Padres News: Tommy Medica Making Statement in Padres Camp

By Nick Lee | Mar 24, 2015

Mar 16, 2015; Peoria, AZ, USA; San Diego Padres first baseman Tommy Medica (7) swings at a pitch against the Chicago Cubs at Peoria Sports Complex. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

There has been a lot of conversation about who should play third base, shortstop and platoon with Yonder Alonso at first base. For some reason, Tommy Medica has not been making enough noise in many of those conversations. The soon-to-be 27 year-old has seen major league time at first base and outfield in his career. The Padres 2015 outfield may be one of the most crowded in club history, so he may have to look elsewhere to get in the lineup.

More from Padres News

With the way he is swinging the bat so far this spring, he might force his way into the lineup somehow. He is known as a streaky hitter, and if that is the case, the entire Spring Training has been one long hot streak. He and his unbuttoned jersey are hitting an eye-popping .517 while leading the team with four home runs and 11 RBIs. Oh, and he is slugging 1.000. He also leads the team with 15 hits.

His swing has looked great and his home runs have not been cheap. He might force Bud Black to have him on the roster by how he is hitting. It is hard to ignore a bat that loud.

Having a bat like Medica off the bench or to platoon with Alonso against tough lefties would give something that this roster had none of last year, depth.

Depth is something every team hopeful of a playoff run needs. People get hurt. People go into slumps. Medica is a great insurance. He hit nine home runs and 11 doubles in 102 games last year as a rookie. He made a decent splash during the regular season. Who could forget when he came within a single of the cycle in May against the Arizona Diamondbacks?

This is not the first time he has opened some eyes in the spring time. His 2014 Cactus League stint was almost as impressive. He hit .324 with three home runs.

In his last seven games, he has seven hits and a .500 average with four home runs. He has been head-and-shoulders above the rest of the team as far as offensive output. Medica could be a luxury for the Padres. He still may play 100+ games but will mostly platoon and be a “plug-and-play” player. The Padres cannot ignore his production so far this spring. Something tells me his performance will not go unrewarded.

More from Friars on Base

Home/Padres News