Mailbag: Padres short on power?
01/23/2006
How will the Padres compete without a legit power hitter? I mean, who scares you in their lineup? I say nobody.-- Blair H., Fairbanks, Ala.
You speak for a lot of fans concerned about the lack of muscle in the offense. Along with the catcher situation, it seems to be the major issue nagging at the faithful.
PETCO Park, by virtue of its dimensions, makes it difficult to launch a conventional attack built around bashers in the 3-4-5 slots. This team will try to put together rallies with walks, singles, doubles to the gaps and the occasional bomb. It's old-style National League baseball, predating the long-ball eruptions of recent seasons -- and it's a whole lot of fun, when it works.
The club has four men -- Ryan Klesko, Vinny Castilla, Mike Cameron and Khalil Greene -- capable of easily exceeding Klesko's club-high 18 homers in '05. Brian Giles is a 15- to 20-homer guy, and Doug Mirabelli, if he catches 120 games, could reach that 15-homer neighborhood.
While, granted, there's nobody there who will compete for the NL home run title, there's nothing wrong with having some pop up and down the lineup, rather than one monster in the No. 4 hole.
And who knows? Maybe the new bopper signed by GM Kevin Towers, Walter Young, will make an impact somewhere down the road. There's nobody bigger in the game than the 6-foot-5, 322-pound Young. If he gets his stroke down and cracks the lineup on occasion, I think he'll scare some pitchers.
Will the Padres give Young a fair chance to make the roster? The team already has two lefties in Klesko and Adrian Gonzalez at first base, but Young's Minor League numbers are very solid, very comparable to Ryan Howard's, and he turned out to be an elite player. Just like Gonzalez, Young has proven he deserves a shot in the Majors Leagues.-- Mario S., Ensenada, Mexico
Young certainly has some potential, adding even more intrigue to what's shaping up to be a fascinating Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz.
Based on past performance, Klesko is clearly in the driver's seat at first base. My best guess is that Gonzalez will play in the late innings with leads and start once or twice a week, getting familiar with all of the new surroundings.
Gonzalez, I suspect, is the long-term answer at the position in management's designs, a player capable of becoming a reasonable facsimile of J.T. Snow, a player I've long admired.
Young figures to open the season at Triple-A Portland, but he will get every opportunity to bust his way onto the Padres' roster, along with Paul McAnulty, another left-handed bat. It won't be easy replacing the timely hits delivered by Mark Sweeney and Robert Fick, but Young and/or McAnulty could be answers.
Do you think the Padres' bench will produce the same quality of play as it did the past two years?-- Joshua J., San Diego
The "Red Alert" squad, so named by Eric Young, was an essential factor in the club's drive to the NL West title. Finding the right talents and personalities to mesh again will be one of manager Bruce Bochy's major challenges.
Sweeney and Fick offered solid production from the left side of the plate, but Terrmel Sledge, Gonzalez, Young or McAnulty could be the ones to take over in their place. All three of these guys can hit -- it's just a question of whether they can respond in the ninth, with the pressure on. Only time will tell.
Geoff Blum, his confidence soaring after his magical World Series moment with the world champion White Sox, will provide pop. Mark Bellhorn, if he doesn't wrest the second-base job away from rookie Josh Barfield, also will be a valuable part, along with Young and Bobby Hill.
The outfield will have depth with Sledge, Ben Johnson and Young supporting Dave Roberts, Cameron and Giles.
It remains to be seen how the bench will perform. The assembled talent is impressive enough; how it performs when pulses accelerate is the issue.
With players including Jake Peavy playing in the World Baseball Classic, what happens if someone gets hurt, or -- even worse -- is out for the season? Does the team have any say in its players playing or not? Will it interfere with Spring Training? -- Sherrie D., Lakeside, Calif.
There are concerns about WBC performers trying to do too much, too soon. Ideally, these games would be played in the middle of the season, during a break, or after the World Series, but this is what we have now, and every precaution will be taken to make sure no players are overtaxed. All of the clubs agreed to cooperate and will not hold players out of WBC play if they're eligible and healthy.
