Here is the stuff that matters from April 15 to date:
May 12, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres announced that they have purchased the contract of infielder Edgar Gonzalez from Triple-A Portland and have designated infielder Callix Crabbe for assignment.
Gonzalez, 29, was invited to Major League Spring Training with San Diego before being reassigned to minor league camp on March 18. He hit .293 (24-for-82) with a double, four home runs, 12 RBI and 10 runs scored in 27 games for Triple-A Portland. With the Beavers, Gonzalez appeared in games at first base, second base, third base, left field, right field and designated hitter. Over parts of nine minor league seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays (2000-03), Texas Rangers (2004), Washington Nationals (2005), Florida Marlins (2006), St. Louis Cardinals (2007) and Padres (2008), he has a career .297 (901-for-3037) batting average with 206 doubles, 29 triples, 64 home runs, 419 RBI and 434 runs scored. Gonzalez is the older brother of Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez.
Crabbe, 25, made his Major League debut and appeared in 21 games for the Padres this season, including six starts and nine pinch-hit appearances. He hit .176 (6-for-34) with a double, two RBI, four runs, four walks and a stolen base. Crabbe was selected by the Padres in the Major League portion of the 2007 Rule 5 draft from the Milwaukee Brewers. Over six minor league seasons in the Brewers organization (2002-07), he hit .277 (711-for-2571) with 123 doubles, 36 triples, 27 home runs, 262 RBI and 408 runs scored.
May 11, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres acquired right-handed pitcher Bryan Corey from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for a player to be named later or cash considerations. The club also optioned left-handed pitcher Joe Thatcher to Triple-A Portland. Corey, who was outrighted to Triple-A Pawtucket on April 30, has posted a 10.50 ERA (7 ER/6.0 IP) in seven relief appearances over two stints with the Red Sox this season.
The 34-year-old has also appeared in five games in relief over two stints with Triple-A Pawtucket recording one save and tossing 5.0 scoreless innings with five strikeouts.
Originally selected by the Detroit Tigers in the 12th round of the 1993 First-Year Player Draft, Corey is 3-1 with a 4.40 ERA (29 ER/59.1 IP) in 52 career relief appearances over parts of five seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks (1998), Los Angeles Dodgers (2002), Texas Rangers (2006) and Red Sox (2006-08). He played one minor league season in the Padres organization, going 8-7 with a 4.67 ERA (55 ER/106.0 IP) in 47 games (12 starts) with Triple-A Portland in 2001. Thatcher, 26, is 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA (13 ER/17.1 IP), 12 strikeouts and seven walks in 16 relief appearances with the Padres this season. Acquired from Milwaukee along with right-handed pitcher Will Inman and left-hander Steve Garrison in exchange for right-handed pitcher Scott Linebrink on July 25, 2007, Thatcher made his Major League debut with the Padres last season and is 2-6 with a 3.76 ERA (16 ER/38.1 IP) in 38 appearances with San Diego.
May 10, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres outrighted left-handed pitcher Glendon Rusch to Triple-A Portland. Executive Vice President/General Manager Kevin Towers made the announcement. Rusch, 33, is 1-2 with a 6.41 ERA (14 ER/19.2 IP), 12 strikeouts and 11 walks in 12 relief outings with the Padres this season.
Signed by San Diego as a minor league free agent on December 14, 2007, Rusch has a career Major League record of 61-96 with four saves and a 5.03 ERA (779 ER/1394.2 IP) in 308 appearances (211 starts) over parts of 11 seasons with the Kansas City Royals (1997-99), New York Mets (1999-2001), Milwaukee Brewers (2002-03), Chicago Cubs (2004-06) and Padres (2008). Henn, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Yankees yesterday, will be in uniform wearing No. 39 for the Padres game tonight against Colorado.
The 27-year-old left-handed pitcher went 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA (1 ER/10.2 IP) in eight relief appearances this season between Single-A Tampa and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Originally selected by the Yankees in the 26th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft, Henn has made 36 Major League appearances with New York (five starts) over parts of three seasons (2005-07), posting a 2-6 record with a 7.53 ERA (48 ER/57.1 IP). In 116 career minor league games (81 starts), he is 26-23 with a 3.53 ERA (190 ER/484.0 IP).
May 9, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres purchased the contract of catcher Luke Carlin from Triple-A Portland and optioned catcher Colt Morton to Double-A San Antonio.
