Padres being called "Stacked" makes me warm and fuzzy

STACKED !!!

Before you say it's a typo. Before you laugh. Before you think, no this isn't San Diego they're talking about you better look up and see what AJ Preller has done in less than 2 weeks. It's nothing short of exciting !

"Kemp wasn't the only one treading in unchartered waters Friday, as the Padres -- who haven't advanced to the playoffs since 2006 and haven't been very relevant since -- continued a frenzied and unusually bountiful offseason with a bevy of notable roster moves, squeezed into a 24-hour window.
How busy have the Padres and Preller, hired in August to remake the team, been? In a 24-hour period, the team added, most notably: Kemp, Braves outfielder Justin Upton and Rays outfielder Wil Myers, giving them a collection of former All-Stars and a Rookie of the Year to fill what was a barren lineup.
"It's getting stacked," Kemp said of the lineup."

 It will be very hard for anyone to dispute that the San Diego Padres, as of right now, are contenders right out of the gate... And Preller might not be done this off season !

Stay Tuned !!

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

San Diego HIRE SALE

It's been an incredibly exciting week for the Padres. Apparently it's not over yet. Stay tuned.

"Poll: Will The Padres Reach The Postseason

By Brad Johnson [December 20, 2014 at 8:46pm CST]

The Padres have been busy over the last couple weeks, with more moves likely to come. Recently hired GM A.J. Preller has pivoted from the organization’s slow rebuilding process to add established major league stars. Preller reportedly recognized a rotation capable of competing now, and he decided to add win-now position players to complement that strength.
The Padres have made eight moves this month, trading a number of prospects and young major leaguers in the process. The headliners are the additions of outfielders Matt Kemp, Justin Upton, and Wil Myers in separate trades. The club also added catcher Derek Norris in a swap with the A’s, third baseman Will Middlebrooks in a trade with the Red Sox, and signed three free agents – Josh Johnson, Brandon Morrow, and Clint Barmes.
More trades are likely to be on the horizon. The club currently has an overwhelming volume of outfield depth. In addition to Kemp, Upton, and Myers, the Padres also have Seth Smith, Carlos Quentin, Cameron Maybin, Will Venable, Abraham Almonte, and Rymer Liriano. Almonte and Liriano have options, but the Friars likely need to deal two of the remaining four. First baseman Yonder Alonso could also be a trade candidate if the club is comfortable with somebody like Quentin or Smith manning first."

 T.Pichierri

7 in a row

-Storm Update-

"Seventh Heaven: Storm Win Seventh-Straight To Complete Perfect Home Stand

Lake Elsinore, CA – The Lake Elsinore Storm were walk-off winners for the third time in four games Thursday night, besting the Visalia Rawhide 3-2 in eleven innings to complete a perfect home stand.

For the first time this series the Rawhide opened the scoring. Ryan Court tagged Storm starter Colin Rea with a solo shot in the second to put Visalia up 1-0.

But despite the early deficit, Rea found his groove. The 6’ 5” righty went on to retire the next eleven hitters following Court’s blast.

With Rea cruising, the Storm struck for two in the fifth. Hunter Renfroe hit his ninth double of the year, a two-out rocket that was no more than six feet off the ground, to score Luis Domoromo. Gabriel Quintana followed with an RBI single to plate Renfroe, and the Storm jumped out to a 2-1 lead.

Visalia would tie it in the seventh, but a strong outing from reliever Cody Hebner kept the ‘Hide in check through the eighth and ninth. Bryce Morrow (W, 1-0) worked a scoreless tenth and eleventh, setting the table for another heroic moment in the bottom of the inning.

Storm newcomer Luis Tejada recorded his first California League hit to start the rally, a one out double that landed just feet from the wall. John Nester provided the winning hit in the subsequent at-bat, a sharply hit single to right that scored Tejada and sealed the seventh-straight Storm victory.

The win is the ninth straight at The Diamond for the Storm (17-11), who are now 10-4 at home. Of those ten victories, four have come in walk-off fashion. Lake Elsinore improves to 3-1 in extra inning games and is in sole possession of first place in the Southern Division. Their record is second only to the Bakersfield Blaze, who are 20-8 in 2014.

Domoromo continues to swing a hot bat after a slow start. The Venezuelan has now hit safely in seven straight games, tying the longest hitting streak by a Storm player this season. He has collected 13 hits in his last 27 at-bats. Renfroe has hit in six in row.

With the longest home stand to date in the books, the Storm will travel up the 15 freeway to take on the Inland Empire 66ers (11-17) in the first of three games tomorrow night. Ruben Mejia (2-1, 3.92) will start for the Storm while Alex Keudell (0-4, 10.13) gets the ball for IE. First pitch is set for 7:05pm" - Tyler Zickel

Play Ball !!!

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

Storm Update

- Storm Update -

"Storm Win Sixth-Straight In Walk-Off Fashion

Lake Elsinore, CA – When you play the game the right way, good things happen. Good things have certainly been happening to the Lake Elsinore Storm, who were walk-off winners Wednesday night in a 4-3 defeat of the Visalia Rawhide to extend their winning streak to a season-high six games.

