Thayer keeps 'getting people out'
01/13/2006
In an organization that increasingly values performance over potential, Dale Thayer continues to make excellent impressions as a right-handed reliever with closing possibilities down the road, P.T. (Post Trevor).
Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Chico State, Thayer, 25, has racked up dominating numbers from Fort Wayne in 2003 to Lake Elsinore in 2004 to Mobile in '04 and '05.
After saving 27 of Double-A Mobile's 58 wins and being selected the team's Pitcher of the Year in '05, Thayer traveled to Guasave in the Mexican Pacific League and continued to do what he does best: frustrate hitters in any language.
Through Dec. 30, pitching for Guasave against highly rated competition, Thayer had 18 saves with a 3.45 ERA, holding hitters to a .223 batting average in 28 2/3 innings. He had 18 strikeouts while walking 12 men.
Thayer can expect to compete for the closer's role with Triple-A Portland in Spring Training. Brad Baker, the Beavers' main closer in '05, was signed by the Atlanta Braves.
At 6 feet and 190 pounds, Thayer isn't physically imposing, but he has been able to mow down hitters with his fastball and slider at three Minor League levels.
In 57 2/3 innings at Mobile, he walked 26 and struck out 59, giving him 192 punchouts in 168 1/3 innings with only 53 bases on balls. He has a 2.09 career ERA after posting a 2.34 ERA at Mobile.
Thayer calls Huntington Beach, Calif., home and attended Edison High School before moving on to Chico State. Drafted by the Cubs in '99, he returned to school and signed with the Padres out of a tryout camp on Sept. 25, 2002.
"Thayer throws 90 to 93 [mph] and has a good slider," said Bill "Chief" Gayton, the Padres' director of scouting. "He has just kept getting people out."
Scout Mal Fichman signed Thayer after the Chico State junior pitched for Reno in the Grand Forks, N.D., International tournament in late August 2002. Fichman had been advised to keep tabs on Thayer by the brother of former National League MVP Kevin Mitchell.
"Tommy Mitchell, Kevin's brother, is a friend of mine," Fichman recalled, "and was playing third for Reno. He told me about Thayer and I saw him pitch twice.
"I called [Padres officials] Tye Waller and Bill Bryk and sat with Thayer and Mitchell at a picnic table in the Grand Forks ballpark. I invited him to the September tryout, and Tommy Mitchell took responsibility for getting the paper work completed and returned."
Thayer went to work at Class A Fort Wayne in '03 with overpowering stuff and was just as dominant in '04 at Class A Lake Elsinore, earning a promotion to Mobile by holding hitters to a .133 batting average with runners in scoring position.
While Thayer continues to impress the brass, several other Padres mound hopefuls had beneficial Winter League excursions.
Arturo Lopez (1.35 ERA for Hermosillo), Salvador Robles (3.52 ERA for Los Mochis) and Joakim Soria (1.45 ERA for Obregon) all have pitched capably in Mexico, while Mario Ramos (3.12 ERA for Escogido) excelled in the Dominican Republic and Brian Sweeney (4.08 ERA for Magallanes) was impressive in Venezuela.
Infielder Luis Cruz, who played at Mobile in '05, elevated his stock with a superb performance offensively and defensively for Navajoa in Mexico, batting .327 with 10 homers in 221 at-bats.
A natural shortstop, Cruz has played extensively at second base for Navajoa and needs higher-level Minor League experience to earn a promotion to the big time.
New Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, the former No. 1 overall draft choice from San Diego, hit for average (.306) and with power (10 homers in 258 at-bats) for Mazatlan while continuing to display excellent glove work.
Center fielder Freddy Guzman, still not ready to test his elbow after major surgery last spring wiped out his '05 season, started hot but faded in the Domincan Republic with Estrellas as a DH, batting .257.
Terrmel Sledge, acquired with Gonzalez from the Rangers in the six-player blockbuster, tested his hamstring after a tear cost him most of the '05 season with the Nationals and hit .258 against Puerto Rican pitching with three homers in 96 at-bats.
