Live Batting Practice

The San Diego Padres got their first official workout in on Friday with pitchers throwing live batting practice. Noticeable on Friday was many of the younger pitchers hitting the mound early. Most are not expected to make the club this year, but the experience will be worth a lifetime. Collecting knowledge firsthand from the likes of Trevor Hoffman, David Wells and many other veterans will help them in the future.

Position players took batting practice against live pitching for the first time. Among the arms throwing were Ben Howard, Justin Germano, Edgar Huerta and Chris Oxspring.

Participating in his first Spring Training is pitcher Tim Stauffer, the Padres' first-round pick (fourth overall) in the 2003 First-Year Player Draft.

Stauffer earned first-team All-America honors last year at the University of Richmond where he went 9-5 with a 1.97 ERA and 10 complete games for the Spiders and was also named the Atlantic-10 Conference Pitcher of the Year in both 2002 and 2003.

"The shoulder is feeling great," said the 21-year old right hander. "The rehab is going well and I've been throwing off the mound for close to three weeks now. I'm just glad to get going and start my career."

Former Japanese Orix Blue Wave manager Akira Ogi stopped by the Padres training facility on Friday to visit with Akinori Otsuka. Ogi also visited the adjacent Seattle Mariners facility to visit with Ichiro Suzuki, whom he coached in Japan.

Otsuka received some bunting help from Antonio Osuna in the cages on Friday. Otsuka looked like he has never held a bat in his hands before.

Scary moment of the day...Phil Nevin backing off an inside pitch during live batting practice.

The Padres bullpen is one of only two (Phillies) with two 200-save men (Beck and Hoffman) (Wagner and Roberto Hernandez).

Weather permitting, the club will again hold workouts tomorrow beginning at 9:30 AM.