SB Nation - Matt Antonelli

Interview: Matt Antonelli

jbox — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 07:44:17 -0000

Blogger Matt Antonelli

Like most of you we've really been enjoying Padres Infielder Matt Antonelli's blog and twitter. It gives a good insight into what it's like to be in the Padres system. We emailed him after joking around on the Gaslamp Ball the other day and he seems like a really nice guy. He has a good sense of humor but takes his profession seriously. Here's hoping we'll see more of him in a Padres uniform in 2010.

Now on to the hard hitting questions!

Gaslamp Ball: When the Padres found out recently that you were blogging did they try to shut you down? Give you ground rules? Lecture you? Has it even been brought up?

Matt Antonelli: I'm not really sure if the Padres know that I have a blog or not, but they have not said anything about it. I am not sure if they will or not in the future, but I don't think they have to worry about me saying anything they wouldn't want me to. I pretty much stick to only writing about myself. I decided to write my blog for fun and to let fans, friends, and family know what's going on in my life when I'm 3000 miles away from home.

What are two secrets about Matt Antonelli that we should know?

Haha I don't really have any secrets, but if I did I don't think it'd reveal them on the Internet.

With all the young guys in the clubhouse these days, who do you see as the team leaders both with the big league club and at Portland?

The big league club is definitely a young team, but there are also a lot of great veteran leaders on the team. If I had to pick a few quickly it would probably be a guy like David Eckstein or Adrian Gonzalez. I obviously haven't been around the team as much as some of the other guys, but during Spring Training and my short time up in 08' I saw that these guys have a lot knowledge that they offer the other players. I feel really fortunate to have David Eckstein play the same position as myself and be able to learn from him. As far as Portland goes, it is tough to say because I won't even know who is on the team until right around the end of March. I am sure we will pick up a player or two that is an older guy and can bring a lot of wisdom and experience to the triple-A level.

Terry Kennedy is the new AAA coach. Though you obviously intend to make the big league club does the change affect what you'll be doing in the offseason or during spring training?

I had a chance to be around TK a little bit during the last two spring trainings and I can tell he is a really great guy. I have a lot of friends that have played for him in San Antonio and I haven't heard a single bad thing about the guy. I know I would love playing for him. With that said, I personally won't be doing anything differently because he could possibly be my coach. I just look forward to learning from him during the season.

Do guys in the clubhouse discuss whether to marry a Minor League girlfriend or hold out for a Major League girl?

Haha that's a funny question. Nah, I don't think guys talk too much about what type of girl a certain guy should be with. Most of the guys that I am playing with are already married anyways, or they are engaged. I'm starting to feel old.

With the Padres promoting so many young players, it must have been frustrating to have been hit with injury. How do you like your chances to stick with the club this season?

It is never fun to be injured. I had gone pretty much my whole life without ever being injured and missing time because of it. It is no fun sitting on the bench or in the trainer's room and seeing your friends and teammates out there playing without you. As far as my chances on sticking with the team goes, I never look at who I think is ahead of me or behind me in the organization. I try to focus on myself, and what I can do to improve my game in order to make the club and play for a long time. If I play the way I feel I am capable of playing I know I will have a chance to play.

You talk a lot about your swing on your blog. There is so much jargon in swinging a baseball bat. What cliches do you actually find useful and try to implement in your swing? For example, does "keep your eye on the ball" or "quick hands" actually translate to something for you to do?

My swing has definitely been a major topic of discussion, especially after the last 2 seasons. I'd always just gone up to the plate and hit, but after I got into a few bad habits somehow I couldn't figure out how to fix it. I have looked at my swing over and over again, torn it down and built it back up. I am always searching for something easy to think or say to myself that will help me stay locked-in at the plate. I think everyone has something unique and a little different from someone else that they use to keep their swing intact. I have used a bunch of different techniques throughout my life and right now I feel I have the ones that will help me this season.

What are those giant faces outside the gates at PGE Park?

I have no idea what the hell those things are.

Is there any chance we could get you to renounce all Boston sports teams?

I think it is really funny how mad some people have got at me because I like Boston sports teams. Since being drafted I have actually lost my love of the Red Sox. Once you get picked by another team your loyalty changes. My job is to make myself the best player I can to help the Padres win. I really haven't followed the Sox since 2006. As far as it goes for the Patriots and Celtics, I don't think there is anyway you could change that. I still live in Boston and have lived here for 24 years. I am not one of those fans that shoves it in other people's face when my team wins, and I don't cry or lock myself in my house when they lose, but I still love them. If I end up playing in San Diego for a long time I am sure I will go to plenty of Chargers games and cheer for them, but if they play the Pats in the AFC Championship I'm sorry, but I'm rooting for the Pats.

Thanks for all the questions guys it was fun.

Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions, good luck this season! High fives all around!

Padre Matt Antonelli wishes to trade places for a day with Tiger Woods and ruins his life

jbox — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:49:25 -0000

Tiger Woods' awesome life, before Matt Antonelli traded places with him and ruined it all.

