Mailbag: PETCO to sport new look?
01/16/2006
What's the latest on moving in the fences at PETCO Park?-- Doug M., Carlsbad, Calif.
With Major League Baseball's official approval, the club is chopping off the extreme corner in deepest right-center, changing the 411 mark to 400.
The major benefits probably will be psychological, giving left-handed hitters a sense that they have a legitimate shot at going deep in what has come to be known as Death Valley.
While the impact won't be profound -- this is still a pitcher's dream park -- it will reduce some of the physical strain on center fielder Mike Cameron and right fielder Brian Giles. And, over the long, hot summer, that can be meaningful, given the huge roles both veterans will play.
The club calculates that the new configuration would have added 12 homers to last year's PETCO count, which was third lowest in the Major Leagues at 118.
The alterations will be made in time for the semifinals and championship game of the inaugural World Baseball Classic, scheduled for March 18 and 20 at PETCO Park.
Management also is considering alterations to the right-field bleachers after the 2006 season, the idea being to improve sight lines by redesigning the seats.
Do you think the Padres will make any moves to solidify the bullpen, or do they think they are in good shape with the arms they have?-- Wesley L., Mechanicsville, Va.
At the end of games, they still have a one-two punch with few -- if any -- equals, in Scott Linebrink and Hoffman. The questions revolve around the middle innings, replacing the solid work provided by Akinori Otsuka, Rudy Seanez and Chris Hammond, principally.
With input from Grady Fuson, the scouting and player development maven, general manager Kevin Towers feels confident the club has pieced together another potentially excellent relief corps.
Doug Brocail, originally a Padre, brings durability and toughness from Texas. Brian Sikorski flourished in Japan and could settle into the seventh-inning role vacated by Aki. Scott Cassidy looked solid late in the season, and Rule 5 choice Steve Andrade -- with an impressive Minor League resume -- could be a real sleeper. Lefties Rusty Tucker and Sean Thompson will get long looks in Spring Training.
Clay Hensley, who yearns to start, is also a possibility to return to middle relief, but he merits a shot at that No. 5 spot in the rotation. Seth Etherton, another Rule 5 pickup, could figure in long relief along with hard-throwing starting candidates Kenny Baugh and Dewon Brazelton.
Managing a bullpen always has been a strength of Bruce Bochy, who leans on his respected pitching coach, Darren Balsley.
How does the newly acquired Terrmel Sledge fit into the outfield picture? He had a good rookie year in Montreal, and his defense isn't that bad. -- Eenon P., Sacramento
The reports on Sledge, coming off a season wiped out by a hamstring tear, are mostly favorable. He's a versatile athlete with decent speed, and he can scald the ball. He has had a tendency to become too pull-conscious, but he'll correct that when he takes a good look at the PETCO Park dimensions.
Nationals manager Frank Robinson, I'm told, was sold on his potential and hated to see him go to Texas in the deal for Alfonso Soriano.
At the moment, Sledge shapes up as the fourth outfielder, right ahead of Ben Johnson. The 28-year-old can pick up the slack left by departed pinch-hitting stars Mark Sweeney and Robert Fick and be ready to move in for any of the three starters. He's a first-class insurance policy for now, with the talent to become a productive regular for years to come.
With all the new faces on the roster, do you think that this team will be able to create good enough chemistry to win the division?-- Mike H., Murrieta, Calif.
Chemistry is something that always evolves naturally. It can't be forced by a manager or GM saying, "This guy is a leader." Players gravitate to strong, charismatic personalities on their own, not with a guiding hand.
Leaders in their own way, the absence of Mark Loretta, Ramon Hernandez, Adam Eaton, Sweeney, Fick and Seanez, to name a few, will be noticable. But from everything I hear, from people inside the game I respect, Cameron, Vinny Castilla and Doug Mirabelli are tough-minded veterans with a history of leadership by example.
Clearly, the humor of Sweeney and Fick, who kept everybody loose and smiling, will be missed. But humorists invariably emerge in clubhouses. Giles, in his unique way, is hilarious. Maybe it will be Eric Young or Geoff Blum or David Ross or one of the new pitchers kicking in with the timely one-liners that have serious professionals falling out of their clubhouse chairs.
Only this is certain: Good chemistry lives in harmony with winning. An abundance of wins tends to solve everything.
Do you think Castilla can have a productive year (130 games, 20 HRs, 90 RBIs) or are we going to have a revolving door at third?-- Andrew H., San Mateo, Calif.
It definitely is within Castilla's capabilities to deliver consistent production, defensively as well as offensively. He's still rock-solid with the glove and will be revitalized by the soothing ocean breezes after a long summer in D.C. in a park that can drive a right-handed hitter a little daffy.
With his stroke, Vinny should lose some balls in the left-field seats and invade the Western Metal Supply Company on occasion with frequent visitor Khalil Greene. It is with this in mind that the club detached Sean Burroughs, who should benefit from a new Florida locale without the expectations placed on him in San Diego.
