SAN DIEGO — Padres prospect Anthony Rizzo will be in San Diego
on Wednesday but not to play — at least not yet.

The Padres are bringing their Triple-A Tucson first baseman to
town so team doctors can evaluate his bruised left thumb, general
manager Jed Hoyer told the Associated Press. Rizzo, who is hitting
.365 with 16 homers and 63 RBIs, had an MRI performed in Tucson on
Tuesday. Rizzo told the Arizona Daily Star results of the MRI –
which Padres sources said was performed to see if there was any
structural damage — were negative.

Rizzo was a late scratch from Tucson’s lineup on Tuesday night
and also sat out Monday’s game, though he said he’s improving.
Rizzo, 21, injured his thumb in a collision with an umpire last
Tuesday night in Las Vegas and immediately sat out two games for
precautionary reasons. He played the next three games after that
going 4-for-14 with a homer and two RBIs.

“We’re just going to be careful,” Rizzo told the Arizona Daily
Star. “It’s just swollen. It’s a bruise just like we said all
along. It’s like 100 percent better from the last time I
played.”

On Monday, the Padres moved Brad Hawpe from first base to right
field, a move team officials said would pave the way for Rizzo’s
promotion to the big leagues. That led to speculation that Rizzo
could be in the Padres’ lineup for Wednesday’s series finale with
the Colorado Rockies.

Asked for news on Rizzo on Tuesday, Padres manager Bud Black
said he is only “concerned with the San Diego Padres.”

While he said he could understand the speculation, Padres
general manager Jed Hoyer told 4SD he wouldn’t break any news.

“I think Anthony’s very close to joining the team,” Hoyer said.
“… I don’t think it’s going to be long before he’s playing at
Petco Park. I think it will be soon.”

Before this season, Rizzo was rated as the No. 2 prospect in the
Padres’ farm system by Baseball America.

Rizzo, one of four players acquired from the Boston Red Sox in
December in return for Adrian Gonzalez, hit a combined 25 homers
between Single-A and Double-A last season.

Hundley closer

Black said the Padres will re-evaluate catcher Nick Hundley
(strained right oblique) after he played in his fourth straight
rehab game in Tucson. Hundley caught and had a pair of RBI doubles
early in Tuesday’s game. He went 0-for-5 in an appearance as the
team’s designated hitter in a 24-3 loss on Monday to Tacoma.

Et cetera

OF Cameron Maybin (inflamed right knee) will do more work on the
field on Wednesday and the team will assess when he is to begin a
rehab assignment, manager Bud Black said. … Black said 2B Orlando
Hudson (left groin strain) is a little behind Maybin and C Nick
Hundley in his rehab. Hudson performed limited baseball activities
on Tuesday, Black said.

 

Daniel Hudson hasn’t pitched poorly this season; he just hasn’t always been lucky. Perhaps that’s starting to change.

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D-Backs vs. Padres series photos | Box

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The young right-hander won for the fourth time in his past five starts Tuesday, overcoming a rocky first inning to help lift the Diamondbacks to a 6-1 win over the San Diego Padres in front of 16,365 at Chase Field. The win vaulted Arizona past San Diego and out of last place in the National League West.

“He was pretty good in his first two starts of the season; it’s just unfortunately we didn’t score enough runs for him,” Diamondbacks catcher Miguel Montero said.

In April, Hudson, acquired last season in a trade with the Chicago White Sox, went 1-4 with a 5.64 ERA. In five starts in May, he is 3-1 with a 2.27 ERA.

“Confidence,” said Hudson, explaining the difference between the two stretches. “Just knowing that I can get these guys out. I had confidence early on this season, but I just wasn’t getting the results, getting a little unlucky. But when that was going on, I knew it was going to even out in the end.”

Hudson wasn’t sharp Tuesday night against the Padres, but he was effective. The Padres jumped on his fastball early in the game, jumping to a 1-0 lead in the first, forcing Hudson to go to his secondary pitches. He never retired the side in order, but he never gave the Padres much of a chance to rally, either.