View full size photo »

Did anybody read Matt Antonelli's blog post from last week? He answered some questions for the Sporting News and shared his answers with his blog readers, that's you and me.

He was asked the one person he'd like to trade places with, living or dead, and he chose Tiger Woods.

The one person I’d love to trade places with for a day (can be alive or dead; please include a sentence on why that person)
Tiger Woods. He runs the world.

Keep in mind this blog was written on November 28th, the day after Tiger Woods was accused of cheating, had his face clawed at and car attacked by his wife while getting in a car crash that left him unconscious. Now Tiger is being accused of multiple infidelities, wanted for questioning by the Highway Patrol, missed a Golf Tournament and had his name smeared in every gossip column.

You may be thinking, "Antonelli couldn't have picked a worse day to trade places with Tiger Woods."

But may I suggest that maybe Matt Antonelli's wish came true and he already traded places with Tiger Woods and all of this is his fault. Think about it, Matt Antonelli took over for Tiger for one day and ruined his life and his career!

Are we supposed to believe that it's a coincidence that Antonelli makes a wish to "run the world" as Tiger Woods and suddenly Tiger's life goes down the toilet? Antonelli obviously switched bodies and raised hell as Tiger Woods then switched back to the body of a Padres infielder. He must be sitting at home smirking right now, thinking that nobody would ever figure out what he had done, feeling so cocky that he'd even blog about it, nobody would figure out his secret... until now!

Think about that!

Poll

Did Antonelli trade places with Tiger Woods?

Yes, I'm not stupid. I have the facts right here in front of me

84 votes

No, it's all just a coincidence.

17 votes

101 votes | Poll has closed

Around the Mission: 11/24 Padres Links

jbox — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:15:26 -0000

More photos » by Denis Poroy - AP

7 months ago: San Diego Padres right fielder Brian Giles dives as he tries to make a catch on a single hit by Colorado Rockies' Aaron Cook during the sixth inning of a baseball game on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 in San Diego. Giles made the stop keeping the hit from extra bases. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy)

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PADRES: Giles is eager to prove he still has it
"With my knee feeling the way it is, I'm excited," Giles said by phone late last week. "I think I can offer a lot. I can't change those opinions. Physically, I've been as durable as anybody in the game."
Offseason economics put the Boston Red Sox in a curious position - ESPN Boston
it seems extremely unlikely that the Padres will even discuss Adrian Gonzalez (and the $10 million he makes over two years) unless the Red Sox empty their farm system of Ryan Westmoreland, Casey Kelly, Anthony Rizzo and Stolmy Pimentel and essentially become free-agent market mercenaries every winter after 2011.
insidethepadres: DePo
"He's a resource on both the baseball and the business side,"
Season-ticket holders seize opportunity | padres.com: News
"When they sent the renewal, I took out my Sharpie and wrote 'NO FAITH' in these huge block letters,"
The Sacrifice Bunt: The Sacrifice Cheat Sheet: Centerfield
the correct answer is to go with Tony Gwynn, Jr. for less than half of a million dollars
The Official Blog of Matt Antonelli
Hat tip to Sac Bunt
Anthony Gwynn: A $12M player? :: Friar Forecast
I am not convinced Gwynn is truly such a great fielder.

San Diego Padres Top 20 PRE-SEASON Prospects in Review

John Sickels — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 13:00:11 -0000

More photos » by Pablo Martinez Monsivais - AP

San Diego Padres starting pitcher Mat Latos (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)

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San Diego Padres Top 20 PRE-SEASON Prospects in Review

This list was originally published January 6^th, 2009. This is a REVIEW of the PRE-SEASON list for 2009, not a revision of that list. This is a REVIEW of the old list. The grade listed is the OLD GRADE. With a few exceptions, I'm not doing new grades or new lists until I start writing the 2010 book.

1) Kyle Blanks, 1B, Grade B+: .283/.393/.485 in Triple-A, .240/.352/.455 in the majors. Like the power he's shown so far, expect the batting average and OBP will rise eventually.

2) Jaff Decker, OF, Grade B: hitting .302/.447/.509 in the Midwest League. Very polished bat, as expected.

3) Mat Latos, RHP, Grade B: 1.37 ERA with 73/12 K/BB in the minors, 4.02 ERA with 24/12 K/BB in 34 major league innings so far. Only concern going forward is durability.

4) Kellen Kulbacki, OF, Grade B: Hit just .201/.257/.254 in 36 games in Double-A, out since June with hamstring injury. Had a bad shoulder in April and May. Hasn't been healthy at all this year.

5) Cedric Hunter, OF, Grade B-: Hitting just .254/.289/.321 in Double-A. Unable to maintain batting average and high OBP against better pitching so far. Still makes contact but lack of power hampering him.

6) James Darnell, 3B, Grade B-: Hitting .318/.434/.552 between two levels of A-ball, excellent plate discipline.