In 11 games with Triple-A Portland this season, Carlin is hitting .387 (12-for-31) with two doubles, three home runs, 11 RBI, eight runs scored and 15 walks. He has been behind the plate in each of those 11 contests, throwing out four of eight would-be base stealers. Signed by the Padres as a minor league free agent April 29, 2003, the 27-year-old Carlin has a career batting average of .245 (322-for-1,316) with 69 doubles, nine triples, 10 home runs, 127 RBI and 155 runs scored in 426 minor league games.
Morton, 26, has appeared in nine games with the Padres this season, going 1-for-15 with two walks, one RBI and two runs scored. He has been behind the plate in seven games, including four starts. Morton began the season with San Antonio, batting .250 (3-for-12) with one double, two RBI and a walk in four games with the Missions before his April 8 recall. Morton made his Major League debut with San Diego last season, making one appearance as a pinch-hitter. The Padres 40-man roster is now at 40.
May 9, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres announced that they have claimed left-handed pitcher Sean Henn off waivers from the New York Yankees.
Henn, 27, is 1-0 with a 0.84 ERA (1 ER/10.2 IP) in eight relief appearances this season between Triple-A Tampa and Single-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Originally selected by the Yankees in the 26th round of the 2000 First-Year Player Draft, Henn has made 36 Major League appearances with New York (five starts) over parts of three seasons (2005-07), posting a 2-6 record with a 7.53 ERA (48 ER/57.1 IP). In 116 career minor league games (81 starts), he is 26-23 with a 3.53 ERA (190 ER/484.0 IP). Henn is scheduled to join the Padres tomorrow in San Diego at which time the club will make a corresponding move.
May 9, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres recalled outfielder Jody Gerut from Triple-A Portland and requested unconditional release waivers on outfielder Jim Edmonds.
Gerut, 30, hit .308 (33-for-107) with nine doubles, two triples, five home runs, 18 RBI, 22 runs scored, 13 walks and four stolen bases in 27 games for Portland. He was named the Pacific Coast League Player of the Week for the span of April 28-May 4 when he batted .462 (12-for-26) with four home runs and seven RBI. Gerut, who signed a minor league contract with San Diego on January 27, made the Padres Opening Day roster as a non-roster invitee and went 1-for-6 with a stolen base in four games with the club before he was optioned to Portland on April 5. In 324 career Major League games over parts of four seasons with the Cleveland Indians (2003-05), Chicago Cubs (2005), Pittsburgh Pirates (2005) and Padres (2008), he has batted .263 (299-for-1,137) with 75 doubles, eight triples, 34 home runs, 140 RBI, 153 runs scored and 109 walks.
The 37-year-old Edmonds has batted .178 (16-for-90) with two doubles, one home run, six RBI and six runs scored in 26 games this season with the Padres, appearing in center field in all 26 contests (24 starts). He was acquired by San Diego from the St. Louis Cardinals along with cash considerations on December 15, 2007 in exchange for infielder David Freese. In parts of 16 Major League seasons with the California/Anaheim Angels (1993-99), Cardinals (2000-07) and Padres (2008), Edmonds has a career batting average of .286 (1,817-for-6,362) with 397 doubles, 23 triples, 363 homers, 1,127 RBI, 1,160 runs scored, 929 walks and 65 steals.
May 8, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres placed right-handed pitcher Kevin Cameron on the 15-day disabled list (retroactive to May 7) with a first-degree right elbow sprain and purchased the contract of left-handed pitcher Shawn Estes from Triple-A Portland.
Cameron, 28, suffered the injury in the sixth inning of the Padres game on May 6 in Atlanta. In 10 games for the Padres this year, he has posted a 3.60 ERA (4 ER/10.0 IP) with five strikeouts and six walks without factoring in a decision. Over parts of two Major League seasons with San Diego, he is 2-0 with a 2.91 ERA (22 ER/68.0 IP) in 58 relief appearances.
Estes, 35, has made six starts for Triple-A Portland this year, going 4-2 with a 3.67 ERA (14 ER/34.1 IP). He has limited opponents to a .248 batting average (33-for-133) while walking seven and striking out 25. Estes last pitched in a Big League game on April 5, 2006 for the Padres. He was placed on the disabled list the following day with a strained left elbow and underwent Tommy John Surgery on June 7, 2006. Over parts of 12 Major League seasons with the San Francisco Giants (1995-2001), New York Mets (2002), Cincinnati Reds (2002), Chicago Cubs (2003), Colorado Rockies (2004), Arizona Diamondbacks (2005) and Padres (2006), Estes is 99-90 with a 4.71 ERA (856 ER/1634.2 IP) in 274 games (273 starts).
