PEORIA, Ariz. — Clayton Richard and Dustin Moseley are healthy again. The trick for the San Diego Padres is keeping them on the mound throughout spring training.

Richard has been cleared by the team’s medical staff less than seven months after he had arthroscopic shoulder surgery. The left-hander was 5-9 with a 3.88 ERA in 18 starts last year before his season was cut short by the July 29 operation.

“I have to be careful not to do too much too quick because I want to just throw and throw and throw and I have to make it a gradual process, just like any spring training,” Richard said Monday. “And just because I feel good, not overdo it. I’m excited about getting started and feeling good.”

Moseley, who is in contention for the final spot in the rotation, had the capsule in his non-throwing shoulder repaired on Aug. 3.

The starting rotation is one of the biggest concerns for the Padres heading into the season. San Diego traded Mat Latos to the Cincinnati Reds over the winter.

Padres manager Bud Black said the team plans to monitor how Richard, who was a quarterback at Michigan, handles the workload this spring. A 14-game winner in 2010, Richard missed a portion of last spring with a sore shoulder and never really got on track.

But Black doesn’t think Richard will be restricted.

“Our doctors and our staff feel good about him,” Black said. “He’s going to go through camp as a regular, healthy player.”

Black said the team also will keep an eye on Moseley, who dislocated his left shoulder a number of times this season. The right-hander went 3-10 with a 3.30 ERA in 20 starts.

The injury didn’t affect Moseley’s ability to pitch, but he couldn’t swing a bat. The Padres also were concerned about whether Moseley could defend himself against hard-hit balls and elected for surgery.

“Throwing-wise Moseley’s fine,” Black said. “Hitting-wise we have to get him on a hitting progression to make sure his swing is not in any pain. The success rate of that surgery is high.”

Though the decision to end his season early was difficult, Moseley is confident he made the right choice based on how he feels physically. Had he waited until October to have surgery, Moseley would be two months behind schedule.

“It was tough, but we were thinking about the following season,” Moseley said. “This is a six-month deal where you’re full go, and it’s eight to 12 months before it’s completely healed. It’s the risk you take.

“Two months into the season you’re still rehabbing. It’s something I didn’t want to do.”

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The San Diego Padres have hired Alonzo Powell as assistant hitting coach to work under Phil Plantier.

Powell served as interim hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners during part of the 2010 season. He has 10 years of coaching experience following a 19-year playing career in the United States and Japan.

Plantier was hired as hitting coach after Randy Ready was fired the day after the season ended. The Padres were last in the NL West at 71-91.

Powell won’t be able to sit in the dugout during games.

Copyright 2011 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

SAN DIEGO (AP)—The San Diego Padres have hired Alonzo Powell as assistant
hitting coach to work under Phil Plantier.

Powell served as interim hitting coach for the Seattle Mariners during part
of the 2010 season. He has 10 years of coaching experience following a 19-year
playing career in the United States and Japan.

Plantier was hired as hitting coach after Randy Ready was fired the day
after the season ended. The Padres were last in the NL West at 71-91.

Powell won’t be able to sit in the dugout during games.

SAN DIEGO — The San Diego Padres have declined their $5 million mutual option for 2012 for right-hander Aaron Harang, as well as a mutual option for infielder-outfielder Brad Hawpe and a club option for right-handed reliever Chad Qualls.

Harang was 14-7 with a career-best 3.64 ERA for his hometown Padres.

Hawpe, who replaced Adrian Gonzalez at first base, played in 62 games, with 50 starts, before going on the disabled list June 21 and missing the remainder of the season after undergoing reconstructive surgery on his left elbow on Aug. 5.

Qualls led the Padres with 77 relief appearances, going 6-8 with a 3.51 ERA.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

SAN DIEGO, Sept. 28 (UPI) — Nick Hundley and Will Venable homered and combined to drive in seven runs Wednesday, sending the San Diego Padres to a 9-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.

The Padres and Cubs ended the season tied for the second-worst record in the National League (71-91) — ahead of only the Houston Astros and their 106 losses.

Hundley hit a three-run homer to highlight a four-run third and Venable blasted a grand slam in the sixth.

That made things easy for Wade LeBlanc (5-6), who gave up two runs on five hits in seven innings to get the victory.

Ryan Dempster (10-14) suffered the loss, surrendering all nine runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings.