Padres Spring Training Report – Mar. 10, 2015

Hear that sound?  BOOM!!! It’s a great sound. BAM!!! One that Padres fans haven’t heard much in recent years. POW!!! No, it’s not the sound of Batman defeating evil villains and their minions. It’s the sound of the Padres bats sending baseballs over the fence!

Hopefully you’ve heard those sounds along with me 6 times in the past two games.  I know, I know, it’s only spring training.  Bad pitches, minor league pitchers, thin dry air, wind, etc., etc., I know, this isn’t my first rodeo (remember I was giving up HR’s during spring for 20 years).  Two words – Solid Contact.  That’s what I’ve been seeing a lot of.  Fast hands, strong swings, and Solid Contact. That usually translates no matter what the conditions.

Here’s who shined today:

• Matt Kemp –  It’s still strange for me to be talking and typing about Kemp in a positive way relating to Padres baseball! But he has been everything the Padres were hoping for so far, and more. I’ve mentioned before here and on air what a great attitude and work ethic he’s had in camp, and that hasn’t changed. What’s even better though is production on the field and that was present today with 3 hits including a 3-run HR.  The other hits were singles that were hard hit, in fact hard enough to still make it through a shift on the left side. Good stuff from a guy expected to do a lot of good stuff throughout the season.
• Will Middlebrooks – Wasn’t I just writing about him yesterday? Yep! But when you go 3 for 3, and hit your second HR in two days, you’re going to appear here in the highlight list. Similar to yesterday he drove the HR to left field – a no doubter as soon as it left the bat. Equally as impressive was the opposite field double he drove over the right fielder’s head for his final hit. He’s delivered a couple of strong body blows in the past two days in the fight to be the opening day third baseman.
• Justin Upton – Another repeat visitor to this list, after doubling yesterday his first game back from feeling ill, he had two more hits today, one a HR the other a double.  FAST hands are getting through the zone right now and showing the damage that they are capable of doing. J-Up is showing up.
• Carlos Quentin – He homered today and had two hits in his last game and he played first base for the first time this spring fielding his only play cleanly for the out.  If there are any A.L. scouts in the stands watching him, they are seeing that the hit tool is still there, and the knees are working well enough so far.
• Yangervis Solarte – Only 1 hit today, but still enough to again raise his spring average to .417 while handling himself well at 1B defensively. Even if Middlebrooks continues to pound his way into the opening day 3B job, there would certainly seem to be a place on the roster for the versatile Solarte if he also keeps swinging a productive stick.
• Marcus Mateo – A powerful and clean inning of relief work.
• Robbie Erlin – 2 scoreless innings today. A couple of hits, and some luck that a run didn’t score but still a better outing than his last effort. Still in the hunt for the 5th starter spot.
• Jay Jackson – Solid, scoreless 1 1/3 innings today.  He has a strong arm, good action on the slider, and even if he doesn’t make the team out of spring is showing the staff he can be a guy who could possible help during the season.
• Colin Rea – Who? A kid who hasn’t pitched above A-ball that got called up from the minors to back up today, and finds himself in the game pitching against the defending World Series Champions and posts a scoreless inning while recording a strikeout…very nice kid!

In other news Tim Federowicz is expected to have surgery to repair the torn lateral meniscus that was discovered in the MRI exam of his right knee.  No timetable for his return right now.  The veteran Wil Nieves would be the most experienced candidate to fill in the back up spot behind Norris.

Andrew Cashner will likely go home for a few days to spend time with his mother who is very ill with Leukemia and just had her leg amputated below the knee due to issues related to her illness and treatment.  Our thoughts and prayers will of course continue to be with Mrs. Cashner, Andrew, and the entire Cashner family as she fights her illness.

The Friars travel to surprise tomorrow for a contest against the Royals at 1:05.  Uncle Teddy and I hope you’ll join us for the webcast on Padres.com that will feature Morrow and Despaigne on the mound battling for the 5th spot in the rotation.

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