7) Allan Dykstra, 1B, Grade B-: Hitting .206/.381/.345....87 walks for Fort Wayne in 104 games, but power disappointing. May be too passive.

8) Will Inman, RHP, Grade B-: Was getting killed in the PCL (6.71 ERA, 83 hits in 63 innings). Sent back to Double-A and pitching well again (2.72 ERA, 40/10 K/BB in 56 innings). Will get more chances but scouts have never liked him.

9) Wade LeBlanc, LHP, Grade C+: 4.25 ERA with 83/29 K/BB in 108 innings in Triple-A. Crushed in two major league starts due to wobbly command.

10) Matt Antonelli, 2B, Grade C+: .193/.294/.332 in Triple-A. I guess maybe last year WASN'T just a bizarre bad luck fluke.

11) Eric Sogard, 2B, Grade C+: Hitting .289/.370/.379 in Double-A. Good contact hitting ability with strike zone judgment.

12) Jonathan Galvez, SS, Grade C+: hitting .319/.431/.528 with 12 steals in the Arizona Rookie League. Great tools, skills look solid right now for his age, stock way up.

13) Simon Castro, RHP, Grade C+: 3.93 ERA, 133/32 K/BB in 117 innings, 107 hits in the Midwest League. Live arm, command has been good this year, stock rising.

14) Cole Figueroa, 2B, Grade C+: .339/.430/.435 in 54 games for Fort Wayne. Lack of power may be a problem at higher levels, hit just .187 in 21-game trial at Lake Elsinore.

15) Adis Portillo, RHP, Grade C+: 4.72 ERA with 42/20 k/BB in 48 games in the Arizona Rookie League, 59 hits. Not great, obviously needs time to refine his raw ability.

16) Blake Tekotte, OF, Grade C+: Hitting .270/.359/.413 for Fort Wayne, 60 walks, 12 homers, 27 steals. Does a lot of things on the field, broad skill base, but projection to higher levels remains an issue.

17) Jeremy Hefner, RHP, Grade C+: 12-5, 4.15 with a 125/34 K/BB in 126 innings for Lake Elsinore, 134 hits. Holding his own in the Cal League, good command, good strikeout rate.

18) Josh Geer, RHP, Grade C+: 5.96 ERA with 54/23 K/BB in 103 innings in the majors, 116 hits. Throws strikes but stuff is a bit too short. I think he might be better off in short stretches, used in relief.

19) Logan Forsythe, 3B, Grade C+: Hit .322/.472/.504 in the Cal League, but just .264/.362/.390 in the Texas League. Still controlling the zone well, but power slumped. Keep in mind San Antonio is a pitcher's environment.

20) Will Venable, OF, Grade C: Hitting .269/.338/.462 in the majors. A solid fourth/platoon outfielder.

There were a large mass of Grade C prospects in the system beyond this, and my general feeling entering the season was that the system was underrated by other sources. The Padres are very skill-oriented in their drafting. The standard criticism of this is that you end up with nothing but role players and few potential stars. The opposite approach, focusing on tools goofs , gets you the occasional star but also a large number of busts who look great in uniform but can't play. I think the best approach is a mixed one, bringing in both skill players with polish AND tools guys and not focusing on one or the other exclusively. Indeed, the Padres are taking steps to bring more tool players into the system, particularly from Latin America. Diversity is good.

Kulbacki is an injury casualty and gets a mulligan, but at this point I don't see a lot of hope for Antonelli. Keep an eye on Wynn Pelzer and Ernesto Frieri, two intriguing RHP.

News Roundup: Randall Simon Revisits Sausage Incident

Charlie — Thu, 21 May 2009 20:49:45 -0000

-P- The Winnipeg Free Press revisits Randall Simon's sausage-smacking incident. Simon's now playing for the Fargo-Morehead RedHawks (who are, weirdly, the second team named "RedHawks" he's played for). Yurendell DeCaster plays for Fargo too.

Anyway, this is actually a pretty interesting article, if not exactly an accurate one:

"But the thing that hurt me the most was Pittsburgh at the time kind of hung me out. They never said anything on my behalf. And people at the time, I think, must have thought I really was a bad guy because my team didn't stand up for me"...

While he'll forever be best remembered for his one big mistake, what is easy to overlook is that Simon put up very good numbers in the majors: In 537 games, he batted .283, drove in a run in almost every two games on average and struck out less than once in every 10 at-bats.

But when the bigs turn their back on you, they turn their back on you.

Right, the reason Simon isn't in the big leagues anymore is that he smacked a sausage, and not because he was awful at every skill involved in playing baseball except hand-eye coordination. He was actually pretty lucky to have made it back with the Phillies in 2006; I have no idea what the Phils were thinking then.

Lost in all the vilification of Simon was this forgotten fact -- Simon was the man former Atlanta Braves closer John Rocker referred to as a "fat monkey" in that infamous racist and homophobic interview Rocker gave to Sports Illustrated in 1999.

