RELIEF FIXTURE BACK TO HIMSELF
Stammen strong on minor league deal, hopes to make club
Old Craig Stammen is getting outs like the old Craig Stammen.
The relief pitcher, who turned 39 on Thursday, walked four batters in his first two innings this spring. Since then, he has taken 15 pitches to get seven outs. Four of those outs have come after he entered a game with one away and induced an inning-ending, double-play grounder.
“I think we’re starting to see a healthy Craig Stammen,” Padres manager Bob Melvin said. “That’s what he does. He comes in and he gets ground balls with a good hard sinker. I know he feels really healthy this year.” So now what? Padres decision makers would love to have Stammen on the roster, in part because that means he would be in the clubhouse. But for that to be the outcome, Stammen needs to be one of their best eight relievers — something that seemed unlikely at the start of spring training.
“It’s a little bit tougher to make this team than it was in 2017 when I was in the same situation,” said Stammen, in camp on a minor league contract then and now. “But ultimately, I want this team to be great. So I’m not going to say I wish there were more spots open or (fewer) good pitchers. If I sneak my way on and prove my worth, it will be all the more better.”
The Padres have a slew of quality relief options, all younger and harder-throwing than Stammen.
But Stammen’s performance so far — one hit allowed in 31⁄3 innings — and a couple other factors have made it plausible that he gets to begin a seventh season in San Diego.
The Padres initially expected to start the season
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