Burroughs is a good guy and always will be fondly remembered for that ultra-clutch two-run, two-out double in San Francisco -- the biggest single blow of the National League West title run, in my judgment. But Castilla also is a good guy, and he'll draw upon the pride of his countrymen and women of nearby Mexico to show everyone he's still a quality pro.
Didn't the Padres get a lot less than market value for Loretta in Mirabelli? Wouldn't a straight swap for David Wells have been a better deal?-- Scott E., Fayetteville, Ark.
The club thinks Mirabelli is in a situation similar to that of Loretta when he arrived in San Diego in 2003, in that he's a player incapable of holding a full-time job.
If Mirabelli can flourish as the regular catcher in anything close to the style that Loretta displayed in his three seasons as a Padre -- and if Josh Barfield emerges as a quality second baseman with the opportunity provided -- few people will be complaining about the deal next year at this time.
Of course, that's a tall order to fill. It's up to Mirabelli to show he's been a full-time catcher waiting in the shadows for a decade. He has solid defensive credentials and brings some pop.
In support are David Ross, Pete Laforest and Todd Greene. With muscle and knowledge of the division, Greene could arrive in May in the fashion of Fick and Damian Jackson last season to play a key role off the bench.
With such a logjam at second base and in the outfield, who will back up Greene at shortstop? It seems a little strange not to have a contingency plan given his injury problems over the past two seasons. -- Jeff N., Palm Desert, Calif.
Geoff Blum performed capably in Greene's absence early last season, and he's back to offer support at all four infield positions while providing some juice offensively. Bobby Hill and Mark Bellhorn also have the ability to fill in at short, even though both are more ideally suited to other positions -- third for Hill, second for Bellhorn.
Something tells me this is the season Greene takes it to the next level and emerges as one of the game's most exciting and productive performers. Faith in the young shortstop's multiple talents is one reason why management feels the club will be improved -- assuming he can get a little luckier and stay away from fractured digits.
Why didn't the team re-sign Pedro Astacio? He did a great job for us last year.-- Stan K., San Diego
The club did reach out to Astacio with a seven-figure offer, but he felt he could do better elsewhere. Only time will tell if the right-hander, who flourished in PETCO Park, will have another solid season in a different environment.
In Shawn Estes, the Padres feel they've found a left-handed version, of sorts, for Astacio. Estes is a smart, resourceful veteran who can make good things happen in San Diego, where he had plenty of success frustrating Padres hitters.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
What's the latest on moving in the fences at PETCO Park?-- Doug M., Carlsbad, Calif.
With Major League Baseball's official approval, the club is chopping off the extreme corner in deepest right-center, changing the 411 mark to 400.
The major benefits probably will be psychological, giving left-handed hitters a sense that they have a legitimate shot at going deep in what has come to be known as Death Valley.
While the impact won't be profound -- this is still a pitcher's dream park -- it will reduce some of the physical strain on center fielder Mike Cameron and right fielder Brian Giles. And, over the long, hot summer, that can be meaningful, given the huge roles both veterans will play.
The club calculates that the new configuration would have added 12 homers to last year's PETCO count, which was third lowest in the Major Leagues at 118.
The alterations will be made in time for the semifinals and championship game of the inaugural World Baseball Classic, scheduled for March 18 and 20 at PETCO Park.
Management also is considering alterations to the right-field bleachers after the 2006 season, the idea being to improve sight lines by redesigning the seats.
Do you think the Padres will make any moves to solidify the bullpen, or do they think they are in good shape with the arms they have?-- Wesley L., Mechanicsville, Va.
At the end of games, they still have a one-two punch with few -- if any -- equals, in Scott Linebrink and Hoffman. The questions revolve around the middle innings, replacing the solid work provided by Akinori Otsuka, Rudy Seanez and Chris Hammond, principally.
With input from Grady Fuson, the scouting and player development maven, general manager Kevin Towers feels confident the club has pieced together another potentially excellent relief corps.
Doug Brocail, originally a Padre, brings durability and toughness from Texas. Brian Sikorski flourished in Japan and could settle into the seventh-inning role vacated by Aki. Scott Cassidy looked solid late in the season, and Rule 5 choice Steve Andrade -- with an impressive Minor League resume -- could be a real sleeper. Lefties Rusty Tucker and Sean Thompson will get long looks in Spring Training.
Clay Hensley, who yearns to start, is also a possibility to return to middle relief, but he merits a shot at that No. 5 spot in the rotation. Seth Etherton, another Rule 5 pickup, could figure in long relief along with hard-throwing starting candidates Kenny Baugh and Dewon Brazelton.
Managing a bullpen always has been a strength of Bruce Bochy, who leans on his respected pitching coach, Darren Balsley.