"I could have made a big deal about it," Simon says. "But I said nothing. He apologized to me and I accepted his apology. He made a mistake. Everyone makes mistakes. But you learn from it."

That's not true. Simon said Rocker was lying about the context of his comment and that "If he said that to my face, I'd tear him up." Personally I think Simon had every right to be furious, but the idea that he said "nothing" just isn't accurate. His comments were quoted at length on SportsCenter, for Pete's sake.

-P- After reporting that there might be some possibility that the Pirates and Mariners would make a deal involving Jack Wilson and Yuniesky Betancourt, Geoff Baker of the Seattle Times continues to discuss Betancourt trade rumors, this time with regard to the Padres. Unfortunately, these particular rumors are so outlandish that it makes you wonder about the Wilson ones:

Well, I'm now told the Mariners have discussed a Betancourt trade with the San Diego Padres as well. The Padres need a shortstop, having just placed Luis Rodriguez on the DL with a sprained ankle and having claimed Josh Wilson off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks...

Two names I've heard mentioned as trade returns for the Mariners would be either a package of, or choice between switch-hitting left fielder Chase Headley and Class AAA second baseman Matt Antonelli. I'm trying to pin down whether it is one or the other, or both, being offered up.

That's absurd. I suppose Antonelli, who was once a highly regarded prospect but hasn't hit at all since 2007, might theoretically be a possibility. But I frankly doubt that the Padres--a rebuilding team smart enough to be aware of Betancourt's wretched defensive numbers--would give up even a prospect of Antonelli's caliber. Headley, forget it. That's ridiculous. He's pretty likely to turn out to be a decent major league starter, and the Padres know that. USS Mariner concurs.

-P- To discuss Padres trades that are actually in the realm of reality, San Diego has shipped Jody Gerut to the Brewers for Tony Gwynn Jr. I'm not a big believer in Gerut and I never have been, but he did post a 130 OPS+ last year. He's struggled this year, but I'm not sure why you ship him off for Tony Gwynn's son unless it's a salary dump or a PR move or both. The younger Gwynn has no power at all and is a fifth outfielder at best.

Kevin Towers says roster changes are coming soon

jbox — Thu, 14 May 2009 16:12:06 -0000

XX Sports Radio: Kevin Towers Interview (MP3) by Darren Smith

The one thing Kevin Towers is happy about on this team is Heath Bell. The only problem is that we can't get to him. Buddy Black may have to start using Bell for two innings in order to get a win.
The starting pitchers haven't gotten a win since April 16th. The Padres went from euphoria to paranoia. He's hoping they aren't as bad as they look. When they've had good pitching they don't hit and vice versa. There isn't one particular problem. The Pads are asking a lot of Adrian. Headley has done a pretty decent job with RISP. There are only two home runs between Giles and Kouzmanoff.
Towers is going to start shaking things up in the bullpen this weekend. He'll search internally and externally.
You hope that the more experienced players will take some pressure off the young guys and that's not happening.
Towers is disappointed in Kouzmanoff and Giles. When Giles isn't playing well it's difficult to get wins. Giles is swinging at a bunch of first pitches and pressing. Hoping to take pressure off him by putting him in the back of the line up.
Hundley was blessed with a good arm and a quick release. He struggles with blocking balls especially on the hard sinker. "He's his own biggest enemy. He's such an intense young individual. He does everything hard. Part of being a good Major League receiver is just relaxing and trying to be comfortable back there." A lot of the young players are in survival mode, just trying to stay in the big leagues and they're pressing. The Padres have not considered a position change for Hundley.
The players are pressing to try and prove they belong. The good ones can relax and handle the pressure. The coaching staff needs get them relax and let them know they aren't going anywhere and to have fun playing.
Going into the season, they wanted to be better than in 2008. They realized that the product on the field was going to have a hard time competing. "Ultimately what fans want is to see progress and to have hope." They will end up bringing up Venable and Blanks. The fans are realistic and they know the team in undermanned.
In the next couple weeks/months we'll see a lot of changes in this club.
"I still kind of believe in guys like Gregerson, I think he's got a chance."
In the next 2-3 years, we'll see guys like Blanks, Venable, Antonelli, Sorgard. The Front Office just need to make room for them.
The problem is with the level of talent they have on the roster. "I'm as much to blame as our coaching staff. We just have to some how put a much better product on the field. Right now they don't have a lot to work with and I think it would be wrong for me to make a change and put the blame on our coaching staff."
Kevin Towers is going to trade, option and release players. Towers hasn't talked to Moorad but they could be in a position to release a high salaried player and hope that the younger player out performs him.
Towers isn't going to talk about Peavy trade news anymore. We'll find out when the deal is made.