May 6, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres announced today that right-handed pitcher Will Inman and infielder Eric Sogard have been named the club's minor league pitcher and player of the month for April.
Inman, 21, finished April with a 3-1 record and a 1.95 ERA (7 ER/32.1 IP) in six starts for Double-A San Antonio. He struck out 29 and issued only 14 walks, while holding opponents to a .191 batting average (22-for-115). In addition, he earned Texas League Pitcher of the Week honors from April 3-13.
Inman was acquired from Milwaukee July 25, 2007 along with left-handers Joe Thatcher and Steve Garrison in exchange for right-hander Scott Linebrink. He owns a 27-14 record and a 2.48 ERA (98 ER/355.1 IP) in 72 games (60 starts) over parts of four minor league seasons. The 21-year-old Sogard batted .388 (40-for-103) with 15 doubles, one triple, 20 RBI, 23 walks and 24 runs scored in 27 games for Single-A Lake Elsinore during the month of April. He finished the month among California League leaders in batting average (2nd), hits (1st), doubles (T-1st), on-base percentage (2nd, .496), extra-base hits (2nd, 16) and runs scored (T-2nd) while appearing in 23 games at second base. In 2007, he combined to bat .251 (53-for-211) with 11 doubles, four home runs, 33 RBI, six stolen bases and 27 runs scored in 54 games between Short-A Eugene, Single-A Fort Wayne and Triple-A Portland. Sogard was Padres second-round selection (81st overall) in the 2007 First-Year Player Draft out of Arizona State University where he was the PAC-10 Defensive Player of the Year.
May 1, 2008 -- The Padres mourn the loss of the club’s first President, Emil Joseph “Buzzie” Bavasi, who passed away at the age of 93 in San Diego.
Bavasi joined C. Arnholt Smith’s effort to bring a National League franchise to San Diego in 1967 and, after securing a team, served as the Padres first president from the club’s inception through 1977. He was inducted into the San Diego Padres Hall of Fame in 2001 and the Breitbard Hall of Fame at the San Diego Hall of Champions in 2007.
“Buzzie was a giant in Padres Baseball history,” said President and Chief Operating Officer Dick Freeman. “His presence in the original Padres ownership and management group was the determining factor in San Diego being awarded a National League franchise. He was a great baseball man. I will always remember him for his unwavering support and his great sense of humor. He was a superb storyteller. I will miss him greatly.”
Bavasi was already a veteran of nearly 30 years in the game of baseball when he joined the effort to bring a Major League club to San Diego. He began his career with the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1939, serving in a variety of roles. Following a stint in the military as an infantry machine gunner from 1943-46, Bavasi served as General Manager of the Dodgers Triple-A club in Montreal. In 1951, he was appointed Vice President and General Manager of the Brooklyn Dodgers, and held that position with the Brooklyn and Los Angeles Dodgers until 1968. Additionally, he served as general manager of the California Angels from 1978-84. During his time with the Padres, Bavasi oversaw both the team’s baseball and business operations. He was a key component in bringing and sustaining the franchise in San Diego, working for two owners, C. Arnholt Smith and Ray Kroc.
Bavasi is survived by his wife of 68 years, Evit, and four sons: Peter, Chris, Bob and Bill; nine grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. His son Peter served as the Padres General Manager from 1973-76 and his son Bill is currently the Seattle Mariners Executive Vice President and General Manager of Baseball Operations. Funeral arrangements will be private to the family only. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Baseball Assistance Team (B.A.T.), 245 Park Avenue, New York, NY, 10167 (212 931-7822) or the Professional Baseball Scouts Foundation, 9665 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 801, Beverly Hills, CA 90212 (310-385-4628, www.probaseballscouts.com).
April 29, 2008 – The San Diego Padres officially open their new state-of-the-art complex in the Dominican Republic tomorrow. The Padres Dominican Republic Baseball Park houses the club’s international baseball academy. Chief Executive Officer Sandy Alderson made the announcement.
“We are extremely excited that our new ballpark is officially opening,” Alderson said. “The Padres vision for a state-of-the-art development facility has been realized. We now have a heightened presence in the Dominican Republic and throughout Latin America, ensuring that more players from this region will ultimately play in San Diego.”