How does the newly acquired Terrmel Sledge fit into the outfield picture? He had a good rookie year in Montreal, and his defense isn't that bad. -- Eenon P., Sacramento
The reports on Sledge, coming off a season wiped out by a hamstring tear, are mostly favorable. He's a versatile athlete with decent speed, and he can scald the ball. He has had a tendency to become too pull-conscious, but he'll correct that when he takes a good look at the PETCO Park dimensions.
Nationals manager Frank Robinson, I'm told, was sold on his potential and hated to see him go to Texas in the deal for Alfonso Soriano.
At the moment, Sledge shapes up as the fourth outfielder, right ahead of Ben Johnson. The 28-year-old can pick up the slack left by departed pinch-hitting stars Mark Sweeney and Robert Fick and be ready to move in for any of the three starters. He's a first-class insurance policy for now, with the talent to become a productive regular for years to come.
With all the new faces on the roster, do you think that this team will be able to create good enough chemistry to win the division?-- Mike H., Murrieta, Calif.
Chemistry is something that always evolves naturally. It can't be forced by a manager or GM saying, "This guy is a leader." Players gravitate to strong, charismatic personalities on their own, not with a guiding hand.
Leaders in their own way, the absence of Mark Loretta, Ramon Hernandez, Adam Eaton, Sweeney, Fick and Seanez, to name a few, will be noticable. But from everything I hear, from people inside the game I respect, Cameron, Vinny Castilla and Doug Mirabelli are tough-minded veterans with a history of leadership by example.
Clearly, the humor of Sweeney and Fick, who kept everybody loose and smiling, will be missed. But humorists invariably emerge in clubhouses. Giles, in his unique way, is hilarious. Maybe it will be Eric Young or Geoff Blum or David Ross or one of the new pitchers kicking in with the timely one-liners that have serious professionals falling out of their clubhouse chairs.
Only this is certain: Good chemistry lives in harmony with winning. An abundance of wins tends to solve everything.
Do you think Castilla can have a productive year (130 games, 20 HRs, 90 RBIs) or are we going to have a revolving door at third?-- Andrew H., San Mateo, Calif.
It definitely is within Castilla's capabilities to deliver consistent production, defensively as well as offensively. He's still rock-solid with the glove and will be revitalized by the soothing ocean breezes after a long summer in D.C. in a park that can drive a right-handed hitter a little daffy.
With his stroke, Vinny should lose some balls in the left-field seats and invade the Western Metal Supply Company on occasion with frequent visitor Khalil Greene. It is with this in mind that the club detached Sean Burroughs, who should benefit from a new Florida locale without the expectations placed on him in San Diego.
Burroughs is a good guy and always will be fondly remembered for that ultra-clutch two-run, two-out double in San Francisco -- the biggest single blow of the National League West title run, in my judgment. But Castilla also is a good guy, and he'll draw upon the pride of his countrymen and women of nearby Mexico to show everyone he's still a quality pro.
Didn't the Padres get a lot less than market value for Loretta in Mirabelli? Wouldn't a straight swap for David Wells have been a better deal?-- Scott E., Fayetteville, Ark.
The club thinks Mirabelli is in a situation similar to that of Loretta when he arrived in San Diego in 2003, in that he's a player incapable of holding a full-time job.
If Mirabelli can flourish as the regular catcher in anything close to the style that Loretta displayed in his three seasons as a Padre -- and if Josh Barfield emerges as a quality second baseman with the opportunity provided -- few people will be complaining about the deal next year at this time.
Of course, that's a tall order to fill. It's up to Mirabelli to show he's been a full-time catcher waiting in the shadows for a decade. He has solid defensive credentials and brings some pop.
In support are David Ross, Pete Laforest and Todd Greene. With muscle and knowledge of the division, Greene could arrive in May in the fashion of Fick and Damian Jackson last season to play a key role off the bench.
With such a logjam at second base and in the outfield, who will back up Greene at shortstop? It seems a little strange not to have a contingency plan given his injury problems over the past two seasons. -- Jeff N., Palm Desert, Calif.
Geoff Blum performed capably in Greene's absence early last season, and he's back to offer support at all four infield positions while providing some juice offensively. Bobby Hill and Mark Bellhorn also have the ability to fill in at short, even though both are more ideally suited to other positions -- third for Hill, second for Bellhorn.
Something tells me this is the season Greene takes it to the next level and emerges as one of the game's most exciting and productive performers. Faith in the young shortstop's multiple talents is one reason why management feels the club will be improved -- assuming he can get a little luckier and stay away from fractured digits.
Why didn't the team re-sign Pedro Astacio? He did a great job for us last year.-- Stan K., San Diego
The club did reach out to Astacio with a seven-figure offer, but he felt he could do better elsewhere. Only time will tell if the right-hander, who flourished in PETCO Park, will have another solid season in a different environment.
In Shawn Estes, the Padres feel they've found a left-handed version, of sorts, for Astacio. Estes is a smart, resourceful veteran who can make good things happen in San Diego, where he had plenty of success frustrating Padres hitters.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
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