Expected to join Sledge in the Padres outfield, Ben Johnson struggled making consistent contact with Azucarreros in the Dominican Republic, batting .242.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
In an organization that increasingly values performance over potential, Dale Thayer continues to make excellent impressions as a right-handed reliever with closing possibilities down the road, P.T. (Post Trevor).
Signed as an undrafted free agent out of Chico State, Thayer, 25, has racked up dominating numbers from Fort Wayne in 2003 to Lake Elsinore in 2004 to Mobile in '04 and '05.
After saving 27 of Double-A Mobile's 58 wins and being selected the team's Pitcher of the Year in '05, Thayer traveled to Guasave in the Mexican Pacific League and continued to do what he does best: frustrate hitters in any language.
Through Dec. 30, pitching for Guasave against highly rated competition, Thayer had 18 saves with a 3.45 ERA, holding hitters to a .223 batting average in 28 2/3 innings. He had 18 strikeouts while walking 12 men.
Thayer can expect to compete for the closer's role with Triple-A Portland in Spring Training. Brad Baker, the Beavers' main closer in '05, was signed by the Atlanta Braves.
At 6 feet and 190 pounds, Thayer isn't physically imposing, but he has been able to mow down hitters with his fastball and slider at three Minor League levels.
In 57 2/3 innings at Mobile, he walked 26 and struck out 59, giving him 192 punchouts in 168 1/3 innings with only 53 bases on balls. He has a 2.09 career ERA after posting a 2.34 ERA at Mobile.
Thayer calls Huntington Beach, Calif., home and attended Edison High School before moving on to Chico State. Drafted by the Cubs in '99, he returned to school and signed with the Padres out of a tryout camp on Sept. 25, 2002.
"Thayer throws 90 to 93 [mph] and has a good slider," said Bill "Chief" Gayton, the Padres' director of scouting. "He has just kept getting people out."
Scout Mal Fichman signed Thayer after the Chico State junior pitched for Reno in the Grand Forks, N.D., International tournament in late August 2002. Fichman had been advised to keep tabs on Thayer by the brother of former National League MVP Kevin Mitchell.
"Tommy Mitchell, Kevin's brother, is a friend of mine," Fichman recalled, "and was playing third for Reno. He told me about Thayer and I saw him pitch twice.
"I called [Padres officials] Tye Waller and Bill Bryk and sat with Thayer and Mitchell at a picnic table in the Grand Forks ballpark. I invited him to the September tryout, and Tommy Mitchell took responsibility for getting the paper work completed and returned."
Thayer went to work at Class A Fort Wayne in '03 with overpowering stuff and was just as dominant in '04 at Class A Lake Elsinore, earning a promotion to Mobile by holding hitters to a .133 batting average with runners in scoring position.
While Thayer continues to impress the brass, several other Padres mound hopefuls had beneficial Winter League excursions.
Arturo Lopez (1.35 ERA for Hermosillo), Salvador Robles (3.52 ERA for Los Mochis) and Joakim Soria (1.45 ERA for Obregon) all have pitched capably in Mexico, while Mario Ramos (3.12 ERA for Escogido) excelled in the Dominican Republic and Brian Sweeney (4.08 ERA for Magallanes) was impressive in Venezuela.
Infielder Luis Cruz, who played at Mobile in '05, elevated his stock with a superb performance offensively and defensively for Navajoa in Mexico, batting .327 with 10 homers in 221 at-bats.
A natural shortstop, Cruz has played extensively at second base for Navajoa and needs higher-level Minor League experience to earn a promotion to the big time.
New Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, the former No. 1 overall draft choice from San Diego, hit for average (.306) and with power (10 homers in 258 at-bats) for Mazatlan while continuing to display excellent glove work.
Center fielder Freddy Guzman, still not ready to test his elbow after major surgery last spring wiped out his '05 season, started hot but faded in the Domincan Republic with Estrellas as a DH, batting .257.
Terrmel Sledge, acquired with Gonzalez from the Rangers in the six-player blockbuster, tested his hamstring after a tear cost him most of the '05 season with the Nationals and hit .258 against Puerto Rican pitching with three homers in 96 at-bats.
Expected to join Sledge in the Padres outfield, Ben Johnson struggled making consistent contact with Azucarreros in the Dominican Republic, batting .242.
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
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