Notes From the Padres’ 1st Spring Training Game

If you didn’t realize it, the Padres (FINALLY!) had their first game today. We don’t have anything more than stats to go on yet, but I’ll just highlight some statistical winners and losers of day one.

First, the positives:

Matt Stairs, my ex-favorite player (and I still have a soft spot for him) who lost 30 pounds over the offseason, showed that his power wasn’t contained in those 30 pounds, belting a homer off the Mariners’ (homer-prone) reliever Shawn Kelley. It’s a good start for Stairs, looking to make the roster as a pinch-hitter.

Kyle Blanks went 2 for 2 with a double. Another player who lost weight (15 pounds), Blanks appears to be picking up right where he left off.

Chris Young allowed a run on three hits and a walk, but the extreme flyballer didn’t allow a homer, and he managed to get two strikeouts, a sign that his stuff is there.

Kevin Correia, Luke Gregerson, and Luis Perdomo combined for four shutout innings. Perdomo gave up a walk and a hit, and Correia didn’t get any strikeouts in two perfect innings, so they weren’t blowing guys away, however. Gregerson got a strikeout in a perfect inning, so he’s still dominant.

And the negatives:

Radhames Liz gave up a grand slam to Tommy Everidge (my current favorite player) in the ninth, part of a nightmare six-run inning. Liz was on the outskirts of the bullpen picture coming into the spring, but he’s going to have to absolutely dazzle from here on out to redeem himself.

Plate discipline was lacking overall. Only Yorvit Torrealba drew a walk.

We’ll see how the performances develop as the spring goes on–and of course, spring stats don’t mean much.

It’s just great to write about current games again, rather than ones that happened half a year ago.