SAN DIEGO — Bob Melvin's second spring training as manager of the Padres is nearly underway.
Many players have already reported to the Peoria Sports Complex, but Monday is the first official report day. That is when pitchers and catchers who are participating in the World Baseball Classic must be in camp. Three more report dates follow before the first full-squad workout on Feb. 21.
The team that lost in last year's National League Championship Series returns largely intact with a few notable additions on offense. With Xander Bogaerts at shortstop and Fernando Tatis Jr. scheduled to return 20 games into the season and presumably play right field, the Padres are roundly projected to be one of the top teams in the major leagues.
There are a few pressing issues that have to be sorted out in spring training, and Melvin discusses those here.
A reminder the work is just beginning comes in Melvin's answer to the first question.
— Q: There's as much excitement as ever about this Padres team. What about for you? Is this the best team you've managed?
— A: "That's a good question. You really don't know until the end of the year as far as personnel goes. I've never had a team with as many stars on it."
— Q: As you face this spring with all these stars, with all the dynamics — Tatis coming back, Bogaerts coming in, the WBC guys being gone for an extended time — what are the challenges you expect to have to overcome?
— A: "I don't know about challenges. Obviously, when your players are in the WBC you worry about injury. The guys that we have going are going to get the proper amount of at-bats. But you worry about injury. As far as the team dynamic, I think we have enough core guys from last year where we feel good about our group and know our group. It's just getting everybody together for a period of time leading into the season. It's nothing that nobody else is going through as well. We just we have a large contingent of guys playing."
— Q: The health of your starting pitching and your pitching overall last year was remarkably good. It seems filling innings could be a challenge this year. Seth Lugo hasn't thrown 100 innings since 2018. Nick Martinez threw a little over 100 innings last year. How crucial is spring training in finding the arms that can provide the innings you need?
— A: "That's probably the most important thing that we're looking at at this point. Guys coming in from out of the pack, guys that have been in the system a little while, it's time for them to step up and be part of this 162-game season. You realize you're gonna have to cycle guys in and out some. So yeah, I think the thing we're probably looking at the hardest right now is how many of these starters — the non-starting five that we have — are going to be able to contribute over the course of the season and be productive."
— Q: You went pretty quickly to a six-man rotation last season because you had the guys to do that. That looks like it will be more difficult to do this season. But you do have 24 games in the first 25 days. Is there any thinking you could use a six-man rotation in 2023?
— A:"Yeah, there is. Based on the success that we had, especially early in the season last year, there's always that thinking. It worked well for us. Now, like you said, it has to be productive. You have to feel like you have the guys that are able to do it. We do play a lot of games in a minimal amount of days, and that would suggest that maybe we need to do something early on. Whether it's a six-man (rotation), those things will be cleared up in spring training."
— Q: Austin Nola played every inning of the postseason. What do you anticipate being the split of playing time between Nola and Luis Campusano this season?
— A: "It's up to Luis. If ever there was a time for him, this is the time. He'll get a good long look in spring training. Last year that wasn't the case because we had three guys that we were looking at ahead of him. But as you look at it right now, it's he and Austin. He's gonna get a great opportunity to make some time for himself. Based on how he does is going to (determine) how much he plays during the season."
— Q: It seems you have a chance to begin the season with a more balanced, deeper bench than you had in '22. How much of a goal is that? And who do you see figuring into the battle for what would appear to be a couple bench spots?
— A: "You know, it's too bad for (infielder Eguy) Rosario that (he broke his ankle in winter ball and is expected to be out until mid-season). This probably would have been the best opportunity he would have. So we have to look at some other guys. Whether it's Sugar (José Azocar ), whether it's (Brandon) Dixon, who is a guy that we were really intrigued with last year. (Adam) Engel is another bench for us. He's an experienced guy who you would think will get his share of at-bats during the season. … David Dahl is another guy who's had a lot of big-league experience, a left-handed bat. He's gonna get an opportunity. And then where do (Matt) Carpenter and (Nelson) Cruz fit in other than the DH spot. You can sit here and say, 'This is what the lineup looks like.' But not everyone plays everybody plays (every game of the season). There are injuries involved. So we're just trying to get a handle on not only a bench but some depth in Triple-A too, knowing that you're probably going to have to withstand some injury."
— Q: How do you anticipate using Tatis in spring training? How careful will you be with a guy who had just 14 plate appearances in Double-A last season?
— A: "It's been quite a while since he's played consistently. He's going to DH a little. We'll keep working him at different spots. Guys don't play three days in a row in spring training, which will open up some spots. At some point in time in spring training we're going to have to settle on where we think the best spot is for him. But he's going to play some in the infield, some in the outfield (in spring training)."
— Q: Ha-Seong Kim has lined up on the right side of second base quite a bit in the shift, but he has primarily been a shortstop in his career and will play shortstop for South Korea in the WBC. What is the challenge in getting him ready for a new position and getting him and Bogaerts comfortable with each other?
— A: "Well, we have some time before they leave. Korea is training in Arizona. The Netherlands is training (in Arizona). There will be time. I think they're gonna try to spend as much time as they can with us. … I know (Kim) is gonna play shortstop in the WBC, but I really don't foresee that being a big problem. And based on the fact that both those (WBC) teams train in Arizona, we'll have enough time to get these guys ready together."
— Q: It sounded like Juan Soto prefers to play one spot in the outfield rather than being moved around. So the idea that he will play left field or he might go back and forth. What's the plan there?
— A:"The plan hopefully is that he plays in one spot. Right now, the most sense would be left field. I have not spoken to him about it yet. But I would like to put him in one spot. He's been vocal about understanding where we are as a team but would prefer to be in one spot, and that makes sense to me."
— Q: How significant are the new rules changes and how do you anticipate acclimating to them during spring training and spring training games?
— A:"We're digging into these and looking at all the nuances and what's going to transpire, but I don't think you (have a good idea) until you really get on the field and see, and that's what spring training is going to be about. Lots of data. The pitchers are going to have to deal with the pitch clock, and the hitters are going to have to as well. … Everybody is going to have to deal with it — the base coaches, everyone. My signs to the catcher are going to have to be sped up. It's a lot. There's gonna be a lot. It's a lot of rules to acclimate to in a short amount of time. Everybody has to go through it, but it seems like a lot to throw all these in in one season."
