Notes: Peavy happy with tuneup
03/02/2006
PEORIA, Ariz. -- His Team USA jersey having arrived in the mail, the familiar No. 44 on its back, Jake Peavy declared himself ready for his opening World Baseball Classic assignment Tuesday after going two innings in a charity exhibition against Seattle at Peoria Stadium.
"I had a real live arm," Peavy said after giving up four hits and two runs, striking out two. "Marcel Lachemann [Team USA's pitching coach] told me my velocity was 90 to 94 -- all two-seamers [sinkers], no four-seamers. The location was better than I thought it would be.
"It was a very productive day, and I'm encouraged going into this [Classic]. I'm going to get my work in there. I'm looking forward to it, to say the least."
Hearing the national anthem for the first time since last October, when he faced St. Louis in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, Peavy got a sense of what it will be like when Mexico and Team USA line the field Tuesday at Chase Field in Phoenix.
"When I heard the national anthem, that was one of my first thoughts -- it's going to be a neat feeling knowing I have a hand in the game," Peavy said.
Peavy has put on five to 10 pounds during the offseason, gaining more upper-body definition. He's up to 198 pounds -- compared to the 170 he weighed when he arrived in San Diego in 2002.
He said the fractured rib, sustained during that playoff game against the Cardinals, didn't bother him as he delivered 39 pitches -- right where he wanted to be with a 60-pitch limit for his first Classic start.
"I thought Jake looked good," Bochy said. "He had a good fastball, curveball, changeup and good command."
Baseball's ERA champion in 2004 and the National League strikeout leader in '05, Peavy would love to stay healthy enough to challenge for the lead in wins in '06.
"Physically, head to toe, I'm as good as I've been feeling in a long time," Peavy said. "Most of the time in Spring Training you have nagging injuries. It's almost scary to feel this good in Spring Training."
Team USA manager Buck Martinez said he was impressed with Peavy's competitive manner in an early spring game.
"Every time you step out there, you can't go through the motions," Peavy said. "You're competing. I've got to get better. You push yourself. I just go hard."
Peavy would be meeting with USA teammates in Phoenix later Thursday night, their first workout Friday morning. Peavy figures to be away until March 21, the Classic ending with a March 20 title game at PETCO Park.
"That's weird," the Padres' ace said. "I'll be seeing the boys on the 21st."
Estes sharp: Shawn Estes couldn't have been much happier with his Padres debut, throwing two perfect innings, striking out a pair of Mariners. He seemed happiest with getting over to first to cover as second baseman Josh Barfield ranged wide to take a hit from Raul Ibanez.
"It was nice to get back on the mound and get that shot of adrenaline," said Estes, a free agent whose 2005 season with Arizona was cut short by an injury to his left foot. "In Spring Training, especially early, I like to focus on my fastball and changeup. I only threw one curveball [for a strikeout].
"Basically, it's about arm strength now, and you do that with the fastball. You get on the mound and it's more about instincts, focusing on getting the hitter out. It allows you not to consciously think about the foot. I just reacted -- and it feels good now. So it's a good sign."
Big Walter delivers: Walter Young, 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds of muscle, slashed a two-run homer in his first Spring Training at-bat against veteran right-hander Kevin Appier.
A free agent signed after Baltimore dropped him from its 40-man roster, Young has been overpowering the ball since he arrived. The man from Mississippi had a full scholarship offer from LSU to play defensive end but opted for baseball.
"That ball got out in a hurry," Bochy said. "He's a very likeable guy. Teammates like him. He's very professional in how he goes about his business.
"He's here trying to make the club. Sure, he has a chance. With Ryan [Klesko] and [Adrian] Gonzalez, he's going to have to beat some guys out. When you have that kind of power, it's not something you teach. Anybody who hits the ball out of the park like that, it intrigues you. In our system, that's something we've been lacking."
Carrillo shines: Also continuing to impress with his confident manner -- and sizzling stuff -- was right-hander Cesar Carrillo, the 2005 first-round pick in the First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Miami.
Carrillo set down all three Mariners he faced Thursday, going to a two-ball count only once while throwing only one curveball along with his fastball.
"I had good life on my fastball," Carrillo said. "I was moving it in and out. I try to throw everything off my fastball.
"It felt a lot different being in a Major League game for the first time. But after you throw that first pitch, the jitters are gone."
Carrillo, Bochy said, "looked very poised. He was throwing 90, 91 [mph], then jumped to 94 when he needed it."
