Padres News: Tim Federowicz Ready To Impress

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News travels in funny ways. You could be just sitting there, minding your own business, then suddenly your world is completely turned upside down. I once got a call for a job interview while buying bread at the grocery store.

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For Padres catcher Tim Federowicz, he wasn’t even in this country when he found out he was becoming a Padre. He was in Mexico, playing winter ball.

Here’s his story according to UT-San Diego’s Dennis Lin:

"Federowicz remembers receiving multiple text messages asking if he’d been traded. Surprised, the catcher went looking for a Wi-Fi connection … in the city of Navojoa, where Federowicz was playing winter ball.“I was getting a bunch of phone calls, but it was all ‘No Caller ID’ stuff, different-country-type thing,” Federowicz recalled. “The Internet at the hotel wasn’t too good. There was a restaurant that we always went to, a taco stand next door that had good Internet — we’d always go there to eat after games. So once I heard about it, I went over there to do some research.”After calling his agent, Federowicz learned the trade wasn’t final. It would be more than a week before he finally headed back to the U.S. Meantime, he saw his name on ESPN Deportes.“I tried to go home, but they wouldn’t let me,” Federowicz said, laughing."

Federowicz is in a great spot with the Padres. He should make the club opening day as the backup to Derek Norris. Top prospect Austin Hedges could still use some seasoning in the minors, and Federowicz can finally get a chance to play once or twice a week in the big leagues.

Like so many Padres players, Federowicz is new. His first job should be to call a good game and play good defense. Whatever they get from him with the bat is pure gravy.

If he can come in and handle that, the Padres should be all set at backup catcher.

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