Alderson, along with Chairman John Moores, Executive Vice President/General Manager Kevin Towers, government and sports officials from the Dominican Republic and representatives from Major League Baseball, the design firm HOK Sport and RALCO Construction Management Services will be in attendance at the grand opening ceremony on the 15-acre facility in the city of Najayo, San Cristobal. Additional members of the Padres front office staff who will be on hand for the event include President and Chief Operating Officer Dick Freeman, Assistant General Manager Fred Uhlman Jr., Vice President/Scouting & Player Development Grady Fuson, Vice President/Senior Advisor Dave Winfield, Director of International Scouting/Major League Scout Randy Smith, Associate Counsel Jeremy Horowitz and Administrator of Dominican Republic Operations Cesar Rizik.
“Our internal staff, led by Fred Uhlman Jr., Jeremy Horowitz and Cesar Rizik, have, together with our architects and contractors, created a magnificent facility in an inspiring setting,” Alderson added.
The grand opening ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. EST (7:00 a.m. PST) and includes a presentation of the new academy and speeches from officials representing the Padres, the Dominican Republic and Major League Baseball. There will be a ceremonial ribbon cutting and first pitches, followed by a tour of the facility.
“This has been a very gratifying project for the San Diego Padres for many reasons,” Moores said. “The Dominican Park will strengthen – in a state-of-the-art facility – the Padres ability to train the next generation of ballplayers from the Dominican Republic and from throughout the Caribbean. It also sends a strong signal to the international baseball community of the Padres commitment to building and maintaining a perennially competitive team.”
The facility will operate year-round and also serve as the hub for the Padres Latin American baseball operations. The all-inclusive park includes two regulation-size playing fields and a half field, batting tunnels, a clubhouse, weight and training rooms, a dining hall and administrative offices. Additionally, the complex has housing for over 60 players as well as managers and coaches. In an effort to create a comprehensive training facility for the athletes, the club has incorporated on-site classrooms to further their education.
“The Padres will now be recognized as having one of the top facilities on an island rich with baseball talent,” Towers said. “This complex enables us to become a major force from a development standpoint and will allow us to procure young players throughout all of Latin America.”
“This park is paramount for the future of the San Diego Padres and its scouting and development success,” Vice President of Scouting and Player Development Grady Fuson added. “We now have the presence and stature that alerts not only the rest of baseball but the country itself, to our commitment to the signing and development of Latin American players.”
The academy opens with 32 players and the capacity to expand to 64 total. The facility is also the home of San Diego’s Dominican Summer League affiliate, the DSL Padres.
“San Diego is a first class organization from top to bottom,” Vice President/Senior Advisor Dave Winfield said. “Our facility in the Dominican Republic, in a very short time will become the premier entry point for players in the Americas to pursue a career in professional baseball.”
Director of International Scouting/Major League Scout Randy Smith added, “The amenities of this complex and our staff here will be a huge asset in attracting players from all over Latin America to sign and develop with the Padres.”
In addition to setting new standards for Major League Baseball facilities and their operation in the Dominican Republic, the Padres have already made a significant commitment to the local Najayo community. The club entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with ENTRENA, a Dominican education company, along with USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and the American Chamber of Commerce of the Dominican Republic to work collaboratively to improve the quality of basic primary school education in the country. April 29, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres outrighted right-handed pitcher Mauro Zarate to Triple-A Portland. Additionally, infielder Oscar Robles was claimed off waivers by the Philadelphia Phillies. Zarate, 25, was claimed off waivers by the Padres on October 26, 2007 and invited to Major League Spring Training. He was optioned to Portland on March 18. In six relief appearances with the Beavers this season, Zarate has posted a 9.82 ERA (8 ER/7.1 IP), allowing 13 hits and two walks while striking out eight. Over five minor league seasons in the Florida Marlins (2004-07) and Padres organizations (2008), he has a career 11-17 record and 3.82 ERA (121 ER/285.0 IP) in 166 games (10 starts). Zarate made his Major League debut with the Marlins in 2007, posting a 10.80 ERA (6 ER/5.0 IP) in four games. Robles, 32, hit .208 (11-for-53) with three doubles, one home run, 10 RBI and seven runs scored in 14 games for the Beavers this season. Over parts of three Major League seasons with the Los Angeles Dodgers (2005-06) and Padres (2007), Robles hit .260 (110-for-423) with 18 doubles, two triples, five home runs, 36 RBI and 50 runs scored in 163 games. With today’s moves, the Padres 40-man roster is now at 38.
April 25, 2008 – The San Diego Padres and The California Endowment announced a new fitness initiative, FriarFit during a press conference. FriarFit was designed in collaboration between the Padres, The California Endowment (a statewide health foundation) and SportService (PETCO Park concessionaire).
Padres CEO Sandy Alderson, Vice President/Senior Advisor Dave Winfield, infielder Tony Clark and Strength & Conditioning Coach Jim Malone teamed up to make the announcement.