Padres News and Notes

jbox — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:14:06 -0000

Peavy got shelled, but he had this to say "In my mind I am not far off where I want to be." In my mind I'm riding a unicorn bareback threw a dewey meadow with skittles falling from the sky, doesn't mean it's real. If you read the article even the Pirates seem concerned about Peavy. Buddy Black thought "his stuff was fine".
You see how powerful Darren Smith is? He mentions the Padres Hall of Fame in yesterday's pre-game show. Today Dick Williams is elected into the Padres HoF. "San Diego holds a special place in my heart and I can't wait to relive those memories with the fans and teammates who shared them with me."
Towers will promote pitchers from within the organization. Guadin is being brought up to start Tuesday's game and Geer will be moved back a day.
Antonelli's knee is hurt. "Before I got the second cortisone shot, the doctor looked at me and said that in his 20 years of sports medicine he had never seen anyone with this injury," Antonelli said. Turns out that the doctor was blind! Actually that's not true.
Moorad is gonna chat with fans on Wednesday. I still want to know who the 12th owner is in his ownership group. Somebody ask him that.
I guess we didn't give the AP reporter scandalous enough quotes for her article about Pad Squad Carrie. I bet we could have won Miss USA with our boring answers.
Chris Young better stop the suck.
Gonzalez has the longest home run at Petco Park with a 458 foot shot into the bleachers of "the beach"
Ducksnorts recaps the week.
Friar Forecast wonders what's wrong with Peavy.
Gaslamp Ball Flashback! A meet up at the Tony Gwynn Statue

TotalZone on Second Base Prospects

erik — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 17:00:11 -0000

Rally and Sackmann (sounds like a detective show) have given us TotalZone stats for minor leaguers, which can be found at position players' pages at Minor League Splits. Sackmann provided the data, Rally created TotalZone, which he has long used with major league players. For a full explanation on how reliable these stats and how they translate to the majors, you can read here. Over the past couple of days we've looked at shortstops and center fielders, this time we'll check out the keystoners.

Charted below are the consensus top second baseman in the minors. Just a quick word about this class: It's quite weak.

	Org.	Age	Level	Outs	Chances	Runs	Runs/150
Adrian Cardenas	OAK	20	A+	120	168	0	0
Matt Antonelli	SDP	23	AAA	240	345	-6	-8
Chris Coghlan	FL	23	AAA	252	338	9	12
Luis Valbuena	CLE	22	AA	155	205	7	15
Nick Noonan	SFG	19	A	262	382	-3	-4
Shelby Ford	PIT	23	AA	155	224	-3	-6
Eric Sogard	SDP	22	A+	286	411	2	2
Eric Young Jr.	COL	23	AA	230	305	11	16
Johnny Giavotella	KC	20	A	133	186	3	7
Brad Emaus	TOR	22	A+	216	308	-2	-3
Travis Denker	SDP	22	AAA	128	166	6	16
Ryan Mount	LAA	21	A+	184	272	-3	-5
Jacob Smolinski	WAS	19	A	117	160	3	8
John Tolisano	TOR	19	A	234	350	-6	-8
Tony Thomas Jr.	CHC	21	A+	249	317	19	27

After the trade to Oakland, Adrian Cardenas played more games at shortstop than at second. In his career he has a -3 at SS and -5 at 2B. He's a middle infielder, but at which position is yet to be determined.
Matt Antonelli went from being "can't miss" to "swing and a miss", as he got all out of sorts with his swing in AAA last year. He still has a patient approach and he believes he pinpointed the problems with his swing, so he may reassert himself into top prospect status. He played third in college but has converted to second, and hasn't really adjusted, posting a -17 over three seasons in the minors.
Chris Coghlan may be flying under the radar. He's not a real power threat, but he can hit. In his last two seasons, he has wOBA+'s of 122 and 112. This was his first season where his defense is a plus.
Luis Valbuena came to Cleveland from Seattle in that three team, 12-player swap that included J.J. Putz. He posted a .380 OBP last season between AA and AAA, and is a pretty nifty defender, with +43 runs through '05-'08. Asdrubal Cabrera should start looking over his shoulder.
E-Yo 2.0 looks like a carbon copy of E-Yo 1.0 - A speedy, small ball type of player that can reach base at a reasonable clip. His scouting report says that defense is his biggest challenge, but the numbers disagree, he's a +21 defender over '05-'08 and had his best season in '08. The Rockies seem intent to move him to CF, which looks like a mistake, but his future is as a utility player, so having him play some infield and outfield won't hurt him. I look forward to seeing Jr. on Baseball Tonight some time in the 2020's.
Tony Thomas Jr. had the best TZ of any 2B last season and is an interesting sleeper. He was an outstanding hitter in college in and short-season ball last year, but struggled to find his stroke last year in the pitcher-friendly Florida State League. If he could just be close to average with that bat, he ought to be a nice asset. CHONE projects he'd be a +1 win defender per 150 games in the big leagues this year.

