Padres first baseman Ryan Klesko probably will begin the season on the 15-day DL with an ailing left shoulder, and manager Bruce Bochy said Adrian Gonzalez will replace him in the Opening Day lineup Monday at Petco Park, according to the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Klesko for his part, expects to be back soon and the move could be backdated a bit to get him in the lineup as soon as April 10. But this is likely to be an underlying theme this season, as it’s been for the past three. He managed 443 at-bats last year, his most since 2002, but the injuries are mounting and a quick look at the annual stats reveals the age-slide is gaining momentum and his time may be upon us in short order. Much of this analysis is pronounced, but less truthful as allowances for the change to the home park also degrade the numbers. At age 34, it appears Klesko’s injury history and body type have caught up with him, and I wouldn’t be surprised to see Gonzalez get at least 300-350 at bats in 2006. It’s a contract year for Rhino, but I suspect he won’t have the health to give it all for one final payoff, and even if he did, the expenditure would seem foolish against the recent trend toward competence in the free agent market. Not that there won’t be some we question annually.

Gonzalez has gone 10-for-25 this spring with 20 total bases. What’s that? Gonzalez, the player acquired from Texas for Adam Eaton, originally for Ugueth Urbina from Florida, is no longer a prospect? Well, he’s still 23 years old having appeared in a total of 59 major league games in two seasons against 207 minor leagues games through same period. And given he’s never had an opportunity like the one presented to him with the Padres, a bench player backing up an aging major leaguer with a long history of health problems, I’m going with prospect. Ok, lets settle on “Tweener”

I like Gonzalez in fantasy this year as a $1 dollar reserve stash in NL-league only, particularly if you get stuck with Klesko. And anyone whose played the deep leagues is aware somebody will. I don’t think the former first rounder will develop big power. particularly in the Padres ball park, but that might actually be a good thing. There is plenty of spaces in the large dimensions of Petco, and he could become one of their better hitters, able to make contact and drive the ball into the gaps without becoming pull conscious.

The Padres former top first base prospect, Tag Bozied, has suffered through a couple of significant injuries, and I’m not sure where he sits in the present, needing some healthy time getting his swing back.  The team also has previously mentioned Water Young set for Triple-A Portland and Michael Johnson, a Clemson product who had a huge bounce-back year in 2005 as an overage 25-year-old at high Single-A Lake Ellsinore. He also made a quality showing in the Arizona Fall League. He’s set to join Double-A Mobile but could move up and onto the radar if he can replicate last season’s .984 OPS in 73 games after recovering from hamate bone surgery in May.  

White Sox – Reassigned OF Ryan Sweeney to their minor league camp.

My concerns on whether Sweeney can hit for enough power are documented in another blog entry . His spring certainly makes this look unwarranted as he notched 23 total bases including three home runs in 37 at-bats. I’m not one to get too caught up in Spring Training numbers. Remember Jays’ Patrick Lennon a few years ago or even Gabe Gross in 2005?  You don’t remember Patrick Lennon? Point made! We’ll see how this plays out in Triple-A to begin the season. If the power spike were legitimate the combination with his ability as a pure hitter makes him more than very interesting.   

Royals – Reassigned 3B Alex Gordon to their minor league camp.

Reports are this is the expected Double-A Wichita assignment. The second overall pick last year from the college ranks is all that and then some, but lets not get too caught up in his Spring Training campaign like some are reporting. He hit a soft .333 in 42 at-bats with an OBP that exceeded his slugging; badly out-performed at the plate by the likes of Joe McEwing. He wasn’t going to earn a major league job out of camp, nor did his performance warrant it. That being said, he should overtake Mark Teahen without pause by 2007 and become one of the best middle-of-the-order types in baseball by the end of the decade. I warned many to begin 2005 that Teahen would be overmatched by major league pitching and doesn’t profile as the stereotypical corner infield power bat.

Diamondbacks – Optioned SS Stephen Drew, and OF Scott Hairston to their minor camp. Reassigned 3B Brian Barden to their minor league camp.

Drew is obviously a name that’s coming in short order with good reason. Hariston was a good hitting prospect as a second baseman, but he’s not powerful enough to overshadow the issues as an outfield prospect.
I liked Barden’s bat at one point, but his power never emerged and he’ll be 25 next week; a make or break season.

Dodgers – Optioned P Jonathan Broxton to Triple-A Las Vegas of the Pacific Coast League.

I like Broxton as a closer in waiting if there is such a thing, but he’s not ready yet. His two-pitch repertoire is solid, but perhaps too similar. Time spent on development of his change up could really make a difference in his quest to learn how to set up and finish off the better class of hitter.

Phillies-Assigned P Cole Hamels to their minor league camp.

Hamels is to begin the year at high Single-A Clearwater according to MLB.com, in order to start the year in the warmer weather. Durability is the major issue for the 22-year-old as he remains the team’s top pitching prospect, but has missed significant development time. Expect him to move quickly should he put that behind him, as his ceiling is still exceptional.

Padres- Sent 1B Walter Young outright to Triple-A Portland of the Pacific Coast League. Reassigned OF Jack Cust to their minor league camp.

In Young we have a very large, over hyped minor leaguer who’ll probably never amount to much. I’ve insulted a few with that blunt assessment of the 26-year-old ex-Oriole who curiously has the same weight issue as another former Baltimore first base prospect, Calvin Pickering. New name, same problem, same prognosis. Those who hate my assessment can take comfort in the fact that I’m wrong often, as evidenced by Cust, a player I saw in the early part this decade with Triple-A Tucson and thought he could really make something of himself. It’s probably too late for the 27-year-old walk/strikeout machine as he never makes enough contact, and can’t play defense to save his life.