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
PEORIA, Ariz. -- His Team USA jersey having arrived in the mail, the familiar No. 44 on its back, Jake Peavy declared himself ready for his opening World Baseball Classic assignment Tuesday after going two innings in a charity exhibition against Seattle at Peoria Stadium.
"I had a real live arm," Peavy said after giving up four hits and two runs, striking out two. "Marcel Lachemann [Team USA's pitching coach] told me my velocity was 90 to 94 -- all two-seamers [sinkers], no four-seamers. The location was better than I thought it would be.
"It was a very productive day, and I'm encouraged going into this [Classic]. I'm going to get my work in there. I'm looking forward to it, to say the least."
Hearing the national anthem for the first time since last October, when he faced St. Louis in Game 1 of the National League Division Series, Peavy got a sense of what it will be like when Mexico and Team USA line the field Tuesday at Chase Field in Phoenix.
"When I heard the national anthem, that was one of my first thoughts -- it's going to be a neat feeling knowing I have a hand in the game," Peavy said.
Peavy has put on five to 10 pounds during the offseason, gaining more upper-body definition. He's up to 198 pounds -- compared to the 170 he weighed when he arrived in San Diego in 2002.
He said the fractured rib, sustained during that playoff game against the Cardinals, didn't bother him as he delivered 39 pitches -- right where he wanted to be with a 60-pitch limit for his first Classic start.
"I thought Jake looked good," Bochy said. "He had a good fastball, curveball, changeup and good command."
Baseball's ERA champion in 2004 and the National League strikeout leader in '05, Peavy would love to stay healthy enough to challenge for the lead in wins in '06.
"Physically, head to toe, I'm as good as I've been feeling in a long time," Peavy said. "Most of the time in Spring Training you have nagging injuries. It's almost scary to feel this good in Spring Training."
Team USA manager Buck Martinez said he was impressed with Peavy's competitive manner in an early spring game.
"Every time you step out there, you can't go through the motions," Peavy said. "You're competing. I've got to get better. You push yourself. I just go hard."
Peavy would be meeting with USA teammates in Phoenix later Thursday night, their first workout Friday morning. Peavy figures to be away until March 21, the Classic ending with a March 20 title game at PETCO Park.
"That's weird," the Padres' ace said. "I'll be seeing the boys on the 21st."
Estes sharp: Shawn Estes couldn't have been much happier with his Padres debut, throwing two perfect innings, striking out a pair of Mariners. He seemed happiest with getting over to first to cover as second baseman Josh Barfield ranged wide to take a hit from Raul Ibanez.
"It was nice to get back on the mound and get that shot of adrenaline," said Estes, a free agent whose 2005 season with Arizona was cut short by an injury to his left foot. "In Spring Training, especially early, I like to focus on my fastball and changeup. I only threw one curveball [for a strikeout].
"Basically, it's about arm strength now, and you do that with the fastball. You get on the mound and it's more about instincts, focusing on getting the hitter out. It allows you not to consciously think about the foot. I just reacted -- and it feels good now. So it's a good sign."
Big Walter delivers: Walter Young, 6-foot-5 and 315 pounds of muscle, slashed a two-run homer in his first Spring Training at-bat against veteran right-hander Kevin Appier.
A free agent signed after Baltimore dropped him from its 40-man roster, Young has been overpowering the ball since he arrived. The man from Mississippi had a full scholarship offer from LSU to play defensive end but opted for baseball.
"That ball got out in a hurry," Bochy said. "He's a very likeable guy. Teammates like him. He's very professional in how he goes about his business.
"He's here trying to make the club. Sure, he has a chance. With Ryan [Klesko] and [Adrian] Gonzalez, he's going to have to beat some guys out. When you have that kind of power, it's not something you teach. Anybody who hits the ball out of the park like that, it intrigues you. In our system, that's something we've been lacking."
Carrillo shines: Also continuing to impress with his confident manner -- and sizzling stuff -- was right-hander Cesar Carrillo, the 2005 first-round pick in the First-Year Player Draft out of the University of Miami.
Carrillo set down all three Mariners he faced Thursday, going to a two-ball count only once while throwing only one curveball along with his fastball.
"I had good life on my fastball," Carrillo said. "I was moving it in and out. I try to throw everything off my fastball.
"It felt a lot different being in a Major League game for the first time. But after you throw that first pitch, the jitters are gone."
Carrillo, Bochy said, "looked very poised. He was throwing 90, 91 [mph], then jumped to 94 when he needed it."
Source: http://sandiego.padres.mlb.com/
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