A big part of the team’s recent success has been the performance of its starting pitchers. Zach Eflin continued that trend with his longest start of the season, a 6.2 inning effort that, while not his best performance of the year, was exactly what the Storm needed to continue their winning ways. The 20-year old from Chuluota, Florida scattered six hits and allowed just one run while striking out six.

Eflin was bolstered by yet another early lead. Duanel Jones worked a one-out walk in the second and advanced to third on a Luis Domoromo single. Jeremy Rodriguez plated Jones with a sacrifice fly to give the Storm a 1-0 lead after two innings.

Lake Elsinore would increase their lead in the fifth. Corey Adamson reached on a two-out hit by pitch, and three consecutive singles from Hunter Renfroe, Gabriel Quintana and Diego Goris scored a pair to increase the advantage to 3-0.

Despite the three-run cushion, Visalia chipped away late in the game. Eflin was tagged for a run in the seventh, and the Rawhide would add single runs in the eighth and ninth to tie the game 3-3. The Storm pitching staff had previously held the ‘Hide scoreless for 20 innings until scoring against Eflin.

With the game still tied after nine, the Storm headed to extras for the third time this season. Ben Paullus worked a one-two-three tenth, and Lake Elsinore didn’t waste any time in the bottom of the frame. Goris singled with one out, and Jones provided the heroics with a game-winning double to tan the ‘Hide 4-3.

Paullus earned the first California League win of his career while Enrique Burgos was saddled with the loss. Domoromo extended his hitting streak to six, the longest active streak on the roster, and is one game shy of tying Quintana’s seven game stretch from earlier in the season. The Storm (16-11) have now won eight consecutive games at The Diamond, improving their record to 9-4 at home. Visalia (17-10) drops their fourth game in a row, their longest losing streak of the season.

The Storm are 5-2 in one-run games and 2-1 in extra innings contests. They will finish the month with the most wins in April over the last five seasons.

A series sweep is on the line tomorrow night as Colin Rea (3-0, 4.30 ERA) takes the hill for the Storm while Spencer Arroyo (2-1, 2.56 ERA) gets the ball for Visalia. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm."
- Tyler Zickel

Play Ball

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

Storm Win

Storm Update

GAME RECAP

500 Diamond Drive, Lake Elsinore, CA  92531 | Ph: (951) 245-4487
                                              Class A Affiliate of the San Diego Padres

"FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                            April 26, 2014

Lake Elsinore, CA – Four Storm starters recorded multiple hits Saturday night, part of a 6-2 defeat of the Inland Empire 66ers on Social Media Saturday at The Diamond.

After the 66ers scored in the top of the first, the Storm answered in the bottom half of the inning. Hunter Renfroe drove a two-out double off the 36-foot high wall in right and was joined on the base paths by Gabriel Quintana, who was hit by a pitch. Diego Goris plated Renfroe and Quintana with the second Storm two-bagger of the inning to give Lake Elsinore a 2-1 lead.

Storm starter Colin Rae settled in nicely after allowing an early run. The Cascade, Iowa native went on to throw four scoreless innings while scattering seven hits, walking two and striking out four to improve to 3-0 this season.

“My fastball was flat tonight, but I was able to make the pitches I had to make,” Rea said of his performance. “I was able to throw the changeup with some command and I got lucky a few times too.”

Leading 2-1 after two, the Storm would add in the third thanks to Quintana’s fourth home run of the season.

The Storm bats couldn’t be quieted in the following frame. Storm newcomer Chase Jensen, who finished the night with three hits, led off the home fourth with a double. Stephen Carmon bunted him to third, and Jeremy Rodriguez executed the suicide squeeze to score Jensen and increase the Storm lead to three.

Runs in the sixth and eighth provided more than enough insurance. Jensen’s second double of the game put the Texan aboard for Rodriguez, who added another RBI to his season total after looping a single into left. Carmon reached with a knock in the eighth and came around on Martinez’s single to left, his third hit in five at-bats.

Rae’s departure after five innings was followed by another sound effort from the Storm bullpen. Bryce Morrow pitched two scoreless innings and Adam Cimber worked through one and two-thirds. Cimber allowed a run to score in the eighth but limited the damage to maintain Lake Elsinore’s lead.

Trevor Gott came on to spell Cimber in the ninth and recorded the final out to secure the win. Gott now leads the California League with six saves, and the Storm improve to 12-11 while the 66ers fall to 8-15.

Despite the final score, Inland Empire managed to put the lead runner on base in seven of nine innings as part of a 12-hit effort from the visitors.

Ruben Mejia (1-1, 4.30 ERA) returns to the mound for the Storm tomorrow after making a spot start for AAA El Paso on Tuesday. He’ll be opposed by Alex Keudell (0-3, 6.48 ERA) as the Storm look for their second sweep of 2014. First pitch is slated for 1:05pm."

- Tyler Zickel

Play Ball !!!