They were joined by The California Endowment’s Marion Standish, County Supervisor Ron Roberts, Pediatrician and UCSD Professor Dr. Howard Taras, UCLA School of Public Health Co-Director Dr. Antronette Yancey, SportsService’s Sue Fullington and health and education professionals from throughout the San Diego area. FriarFit’s long-term goal is to improve the health and fitness of San Diegans.
The multi-tiered program is initially being executed in the following areas:
BALLPARK
Healthier Food Options: The Padres and SportService have added healthy food options at PETCO Park. This season 10 concession items were added or upgraded on the menu. Each is aimed at improving the nutritional value and availability of healthier food choices at the ballpark.
Instant Recess: Beginning in June, the Padres will conduct an Instant Recess fitness break at the Park at the Park. The sessions, open to children and adults, will begin at noon prior to every Sunday afternoon Padres game. Sundays are currently tabbed Kids Sundays at PETCO Park.
Pedometers: These healthy promotional items will be distributed to children at FriarFit events in the ballpark and to Padres employees as incentives to exercise. The customized Padres Foundation pedometers are a helpful tool to allow fans to track their fitness activities and reach their health goals.
SCHOOLS
Instant Recess CD: Dr. Toni Yancey, Professor and Co-Director of the Center to Eliminate Health Disparities at UCLA School of Public Health, has produced a 10-minute exercise session set to music and featuring the voices of Hall of Famer Dave Winfield, all-time Saves leader Trevor Hoffman and Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. A more extensive DVD version is in production and scheduled for release later this season. Comprehensive School Program: The Padres have been working closely with the San Diego Unified School District and County Office of Education to create a comprehensive program to assist schools in meeting the mandated physical activity levels that will be implemented in the coming school year. This includes Padres players and alumni visiting schools, tools and resources for teachers, and participation incentives for children.
COMMUNITY
Public Service Announcements: Padres players and alumni will be featured in Public Service Announcements encouraging kids and parents to be more active and make healthier food choices. Padres.com and padresbeisbol.com: In addition to the ballpark and schools components, downloadable elements and other tools and resources will be available via the Internet.
April 24, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres held the official grand opening of their new state-of-the-art complex in the Dominican Republic on Wednesday, April 30. The Padres Dominican Baseball Park will house the club’s international baseball academy and also serve as the hub for the Padres Latin American baseball operations. Additionally, representatives from the Padres front office will visit with teachers and students at the local community school, Escuela La Playa, on April 29. In conjunction with the construction of their Dominican Republic Baseball Park, the Padres have pioneered a new community outreach program aimed at improving the quality of basic public education in the Dominican Republic. The Padres have partnered with ENTRENA, USAID and the American Chamber of Commerce Dominican Republic to renovate Escuela La Playa and to provide teaching and learning seminars for the school’s teachers and students.
April 23, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres announced that they have claimed right-handed pitcher Josh Banks off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays and have assigned him to Triple-A Portland. Banks, 25, has a career 50-44 minor league record with a 4.23 ERA (346 ER/736.1 IP) in 130 games (129 starts) over parts of six seasons in the Blue Jays organization. He is 0-2 with a 7.02 ERA (13 ER/16.2 IP) in three starts this season for Triple-A Syracuse. The right-hander made his Major League debut in 2007 with the Blue Jays, posting a 7.36 ERA (6 ER/6.1 IP) in three outings (one start). April 15, 2008 -- The San Diego Padres outrighted right-handed pitcher Enrique Gonzalez to Triple-A Portland and recalled right-handed pitcher Kevin Cameron from Portland. Gonzalez, 25, was 1-0 with a 10.80 ERA (4 ER/3.1 IP) in four relief outings with the Padres this season.
Claimed off waivers by San Diego from the Washington Nationals on February 5, 2008, Gonzalez has a career Major League record of 4-7 with a 5.96 ERA (74 ER/111.2 IP) in 27 Major League games (18 starts) over three seasons with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2006-07) and Padres (2008). The 28-year-old Cameron posted a 1.42 ERA (1 ER/6.1 IP) with four strikeouts in four relief appearances with Triple-A Portland in 2008. Acquired by the Padres in the first round of the Rule 5 Draft from the Minnesota organization on December 7, 2006, Cameron made his Major League debut with San Diego last season and finished 2-0 with a 2.79 ERA (18 ER/58.0 IP) with 50 strikeouts and 36 walks in 48 games.
Keywords: San Diego Padres Jim Edmonds Buzzie Bavasi
