Padres Report - September 1st

Padres’ Minor League Report – September 1, 2006

The Padres have annoying habit of losing the first game of a series. Since the All Star break, the Padres have lost game 1 of a series 11 of 15 times. The good news is, in non-first games, they’re 16-15 (well, I don’t know if that’s “good news” but it beats a losing record)… The Padres have Peavy and Wells starting the last two games of the series (against Lohse and Milton respectively). They need to come back and win this series.

By the way, MLB.com has a nice feature-piece on Padres’ minor league 3B, Chase Headley.

Hitters:

AAA - Ben Johnson --- 2-4; R, SO
AAA – Jon Knott --- 2-4; HR (30), 2 R, RBI, SO
AAA – Jack Cust --- 2-3; 2B (23), 2 RBI, BB
AAA – George Kottaras --- 0-4; SO
Hi-A – Chase Headley --- 2-3; R, BB, SO
Lo-A – Will Venable --- 2-4; RBI
Lo-A – David Freese --- 2-4
SS – Cedric Hunter --- 0-1; SO

Pitchers:

Hi-A – Manny Ayala --- 6.0 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 SO, 0 HR

Commentary:

George Kottaras played today for the AAA Portland Beavers. That probably does not mean he will remain a Padre prospect…

I think one of the bigger decisions facing Grady Fuson and the player development team this off-season, is what to do with Cedric Hunter. Cedric has the chance to force Grady’s hand. After helping (leading?) the AZL Padres to a league championship, Cedric Hunter (among others) was promoted to the Short-Season Eugene Emeralds. Pinch-hitting in the ninth, Cedric struck out in his first AB in the collegiate-dominated league. If Cedric has a strong showing in the Midwest League the Padres will probably give him an opportunity to begin next season in full-season Lo-A ball in Fort Wayne. Otherwise, the Padres could leave him in extended Spring Training and let him start 2007 with the Short Season Eugene club in mid-June. Cedric has 5 more opportunities to make an impression.