Padres Press Clips Sunday, July 26, 2015
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Padres Press Clips Sunday, July 26, 2015 Article Source Author Page Kennedy shows value in beating Marlins UT San Diego Lin 2 Nothing imminent between Padres, Mets UT San Diego Lin 6 Morrow makes rehab start with El Paso UT San Diego Lin 8 Enberg’s Hall entry was long overdue UT San Diego Canepa 9 Minors: Morrow allows 2 runs in rehab game UT San Diego Cowart 12 Q&A: Padres first baseman Yonder Alonso UT San Diego Tuscano 14 Three Padres drive in runs to beat Marlins MLB.com Frisaro/Maiman 16 Exacting Enberg accepts Frick honor at Hall MLB.com Noble 18 Maurer comes through big in crucial situation MLB.com Maiman 21 Hedges gaining confidence at big league level MLB.com Maiman 23 Despaigne seeks change of fortune in finale MLB.com Frisaro 25 Kemp has 11 extra-base hits in last 12 games Padres.com Center 26 Renfroe, Jankowski, Rea have big nights on the farm Padres.com Center 28 Padres have a winning homestand NBCSanDiego.com Togerson 30 Marlins unable to mount rally against Padres Associated Press AP 31 1 Kennedy shows value in beating Marlins In 3-1 victory, Padres right-hander throws six innings of one-run ball By Dennis Lin | 8:31 p.m. July 25, 2015 | Updated, 9:46 p.m. After Saturday's 3-1 victory over the Marlins, the Padres will try to win the four-game series outright Sunday at Petco Park. Then they'll fly across the country and spend Monday's off-day in New York. A three- game series against the Mets opens Tuesday. Whether Ian Kennedy has made his last start for the Padres will soon come to light. The Padres' veteran right-hander went six-plus innings Saturday, surrendering one run while recording seven strikeouts. For now, his next scheduled appearance will come in Miami on Friday. It will be nighttime on the East Coast. The July 31 non-waiver trade deadline will have come and gone. Kennedy and his wife, Allison, are expecting their fourth daughter the same day. "All my kids were born on a Sunday," Kennedy said with a smile. "I told her, ‘Hey, no pressure, but keep her in until maybe Sunday or the next time around.’ She said, ‘I can keep her in, that’s no problem.’ She’s funny. "This will be hard," Kennedy added. "I’m really hoping she’s late or she’s early next week." Padres executive chairman Ron Fowler has said there will be no official determination on the club's direction until after this series. In securing their second consecutive victory, this following a three-game skid, the Padres (46-52) inched closer to .500. If everything falls right, they can get there Aug. 1, the day after the deadline. 2 Outside the organization, meanwhile, all indications are that Padres General Manager A.J. Preller has been preparing to sell significant pieces. A loss Sunday likely would hasten the process. The obvious candidates begin with the impending free agents: outfielders Justin Upton and Will Venable; relievers Joaquin Benoit and Shawn Kelley; and, on display Saturday, a veteran right-hander who put together one of his better performances of the season. For weeks, Kennedy has been distancing himself from a rocky opening. The 30-year- old was off mechanically through his first eight starts, going 2-5 with a 7.15 ERA. His pitches often were flat, often leading to loud contact. Kennedy had been working with Padres pitching coach Darren Balsley to create more of a downhill angle, to get back to what made him successful in 2014, when he experienced a career resurgence. He eclipsed both 200 innings and 200 strikeouts last season, and while that ranked as a pleasant surprise, plenty remains in his right arm. "I feel like the last month or last six, seven starts, I’ve been able to command my fastball like I know I can," Kennedy said. "It’s made it a lot easier on myself, allowed my offspeed to work a little bit." He showed that Saturday, stranding a pair of baserunners in the top of the first, notching his sixth strikeout to end the top of the fourth. With two outs in the sixth, he fired strike three, a 93 mph fastball, past Marlins left fielder Michael Morse. "The last three or four times in a row, he’s been real good," Padres interim manager Pat Murphy said of Kennedy. "He was good from start to finish, his velo was there. When you see 93s, 94s up there from Ian, you know he’s got good stuff." In the next inning, the scouts on hand were reminded of what has plagued Kennedy all year. On a full count, catcher Derek Norris set up outside. Kennedy's pitch sped toward the inner half of the plate, right into the batter's wheelhouse. Derek Dietrich launched a solo shot to right field. 