“I don’t think he had the greatest command; I don’t think his breaking ball was as good as it’s been, but they went after his first pitches all the time,” Montero said.

“So we started mixing it up, and he kept himself in the game. He was a little frustrated early, but he’s a competitor and when you compete, a lot of things can happen.”

Said Hudson: “They put some good swings on a couple pitches. I got a little frustrated there for a little while, but I just told myself to settle down and get through it.”

Hudson improved to 4-5, lowering his ERA to 4.03. He had help.

A night after making a fielding mistake, Gerardo Parra was productive with both the bat and glove. His two-run single in the sixth inning gave the Diamondbacks a 4-1 lead. In the field, Parra made a couple of nice, running catches that helped his pitcher. He finished with two hits and two RBIs.

Montero and Justin Upton also added two hits apiece for the Diamondbacks, who belted 11 as a team against three San Diego pitchers, including losing right-hander Tim Stauffer.

The Padres were 0 for 6 with runners in scoring position; the Diamondbacks were 5 for 15.

“We had several good at-bats,” said manager Kirk Gibson, listing contributions from Ryan Roberts, Stephen Drew and Parra. “We worked (on it Monday), we worked (before Tuesday’s game), and we’re going to continue to do that. We were much better with guys in scoring position, but we’re looking to be consistent.”

Rewind

Galarraga designated: After Tuesday’s game, the Diamondbacks designated struggling right-hander Armando Galarraga for assignment.

In eight starts, Galarraga was 3-4 with a 5.91 ERA. On Monday, he pitched five innings, allowing eight runs (five earned) and eight hits in an 8-4 loss to San Diego. After the game, Galarraga lost his cool with a reporter who asked about his spot in the rotation.

“For him, it was just the location of his fastball . . . a lot of his balls were running back over the plate.” Diamondbacks General Manager Kevin Towers told reporters. “Not to say he can’t get it back again, but it was kind of a breaking point for us. We just felt it was time to make a change there.”

The Diamondbacks likely will activate utilityman Willie Bloomquist off the disabled list. They have 10 days to trade, outright or release Galarraga.

Galarraga was scheduled to pitch Saturday. Towers said the club is considering its options for a replacement.

On appeal: With the score knotted at 1, the Diamondbacks caught a break in the second inning. After Eric Patterson led off with a triple, San Diego catcher Rob Johnson lined out to right field.

Arizona’s Justin Upton made the catch. Patterson tagged and slid home safely ahead of Upton’s throw. In Arizona’s dugout, bench coach Alan Trammell told manager Kirk Gibson that Patterson left third early.

The Diamondbacks appealed, and third-base umpire Joe West called Patterson out, even though replays suggested Patterson tagged at the appropriate time.

“We watch that on just about (every play),” Gibson said.

View from the press box

It was a little strange leaving the Bob Melvin re-introduction news conference and walking onto the elevator with the guy who two years ago replaced him as manager. A.J. Hinch was at Chase Field as the Padres’ vice president of professional scouting. According to a recent story on MLB.com, Hinch is off to a good start. “He’s taken ownership of that department,” San Diego General Manager Jed Hoyer said. “I told him we need to expand this department. He’s really going to change the direction of that department. It will only improve.”

Up next

Atlanta Braves

Update: The Braves won their fourth in a row Tuesday, 3-1 over Houston. They enter a two-game series at Chase Field at 25-19, two games behind Philadelphia in the NL East. Chipper Jones has a small meniscus tear in his right knee but played Tuesday. Jason Heyward also returned after missing six games because of right-shoulder inflammation. Outfielder Martin Prado is hitting .296 with six home runs and 27 RBIs. He has hit in 19 of his past 20 games. Atlanta sports an NL-best 2.94 ERA. Opponents are hitting .218 against Braves pitching.

