Notes: Mates enjoy Classic Peavy
03/07/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- While their ace, Jake Peavy, was having a blast in the World Baseball Classic in Phoenix throwing strikes and zeros for Team USA against Mexico, the Padres were enduring a day that would be easy to forget.
Starting with Chris Young's struggles and including a rare rough outing by Trevor Hoffman, who yielded a three-run homer young Giants infielder Derin McMains won't forget, the Padres' staff took its lumps in Tuesday's 12-3 rout by San Francisco at Peoria Stadium.
Only Doug Brocail and Scott Linebrink, who worked a perfect inning each, were spared the damage that began with five runs on seven hits against Young, including a homer by second baseman Kevin Frandsen.
Fighting his command, like Young, Brian Sikorski gave up a run on two walks and a wild pitch. A free agent who spent the past five seasons in Japan, Sikorski is bidding for a middle-relief role.
"I made some good pitches, some just off the plate, a little up," Sikorski said. "I need to get my fastball down. I was rushing a little bit."
Andy Ashby's two innings included six hits and three runs, one unearned on his own error. Hoffman gave up two singles and the homer before getting lifted for Jared Wells, who got an out.
"It's a little more difficult for him to get in sync when he's off," manager Bruce Bochy said of the 6-foot-10 Young, who struck out two men. "He obviously didn't have his good command.
"It's been a long time, a long road back for Ash. He hasn't had a lot of work on the mound. What he has to feel good about is his arm feels good, and his velocity is there. I thought he threw some good pitches. His arm strength and command should get better. He has five or six more outings."
Mike Cameron continued to swing a hot bat with a pair of doubles. Doug Mirabelli, also sizzling, had a double and single, and Geoff Blum doubled.
Jake's biggest fans: Returning to the clubhouse after workouts and game action, Padres players were asking about Peavy, how he fared in his inaugural Classic start against Mexico for the red, white and blue.
Told that Peavy had breezed through three innings on an economy of pitches, striking out three and inducing a pair of double-play grounders, fellow pitcher Clay Hensley was beaming.
"Jake was dealing," said Hensley, who starred Tuesday in the Padres' camp version of "American Idol" with a rousing Michael Jackson imitation. "He must have had a lot of movement, getting quick outs like that. I'm really happy for the guy. I know how much this means to him."
Among those Peavy retired in his three innings were Padres teammates he's just getting acquainted with: Mexico corner infielders Vinny Castilla and Adrian Gonzalez.
"That's great," Bochy said of Peavy, who figures to have two more starts for Team USA. "He had such easy innings, they tell me he went down and threw in the bullpen after he pitched.
"The thing you want to stay away from is big innings. Jake had three easy ones. He threw mostly strikes. That's very encouraging."
Puckett memories: Mark Merila, the Padres' bullpen catcher for a decade, grew up in Minnesota cheering for Kirby Puckett and the Twins before attending the University of Minnesota and getting drafted by the Padres in 1994. Puckett's death on Tuesday took Merila back to his youth.
"After Rod Carew, [Puckett] was my guy when I was growing up," Merila said. "Being the same size, I could naturally relate to him. He was a big inspiration for every kid in Minnesota, the way he played the game, always upbeat, smiling, laughing.
"He was a champion on the field. He didn't have the stereotypical baseball body, 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. He was short, squatty -- but you didn't want to throw him a fastball. He'd hit them chest high or off his ankles, it didn't matter.
"The way he put the city on his back, in '87 and '91, and brought those championships home ... that made him a Minnesota icon forever."
Merila wanted to hit like Kirby, run like Kirby and, most of all, have fun like Kirby.
"That big leg kick, every kid in Minnesota did that," Merila said. "I know I did. Whether you played Wiffle ball in the yard or played in a park, you wanted to hit like Kirby with that big leg kick. I'll just always remember the way he played the game, with everything he had, but always with a smile on his face.
"I met him at an alumni event for the University of Minnesota about four years ago. He knew our coach, John Anderson, and came over to see us. He was unforgettable. It's a great loss for baseball and Minnesota."
Sledge close: Outfielder Terrmel Sledge said he's close to returning to action after staining a calf muscle during a recent workout involving batting and running.
"It's nothing to worry about," said Sledge, who missed almost all of 2005 with a hamstring tear in the other leg. "I'm just being a little careful with it. The good thing is it has nothing to do with the hamstring. I guess it was a little too much too soon."
"I'm looking forward to seeing him play," Bochy said. "He was hitting really well when he hurt the leg."