3 It was the 22nd home run allowed by Kennedy, who's thrown 96 1/3 innings. No starting pitcher in the majors has yielded a higher rate. Kennedy then gave up a booming triple to J.T. Realmuto, whereupon Murphy made a slow walk to the mound. In came reliever Brandon Maurer. Out went Kennedy, perhaps for the last time. Kennedy had scattered seven hits and a walk. He'd thrown 97 pitches, 62 for strikes. Maurer limited the damage by retiring the next three batters. "That was huge," Kennedy said. "Not only for myself but for the team. He's been doing it all year. It's impressive to watch him pitch." Kennedy had helped himself, too, stroking a two-out double in the second and scoring on Will Venable's single. That gave the Padres a 2-0 lead; in the first, Yonder Alonso narrowly missed a grand slam, settling for a long sacrifice fly off Marlins right-hander David Phelps. The Padres scored an insurance run in the seventh. Clint Barmes singled, went to second on a passed ball and advanced to third on Abraham Almonte's pinch-hit sacrifice. Barmes came home when pinch-hitter Melvin Upton Jr. floated a single over a drawn-in infield. Benoit and Padres closer Craig Kimbrel took care of the final two innings. It all was enough to give Kennedy his sixth victory. Over his last 10 starts, he is 4-4 with a 2.83 ERA, 52 strikeouts and 14 walks. An above-.500 team certainly could use his presence in the backend of its rotation. His next start is tentatively scheduled for Friday night in Miami. "It’s my third year in a row being in talks," Kennedy said. "I was traded here midseason (in 2013). Last year I was being talked about. I’ve been in this situation before. Now that I’ve been through it, I know I still have to go out and pitch well. Doesn’t matter where I’m going, or if I’m still a Padre, whatever it is. I still have to do 4 my job and pitch. Maybe my first time, when I was with the Diamondbacks and my name was being rumored, I threw on the night of the 30th and it was weird. "Now I’m old enough to say, ‘Hey, you’ve done this before. Just go out and pitch, and whatever happens, happens.’ It has a lot to do with my faith, figuring out that God’s got that. He’ll take care of it, wherever I’m going to go." 5 Nothing imminent between Padres, Mets Report says Mets balked at Padres' asking price for outfielder Justin Upton By Dennis Lin | 5 p.m. July 25, 2015 While the Mets often have been mentioned as a potential destination for Padres left fielder Justin Upton, nothing is imminent between the two teams, according to sources with knowledge of the situation. A CBSSports.com report Saturday said the teams had reached an "impasse" in discussions after a "suggestion that included a big prospect or two and no payment toward Upton's $14.5 million salary." One source, however, said the talks had not progressed as far as exchanging names. Regardless of exactly what has transpired, the Mets, still in search of offense after Friday's acquisition of Kelly Johnson and Juan Uribe, are among multiple teams that have inquired about Upton. Though Upton would be a two-month rental - and a trade would not allow the acquiring team to extend a qualifying offer - the 27-year-old represents a relatively rare commodity. In a market flush with pitching, he and Tigers outfielder Yoenis Cespedes are the top bats. Recently held out with a mild oblique strain, Upton was in the Padres' starting lineup for the second consecutive game Saturday. "He came out of it fine," Padres Assistant GM Josh Stein said of Friday's start. "We thought that might be one of those things that might be lingering for a few days, so that was great." While the Padres have drawn interest in a number of their players, it appears unlikely any deal will be made before they begin a 10-game road trip Tuesday, sources said. Executive Chairman Ron Fowler indicated Thursday that the club would wait until the 6 end of the Marlins series before formally deciding on a direction ahead of the July 31 trade deadline. Meantime, rival officials believe it is only a matter of days before Padres General Manager A.J. Preller begins selling. Interestingly, the Padres' next series begins Tuesday at Citi Field.