Know Your Foe: Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres

Poseidon's Fist — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:15:08 -0000

Arizona Diamondbacks

There are not many teams that are this close to solidifying their 25-man roster for the 2009 season. That is largely due to the small turnover the roster felt over the off-season. Gone are Orlando Hudson, Randy Johnson, Adam Dunn, Brandon Lyon and Juan Cruz but they were replaced aptly with Felipe Lopez, Tom Gordon, Scott Schoeneweis and Jon Garland as well as internal options.

via www.baseball-reference.com

Lineup:

All eight starters are already locked up for Arizona, and only Felipe Lopez differs from last year's line-up. The Diamondbacks hope the continuity and growth of their young hitters is enough to build a strong lineup. Even the line-up order is fairly set...Stephen Drew and Chris Young might swap positions against LHP.

Order	Player	Position	AB	BA	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA
1	Felipe Lopez	2B	552	.274	11	56	.349	.400	.335
2	Chris B. Young	CF	527	.260	25	77	.336	.482	.358
3	Stephen Drew	SS	532	.276	16	66	.340	.451	.346
4	Conor Jackson	LF	469	.296	14	75	.384	.465	.375
5	Justin Upton	RF	435	.257	16	60	.349	.444	.348
6	Chad Tracy	1B	445	.276	16	60	.339	.452	.346
7	Mark Reynolds	3B	468	.254	22	81	.333	.462	.347
8	Chris Snyder	C	332	.241	13	51	.344	.419	.340

Looking at wOBA, we can conclude the D-Backs line-up features zero elite hitters, one very good hitter (Jackson), five above average hitters (Young, Drew, Upton, Tracy and Reynolds) and two average hitters (Lopez, Snyder). That's a decent distribution, especially considering the relative youth of the line-up.

Arizona's line-up projects to score 4.924 runs/game (peaking at 4.959 arranged differently). That's the same as 797.7 total runs, which ranks them right in the middle of the NL West.

Bench:

The Diamondbacks bench is also very set. Eric Byrnes will remain an overpaid fourth outfielder, and pinch-hitter Tony Clark returns to continue blocking Minor League Player of the Year Josh Whitesell. Augie Ojeda fills in as the primary utility infielder, and Miguel Montero is an above average offensive back-up catcher.

Player	Position	AB	BA	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA
Miguel Montero	C	178	.256	12	54	.329	.419	.330
Eric Byrnes	OF	495	.259	17	60	.322	.428	.333
Tony Clark	1B/PH	206	.238	11	37	.326	.437	.336
Augie Ojeda	IF	274	.245	2	27	.334	.321	.303
James Skelton	IF/C	370	.246	5	40	.351	.346	.320

The final spot on the bench is between James Skelton and Ryan Roberts. Both can play catcher, so Montero could be utilized frequently as a pinch hitter. Skelton is a Rule 5 draft pick from the Tigers, so that gives him a slight edge over Roberts, who has had a very strong spring.

Rotation:

The theme continues, as all five starting pitchers are set in the rotation. Brandon Webb and Dan Haren return as the best 1-2 punch in the NL West. Doug Davis is an average #3 starter at best, but I like recently signed Jon Garland in the #4 starter slot. Youngster Max Scherzer will be the fifth starter to start the year. Given worries about his arm following a winter injury, manager Bob Melvin will take great care with the young gun.

Player	IP	W	L	FIP	WHIP	K
Brandon Webb	209	13	10	3.34	1.33	166
Dan Haren	203	12	10	3.41	1.23	190
Doug Davis	154	7	10	4.54	1.62	114
Jon Garland	187	9	12	4.48	1.50	102
Max Scherzer	83	5	4	3.84	1.29	94

The Diamondbacks' rotation is clearly a top two rotation in the division. If Tim Lincecum or Matt Cain falter after getting abused last season by Bruce Bochy, Arizona's rotation will easily pass the Giants as the class of the NL West.

Bullpen:

Chad Qualls assumes the closer role he probably should have had going into 2008 as Brandon Lyon left for Detroit. Tony Pena moves up to the set-up role, and former Washington closer Jon Rauch comes in as a solid 7th inning man. Scott Schoeneweis came over from New York to be Bob Melvin's LOOGY.

Role	Player	IP	W	L	FIP	WHIP	K/9
Closer	Chad Qualls	70	4	3	3.50	1.29	7.97
Set-up	Tony Pena	75	4	4	3.85	1.23	6.72
7th inn.	Jon Rauch	69	4	4	3.84	1.28	7.70
LOOGY	Scott Schoeneweis	48	2	3	4.71	1.60	6.00
Long Relief	Yusmeiro Petit	117	6	7	4.74	1.32	7.15
Relief	Billy Buckner	77	3	5	4.71	1.42	6.70
Relief	Doug Slaten	47	2	3	4.44	1.42	6.60

Yusmeiro Petit, today's starter is the favorite for the long relief role, though Juan Gutierrez still has a longshot chance for the role. Billy Buckner will probably be the mop-up reliever, and Doug Slaten is battling with Travis Blackley for the last spot. Once Tom Gordon returns from injury, he'll take that spot. That's a pretty solid bullpen.

