Andy’s Address, 3/17
Andy addresses Hudson Potts, Austin Allen, Luis Torrens after cuts, plus thoughts on rehabbing pitchers
The Padres began Sunday by sending nine players to the minor league camp, including №15 prospect Hudson Potts and №20 Austin Allen.
Allen and Luis Torrens were the two catchers re-assigned. Others re-assigned were first baseman Aderlin Rodriguez, third baseman Jason Vosler and pitchers Kazuhisa Makita, Tyler Higgins, Dietrich Enns and Carlos Torres.
Padres manager Andy Green opened Sunday morning’s media briefing discussing 20-year-old third baseman Potts plus Austin Allen and Torrens.
Green on Potts: “Guys like Potts keep getting better. I was really pleased with the way he went about his work ... the way he attacks challenges, the way he plays the game. His power is impressive. We all feel confident in the organization that he’s going to be a really good player for us. He’ll get some more exposure to second base as time goes on. The total package is in him. The way he takes every swing really matters. He’ll be over there some for sure at second. It’s impossible to know how things are going to play out. He’s still going to be a third baseman for us. We’ll find out his versatility and we’ll put him in a place to be impactful for us because we really like him.”
Green on Austin Allen and Torrens: “We had catching depth and they are all so unique and bring something to the table that we really, really like. We saw a lot of growth in Torrens in spring training. We saw a guy who took his receiving incredibly seriously and made big strides in that area. Austin has big power and the ability to impact a game with his bat. He’s worked incredibly hard on his defense, too. Both those guys had great off-seasons, which we value a lot. There’s going to be opportunities in the big leagues for all our catching depth.”
Green turned to two rehabbing pitchers:
The manager on left-handed reliever Brad Wieck, who had surgery to treat testicular cancer before spring training: “The next step is facing hitters more in a controlled environment than a Cactus League game. Brad threw an up-and-down side session Saturday. When camp started, I didn’t expect him to pitch in Cactus League game, now it looks like he might have that chance the last few days to get out there. If he feels good, ready to go and is strong, healthy and the arm looks good, we’ll definitely get him in a game.”
Green on Dinelson Lamet, who is rehabbing from last spring’s Tommy John surgery: “Dinelson threw a side the other day and mixed in changeups. I think he spun his first slider from flat ground. He’s healthy, moving in the right direction. Everything has been trending in the right way with him. He’s somebody who we believe will be impactful for us before the season ends. The next couple of months will show us what time. But there are ups and downs to that rehab process. We know it because we’ve seen it so many times. He’s strong as an ox walking around here, taking everything incredibly seriously. So many guys who get through that become so much more regimented and disciplined. It stinks to go through it, but it becomes a positive for these guys.”
Green said corner outfielder Franmil Reyes has “general tiredness” and said Reyes and Hunter Renfroe were “getting a little bit of an extended blow right now to they’ll be ready to go when the bell rings.”
Speaking of outfielders, Green said he “wouldn’t hesitate” to play the left-handed-hitting Franchy Cordero against right-handed pitchers. “Very few of our outfielders will be playing 155 games ... If (Franchy) is hitting, we’re not afraid play him regularly against righties.”
Green said the rotation questions are being sorted out: “There are a ton of different options. Of the three guys now pitching on the same day, some guys will get extra rest as we get them off different days and set the rotation. Nothing is as obvious as (the media wants) it to be. These aren’t guys who have been doing this for 10 years in the big leagues and are accustomed to throwing every five days. For the most part they are accustomed to throwing very six days or seven days. Some have been working on six days rest or pitching on Fridays (in high school and college).
Green on reliever Gerardo Reyes: “There have been days when he’s been lights out and is going to dominate any big league hitter he faces. His slider has come a long way. He’s very much in the mix.”