 

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

Military Mondays return to The Diamond

-FREE for Military-

Just love the Storm and their marketing department. They do a top notch job 99% of the time, and then on top of that a brilliant job occasionally....

link

Pass the word to all your friends that have written that blank check so the rest of us can enjoy our freedoms... Military Mondays return to Lake Elsinore....Then make sure you thank them all on behalf of us here at Planet Padres....oh yeah and $2 margi's.... woohoo

Play Ball !!!

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

Today's Game - Padres v Dbacks

Padres vs. DBacks

Alonso and Quentin both went deep, and Cabrera stayed hot with a multi-hit day. Stultz, Roach & Vincent got touched up each for crooked numbers, but over all it was a pretty solid day at the park for the boys.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E D-backs (5-4) 3 0 1 1 0 0 3 0 0 8 15 0 Padres (1-5) 0 1 2 1 0 1 1 0 0 6 10 1

W:Reed, A (1-0, 3.00) ; L:Vincent (0-1, 33.75) ; SV:Collmenter HR:  SD:Quentin (1) ,Alonso (1) .

Play Ball !!

Maybin out possibly until the Allstar Break...

-Injury Update-

Maybin makes the catch, but the Padres can't catch a break with their CFer...

Yesterday Padres CFer Cameron Maybin pulled off a spectacular diving catch on a ball in RF, I say RF since the RFer could have camped under this ball rendering this a non-issue, and in doing so ruptured his bicep. He is out likely until the Allstar break making this a huge hit for the team. 

While hustle, grit, and going 100% full tilt is admirable, it's really not a good idea first week of Spring Training when you're starting to get your body back in game playing shape...You might break ! I can't think of a single reason for any player to sell out at this point in the brand new season. You must be smarted than this and know when to pull up, and no I'm not advocating jakeing it....ever....This is Spring Training, and the beginning of it, What the hell were you thinking Cam ?

Shame on you !

Link

"PEORIA, Ariz. -- Outfielder Cameron Maybin will miss approximately two to three months after an MRI on Monday revealed that he has a ruptured left biceps tendon.
Maybin suffered the injury making a diving catch Sunday in a game against the Dodgers. The Padres were relieved to hear that he suffered no damage to the shoulder capsule or rotator cuff.
Maybin, who missed all but 14 games in 2013 due to injuries, robbed the Dodgers' Juan Uribe of extra bases in the fourth inning of a game in Glendale, racing from center to right for a catch. But between pitches to the next batter, Maybin dropped his glove and was in obvious pain.
"When he landed, it jarred the shoulder and did damage to the biceps tendon," said Padres manager Bud Black.
Maybin won't return to the Padres' complex in Peoria until Wednesday at the earliest, as he was headed to North Carolina on Monday afternoon because of a death in the family.
Black was asked if Maybin should have been more cautious, especially in an exhibition game.
"The thing about a play like that ... you can't play at a lesser level, you've got to play a Spring Training game like a regular-season game," Black said. "You have seen players [in spring] play hard. Cam is a guy who plays the game like it's meant to be played."
The injury came a day after Maybin hit his first home run of the spring."

This should provide an opportunity for guys like Venable, Denorfia, Blanks and a few others to try and take advantage of. Maybin hasn't exactly been a pillar of health since arriving in San Diego, so there is no reason to think he ever will be even if the Padres forked over big $$$ to him.

Good luck in the battle for CF guys...

Play Ball !!

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

Because we can...

Padres Opening Day "Travoltified" Lineup

Thanks to the inabitiy to read a teleprompter at the Academy Awards recently, we now have the ability to "Travoltify your name". So it seems like the next logical step is to Travoltify the Padres starting lineup....or at least a possible one...Yes modified to be without Maybin who just broke himself diving for a ball in early spring.......ugh...........Anyway enjoy !

  
SS- Eilidh Colezan (E. Cabrera)
CF- Wayne Mozaleen (W. Venable) or Craig Daveries (C. Denorfia) 
3B- Clarke Heenry (C. Headley)
LF- Carys Mertin (C. Quentin)
1B- Yusuf Andrenson (Y. Alonso)
RF- Katie Borfes (K. Blanks)
2B- Jack Gordzo (J. Gyorko)
C - Malachi Granite (Y. Grandal)

Play Ball !

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

Chihuahua's Home Opener wont be in El Paso...

AAA Club moves......soon

The Padres AAA affiliate was to move from Tucson to El Paso and shed the parent name of Padres and become the Chihuahua's, but they aren't quite ready for them yet...

c/o Milb.com

"While there was a possibility that the home opener could be played on April 11, we want to ensure we can offer the quality ballpark experience that El Paso deserves and that we are ready for all aspects of family-friendly fun," said Alan Ledford, president of MountainStar Sports Group.
The Chihuahuas will play their April 11-14 games against the Reno Aces in Tucson."

Good luck to the newest member of the Padres franchise...
Play Ball !!

T.Pichierri - Planet Padres Writer

Updates coming soon.... Like the location and look of the new AAA franchise