Why the Diamondbacks will win the NL West:

This is the most balanced team in the division. Their entire pitching staff just might be the best in the division, and their offense is competitive if not spectacular. For a team with very few question marks, a step forward for some of their young hitters could be enough to push them to the top.

Why the Diamondbacks will NOT win the NL West:

They might be balanced, but the line-up will still rank near the top of the league in strikeouts and is still relatively weak. To wit: Arizona's #3 hitter, Stephen Drew has a lower projected wOBA than EVERY projected Rockies starter except Clint Barmes. Then consider their cleanup hitter (and best hitter overall)) failed to hit a home run in his last 201 at-bats last year. Not a misprint - his last one was July 27. The offense will be improved as a whole but it still won't be enough to compete with other NL West teams with more flash.

San Diego Padres

The Padres are absolutely the antithesis to Arizona. San Diego has more question marks in the last week of the spring than I've seen from any team in a long time. They are going to be bad. Very very bad.

via upload.wikimedia.org

Lineup:

The core of the lineup is set with Giles, Gonzalez, Kouzmanoff, Headley and Hundley down the middle.

Order	Player	Position	AB	BA	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA
1	Jody Gerut	CF	381	.278	13	45	.348	.449	.350
2	David Eckstein	2B	461	.269	4	32	.337	.347	.310
3	Brian Giles	RF	512	.266	12	60	.371	.398	.346
4	Adrian Gonzalez	1B	554	.283	28	91	.359	.500	.373
5	Kevin Kouzmanoff	3B	487	.273	20	76	.324	.458	.341
6	Chase Headley	LF	488	.258	14	61	.342	.410	.335
7	Nick Hundley	C	416	.224	14	61	.284	.375	.292
8	Luis Rodriguez	SS	291	.261	3	24	.332	.351	.309

The unproven Luis Rodriguez could get bumped in favor of Adrian Gonzalez' brother Edgar. If so, David Eckstein would slide over to shortstop. Jody Gerut's sole competition is the man that almost prevented Rocktober: Scott Hairston.

This line-up would be expected to produce 4.443 runs/game as constructed (or a max of 4.543 with optimal orientation). This equates to 719.8 total runs during the season. That means the Padres have the worst line-up in the division, although they trail San Francisco by just .005 runs/game.

You know the drill. Let's look at wOBA. From that we can conclude that the starting lineup features zero elite hitters, one very good hitter (Gonzalez), two above average hitters (Giles, Gerut), two average hitters (Kouzmanoff, Headley), two below average hitters (Rodriquez, Eckstein) and one terrible hitter (Hundley). Their line-up has a wider variety of hitters than the Giants' line-up, but it is still just as bad. They'll need some surprises up the middle to be a threat.

Bench:

Former Rockie Henry Blanco was signed to back up the young Nick Hundley. Edgar Gonzalez and Scott Hairston are guaranteed bench spots if they don't crack the line-up. San Diego also signed Cliff Floyd, who has switched from being the DH for the AL champion Rays to being stuck on the bench for likely the league's worst team.

Player	Position	AB	BA	HR	RBI	OBP	SLG	wOBA
Henry Blanco	C	193	.223	4	22	.275	.321	.268
Everth Cabrera	IF	195	.205	2	10	.260	.259	.247
Edgar Gonzalez	IF	300	.266	5	33	.325	.381	.314
Scott Hairston	OF	333	.249	16	45	.322	.453	.338
Cliff Floyd	OF/1B	244	.246	9	36	.333	.407	.330

Of interest to Rockies fans, Everth Cabrera indeed looks to have a roster spot lined up after the Padres traded Chris Burke yesterday. Matt Antonelli, Emil Brown and Will Venable will see playing time throughout the season as well.

Rotation:

Jake Peavy will be the Opening Day starter for the fourth straight year. Chris Young tries to return to 2007 form after an injury-riddled 2008, but CHONE is buying none of that. Cha Seung Baek, average at best, was supposed to be the #3 starter, though he is injured and may start the season on the DL.

Player	IP	W	L	FIP	WHIP	K
Jake Peavy	177	12	8	3.40	1.19	175
Chris R. Young	114	6	6	4.45	1.32	95
Cha Seung Baek	98	5	5	4.17	1.30	67
Kevin Correia	100	6	5	3.61	1.30	81
Walter Silva	No	pr	oje	ction	s avai	lable

Nothing is guaranteed past that. Kevin Correia is the favorite to be the fourth starter based on his experience, even though he's mostly been a bullpen arm in his career. The fifth starter job is absolutely wide open. Walter Silva, a 32-yo RHP San Diego purchased from the Mexican League, is the favorite currently for the #5 spot. Josh Geer, who had a five-start cameo last year, might fill that role eventually, although he was cut last Monday. Cesar Ramos might even get the nod despite posting an abysmal 1.60 WHIP and 5.29 ERA in his first year at AAA in 2008. The Padres did sign Shawn Hill, though it remains to be seen what his role will be. He might slip into the rotation while Baek is out.

