Padres Trim Roster By 4 More As Season Opener Approaches

With only 2 days remaining before opening day the Padres sent 4 more players to the minor leagues today.

REASSIGNED:

• Casey Kelly – RHP:  One of the most impressive and surprising pitchers of the spring for me.  Frankly, I was a little ambivalent watching his bullpens and BP sessions early in the spring.  Nothing terrible, just no real sign of great progress since watching him last spring.  Then the games started, and my opinion did a 180.  He was ELECTRIC!  Radar gun readings are nice, and his were consistently low to mid 90’s, but overmatched batter reaction is better and that’s what we saw every outing.  Hitters simply could not catch up to his stuff, even when they were in a favorable count where they could sit fastball they still were getting feeble swings. Combine that late life with his better command, and improved off speed pitches and the expectation level for me just shot up.  At the behest of pitching coach Darren Balsley and manager Buddy Black he worked on speeding up his delivery during the off season and getting back to being an athlete on the mound, and it worked.  If that progress continues during the regular season the Padres have another top of the rotation starter in the making to go with Cory Luebke.
• Joe Wieland – RHP:  WHile his stuff is not quite as overpowering as Kelly’s was this spring, he still has plenty on the ball and a deeper repertoire and more advanced command of it than Kelly, and could see big league time first.  He knows what he is doing as a pitcher, and with his command of so many pitches it can easily lead to the “Pitchability” label, but don’t go there – he has plus stuff to go with the command and aptitude.  No telling what his ceiling is, and I know Balslely is a big fan of this kid and what his upside can be.  Along with Luebke, Kelly, and possibly Cashner next year in the rotation, the future of the Padres starting 5 could be the envy of many teams.
• Jeff Suppan – RHP:  The traveled veteran injured his triceps midway through spring. It was a forgone conclusion at that point that he would not make the team, and now it is just a matter of getting himself healthy, and getting his mound time in to see where he may fit in as the season moves along.
• Matt Clark – 1B:  No one raised is stock more during spring training than the 6′ 5″ left hand hitting first baseman.  He was hitting the cover off the ball from day one and never stopped!  He ended up hitting .419 with 4 HR’s and tied for the team high in RBI with Jesus Guzman at 13.  Although he is long and lean, his swing is not.  It is fairly compact for a guy his size with his hands staying inside nicely, and powerful – 80 HR’s in 4 minor league seasons.  Without the ability to play outfield in the eyes of the organization, and Yonder Alonso in front of him at 1B, it is hard to say what his future is with the Padres, but there is no question he raised his value in the eyes of many of the 29 other teams, and could bring a useful piece in return if another team has a need for left hand hitting first baseman with power potential during the season.