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
PEORIA, Ariz. -- While their ace, Jake Peavy, was having a blast in the World Baseball Classic in Phoenix throwing strikes and zeros for Team USA against Mexico, the Padres were enduring a day that would be easy to forget.
Starting with Chris Young's struggles and including a rare rough outing by Trevor Hoffman, who yielded a three-run homer young Giants infielder Derin McMains won't forget, the Padres' staff took its lumps in Tuesday's 12-3 rout by San Francisco at Peoria Stadium.
Only Doug Brocail and Scott Linebrink, who worked a perfect inning each, were spared the damage that began with five runs on seven hits against Young, including a homer by second baseman Kevin Frandsen.
Fighting his command, like Young, Brian Sikorski gave up a run on two walks and a wild pitch. A free agent who spent the past five seasons in Japan, Sikorski is bidding for a middle-relief role.
"I made some good pitches, some just off the plate, a little up," Sikorski said. "I need to get my fastball down. I was rushing a little bit."
Andy Ashby's two innings included six hits and three runs, one unearned on his own error. Hoffman gave up two singles and the homer before getting lifted for Jared Wells, who got an out.
"It's a little more difficult for him to get in sync when he's off," manager Bruce Bochy said of the 6-foot-10 Young, who struck out two men. "He obviously didn't have his good command.
"It's been a long time, a long road back for Ash. He hasn't had a lot of work on the mound. What he has to feel good about is his arm feels good, and his velocity is there. I thought he threw some good pitches. His arm strength and command should get better. He has five or six more outings."
Mike Cameron continued to swing a hot bat with a pair of doubles. Doug Mirabelli, also sizzling, had a double and single, and Geoff Blum doubled.
Jake's biggest fans: Returning to the clubhouse after workouts and game action, Padres players were asking about Peavy, how he fared in his inaugural Classic start against Mexico for the red, white and blue.
Told that Peavy had breezed through three innings on an economy of pitches, striking out three and inducing a pair of double-play grounders, fellow pitcher Clay Hensley was beaming.
"Jake was dealing," said Hensley, who starred Tuesday in the Padres' camp version of "American Idol" with a rousing Michael Jackson imitation. "He must have had a lot of movement, getting quick outs like that. I'm really happy for the guy. I know how much this means to him."
Among those Peavy retired in his three innings were Padres teammates he's just getting acquainted with: Mexico corner infielders Vinny Castilla and Adrian Gonzalez.
"That's great," Bochy said of Peavy, who figures to have two more starts for Team USA. "He had such easy innings, they tell me he went down and threw in the bullpen after he pitched.
"The thing you want to stay away from is big innings. Jake had three easy ones. He threw mostly strikes. That's very encouraging."
Puckett memories: Mark Merila, the Padres' bullpen catcher for a decade, grew up in Minnesota cheering for Kirby Puckett and the Twins before attending the University of Minnesota and getting drafted by the Padres in 1994. Puckett's death on Tuesday took Merila back to his youth.
"After Rod Carew, [Puckett] was my guy when I was growing up," Merila said. "Being the same size, I could naturally relate to him. He was a big inspiration for every kid in Minnesota, the way he played the game, always upbeat, smiling, laughing.
"He was a champion on the field. He didn't have the stereotypical baseball body, 6-foot-2, 200 pounds. He was short, squatty -- but you didn't want to throw him a fastball. He'd hit them chest high or off his ankles, it didn't matter.
"The way he put the city on his back, in '87 and '91, and brought those championships home ... that made him a Minnesota icon forever."
Merila wanted to hit like Kirby, run like Kirby and, most of all, have fun like Kirby.
"That big leg kick, every kid in Minnesota did that," Merila said. "I know I did. Whether you played Wiffle ball in the yard or played in a park, you wanted to hit like Kirby with that big leg kick. I'll just always remember the way he played the game, with everything he had, but always with a smile on his face.
"I met him at an alumni event for the University of Minnesota about four years ago. He knew our coach, John Anderson, and came over to see us. He was unforgettable. It's a great loss for baseball and Minnesota."
Sledge close: Outfielder Terrmel Sledge said he's close to returning to action after staining a calf muscle during a recent workout involving batting and running.
"It's nothing to worry about," said Sledge, who missed almost all of 2005 with a hamstring tear in the other leg. "I'm just being a little careful with it. The good thing is it has nothing to do with the hamstring. I guess it was a little too much too soon."
"I'm looking forward to seeing him play," Bochy said. "He was hitting really well when he hurt the leg."
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
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