Published: April 19, 2011 at 5:13 PM

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San Diego Padres closer Heath Bell has agreed to a $7.5-million, one-year contract and four other San Diego players also received deals Tuesday that avoided arbitration.

Outfielder Ryan Ludwick will earn $6,775,000, right-handed reliever Mike Adams received a deal for $2,535,000, third baseman Chase Headley gets $2,325,000 and pitcher Tim Stauffer gets $1,075,000.

The 33-year-old Bell went 6-1 with a 1.93 ERA and a career-best 47 saves last season, earning his second straight All-Star selection.

Prince Fielder and the Milwaukee Brewers started off what’s likely to be their final year together with a record.

Fielder and the club avoided salary arbitration by agreeing to a $15.5-million, one-year contract. The deal is the highest-single season contract for an arbitration-eligible player, surpassing Mark Teixeira’s $12.5-million agreement with Atlanta in 2008.

The club’s prospects to keep Fielder in Milwaukee past the upcoming season are slim. Fielder is represented by agent Scott Boras and can become a free agent after the World Series.

The Detroit Tigers appear ready to part ways with Armando Galarraga, the right-hander who missed a perfect game last season when an umpire’s wrong call cost him what would have been the final out.

In an odd procedural move, the Tigers designated Galarraga for assignment Tuesday, almost immediately after agreeing to a $2.3-million, one-year contract with him. Detroit also finalized its one-year deal with Brad Penny, bumping Galarraga from the starting rotation.

Tigers General Manager Dave Dombrowski said the Tigers will now try to trade Galarraga.

Detroit has 10 days to make a move with Galarraga. If he isn’t traded, he could be sent to the minors.

Galarraga went 4-9 with a 4.49 ERA last year. By agreeing to a deal with the 29-year-old pitcher, the Tigers avoided salary arbitration.

The New York Yankees have agreed to one-year contracts with right-handers Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain and left-hander Boone Logan to avoid arbitration.

Two people familiar with the deals say the Boston Red Sox have agreed to one-year contracts with closer Jonathan Papelbon and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury.

The base salaries are $12 million for Papelbon and $2.4 million for Ellsbury, according to the two people who spoke to the Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deals had not been announced.

San Francisco outfielder star Cody Ross, a postseason star for the Giants, agreed to terms on a $6.3-million, one-year contract.

Ross earned $4.45 million last season, when he joined the Giants on a waiver claim from Florida on Aug. 22.

The Baltimore Orioles have agreed to terms on one-year contracts for shortstop J.J. Hardy, outfielders Adam Jones and Felix Pie, and right-handed reliever Jim Johnson.

AL MVP Josh Hamilton has asked the Texas Rangers for $12 million in salary arbitration and major league home run champion Jose Bautista submitted a $10.5-million figure to Toronto Blue Jays.

The Rangers offered Hamilton $8.7 million Tuesday and the Blue Jays proposed $7.6 million to Bautista when teams and players swapped figures.

SAN DIEGO (AP) – All-time saves leader Trevor Hoffman is retiring at age 43 and will take a job in the San Diego Padres’ front office.

The Beverly Hills Sports Council, which represents Hoffman, confirmed that he is done after recording 601 saves in 18 seasons.

Hoffman played the bulk of his career with San Diego after being acquired as a rookie from the Florida Marlins in 1993. He left San Diego as a free agent after the 2008 season and pitched with the Milwaukee Brewers for two seasons.

MLB.com first reported Hoffman’s retirement.

The San Diego Padres added some catching depth on Tuesday by acquiring Rob Johnson from the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

San Diego, CA (Sports Network) – The San Diego Padres added some catching depth on Tuesday by acquiring Rob Johnson from the Seattle Mariners for a player to be named later or cash considerations.

The 28-year-old backstop hit a mere .191 with two homers and 13 runs batted in over 61 games for the Mariners last season.

Over parts of four big league seasons — all with Seattle — Johnson is a career .200 hitter with five home runs and 42 RBI in 161 contests.

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