Pitchers, such as Peavy, will be handled carefully, with pitch limits imposed. You'll likely see five to 10 pitchers working each game for each country. That will slow the pace of the games, but the concessions people won't complain.
I like Bochy's attitude about this. He is happy that Peavy will have a shot at pitching for Team USA and that Castilla will line up for his native Mexico, which also has Gonzalez on its roster.
Bochy thinks veteran players are intelligent enough and aware enough of their bodies to not jeopardize their seasons or careers in an exhibition -- even one on a global stage.
As for Spring Training, most of these players are smart enough to get their regular work in whether they're with the team that employs them or a national team. You don't reach this level without understanding what you need to do to succeed.
This is all new, so nobody knows for certain what to expect. We can only hope it goes off smoothly and no club's title chances are compromised.
Will Bochy give Barfield a chance at the starting job at second or will he play the veterans like he did with Xavier Nady?-- Larry A., El Cajon, Calif.
My sense is that Barfield will get every opportunity to seize the job with an excellent showing in Spring Training. Management recognizes the need to get more athletic, and Barfield has been considered the club's best position prospect for several years. It's time to see if he's ready.
This is not to suggest that the four veterans -- Bellhorn, Blum, Hill and Young -- won't be given long looks as well. There's nothing wrong with healthy competition. It comes down to performance and production. Bochy, I'm sure, will play the man who earns it. Like all managers, he's judged by the bottom line.
Why do the Padres think it's a good idea to move in the fences to enable the opposing team to launch numerous home runs just like they used to do at the old Jack Murphy Stadium or the Q?-- Donald A., San Diego
They're trying to make things a little more equitable for left-handed hitters. It's not that big of a deal, really. It won't alter the seating in the area, and the impact on the game won't be terribly significant.
They're lopping off nine feet, from 411 feet to 402, at the deepest area of the park in right-center. It might mean a dozen more homers in 2006, and that number will probably be evenly divided between the Padres and the visitors. It's still a pitcher's park.
The big plus is that it will cut down on the mileage over the course of the season for Cameron and Giles. Keeping those two valuable performers fresh and healthy could make the difference in the NL West race.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
How will the Padres compete without a legit power hitter? I mean, who scares you in their lineup? I say nobody.-- Blair H., Fairbanks, Ala.
You speak for a lot of fans concerned about the lack of muscle in the offense. Along with the catcher situation, it seems to be the major issue nagging at the faithful.
PETCO Park, by virtue of its dimensions, makes it difficult to launch a conventional attack built around bashers in the 3-4-5 slots. This team will try to put together rallies with walks, singles, doubles to the gaps and the occasional bomb. It's old-style National League baseball, predating the long-ball eruptions of recent seasons -- and it's a whole lot of fun, when it works.
The club has four men -- Ryan Klesko, Vinny Castilla, Mike Cameron and Khalil Greene -- capable of easily exceeding Klesko's club-high 18 homers in '05. Brian Giles is a 15- to 20-homer guy, and Doug Mirabelli, if he catches 120 games, could reach that 15-homer neighborhood.
While, granted, there's nobody there who will compete for the NL home run title, there's nothing wrong with having some pop up and down the lineup, rather than one monster in the No. 4 hole.
And who knows? Maybe the new bopper signed by GM Kevin Towers, Walter Young, will make an impact somewhere down the road. There's nobody bigger in the game than the 6-foot-5, 322-pound Young. If he gets his stroke down and cracks the lineup on occasion, I think he'll scare some pitchers.
Will the Padres give Young a fair chance to make the roster? The team already has two lefties in Klesko and Adrian Gonzalez at first base, but Young's Minor League numbers are very solid, very comparable to Ryan Howard's, and he turned out to be an elite player. Just like Gonzalez, Young has proven he deserves a shot in the Majors Leagues.-- Mario S., Ensenada, Mexico
Young certainly has some potential, adding even more intrigue to what's shaping up to be a fascinating Spring Training in Peoria, Ariz.
Based on past performance, Klesko is clearly in the driver's seat at first base. My best guess is that Gonzalez will play in the late innings with leads and start once or twice a week, getting familiar with all of the new surroundings.
Gonzalez, I suspect, is the long-term answer at the position in management's designs, a player capable of becoming a reasonable facsimile of J.T. Snow, a player I've long admired.
Young figures to open the season at Triple-A Portland, but he will get every opportunity to bust his way onto the Padres' roster, along with Paul McAnulty, another left-handed bat. It won't be easy replacing the timely hits delivered by Mark Sweeney and Robert Fick, but Young and/or McAnulty could be answers.
Do you think the Padres' bench will produce the same quality of play as it did the past two years?-- Joshua J., San Diego
The "Red Alert" squad, so named by Eric Young, was an essential factor in the club's drive to the NL West title. Finding the right talents and personalities to mesh again will be one of manager Bruce Bochy's major challenges.
Sweeney and Fick offered solid production from the left side of the plate, but Terrmel Sledge, Gonzalez, Young or McAnulty could be the ones to take over in their place. All three of these guys can hit -- it's just a question of whether they can respond in the ninth, with the pressure on. Only time will tell.
Geoff Blum, his confidence soaring after his magical World Series moment with the world champion White Sox, will provide pop. Mark Bellhorn, if he doesn't wrest the second-base job away from rookie Josh Barfield, also will be a valuable part, along with Young and Bobby Hill.
The outfield will have depth with Sledge, Ben Johnson and Young supporting Dave Roberts, Cameron and Giles.
It remains to be seen how the bench will perform. The assembled talent is impressive enough; how it performs when pulses accelerate is the issue.
With players including Jake Peavy playing in the World Baseball Classic, what happens if someone gets hurt, or -- even worse -- is out for the season? Does the team have any say in its players playing or not? Will it interfere with Spring Training? -- Sherrie D., Lakeside, Calif.
There are concerns about WBC performers trying to do too much, too soon. Ideally, these games would be played in the middle of the season, during a break, or after the World Series, but this is what we have now, and every precaution will be taken to make sure no players are overtaxed. All of the clubs agreed to cooperate and will not hold players out of WBC play if they're eligible and healthy.
Pitchers, such as Peavy, will be handled carefully, with pitch limits imposed. You'll likely see five to 10 pitchers working each game for each country. That will slow the pace of the games, but the concessions people won't complain.
I like Bochy's attitude about this. He is happy that Peavy will have a shot at pitching for Team USA and that Castilla will line up for his native Mexico, which also has Gonzalez on its roster.
Bochy thinks veteran players are intelligent enough and aware enough of their bodies to not jeopardize their seasons or careers in an exhibition -- even one on a global stage.
As for Spring Training, most of these players are smart enough to get their regular work in whether they're with the team that employs them or a national team. You don't reach this level without understanding what you need to do to succeed.
This is all new, so nobody knows for certain what to expect. We can only hope it goes off smoothly and no club's title chances are compromised.
Will Bochy give Barfield a chance at the starting job at second or will he play the veterans like he did with Xavier Nady?-- Larry A., El Cajon, Calif.
My sense is that Barfield will get every opportunity to seize the job with an excellent showing in Spring Training. Management recognizes the need to get more athletic, and Barfield has been considered the club's best position prospect for several years. It's time to see if he's ready.
This is not to suggest that the four veterans -- Bellhorn, Blum, Hill and Young -- won't be given long looks as well. There's nothing wrong with healthy competition. It comes down to performance and production. Bochy, I'm sure, will play the man who earns it. Like all managers, he's judged by the bottom line.
Why do the Padres think it's a good idea to move in the fences to enable the opposing team to launch numerous home runs just like they used to do at the old Jack Murphy Stadium or the Q?-- Donald A., San Diego
They're trying to make things a little more equitable for left-handed hitters. It's not that big of a deal, really. It won't alter the seating in the area, and the impact on the game won't be terribly significant.
They're lopping off nine feet, from 411 feet to 402, at the deepest area of the park in right-center. It might mean a dozen more homers in 2006, and that number will probably be evenly divided between the Padres and the visitors. It's still a pitcher's park.
The big plus is that it will cut down on the mileage over the course of the season for Cameron and Giles. Keeping those two valuable performers fresh and healthy could make the difference in the NL West race.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home