Pitchers, catchers and one cannon-armed combination of both convene at the Peoria Sports Complex today for physical examinations. The experimentation will soon follow.

While no one outside of the team is expecting much, the 2017 Padres could foster the type of environment in which all sorts of things are possible. This isn’t about miracles (e.g., a playoff berth). It’s about the science of trial and error, only a bit bolder and more imaginative than usual.

“I think we’re going to look at a number of combinations of guys on the baseball field, where they play, who they play with,” Andy Green said on the eve of his second spring as Padres manager. “I think it’ll be obvious to people watching from the outside.”


The headline-grabber hails from Panama, where he recently showed off one of the sport’s strongest arms. Ever since Oct. 1, when the Padres revealed that Christian Bethancourt would attempt to add relief pitching to his job description, the backstop has inspired giddy fascination around the game.

Bethancourt’s bid to become the majors’ most versatile player has no precedent. The idea is, he could back up catcher Austin Hedges, take the mound and throw to Hedges, and pitch in as a reserve outfielder — sometimes all in one game. Such a hybrid would help the Padres carry more than one of their three Rule 5 draft selections while unlocking the full potential of Bethancourt’s most wondrous gift.

This experiment remains in its preliminary stages. Bethancourt served as a late-inning reliever in his native country last month, but his debut already had been delayed by a late start for the Panamanian Winter League. Bethancourt, who was up to 97 mph there, reportedly has made significant progress since last season’s pair of emergency pitching appearances. Still, the 25-year-old’s mound education has barely begun.

One of the next steps will be testing Bethancourt’s newly honed mechanics in Cactus League games against live, big-league hitting.


“We’ve built his progression in such a way that we can potentially accelerate it, but the anticipation would probably be he doesn’t pitch in a game until March 1, 2 or 3,” Green said. (The Padres play their first Cactus League game Feb. 25.) “We’ve toyed around with what’s best for him — he could catch bullpens one day, the second day you send him out for (pitcher fielding practice), the third day he throws a bullpen, and then maybe he cycles back with catching. There’s no roadmap for us, so it’s going to be what our best judgment is.”

In the infield, the Padres have a lot more to go on, but a few of Bethancourt’s teammates also could wind up with new titles. While first baseman Wil Myers seeks to build on an All-Star season and Luis Sardinas competes with Erick Aybar at shortstop, the other two positions are more ambiguous.

Third baseman Yangervis Solarte has plenty of experience at second. Second baseman Ryan Schimpf has plenty of experience at third.

Complicating matters, second baseman Cory Spangenberg is back after missing almost all of 2016 due to quad injuries. He brings rare speed, and the ability to play third. The slick-hitting Carlos Asuaje also can field either position. (Rule 5 pick Allen Cordoba, a 21-year-old with zero experience above rookie-ball, will attempt to stick in a utility role off the bench.)


“We’ll bounce them around, try to determine what our best lineup is. We’ll see how certain positioning plays,” Green said. “I think it’s wise for us to go into it open-minded — who plays second, who plays third. I really like some of the things Soley does at second. He looks really good physically right now. … I thought Schimpf looked a notch better at third than second last season. … I saw Spangy at third when I was coaching in Arizona, and thought he looked solid.”

The spring merry-go-round might extend to the outfield, where the Padres are excited about four young options. Alex Dickerson is exclusively a left fielder. Meanwhile, center fielders Travis Jankowski and Manuel Margot and right fielder Hunter Renfroe have all played the two outfield positions besides their primary ones.

“I think we’ll change configurations constantly,” Green said.

According to the manager, one scenario could see Renfroe and his powerful arm deep in center, flanked by speedsters Jankowski and Margot in the corners. That surely would go against conventional wisdom — most expect Renfroe to start in right, with Margot and Jankowski duking it out for center — but even if the formation never leaves Peoria, it can’t hurt to try.


Although he doesn’t have the range of the other two, Renfroe made 35 minor league starts as a center fielder. Margot and Jankowski, already plus defenders in center, would be formidable in either corner.

“It’s interesting to me, watching Ender Inciarte — I saw him in right field (in 2015), and it was game-changing defense in a position you don’t typically get it,” Green said. “...I think we’re just going to look at it.”

The Padres, picked to finish last for the second consecutive season, don’t have much to lose. What they do have is a malleable roster filled with youth, particularly in terms of position players.

“I think there’s weapons to deploy,” Green said. “Last year, what we were coming out of camp, we were pretty much locked down. It’s fun as a manager having decisions to make. I’m inclined to see who fits, what alignments work for us. I think it’s a hungry group.”

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