A TOUGH LESSON FOR PATINO
PEORIA, Ariz.
Luis Patino turned 20 in October.
On Wednesday, the Padres’ No. 2 pitching prospect was provided a tangible reminder he has some growing to do.
“It was different pitching here … against big-league guys,” Patino said. “Pitching in Double-a or High-a is different. You need to throw more strikes (in the majors). But I learned.”
The reality wasn’t anything Patino and the Padres were not aware of. He is in his first big-league camp and the plan has always been for the hard-throwing righthander to begin the season in the minor leagues.
“It’s a good moment, a good experience,” Patino said. “I need to learn. As I go down or be with the Padres I need to learn if I’m going to start in the big leagues, the big-league guys are good hitters.”
Patino hit 97 mph with his jumpy fastball and was routinely between 94 and 96. After throwing all fastballs to the first batter, Brett Phillips, who struck out on a 3-2 pitch, it was the slider Patino struggled to locate. It wasn’t just balls but pitches that caught too much of the plate.
“I need to work a little more on my slider,” he said. “I focused more on my change-up and curveball in the offseason.”
Facing a mix of major and minor leaguers, Patino took 26 pitches to get through a three-run sixth, his first major league spring training inning. He was a victim of what almost certainly would have been ruled an error on second baseman Jurickson Profar in the regular season (which would have made all three runs unearned), walked a batter and struck out two. He had a hard single go off his glove and found out what a good big-league hitter can do with a good slider when Salvador Perez reached down to drive in two runs with a single to center field.
Manager Jayce Tingler noted the game was understandably a little “fast” for Patino.
“It got a little quick at times,” Tingler said. “He fell behind at times, got in fastball counts. The main thing is game-day experience … being in the major league environment. All these guys, it’s a part of the process to get to where they want to get to.”
Pham playing catch-up
Tommy Pham, who spent the winter rehabbing a partial tear in the UCL of his right (throwing) elbow, is playing catch on what the Padres say is a normal progression toward him being ready to play left field by opening day.
The Padres’ target has been mid-march for Pham to start playing defense in exhibitions. He participates regularly in fielding drills and has thrown full speed
Royals 9, Padres 7
Batter’s box: Wil Myers was 3-for-3 with two doubles. He is 8-for-19 with a 1.476 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage) for the spring. … Taylor Trammell, the organization’s thirdranked position prospect according to Mlb.com, was 2-for-4 and drove in three runs. He is 8-for-20 this spring. … Austin Hedges went 1-for-2 and has three hits and a walk in his past nine plate appearances.
Balls and strikes: Adrian Morejon’s second start lasted onethird of an inning, during which the Royals got five hits (including Hunter Dozier’s home run that traveled well over 400 feet to left field) and scored four runs. Morejon, slated for the Triple-a rotation, threw 12⁄3 scoreless innings against an Angels lineup that included Mike Trout and Anthony Rendon in his first start. … Javy Guerra allowed both runners he inherited to score, one on an infield single and one on a fielder’s choice, before ending the inning. … Closer Kirby Yates struck out the Royals’ 2-3-4 hitters in the second inning in his spring debut. … Michel Baez pitched a scoreless third. He has allowed two hits and struck out three in three innings of relief this spring. … Gerardo Reyes pitched his fourth scoreless inning.
Extra bases: Myers started at first base for the first time this spring … The loss was the Padres’ first in their last nine games and just their second in 11 games this spring.
On deck: Right-hander Dinelson Lamet makes his second start, facing the Mariners at 12:10 p.m. PT at the Peoria Sports Complex. Lefty Mackenzie Gore, roundly considered the top-ranked pitching prospect in baseball, is scheduled to make his first big-league spring appearance as well. and without setback from 125 feet on three occasions. The target for him to be cleared to play is 200 feet.
In Wednesday’s 9-7 loss to the Royals, he served as designated hitter for the fourth time and went 1-for-3 with a double to the warning track in center field that was almost certainly not an out due to the ball getting lost in Arizona’s bright sky. He is 2for-11 with two walks this spring.
He expressed consternation Tuesday afternoon.
“Right now my swing needs some work,” he said. “I’m not right. I’ve got to get caught up.”
Because he was rehabbing his elbow, he wasn’t cleared to swing until the third week of December. He did not begin throwing until he arrived at spring training.
Rotation variation
Dinelson Lamet and Zach Davies switched spots in the rotation this week. Lamet’s start today against the Mariners comes five days after his spring debut. Davies, who made his second start of the spring the day before Lamet made his first, will start Friday on six days’ rest. Joey Lucchesi is scheduled to start Saturday and Chris Paddack on Sunday,
both on five days’ rest.
Davies, Lucchesi and Paddack all made their last starts on four days’ rest, which is what they are expected to do for the bulk of their starts this season.
“It’s more having a lot of pitchers in camp and trying to make sure everybody is getting their innings, getting their proper rest,” Tingler said of the alteration. “… There will be a point where we get tighter on a firmer five-day rotation. Right now it’s more about their routines and making sure everybody is healthy and strong.”
There figures to be more juggling in the coming weeks as the Padres line up their rotation for the start of the season.
Notable
Shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. was at the complex briefly Wednesday morning, wearing a mask to shield others from the potential spread of the flu. Tatis has been out for four days. It is hoped he will return to practice today.
• Outfielder Josh Naylor, who felt “tightness” in his neck after a throw four days ago and hasn’t played in a game since Friday, was scratched from Wednesday’s lineup when he reported stiffness in the area. Said Tingler: “He wanted to go. We thought it was best (to) give it another day or two.”
• Right-hander Miguel Diaz, who is working back from midsummer surgery to repair torn ligaments in his knee, threw his second bullpen session Tuesday and likely has at least four remaining before he pitches in a game. He will appear in a Cactus League game before taking part in extended spring training.
kevin.acee@sduniontribune.com