially important that those runners stay where they are, keeping the double play in order. "Typically, I get a lot of balls put in play on the ground," said Richard, who allowed three runs over six innings Saturday. "If we're able to keep guys at first and not let them get out of the way, it helps us, keeps us at a competitive advantage." With his two pickoffs on Saturday, Richard now has 31 over his nine-year career. He's especially adept at varying his move to first base against speedier runners. Trea Turner opened the fifth by singling to left field, a perilous situation for any hurler. Twice, Richard lifted his leg high and slowly before throwing over. The third time, Turner broke for second on Richard's first move and likely would have been safe had Richard repeated the first two throws. "If he goes the slow leg kick with Turner over there, he'll be standing on second base on the pickoff," said Padres manager Andy Green. "He was cognizant of that and did a good job of getting it over there quickly." With his third throw over, Richard executed more of a slide step, getting the ball out of his hand just quickly enough for first baseman Yangervis Solarte and second baseman Cory Spangenberg to play catch. 6 "It's just about mixing up the looks to keep them off-balance," said Richard. "He's an extremely good baserunner. You can't do the same thing and expect to keep him at a base. You just mix it up, keep him from being comfortable." Richard was even more pleased with his second pick of the frame, which came at an especially opportune moment.