Giants-Optioned P Merkin Valdez to Triple-A Fresno of the Pacific Coast League.

My thoughts on Valdez were documented in this Blog earlier. It’s a curious move on the heels of a complete blow-up by closer Armando Benitez. Is Benitez really healthy? It doesn’t appear so but we shall see.

I was scanning Monday’s transactions and a name jumped out at me – Benji Gil….

The Royals assigned him to Triple-A Omaha on Monday, after going 6-for-12 this spring with a home run and a pair of stolen bases, and representing his home country Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
I was surprised Gil was still around. Growing up in the San Diego area, he became the first Mexican native to be drafted in the first round, picked 19th overall by Texas in 1991. This assignment, should he choose to accept it, will be his fifth team in the Triple-A Pacific Coast League, three in the Triple-A International League, one in the now-defunct Triple-A American Association, as well as development stops along with the way back in the early 90s. But he also has a World Series ring for being a contributing part of the 2002 Angels.

I saw him in the late 90s in the Pacific Coast league, playing with Calgary two consecutive years under the umbrella of two different teams; first the White Sox affiliate then the Marlins. I assumed he was much older but he’s still just 32. His numbers peaked at Double-A Tulsa at age 20 (275.346.456) and while he had journeyman years with similar results, he’s an overall .258 minor league hitter; not exactly what you’d like to see from a middle infielder whose reputation is as a hitter.

He’s not on my watch list of course, but he’s now entering his 16th year of pro ball and that by itself is worth a mention. One could look at his career and say it was a disappointment, what was supposed to be full of promise, instead became engulfed in a never-ending stream of bus rides and minor league small towns. But he has that moment in 2002, that one glorious second in time we all strive toward. I imagine if you ask him, he’ll tell you it was all worth it. Yeah, I bet it was…

Babbling in the middle of the night. The joy of this blog is that unlike most of my other work and writing, I can be a giant geek that cares about minor leaguers beyond the uber-prospect. Just a moment of indulgence, I’ll post something more to the point later in the day.
Dan Quon

The Nationals name Dante Bichette roving hitting instructor joining Keith Moreland and Darnell Coles.
Wow, I hadn’t given it much thought but time has marched on since the late 90s. Only Vinny Castilla remains from the Blake Street Bombers, and at 38, he’s gotten by because his bat speed was once unbelievable. But he should hang them up this year, as I’d be shocked if he was capable of anything resembling his old self with the Padres. The altitude and the park dimensions will surely end a career that should have been halted after 2005. No?

The Chicago Sun-Times is reporting Angel Guzman is in the running for the final rotation spot, vacated by the loss of both Mark Prior and Kerry Wood to begin the year. My feelings on Guzman have been expressed previously , although I’d be surprised if it’s an automatic. With the club not in need of a fifth starter to begin the year, it’s far more likely they look at the more experienced Rich Hill, leaving their previously injury-prone prospect to get into a groove at Triple-A Iowa.
Jae Kuk Ryu — another forgotten pitching prospect in the Cubs system — is also competing for the spot according to the report. But given he’s only worked six innings thus far, and hasn’t been above Double-A losing time with an elbow injury in 2004, that seems improbable. He has posted a decent 7/1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in the few outings this spring, and he’s a guy I still like. But be warned I’m probably the only one….

Joey Devine – The 2005 first-rounder is looking very good this spring training striking out 15 in nine innings while walking three. Most, including myself, like him for closer by the end of this year. Armed with a fastball that can tilt upward of 97 mph, and a slider that can occasionally looks a little like a Jeff Nelson Frisbee toss with more velocity, I don’t think there’s much disputing his long-term role as a closer is on the horizon. A highly touted prospect since high school, he’s the NC State record holder for career saves with 24, and is the only reliever in school history to record 10 or more in a season twice. Of note is a right-handed three-quarter arm slot, a motion that historically hasn’t been difficult for major league left-handed hitters to pick up on. He may have some struggles in the early stages of his career.   

Mark Prior (Not a minor leaguer but it’s my Blog, I write what I want) – According to Rick Wilton’s Baseball Injury Report , Prior will begin the season on the 15-day DL. This is not good news but warnings signs have been in evidence for months, and validates the Will Carroll report in February. Proof for anyone reading – Always trust Baseball Prospectus before the Cubs’ media department. Apologies to the Wrigley faithful, but many including myself have projected the Cubs demise would come because of Dusty Baker’s beliefs, or more to the point, non-belief in things related to pitch counts and pitches thrown per inning. And yes, as a prospect guy, it is seen through the evil eye of a man that doesn’t like to see the young player cast aside for the likes of Neifi Perez and formerly Todd Hollandsworth. Sue me for I am biased.

Tim Stauffer – The Padres have optioned Stauffer to Triple-A Portland of the Pacific Coast League. He hasn’t come around the way I thought he might. Going against my basic methodology, I ignored some of the nag issues prior to the 2005 season and rated him in the top-30 of my prospect list. I don’t regret that decision, and if it comes out poorly I’ll live with the fact I liked his stuff beyond basic velocity speed, and ignored the signs of erratic control. Inconsistency has been the end result, but he and I could both gain some respect if he were to shred the PCL this year, something I think he’s capable of. Should get another look later this year, hopefully with better confidence and control.