Read between the lines...this is the worst rotation Petco Park has seen, and it won't get any better if/when Peavy is traded.

Bullpen:

If the rotation is a bad traffic collision, the bullpen is the Hindenburg. Now that Hell's Bells will no longer ring at Petco, the closer position will be filled by Trevor's most recent set-up man, Heath Bell, who figures to be solid in that role. Cla Meredith slides up to the set-up man, and the former Met and Dodger Duaner Sanchez is in line for late inning work. The Mets let Sanchez go; he hasn't been the same since a 2006 taxicab accident.

Role	Player	IP	W	L	FIP	WHIP	K/9
Closer	Heath Bell	75	5	3	3.21	1.21	8.76
Set-up	Cla Meredith	74	5	3	3.48	1.26	6.57
7th inn.	Duaner Sanchez	42	4	2	3.77	1.36	7.13
LH Relief	?	?	?	?	?	?	?
Relief	Mike Adams	65	4	3	3.33	1.23	9.00
Relief	Shawn Hill	76	4	5	4.13	1.41	5.53
Relief	Cesar Ramos	141	7	9	5.12	1.52	4.59

After that, your guess is as good as anyone's. Some have reported as many as four bullpen spots will be filled through waivers. Mike Adams may find himself a bullpen spot. Former Rockie Justin Hampson and Rule 5 pick from the Yankees Ivan Nova were placed on waivers last week, as was Jae Kuk Ryu, claimed by the Indians. Joe Thatcher was also cut, so two LHP from the bullpen last year won't be there to start. The Padres acquired RHP Luke Gregorson to complete Khalil Greene trade and Eulogio de la Cruz, who was bought from the Marlins last week could find a bullpen or rotation spot. UPDATE: Ivan Nova was returned to the Yankees.

Getting the picture? It's true...one week until Opening Day, and the Padres bullpen is not even half resolved. What a disaster. Keep an eye on the waiver wire - many pitchers ousted at the end of Spring Training could find a home in San Diego, including Juan Morillo or Baltimore RHP Hayden Penn, if the O's are careless.

Why the Padres will win the NL West:

via farm3.static.flickr.com

Why the Padres will NOT win the NL West:

Going into 2008, the Giants were nearly the unanimous choice to finish last in the NL West. But given their solid rotation, it was easy to imagine a scenario where they would surprise. That is NOT the case with the Padres.

They have the division's worst lineup, a suspect bench, their worst rotation this decade, and an abominable bullpen. Not only do they have no chance of winning the division, but you have to wonder if there's a chance they could avoid 100 losses.

The September Call-Ups

faketeams — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 14:48:51 -0000

1st wave of minor leaguers are arriving. The vast majority of these are not worth rostering, but, given your league format (Al- or NL-Only, mixed, keeper/non-keeper), some are noteworthy. Of those notables, most will realize the highest values in single league, keeper formats. For most mixed leagues, keeper and non-keeper, roster expansion means very little.

Mixed:
2B Matt Antonelli San Diego Padres:
Have you seen the middle infield lately? If he recovers his 2007 hitting form, he could be a solid mixed-league middle infielder (double digit HRs and SBs).
LHP Wade LeBlanc San Diego Padres: His AAA ERA was atrocious but his peripherals were not. Pitching in Petco automatically makes him a pitcher to watch.
LHP Jon Niese New York Mets
1B Kila Ki'aihue Kansas City Royals
3B Dallas MacPherson Florida Marlins
OF Jerry Owens Chicago White Sox
OF Ryan Spilborghs Colorado Rockies
OF Adam Jones Baltimore Orioles
LHP Andrew Miller Florida Marlins

AL-Only:
1B Kila Ki'aihue Kansas City Royals: A bad team in need of 1B power. Ki'ahue hit 37 HRs between AA & AAA and walked more than he struck out.
C Taylor Teagarden Texas Rangers
OF Fernando Perez Tampa Bay Rays: The Rays recalled him on 8/31 according to mlb.com. If so, then he can be part of the Rays' play-off roster. 43 SBs in AAA make him someone to watch.

NL-Only:
2B Matt Antonelli San Diego Padres
LHP Wade LeBlanc San Diego Padres
LHP Jon Niese New York Mets
LHP Andrew Miller Florida Marlins
3B Dallas MacPherson Florida Marlins
C J.R. Towles Houston Astros
RHP James MacDonald Los Angeles Dodgers
SS Chin-Lung Hu Los Angeles Dodgers
3B Mat Gamel Milwaukee Brewers
C Angel Salome Milwaukee Brewers
OF Greg Golson Philadelphia Phillies
C Luke Marson Philadelphia Phillies: Catcher is weak across baseball. The fact Marson (and Golson) were recalled by 8/31 makes him a player to watch. The Phillies' disappointment with 2nd-year catcher Carlos Ruiz' bat seems obvious.